Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread - Southern Living

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

3 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)

1 cup roughly chopped pecans, toasted

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

How to make it:

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanillla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 8x4 inch loafpans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. (I found that after one hour, my banana bread wasn't completely cooked through.  I ended up baking it for an extra 10-15 minutes.) Cool bread in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Steak Rub

Ingredients

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-sized plastic bag and seal it tightly. Shake it to thoroughly combine all ingredients. 

Cut a small hole in the corner of the bottom of the bag and pour the contents into a spice container. 

Generously cover each side of the steak with the seasoning and let it rest for about 40 minutes. This allows the salt to penetrate through the surface (through osmosis, oohhhh…) and actually helps break down the muscle fibers, which results in a more tender meat. During this time, the liquid that initially surfaced has time to reabsorb, which makes the meat juicer.

Once the grill is nice and hot, place the steak(s) on and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it’s browned and slightly charred. Flip it over and cook for the following additional time:

-5 minutes: Medium Rare

-7 minutes: Medium

-10 minutes: Medium- Well 

Notes

This rub is GREAT with chicken too!!!

Southern Caramel Cake

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting cake pans

? tsp salt

2 cups sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup water

1 tsp soda

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

3 cups granulated sugar

1 stick butter

1 cup heavy cream

Dash of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions :

 Cake:

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour and salt into large bowl.

Add sugar and whisk until blended.

Combine butter and water in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil and pour over the flour and sugar. Whisk until blended.

Add the soda, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, and whisk until well blended and smooth.

Pour into greased and floured baking pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking cake after about 15.

Cake is done when tester comes out clean but be careful not to overcook.

Remove pans from oven and allow to cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then turn layers onto parchment covered racks to cool completely.

Caramel Frosting

NOTE: You will have two pots going while making this frosting so have everything ready to go and have a large hot pad.

In large saucepan, place 2½ cups sugar, butter, cream, and a dash of salt. Cook on medium until almost to a rolling boil then pour in sugar syrup that you are making in another skillet.

At the same time, in a small skillet, put ½ cup sugar and melt on medium until it becomes an amber color. You don't stir this sugar but you will need to shake the skillet every few minutes to help distribute the sugar. This is the sugar syrup that you will pour into the saucepan.

Once you pour in the syrup, cook on medium to medium-high, stirring constantly until almost soft ball stage or 232 on thermometer.

Remove pot from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Either transfer to large stand mixer and beat on medium speed or use hand mixer on medium and whip until it becomes frosting consistency, 15-20 min.

If frosting sets too quickly or gets too thick, you can add a little additional cream. 

NANNY’S CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIE CAKE

Ingredients

1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's Choc. Fudge 15.25 oz.)

1 box fudge brownie mix (I used Duncan Hines Decadent Brownies 17.6 oz.)

4 eggs

1 1/4 cups water

1 cup oil

1 can Pillsbury chocolate fudge cake icing

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan ( I use Baker's Joy spray).

In a bowl add the cake mix, brownie mix, oil eggs and water. Pour into bundt pan and bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

NOTE*** Do NOT use the ingredients on the brownie mix and cake mix, just what is listed above.

Let cake cool completely after waiting 10 min. out of the oven onto a cooling rack and then transfer to serving plate.

In a small bowl, add 1/2 tub of ready to use cake icing, and melt in the microwave 30-45 seconds until it is able to be drizzled over cake.

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers

Ingredients:

1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 

salt and pepper 

1 lb ground beef 

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4-8 slices American cheese

Mayo, mustard and pickles, for serving 

4 hamburger buns, toasted

How to make it :

Combine the onion slices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer the onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions. Do this over the sink or a large bowl since the onions will have quite a bit of liquid in them. 

Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet. Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Place the beef balls on top of the onion mounds and flatten the beef firmly (use your palm) so the onion adheres to the beef. The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. 

Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Using a large spatula, transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges. Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes. 

Add 1 or 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt. Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on a bottom buns. Serve immediately.

Lemon Poppy Seed Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp poppy seeds

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup lemon juice

Drizzle

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease two regular-sized loaf pans.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, sugar, and lemon zest.

Stir in oil, eggs, yogurt, almond extract, and lemon juice.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 50 – 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Mix together drizzle ingredients.

Prick cake many times with tines of a fork while warm.

