Banana Sheet Cake

shown without icing

This is a very good breakfast (and easily halved). There's no difference (to me) between using sour cream or yogurt. It's just GOOD every time. And super, super easy! I have often made this breakfast the night before.


Banana Sheet Cake
printable version


1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream OR plain yogurt
1 cup butter (or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup margarine)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375

°

. Grease 10x15 baking sheet.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and spread onto baking sheet.
Bake 25 minutes or until golden.

OPTIONAL ICING:
Melt 1/2 cup butter on stove top. Remove from heat and add:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBS milk
Stir until smooth and spread on warm cake.

Orange Julius

Orange Julius
printable version


1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate (6 of the 12 oz.)
12 ice cubes (about one tray)
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Dump ice cubes into blender first.
Thaw the can of orange juice a little under hot water to loosen the juice. Scoop half the juice into the blender.
Follow with remaining ingredients, blend until well mixed. Serve immediately (although...we've kept some in the fridge when we can't manage to finish it, and it's actually still very delicious--just kind of shake it to mix it up again).

Pauper's Sandwich

Pauper's Sandwich

I think this came to life via lack of bread...

It's exactly what it looks like: peanut butter and Nutella on a tortilla.

Spread in stripes and roll up parallel to stripes.

Bananas add a nice touch, too!

UPDATE: these days, I take it to the max...of laziness.
I just do straight nutella. It's actually a favorite snack of mine.

Brown Sugar-Glazed Pineapple

My mom and I like pineapples just the way they are. It's like...Mother Nature's Dessert. (Booo, cheesy choice of words!) But Michael has always loved this kind of pineapple--ever since he first tasted it with a birthday dinner at the drooly-wonderful Tucano's (that place is meat heaven).

So for this last birthday dinner, I wanted to make sure the pineapple made an appearance (along with the salmon and mushrooms and rice, my last two posts).

Oh, and I like pineapple prepared this way, too. Especially since I didn't follow a recipe (makes me feel proud of myself as if I invented the whole idea).

Brown Sugar-Glazed Pineapple

printable version

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 TBS melted butter

1 - 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

Heat an indoor grill (you may use a broiler pan if you need to--it's NOT the same effect, though).

Place pineapple chunks on a paper towel; they don't have to be completely dry, but it's easier if they're not too wet.

Stir brown sugar and butter together. Coat pineapple chunks in sugar mixture and place on grill.

Grill for 5-10 minutes, according to preference, turning the chunks as necessary for even grilling. Serve hot.

I pour the collected grill drainage over the pineapple chunks again in their serving dish to reinforce the glaze, so to speak... :)

Sauteed Mushrooms

I know this isn't really something anyone needs a recipe with, but I like having a recipe to at least give me an idea of amounts.

Sauteed Mushrooms

printable version

2 TBS butter

8 oz. small fresh mushrooms (I used blanc, but it's really just a preference thing)

1 TBS lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Melt butter in a skillet. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in mushrooms (don't let them overlap much or they won't brown as well). Stir mushrooms about 5 minutes or until tender. If necessary, simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated.

Salmon Pesto Mayo

Before you gasp in disgust, let me inform you: that salmon is supposed to be green. I'm sorry--I tried to take a flattering picture, but the lighting just disagreed with my camera. And...heh heh, the avacado got away from me when I tried to place it artistically to the side...(and trust me, the avacado did fit in with the meal--it went with a side dish).

This was the most delicious salmon I have ever tasted in my life. In my life. And I made it! Me! Ha, I call myself a chef for fun with this blog, but whoa, this was some magic gourmet coming from my kitchen. Oh yeah, and guess what, it was easy. But don't tell everybody that because I'm still impressed with myself.

Salmon Pesto Mayo

printable version of this deluxeness

4 5-6 oz. fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets (or one gigantic fillet, it doesn't matter especially)

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (use mayo--and I'll admit, when I first read the title, I thought it was something fancier than mayo and pronounced it "My-o" and thought "ooooh")

3 TBS purchased basil pesto (I bought a little package of dry mix)

Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional--I totally forgot about it)

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Measure thickness of fish.

2. Place fish fillets on the GREASED unheated rack of a broiler pan, tucking under thin edges.

Broil 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork. (If fillets are 1 inch or more thick, carefully turn once half-way through broiling).

3. Meanwhile, for topping, in a small bowl stir together mayonnaise and pesto. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over fillets. Broil about 1 minute more or until topping is bubbly. If desired, garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese.

It was quick (SUPER quick--under 10 minutes, I'm sure) and easy and SOOOOO good!!!!!

Special thanks to my fabulous cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens. At least I think that's the cookbook I used.

I served rice with the salmon. It's not really worth a recipe spot, but I'll tell you how it was special: Brown rice cooked traditionally with a sprinkling of cinnamon & sugar. Topped with fresh avacado and sauteed mushrooms. Isn't that weird? It was extremely delicious. The flavors blended into a sultry, divine dish. I don't even know how I got the idea--it kind of worries me sometimes what recipe ideas I get, so I'm just glad this worked. I don't know why I felt so sure about going on with it, but I'm just glad.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

(I love these stackable racks! Sorry the frosting is sort of an unappetizing peachy color...we wanted something different from the typical, and with all those colors in the rainbow to choose from, we thought this was a good idea. Well at least it doesn't taste different from pink frosting.)

