Monday, September 28, 2009

Playing around with cake mis










I took a chocolate cake mix and instead of the water I added coffee. The filling is pudding and the frosting is Heavy Whipping cream with some chocolate pudding added in and whipped up.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Italian Sausage soup

I make this as well as garlic bread, pumpkin pie and hot apple cider every year of the first day of Autumn.


1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (I use 1/2 hot Italian sausage)
2 cloves garlic
2 large onion
1 28 oz can Italian tomatoes
5 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tea basil
3 T parsley
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped and seeded.
2 medium zucchini cut into 1/2 inch slices
5 oz medium size bow shaped noodles.

In a five qt dutch oven over medium high heat cook sausage until lightly brown on the outside and no longer pink in the middle. Remove from pan with slotted spoon. add garlic and onions, cook stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
Stir in tomatoes, break up with spoon. Add broth, water, basil and return meat back to the pan. return to a boil cover and cook for 20 minutes, stir in parsley, green peppers, zucchini and pasta cover and simmer stirring occasionally until noodles are tender about 25 minutes.

Chili




2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
3 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can chili beans in spicy sauce
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green Chile peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 (10.5 ounce) bag corn chips
1 (8 ounce) package shredded

Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Crumble the ground beef and sausage into the hot pan and cook evenly browned. Drain off fat.
Pour the chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste, add the celery, onions, green and red bell peppers, chili peppers, and bouillon. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne and paprika stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat at least two hours, stirring occasionally.
After 2 hours taste and adjust salt, pepper and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers (better the next day) the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve with chips and cheese.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Playing around with cupcakes











Pizza Dough



3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. Spread out on a large pizza pan. Top as desired.
Bake at 375 degrees C (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes"

Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe


1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 red apples, such as Cortland or McIntosh
2 1/2 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder
Directions
Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2 cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Beat 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix"
Doughnut Recipe continues below



"Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside for the topping.
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12 rounds, using a floured 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, then cut out the middles with a 1-inch cutter (or use a doughnut cutter). Slip 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.
Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon-sugar or roll all over in cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve warm."

Pizza







2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella

1.In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
2.When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3.Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Brush top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm"

I used this for a veggie pizza I baked it for about 12 minutes and then I add a small amount of sauce, cheese, artichoke hearts, spinach, baby Bella mushrooms, olives, yellow peppers, red and green bell peppers, caramelize onions I cooked up, olives and come Feta cheese on top with a little more cheese. back in the oven until it is hot and melted.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Frozen Lemon Whip




6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 lemons, zested, plus thin slices for serving
2 cups heavy cream
Blueberry Sauce, recipe follows
Blueberries, for garnish
Directions
Line a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin with paper muffin liners.
Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until well combined, then add the lemon juice and zest. Pour into a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens to the consistency of gravy, 8 to 10 minutes, (it should cling to the spoon when you stop stirring). Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve placed over a glass bowl. Stir the mixture occasionally to help release some of the heat. Once cooled to room temperature, put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm.
In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Whisk the chilled lemon curd to loosen it and fold half the cream into it to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until just blended. Divide the lemon whip between the muffin cups, smoothing the tops. Put the pan on a sheet tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours.
To serve, remove muffin tray from freezer and let stand 10 minutes. Serve immediately by placing thin lemon slices on a plate and inverting the lemon whip directly on top of the lemon slices (this prevents sliding on the plate). Drizzle berry sauce over the top and around the frozen lemon whip. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries and enjoy your refreshing cold treat!!!"

Zucchini Cornbread Casserole


4 cups shredded zucchini
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
In a large bowl mix together the zucchini, onion, eggs, muffin mix, salt and pepper. Stir in 4 ounces of the cheese. Spread this mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish; top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven for 60 minutes."