A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

AWESOME CARROT CAKE!

2011-04-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

Carrot Pistachio Cake and Cupcakes
Ingredients
•3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
•1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
•1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar
•1 tablespoon(s) baking soda
•2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
•1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
•1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
•1 teaspoon(s) freshly grated nutmeg
•1/2 teaspoon(s) allspice
•3 cup(s) grated carrots
•1 1/2 cup(s) chopped dried apricots
•1 1/2 cup(s) chopped pistachios
•4 large eggs
•1 1/2 cup(s) olive oil
•1/2 cup(s) milk
•2 tablespoon(s) pure vanilla extract
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Directions
1.Make the batter: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line an 8-cup muffin pan and set aside. Combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl. Toss the carrots, apricots, and nuts in the flour mixture and set aside. Whisk together the eggs, olive oil, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl and add to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Transfer 3 cups of batter to each cake pan and 1/4 cup batter to each cupcake liner.

2.Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean -- about 40 minutes for cakes and 20 minutes for cupcakes. Cool cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Release cakes from pans and cool completely on the rack. If freezing, skip to Step 2. Frost with your favorite icing.

3.To freeze: Double-wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap or place each one in a large resealable plastic bag, removing excess air. Place cupcakes in a plastic container with an airtight lid and freeze for up to 2 months.

Carrot Pistachio Cake and Cupcakes - Good Housekeeping

Beignets...you gotta try these!

2011-04-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

French Quarter Beignets - these puppies are incredible. My first encounter with this wonderful food was in Texas at a place called Crescent City located in Houston. I thought I had died and gone to food heaven.

Here is a little history about the beignet. Beignets are the official doughnut of Louisanna (does California have an official doughnut???).
Beignets are light, puffy pastries traditionally served in New Orleans. No visitor to the Crescent City can consider a trip complete without a stop at Café du Monde for beignets and café au lait. Like most Louisiana customs, beignets have an interesting history that began in France and traveled all the way to the mouth of the Mississippi.

Food historian Cathy Kaufman wrote that beignets might have come to France from Spain. For centuries, Spanish cooks have served deep-fried yeasted fritters known as "bunuelos." During Islamic rule in the Middle Ages, customs from the Andalusia region of Spain probably spread to Mediterranean France. At this time, deep-fried balls of airy choux paste, or "pets de nonne," were also called Spanish beignets.

Like most New Orleans traditions, beignets have been associated with Mardi Gras in France since the 16th century, and many recipes for beignets appear in French works around this time. Stradley writes that the Ursuline Nuns of France brought beignets to America when they settled in Louisiana in 1727. Café du Monde, however, attributes the Acadians, French settlers who were ousted from Canada by the British in 1755, with first bringing the pastry to Louisiana. According to the 1902 Picayune Creole Cook Book (published in New Orleans), French colonists brought the custom of serving sweet treats such as beignets from the old country to Louisiana.

Needless to say, these wonderful treats are worth the trouble of making. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
•1/2 cup granulated sugar
•1 envelope active dry yeast
•2 eggs, slightly beaten
•1 1/4 teaspoons salt
•1 cup evaporated milk
•7 cups bread flour
•1/4 cup shortening
•Nonstick spray
•Oil, for deep-frying
•3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions
Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out the bread flour. Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add the shortening and continue to stir while adding the remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until they become a golden color. After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towels, and then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar. Hold bag closed and shake to coat evenly.

Easter Cake Idea

2011-04-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

I was going through my favorite cooking blogs and came upon this incredible looking cake from Bakerella.com. This is a 14 LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE...wow! I might attempt this for Easter :)

LOOK AT THAT!

I want to eat it NOW!!!

Here is the recipe - THANK YOU BAKERELLA.COM~~~~

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter , at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs , at room temperature
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , preferably Dutch process
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut up
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pecan halves, for garnish

Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
1 box (1 lb) confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-3 Tbsp milk
Directions for Chocolate Frosting -
Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer.
Add the cocoa and vanilla.
Add the confectioner’s sugar in small batches and blend on low until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition.
Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the consistency you desire.

Directions for Cake and frosting for layers:
Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°. Lightly butter four 8 1/2- to 9-inch cake pans (you will bake the cakes in three batches) and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Flour the pans and tap out the excess.

To make the layers, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a scant cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.

Staggering the pans on the racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely. Wash and prepare the pans. Repeat the procedure until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled.

To make the icing, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.

Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread with a few tablespoons of the icing, letting the excess run down the sides. Stack the remaining cakes, icing each layer. Pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides. Place pecan halves around the top perimeter of the cake. Let stand until the glaze sets. (The cake is best served the day it is made. To store, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)
Recommended technique: If you buy inexpensive aluminum foil cake pans at the grocery store (they can be saved for another time as well), you will be able to knock out layers in no time. And no washing between baking!..

Pumpkin Praline Cake

2011-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of Caleb's favorite desserts...

Pumpkin Praline Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup chopped nuts

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin

Whipped Topping:

1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish - pumpkin pie spice

Combine first three ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat until brown sugar dissolves; stir occasionally.

Divide equally between two greased 9" round cake pans (I sometimes use a 9x13 pan). Sprinkle evenly with pecans; let mixture cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, spice, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Blend sugar, oil, and eggs; alternately add pumpkin and reserved dry ingredients. Spoon batter evenly over pecan mixture in cake pans.

Place pans on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until centers test clean. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes; invert and cool completely on wire rack. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. To assemble cake, place on layer on a serving plate, praline side up; spread with whipping topping. Add second layer, praline side up and top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with pumpkin pie spice. This is best served warm.

Three Cookie Day

2011-01-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

We made three types of cookies today - Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Adam's favorites!) I doubled all three recipes and was able to share with my family :)

Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1.Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2.Heat oven to 375ºF.
3.Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar.
4.Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
1.Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
2.Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins
Preparation
1.Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

2.Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Pizza!

2011-01-27T07:02:00.000-08:00

Here is an awesome pizza recipe...

White Pizza with Chicken & Ricotta Cream Sauce

• 1 package Betty Crocker pizza crust mix (I used an already made pizza dough from Fresh n Easy)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings

• 1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped into pieces

• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare pizza crust as directed. Add garlic powder into mix if desired. With floured fingers, evenly press and shape dough onto a nonstick cookie sheet or a pizza pan.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, combine olive oil, minced garlic and 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning and heat for 20 seconds. Drizzle olive oil mixture over the pizza crust.

4. Add the rest in the following order: mozzarella cheese, chopped chicken, chopped tomatoes, chopped spinach, parmesan cheese, the remaining 1 teaspoon dry seasonings.

5. Bake pizza 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

6. Drizzle the sauce (recipe below) over pizza.

Ricotta Cream Sauce

1. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and salt. Whisk and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.

2. Add milk all at once and continue cooking and stirring until thick.

3. Add ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. Wisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

2011-01-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

I was dying to make something with pumpkin and decided on this Cranberry Pumpkin Bread recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine. Very delicious and worth the trouble to make!!!

Ingredients

3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

Spoon into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 70-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 197 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 162 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread published in Taste of Home October/November 2006, p33

Best Lasagna Ever

2011-01-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

I love Italian food! Here is a wonderful recipe for lasagna. The great thing about making lasagna is you can make it ahead and the left overs (if there are any left) are always better than the first go around.

Best Lasagna Recipe
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Drain grease from meat. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, pesto sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4.To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5.Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Trenton's Cowboy Cookies

2011-01-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

My nephew Trenton loves to bake cookies and here is one of his favorite cookie recipes. I will post pictures later of him making these cookies :)
Trenton's Cowboy Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups Quaker Oats
12 oz milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix first six ingredients until creamy. Add flour, salt, and baking soda until blended. Mix in oats and chips. Drop onto un-greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet for one minute before transferring to a cooking rack. These are awesome drizzled with white chocolate.

Enchilada Soup

2011-01-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a very easy and quite tasty soup recipe. Laura Berrier submitted it for our school cookbook...thanks Laura!

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 small or 1 large can of cream of chicken soup
2 small or 1 large soup can of milk
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can whole-kernel corn
1 small can red enchilada sauce
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese

Combine all ingredients (except chips and cheese) in a crock pot. Cook on low for several hours. Soup will get spicier as it cooks longer. Serve with tortilla chips and cheddar cheese. You can also add cooked potato chunks to the soup. I also like to garnish my soup with not only tons of cheese but also sour cream and cilantro.

Out with the old and in with the new - 2011!

2010-12-31T20:41:00.001-08:00

Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011!

Weight Watcher Recipes

2010-01-16T16:45:00.000-08:00

Anyone have any delicious WW recipes you would like to share?????

Easy Fried Rice

2010-01-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

Recipe from http://www.weightwatchers.com/

POINTS Value: 3
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 8 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Basic, easy and fast—a tasty way to use up leftover rice. Make it a main dish by stirring in cooked chicken or shrimp. It even taste good reheated the next day. You can also use brown rice for a more filling meal.

