I never tried making my own but it was so much more yummy than anything canned. I think the sharp cheddar gave it a great tanginess that was so yummy. This would easily feed 2 for dinner with some leftovers for lunch. Next time I would double it though so we had more leftover for lunch and we need to feed 3 adults. Next time I also want to try fat free half and half since the original recipe called for heavy cream and I used light and it was still a very thick soup.
3 tbls of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup of onions - I threw in a shallot as well since I had it leftover
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tbsp of chopped garlic
1/2 tsp of chopped fresh thyme
3 tbls of flour
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed
1/2 cup of light cream
2 cups of shredded sharp Cheddar
In a medium pot, melt 1.5 tbls of butter over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook until soft about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme. Stir frequently for 20 seconds while it cooks. Add the other 1.5tbl of butter to melt.
Add the flour by sprinkling and stir until thoroughly mixed for about 3 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth while whisking constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat (but not too much since it is thick and it needs a little more than the average simmer on my stove) and simmer until thickened for about 5 minutes.
Add the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes until tender.
Add the cream and barely bring to a simmer. Then add the cheese and lower heat till the cheese is melted which happened almost instantly for me. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter. Stir until it is mixed thoroughly.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Fresh Apple Cake
Paula Deen's recipe and it got a ton of great reviews online. It was amazing. Maggie loved it and so did I. Don't believe the reviews that say you can skip the sauce - it is too yummy to leave out if you are going to be eating cake anyway.
Cake
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat the oven to 325. Generously grease a 9x13 pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hours.
Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Cake
Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat the oven to 325. Generously grease a 9x13 pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hours.
Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Coconut Rice
Doesn't really taste a lot like coconut but has a great mild coconut and nutty flavor - it is the fat in the coconut milk that makes the rice better than plain.
2c jasmine rice
1c chicken stock
1c unsweetened coconut milk
1tsp salt
Chopped parsley or cilantro
Depending on the rice instructions, I usually do about half and half of the chicken stock and coconut milk - just sub for the water that the recipe calls for. Recipe also says to rinse and drain rice in cold water before cooking but I often forget this step and haven't noticed a difference in the final product.
Place stock, milk and rice in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to lowest possible setting and cover pot tightly with lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand 10 minutes covered. Fluff with fork, add herbs to taste and serve.
2c jasmine rice
1c chicken stock
1c unsweetened coconut milk
1tsp salt
Chopped parsley or cilantro
Depending on the rice instructions, I usually do about half and half of the chicken stock and coconut milk - just sub for the water that the recipe calls for. Recipe also says to rinse and drain rice in cold water before cooking but I often forget this step and haven't noticed a difference in the final product.
Place stock, milk and rice in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to lowest possible setting and cover pot tightly with lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let stand 10 minutes covered. Fluff with fork, add herbs to taste and serve.
Garlic Pork Tenderloin
Super easy and comes out very tender.
Rub 2 pork tenderloins (normally come 2 to a package) with a packet of Good Seasons Dry salad dressing mix. Place in foil lined baking pan at 425 for 25 minutes. Cut into slices when done and serve with BBQ sauce.
Rub 2 pork tenderloins (normally come 2 to a package) with a packet of Good Seasons Dry salad dressing mix. Place in foil lined baking pan at 425 for 25 minutes. Cut into slices when done and serve with BBQ sauce.
Healthy Chicken Marsala
No butter makes this recipe a lot healthier for you than standard Marsala sauce - from foodfit.com
1.5tbl olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2/3c low sodium chicken broth
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1/3c Marsala wine
1/4c flour for dredging
2tbl chop parsley for garnish (optional)
Dredge chicken in flour, saute in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown about 2 minutes each side. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.
1.5tbl olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2/3c low sodium chicken broth
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1/3c Marsala wine
1/4c flour for dredging
2tbl chop parsley for garnish (optional)
Dredge chicken in flour, saute in olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown about 2 minutes each side. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.
Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the wine, stir with a wooden spoon to release any caramelized bits that may be stuck to the pan and cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated.
Add the chicken broth , chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and keep warm. Simmer the broth mixture until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsely and serve.