I have a teensy (pretty unexciting) confession...I have always really liked store-bought sugar cookies. Mmm, they're the perfect texture, the perfect flavor. I have a hard time not eating too many at once, to say the least.

And the other half of my confession: I have always really hated homemade sugar cookies. Seriously. They're gross. They're pretty much ALWAYS too hard, crunchy in a bland way, and just plain stupid. Cookies should be yummy.

*ahem*

So now I have some repenting to do, because apparently all those poor people making sugar cookies either liked them that way or didn't have the right recipe. As part of my repenting process, I'm sharing The Right Recipe. It's as good as storebought. :D (Who says that when sharing recipes?)

(And sure, it's probably better...if you care...)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

(from Michael's family)

printable version

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup margarine (or shortening)

1/2 cup butter

Cream first three ingredients together. Now add:

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sour cream (~8 oz.)

5 cups flour (with high altitude, you may need more)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Roll dough onto a floured surface--remember to flour the rolling pin and your hands, too. :)

Spread dough to about...1/2" thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters or a small cup...place on ungreased cookie sheet.

This is a dough that works fine with re-rolling the scraps. I used every last bit!

Bake 10 - 12 minutes at 350*.

Michael and I don't think they're quite perfect until they've got some FROSTING on them.

And then they're so perfect that I hog the whole tupperware of 60+ cookies to myself (like right now--I'm NOT lying--the tupperware of cookies is in my lap. There are 10 left. Ender started to eat one and decided he didn't like having frosting on his hands. Michael has eaten, oh, something like 6 or 8 cookies. And I haven't given any to the neighbors yet...I keep telling myself I should...really, no wonder I'm not losing inches at my waistline...)

Wow. That's embarrassing. 60+ cookies? Where have they gone?!

Easy Meatballs

It's always an insult when a recipe calls itself Easy Something-or-other and it really isn't easy.

Thankfully, this isn't one of those recipes. It's just easy. And yummy.

Easy Meatballs

printable version

1 lb. ground beef (ground turkey makes really nice meatballs, too--almost like Swedish meatballs!)

1 egg

2 TBS water

1/2 cup bread crumbs (about 1 slice--I liked it with my dense homemade wheat bread, too)

1/4 cup minced onion (or in a pinch, 1/4 tsp onion powder)

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

I like to add a generous sprinkling of Pizza Seasoning or Italian Seasoning...or any other favorite spice, depending on the mood and meal.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine egg, water, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper. Add ground beef, broken into chunks, and mush with your hands to combine. Call me preppy, but EW. I just use the hand mixer, it doesn't matter. Form into meatballs about 1" in diameter and place on a broiler pan (spray with PAM first).

I used a TBS measurer to scoop out uniform meatballs. They can be little or big, this recipe works either way.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (I prefer 30) until meatballs are no longer pink in center.

Serve fresh and hot -or- cool the meatballs and freeze them for later use.

This is a broiler pan:

Just in case you were wondering...because sometimes I don't know as much as my recipes presume! ;) I have often found this kind of pan abandoned in the drawer under the oven whenever we've moved. I would suppose the previous tenants didn't know what to do with it?

The only downside of these meatballs: if you use too much onion, you could maybe get yucky onion burps...at least, I do...the onion powder is a little gentler. On me. Just saying.

Cornbread

I have always loved cornbread. That's all.

HAH! It would be all, but I have to say--because I'm quite proud actually--that now Michael loves cornbread, too. He raved over it the last time I baked it. :) Aw, it made my little chef heart blossom with pleasure.

Cornbread

printable version

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

2 to 3 TBS sugar (I had used 3 the night Michael was so enamored with it--it just makes it a tad sweeter)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 TBS butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter (I generally use oil)

Preheat oven to 400*. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Add the 1 TBS butter to a 9x1 1/2-inch round baking pan (all my life my mom used a 9x13 casserole dish for cornbread; it's handy for feeding a crowd, but I like the cakelike result of using a round pan). Place in oven about 3 minutes or until butter melts. Remove pan from oven; swirl butter in pan to coat bottom and sides of pan.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine eggs, milk and oil. Add mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Pour batter into hot pan.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (that same night that Michael fell in love with this cornbread, I actually baked it 20-25 minutes till it was golden and crusty on the edges). Cut into wedges and serve warm.

We love buttering ours and drizzling honey over it. Mmmmm.

Variation:

Corn Muffins - Prepare as above, except omit the TBS butter. Spoon batter into 12 greased 2 1/2-inch muffin cups, filling cups two-thirds full. Bake in a 400* oven about 15 minutes or until light brown (and pass toothpick test).

10 Grain Muffins

This is maybe really silly of me to post this recipe...because it comes on the package of 10 Grain cereal.

But I have to! What if you get a generic brand of 10 grain? Or what if...I don't know, what if you've never heard of it before?

Because basically, these were so very satisfying and tasty and perfect that I just have to share!

These muffins are almost the consistency of cornbread, and they're also packed with a really intensely nutritious flavor! Really, with these, nutrition DOES have a flavor. ("Yum, I'm getting healthy!")

10 Grain Muffins

printable version

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

1 cup white flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup 10 Grain Cereal

1 1/4 cup sour milk -or- buttermilk (I used sour*)

Mix 10 Grain Cereal and milk; allow to stand for 10 minutes while preheating oven (400) and assembling other ingredients. Cream sugar, butter and egg together.

Add dry ingredients and milk mixture. Stir only until mixed.