Brush drizzle on top of cake allowing the drizzle to settle into the cake.

Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

1 package chicken tenders

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 c. cooked rice

1/4 c. butter, diced

1 c. milk

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, chopped

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange chicken tenders on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until done. Remove and set aside to cool enough to handle. When cool, chop or shred.  Reduce oven to 350.

In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, rice, broccoli, cheese, milk, soups, onion, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Pour chicken and rice mixture into dish and spread evenly. Top with diced butter. Bake for 30-45 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. Stir before serving.

10 Coca-Cola Hacks That Actually Work!

1. Pesticide
Due to their high sugar and chemical contents, Coke and Pepsi are both used as pesticides in rural India as it is just effective and cheaper than many of the other products on the market. Of course, results vary depending on plant and pest but it could be well worth spraying your plant leaves with a spritz of coke if they are in need of a little extra protection. Coke,obviously aren't keen on advertising this fact as the association of their drink being able to kill living things is not a good image for them.

thynkfeed.com
2. Gum Removal
Getting gum stuck in your hair can be an absolute nightmare, with cutting it out often completely changing your look whilst other methods can just make it spread, however, coke can help with that. The acids that are in the drink make the gum harder, whilst also weakening the keratin in the hairs themselves. As such, there is a greater contrast in the textures of hair and gum and so it becomes a heck of a lot easier to brush out. Should this unfortunate incident ever happen to you, just place the affected hair in a cup of the cola for a few minutes before trying to get the gum out.

theblemish.com
3. Color Fader
Ever had a great idea for a cool and quirky new hair color only to have it coming out darker than you'd expected and you looking like a The Simpsons  character? Well, worry no more because you can reach for the coke should this happen as the chemicals in the beverage weaken dyes and dissolve them away making the color fade faster and into a less vivid tone.

4. Pain Relief
The chemical compound of coke means that bug bites or insect stings can be healed quicker by the soda should your pour it on the wound as quickly as possible. It isn't a cure-all and will sting initially but it will make your pain less prolonged and will heal quicker.

5. Cleaning The Dishes
Although it may seem counter-intuitive to wash dishes in a highly sticky and sugary substance, the chemicals within Coke make them great at breaking down grime. by pouring the cola into a grease-stained pot or pan or one with heavy stains, you can remove them with far greater ease just by letting them sit in the soda for a mew minutes so that the chemicals soak in and make the dirt easier to shift. Wash away any sticky residue and it will make the dishes just a little easier to wash.

6. Negating Jellyfish Stings
Although rarely fatal, jellyfish stings can be darn painful and can ruin a day at the beach. The common urban myth to combat this is to pee on the affected area but this is, indeed, a myth. However, the far more palatable and effective response would be to pour some Coca-Cola on the sting and the pain will become a little more relieved.

7. Hair Curling
Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid, a mineral acid which is known to contract hair cuticles and is used in perming. So, if you have natural curls and wish to accentuate them, it could well be worth rinsing your hair in the drink. Several beauty vloggers have also made videos showing how the cola can reduce frizz and provide more bounce to your hair in a cheap and easy manner after the actress Suki Waterhouse admitted she did it.

8. Getting Rid Of The Smell Of Gas
If you've ever stood too near the gas pump or got it on your clothes and managed to wash it out but the smell is still there, coke can be used to lift that smell right out. By adding a can of coke to your washer, it will lift the smell of gas right out. Of course, your clothes will now smell of cola but if you then run them through a regular wash again, there will be no smell.

9. Coin and Chrome Scrubbing
You can clean up old and valuable coins nicely by dropping them in a glass of Coca-Cola overnight and leaving them as the dirt gets dissolved and you can then just polish them off. The acidic compounds help break down any oxidized rust and so are great in the use of polishing up chrome or nickel and can even be used on old car parts.

10. Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Using its acidic properties once more, Coca-Cola can be great for cleaning a dirty toilet bowl if poured around the rim and over any marks and left for an hour to work its magic. Then, flush away most of the dirt and some light scrubbing should do the trick for the rest without too much effort.

That’s it from me for now! If this was helpful to you, please leave a comment below.

Now, my blog is something I created to provide you with information to help you lead a more happy and prosperous life. If you would like to receive updates to when I post new information (including business opportunities) then sign up for my mailing list!