Coriander Lime Chicken Legs
1/4c fresh lime juice
2 limes zested
1tbl toasted ground coriander
2tbl chopped cilantro
2tbl chopped scallions
1tbl honey
1c olive oil
2tsp salt
12 chicken legs
Combine lime juice, coriander, scallion, cilantro and honey in food processor. With processor running add the olive oil in a steady stream. Add salt and pepper, give a final pulse to combine. Pour mix and chicken legs into a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
Can cook on the grill or bake at 350 for 1 hour.
2 limes zested
1tbl toasted ground coriander
2tbl chopped cilantro
2tbl chopped scallions
1tbl honey
1c olive oil
2tsp salt
12 chicken legs
Combine lime juice, coriander, scallion, cilantro and honey in food processor. With processor running add the olive oil in a steady stream. Add salt and pepper, give a final pulse to combine. Pour mix and chicken legs into a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.
Can cook on the grill or bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Rice Krispie Treats
I have also added some peanut butter to the recipe when I make them for Maggie - she can use all the protein she can get.
12oz box Rice Krispies
16oz bag mini marshmallows
1 stick butter
Grease 13x9 pan with butter or shortening.
Slowly melt butter in large pot (do not let it brown). Slowly melt marshmallows in butter, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add rice kripsies, stir well. Press into pan, allow to cool before cutting.
12oz box Rice Krispies
16oz bag mini marshmallows
1 stick butter
Grease 13x9 pan with butter or shortening.
Slowly melt butter in large pot (do not let it brown). Slowly melt marshmallows in butter, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add rice kripsies, stir well. Press into pan, allow to cool before cutting.
Turkey Waldorf Salad
Great for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Good as a wrap or over lettuce.
2c shredded leftover turkey
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 apple or pear, chopped
1c raisin/dried cherry mix
1/2c pecans, toasted, chopped
1/2c light mayo
1tsp honey
1/4tsp salt
Whisk together mayo, honey and salt. Toss together.
2c shredded leftover turkey
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 apple or pear, chopped
1c raisin/dried cherry mix
1/2c pecans, toasted, chopped
1/2c light mayo
1tsp honey
1/4tsp salt
Whisk together mayo, honey and salt. Toss together.
Calzones
1.5c shredded mozzarella
1/2c ricotta
1tbl basil
1c chopped spinach
1c pepperoni
1 egg, beaten
frozen dough, thawed
Preheat oven to 375. Mix filling (no egg). Separate dough into 8 parts, roll thin circles, fill. Fold over and secure using fork, brush with beaten egg.
Bake for 30 minutes.
1/2c ricotta
1tbl basil
1c chopped spinach
1c pepperoni
1 egg, beaten
frozen dough, thawed
Preheat oven to 375. Mix filling (no egg). Separate dough into 8 parts, roll thin circles, fill. Fold over and secure using fork, brush with beaten egg.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Beef Brisket
Took things from a bunch of recipes off foodnetwork.com for this one. Great on a football Sunday.
4lbs beef brisket
1tbsp each of chili powder, salt, garlic pwder, onion powder, black pepper and sugar
2tsp dry mustard
3.5c beef stock
Preheat oven to 350. Make dry rub with seasonings and rub onto brisket. Place in roasting pan on rack, bake uncovered 1 hour. Add stock to make about 1/2 inch of liquid. Lower oven to 300 and cook 3 hours.
Serve with swiss or cheddar cheese on toasted croissants.
4lbs beef brisket
1tbsp each of chili powder, salt, garlic pwder, onion powder, black pepper and sugar
2tsp dry mustard
3.5c beef stock
Preheat oven to 350. Make dry rub with seasonings and rub onto brisket. Place in roasting pan on rack, bake uncovered 1 hour. Add stock to make about 1/2 inch of liquid. Lower oven to 300 and cook 3 hours.
Serve with swiss or cheddar cheese on toasted croissants.
Chicken Pot Pie
This is a variation on the one from Kraftfoods.com. I have used the precooked chicken but it leaves kind of a funny taste. I like just cooking up a ton of chicken, cubing it afterward and freezing it in 2c amounts in ziploc bags for recipes like this. You can double the filling recipe and freeze half for later, especially since the premade pie crusts come in packs of two. This is supposed to be healthier than traditional pot pies since it only uses one crust, and light/fat free versions of other ingredients. - still tastes great though.
1lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
1/2c Kraft Light Zesty Italian dressing
8oz Neufchatel cheese (fat free cream cheese), cubed
4tbsp flour
1c fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
10oz frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 premade pie crust
Preheat oven to 375. Cook chicken in dressing, add cheese, cook and stir until melted, sprinkle flour over mix and mix well. Add broth and veggies, simmer 5 minutes.
Pour into casserole dish, arrange crust on top, cut 4 slits. Bake 30-45 minutes until crust is golden.
1lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed or shredded
1/2c Kraft Light Zesty Italian dressing
8oz Neufchatel cheese (fat free cream cheese), cubed
4tbsp flour
1c fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
10oz frozen mixed veggies, thawed
1 premade pie crust
Preheat oven to 375. Cook chicken in dressing, add cheese, cook and stir until melted, sprinkle flour over mix and mix well. Add broth and veggies, simmer 5 minutes.
Pour into casserole dish, arrange crust on top, cut 4 slits. Bake 30-45 minutes until crust is golden.
Pumpkin Roll
This is my sister-in-law Judy's recipe. My two year old loves the roll by itself with no frosting too. I don't really make into a roll since I always make it crack etc so I just stack it up like a layer cake, make extra frosting and frost the outside too (thanks to Amy for this suggestion since you get extra frosting).
Cake
2/3c pumpkin
3/4c flour
3 eggs
1c sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375. Line a jelly roll pan with wax or parchment paper. Mix ingredients and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into 3 even sections.
Assemble in a stack like a layer cake with frosting (see recipe below).
Frosting
16oz cream cheese, softened
1/2c butter, softened
2c powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat together butter and cream cheese, add sugar slowly, add vanilla near the end.
Cake
2/3c pumpkin
3/4c flour
3 eggs
1c sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375. Line a jelly roll pan with wax or parchment paper. Mix ingredients and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into 3 even sections.
Assemble in a stack like a layer cake with frosting (see recipe below).
Frosting
16oz cream cheese, softened
1/2c butter, softened
2c powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat together butter and cream cheese, add sugar slowly, add vanilla near the end.
Monkey Bread
There are a ton of recipes out there for this but we like this one the best. You definitely need a big enough pan for this. The original recipe said a tube pan so I used my angel food cake pan with the removable bottom - this let all the butter leak out and burn in my oven and it was not a fun Christmas morning. My poor sister-in-law had to clean it out since we had to go to my dad's too.
1/2c sugar
1c packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4c melted butter
1/2c chopped walnuts
1/2c raisins
2 cans Pillsbury Grands Homestyle, cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with Pam.
Mix cinnamon and sugar in ziploc bag and shake biscuit quarters to coat. Arrange in pan with walnuts and raisins. Mix brown sugar and melted butter, pour over biscuits.
Bake 32 minutes and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate.
Frosting (optional)
Beat together 8oz of softened cream cheese (1 package) and 1/2c butter (1 stick). Slowly add 1.5c of powdered sugar. Beat 10 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla near the end.
1/2c sugar
1c packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4c melted butter
1/2c chopped walnuts
1/2c raisins
2 cans Pillsbury Grands Homestyle, cut into quarters
Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with Pam.
Mix cinnamon and sugar in ziploc bag and shake biscuit quarters to coat. Arrange in pan with walnuts and raisins. Mix brown sugar and melted butter, pour over biscuits.
Bake 32 minutes and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate.
Frosting (optional)
Beat together 8oz of softened cream cheese (1 package) and 1/2c butter (1 stick). Slowly add 1.5c of powdered sugar. Beat 10 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla near the end.
Banana Cream Pie
My sister made this for one holiday and it was very good.
1 graham cracker pie crust (premade)
3 bananas
2.5 c of cold milk
3.5 oz package instant banana pudding mix
2c cool whip
Slice 2 of the bananas, dip in lemon juice to prevent browning and arrange in bottom of pie crust.
