Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Okay, so this is the same recipe as the Chocolate Cake below just modified to add a little peppermint twist! It was so yummy! I also used the buttercream icing for this cake but if you really wanted to make it all peppermint you could use peppermint extract in the icing as well.

Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven 350° makes an 8” or 9” 2-layer cake

1 ¾ cups cake flour, sifted
¾ cups + 3 TBS. baking cocoa
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
¾ cup room temp. butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 lg. or extra lg. eggs
2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 ½ cup buttermilk
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes


Prepare cake pans (*see bottom off recipe). Sift together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt – set aside. Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy, then add the eggs and peppermint and blend thoroughly. Alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk to this bowl, beginning and ending with the dry mixture (ex: add 1/3 cup of the dry mixture, then add ½ cup of the buttermilk, then repeat ending with the dry mixture), blending well between additions. Mix just until blended – don’t over mix! Gently fold in crushed peppermint. Pour batter into pans, and wrap pans with wet “Wilton Bake Even Strips”. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

*Preparing Cake Pans

Spread a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening on the inside of the pan, getting into all crevices. Spoon about ¼ cup all purpose flour into the pan and knock the flour around until all the shortening is covered. Knock out excess flour into the trash.
OR
In a bowl, mix together equal amounts of solid vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, and flour. Using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer evenly over the inside of the pan. This works really well! Store extra at room temperature in airtight container.
OR
Use cooking spray. The kind made for baking! (This is what I do most often)

Chocolate Cake

This is a little harder than your normal chocolate cake recipe but it's so worth it! I tried to find a picture of the inside of the cake, but I couldn't find any . . . the kids ate it too quickly! This was the spaghetti & meatballs cake I made for my nephews birthday. This cake is great with the buttercream icing.

Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven 350° makes an 8” or 9” 2-layer cake

1 ¾ cups cake flour, sifted
¾ cups + 3 TBS. baking cocoa
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
¾ cup room temp. butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 lg. or extra lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cup buttermilk


Prepare cake pans (*see bottom off recipe). Sift together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt – set aside. Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla and blend thoroughly. Alternately add the dry mixture and the buttermilk to this bowl, beginning and ending with the dry mixture (ex: add 1/3 cup of the dry mixture, then add ½ cup of the buttermilk, then repeat ending with the dry mixture), blending well between additions. Mix just until blended – don’t over mix! Pour batter into pans, and wrap pans with wet “Wilton Bake Even Strips”. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

*Preparing Cake Pans

Spread a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening on the inside of the pan, getting into all crevices. Spoon about ¼ cup all purpose flour into the pan and knock the flour around until all the shortening is covered. Knock out excess flour into the trash.
OR
In a bowl, mix together equal amounts of solid vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, and flour. Using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer evenly over the inside of the pan. This works really well! Store extra at room temperature in airtight container.
OR
Use cooking spray. The kind made for baking! (This is what I do most often)

Buttercream Icing

This icing is great for frosting birthday cakes, cupcakes and I even used it for gingerbread cookies this last Christmas! The meringue powder is optional but that is what will make the icing hold it's shape if you are doing any decorating (stars, roses, etc.). It's super yummy too!

Buttercream Icing

1 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 TBS. Wilton’s meringue powder (optional)
1 tsp. Wilton’s clear vanilla extract
1 tsp Wilton’s butter flavored extract
1 tsp. salt
8 cups sifted or 7 cups unsifted powdered sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream*


Beat all ingredients on low speed (speed 2 on a stand mixer with paddle attachment) (I use my hand mixer on a higher speed and it works just fine) for 10 minutes.

*You can substitute ½ cup milk for the cream, but you won’t get the same flavor.

Super Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are delicious! The instant pudding adds a lot!

1 lb margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brn sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 lg box vanilla instant pudding
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
6 cups flour
2 pkgs choc. chips or 4 cups choc. chips

heat oven to 350.
cream butter, sugars, vanilla, eggs then add pudding beating until mixed. Add all dry ingred slowly; add chic chips. Place small golf size balls on pan. Cook 10 mins on ungreased pan.
*This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies. You can make only half or make the whole thing and freeze half the dough.*

Pitas with Tzatziki sauce

SOURCE: slightly adapted from my kitchen cafe

I do reccomend straining the yogurt overnight but it is not a must, i did it for like 7 hours and it was still fine.

This was so yummy, it was as close as i've gotten to replicating pita pit's chicken souvlaki pita. It is delicious. I ate one and Presley ate TWO!

For the tzatziki sauce:
16 oz. plain yogurt (not fat free unless it is Oikos or Fage or another Greek-type yogurt)
1 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded.
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
A few Squeezes of fresh lemon juice

a few sprinkles of dill
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 T. lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

top it with:

feta

lettuce (a lot, mmmm)

tomato

red onion

tzatziki sauce

i like a little Franks hot buffalo sauce on mine

whole wheat pitas (trader joes has some good ones)

**To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl ( i put it in a super fine mesh type strainer with a handle over a bowl). Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible. (You won't believe how much liquid drains from the yogurt - it makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier. If you want to splurge on Greek yogurt, like Oikos or Fage, you won't need to strain it like this.)