Spoon into greased muffin pan.

Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

*TIP: if you don't have any sour milk, pour about 1 TBS lemon juice into your empty measuring cup and then fill with milk. Let it sit a couple minutes, stirring gently if necessary.

Milk is actually still okay to drink a week after the date on the jug, it just can't be sold that late. And this may be myth, but I think milks with more fat content go sour a little faster than skim milk.

PS: this is something my mom has always done: when the muffins come out of the oven, I use a knife (or tongs or whatever, who really cares) and turn the muffins sideways. This helps them cool a little faster and keeps them from over-baking in their still-hot pan. That's why the muffins are sideways in the picture. :)

French Toast

This is a dreamy breakfast for me...one of my favorites.

(Michael has never cared for French Toast, and I'm not going to say this recipe converted him, but he didn't mind it quite so much when I left out the spices for his slices--we figured out that's the main part that bothers him).

I, on the other hand, practically drool over French Toast.

French Toast

printable version

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 TBS sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

about 4 slices of bread --try this with my french bread recipe, it's heavenly!

butter

In a shallow mixing bowl (I know this is very dorky and ghetto, but I use a bread pan because it is the perfect shape for my french bread slices), beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and if desired, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dip bread into egg mixture, letting it soak about 10 seconds on each side (this is important!). If using regular white bread, a little dip for each side will suffice.

In a skillet or on a griddle melt about 1 TBS butter over medium heat. Add bread slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve warm with syrup or powdered sugar...or fruit...or jam...etc. :)

I keep a little whisk handy to remix everything between bread dippings because the ingredients tend to part a little bit.

This made something like 6 to 8 slices for us. The recipe is easily doubled.

Easy French Bread

This is from Michael's Aunt Lisa, and I've made it at least three times already. The title is honest! It really is easy! And delicious. Mmmm, my favorite french bread ever (and I've tried the genuine stuff, too).

Easy French Bread

printable version

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 TBS yeast

Put yeast in warm water in a LARGE bowl and let proof for about 5-10 minutes (it will probably only take 10 minutes if the yeast came straight from the freezer). The original recipe requests that you avoid stirring the yeast...but I can't resist! I always end up stirring it at the end of the ten minutes.

2 TBS sugar

1 TBS salt

2 TBS oil

6 cups flour

Add the sugar, salt and oil to the yeast water and mix. Add the flour cup by cup, mixing thoroughly. After 10 minutes, punch down the dough. Punch it down every ten minutes for an hour.

I like to make tally marks on a paper nearby and keep a kitchen timer handy. I don't have a kitchenaid or really anything comparable, so I do this perhaps a bit primitively... all I really need after mixing in the flour is a spatula, which I use both to scrape the sides of the bowl and punch down the dough throughout the hour.

Around the 4th or 5th punching, preheat the oven for 400* and grease a cookie sheet. I like using a stick of butter to grease it.

When the hour is up, spread just a little bit of oil on the countertop.

TIP: The reason I use oil instead of more flour is it keep the bread from becoming too dry. I also prefer its efficiency for keeping my hands from getting sticky.

Split the dough in two and shape into loaves.

NOTE: this recipe doesn't require any kneading. The punching took care of that. The punching also makes this a really dense bread, so it's very moist (dense is good).

Place on cookie sheet and brush with either milk or melted butter (I prefer butter). Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Slit tops.

TIP: Because of the oil and the stretchiness of this bread, slitting the tops is hard even with a very sharp knife. I use my kitchen scissors-- hold them vertical. It's very fast and works so much better.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Also makes amazing french toast for breakfast the next morning, delicious garlic bread as a side for spaghetti, and even pretty decent grilled cheese sandwiches.

For cheat garlic bread, butter slices and sprinkle with Garlic Salt. If the bread isn't fresh from the oven, place the prepared slices on a cookie sheet in an oven either set on Broil or about 350* for only a minute or two. Sometimes I even leave the oven door open so I can better monitor the bread--it doesn't take long to toast it!

*when doing sticky/messy recipes, I tie my wedding ring to my apron strings. I've even written notes on those recipes to remind myself to do this--and especially to put it back on once I'm finished!*

This dough doesn't have to rise the full hour to be successful.

Breakfast Fiasco

While I made breakfast, I saw a birdie through a slit in the blinds. It was hopping around in white stuff. I said to Ender "There's a birdie outside playing in the dew!"

Nope. After we opened the blinds, we discovered SNOW outside. We feel very much at home now. This place isn't so different from Rexburg after all!

So I mentioned breakfast...something bad happened to it. When I turned the knob up to medium to heat the unit, the "surface on" light suddenly winked off! Weird. So I jiggled the knob and turned it back and forth once, and the light went back on.

I probably should have been smart and just realized how fast the butter melted and started browning. But my time-figuring was warped because I was flitting around the kitchen doing other things, too. I threw an omelet together, complete with diced tomatoes, cheese and cubed meat and went on to mix orange juice (in the blender, the "special" way--ps: mix the concentrate by itself before adding water so it's all creamy and unchunked).

The omelet burned.

Practically black.

The knob had slipped, so I'd unknowingly turned the heat up to "high." Arg! My last two eggs! And they were borrowed eggs, no less! (Oh, well, as "borrowed" as ingredients get since there's obviously no returning...)

So I thought, well, we can have toast. No! Darn. Only if we want toast made out of the last slices of french bread--ooh, recipe coming soon, by the way (this soon, tada: RECIPE). And, yeah, that bread is good, but for toast?