Pour cold milk into a medium bowl. Add pudding mix and whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping. Pour into pastry shell.
Chill at least 3 hours before serving. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and slices of the remaining banana.
1 graham cracker pie crust (premade)
3 bananas
2.5 c of cold milk
3.5 oz package instant banana pudding mix
2c cool whip
Slice 2 of the bananas, dip in lemon juice to prevent browning and arrange in bottom of pie crust.
Pour cold milk into a medium bowl. Add pudding mix and whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of the whipped topping. Pour into pastry shell.
Chill at least 3 hours before serving. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and slices of the remaining banana.
Pineapple Stuffing
This recipe came from my sister-in-law Michelle. This is great with ham and I most often double the recipe to serve a bunch of us. It is sweet but no one complains since it is so yummy.
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
1c sugar
1/2c butter, softened
4 eggs
5 slices white bread, cubed and dried (overnight)
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time. Stir in pineapple, fold in bread.
Place in deep casserole dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
1c sugar
1/2c butter, softened
4 eggs
5 slices white bread, cubed and dried (overnight)
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time. Stir in pineapple, fold in bread.
Place in deep casserole dish and bake for 1 hour at 350.
Baked Green Beans
This came from my sister's sister-in-law. I love making this for the holidays and it is as good reheated as it is fresh out of the oven. I use the precut steam in bag green beans for ease of prep.
1 large sweet onion cut into wedges
1/4 c cooking oil
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 lb green beans
6 oz baby portobella mushrooms, halved
6 oz goat cheese
2-3 tbsp milk
Preheat oven to 400
Cook onions, covered, in cooking oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and add brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Combine olive oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. Toss green beans to coat and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Spread onions over green beans. Mix goat cheese and milk with a hand mixer, spoon over green beans and return to oven for 5 min.
1 large sweet onion cut into wedges
1/4 c cooking oil
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 lb green beans
6 oz baby portobella mushrooms, halved
6 oz goat cheese
2-3 tbsp milk
Preheat oven to 400
Cook onions, covered, in cooking oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and add brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Combine olive oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. Toss green beans to coat and roast for 15-20 minutes.
Spread onions over green beans. Mix goat cheese and milk with a hand mixer, spoon over green beans and return to oven for 5 min.
Perfect Chocolate Cake with Frosting
This cake is amazing. I have never had anyone NOT love it. The frosting is a little time consuming but it is totally worth it. It is like spreadable fudge it so good. I got it and changed a little from the Cake Doctor book so the best part is that the recipe for the cake starts with a mix and is super easy. Original recipe omits the raspberries so if you don't like them , don't have them or just don't want to use them you can.
Perfect Chocolate Cake
Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries packed with sugar, thawed
1 package (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease three 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
2. Place the cake mix, water, sour cream, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side, or if your oven is not large enough, place two pans on the center rack and the third pan in the center of the highest rack.
3. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Check the pan on the highest rack first, as it will bake the quickest. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Sweetened Cream (see recipe below)
5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with half of the sweetened cream, spreading it to within 1/2 inch of the sides. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and spread with the remaining sweetened cream to within 1/2 inch of the sides. Place the third layer, right side up, on top of the second layer. Cover cake lightly with waxed paper, place in fridge
to chill.
6. Prepare the Perfect Chocolate Frosting (see recipe below)
7. To finish the assembly, spread the top and sides of cake with frosting. Slice and serve.
Sweetened Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
1. Chill a large, clean mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in freezer for a few minutes while you assemble ingredients.
2. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, and beat with the electric mixer on high speed until it thickens, 1.5 minutes. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar and the extract. beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Perfect Chocolate Frosting
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon sizes
2.5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1. Place a large bowl, filled with ice, in the sink (a bowl that is large enough to hold the pot that you will cook the frosting in).
2. In a medium size saucepan over med low heat; melt chocolate, cream, and butter. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until all of the butter and chocolate melts and thickens, 5-6 minutes. DO NOT LET BOIL (I have done this and it is ruined, do not even waste your time continuing, start over). Remove pan from heat.
