Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake Ingredients:
3 cups Flour  (I used equal parts all purpose flour & whole wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter (I used actual butter, not margarine)

Combine all ingredients, except for the butter.  Slowly stir in the melted butter.  Pour into a 9x13 greased baking pan.  Make the topping.

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup softened butter (again, actual butter)
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1 - 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

Cream ingredients together & whip well (should kinda seem bubbly, kinda like a chocolate mousse.  Drop evenly onto the cake batter in the pan, swirl well with a knife.  Bake at 350° for 28-32 minutes.  If you use the toothpick or knife method to check the cake the topping portion will be slightly wet rendering the 'test' useless.  You want the topping to be a bit wet/gooey.

Glaze Ingredients:
2 cups powered sugar
5 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Combine well, pour over cake after it comes out of the oven.  ((Or just use the store bought glaze that's been in the pantry forever because you know you suck at making glazes))Enjoy.  This is a very sinful cake.  It is EVIL.  It will beg you to start eating as soon as it comes of the oven.  Wait for it to cool at least slightly - Cakes fresh out of the oven are HOT (or at least should be).  It's a 9x13 cake.  Unless you are prepared to eat the whole thing yourself it is advised you take it to a large gathering of friends/family so others will eat it before you devour all of it.  Make sure you grab the first piece as soon as you set it on the table.  Enjoy.  ☺

This recipe courtesy of Dani at My Corner of the Pond.

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The Boy Bakes a Cake

I have to share.

I've been meaning to make a cake for the last few days. No real reason except for when Mikaila went grocery shopping with me she wanted a pink cake with sprinkles.

So because I've been pukey & such I've really not felt up to it.

Tonight Mikeal asked if he could make the cake. Sure, no biggie.

As I'm sitting here, in the living room, he's in the kitchen measuring & mixing. He's fairly decent in the kitchen, responsible, the like. No worries. Besides I was younger than he is when I went solo in the kitchen for complete meals, he can handle a step-by-step cake mix ...three steps, no big deal.

I'll take it out of the oven when it's done. ;-)

He brings the measuring cup to me so I can verify the measurements, seeing as all but the lines are gone from the side...

He informs me that the eggs are frozen, but I assure him that they'll be fine as he mixes it all up.

A bit later he pours it into the pan & asks me if it's too late to mix up the batter now that it's in the pan.

I go in there to check & see what's up.

The cake batter looks a little funny.

It looks QUITE watery...

Then I notice It's more than just a bit watery.

Perplexed I look at Mikeal...

And I ask him....

Did you put the cake mix in the bowl?

Because, you know, this is a pink cake...and it looks a bit clear/eggy to me.

Sure enough...no cake mix in the 'cake'.

SOOOOOOOO glad we figured that out though before he baked it...cause those were the last of my eggs.

I can't stop laughing.

Do you have any baking blunder stories you wanna share?

oh...and the cake turned out beautiful. A little floury tasting and flat, but with enough icing & sprinkles it wasn't greatly noticed. That or I'm used to making my cakes not from a box and box cakes just taste floury when compared to butter cakes.

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BlackBerry Cobbler

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed & drained) blackberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking POWDER - not soda!
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
Ice cream

Directions:


In a medium bowl stir together the blackberries & sugar.

Set aside for roughly 20 minutes, until it starts to get juicy with the blackberry syrup.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, & milk - GENTLY stir in the melted butter until all is blended.


Spread the batter mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 (preferably glass) baking pan.

Spoon the blackberries over the top of the batter.


Bake 45-55 minutes in a 375° oven - the key to knowing when it's ready is the dough will be on top & a lovely golden color.


Serve warm with the ice cream (or whipped cream if you so desire!) (Yea, I'm out of ice cream & wasn't going to wait on any to get here, it was still yummy!)

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Four Seasons Pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 - 13.8oz tube refrigerated pizza dough
• 1 - 6oz can pizza sauce
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 3 thin slices prosciutto, torn in strips (ask persons in the deli area to slice it or point it out to you, if they even have it)
• 3 marinated artichoke heart halves, cut in half
• 3 thinly sliced mushrooms
  
• 3 thinly sliced basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread the dough out on a pizza pan and coat with pizza sauce, to 1-inch of the edge.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Top with prosciutto, artichokes, mushrooms, and basil.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 8 minutes. Do not over bake.