Feel free to engage with me on my other social media platforms, too.

Have a wonderful & prosperous rest of your day!

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare two 8" or 9" round pans (or I've also used a 9"x13" sheet cake pan). You can either grease and flour the pans, use non-stick cooking spray, or use homemade cake pan release.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, then stir in the boiling water.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then flip them out on a wire rack and let completely cool before frosting.

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

1/2 Cup butter (1 stick), melted

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1 Can pineapple rings in 100% juice (reserve the juice)

1 Jar maraschino cherries

1 Box yellow or pineapple cake mix

1 4-serving box instant vanilla pudding

3 eggs

Vegetable oil

Milk

Instructions;

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the bundt pan by generously applying pan release (recipe below) or non-stick spray.

Melt the butter and evenly pour into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.

Cut the pineapple rings in half and alternate with the maraschino cherries around the bundt pan as shown in the picture. Set aside.

In a stand mixer or large bowl, stir the cake mix and pudding mix together. Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 Cup of liquid. Add this with the eggs and the amount of oil called for in the recipe to the cake mixture; following the instructions on the box.

Carefully pour the batter over the fruit and bake as instructed for a bundt cake. The cake is done when an inserted knife comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Slide a knife around the edges including the inner ring.

Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Slice between the pineapple rings and serve warm or room temperature.

Homemade Pizza Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Easy Bread Recipe Dough

In a large, 5 quart container, combine:

3-3½ c. warm water- I use more water for whole wheat version

1 ½ T. kosher or coarse salt

6- 6½ c. of flour (I recommend using 6 cups of all whole wheat if you want this to be THM friendly)

1½ T. yeast (2 packets-any type works)

Toppings

½ t. coarse kosher salt for the crust

Greek seasoning blend sprinkled for the crust

2 t. Parmesan cheese

½ cup of tomato or pizza sauce of your choice

1½ cups of part skim mozzarella cheese

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

or any other toppings of your choice! (fat free to keep this in E territory)

INSTRUCTIONS

Dough Instructions

Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is evenly wet with no dry spots.

Cover your container and allow to rise on the counter for 2 hours.

The dough should double (if using whole wheat) or almost triple in size (white flour) and begin to collapse on itself and flatten on top. You can allow it to rise longer, and it won’t hurt anything.

Chill dough for at least three hours or for 3 days for a THM fermented E bread.

Dough keeps for up to 2 weeks, and yields 2 large pizza crusts.

To Assemble the Pizza:

Preheat the oven to 450º, with a pizza stone on the middle rack.

While oven is heating, lay out a square of parchment paper, and smush out half of the batch of bread dough into a large circle, leaving a thicker rim for the crust. Sometimes, the dough is very wet, and other times it’s very elastic and tough, but it always turns out tasting great…just manhandle it however you need to.

Sprinkle on the crust area with Greek seasoning (or your favorite blend), coarse salt, and Parmesan cheese shreds.

Slide the paper and the dough onto the pizza stone, and bake for 10 minutes. You can make a salad, or gather and prep toppings at this time.

Remove crust, and spread sauce.

Add any "under cheese" toppings, like fresh garlic or mushrooms.

Add cheese in one big mound in the center, and then just spread it to the edges.

Top as desired.

Return the whole deal to the oven for another 10 minutes until it's browned and bubbly.

Allow to cool slightly, and cut into 16 pieces. Serving size is 2 slices, which has less than 2.5 grams of fat per slice and around 15 grams of carbs.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BARS

Ingredients

2 graham cracker sheets

1 cup powdered sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces bitter sweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Crush graham crackers in a medium bowl with a pastry cutter. Alternatively, you can use a food processor.

Add the powdered sugar to the graham cracker crumbs and stir to combine.

Melt the butter and peanut butter together in a small bowl in the microwave. Add the vanilla to this mixture before pouring it over the graham cracker crumb mixture. Blend this mixture very well until a stiff dough forms. Take the time to ensure all the powdered sugar is incorporated into the dough.

Press this mixture firmly in the bottom of a 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan. Ensure the crust is even and flat. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Pour the chocolate over the crust and leave on the counter until set. Use a knife to cut the squares into small serving pieces. These are VERY rich.

Melting Moments

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

40g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

175g plain flour

40g cornflour (cornstarch)

Directions:

With an electric mixer, cream butter and icing sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat for a few seconds.

