25-Feb-2012
Chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate
Ina Garten's Beatty's chocolate cake, chocolate coffee whipped cream frosting, and chocolate ganache decorations.
01-Feb-2012
Happy Birthday to me!
It worked out very nicely that the last night of cake decorating class was the night before my birthday. This may be the fanciest birthday cake I have ever had. I can't wait to taste it, but I don't want to cut into it. Hmmm...
01-Feb-2012
Happy Birthday to me!
Lemon cake with raspberry filling and French buttercream frosting are hiding under the yellow fondant. The four calla lillies, four leaves (cut out by hand), and one daisy (my favorite flower) are all made of gum paste.
Best Marinara Sauce Yet
Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup white wine
Directions
In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Recipe from Jackie at AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-marinara-sauce-yet/detail.aspx
Exquisite Pizza Sauce
Ingredients
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste
Directions
In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.
Recipe from Angie Gorkoff at AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/exquisite-pizza-sauce/detail.aspx
White Bread Sandwich Loaf
Ingredients
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fine salt
Oil as needed
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, butter, and the sugar. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and cool to about 110 degrees F. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the milk. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.
Pour the milk and yeast mixture into the bowl of flour and mix until a soft, ragged mixture is formed.
Transfer the flour mixture to a well-floured work surface and knead until a soft elastic dough is formed, about 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and place in a warm spot in the kitchen, until puffed and doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Transfer the dough to the work surface and, using your hands, gently flatten into a 10-inch-long oval shape. Fold the dough into thirds lengthwise, overlapping the sides in the center. Press down on the overlapping side to seal and make a seam. Place seam side-down in a buttered 9x5 loaf pan, cover with a kitchen towel, and return to the warm spot until the dough has just risen about 1 1/2 inches over the top of the pan, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Brush the top of the dough lightly with warm water and, using a sharp knife, make 1/4-inch-deep slit down the center. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the pan and place in the center of the rack. Continue baking until the loaf sounds hollow when rapt lightly with your knuckles, on the bottom and top, or an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers about 190 degrees F., about 15 minutes.
Transfer the bread loaf to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.
Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
Chocolate Chess Pie
1 stick of butter
6 tbsp cocoa
1/4 C evaporated milk
2 eggs - beaten
1 1/4 C sugar
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
Melt butter and mix with cocoa. Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min.
I have used the frozen, pre-made pie crusts. They work really well. You don't even have to thaw it first.
Biscuits (similar to Cracker Barrel's)
2 Cups light baking flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 Cup Crisco
Mix all the biscuit ingredients together until crumbly. Make a well in the center.
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 Cups buttermilk
Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and pour into the well. Mix all completely into a dough and knead until smooth and elastic. Pat biscuit dough out to 1 inch thick, and cut into 3 inch rounds. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet with edges touching. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter again after brining them out of the oven.
Peach Cobbler with Praline Biscuits
Ingredients
3/4 Cup sugar *
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 Cup water *
5 Cups sliced fresh peaches (3 lbs) *
3 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Cup chopped pecans
2 Cups self-rising flour **
2 tsp sugar
1/2 Cup solid shortening **
3/4 Cup buttermilk
* Perhaps canned peaches could be substituted using the liquid rather than water and use less sugar
** Bisquick may be substituted for flour and shortening
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Lightly grease a 13 in x 9 in x 2 in pan.
Combine first 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Pour into lightly greased pan and set aside.
Combine butter, sugar, and nuts. Set aside.
Combine flour and sugar. Cut in shortening. Add buttermilk.
Roll to 8 in x 12 in rectangle. Spread with pecan mixture. Roll up from long end. Cut roll into 1/2 inch slices. Place on top of peaches (about 3x6 or 3x7).
Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.
Serve one helping to each family member and keep the rest for yourself. ;)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Squares
Ingredients
2 cans (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, leaving enough sticking up on the ends to use as a sling to easily extract the finished product from the pan when done. Unroll 1 of the cans of crescent dough. Press onto bottom of pan to form crust, firmly pressing seams together to seal.
- Beat cream cheese, vanilla, 1 egg, and 1/2 cup of sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread 1 cup of this mixture onto the crust.
- To the rest of the cream cheese mixture, add the other egg, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Spread all of this mixture over the first cream cheese layer.
- Unroll the remaining can of crescent dough onto a large sheet of wax paper. Pat out dough to form 13x9 inch rectangle, pressing seams together to seal. Invert over cream cheese mixture to form top crust; discard wax paper.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool some. Use the foil sling to pull the big cake out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into squares and serve or refrigerate.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, salt, 1/3 cup butter, and vanilla. Mix together and pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.
To prepare the topping, combine in a separate bowl the brown sugar, flour 1/3 cup melted butter, and pecans. Mix together and crumble over sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes.
Bonnie's Beef n Barley
4 C Beef Cubes
1 T Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/4 tsp Chili powder
1/2 C Chopped Onion
1 lb. Soup bones
4 C V-8 Juice
4 C Water
3/4 C Barley
1 C Carrots
1 C Pototoes
1 C Celery
1 C Corn
1 C Green Beans
Brown meat. Add bones, water, juice, onion and seasonings. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
Add barley and simmer 1 hour.
Add vegetables and simmer 1 hour.
Remove bones and correct seasonings.
About 8 servings
Sourdough Bread
Starter:
1 pk yeast (approximately 1Tbsp)
1C warm water
Day 1 - Mix until yeast dissolves. Let it sit on the counter overnight in a glass bowl.
Day 2 - Put it in the fridge.
Day 3 - Feed it. Feed again every 3rd day.
Feed Starter:
3 Tbsp instant potato flakes
2/3 C sugar
1 C warm water
Add all of these to starter and stir a bit. Let it sit out overnight or throughout the day before returning starter to the fridge.
Go through 2 or 3 feedings before making the bread.
Bread:
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 C sugar
6 C bread flour
Mix these together. Then, add:
1 C starter
1/2 C corn oil (or vegetable oil)
1 1/2 C warm water
1 - Mix until you have a ball of dough. Oil the dough ball and a glass bowl. Place the dough ball in a glass bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let it rise overnight or throughout the day.
2 - Knead about 25 times on a well-floured surface. Divide into 3 parts for standard bread pans or 2 parts for extra large bread pans. Knead several more times. Place dough in well-greased loaf pans. Lightly grease the tops of the loaves. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise throughout the day or overnight.
3 - Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Rub a stick of butter over the warm loaves after removing them from the oven.
This recipe was given to me by a friend named Susan Dempsey. Thanks, Susan!