One More Recipe…Buttermilk Pound Cake

Not that anyone’s keeping track, but I had said I would post this recipe last week and in the craziness that was the end of the week/weekend it just didn’t happen. So…as promised, here it is. A friend from BSF gave me this recipe when I was searching for something I could make to use up some buttermilk I had in the fridge. Although this cake requires a little bit of work, it was not unbearable and the result was wonderful.

Buttermilk Pound Cake

3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup Crisco
1 cup buttermilk*
6 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon lemon extract (I used vanilla instead…tasted great)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan.

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Blend the sugar and shortening in a bowl. Add egg yolks one at a time and blend after each addition. Add the lemon (or vanilla) extract.

Begin slowly adding dry ingredients to sugar mixture, alternating between dry ingredients and milk. BEGIN and END with dry ingredients.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into mixture.

Pour batter into 10 inch tube pan (or bundt pan) that has been greased and floured.

Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Be sure that the top of the cake is firm. Let the cake cool thoroughly before removing from pan. This last step is very important!

*If you need to make your own buttermilk combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Pumpkin Cobbler

Pumpkin cobbler….yummmm. Just getting ready to type out this recipe gets me excited for an opportunity to make this sometime soon. It’s so simple to make and it’s best served warm with vanilla ice cream…and maybe some coffee.

Pumpkin Cobbler

1 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
30 ounces pumpkin
2 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
12 ounces evaporated milk
1 lb yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
Ice cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x 13 inch pan.

Mix together sugar, eggs, pumpkin, pie spice, salt and milk. Pour in greased pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top. Pour melted butter evenly over the cake. (Pour the butter slowly and carefully because it sometimes likes to go all in one spot.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream.

Baked Potato Soup

I got this recipe from my sweet friend Katie Hobbie a few years ago and it has become a favorite. It’s so good! It’s not really that hard but does take some time, so you’ll need to plan ahead a little bit. I made it earlier this week and I think that prompted a little bit of fall weather in the Central Florida air. It’s perfect for a chilly day…or really anytime.

Baked Potato Soup

6 large baked potatoes
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk (whole or 2%)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
bacon crumbles (to taste)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream

Cut baked potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp and put in small bowl.

Melt butter in large pot and add flour. Set burner to medium-high. Gradually stir in milk. Continue to stir until smooth, thickened and bubbly. (You have to be really patient at this stage. It won’t be creamy if you’re not patient.)

Stir in potato pulp, salt, pepper, bacon and three quarters of the cheese. Cook until heated. Stir in sour cream. Turn it down and let it cook slow, stirring it every few minutes.

Remaining back and cheese can be used for toppings.

S’mores Cookie Bars

Not the best picture...sorry.

I made these a month or so ago. I had seen them on Lovin’ From the Oven and wanted to try them for so long. They are simple to make and, oh so good! They taste just like a s’more. I’d recommend that you eat them warm (even if that means a 15 second heat up in the microwave). So if it’s still too hot to roast marshmallows outside, try this yummy alternative.

S’mores Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate candy bars (ie: Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/puff (not melted marshmallows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Maple Baked Apple Chicken

Got a little creative with those apple slices.

I found this recipe several years ago in a magazine. It’s so simple and SO GOOD. It always seems to be a crowd pleaser. I always tend to pair it with mashed potatoes and peas. So, give it a go. You’ll be glad you did.

Maple Baked Apple Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound-ish)
1/2 of a medium onion, sliced into rings
2 medium red cooking apples, sliced
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup Italian dressing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray large nonstick ovenproof* skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet on stove on medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from heat. Place onion on top of chicken; place apples around sides of chicken. Mix syrup and dressing; pour over chicken. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Spoon syrup mixture in skillet over chicken just before serving.

*If your skillet has a plastic handle, there’s no need to buy another one. Simply wrap the handle tightly in aluminum foil and you’ll be good to go.