Sift the flour and cornflour together over the butter mixture and mix until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped piping nozzle. Pipe into the required shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Space the shapes well apart.

Bake the cookies in preheated oven at 180degC for 12 minutes or until they are a pale golden colour. Leave for a few minutes on the baking tray to firm up slightly before transferring to wire rack to cool.

Note: To prevent the cookies from spreading and hold the shape better, after piping, chill the tray of unbaked cookies in the fridge for about 30mins before baking.

Easiest Corn on the Cob Ever

want to know the easiest way to cook corn on the cob? Throw it in the oven at 350° for 25-30 minutes. That’s it. Leave the husk on, it will trap in the moisture, leaving you with juicy, tender corn. The husk and silk will peel away easily once it’s cooked. Cut off the large end and it slides right out with no silk.

Grandma’s Chocolate Pie

INGREDIENTS :

½ c. cocoa 

¼ cup cornstarch 

3 egg yolks 

1 ½ c. sugar 

¼ tsp. salt 

2 c. milk 

1 tsp. vanilla 

INSTRUCTIONS : 

This recipe does not have meringue on it. You could make the meringue if you want. 

Mix cocoa, cornstarch, beaten egg yolks; sugar and salt and vanilla, then add milk gradually, while stirring in a pot over med-high heat. Cook until thick, beating it smooth. Pour into a pre-baked pie shell. Put in the fridge to chill

Crockpot Pierogi Casserole with Kielbasa – Easy Meals

You need:

3 boxes Mrs. T's Cheddar Pierogies - Regular or mini. We prefer the mini ones. They are more of a bite size and work well for this casserole.

4 cups chicken broth

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 pound kielbasa - sliced (or other cooked meat mentioned above)

salt & pepper to taste

How to:

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low 6 hours.

Serve with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.

Chili Dog Casserole

Ingredients:

2 (15 oz) cans chili with beans (I like Hormel Hot & Spicy)

1 (16 oz) package beef frankfurters (I prefer Ball Park)

10 (8 inch) flour tortillas (the fajita sized ones)

1 (8 oz) package Cheddar cheese, shredded

How to make it:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread 1 can of chili and beans in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roll up franks inside tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili and beans. Top with remaining can of chili and beans, and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Bubble Up Breakfast Bake

Ingredients:

1 pound of reduced fat breakfast sausage

1 tube of refrigerated biscuits

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 small can of diced green chills

6 eggs

Salt and pepper to season

1/4 cup milk

How to make it:

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the sausage to a medium skillet on medium high heat.  Cook until no longer pink in the middle.

While cooking the sausage, cut each biscuit into 8 pieces and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Add the sausage to the pan, on top of the uncooked biscuits.  Sprinkle cheese on top of that, along with the green chillis.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, salt and pepper and milk.  Pour the egg mixture over everything in the baking dish.

Place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean in the middle of the dish.  Be careful, the cheese might make it seem like it's uncooked egg but it's just cheesy goodness.

Serve with hot sauce and enjoy!

Cinnamon rolls I hooked up

Ingredients:

For cinnamon rolls:

4 cups Bisquick

1 cup sour cream

1 cup 7-Up

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup sugar

Cinnamon to your liking

1 stick butter, melted (1/2 cup)

For glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream (don’t cheat and use milk – seriously)

2 t. vanilla (use Mexican vanilla if you have it)

How to make it

In large mixing bowl, cut sour cream into Bisquick until well-distributed. Add 7-Up and mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. The mixture will be sticky. Turn out dough onto WELL-floured surface and knead lightly, adding more flour until dough is easier to roll out. Lightly roll dough into rectangle.  Spread softened butter on dough and sprinkle liberally with sugar and cinnamon. Roll carefully from the long side of the rectangle, then cut into 1” to 1-1/2” slices to create your lovely cinnamon rolls.

Let melted butter coat the bottom of a 13” X 9” baking dish. Place your cinnamon rolls in the dish. It’s perfectly OK for them to touch each other. Trust me, when they bake, they’ll become best of friends.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. While cinnamon rolls are baking, mix your powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla together until it becomes a smooth, creamy glaze that tastes just like vanilla ice cream (if you’d like a thicker frosting, add a little more powdered sugar). Let cinnamon rolls cool slightly once they’re done, and top with vanilla cream frosting. Forego the need to show restraint. Enjoy the delicate cinnamon-sugar sweetness and the glory that is a GREAT biscuit. Eat many. Then eat some more and smile. You made a great bun in the oven.

