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Archive for the ‘recipe’ Category
Carrot Cake
February 20, 2012
I must confess that before this weekend, I had never made carrot cake. Oh, I like it. It’s a great cake when made right. But I think that one of the reasons I’ve never made it is because of the frosting. Many times the cream cheese frosting is too sweet. Oh, and there is a restaurant in town that makes the best carrot cake ever. When I’m in the mood for carrot cake, I just drive over there and order a slice to go. That is, until now.
I found this Southern Living recipe after Chefs Catalog sent me a link about carrot cake. It made me want to make carrot cake. I searched and decided on the Southern Living recipe because the frosting didn’t seem overly sweet. I was right. Everyone thought this recipe was awesome. This cake is so moist, it’s the buttermilk glaze. The hardest part was grating the carrots, which I made sure to overgrate and freeze for the next time I make this cake. I was pleased at how pretty it looked with little effort.
Oh, don’t let the coconut and pineapple throw you. I was confused by these ingredients myself, but was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. And by that I mean if you don’t like coconut (and I usually don’t), you won’t know it’s there. The pineapple is there to add moisture and allow the carrot flavor to pop. I added raisins to the cake because I like raisins in my carrot cake. Also, you can use walnuts, but I don’t like them so never buy them.
I served each slice with a drizzle of caramel, just like the restaurant.
Carrot Cake
- 2 C Flour
- 2 t Baking Soda
- 1/2 t Salt
- 2 t Cinnamon
- 3 Eggs
- 2 C Sugar
- 3/4 C Vegetable Oil
- 3/4 C Buttermilk
- 2 t Vanilla
- 2 C Carrot, grated
- 1-8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/3 C Coconut
- 1/2 C Raisins, soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes
- 1 C Chopped Pecans, plus more for garnish
Buttermilk Glaze
- 1 C Sugar
- 1 1/2 t Baking Soda
- 1/2 C Buttermilk
- 1/2 C Butter
- 1 T Corn Syrup
- 1 t Vanilla
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 C Butter, softened
- 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 3 C Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 t Vanilla
For the cake:
Line 2 (or 3) 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the pans, set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, soda, salt and cinnamon, set aside. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla to the eggs. Beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture, beat until well blended. Fold in the carrots and drained raisins. Add the pineapple, coconut and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the glaze:
Place the sugar, baking soda, buttermilk, butter and corn syrup in a medium-sized sauce pan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to boil, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle the glaze evenly over each layer. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Once removed from the pans, cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
Cream the butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spread the frosting on each cake layer. Garnish the sides with crushed nuts, if desired.
Tomato Cream Soup
February 14, 2012
Yesterday I was home with Meeshie. She was sick on Sunday and didn’t feel any better on Monday morning. I was actually off for Lincoln’s birthday and had planned to do quite a few things. Instead I stayed home and made soup. Not that Meeshie had any, but still. I also made some whoopie pies. I love making them because they are so simple and easy to store. Perfect for a fourth grader’s lunch.
Today Meeshie is feeling more herself. Or maybe it’s the prospect of her Valentine’s Day party? Either way, she’s back to school. Sunday, on the other hand, was sad. She missed a birthday party and never left the couch. You know your child is not feeling right when that happens!
Ah, but back to the soup. I made this simple and tasty tomato soup after going through one of my cook books. I know a lot of people collect cook books, but I don’t. I’ve found that if I buy one I may use one recipe out of the entire book. With the exception of some wonderful books from Williams-Sonoma. My husband found a collection of cook books for me when we were first married. I don’t have the whole series, but I do have a few great books. One of them is a soup cook book. I know I’ve shared my love of soup, so it comes as no surprise that I’ve made quite a few of these recipes.
This tomato soup recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, but this time of year it’s best to use canned. Using the canned tomatoes actually make the soup even easier because I didn’t have to blend anything. If you use the fresh tomatoes, just skin them and chop them.
Tomato Cream Soup
- 1/4 C Butter
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 1 Carrot, chopped
- 2 Celery stalks, chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
- 3-28 oz cans of crushed Tomatoes (or 4 lbs of fresh, skinned and chopped)
- 3 C Chicken Stock
- 1/2 t Thyme, dried
- 1/3 t Ginger, ground
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 1/2 C Bread Crumbs
- 1 C Half and Half
- Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, thyme, ginger, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and slowly whisk in the bread crumbs. If using fresh tomatoes, in small batches puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Strain the liquid and return it to the pan. Stir in the cream and simmer for five minutes.