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice and the dill. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler. (I sauted them in a hot skillet.) Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce,and any other topping you wish. Serve immediately

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

WARNING: you must like feta to like this recipe

This is one of my new favorite dishes and don't be put off by the lack of meat. A few things i did different were I used 1/2 c. uncooked minute rice instead of the uncooked arborio rice and it tasted great (it was just all i had on hand) I doubled this recipe so i actually used 1 c. uncooked minute rice and there was only ONE half left over. It was great! Sooo yummy

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• **
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
  3. Place the peppers cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender and skin starts to brown.
  4. While the peppers are roasting, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Spoon in the cooked rice, and stir until heated through. Remove from heat, mix in the feta cheese, and spoon the mixture into the pepper halves.
  5. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken Tacos

*Serves 6

3 tablespoons butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (you can find these in the Mexican Foods aisle at most grocery stores)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Salt and pepper

12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I used the unbaked tortillas)

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 12-13 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. When the chicken is done cooking, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture left in the skillet until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the yellow mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and avocado.

**To warm the tortillas, wrap them in foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Pasta Salad

Note: I've only tried this without the basil but i'm sure the basil would be good too, it just depends on how much you like the basil taste, my friend thought it was basily enough with just the pesto but whatever you prefer.

Source: My kitchen cafe

This was so good and had a great and different flavor to it with the caesar and pesto!

1 12 oz. package Pasta Rotini, tri colored, cooked and drained
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 can black olives, sliced
¼ cups red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
4 tablespoons basil pesto
2/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing
2 teaspoons sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
½-1 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook pasta and coat with Caesar dressing while warm. Add the rest of the ingredients (minus the pine nuts) and toss. Top with toasted pine nuts.

Baked Potato Soup

This is a super yummy potato soup that we love to serve in bread bowls.

2 c. chopped baked potato

3 T. butter

1 c. diced onion

2 T. flour

2 cans chicken broth

2 c. water

1/4 c. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. instant mashed potatoes

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. basil

1/8 tsp. thyme

1 c. half and half

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. crumbled cooked bacon (i omit)

3 green onions, chopped (green part only)

**In large pot, saute onion in butter until light brown. Add flour to onions and stir to make roux. Add stock, water, cornstarch, potato flakes and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chopped baked potato and half and half to pot; bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer soup for another 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve soup in bowls and garnish servings with shredded cheese, bacon and green onions.

Maple cinnamon rolls

Therse were so yummy, just like my favorite donut flavor...maple! Don't be discouraged by the long instructions, some of it is just banter. Very easy to make.

Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks (my new fav site)

Prep Time: 2 Hours

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 quart Whole Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
• Plenty Of Melted Butter
• 2 cups Sugar
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon
• _____
• MAPLE FROSTING:
• 1 bag Powdered Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring
• ½ cups Milk
• ¼ cups Melted Butter
• ¼ cups Brewed Coffee (can use something called paro)
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix 1 quart of whole milk, 1 cup of vegetable oil, and 1 cup of sugar in a pan. "Scald" the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point.) Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in 2 packages Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute so the yeast gets all warm and moist and happy. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let sit for at least an hour. Now add 1 more cup of flour… 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder… And 1 "scant" (less than a full) teaspoon baking soda and 1 heaping tablespoon of salt.

Stir mixture together. At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it—overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to splurge out of the pan, just punch it down. Or, of course, you can just go ahead and make the rolls.

Let’s do that, shall we?
 Sprinkle surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Rectangle should increase in both width and length as you roll it out. Now drizzle 1 1/2 to 2 cups melted butter over the dough. Don’t be shy; lay it on thick, baby. You know you want it. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter… …followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Some of the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture may ooze out toward the end, but that’s no big deal. Next, pinch the seam to the roll to seal it Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in seven round, foil cake or pie pans. Then begin cutting rolls approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. This recipe makes approximately seven pans of rolls. Let the rolls sit for 20 to 30 minutes to rise, then bake at 400 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

While the rolls are in the oven, make the deliciously sinful maple frosting. 
To a mixing bowl, add 1 bag of powdered sugar To this, add about 2 teaspoons maple flavoring… 1/2 cup milk... 1/4 cup melted butter… …and 1/4 cup of brewed coffee. Also add 1/8 teaspoon (a generous pinch) salt. Then have a big, strong, virile man stir it up for you. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle frosting over warm rolls after you pull them out of the oven. And take a walk on the wild side. Don’t be afraid to drown them puppies. Be sure to get frosting around the perimeter of the pan, too, so the icing will coat the outside of the rolls. The frosting will settle in and become one with the cinnamon rolls. And you’ll be another step closer to being the most popular person in town…or the jiggliest, depending on whether you choose to deliver the rolls to friends or lock yourself in your pantry and eat them all by yourself.

