Birthday Cake

I'm quite behind in the food blog arena, but that doesn't mean we haven't been cooking and eating :-). I'll try to add a couple of updates from the last month or two and to start off here is the cake we made this year for Mom's birthday. The last two years we have been at Henry's race in Alabama around her birthday and we've taken a cake to celebrate.

This year we decided to try a new recipe from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook I got for Christmas. We made Caramel Pecan Layer Cake. It was very simple to make, and the final product turned out better than I expected after I was quite overwhelmed with the sweetness of the icing which I made first. The caked ended up being lighter than I expected and a nice deviation from our "go to" German Chocolate and Carrot Cakes.

Here is the recipe.

Cake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup softened, unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing Ingredients:
2 sticks softened, unsalted butter
5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnish:
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Make icing first, the day before the cake to give the brown sugar time to sit and improve the texture.

Icing Directions:
Cream butter until smooth in large bowl on medium speed. Add milk, syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy (3-5 minutes). Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Cake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and lightly flour three 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
- Toast pecans on a baking sheet for 15 minutes (or until lightly browned). Set aside
- Combine flours in small bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter in large bowl on medium speed. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy (~ 3 minutes)
- Add eggs (one at a time), beating well after each addition.
- Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Beat until all ingredients are incorporated with each addition being careful to not over beat.
- Divide the batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes (until cake tester comes out clean).
- Let layers cool in pans for 1 hour.
- Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
- When layers are cool ice cake, filling between layers with caramel frosting and springiling with 1/3 of pecans on each later.
-Ice top and sides and sprinkle with remaining pecans. ( I chose not to ice the sides to reduce the sweetness a bit).

Chicken Nuggets

Tonight we name homemade chicken nuggets. I can't take credit for this recipe either, it's from my friend and co-worker Brittany. She gave us this recipe a couple of years ago I don't make them enough, they are so simple and very tasty.

You can make any number you'd like at a time. Tonight I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and so the breading recipe is for that amount. Here's the recipe:

1. Make breading mixture by combining 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoning (salt, pepper, creole seasoning, Old Bay . . . whatever you have and prefer).

2. Cube chicken into bite size pieces.

3. Melt butter in a small bowl.

4. Pre-heat oven to 375.

5. Dip chicken pieces in butter, then in breading mixture.

6. Place on baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.

7. Enjoy with a side salad or some cooked vegetables.

Turkey Meatball Subs

All credit for this meal has to be given to Henry. He called yesterday and was talking about how (even though he'd never had one) he was craving a turkey meatball sub. I thought they sounded pretty good and since I had today off and we needed a good meal before the Orange Bowl tonight I thought I'd make some.

I found the recipe on TasteSpotting from the blog Pure and Yummy. Here it is:

1 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated parmesean cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons mild
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cups tomato/marinara sauce


- Mix the bread crumbs and milk in a large bowl.
- Mix in eggs and parmesean cheese.
- Add turkey and gently combine (do not overwork).
- Season with salt and pepper
- Shape into golf- size balls

- In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat . When the oil is hot add meatballs, allow to brown for 3 minutes before moving or turning.
- Continue to turn meatballs every 2-3 minutes browning each side.
- Once all meatballs are cooked take them out and place on a paper towel covered plate to drain.
- Pour out remaining oil and any scraps from cooking.
- Add tomato sauce and meatballs back into pan and bring sauce to boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Be careful when stirring sauce as meatballs will break easily.
- Spoon sauce and meatballs onto a toasted bun, cover with sliced provolone cheese and put in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes to toast bread and melt cheese.

ENJOY!


Our critiques/suggestions:

- Next time we'll try cooking the meatballs in the oven instead of on the stove top. It will create less mess and be healthier.

- Toast the bread for an extra crunch and so it doesn't get soggy.

- We used homemade sourdough rolls that Mark made this weekend but any hogie roll or even garlic toast would be good.

- Yum Yum Yum! Mark's first meatball sub and he gave it a thumbs up!

Turkey Day Leftovers

Now that the festivities have commenced and the family and friends have gone home . . . what do you do with the fridge that's still full of food? Here's an idea: Turkey Pot Pie.

As the weather cools, this is a delicious, hearty, warm meal that provides a new taste for the holiday leftovers. We have a batch cooking in the over right now!

Ingredients
4 cups turkey
1 3/4 -2 cups chicken stock
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 and 1/2 or light cream
lemon juice
salt and pepper
ground nutmeg
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 medium carrots (peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick)
2 small celery sticks (sliced 1/4 inch thick)
3/4 cup frozen peas (thawed)
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp beaten egg

For the biscuits:
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2-5 tbsp cold unsalted butter but into pieces
3/8 cup milk

Directions:

~ Cut or shred turkey into bit size pieces.

~ Melt 4 tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup all purpose flour and whisk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add 2 cups chicken stock and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk(cream or 1/2 and 1/2). Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to simmer, whisking constantly. Remove from pan, scrape sides, whisk to break up all lumps. Bring back to simmer and cook one minute. Stir in cooked poultry and cook one minute. Remove from heat and add several drops lemon juice, salt and pepper and 2-3 pinches of nutmeg (all to taste).