3. Whisk in the sifted confectioners' sugar until mixture becomes smooth (approximately 1 minute). Then place the pan in the bowl of ice. Be careful to not allow any ice or water from the larger bowl to get into pot with the chocolate mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 4-5 minutes until frosting becomes satiny and fudgelike in appearance (you will think this may never happen but all of a sudden it is like magic that it turns into a frosting like consistency).
The frosting will thicken as it sets up, if the frosting gets too hard to spread, put back on LOW heat and stir constantly until you get the spreading consistency desired.
Perfect Chocolate Cake
Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries packed with sugar, thawed
1 package (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease three 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
2. Place the cake mix, water, sour cream, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side, or if your oven is not large enough, place two pans on the center rack and the third pan in the center of the highest rack.
3. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Check the pan on the highest rack first, as it will bake the quickest. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the Sweetened Cream (see recipe below)
5. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with half of the sweetened cream, spreading it to within 1/2 inch of the sides. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and spread with the remaining sweetened cream to within 1/2 inch of the sides. Place the third layer, right side up, on top of the second layer. Cover cake lightly with waxed paper, place in fridge
to chill.
6. Prepare the Perfect Chocolate Frosting (see recipe below)
7. To finish the assembly, spread the top and sides of cake with frosting. Slice and serve.
Sweetened Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
1. Chill a large, clean mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in freezer for a few minutes while you assemble ingredients.
2. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, and beat with the electric mixer on high speed until it thickens, 1.5 minutes. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar and the extract. beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Perfect Chocolate Frosting
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon sizes
2.5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1. Place a large bowl, filled with ice, in the sink (a bowl that is large enough to hold the pot that you will cook the frosting in).
2. In a medium size saucepan over med low heat; melt chocolate, cream, and butter. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until all of the butter and chocolate melts and thickens, 5-6 minutes. DO NOT LET BOIL (I have done this and it is ruined, do not even waste your time continuing, start over). Remove pan from heat.
3. Whisk in the sifted confectioners' sugar until mixture becomes smooth (approximately 1 minute). Then place the pan in the bowl of ice. Be careful to not allow any ice or water from the larger bowl to get into pot with the chocolate mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 4-5 minutes until frosting becomes satiny and fudgelike in appearance (you will think this may never happen but all of a sudden it is like magic that it turns into a frosting like consistency).
The frosting will thicken as it sets up, if the frosting gets too hard to spread, put back on LOW heat and stir constantly until you get the spreading consistency desired.
Penne alla Vodka
1 lb cooked penne pasta
1 tbl butter
1 large vidalia onion (chopped)
1/4 lb proscuitto (chopped or shredded)
4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1.5 pints heavy cream
1 jar tomato sauce
1/2 cup vodka
1 cup parmesan/romano cheese
basil, marjoram, parsely to taste
Melt butter over medium high heat in large frying pan. Add onion, toss to coat with melted butter. Cook onion until it begins to turn translucent (just starting to soften), add garlic and proscuitto. Cook until proscuitto begins to fry and all fat is melted.
Add heavy, 3/4 cup tomato sauce and herbs. Stir well. Add tomato sauce until it is the color you desire, bring to a boil. Add vodka, boil about 10 minutes to remove alcohol. Simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add cheese to cooked pasta, pour hot sauce over the top and mix until well combined. Cheese will melt as long as sauce is still hot.
1 tbl butter
1 large vidalia onion (chopped)
1/4 lb proscuitto (chopped or shredded)
4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1.5 pints heavy cream
1 jar tomato sauce
1/2 cup vodka
1 cup parmesan/romano cheese
basil, marjoram, parsely to taste
Melt butter over medium high heat in large frying pan. Add onion, toss to coat with melted butter. Cook onion until it begins to turn translucent (just starting to soften), add garlic and proscuitto. Cook until proscuitto begins to fry and all fat is melted.
Add heavy, 3/4 cup tomato sauce and herbs. Stir well. Add tomato sauce until it is the color you desire, bring to a boil. Add vodka, boil about 10 minutes to remove alcohol. Simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add cheese to cooked pasta, pour hot sauce over the top and mix until well combined. Cheese will melt as long as sauce is still hot.
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