So then I figured we could have cereal. No! Garg, Michael doesn't like powdered milk, and that's all we've got in the fridge right now!

And for some reason, pancakes and waffles didn't sound appetizing. Even if we had time to make them...which, since this was a breakfast fiasco, of course we didn't.

Geesh, if I were pregnant, I would have happily eaten the snow! It would have been my lucky day to have snow in May! Yay, cravings with special delivery! Hah, delivery. What a pregnant joke. I'll have to remember that one, I guess.

Michael humbly ate the black, rubbery omelet (he loves me), and I had cereal with powdered milk--which wasn't too bad, just sort of depressing. At least Ender likes it.

So now my kitchen smells like burned eggs, and that's gross.

Don't Try This in Your Kitchen

I did something dumb.

No--I did TWO somethings dumb.

ONE:

When you leave dough to rise on a warm stovetop (heated by a warm oven, obviously), do not test how hot the stovetop is by touching the units. I mean, duh, only a true blonde would do that.

My burn was hurting for a very long time. Stupid heat-leaky unit. Stupid idea. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

TWO:

I made a cake. I knew I had no frosting, but so what? I could make some. But I didn't want to use all my precious butter and powdered sugar...so I got an idea (oh dear, ideas in the kitchen!). I figured, hey, I have TONS of pudding...surely there's a recipe for pudding frosting out there!

Well yes, there is. But it's disgusting. Eugh...trust me. I'd have taken pictures if I could stand to see it a minute longer.

It looked like blended barf. Sloppy, soupy, chunkish, blended barf.

I made normal frosting after all (and the cake was supremely delicious).

(Oh, so was the frosting).

Gulliver's Cream Corn

This is from my mom. I love corn, and cream corn is almost a comfort food to me. For the longest time I looked for recipes to do cream corn and only found stuff that included cream corn from a can. I thought that was stupid.

Um, so anyway, here's The Recipe...

Gulliver's Cream Corn

printable version

2 (20 oz.) pkgs. frozen kernel corn

8 oz. (1/2 pint) whipping cream

8 oz. homogenized milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Accent (or Mrs. Dash)

6 TBSP sugar

pinch of white pepper (or cayenne pepper--even black pepper)

2 TBSP melted butter

2 TBSP flour

Combine all ingredients except butter and flour. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the butter and flour, then remove from heat. Tada! Yummy cream corn--NOT from a can!

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

I LOVE this.

I have ALWAYS loved this.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

printable version

(Optional) Bake: 350* for 20 to 25 minutes

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 oz.)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (can do without if necessary)

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded or cubed Cheddar cheese (8 oz.)

If baking, heat oven to 350*. My sister Liz likes to leave the dish creamy and saves herself the baking time. It's good both ways; I prefer it baked just because it feels like proof that it's homemade (and it's how my mom always made it).

Cook macaroni as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Those first 4 ingredients are your basic white sauce. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.

Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce. Pour into non-greased 2-quart casserole dish. Here's where you'd stop if you prefer it creamy.

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes.

Easily doubled; pour drained noodles into serving dish, then pour cheese sauce over noodles and stir gently.

Deluxe version: add different varieties of cheese, such as velveeta, either as a blend with the original or in place of the original. Same with noodles! Try other kinds, either blended with or replacing original noodles.

Nice topped with sprinkling of pepper and sliced tomatoes.

German Pancakes

These can be eaten like normal pancakes or crepes with fruit or cinnamon & sugar; I'm such a fan, I'll eat them plain.

German Pancakes

printable version

Bake: 450* for 20 - 25 minutes

2 TBSP butter

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

First, I've halved this recipe. Even so, it still works in the same size pan. If you want it a little thicker, go ahead and double it! I just get frugal about eggs sometimes. ;)

With mixer, combine milk, flour, eggs and salt. Melt butter in 9" x 13" pan in oven until sizzling. Pour batter into hot pan and bake. A little rising up the sides of pan is normal.

Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

printable version

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1/3 cup milk

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

Combine in small or medium bowl; makes about 4 cups. To adjust consistency, add powdered sugar for thickness or milk for creaminess, depending.

Crumb Top Coffee Cake

Does anyone have a coffee cake recipe they're in love with? Because I really do like this cake, but every time I make it, I can't help but daydream of a better cake made by my harp teacher (I'll get that recipe someday, I promise myself and the world!).

Oh well. Dreams aside, this is a very good breakfast cake, and even if there are leftovers after breakfast, there are no leftovers by the end of the day.

Crumb Top Coffee Cake

printable version

Bake: 30 minutes @ 375*

TOPPING - I doubled the topping; there really wasn't enough for my taste otherwise, but if this is too much for you, cut it in half!

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour (always sift before measuring)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature (not melted!!!)

2 tsp cinnamon

CAKE

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

~

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly (I like to use my pastry blender). Set aside.

Sift baking powder and salt with 1 1/2 cups sifted flour into a bowl. I skip the extra sifting and just blend the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt, but only because I'm perhaps a bit lazy. I don't always even sift the flour to start with. In other words, it works when you don't, but there's a reason it's part of the recipe!

In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8- or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Or a 2-quart square pan, don't worry if you don't have the "right" pan.

Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter.

Bake at 375* for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut cake while still warm.

An Acquired Taste...

HAhaha, this is one where you just might want to click the "that's nasty" button!

