Buttercream Icing

Several weeks ago, the prom committee at the high school I work at, asked if I could help prepare cupcakes. I love to bake, I love the kids, so of course I was happy to help. The added bonus, I got to spend a day baking with my two beautiful friends, Carrie and Mary. Carrie, an avid food blogger, took theis picture. My two daughters attend the same high school, so I learned what a huge success the cupcakes were at prom. Very impressive displayed on a stacked cake plate!

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening (I prefer Crisco)
1 pound powdered sugar - sifted
1 teaspoon flavoring (almond is my favorite, but lemon and vanilla work well)
2 tablespoons water or milk (I use water so the frosting doesn't have to be refrigerated)
2 tablespoons meringue powder

Cream shortening, water and flavoring. Add sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Mix until blended. Add additional water until you reach the desired consistency. Stiff icing is good for some flowers, I like the soft consistency for icing cakes and a medium consistency was great for the cupcakes we made. If you want really white icing be sure to use a clear extract. Regular vanilla extract makes the icing off white.

Peanut Butter Cake

To me holidays are all about family, friends and good food. I usually host gatherings at my home and I love every minute of it. I spend lots of time finding the perfect recipes and use my family a guinea pigs, so to speak. One of the big hits this Easter was a Peanut Butter Cake. As a matter of fact, I made three cakes and the Peanut Butter Cake was the first to disappear. It does use a box mix (not my usual style) but it sure was easy. My husband and one of my girls are peanut butter freaks and I earned high praises from both of them. I topped this cake with chopped peanut butter cups and drizzled with a chocolate ganache to make it look extra special. I saw a picture of a cake decorated like this and thought it looked very beautiful.

Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 yellow cake mix – butter recipe
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Cream 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each one. Add vanilla. Add cake mix and water. Mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Allow cakes to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

4. To Make Peanut Butter Frosting: Cream 1 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 cup butter together until light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar. Mix in enough cream to make the frosting of a spreading consistency. Apply to cool cake.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I love a great bowl of soup. I haven't felt well for a few days and soup sounded especially appealing. This is an easy recipe I created and my family loves it. The good news is I can throw it together in less than one hour. I garnish this soup with chips and cheese, but for a new twist on grilled cheese and soup, serve this with a cheese quesadilla.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 Store-bought Rotisserie Chicken
1 Large Onion – quartered
48 oz. can Chicken Broth
8 Cups water
2 cans Whole Green chiles, coarsely chopped
1 28 oz. can Green Enchilada Sauce, Mild
2 cups Minute Rice
2 14.5 oz. cans Diced Tomatoes (I like Red Gold)

Remove meat from chicken. Place chicken bones and skin, onion, water, and broth in large Dutch oven pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. In the meantime, dice chicken. Strain broth to remove bones. Return broth to Dutch oven. Add green chiles, diced tomatoes and juice, enchilada sauce, chicken and rice. Place lid on Dutch oven, bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve with grated cheese, and tortilla chips.

Stuffed Cranberry Sauce

Every Thanksgiving, I poured through cookbooks and scavenged the Internet for a new cranberry relish recipe, or cranberry sauce recipe. I prepared my newest conquest and after the meal was complete, I still had 2 gallons of my cranberry dish left. But, open a can of that jellied cranberry sauce and the bowl was licked clean. One day, I found the following recipe by Paula Dean. I love it. It is a great way to jazz up the dreaded canned cranberry sauce and everyone loves it.

Stuffed Cranberry Sauce

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoons of a good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 can jellied cranberry sauce, chilled

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add mayonnaise and mix well. Fold in the pecans.

Open the cranberry sauce and remove from the can in one piece. Slice in 1/4 inch slices. I usually get about 8 to 10 slices. Lay 1/2 of the slices flat. Divide cream cheese mixture evenly among those slices. Place the remaining slices on top and press lightly. Cut each sandwich in half and plate it up.

Yummy!

Roasted Beef Brisket

Tonight is the first night of basketball for my girls. They will come home exhausted, hungry, and with lots of homework. So, a little homecooking is just what the Mom ordered. This is a family favorite recipe from a cookbook called, "Cooking from Quilt Country," by Marsha Adams. I did make a few adjustments by increasing the garlic and spices used.

Roasted Beef Brisket

5 pounds fresh brisket
6 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 large onion
3 bay leaves

The night before serving, place brisket in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Peel and mince garlic. Make a paste with the garlic and kosher salt. Add paprika, pepper and lemon juice to the mashed garlic and salt mixture. Spread on both sides of the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 425 F. Turn brisket fat side up in baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and bake, covered, for 45 minutes or until the roast is browned. You can add more water if necessary - just be sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Next, slice the onion and place on top of roast. Add an additional cup of water and the bay leaves. Cover, reduce oven temperature to 350 F., and bake it for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and slice. Return meat to pan, keeping it in its original shape. Spoon juices over the meat, cover, and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours. Check occasionally to be sure it does not bake dry. If the roast does appear dry, I like to add a beef broth.

Helpful Hint: I like to grate my garlic using a small grater or a rasp. Then I add the salt to make the paste. The mincing and mashing takes much longer and the result is pretty much the same.