Note: My rolls don’t work for me at 400 degrees anymore. I now bake them at 375 degrees.

Spinach Chicken & Pasta Salad with Teriyaki Vinaigrette

Dressing:

1 cup canola oil

1/3 - 2/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce (I used 1/3 cup but you may want to add more depending on your taste)

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad:

16 oz. bow tie pasta, cooked al dente, drained and cooled

1 bag fresh spinach (9 - 10 oz)

6 oz. craisins

2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and slivered

1/2 chopped fresh parsley

4 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

6 oz. honey roasted peanuts (i used almonds)

2 cups cooked chicken, tossed with 2-3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend until well combined and smooth. Mix about 1 cup of the dressing with the cooked pasta in a large bowl and marinate for at least one hour (Judy has left this step out many times with still great results). Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving, add pasta and toss. Add dressing to taste and toss. Serve immediately.

courtesy of My kitchen cafe

Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

This was a great way to get a vegetable in under the disguise of cheesy pasta!!! We both loved it and I think our 21 month old ate almost as much as we did. Add a salad and you've got yourself a meal.


Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 25 min
Makes: 8 servings

What You Need!
1 pkg. (16 oz.) penne pasta
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
ground nutmeg to taste (I forgot to put it in, but I'm going to try it next time)

Make It!

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, cook cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and milk in large saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is melted, stirring frequently. Add pumpkin and seasonings; stir. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta; place in large bowl. Add cream cheese sauce; toss to coat.

SubstitutePrepare using PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese.Special ExtraAdd 2 cups sliced zucchini to the boiling water the last 3 min. of the pasta cooking time.NoteBe sure to used canned 100% pumpkin for this recipe, not pumpkin pie filling.

Nutrition Information
Calories 460 Total fat 25 g Saturated fat 14 g Cholesterol 70 mg Sodium 350 mg Carbohydrate 47 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 4 g Protein 13 g Vitamin A 110 %DV Vitamin C 2 %DV Calcium 15 %DV Iron 15 %DV

Courtesy of Kraftfoods.com

Sweet & White Potato Fries

These went great with some good old fashioned hamburgers!



Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

What You Need!
1-1/2 lb. sweet potatoes (about 3), cut into thin spears
1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 3), cut into thin spears
1/2 cup KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing (I put in more)
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese (Again, I put in more, but we like cheese here at our house!)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried, see substitution below)

Make It!
HEAT oven to 375°F.

TOSS potatoes with dressing.

SPREAD onto lightly greased baking sheet.

BAKE 1 hour or until potatoes are tender, turning after 30 min. and topping with cheese the last 5 min. Sprinkle with parsley.


SubstituteSubstitute 2 tsp. parsley flakes for the chopped fresh parsley.

Nutrition Information
Calories 170 Total fat 3 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 220 mg Carbohydrate 31 g Dietary fiber 5 g Sugars 6 g Protein 5 g Vitamin A 250 %DV Vitamin C 30 %DV Calcium 10 %DV Iron 8 %DV

Courtesy of Kraftfoods.com

Cowboy Mashed Potatoes

Both my kids loved these potatoes and it incorporates many vegetables into one side dish. With a name like Bruticus (who posted the recipe) I knew i had to try these potatoes. You can really add or take out as much of the extras as you'd like. I will add another jalepeno next time.

Ingredients

• 1 pound red potatoes
• 1 pound Yukon Gold (yellow) potatoes
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced
• 12 ounces baby carrots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen white corn, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place red potatoes, yellow potatoes, jalapeno pepper, carrots and garlic cloves in a large pot. Cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain water from pot.
2. Stir in corn and butter. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until butter is melted and potatoes have reached desired consistency. Mix in cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.

Swiss Chicken

This is a recipe that I got from a friend. I changed it a little bit with the chicken just to make it easier since I usually have shredded chicken in my freezer. Now, I'm not claiming that this is a healthy dish by any means, but you could substitute light soup and light sour cream to cut down some of the calories. That's what I usually do.

Ingredients

4 cups cooked chicken
1 lb. shredded Swiss cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1½ cups sour cream
Pepperidge Farms stuffing mix (not cubed)
Melted butter

Prepared rice or noodles.

Directions
1. Place boneless skinless chicken breast cooked chicken in the dish
2. Cover chicken with 1 lb sliced Swiss cheese
3. In a bowl combine 2 cans cream of chicken soup with 1 ½ cups sour cream, pour over the cheese
4. Sprinkle Pepperidge farms stuffing over the sauce and drizzle with melted butter.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice or noodles and enjoy.