Here are some weird tastes I happen to really like. :)

Sardines in mustard (but I do wonder sometimes why I like this)

Cottage cheese on my chili

Dipping potato chips in cottage cheese

Potato chips IN my tuna sandwich

Cheese slices in my applesauce

Mmmmm....and one more. Don't worry, I didn't think I'd like this (I'm not THAT weird--not always):

Tuna scooped into peach halves

It's very French, actually, so there.

French Omelet

This is very simple and quick. It's another favorite of Michael's, and I love how this omelet works plain when you don't have time (or the desire) to add specialty ingredients.

French Omelet

printable version

Start to Finish: 10 minutes

Makes: 1 omelet (which we usually halve for the two of us)

Filling (optional)

2 eggs

2 TBS water

1/8 tsp salt

Dash ground black pepper

1 TBS butter

1. If desired, prepare filling; keep warm.

2. In a small bowl combine eggs, water, salt and pepper. Beat until combined, but not frothy, with a fork.

3. Melt butter in 8-inch nonstick skillet with flared sides over medium-high heat. When butter gets sizzley, add egg mixture to skillet; lower heat to medium. Immediately begin stirring the eggs gently but continuously with a wooden or plastic spatula until mixture resembles small pieces of cooked egg surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds more or until egg mixture is set and shiny.

4. If desired, spoon filling across the center. With a spatula, lift and fold an omelet edge about a third of the way toward the center. Fold the opposite omelet edge toward the center and transfer to a warm plate.

Folding the omelet in thirds instead of in half is pretty much all that makes this a French omelet.

Lower Cholesterol: Prepare as above, except substitute 2 egg whites for one of the whole eggs.

Eggs, Especially Scrambled

I know a lot of people have problems with eggs.

Gah, I mean the problem of cooking the eggs, obviously.

I've been blessed with the gift of egg-cookery and have only had a problem with them once (the first time I made breakfast for Michael, go figure). And I feel fine bragging about this because I still remember the time I completely ruined brownies. Just ask my sister Maddie. There were NOT edible, not even close. Nasty tar things.

Anyway, here are some things I've learned about eggs.

• They will keep cooking even after they're removed from the pan! Don't be afraid to set them on a plate a little ahead of time. The heat's still working in them.
• I have been told to never use high heat with eggs. But I'm impatient (and for the longest time, using lower heat always led to burning my eggs--yeah, who knows). So when I use high heat, I never stop stirring. Keep the eggs moving! They'll be done very quickly, so dump them on a plate as soon as you can.
• MOST of the time (now that I've figured it out), I use medium heat. Put either a little slice of butter or cooking spray in your pan first. I like to use butter, because it's easier to tell when the pan is hot and ready. As soon as the butter is sizzling (don't let it brown), put your eggs in. Don't put them in any sooner than that.
• When using medium heat to scramble your eggs, be attentive. You don't have to stir quite as vigorously as with high heat, but don't let the eggs sit in one spot for long. That makes them lump (and then they seem to cook harder, not as fluffy).
• I don't like to premix my eggs. Not for scrambled eggs. I love the texture and color from tossing the eggs in as they are, not with the whites all mixed into the yolks. I think it "scrambles" better.
• If you want creamier eggs, add a little milk. But don't use milk if you want your eggs more fluffy (of course it's a matter of opinion--I think fluffy is better).
• When adding grated cheese (yum!), wait till the eggs seem to be nearing the point you'd call them "done," and then toss the cheese on. Stir it in a little, and once it's satisfactorily melted enough, toss your eggs on a plate.
• I make the eggs last among the various breakfast items if I can help it. Hot eggs are infinitely better than cooled, and freshly hot eggs are much tastier (and a better texture) than eggs that have been sitting covered. If you must cover your eggs--since timing doesn't always happen right--put a paper towel over them and then cover with a plate. The paper towel absorbs the condensation from the heat so that your eggs won't get sweaty. Ew.

Now here are some basic egg tips--not so specific to scrambling:

• Don't use dirty, cracked or leaking eggs. They may have become contaminated with germs and nasty stuff like that. It's just a smart idea to toss those.
• ALWAYS check the eggs in the carton at the grocery store! When I finally cared to do that, I was amazed how many cartons had cracked eggs!
• Turn the eggs so that the large end is up in the carton so they don't absorb refrigerator odors. I know, it sounds so weird. But they also last a little longer this way...for some reason. Eggs can be stored up to 5 weeks after the packing date.
• If a piece of shell drops in when you crack your egg, use the larger shell piece to fish it out. It's the best thing to pierce through the yolk and white.
• Raw egg whites can be stored in a tight container for up to 4 days (I like to put sticky notes on time-sensitive leftovers in my fridge with the date they must be used by--also a label of what it is if it looks strange!). You can also freeze egg whites in a freezer container for up to ONE YEAR!
• Always wash hands, utensils and countertop after working with eggs. Treat them like meat in this way--don't share the utensils used on eggs for anything else.
• Refrigerate cold/leftover eggs immediately (and reheat completely before using).
• Hard-boiled eggs in their shells can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Oh dear. No. I just remembered one other time I had a problem cooking eggs...it was an egg casserole, and my pregnantness just thought it was the best idea ever to use hamburger since we had no sausage. My first serving was delicious. And then somehow the flavors all set in and I realized how disgusting it was... and I nearly barfed every time I looked at the dish. Or even thought of it. And seriously, that wasn't just my pregnantness--Michael felt the same way!

