Lemon Ginger Ice Box Cake

    This is a riff on Ina's amazing Mocha Chocolate Icebox  Cake-- light, refreshing and easy! 

*Needs to chill overnight.😉

Serves 8-10

3 packages           Trader Joe's Crispy Ginger Chunk Cookies (or Tates)   
2 C.                      Heavy cream
16 oz.                   Mascarpone
1 jar                     Lemon Curd-- get the really good stuff!
1/4  C.                  Lemon juice
1/4  C.                  Sugar
                             Zest of 3 lemons
1 t.                        Lemon extract


With whisk on electric mixer combine cream, Mascarpone, lemon curd, sugar, lemon juice, zest and lemon extract. Mix on low then increase speed until peaks form.

In an 8" spring-form pan, lay down one layer of cookies--breaking some to fill in gaps. Spread a fifth of the cream mixture with a rubber spatula as if 'frosting' a cake. Repeat layers until you have 5 layers, finishing with cream layer on top smoothed out nicely. Cover with plastic wrap ( but not letting it touch the cream part). Refrigerate overnight.

To serve, run a  sharp knife around outside of the cake (or it breaks apart--I know, 'cuz I did it😒)

For optional but recommended topping--whirl in little processor or blender:

Lemon zest    
Candied Ginger   
Sugar

Sprinkle on top of cake, cut cake in wedges and serve cold.  A few raspberries on top or on the side make it extra nice.

Quick Roasted Eggplant Caponata

This dip is a slight tweak on Ina Garten's recipe. It gets better each day, so make it it one or two days in advance for optimum flavor, but I had some each day for four days and it was good even from the start--but definitely rocked the flavor on day 3 and 4! Roasting the eggplant whole is easy and using the food processor makes this extra quick to prepare.

• 1 large eggplant
• olive oil
• 2/3 jar of roasted red peppers, chopped 
• 1/2 C large green olives, chopped (martini olives work fine)
• 1 C. yellow onion
• 1/8 t. red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 T. minced parsely
• 2 T. almonds, chopped and toasted 
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 2 t. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 t.  ground black pepper

Crackers, toasted pita triangles or pita chips, or endive are all great dippers.

Heat oven to 400*.  Place the whole eggplant on a foil line baking sheet.; prick with a fork several times and rub it down with olive oil. Roast for 45-50 minutes, until soft when pierced with a knife. Let cool, then halve and peel eggplant discarding skin. Place eggplant, chopped red peppers and olives in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, then pour into another bowl.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a medium pan. Add onion and pepper flakes cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes til onion is slightly browned. Add garlic, cook 1 minute and add to eggplant mixture. Add parsley, nuts, lemon juice, tomato paste, vinegar, slat and pepper and mix with a spoon. Cover with wrap and refrigerate a few hours (at least) for flavors to marry.

Serve with dipper of choice. YUM!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

cupCAKES

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 small box chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 4  eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream or yogurt

fROSTING

• 1/2 cup  butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup heavy cream 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

DRIZZLE

salted caramels 6-8

cream or half and half

Kosher salt, pinch

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cupcake pans with liners. Set aside.

 Beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, milk and sour cream with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Spoon batter ( approx. 1/4 C)  into cupcake pan( liners recommended). Makes about 20 cupcakes.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick  comes out clean. Remove pand and let cool before frosting.

Frosting: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Once melted, add brown sugar and cream. Stir constantly over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency.

Drizzle: In microwave heat caramels until just melted 10-20 seconds on medium power stir in cream or half and half. Drizzle over frosted cupcakes. If too thin just stir and wait a minute to drizzle if too thick heat again with a bit of milk.

Garnish with a few granules of Kosher salt.