Red Velvet Cake with Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

OK, just go ahead and ignore the calories in this cake.  I have often thought of trying to bake a lower calorie version, but why mess with perfection?  This cake is so light and moist, and the pecans are the perfect addition to the cream cheese frosting.

(note: cake pictured here is two layers, recipe makes a 3-layered cake)

Cake Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz bottle red food coloring
1 tsp white vinegar
2 large eggs

Heat oven to 350 F. 
Sift together all of the dry ingredients - fold in wet ingredients and mix with an electric mixer for two full minutes.
Spray three (3) 9-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray.
Pour batter equally into the 3 pans and bake for 20 minutes. (Check with a toothpick for doneness before removing from oven).
Cool layers in pans for 10-15 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
Allow layers to cool completely before icing.

Icing Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 - 1 lb box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

Combine butter and cream cheese in a bowl, beat until fluffy with an electric mixer.
Fold in powdered sugar, add vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of pecans. (Note: I chop the pecans that are used in the frosting finer than the ones I place on top of the cake - it makes the cake easier to ice).
Frost the cake.
Use the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans to garnish the top of the cake.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Store any uneaten portion in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Pineapple Dump Cake

Yes, I realize that fresh blueberries are out of season.  However, thanks to my in-laws, we have several gallons of fresh blueberries frozen in our freezer :)  My husband worked late this week, so I thought I would surprise him with a fresh blueberry cake when he got home.

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
20 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
yellow cake mix (just the dry mix)
1 1/2 sticks melted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Place blueberries in greased 9x13 pan.  Pour pineapple evenly over the blueberries. 
Next place the dry cake mix on top.  Use a fork to gently even out the cake mix and break up any large clumps.  Cover cake mix with the chopped pecans.
Finally, pour the butter evenly over the top.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Cobbler

I have been looking for a good cobbler recipe for quite some time.  A few weeks ago one of my good friends served this cobbler at our church group meeting.  It got rave reviews! 

Ingredients:
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In medium bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Mix in butter, then milk and vanilla.  Beat until blended. 
Spray a 9x9 baking pan with cooking spray.
Pour batter mixture in pan.  Evenly sprinkle blueberries over the batter mixture.
Bake in 350F oven for 45 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

Best served warm (with ice cream if you prefer).

Not Your Mama's Meatloaf

Yuck.  I've never really liked the traditional meatloaf.  The heavy sweet tomato sauce on most meatloaves just make the dish unappetizing to me.

The other day while searching through the Foodnetwork.com site, I found a recipe for Giada's Turkey, Feta and Sundried Tomatoes Meatloaf.  I absolutely LOVE feta and sundried tomatoes, so I thought I would give this one a shot.  I followed the recipe (mostly) but I did use a mixture of Italian and panko breadcrumbs.   OH MY GOODNESS - this meatloaf is sooooo good. YOU MUST try it!!

I also used Giada's Loaf Pan that I purchased from Target the other day.  I plan on purchasing more of her bakeware.  Cleanup was a breeze (virtually non-stick) and this pan goes from oven to the table with style.

Try the meatloaf - let me know what you think.  Hopefully you love it as much as we did.    

Turkey Pot Pie

This pot pie makes great use of leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken.

2 pre-made refrigerated pie crusts
2 cups turkey, chopped
can of Campbells(R) Cream of Mushroom Soup
3 Tblsp. leftover gravy
3/4 cup shredded co-jack cheese (or cheddar)
16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Thaw pie crusts per package directions.
3. Place bottom pie crust in a 8 or 9" glass pie plate.
4. Combine ingredients (NOTE: if gravy is thin, add a 1-2 Tblsp. of flour to it to help thicken)
5. Place ingredients in pie crust - place top pie crust on top and crimp edges.
6. Cover edges of crust with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
7. Bake at 400F for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken instead of turkey in this recipe.

Crock-Pot (R) Beef Stew

Everyone needs a few Crock-Pot(R) recipes in their file for those week nights when there just isn't time to cook.  You will need to adjust the cooking time based on how your slow cooker cooks.  If you don't have a Crock-Pot (R), Kohl's has a great sale right now on a 5.5 quart programmable Crock-Pot (R).  It is on sale for $29.99, with a $10 dollar mail-in rebate, dropping the price to $19.99 (the regular price is $49.99!)

1.5 lbs stew beef meat
4-6 baby red (“new”) potatoes, quartered
4 carrots, peeled, cut in half and then 2-3” lengths
1 can Campbell’s ® Beefy Mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can Campbell’s ® Cream of Mushroom soup, undiluted
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Weber Chicago Steak Grind 'N Grill
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes

 

Directions:

 

1. Place stew beef in bottom of Crock Pot. Next add carrots, then the potatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients.

2. Cook on low approximately 8 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

 

** If you want a thicker gravy, after 5 hours of cooking, remove ½ to 1 cup of the gravy and whisk in 2-3 tbsp. flour then return to Crock Pot.

 

Creamy White Chili

This is a twist on your traditional white chili - a chicken chili with a creamy base.  Quick and easy, this chili recipe will surely be one of your favorite weeknight meals.

Ingredients:
1 cup diced onion
2 Tblsp. olive oil
2 - 13 oz. cans chicken (I use Member's Mark brand from Sam's Club)
3 - 4 oz. dans diced green chilies
2 cans chicken broth
4 cans great northern beans, drained
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
16 oz. sour cream
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

1. In soup pot, saute onion in olive oil until slightly transluscent.  Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for sour cream and whipping cream) and simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat. 
2. Add sour cream and whipping cream - remove from heat when warmed through and sour cream is completely blended.

Note:  In order to decrease the fat content, I have replaced the whipping cream with milk (and a tablespoon or two of flour whisked into the milk to thicken) with no noticeable taste difference.
Leftover rotisserie chicken would be a wonderful substitute for the canned chicken.