Cake, Cake, Cake

So I make this cake and boy is it fantastic on warm summer days. The cake is frozen so it is nice and cool when you eat it.


Recipe:

French Vanilla Cake (Betty Crocker Cake Mix) - Bake per the instructions on the box.
Cool Whip Light (2 containers-do not defrost)
10 oz. Rasperries or Strawberries.

Bake the cake per the instructions on the box. Cut in half and freeze for 1-2 hours (halves need to be separate when freezing not on top of each other). Blend the berries and the cool-whip until creamy. Put icing mixture on the bottom half of the cake. Then put the top half of the cake on the bottom and spread icing evenly over the entire cake. Freeze for at least 3 hours. You can eat it right from the freezer but I prefer it after leaving it in the fridge for an hour or so. The icing will melt if left out to long so serve from the fridge and then return left-overs to the freezer.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala is a new thing for me. I don't think I have ever even had this in a restaurant. I made some changes to the recipe because I don't really like cooked mushrooms. I also thought the recipe would need more sauce.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
1/2 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz) 1/2 cup onions (diced)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 cup dry Marsala wine 1 cup Chicken broth
Hot cooked pasta, if desired

Between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper, flatten each chicken breast to 1/4-inch thickness. In shallow dish, mix flour, salt and pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder. Coat chicken with flour mixture.
In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic, mushrooms,onions and parsley in oil 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add chicken to skillet. Cook about 2 min on each side. Add wine reduce 3 min. Add chicken stock. Cook 8 to 10 minutes chicken should no longer be pink and wine should be almost completely ruduced. Serve with pasta and lots of parmasan cheese

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

I made this for Miles and some of his friends. It was out Christmas dinner a few days late but it was really good. I haven't had Yorkshire pudding in a long time and boy were they good.

Roast Beef:
Ingredients:

2 lb. roast beef
Garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Place the beef roast on a clean work surface and rub with the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Place into the preheated oven and cook for 15 minutes and then turn the heat down to 350 degrees F. Cook for about 15 minutes per pound for rare meat, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest, covered, for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Yorkshire Pudding:
Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups milk
4 eggs
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon beef drippings or vegetable oil

To make the Yorkshire Pudding, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Mix the milk, eggs, and salt, and add pepper, beating all well together. I use my freestanding mixer but a hand-held electric mixer, rotary, or balloon whisk would do. Let these ingredient stand for 15 minutes and then whisk in the flour. Meanwhile, add the drippings a large heat-proof pan and put it in the oven to heat for about 10 minutes. Into this intensely hot pan you should pour in the batter and cook for 20 minutes, or until well puffed and golden. Bring it, triumphant, to the table.


Veggies:

Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup water

Combine veggies and spices in tin foil packets. Cook in the oven with the roast beef for 45 min.

Pumpkin Cheese Cake

It is my birthday tomorrow and I wanted to make something to take to school for the other teachers. A few weeks ago we had been talking about pumpkin and all the pumpkin things we like such as pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cake, etc. I came across this recipe on another blogger's food blog and with a few changes I made it for myself...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree


• 1/2 cup heavy cream


• 2 tsp vanilla extract


• 1 tsp ground cinnamon


• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I used pumpkin pie spice)


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1 1/4 pounds cream cheese


• 1/2 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar


• 1 TBSP cornstarch


• 4 large eggs

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Gradually add the sugars and beat until blended. Add the pumpkin mixture and mix till blended. Add the cornstarch and mix just until combined. Add the eggs on at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Scrape the batter into the cooled crust. Place the wrapped pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 70-80 minutes(60 for mini), until the center of the cake is set but slightly wobbly(the cake will completely set as it cools).

Remove the cake pan from the water bath, place the pan on a wire rack, and carefully loosen the foil. Immediately run the tip of a paring knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Let the cake cool completely.

I topped mine with grated dark chocolate...

Best Meatballs EVER

I don't know why I decided to make meatballs tonight but that is what I made. They were the best meatballs I have ever had. Unfortunately I didn't measure anything and now I can't make them exactly the same way again. Below are the estimates.

Ingredients:

• 1.25 lbs lean ground turkey breast


• 1 large egg


• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)


• 1/2 cup stuffing (boxed)


• 2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients with you hands. Roll into 1 inch balls. Heat a skillet with 2 tbs olive oil on med./high heat. Brown the meatballs in the oil on all sides. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the browned meatballs on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 min. until fully cooked inside.

Served with pasta and vodka sauce (from a can)

Couscous...an experiment

I have never had couscous. Until a few minutes ago I was a couscous virgin. I decided to try making couscous because it is a whole grain and cooks really fast. I was pleasently surprised by the outcome of this dish. I have to say that I did not have high expectations and while I wont be eating couscous every day I will be adding it to my list of standby foods.



Ingredients:

• 1 box "Near East" herbed chicken couscous


• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth


• 4 small rine ripened tomatos


• 1/4 red onion


• 1 tsp garlic


• 2 Tbs parmesan cheese


• 1 Tbs olive oil

Directions:

Bring chicken broth to boil with seasonings from couscous box. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 5 min.

Cube tomatos and dice onions. Heat in a skillet for about 5 min on hi with garlic and olive oil.

Fluff couscous with a fork and add tomato and onion mixture. Top with parmesan cheese.

Scrambled Eggs

Who says you can't have breakfast for dinner. I have been wanting scrambled eggs for a few days now so I decided to make this dish for dinner. I included red onion and red bell peppers for a little extra flavor.



Ingredients:

• 4 eggs


• 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese (grated)


• 1/2 bell pepper


• 1/2 small red onion

Combine all ingredients in a skillet and cook on med-hi heat until eggs are yellow and firm.