Strawberry Cake

1 box Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 (16 oz.) Cool Whip
2 cups sugar
1 large box frozen strawberries

Prepare cake according to directions on box.

Filling: Mix cream cheese (softened) with 2 cups sugar. Beat cream cheese until fluffy, then add sugar. Add Cool Whip; mix well.

To frost cake: Spread Cool Whip mixture over cooled cake. Layer then spread strawberries on top. Keep frosting each cake layer, ending with strawberries in the center on the top. Layer. Keep cake refrigerated.

*You don't need quite 16 oz. Cool Whip, maybe 12 oz.

From Sara K. Wells (adapted from Linda Smith)

Chocolate Icing

This is my Grandmother Wells' amazing, world famous chocolate icing. I could practically drink this stuff!

1 tsp. margarine
2 T. cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup white karo syrup

Melt margarine on low heat, add other ingredients. Mix well. Let come to a rolling boil for one minute. Remove from heat and beat until right consistency to spread (not quite enough for 4 layers).

--Sara K. Wells

Gingerbread Layer Cake

(This is something mom used to make every year for my sister's birthday--YUMMY!!)

1 cup honey
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 tsp. shredded orange peel
1 (1 oz.) square semisweet chocolate, grated (or just plain chocolate ; )


"In a small bowl combine the honey, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. In a larger bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, an salt. In large mixing bowl cream the brown sugar and butter till the mixture is light and fluffy Gradually beat honey mixture into brown sugar mixture, using high speed of electric mixer. Add the e gg and lemon peel; mix well. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, stirring well after each addition. Pour batter into 2 greased and lightly floured 8x11 1/2-inch round baking pans.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack; cool completely. Whip cream with the granulated sugar till soft peaks form. Spread one layer of cake with part of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with half of the shredded orange peel and half the grated chocolate. Top with second layer of cake. Frost tops and sides with remaining whipped cream; sprinkle with remaining shredded orange peel and grated chocolate. Chill at least one hour in the refrigerator."

Taken from Better Homes and Gardens Heritage Cookbook.

Easy Whole Wheat Bread

(Tried this the other day--it was AMAZING!! Even John (who doesn't like wheat bread) enjoyed the nice, light nutty taste of this moist bread : )

3 cups warm water (or milk)
3 1/2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter or oil
5-6 cups flour (I use at least half wheat/half white. Just adjust the ratio to your preference)

In a large bowl dissolve yeast, honey, and water. Whisk to mix and then allow to sit still until the yeast is bubbly.

Add oil, salt, and 4 cups flour. Beat 200 strokes. If using Kitchen Aid, mix on level 2 for 1 minute.

Add remaining flour or until the texture seems good (about 1/2 cup addition each time). Beat until mixed and thick (about 1 minute). (If using Kitchen Aid, mix on level 2 for approx. 2 minutes.

Knead on floured surface for 10 minutes, adding flour as you knead until the dough is good consistency (not too sticky). If using Kitchen Aid, mix on level 2 for 2 additional minutes.

Place dough in oiled bowl, cover, and place in warm spot until dough doubles in size (about an hour). I put it in the oven after I've preheated it and then turned it off, and then I leave the door cracked open so it doesn't get too hot.

Remove and punch dough down, divide into two equal pieces. Form into loaves and place in oiled and floured bread pans.

Allow to rise again in warm oven until good size (about 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with bread in and oven door open.

Bake 20-30 minutes or until done.

Cool in pan 5-10 minutes and remove to finish cooling. Rub butter on the top of bread loaf if desired.

*Bread can also be wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and frozen for later.

(Taken from http://clayinhishands-sarah.blogspot.com/2009/10/easy-whole-wheat-bread.html)

Homemade Hot Chocolate

2 lbs Nestle Quick
1 lbs confectioner sugar
8 to 11 oz. Coffee Mate Creamer
8 Qt. Box Powdered Milk

Mix it all together and Voila! Delicious Hot Chocolate!! (be careful, it makes a ton!! but is great to give away in little mason jars as Christmas gifts : )

Recipe from Mrs. Jeanie Arnold (aka "Mum")

Simple Southern Potato Soup

7 medium potatoes
salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1.5 to 2 soup cans milk
1 onion diced (I just sprinkle some dried onions pieces)
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Cheese (3/4 lb velveeta or grated, I prefer grated)

Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes. Put potatoes and onions in soup pot; pour enough water to not quite cover them. Season with salt, garlic salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until mushy. Stir in cream of chicken soup. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in soup cans of milk, depending on thickness you prefer.

(adapted from Marie Davis-Taylor Assembly of God cookbook)

Martha's Blueberry Pie

I've been trying lots of new things this summer. One of the more recent things that I have tried is baking a blueberry pie. What follows is a picture of what I did and then the instructions for how I did it ; ) Enjoy!