Chocolatetown Pie

Because Kelly requested this be the first recipe this week, here it is! It’s so simple, takes no time at all and tastes delectable. I got it from The King’s Academy Cooks for Books cookbook and the author says it tastes like a Tollhouse cookie in a pie. Yep…that’s pretty accurate. Enjoy!

Chocolatetown Pie

9 inch pie shell, unbaked
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, cream butter; add eggs and vanilla. Combine sugars and flour and gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts; pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Recipe Week

I’m declaring this Recipe Week.

Why? Because this is my blog…and I can!

So…get ready.

Here’s what you have to look forward to (in no particular order):

• Chocolatetown Pie
• Maple Baked Apple Chicken
• Buttermilk Pound Cake
• Smore’s Bars
• Pumpkin Cobbler
• Baked Potato Soup

Easy Chicken Roll Ups

I found this recipe over at One Day at a Time: From My Kitchen to Yours. And just like the title says, they were easy…and delicious! We all agreed the recipe is a keeper and we even thought up a few modifications we’d like to try in the future. They take no time to prepare, so give it a go!

Easy Chicken Roll Ups

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
16 crescent rolls
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In mixing bowl, combine chicken, onion, cream cheese, salt, milk and butter. Spoon mixture onto crescent rolls and roll up.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until crescent rolls become golden brown.

In a small sauce pan, combine sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Heat on stove until warm. Spoon over roll ups. (The above picture shows the roll ups without any sauce on them…but the sauce is GREAT too!)

Enjoy!

A Twist on a Classic

Who doesn’t love S’Mores in the summer? Or, heck, any time of year for that matter. Well, last summer I saw somewhere the idea of replacing the standard piece of Hershey’s chocolate bar with a Reese’s peanut butter cup. I have been wanting to try it ever since I saw that.

Last night Kasey and I had dinner with some of her friends from work. We decided S’Mores would be the dessert of choice. I tried out this tasty creation and OH.MY.GOODNESS. It’s goooood!

You must try it. Hurry. Go find yourself some graham crackers, marshmallows and Reese’s. A-MAZING.

Happy summer!

PKU Friendly Cake Balls

Cake balls (like these) have become a favorite dessert in our family, but until now Paul has not be able to partake due to his PKU dietary restrictions. (Don’t know what I’m talking about? Go here.) Kati and I put our brains together and are excited to have created a version just for him! We did this, in part, to enter a PKU Friendly Recipe Contest sponsored by Nutricia North America. Wish us luck.

Like “regular” cake balls, the flavor possibilities are almost endless depending on the frosting you choose. And, the great thing is, depending on the size of the cake ball, they contain as little as 1mg of phe each! What a treat!

 

PKU Friendly Cake Balls

2 cups WEL-PLAN Baking Mix
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ sticks margarine, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS colored sprinkles, if desired
1 can phe free frosting (there are many brand/flavor options!)
10 cubes Kroger (store brand) white bark coating

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine WEL-PLAN baking mix and baking powder. Add margarine and beat with mixer until combined. Stir in sugar, and then add vanilla. Gradually mix in water. Pour cake evenly into greased cake pan.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cake is ready...

4. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl.

We opted for three bowls so that we could try three different icing flavors...

5. Mix thoroughly with approximately half of the can of frosting. (It may be easier to use your fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy!) Add more frosting if the consistency of the mixture is not conducive to rolling into little balls. If you’d like to make “funfetti”-like cake balls, stir in about 2 TBS of colored sprinkles.

We tried these flavors...all phe free and all tasted great!

Adding the frosting...

6. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. It should make 30-36.

Funfetti and Strawberry...yum...

7. Chill in freezer for 10-15 minutes.

8. Melt bark coating per directions on package.

9. Roll balls in coating and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in bark coating and the tap off extra.) If desired, add sprinkles for decoration.

Drying...

 

 10. Allow coating to dry…and then…ENJOY!

Yummy cake balls...PKU kid approved! And non-PKU adult approved!

(Total phe for recipe: 40mg. Note: other types of white bark coating can be used,
but you must consult the PKU Food guide for phe amounts. The Kroger store brand is phe free.)