Make biscuit dough:

~Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles course breadcrumbs. Add milk and mix with rubber spatula until most dry ingredients are moistened. With lightly floured hands kneed into a ball and against sides of bowl 5-10 times. Refrigerate until later.

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

~ Butter a 13x9 baking pan

~ Heat in large skillet over medium high heat 2 tbsp butter. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook until barely tender (about 5 minutes). Stir vegetables into creamed turkey and add peas and parsley.

~Pour the chicken mixture into prepared pan. Roll out biscuit dough 1/2 inch thick and cut into 2 inch rounds. Arrange on top of chicken, overlapping if necessary.

~Brush top of biscuits with beaten egg.

~ Bake until chic is bubbly and topping is nicely browned (25-35 minutes).

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread

I have two recipes for "pumpkin bread", one that I typically use to make bread loaves and one that I typically use to make cupcakes. I think both are equally good (so the better one is probably the one with less sugar) but for some reason I keep alternating between then. So here they are:


Pumpkin Bread
Prep: 20 min
Bake: 55 minutes
Oven: 350º
Makes: 2 or 3 loaves (or you can make into cupcakes/muffins)

3 cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 15-ounce can pumpkin

1. Grease the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of two 9x5x3-inch, three 8x4x2-inch, or four 7 ½ x3 ½ x2-inch loaf pans; set aside (you can also use muffin cups). In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Alternately add flour mixture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until it combines. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake in a 350º oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. 4. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Spicy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

(Makes 26-28 cupcakes)

4 eggs

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

1 cup sugar

¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

Beat eggs in large mixing bowl. Add pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar and oil; beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

Scoop better into paper-lines muffin tins and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(you can use this recipe or choose your favorite cream cheese frosting to top these cupcakes)
1 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Combine all ingredients except sugar in large bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Reduce speed to medium low and add in sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Refrigerate 2-3 hours before using.

Pumpkin Cheesecake ala Cheryl

We enjoyed this delicious recipe a few weeks ago during a dinner get-together with the Gaters, and we've already had it a second time. I haven't been the one to make it, but from what I understand it's easy to make. I do know that it is delicious!

**We made it gluten free by using gluten free gingersnaps. An easy change to meet everyone's needs :-)**

Crust:

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake:

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease or spray 9-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of pan in heavy-duty foil. In bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and creamy; do not overbeat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon 3 cups of the mixture into pan; spread evenly. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to remaining cream cheese mixture; mix with wire whisk until smooth. Spoon over mixture in pan.

Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake again; carefully remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

Prep time: 40 minutes

Start to finish: 9 hours 10 minutes

1 service: Calories 400 (Calories from fat 230); Total Fat 26g (Saturated fat 15g; Trans fat 1g); Cholesterol 125 mg; Sodium 300mg; Total Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary fiber 1g; Sugar 25g); Protein 7g

(from: Betty Crocker's Fall Baking Oct/Nov 2009 No.251)

BBQ, Coleslaw & Corn Bread

I'm behind . . . but blogging is on the back burner until the end of the semester. Here are a few recipes to hold you over. A few weekends ago we made the Siburt family BBQ recipe which I don't think I've shared here yet. It's a really easy recipe, can be made with either pork or beef, and seems to always please the guests :-). I also made coleslaw (my Mom's delicious and very simple recipe) and we attempted gluten-free corn bread which surprised us all. Here are the recipes for the whole meal. Great for a fall weekend with friends and football.


BBQ
Cook a roast in the crock pot until it easily flakes apart. (Beef and Pork both work, your choice) Take out and let cool on a plate until it's ok to handle. The size of the roast doesn't matter and depends on the number of people you're serving. You can change the amount of sauce you make accordingly. Once the meat has cooled shred it and put it in a 13x9 baking dish.



While you are waiting for the meat to cook make the sauce:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard
1/4 cup melted butter
1 medium chopped onion
1/2 tbsp pepper
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce



Mix all ingredients except ketchup and Worcestershire sauce together in saucepan. Bring to a bail and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.



Once the meat is shredded and in a baking dish pour sauce over cooked meat. Stir together so sauce covers all the meat and bake at 325 for 1 hour uncovered.



Coleslaw
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
salt and pepper

1 head cabbage
1/2 carrot ( more or less according to preference)
1/8 onion (according to taste preference)

OR

A bag of cole slaw from the salad section :-) It's a lot easier!

Gluten Free Corn Bread
3/4 cup corn meal
1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk you can make it: combine 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg, well beaten
2 tbsp shortening

Mix and sift together dry ingredients. Add milk, egg, and shortening. Bake in shallow pan for 20 minutes at 425 degrees.

** If you don't want to make the cornbread gluten free use:
- 1 cup self rising flour (instead of the gluten free flour)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (instead of the larger amount of baking soda)
- 1/2 tsp salt (instead of the larger amount of salt)
- don't use the baking powder