First, you have to start with the amazing crust--it is what Martha Stewart calls "Pate Brisee" (taken from marthastewart.com)

Ingredients

Makes one double-crust or two single-crust 9-inch pies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
2. With machine running, add ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

(First published: April 2006)

Then comes the delicious blueberry filling!! I changed some of the steps to improve the taste ; )

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch pie

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Pate Brisee (what you made above)
• 8 cups (about 4 pints) blueberries, picked over
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon (or more if you prefer)
  
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

1. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into edges. Trim dough to a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold edge of dough over or under, and crimp as desired. Roll out remaining dough in the same manner; transfer dough (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. Place blueberries in a large bowl; with your hands, crush about 1/2 cup of berries, letting them fall into the bowl as you work. Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Dot mixture with butter and slightly stir. Spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding berries slightly in the center. Remove dough from refrigerator, and place over blueberry filling. Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.
3. Using a paring knife, cut several vents in top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Brush surface with egg wash, being careful not to let it pool. Freeze or refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.
4. Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

(Taken from http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/perfect-blueberry-pie?xsc=stf_MSLO-RECIPE)

Also, another tip Martha mentions is to always place a COLD pie in a HOT (preheated) oven. For some reason that helps the baking process.

The Best-Ever Strawberry Pie

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup water

(bring to a boil stirring constantly)

add 1/3 cup cornstarch (that has been mixed with 3/4 cup warm water)

Slowly stir into boiling syrup.

Add:

4T butter

1t lemon juice

1/4t salt

Remove from heat. add 1t red food coloring

Let set until cool. Pour over 1 quart fresh strawberries that have been washed and cut.

Top with whip cream :o)

Amazing Shrimp and Grits

(according to my testers in Chicago this "Bacon Wrapped Shrimp" is amazing!)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Shrimp:

18 pc black tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 T Kosher salt
9 bacon slices
2 t cracked black pepper
Grapeseed oil for searing

For the Grits:

2qt chicken stock
1qt milk
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1qt instant grits
2 cups grilled corn kernels
1 cup poblano peppers, small diced
2 cups aged white cheddar cheese
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T Kosher salt
2 T cracked black pepper

For the Chipotle-Tomato Butter:

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 T chopped garlic
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3 T chipotle peppers (in Adobo)
1t black peppercorns
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lemon, juiced
2 t Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

Shrimp Prep:

Season shrimp with a little Kosher salt. Using a hot grill, quickly mark each shrimp. Remove from grill and allow time to cool. Shrimp should still be uncooked. When cool enough to handle, wrap each shrimp with a half piece of bacon. Season with cracked black pepper. Sear each shrimp in grapeseed oil till crispy on both sides. Serve when rest of dish is ready.

Grits Prep:

Using a deep saucepot combine chicken stock and milk. Bring to a simmer, add butter, and allow time for it to dissolve. Slowly whisk in grits a little at a time. When grits begin to thicken, lower heat. Switch to a spatula and fold in the rest of the ingredients. Adjust for addition seasonings if needed. If grits are too thick, add more chicken stock.

For the Chipotle-Tomato Butter Sauce:

In a saucepot, saute onions and garlic over medium heat. Next, add tomatoes, chipotle peppers and peppercorns. Continue to cook for another three minutes. Deglaze with chicken stock and lower heat. Cook for 5 minutes then place in a blender; blend till smooth. Place liquid back in saucepot and over low heat mount with butter, whisking in a little at a time. Add cilantro and season with lemon juice and salt. Turn off heat and allow 5 minutes to steep cilantro. Strain through fine mesh strainer and reserve warm till time to serve.

To Plate:

Place small amount of grits in the center of a large plate. Drizzle sauce around grits. Place three pieces of shrimp around grits. Serve.



(Taken from http://recipes.mt.bravotv.com/top_chef/season_3/episode_7/baconwrapped_shrimp.php by Tre, Top Chef)

Super Awesome Brownies by Alton Brown

(I am told this one is a little more complicated but incredible : )

Ingredients:

Soft butter, for greasing the pan
Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar, sifted
1 cup brown sugar, sifted
8 ounces melted butter
11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow.
• Add both sugars.
• Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.
• Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool.

Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

(Taken from Alton Brown on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cocoa-brownies-recipe/index.html)

PK's Famous Pico De Gallo

(Sources in Illinois tell me it's great to mix up and put on top burritos!)

1 tomato
1/2 onion
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded)
1 Garlic clove
Handful of cilantro
1 lime

Yummy! Yummy!

High-Octane Pancakes

1/3 c. + 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. quick-cooking oats
3 Tbs. toasted wheat germ (can substitute all-purpose or self-rising flour or baking mix)
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2/3 c. fat-free milk
1/4 c. yogurt (fat-free, sugar-free is good ;)
1 Tbs. oil (I substitute 1 tbs apple sauce)

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine the milk, yogurt, and oil/apple sauce. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto a hot nonstick griddle coated with nonstick cooking spray. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancake; cook until second side is golden brown.

Yields 4 pancakes.

(Since these pancakes tend to be dense and heavy, I sometimes add baking mix in place of wheat germs to make them a little lighter. Also, they are good even without syrup. There around 140 cal. a piece)

Taken from Taste of Homes: Cooking for 2

Apple Crisp

(Honestly, this is my most favorite fruit dish/dessert at the time. I could eat it at every meal if my husband would let me!)

4 medium tart cooking apples (Greening, Rome, Grany Smith..I use Gala), sliced
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (self-rising can be used, and I prefer that because it adds some salt)
1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened (I use Brummel & Brown Yogurt butter- it's 1/2 the fat)
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
cream or ice cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan.
2. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed (should resemble crumbles or peas); sprinkle over apples.
3. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.
   

From Betty Crocker Cookbook, New Edition.

Lots of new recipes to post up here- update to soon follow!