Serve with your favorite sandwich.
Something Fun
February 11, 2012
Last night Meeshie’s girl scout troop got together to work on a badge. That work involved fondue. And baking. How could that be better? Spending that time with some of the best moms. I only wish I had remembered my camera. Thanks Krista, for letting me help out.
Now, we are lovers of fondue at our house. We have it every New Year’s Eve. But, I must confess that we stick to beef broth or cheese fondue. The girls wanted chocolate.
Chocolate fondue, perfect timing for Valentine’s Day. It’s so easy to make. The girls had a blast prepping all the food. And there was tons of it. That’s the thing about fondue. It never looks like enough food, but there is. We had pound cake. Which the girls also made. We had them put them in mini paper loaf pans for easy take home. We had bananas, pineapples, strawberries, rice crispy treats, oranges, pretzel rods, apples, graham crackers and two kinds of marshmallows.
For the cheese fondue, we had bread, tatter tots, apples, pretzel rods, and veggies. We altered the cheese recipe to include chicken broth instead of the wine.
Let me say that 12 girls may be loud, but they work well together. They chip in. They pick up each others slack. They were split up into two groups to make the pound cake. They went through the recipe and decided who would do what. Since Meeshie helps me at home, she designated herself the bartender asking each girl what they wanted to drink.
It was such a great night, that we are already talking about how we can make it even better next year.
Chocolate Fondue
- 2-10 oz bags of Bittersweet Chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao)
- 2 C Whipping Cream
- 2 T Vanilla
- 2 T Frangelico, Amaretto or Bailey’s (optional)
Pour the whipping cream in an electric fondue pot on low. Bring the cream to a simmer and add the chocolate. Stir until melted. Add the vanilla and liqueur (if using). Dip in! If the fondue becomes too thick, add more whipping cream to thin.
Dip with:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Pound Cake
- Graham Crackers
- Oranges
- Pineapples
- Pretzel Rods
- Marshmallows
Dip In
February 1, 2012
Are you a fan of a great dip? I am. I love dips. Cold dips, hot dips, it doesn’t really matter. Each one is good in its own way. A good cold dip made ahead is ideal for a large crowd. But you can say the same thing for a good hot one too. Assemble and then stick it in the oven to enjoy as people start to trickle in.
The first recipe is quick and hot. Hot as in warm, but also spicy. It’s spicy but not too spicy. You can substitute canned chicken for the cooked chicken breast. Or you can use leftover chicken, the dark and white meat will really add a lot of flavor to the dip. You can also sprinkle a small amount of cheddar cheese on top of the dip before you stick in the oven, but it doesn’t really add too much flavor so I don’t. I love this dip with tortilla chips, but wheat thins are also very good, or celery.
The last recipe is one of my husband’s favorites. I had never heard of shrimp dip until I met him. It’s one of those things that shows up at every family gathering. That is, if my husband remembers to ask his father to make it.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
- 2-8 oz packages of Cream Cheese, softened
- 3/4 C Frank’s Hot Sauce
- 1 C Ranch Dressing
- 4 C Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
Mix all ingredients together. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Serve with your favorite crackers, chips or veggies.
Shrimp Dip
- 2-8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 1-6 oz can Shrimp, tiny kind, rinsed and drained
- 1 T Dry Onion Soup mix
Mix the cream cheese, onion soup and shrimp together. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with chips or crackers.
Count Down to a Super Sunday
January 30, 2012
Sunday is the big football day. Not that I’m that invested in it, my favorite team didn’t make it. And no it’s not the Bears. I haven’t been a Bears fan since 1987, when the Bears let Otis Wilson go. I’m a Saints fan.
I thought that I would share some great game day food this week. I’m starting out with some of my favorite appetizers. Some of my favorite man friendly appetizers. A large group of people gathered around a sporting event calls for some great appetizers.
Why not try one of these:
Or maybe this next one. The crunchy won ton and warm filling are so good together. I make the filling ahead and prep the won tons ahead as well. Once people start to arrive, I start to put the filling in the won tons. Serve them warm, or they’ll get soggy and that’s not good. If you prep them to be eaten as they come out of the oven, they’ll go quickly.