Citrus-Glazed Cornish Hens

Ingredients

2 oranges, zested, juiced

2 limes, zested, juice

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper, ground

6 cornish hens

1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Combine the orange zest and juice, the lime zest and juice, and the honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the Cornish hens from their packages and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the hens side by side in a roasting pan, but try to keep them from touching. If a second roasting pan is needed, use it. Then rub the hens down with olive oil.

Roast the hens for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. After the first 30 minutes, brush them with a portion of the citrus glaze. Repeat the glaze application several times during the last 30–45 minutes of cooking.

The hens are ready when the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 165° F when inserted into the thickest part.

These can be prepared the day before, stored in the fridge overnight, and reheated. To reheat, place the hens in a preheated 300° F oven and tent with foil to prevent over browning. Bake for about 20–25 minutes. Don't use a microwave, which will dry out the meat.

EASY 15-MINUTE MAPLE BARS

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups flour

1 t. salt 

1/2 t. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 t. lemon extract

1 t. vanilla extract (you can also substitute this for almond extract- both are delicious!) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Cream butter and gradually add sugar, beating at a medium speed until well blended.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in extracts.

4. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake for one hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

5. Invert pan and remove cake. Cool completely.

Want to add a little homemade whipped cream? Simply buy a pint of heavy whipping cream and drag out the sugar. Beat the whipping cream on high and add in 1 cup of sugar. Continue beating, tasting a little every 30 seconds or so to see if you need more sugar. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until whipped cream is sweet enough. Beat until you have reached the desired consistency (until it doesn't run off of a spoon). If you want to frost your cake, wait until it is completely cool!

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups flour

1 t. salt 

1/2 t. baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 t. lemon extract

1 t. vanilla extract (you can also substitute this for almond extract- both are delicious!) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Cream butter and gradually add sugar, beating at a medium speed until well blended.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in extracts.

4. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake for one hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

5. Invert pan and remove cake. Cool completely.

Want to add a little homemade whipped cream? Simply buy a pint of heavy whipping cream and drag out the sugar. Beat the whipping cream on high and add in 1 cup of sugar. Continue beating, tasting a little every 30 seconds or so to see if you need more sugar. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until whipped cream is sweet enough. Beat until you have reached the desired consistency (until it doesn't run off of a spoon). If you want to frost your cake, wait until it is completely cool!

honey sesame chicken

Ingredients :

3 pieces of chicken breast or 1/2 chicken - cut to bite size pieces

1 tbsp of light soy sauce

1 tbsp of cooking wine

1/2 tbsp of sesame oil

1 tsp of sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp rice flour or cornstarch

Salt & pepper to taste

Sauce:

3 tbsp of sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp of tomato ketchup

1- 2 tbsp of honey (depend on how sweet you want)

1 tbsp of oyster sauce

2 tbsp of light soy sauce

1/4 cup of watersome toasted sesame seed

How to make it:

1. Marinate chicken with soy sauce, wine, sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper and set it aside for at least an hour. Just before frying mix the 2 type of flour together and mix it into the chicken.

2. Prepare oil for frying. Fry chicken until golden brown, dish out and drain the oil in paper towel. Remove all the oil from the pan.

3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and pour it back into the pan. Bring it up to a boil and let the sauce thicken a bit.

4. Add in the chicken and toss it gently until the chicken are evenly coated with the sauce. Sprinkle the sesame seeds to the chicken. Serve with warm rice.

Note : You can use bone in chicken,chicken thigh, chicken wings or even pork ribs for this dish.