Orange Juice

Right, a recipe for orange juice. JUST kidding. But I thought I'd mention...

I do my orange juice in a blender (my smoothie-maker is the only blender I have, actually, but it works fantasticly). I love the froth of fresh orange juice, so this kind of creates the illusion that it's freshly squoze. Mmmm.

I mix barely-thawed orange juice (frozen concentrate from can) first with two cans of water to blend. After that's thoroughly mixed, I add one more can of water. Sometimes I like to crush ice with it, too.

This is not an Orange Julius. It's just orange juice, our breakfast staple. Michael adores it, and I only do if it's all frothy and fresh like this.

Oh, and...you might want to let it settle just a little before you start pouring or else the mouthful of foaminess will make you have to burp a lot. :| Heh...just thought I'd mention.

And guess what...did you know that a little glop of the frozen stuff is really tasty in your scrambled eggs? You don't notice an orangey flavor, really. It just zests up the eggs (and it can add color, too, which is needed once in a while when eggs just won't do their part). You can toss the glop in before you set to blending your juice! :)

Banana Bread

This is funny... I've always hated banana bread. I never realized it was just because we always had it with a streusel-nut topping! Well, that and the fact that it was usually cold (and kind of hard) whenever someone brought it to us. And it was always brought--I don't remember my mom ever making banana bread.

And then Michael told me it's his favorite thing ever.

So, purely out of love, I made him banana bread. I just considered it a good way to use all the bananas we hadn't eaten in time (new cooks: brown bananas are okay. Freeze as is or peel and puree before freezing). And I'd let him eat the whole loaf, because I knew I would think it was disgusting. I made who-knows-how-many loaves for him before finally one day, pregnant and hungrily inhaling the sultry scent of warm and fresh bread, I took a bite.

WOW! Converted.

Banana Bread

printable version (includes streusel-nut topping)

Prep: 25 minutes

Bake: 55 minutes (depending)

Oven: 350*F

Makes: 1 loaf (16 slices)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

1.5 cups mashed ripe banana (5 medium)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cooking oil -OR- melted butter -OR- margarine

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional--Michael's allergic, so no thanks)

1 recipe Streusel Nut Topping (optional)

1. Preheat oven. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7.5x3.5x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts, I guess...hahahhah! If you use them. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, and only if, sprinkle Streusel Nut Topping over batter in pan(s).

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7.5x3.5x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

I love to cover the pans loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning--I really recommend it.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack. Wrap; store overnight before slicing.

HAH! Unless you're like us! We LOVE warm banana bread, so there's no waiting here. Once it's out of the pan, it's as good as gone. Try it with a light layer of butter, too...ohhh it will melt you!

Streusel-Nut Topping (optional)

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 TBS all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 TBS butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

We leave out the walnuts (Michael's allergic to them, and I don't care for the crunch on my heavenly bread).

Crepes

I can't believe how easy these are.

I can't believe how much of these I eat every time I make them.

Crepes

printable version

2 eggs, beaten

1.5 cups milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 TBS cooking oil

1/4 tsp salt

1. In a medium mixing bowl combine eggs, milk, flour, oil and salt; beat until combined.

2. Heat a lightly greased 6-inch skillet (medium heat works great); remove from heat. Spoon in 2 TBS batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. Return to heat; brown on one side only. (Or cook on a crepe maker.) Invert the crepe onto a paper towel. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet occasionally.

Make-ahead directions: Prepare as above. Layer cooled crepes with sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; freeze up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hours before using.

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

Believe it or not, this is low fat! And if you or your kids have a particular aversion to carrots, this might help you eat them without plugging your nose. I think it's delicious, even treat-like (although there's no way carrots are replacing my chocolate needs).

I like to use this recipe when doing vegetables my regular style gets boring (butter, maybe a spice or two).

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

printable version

1 lb peeled baby carrots -OR- medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 TBS butter or margarine (I'm truly a butter snob, go for it)

1 TBS packed brown sugar

Dash salt

Black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; remove carrots from pan.

2. In the same saucepan combine butter, brown sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Add carrots. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until glazed. Season to taste with pepper.

Herbed-Glazed Carrots: Prepare as above, except substitute 1 TBS honey for the brown sugar and add 1 TBS snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed, to the butter mixture.

Mmmm...I love vegetables.

Ranch Pork Roast

I love recipes you can memorize! This meal made me proud the first time I made it--Michael declared it an instant favorite! It's been my go-to recipe for a long time.

Ranch Pork Roast

printable version

a 2.5 lb boneless pork shoulder roast

Nonstick Cooking Spray (important)

1 lb new red-skinned potatoes, halved

10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened and cut up

0.4 oz envelope ranch dry salad dressing mix

First, I want to point out how many ways you can divert from the original recipe.

- You can dice regular red potatoes instead of new.

- I've used other pork parts, and it works fine.

- Regular ranch dressing makes it more creamy! I don't have a preference, honestly.

- It's okay if you don't have exact amounts; this recipe is so forgiving.

1. Trim fat from meat. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat skillet over medium heat. In hot skillet brown meat on all sides. Remove from heat.

