Birthday Cake

Well, we had Evie's 1st birthday party today. I stayed up way too late making food and decorating a cake but things went really well.

I usually have my mom decorate the birthday cakes because she does a really good job. This time though, my parents weren't coming up until about 30 minutes before the party so I decided to decorate the cake myself. I have never decorated a whole cake by myself so it took me forever!

This is my absolute FAVORITE birthday cake recipe. I found it in an old, out-of-print cookbook that someone gave me as a teenager (Grandma's Great Desserts).

Moist Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup vegetable oil (you can substitute 1/2 with unsweetened applesauce and then use a little less sugar)
• 1 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup milk (I use fat free)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

• Sift together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, coffee, and milk; mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 more minutes.
• Pour into two greased and floured 9” cake pans (or two 8” cake pans and six muffin cups). Bake at 325˚ for 30-35 minutes.
• Once cake is cooled, frost and decorate (even if using the fondant you still have to use a thin layer of frosting for the fondant to adhere to).

Instead of doing buttercream frosting, I decided to do a rolled fondant (I think I've been watching a little too much Food Network, especially Ace of Cakes). Here is the link for the recipe (Rolled Buttercream Fondant). I would suggest reading several of the reviews before attempting to make fondant for the first time.

Twice Baked Potatoes

This is a recipe I came up with myself and a lot of it can be adapted to your liking.

4 large baking potatoes
3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon dill
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

• Wash potatoes and poke with a fork (this allows the steam to escape). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.


• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop the flesh out into a mixing bowl. Add herbs, cream cheese, butter, and sour cream. Mix until thoroughly combined. Fill skins with potato mixture and place on a large baking sheet.


• Top with cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mini Meatloaves

Meatloaf is a favorite at our house but I've never been able to really successfully make a whole meatloaf, so I decided to attempt mini meatloaves after seeing a recipe for them on AllRecipes.com. They turned out perfectly and have been a big hit ever since.

Six years ago on April Fool's Day, I told the kids that we were having cupcakes for supper. I turned these into "meatloaf cupcakes" for the kids and they thought it was awesome! Ever since that day, they request that I make them every year on April 1st. I have included the directions for making them along with a picture of them at the end of this post. This is also a fun recipe to have the kids help you prepare. :D

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

2/3 cup raisins, pre-soaked
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 cups white bread flour
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

• Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Toss with cinnamon and sugar, then place in a bread machine with the rest of the ingredients. Insert ingredients in bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions.


• Remove the dough from the machine after the first knead - approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 10 parts. Form balls, gently press thumb through center of ball and slowly stretch into bagel shape. Place bagels on a sheet pan and let rise 15-20 minutes.


• While bagels rise, bring three quarts of water and one tablespoon of sugar to a rapid boil in a large saucepan.

Drop test dough (see hints below). Using a slotted spoon, drop 2 bagels into rapidly boiling water. Boil on each side for 45 seconds. Remove and cool on rack 1 minute, brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.

• Bake at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes on a greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Bagel Success Hints, etc.

• When forming the bagels, set aside two 1/4" balls of dough. When the bagels have doubled in size, drop the test dough into boiling water. The dough should pop to the top right away. When this happens, it is time to boil the bagels. A quick spray of non-stick vegetable coating on the top of the bagel may be substituted for the egg wash.


• To make bagel sticks, cut bagel before rising and lay out in a straight line. Roll sticks in a combination of sesame and poppy seeds with a pinch of garlic powder. Let sticks rise, boil, and bake as described in the above directions.


• To make bagel chips, slice leftover bagels horizontally into thin slices. Brush with butter or margarine on one side. Lay (butter side up) on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325ºF for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crisp.

Source: www.thatsmyhome.com

Week 7 Menu (May 31-June 6)

Week 7

• Man Pleasin' Jambalaya - This is one of my husband's favorite meals and I love it because it doesn't create a bunch of dishes for me to wash:) I do cut down on the rice (2.5 cups vs. 3) and the chicken by half.
• Pork Wellington, Potatoes, and Veggies
• Chicken Alfredo Supreme Pizza
• Meatloaf, Twice-Baked Potatoes, and Corn
• Baked Ziti and French Bread

Week 6 Menu (May 24-30)

Today is grocery shopping day. I have my list all made up and the menu for next week (below) prepared.

Week 6

• Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Memorial Day Grill Out - Brats, hamburgers, corn on the cob, grilled veggies (zucchini, summer squash, onions, peppers, garlic, herbs, olive oil)
• Chicken and Stuffing Bake (Chicken Breast covered in a cream soup, topped with cheese and prepared stuffing) served with Veggies
• Ham and Cheese Braid (Pizza dough "braided" around ham, mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan). I also add broccoli from time to time, but it is the one veggie that our son literally gags on.
• Tater Tot Casserole
• Evie's 1st Birthday Party -
  I still haven't completely decided what we are having. What do you have for a little girl's 1st birthday? (cracker/cheese tray, fruit salad, deviled eggs, ?)

Zucchini Brownies

These are absolutely delicious and perfect for anyone who cannot have milk or eggs. Also, very budget friendly for brownies from scratch. I recently tried making these a little healthier, my healthy changes are in parenthesis.

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 
• 1 cups white sugar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup special dark cocoa powder 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups shredded zucchini 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (use only 5) 
• 1/4 cup butter (use 3 tablespoons) or coconut oil
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar (1 1/2 cups) 
• 1/4 cup regular, soy, coconut, almond, or rice milk (3 tablespoons) 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. 
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares. 

If you follow the lower calorie suggestions and cut into 16 squares, each piece will only be 140 calories and it still tastes delicious!

My sister shared her gluten-free version in the comments but I am including them in the post, too.

• 1/2 cup oil 
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup millet flour 
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups shredded zucchini 
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

Follow the above directions for both the brownies and the frosting.

Original recipe source: allrecipes.com

Chimichangas & Guacamole

Beef and Bean Chimichangas

1 pound lean ground beef (leftover Pulled Pork or rotisserie chicken can be used instead)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups taco sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 tablespoon butter, melted OR olive oil
1 tomato, diced
Shredded lettuce
Sour cream
Guacamole (See recipe below)
1 can sliced black olives (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, and add the onion, bell pepper, and corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the taco sauce, and season with chili powder, garlic salt and cumin, stirring until blended. Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, and set aside.
3. Open the can of beans, and spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortilla. Spoon the beef mixture down the center, and then top with cheese (around ¼ c. each). Roll up the tortillas, and place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter or olive oil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce, tomato, olives, sour cream, guacamole, and remaining cheese.

Best Guacamole

2 avocados
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Cut the avocados into halves. Remove the seeds, and scoop out the pulp into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the avocado. Stir in lemon juice, onion, salt, and olive oil. OR place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth with small chunks.
2. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Source: allrecipes.com

California Medley Soup

When I was a kid, there was a restaurant about 20 minutes from our house that we would go to for Sunday dinner on special occasions. They would serve this delicious soup that was a combination between a cream soup and a cheese soup. It included broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. They called it California Medley soup after the combination of vegetables that it contained. Here is my version of that soup.

[Crockpot] Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings is a great comfort food to enjoy in the middle of winter. It packs all the flavor of chicken, vegetables, and broth under a fluffy canopy of delicious dumplings. I love how simple this dish is to make. I have also successfully made this dish in the crockpot (see note below).