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.

Daily Candy 100 Day Giveaway

Daily Candy 100 Day Giveaway

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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.

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.

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."

Diane Atkins Granola Bars

I got this recipe from my daughter's Mother-In-Law, they are really good.

5 cups coconut
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup chopped dried craisins
2 cups gran. sugar
2 t baking soda mix 1st 9 ingred. well
2 1/2 t salt
5 cups W.W. flour
6 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup chopped choc. chips
1 cup chopped W. choc. chips
2 cups slivered almonds

in a seperate bowl
2 1/2 cups veg. oil
5 eggs
5 t vanilla
1 cup molassas

blend both bowls together, place in 2 cookie sheets and pat down til firm, mix is crumbly.

bake in a 350* oven for 15 minutes"

Sweet and Sour Tomatoes

7 tomatoes
1 small yellow onion
1/2 cup white sugar1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Thinly slice the tomatoes. Cut the onion in half through root end, then thinly slice into half-circles. In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. You may adjust the amounts of vinegar and sugar according to your taste. Serve at room temperature"

Green Beans

4 servingsIngredients
3/4 pound green beans - look for trimmed, raw packaged beans in your produce department
Salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari aged soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Directions
Cut green beans into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Place in a skillet. Add water, salt, to taste and cook beans 5 minutes, then drain beans. Place the skillet back on stove and add vegetable oil. Heat pan over high heat until oil smokes. Add the beans and red peppers and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the soy and sesame oil and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve"

Ginger Flank Steak with Wasabi Smashed Potatoes

4 servings Ingredients

2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
1/4 cup tamari aged soy sauce
2 limes, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it
2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
2 pounds flank steak
2 1/2 to 3 pounds Idaho potatoes, 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup cream
1 to 2 tablespoons wasabi paste - how hot do ya like it?
4 scallions, root end trimmed
Handful cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat a grill pan or indoor/outdoor grill to high.
Combine ginger, tamari, lime juice, oil and grill seasoning in a large seal able plastic bag. Add meat to marinade and coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes then grill meat 6 to 7 minutes on each side.
Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, salt the potatoes and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and add them back to the hot pot. Smash the potatoes with a masher to desired consistency with the cream and wasabi. Adjust salt, to taste.
While potatoes and meat cook, finely chop the scallions together with cilantro and lime zest.
Let meat rest 5 minutes then thinly slice on an angle against the grain. Serve meat on mash potato mounds with a garnish with a generous sprinkling of the chopped scallion-cilantro-lime zest."

Pepper Steak Sandwich

I sliced up thin slices of beef and cooked it with steak seasoning and salt and pepper and add a little beef broth. I added it to a pan of hot oil and cooked it until it was done, I then added onions and peppers to it and cooked until almost tender. Then I added cheese and a toasted roll.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

¼ c butter
½ Apple Sauce
¾-1 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t vanilla
½ c buttermilk
2½ c flour
¼ c unsweeted cocoa powder
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t salt
2 c zucchini, grated
½ c chocolate chips
Directions
Grease the baking pan with a bit of butter and set aside. Preheat oven to 325.
Beat together butter, oil, sugar, and eggs, then whick in vanilla and buttermilk.
Gradually add flour, then cocoa, then baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips, then pour batter into cake pan and bake for about 45 minues, until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Let cool before serving"

Hamburger Cupcakes

I use to make these with cookies but they are so much better with cake.

I just bake some yellow cake, I fill up the cupcake pan a little less then half way with the cake batter. Then for the meat I use chocolate cake and add about 1/4 of the way full. I cut them all in half so I have the top bun and the bottom and two meats per chocolate cupcake. I use white frosting for the mayo and tint some more white frosting red, yellow and green so ketchup, mustard and lettuce. I think I will roll out a spearmint leaf next time for the lettuce or just tint some coconut like I use to with the cookies. They were so easy and everyone loved them.

Oh and yes that is sesame seeds on the top.

Crunchy Vegetable Wraps

4 T Tofutti cream cheese or any nondairy cream cheese

4 Wheat wraps or wheat tortillas

1 cup shredded spinach

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup sliced avocado

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup diced cucumber

2 T diced red onion

salt and pepper to taste.

Spread one T of cream cheese over each wrap, sprinkle even amount of the remaining ingredients on each wrap; roll up and enjoy.

Tamales

OK I do not measure when I cook a lot of stuff but wanted to make sure I wrote this recipe down it was so good.

Pork Tamales

Pork

Garlic powder

salt

pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

California chili (just throw them in the pan to cook with the meat)

onion

garlic

water

Bake in oven at 350 until meat falls apart easy.

Mean while take off the stems and the seeds out of a handful of California dried chilies and wash them out to take the seeds out. Put them in a pan and cover with water, boil and when it comes to a boil turn off the water and let sit until the water cools.

Soak corn husk in waters.

When meat is done take out onions, chilies and garlic, add to a blended with the chilies and water that you had cooling in the pan. Blend very well. Pour this over your cut up pork and set a side.

Chicken Tamales

sames spices as above but cover with water and boil until tender and cooked

can diced green chili

Green Enchilada sauce

Shred chicken and add can diced chilies and green enchilada sauce, set aside.

I always get my Masa made for me but never will again after making this one.

8 cups MaSeCa instant corn masa for tamales

5 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 cup corn oil

5 cups of the broth you cooked your chicken in.

Mix the first 4 items together well with your hands. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time continue mixing with your hands until the consistency of cookie dough. You should be able to spread this with a knife of a spreader. I find if you did the spreader in water it is easier.

If you add to much liquid you can always add a little more masa to thicken it. I found I had to keep adding broth because I was worried it would be to thin, when it was thinner it was easy to spread. Not to thin though.

Crumb Peach bread

Here is a recipe I made up to enter a contest for peaches

"Servings: Makes two loaves 32 serving
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour five minutes

Ingredients:
2/3 C butter, soften
2 C Sugar
4 Eggs
2/3 C peach juice or water if not using can
2 T vanilla extract
2 C sliced can or fresh peaches
3 1/3 c flour
2 Tea Baking soda
1 Tea salt
1/2 Tea baking powder

Topping
1 cup flour
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 Tea cinnamon
1 Tea nutmeg
1 C butter
1 C pecan



Directions:
Cream butter and sugar together, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Breat in juice/waster and vanilla. Stir in peaches. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Slowly add to creamed mixture.
Pour into a greased bread pan.
Mix topping mixture together and sprinkle on top of batter.
Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clear"

Blueberry Bars

2 Cups Blueberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in butter until well blended. Pat half into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Spoon cranberry mixture over crust. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture. Pat gently. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool.
Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over bars. Yield: 3 dozen"