Serve.

OR Cool, then cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil, label, and freeze. To serve remove the pizza from the freezer. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake the pizza for 5 minutes.

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Macaroni & Cheese with Ham Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 8oz package of elbow macaroni
• 2 cups (8oz) shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 2 cups (16oz) small curd cottage cheese
• 1/3 lb diced ham
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 2T butter, melted

Cook the macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients expect the breadcrumbs, paprika, and butter.

To serve: Melt 2T butter. Toss the breadcrumbs with the paprika and mix with the butter. Pour the macaroni into an 11x7x2-inch baking dish treated with non-stick spray, and spread breadcrumb mixture on the top. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden.

Garnish with sliced cherry tomatoes & chopped fresh parsley.

To freeze: Pour the macaroni into a labeled 1-gallon freezer bag. Thaw when ready to use.

Serves: 6-10

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Peanut Butter Cake

1 1/4 cups butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup roasted peanuts(optional)

Cream butter and sugar, beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time beating well after each one.
Blend in peanut butter, then flour.

Pour into 2 lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans.

Bake at 350* for 50-60 minutes or until center test done.

Spread a thin layer of peanut butter over it as soon as it comes out of the oven!

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Brown Sugar Cookies

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup water
3 teaspoons honey
1 egg
1 cup coarsely ground pecans
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon all spice

Pre-heat oven to 375*.

In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, water, honey, and egg. Beat with mixer on high speed until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, pecans, cinnamon, baking soda, and all spice; mix well. Add to sugar mixture and mix well.

Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake about 12 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned on edges.

Remove from oven at once.

Makes about 3 dozen.
Store in an airtight container.

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Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust :
1 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350*.
In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom and about 1" up the sides of a 9" spring form pan, that has been lined with wax paper along the bottom.
Bake crust for 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Set aside to cool.

Filling:
2 - 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin mash (For directions on making fresh pumpkin mash look here.)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar & vanilla, just until smooth.
Mix in eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
Set aside one cup of the mixture.
Blend 1/4 cup of sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, & nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust and drop the plain batter onto the top, by the tablespoon, sporadically over the pumpkin batter.
Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake 55 minutes in the pre-heated oven or until filling is set.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan.
Allow to cool before removing pan rim.

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

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Apple Crisp

Butter an 8" square baking pan
Preheat oven to 350*

5 cups peeled and sliced apples
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick of butter...or 1/2 cup ...or 1/4 pound

Put apples in the baking dish.
In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, flour, & cinnamon.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the topping over the apples.
Bake for 30 minutes until the topping is crisp.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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Chiney's Homemade Dressing

3 - 9"x13" pans of cornbread
4-5 diced boiled eggs
full stalk of chopped celery
whole diced onion
4 cans of chicken broth
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans cream of celery
2 Tablespoons of sage
1/4 of a large block of velveta cheese, in small cubes
salt & pepper to taste

After the cornbread is cooled crumble in a large dish (I used a large stock pan)
Boil onion & celery in broth & water until tender, drain, save broth & water
Mix all ingredients except broth
Add broth until stuffing is the consistency of mashed potatoes
Bake at 400* until light brown on top

Add more broth & reheat if it dries out.


My baby brother, Duke & Mikeal mixing it up, before he left for Japan with the Marines last Thanksgiving.

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Fresh Pumpkin Spice Bread

I start off the pumpkin recipe making season with purchasing a large pumpkin.

The absolute easiest way to prepare a pumpkin for baking use is :
Cut it in half.
Lay each half on a baking sheet, cut side down so that it creates a seal.
Bake in a 350* pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until pulp is soft.
Take out of the oven and let cool before moving on, remember it will be HOT and can burn you.
I then scoop the steamed pumpkin meat out of the rind, putting it into my blender then puree it.

Two cups of pureed pumpkin is equal to one can of pumpkin bought at the store.

I measure it out into 2 cup increments, into labeled freezer bags, then freeze whatever I am not going to be using immediately.



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Pumpkin Spice Bread

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups (or 1 can) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs

Grease & flour two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Pre-heat oven to 350*.

In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, & nutmeg.

In a separate bowl stir together the pumpkin & oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the pumpkin mixture, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until wooden pick or cake tester, inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Smoother with butter and enjoy!

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