2. Place potatoes in a 3.5- or 4.5-quart slow cooker (it's helpful to spray the slow cooker first with cooking spray, but even if you don't, and your food sticks to the sides, it's still yummy). Place meat on potatoes. In a bowl whisk together soup, cream cheese and dressing mix. Spoon over meat and potatoes in cooker.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4.5 to 5 hours. Again, this recipe is forgiving! If you brown the meat more thoroughly, 4 hours can be sufficient on high and 6 to 8 on low, depending on your slow cooker.

Stirring is optional (as in, if you're like me and you like to check on your food and stir it for fun, go for it--but it's okay if you totally ignore the slow cooker till your food is ready).

ABOUT 6 MAIN-DISH SERVINGS

[Formal] Variation: Creamy Ranch Potatoes

Prepare as above, except omit pork roast, use 2.5 lbs potatoes, and substitute one 8 oz. carton dairy sour cream for cream cheese. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3.5 to 4 hours. Stir before serving. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Memorizable Frosting

It's way too easy!

printable version

1 stick of butter

2 cups of powdered sugar

~2 tsp milk (or just pour what looks like a good amount!)

a touch of vanilla

Blend together and taste as you go! Too buttery? Add more sugar. Too dry? Add more milk. Too creamy? More sugar!
Oh yeah, and food coloring if you want.

That's it!

NOTE: It won't look like frosting at first. Don't be discouraged, keep blending. It will get there. And I know a lot of people, actually, who don't measure out their ingredients for frosting. But I like to because this recipe works perfectly every time. I don't divert from it (except by accident when I splash a bit too much milk or vanilla in, woops!), and I've been pleased with the taste. The fact is, if you do want to change something, it really is super easy to just keep tossing ingredients back and forth until you get your favorite consistency/flavor.

I once added a lemon candy-flavor-syrup, and it was dreamy. Then I tried again years later with normal lemon flavoring, and it was horrible. So if you get ideas to flavor it one way or the other, try a tiny bit before you throw the whole batch. :)

If you feel like getting fancy, here's an easy way to do those frosting bags (even if you don't have decorator tips):

Pile a glop of frosting into a ziploc bag. Zip. Snip a tiny hole off the corner. Push the frosting from behind the glop, not the middle (like the proper way to dispense toothpaste).

Tada!

If you do have decorator tips, push the nozzle through the hole and screw on the appropriate tip before piling in the glop of frosting.

Now that I've had this post here for a long time under the title "Memorizable Frosting," it strikes me as quite funny that I have never memorized it! I always think I'll remember it...so it's still "memorizable," but that doesn't mean you WILL memorize it! :)

Cake Tips

The first cake I remember making is for my little sister's 8th(ish) birthday. Somehow it turned out very, very rounded on the top, and the frosting looked like toothpaste. But she liked the little bears dancing around it, and it tasted good. So she forgave me.

The next cake: ugly. Sorry, but it just was. And it was for the same sister! Poor dear. The cake was a plain round one, but the decoration was such a disaster I was embarrassed to show it to anyone. I'd tried to write a message...and tried to do hearts...and I don't know what else I tried, but I wished I'd stopped trying.

The next? HUGE flowers. Nobody wanted to gag down those wads of frosting. And the colors were a little more garish than pastel.

The next: for a friend's son's birthday. I made a yellow cake from scratch...it smelled soooo good. But I made the mistake of starting late, so I had to rush with the decorating. :| Not a good idea! It was all rather monotone. Not too hideous, but not very exciting either. I just hoped the little boy was too young to care.

And then my son's 1st Birthday Cake... I "drew" a giraffe on the cake. It was cool. Finally. Cool, not ugly.

So, through all these cake experiences, I've gathered some handy tips!

printable version

1. If you've outlined a picture and want to fill it in with frosting, use a decorating tip and make little dollops throughout the shape. Then use a little spreading knife to blend it in.
2. If you're making a round cake or frosting any cake that is on its serving dish (rather than serve-able from its pan), slip some strips of wax paper or parchment paper or even tinfoil. Remove after frosting. This keeps the plate looking clean and pretty.
3. To get a round cake out of the pan without ruining it: trace a circle from the pan on wax paper. Cut out the circle and place it on the bottom of the pan. Flour or spray the pan (sides AND bottom).
   Let the cake cool completely before attempting to remove it from the pan. Put a plate on top of the pan. While clasping the plate to the pan, flip the pan over. The cake will gently plop onto the plate. It is upside down now, so take your final plate (the one you want the cake served from) and place that on top, as centered as possible. Repeat the process of flipping the cake. Frost the top of this bottom layer, making sure to bring the frosting to the edges (don't worry about the sides yet).
   Repeat the process with the second layer, but when you are ready to flip it onto the bottom layer, spread your fingers over the second layer's edges...line up one side of the edge with the bottom layer, and gently lay it down from there. Now frost the top and sides.
4. To frost: plop a large dollop in the center and gently spread from center to edges until layer is even.
5. You can freeze a cake before frosting if you'd like. You can always brush a cake to get rid of excess crumblies before frosting, but freezing the cake ensures it will be sturdy and can withstand some more vigorous spreading of the frosting. ;) It might also make it easier for you to line up the second layer with the bottom layer.
6. If you're doing a designer cake, definitely freeze it before you start cutting the shapes out.

Wow, was that exhausting? I kind of threw it out there all at once!

Carousel Cake

What I love about this charming little cake is that it was easy. We only had to buy animal crackers and twizzlers (everything else was on hand). It's simple, so anyone can do it!