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
2 large egg(s), lightly beaten
1 cup(s) carrot(s), shredded
1 cup(s) scallion(s), sliced, divided
3 cup(s) cooked white rice
1/2 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup(s) low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste

Instructions
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.
When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs them from skillet and set aside.
Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through. Yields about 3/4 cups per serving

Grilled Pepper Poppers - 2 points per serving

2010-01-04T21:35:00.001-08:00

The three-cheese filling is a nice complement for the spicy peppers. You can also use a milder chile, such as a cherry pepper. Shredded cheddar cheese can take the place of Parmesan, if you like.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 2 pepper halves)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 2 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pepper half. Place pepper halves, cheese side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill peppers 5 minutes or until bottoms of peppers are charred and cheese mixture is lightly browned. Carefully place peppers on a serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Banana Muffins - 3 points per serving

2010-01-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

BANANA MUFFINS WITH LEMON ICING

POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 18

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

If you like muffins, then you must try these. They're like mini-frosted banana cakes with a surprising burst of lemon.

Ingredients
1/2 cup(s) sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
4 large banana(s), ripe, mashed

Icing
1 cup(s) powdered sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, strips, or more to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
· Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin holes with paper liners.
· Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly mixed.
· In another large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to butter mixture; beat well with mixer. Add milk and remaining flour mixture; beat until batter is combined and then fold in mashed bananas.
· Spoon batter into muffin liners about 3/4 full. Bake until muffins start to brown and a tester inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow muffins to cool in pan for about 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack and cool completely before icing. Meanwhile, combine icing ingredients in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Ice cooled muffins; cover and refrigerate any uneaten muffins.

Yields 1 muffin per serving.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-04T20:09:00.000-08:00

Wow...I can't believe it's 2010! Well, with a new year here it's time for some new year resolutions. According to the 2009 MaristPoll, the top resolution for 2009 was lose weight. Guess what???? It might not be my top resolution but it sure is in the top 5. So I am dedicating this blog to Weight Watcher recipes for the next 6 months. I hope you will find some helpful hints and great recipes. Please leave comments on any recipes you try whether you liked or disliked them. Happy dieting :0)

THE BEST MAC and CHEESE

2009-10-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on cooks.com several years ago and have never used another mac and cheese recipe since. I brought out the recipe for my cooking class to try and they loved it. It is easy and fast to make. Good Stuff!!!!!

Macaroni and Cheese Recipe -

3 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 (16 oz.) box elbow macaroni
1/2 tsp. paprika

In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth; take off heat. Half a cup at a time, stir in milk until smooth. Stir constantly for 10 minutes on low to medium heat until thick; take off heat. Stir in 2 cups Cheddar cheese, Velveeta cheese and Mozzarella cheese until melted. Put cooked macaroni in a 9 x 13 greased casserole dish, pour cheese mixture over and mix well. Sprinkle paprika and leftover Cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

The Classic French Bistro Sandwich - Croque Monsieur

2009-08-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

My family absolutely loves grilled cheese sandwiches regardless of the weather outside. I came across a recipe for a french grilled cheese - Croque Monsieur. It looked wonderful! I decided to print off the recipe and make it after morning service today. I found two different recipes for the same sandwich and decided to try them both. I made both versions (a total of 8 sandwiches) and it took me under 20 minutes. Unbelievably delicious! I wanted to take pictures but the family just couldn't wait any longer to eat. Worth every minute of preparation and the calories :0)

Croque Monsieur

Serves 4
Ingredients
8 slices white bread
4 ounces butter, softened
4 slices ham
4 slices gruyere cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Directions
1Spread the bread with some of the softened butter, make 4 sandwiches, each with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese. Press them firmly together.

2Beat the eggs with the water, add the salt and pepper to taste, and dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, coating all sides well.

3Heat the rest of the butter in a heavy- bottomed frying pan/skillet, when it has melted and is very hot - but not brown, fry the sandwiches for about 5 - 8 minutes, turning once.

4Serve immediately.

5If you prefer, although it is not traditional, you may place the croque-monsieur into a very well-buttered baking pan and bake in a moderately hot oven - 175°C/350°- turning once, for about 10 to 15 minutes. It is easier to prepare a larger number this way and keep them warm until you are ready to serve them.

Here is the second version - My favorite!