I’m planning to share some great dips later in the week. Why do ladies love the dips and men love the finger food?
Sausage Stars
- 1 lb Cooked Breakfast Sausage, crumbled
- 1 1/2 C Cheddar Cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 C Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
- 1 C Ranch Dressing
- 1-6 oz can of Black Olives, sliced
- 1/2 C Red Pepper, chopped
- 1-package Won Ton Wrappers
After cooking and draining the sausage, combine it with the cheeses, ranch dressing, black olives and red peppers. Set aside.
Using a brush, lightly grease a mini-muffin tin. Press a wrapper in each prepared cup. Bake the won tons for five minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until golden. Remove from the oven and fill each won ton with sausage filling. Return to the oven and cook until bubbly, about five minutes.
Serve warm.
Makes about four dozen.
Spiced Up Cookies
January 25, 2012
I love a good bargain. That’s why when I was shopping at Target after Christmas, I came across some cinnamon m&m’s in the sale aisle. I wasn’t even aware that there were such a thing as cinnamon flavored m&m’s. Did you? I bought two bags for the price of one. I knew exactly what I was going to do with the bag once I had a spare minute.
Make cookies, of course. Who doesn’t like cookies made with m&m’s? I finally got around to make these cookies the other day. I used the basic recipe on the back of a bag of chocolate morsels. I prefer to use a certain brand of morsels, but use whatever you like. I chose to add milk chocolate morsels. I thought they would complement the cinnamon flavor of the m&m’s. I also thought that adding nutmeg would counteract any artificial flavor from the m&m’s.
I like my cookies chewy, and tend to slightly under cook them. That way they are still chewy a few days after I’ve backed them, that is if there are any left.
Cinnamon M&M Cookies
- 1 C Butter
- 3/4 C Sugar
- 3/4 C Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 t Vanilla
- 2 Eggs
- 2 1/4 C Flour
- 1 t Baking Soda
- 1/2 t Salt
- 1/4 t Nutmeg
- 1 C Milk Chocolate Chips
- 1-9.9 oz bag of Cinnamon M & M’s
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Beat the butter and sugars together. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the milk chocolate chips and m&m’s. Drop the batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Another Perfect Winter Meal
January 22, 2012
We had more snow on Friday. I’m not sure how much. Maybe six or eight inches. I honestly don’t keep track. To me snow is more of an inconvenience than anything. I lost that gleeful feeling toward snow a long time ago. I think it may have coincided with getting my driver’s license.
I don’t hate driving in snow, but I don’t like it. Friday’s snow added 30 minutes on to my commute home. That’s not too bad. I’ve been stuck in snow longer. The problem with the snow by me is the drifts. The snow drifts a lot. So even if the roads have just been plowed, you can’t tell. I actually got stuck going up my driveway. It took four attempts before I could park in the garage. The ironic thing was that the snow wasn’t wet. Do you know what I mean? It wasn’t good packing snow, which usually causes me more trouble in the car. Or truck. I don’t have four-wheel drive on the mammoth vehicle I drive, so stopping and starting are always an adventure in the snow.
The upside of the snow was that Meeshie went sledding with a few of her friends yesterday. It was her first time. I know. I’m a bad mom, but I wasn’t aware of any great snow hills near me. Until yesterday, that is. I was invited too, but I needed to stay home and make dinner. I’m hoping to join in next time. I made them some cinnamon cider to keep them warm. Meeshie had a great time, thanks Maribeth and Carol for taking her. Is it still considered sledding if you sit in the warm car with a hot spiked beverage? Because I can do that.
I stayed home and made this pasta dish. I love baked ziti and yesterday was a perfect day for it. This dish feeds a large crowd. I’ve made it for past Superbowl parties. I love that you can make the cream sauce a couple of days ahead.
Baked Ziti with Mushrooms
- 3 Yellow Bell Peppers
- 1 Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 3 T Olive Oil
- 2 C Half and Half
- 1 1/2 lbs Mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 Red Bell Peppers, chopped
- 2 Orange Bell Peppers, chopped
- 1 lb Ziti ( I actually used Mezzi Rigatoni)
- 8 Scallions (green part only)
- 2 C Parmesan, freshly grated
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1/4 t Nutmeg
Chop the yellow peppers, onion, and mince the garlic. Add all three to a heavy saucepan lined with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and stir occasionally, until the peppers are soft; about 15 minutes. Stir in the half and half and nutmeg. Allow to cool and add to a blender and puree in batches. If you don’t allow the mixture to cool be aware that blending hot liquids: use small batches and vent the blender. Use a towel over the blender, this will help prevent any heat explosions. Set this mixture aside.