I love looking at fancy cake pictures, but I admit they're a little intimidating sometimes. I secretly suspect they're not that hard once you know how to make that weird, doughy fondant stuff, but they're not at all what I think of when I'm about to make a cake for my 2-year-old! And besides, how do you cut into those fancy things anyway? Whatever. Someday, I'll probably try a fancy cake and become completely converted to the intimidating side.

Here's all I did for the Carousel Cake:

printable version

Two 9" round cakes (one box cake mix)

A TON of homemade frosting (just to be sure there was enough)

Snow Cone straws (ordinary straws work too, don't worry)

Paper circle colored like pinwheel

Animal Crackers

Jet Puff stuff (marshmallow cream)

M&Ms

Licorice

To make the pinwheel, cut a large circle. Draw a straight line from the center to the edge. This is what you will cut (after coloring) along to overlap sides and make into cone shape. For the pinwheel design, I snuck an old, ugly plate from the cupboards and traced along the edge. And...I was using permanent markers, so it didn't wash off. But nobody cares.

It all looks pretty self-explanatory to me, but here are some more details:

I taped the tips of the straws on the underside of the pinwheel first. Then I gathered them up in my hands (they stuck straight out) and carefully positioned them so they'd puncture the cake at the right spots. Gently push in, all at once if you can.

The marshmallow cream was kind of droopy. If you wanted your Carousel Cake to last several hours for showing off, I guess you could hot glue the animal crackers onto the straws! This cake here lasted only long enough for its photo opp. And that's okay with me! It took a long time to decorate, but I don't really care because it tasted really good and we have pictures. And for once, I didn't mind people around while I carried out my artwork because their company made the work less tedious. And it was flattering.

Another idea for the animal crackers is to do them paired up on the straw, one in front and one behind. I just didn't think it needed that.

Any questions?

Oreo Truffles

This first post is something of a tribute to the only recipe I have ever posted on my personal blog! These Oreo Truffles are sooo good...and I feel incredibly proud of myself whenever I make them because they look professional (and they're remarkably easy).

Oreo Truffles

printable version

1 (1 lb. 2 oz.) package Oreo cookies (not double stuffed)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature*

2 (8 oz.) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips** OR same amount of almond bark

Optional Toppings (additional chopped Oreo cookies, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate bar chopped bits, colored sugar or sprinkles, etc.)

1 TBS shortening

* You can use original or low-fat cream cheese

** Use a good-quality chocolate chips. The taste and quality of these truffles are dependent on the quality of chocolate you start with.

* * * * * *

• Line two large baking or cookie sheets with either wax paper, parchment paper or tinfoil; set aside.
  
• In a food processor or blender, process and crush whole Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. NOTE: Do not over crush! You want a crumb, not a powder. If you do not have a food processor or blender, cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.
  
• Add cream cheese and process until thoroughly mixed and you have a creamy dough (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
  
• Using your hands, roll into walnut-size balls, approximately 3/4-inch diameter. Use latex gloves if you're adverse to getting your hands dirty! I just take off my wedding ring (and tie it tightly on my apron sash). If the mixture becomes too soft to work, place the remaining mixture into the refrigerator to slightly harden. Place Oreo Truffles on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate 45 to 60 minutes.

The Oreo Truffles may be stored in the freezer for up to 1 week before dipping in chocolate.

If you put the Oreo Truffles in the freezer for a short time before dipping in chocolate, this helps keep them cold longer. I also put the cookie sheets in the freezer first so they are really cold when I place the chocolate-covered Oreo Truffles onto the cookie sheet.

How to Melt the Chocolate - Use one of the below methods to melt the chocolate chips:
Double Boiler: In the top of a double boiler over hot--not boiling!--water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water), melt chocolate with shortening; stirring until smooth. Be careful; boiling water may cause steam droplets to get into chocolate which can result in "seizing," when the chocolate becomes stiff and grainy. If you don't have a double boiler you can improvise one by placing a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat. Let the chocolate cool slightly, but it should not set.
Microwave Melting Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening using either the defrost setting or 10-percent power in the microwave. Microwave for 1 minute, then check and stir. If you need more time, do it in 10 to 20 seconds intervals and check and stir each time. Remove bowl from microwave and stir the chocolate until completely melted. Baking chips and baking chocolate may appear formed and un-melted after heating but will become fluid after stirring.

The shortening helps "treat" the chocolate so that it's much smoother for dipping. Oil would work, too, I guess (just like for chocolate fountains).
Remove the chilled Oreo Truffles from the refrigerator. Replace parchment paper on baking sheets if they are not clean. A small fork, toothpicks, wooden skewer, or chopsticks are great to use as dipping tool (it's handy to have two of whichever tool so that you can scoot the Oreo Truffle off of the first tool without touching it). Dip each Oreo Truffle into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the pot. Place the Oreo Truffles onto the wax paper. Reheat chocolate as necessary.

Variation Ideas:

If you'd like to top the Oreo Truffles with melted white chocolate (or another kind of chocolate), dip a spatula into the melted chocolate, let excess drip back in bowl, and SHAKE the spatula back and forth over the Oreo Truffles. That's how you get that stripey, fancy look. :)


For fun or special occasions, you can use food coloring in the white chocolate to go with a color scheme.

You can also make Mint Oreo Truffles by using Mint Oreo Cookies.

Let Oreo Truffles harden and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep them refrigerated or frozen prior to serving.

Makes 40 to 50 Oreo Truffles, depending on the size of ball you roll.