Croque Monsieur Ham and Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
A pinch each of salt, freshly ground pepper, nutmeg, or more to taste
6 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (packed)
8 slices of French or Italian loaf bread
12 ounces ham, sliced
Dijon mustard

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.

3 Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor you can spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want.

(Alternatively, you can assemble the sandwiches as follows in step four and grill them on a skillet, finishing them in the broiler with the bechamel sauce.)

4 Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices.

5 Spoon on the béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

If you top this sandwich with a fried egg it becomes a Croque Madame.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Peach Cobbler

2009-07-11T16:43:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite Peach Cobbler recipe. It is wonderful served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream...the perfect summer dessert.

PEACH COBBLER:
1 stick of margarine or butter
1 medium can of sliced peaches in lite syrup

1 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp. baking powder
2 T. sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cinnamon - set aside

Melt the stick of margarine or butter. Pour margarine/butter into a 9X13 pan. Pour can of sliced peaches into the pan. Mix together the cup of sugar, flour, milk, and baking powder. Evenly pour this batter over the peaches. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. The top will be somewhat crispy. Top with vanilla ice cream and serve immediately. You can also add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blackberries to the peaches...tasty!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2009-07-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Pulled pork sandwiches are so easy to make and taste yummy too. The following recipe is courtesy of Paula Deen. I always use my crock pot when making these sandwiches. It is much easier to make and truly less time consuming. Absolutely delicious!

Ingredients
Dry rub:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoon cayenne
4 pound shoulder pork roast
2 cup apple juice (OR use a can of Coca Cola or Rootbeer)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
6 soft hamburger buns with seeds
BBQ sauce
Cole slaw
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Combine liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a medium bowl and pour into a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour. IF USING CROCK POT - combine liquid ingredients and garlic powder and pour into your crock pot. Place pork in the crock pot and place on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove from oven or crock pot and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.

Serve on hamburger buns topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw. Most of the time I use boneless chicken breasts instead of pork. I also like using Coca Cola instead of the apple juice.

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

2009-04-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

These cinnamon rolls are delicious and easy to make.

Preparation time and cook time is about 4 hours total. This recipe makes about 12 cinnamon rolls.

1 1/4 cups of whole milk
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons sales
About 5 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cinnamon

1. In a 2 quart pan over medium heat, heat milk to lukewarm. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Let stand about 5 minutes.

2. With a wooden spoon, stir milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, the salt, and 3 1/2 cups flour into yeast mixture. Stir vigorously until slightly stretchy, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups more flour until a stiff dough forms. Scrape onto a floured board and knead until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, about 8 minutes; add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Return dough to bowl.

3. Cover bowl airtight and let dough rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

4. Scrape dough onto floured board and press gently, to expel air. Divide in half. Roll each half into a 10 by 16 rectangle. Spread 6 tablespoons of butter over each rectangle. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups sugar with 1/4 cup cinnamon. Sprinkle half the mixture over each rectangle.

5. Starting from a long edge, roll each rectangle into a tight cylinder. Cut each cylinder into six equal pieces. Place, cut side down and slightly apart, in two 7 by 11 inch baking pans. Cover pans and let stand at room temperature until rolls are almost doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. Bake in a 350 oven until rolls are browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan about 10 minutes. While cooling mix 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup water. Then drizzle over with icing.

Serve warm from the pan.

*You can also make these the night before and place in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover them tightly though. Let them sit out for about 15 minutes before you place them in the oven.

Lemon Linguine

2009-04-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy meal to prepare and economical. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes to make. You could also add shrimp to this recipe...very tasty!

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package linguine
1/4 cup minced onion or shallot
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, divided
1 tablespoon milk
1 3/4 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 medium lemon)
1 whole lemon, zested
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives

Directions:

Cook linguine according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

In a skillet, cook onion or shallots and garlic in butter, stirring constantly until tender, not brown. Stir in sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, milk, lemon-pepper, salt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over linguine. Toss gently, adding chopped parsley, chives, and remaining Parmesan. Serve warm. One of Alexandria's favorite meals.

Welcome

2009-04-24T17:12:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my cooking blog. I will be posting new and old recipes often. I absolutely love to cook and bake. I love the challenge of a recipe. I am currently teaching a culinary arts class at our school and have thoroughly enjoyed working with high school students. It has been quite rewarding to watch how far some of these kids have come in 7 months...from not being able to boil water to being able to follow a recipe from start to finish. I will be posting some of their creations as well. Thanks for stopping by...