In a large skillet, add the remaining olive oil, mushrooms and red and orange peppers. Season with pepper. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
Cooke the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 C of pasta water. Drain the pasta. Combine the pasta, half and half mixture, mushrooms and peppers, pasta water and 1 1/2 C of parmesan. Place in a 3 or 4 quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and begins to brown.
If making ahead, combine the sauce and prepare the mushroom mixture. Set in the fridge for up to two days ahead. Make sure the sauce and mushrooms are at room temperature before proceeding. Adjust your cooking time in the oven accordingly.
Makes 8 to 10 servings!
Serve with your favorite bread and salad.
Something Spicy
January 17, 2012
It’s been cold around here lately. We had snow last week, a little more today and now we are gearing up for some cold weather. Ah, winter in Chicago. It’s days like today that makes most Chicagoans smile during the hot, humid summer. Or at least I do.A cold day like today makes me want to enjoy a hot dish. Orange chicken is just that dish. What I love is that I can control the heat level. So, even though my husband and I love spicy food, the dish can be less hot for Meeshie. And let me tell you Meeshie is a big fan of orange chicken. She’s also a big fan of sweet and sour chicken.
This dish uses the same technique as the sweet and sour chicken: the egg wash/corn starch dip before the frying. It’s a messy step but worth it, just make sure to keep one hand dry and one wet, it’ll still be messy but not so bad. I also prep everything the night before, just like the sweet and sour chicken, to let the sauce soak into the chicken.
The first time I made this, I used 1 T of crushed red pepper. It was spicy (not too spicy), and Meeshie commented about it but still ate it. Since then, I’ve made it with less red pepper and she always asks about the heat level. Once she realizes it isn’t that spicy she digs right in and enjoys!
Orange Chicken- 2 Whole Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 1/2 C plus 2 T Cornstarch
- 1 C Orange Juice
- 1 C Water, with 2 T reserved
- 1 Lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 T Vinegar
- 1/2 C Brown Sugar
- 1/2 t Ground Ginger
- 1 t Garlic Powder
- 2 T Soy Sauce
- 1 t-1 T Crushed Red Pepper, depending on your heat level
Cut the chicken up into chunks, season with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the 1/2 C cornstarch then the eggs. Fry in a little oil until browned and place in a 9×13 baking dish (I use my Pyrex). Mix the orange juice, water less the 2 T, vinegar, lemon juice, zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and soy sauce together. Mix the 2 T cornstarch with the 2 T water, mix into the sauce and add the red pepper.
You can then let it sit in the fridge over night or cook immediately. I usually prep it all and place it in the fridge overnight.
Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Serve with white rice or fried rice.
I’m linked to Ekat’s Kitchen today.
Happy New Year!
January 11, 2012It’s not to late to say Happy New Year, is it? This month, New Year’s Day actually, commemorates my second year of blogging. This post is actually my 275th. I can’t believe it. It really doesn’t seem like two years since I started sharing my thoughts and recipes with all of you.
To celebrate my second anniversary, I’m sharing my top five most viewed posts. Funny thing is that these posts were most viewed last year, but were all written in 2010. Makes me wonder what things will be looked at in 2012.
At the top of the list is one of my favorite coffee cakes. It’s a blueberry raspberry coffee cake, but don’t be fooled. I’ve made it with blackberries, too. This cake is moist and so easy to make.
Next, is oreo cupcakes with oreo frosting. These are so moist and yummy. I’ve actually made cake pops with some leftover cupcakes and frosting. These have been my go to cupcake for Meeshie’s birthday for the last two years.
How about a great yellow cake recipe? Everyone should have one. This is absolutely the best yellow cake recipe I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of yellow cake.
Speaking of cake pops, my reindeer ones were a big hit last year. I’m not sure why. I’ve shared quite a few cake pops and I’m not sure why this one has risen to the top…
Last, is a cake from my husband’s childhood, bobovka. It’s a moist cake made with yeast and poppy seed filling. This is a great cake warm and equally great the next day.
Happy blogging and thanks for sharing your comments and encouragement!