TRIPLE LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE w/CHOCOLATE FROSTING

 3/4 c butter

1 3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

2 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c cocoa

1 1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/3 c water

How to make it:

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat one minute at medium speed. Combine flour, cocoa, soda, and salt. Add alternately with water to creamed mixture. Pour batter into 3 prepared layered pans. Bake at 350*F in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans about 10 minutes. Turn out of pans and cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Butter Frosting

6 T butter, softened

3/4 c cocoa

2 2/3 c confectioner’s sugar (10X)

1 t vanilla extract

1/3 c milk

How to make it :

Cream butter in small bowl. Add cocoa. Alternately add sugar and milk. Beat until desired consistency. Additional milk may be needed. Blend in vanilla.

egg rolls

I bag coleslaw mix

1 lb sausage

2 cloves garlic minced (or garlic pwdr)

1 tsp ground ginger

Salt to taste

1/4 c onion diced

How to make it :

Brown the sausage in a large skillet and add the other ingredients right on top. Cover and cook on the stovetop about 5 min on med. remove lid, stir/toss and taste. Finish to your taste/texture preference

Salisbury Steak with Caramelized Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

Onion Gravy

2 large red onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups low-sodium beef broth

1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

Meat Patties

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup cooked white rice

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1) To make gravy: Heat butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat, until onions start to brown, stirring occasionally. When onions are slightly softened and turning a deep honey brown, add 1/4 cup broth. Reduce heat, cover and continue cooking, adding more broth as needed to prevent caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan from burning. It should take at least 25 to 30 minutes to properly caramelize onions. Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce by half. Stir in remaining beef broth and tomato paste. Stir in cider vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

2) To make patties: Mix ground beef, rice, egg yolk, salt, pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and thyme in a bowl. Shape into 4 oval patties about 3/4-inch thick. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Sear patties about 3 minutes per side, or until a brown crust forms. Pour gravy over patties and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm with mashed potatoes or noodles. Yield: 4 Servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Ground Beef Stroganoff - Real Mom Kitchen

Easy Ground Beef Dinners: Holiday Time Savers - Are You Hungry?

Red Bean Chili - The Red Spoon

Stuffed Cabbage - Living the Gourmet

Meatballs with Gravy - Seasalt with Food

Shepherd's Pie - Annie Bakes

Lemon Garlic Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

Chicken

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Optional Vegetables

Juice of 1 lemon lemon

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions:

1) To prepare chicken: In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add chicken and stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

2) To prepare grill, plank and skewers: Soak a cedar plank in water according to package instructions. Prepare a medium fire in a grill and heat plank. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water to cover for at least 20 minutes.

3) To prepare vegetables: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside. Thread onion and bell pepper onto skewers, alternating pieces and dividing them equally. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken onto separate skewers, taking care not to pack pieces too tightly.

4) To grill: Lay skewers on warm plank. Brush vegetables with olive oil-lemon juice mixture. Close lid and cook until chicken is opaque throughout and the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer skewers to a warmed platter and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

ARTICHOKE CHICKEN THIGHS – EASY!

Ingredients:

1-2 pkgs of organic chicken thighs

Artichoke hearts in water, quartered (Trader Joe’s has great hearts)

White onion, sliced

Juice of 1/2 lemon OR water from artichoke can

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, optional

Bacon crumbles, if you have them

Salt and Pepper

Oil for greasing dish

How to:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grab a rectangle baking dish, grease it up with oil of choice. I used avocado oil, or bacon grease is ok too. Size will be dependent on amount of chicken you use. It’s ok to have the thighs touching, but you don’t want too much overlap.

Place 1/2 of onion slices, half of artichoke hearts and half of olives on bottom of dish.

Salt and pepper.

Place thighs on top of the goodies. Place rest of onion, hearts and olives on top of chicken, evenly disbursed.

Drizzle oil on top of goodness. add bacon.

Salt and pepper.

Place in oven until internal temperature reaches 165. For my oven, this is at 35-40 minutes.

Take out, and enjoy with a sautee of green beans, a salad, or some yams. DELISH!

You know what’s great about this dish? I make it on a Sunday, cover, and have for dinner on Monday or Tuesday. If you don’t like artichoke hearts or olives – use sun dried tomatoes, peppers, or other fave veggies. The more color the better! Note: If you don’t use the hearts, remember to include lemon juice. Gives it a zing!

Sorry about the size of the picture, wordpress was NOT agreeing with me today. Also, this pic was before it went in the oven. I forgot to take a pic after it came out. You get the idea!!🙂 ENJOY!!

Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Low-Carb Oven Dish

Ingredients

6 thinly sliced chicken breasts

1 container green onion cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 c. chicken stock/broth

1 large pkg. sliced mushrooms, wiped off

1 small bag fresh baby spinach

Herb and Garlic Seasoning, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Rinse and drain spinach; pat dry.

In a 9 x 13 pan, place chicken in single layer; top with spinach and mushrooms; sprinkle seasonings on the top.

In a bowl, add softened cream cheese; whisk in oil and chicken stock/broth; pour over mixture. 

Cover with foil, but do not seal or crimp sides.

Bake 20 minutes; remove foil; bake uncovered 20-25 minutes; sprinkle on Mozzarella cheese; bake uncovered 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Remove from oven.

Cool 10 minutes; serve.

Chocolate Pound Cake with Caramel Frosting

Chocolate Pound Cake

Cream thoroughly: 3 sticks butter, 3 cups sugar

Add: 6 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together: 3 cups flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ cup cocoa, ½ tsp. salt

Add sifted ingredients alternately with 1 ¼ cups milk to creamed mixture.

Bake 350 for an hour. Try not to overbake… if anything, slightly underbake, if possible!

Frost with Quick Caramel Frosting from The Cake Mix Doctor (tinted with orange food color, opt.). Garnish with pecan halves. 

How to make the caramel Icing : 

Quick Caramel Icing

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whole milk

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place butter and brown sugar in medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stori and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir, and bring mixture back to boil, then remove pan from heat. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with wooden spoon or electric mixer to make it especially smooth. Use immediately (while still warm) to frost cake, or else it will harden. If it does harden while you are frosting cake, simply place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up.

Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 lbs organic chicken breast, chopped

12-16 oz organic fresh broccoli

2 garlic cloves, you can also use ginger

4-5 large organic carrots, sliced

Pepper flakes, optional

2 Tbsp olive oil

Teriyaki sauce

2 Tbsp ginger, chopped

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, gluten free

1/3 cup cold water

3-4 teaspoons arrowroot powder, or cornstarch

1/4 cup honey, or unrefined sugar

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl mix the Teriyaki sauce ingredients. If you are just making the sauce for future consumption follow this step otherwise follow the next paragraphs. In a small sauce pan, over medium to low heat, heat the sauce until thicken stirring occasionally. About 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool and store it in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator.

In a large skillet, over medium to high heat, add the olive oil. Add the chicken and carrots and cook stirring occasionally until almost tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook further for another minute.

While the chicken is cooking, place the broccoli on a safe microwave dish and microwave for 6-7 minutes. Depending on how strong your microwave is you may need less time. My microwave is not too powerful so I use 7 minutes but 3-4 minutes may be enough in yours.

Add the Teriyaki sauce from the bowl to the chicken and carrots and stir for about 1-2 minutes or until it thickens. Turn heat off and add the broccoli and pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.

30-Minute Rolls

Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water

⅓ cup oil

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

3½ cups flour (either bread flour or all-purpose will work)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, oil,

yeast, and sugar. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.

3. Mix 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the egg into the yeast mixture

using a dough hook. Add the remaining 1½ cups flour ½ cup at a

time.

4. Shape dough into 12 balls and place in a 9x13 pan. Let dough rest

for 10 minutes.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until tops are just golden brown.

Miniature Baked Cheesecakes-recipe

Makes 12

Pre heat oven to 160 degrees celcius (fan forced - increase 10 degrees if not fan forced)

Ingredients-

250g softened cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)

1/3 cup caster sugar (finely granulated)

1 Egg

1-2 tbs lemon juice (I like the extra zing of 2)

5 tbs thickened cream (cream with at least 35% fat)

150-200g biscuits (cookies). I often use Arnotts Nice, but use your favourite. Try Ginger Nuts for something different

70-100g melted butter (use the larger amounts of butter & biscuits if you prefer a thicker base)

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

4 boneless chicken breast halves.

1 cup of mayonnaise.

½ cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

1 ½ tsps of seasoning salt.

½ tsp of ground black pepper.

1 tsp of garlic powder.

How to:

In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, cheese and seasonings and spread it over the chicken breast.

Place the coated chicken in the baking dish and bake for 45° in a preheated oven to 375°.

Bonne Appétit!

Super easy, simple and delicious! This is a must-try recipe guys, I can assure you that you will love the taste of this smooth chicken. Give it a shot and let me know what you think.