Texas sheet cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

This recipe nabs the award for "most requested cake" in our family. My Mom, in particular, must not think much of anything else I have ever baked because it is this cake that time and time again I get asked to bring.

I'm not sure why this cake is called Texas Sheet Cake, a friend from Texas claims he has never tasted this--the mystery deepens.

A friend of mine asked for this recipe and made it into cupcakes for her daughter's birthday, I thought it was a great idea so I made these for my Mom's birthday.

Texas Sheet Cake/Cupcakes

For the cake:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

Frosting:

6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup fat-free milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 375°.
Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.
Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl (or Kitchen-Aid), stirring well with a whisk.

Combine 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add to flour mixture. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Pour batter into the prepared pan (or cupcake liners). Bake at 375° for 22-28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting while the cake is baking:

Combine butter, milk, and cocoa in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Spread over hot cake. Sprinkle cake with pecans (I usually stir my pecans into the icing). Cool completely on wire rack.

That's rich

This recipe courtesy of Hershey's

This cake makes me wonder if Betty Crocker went to a remedial baking school. Alright people, step away from the box mix! This recipe is easy and only uses one bowl.

If you would just try this cake you would understand.

So moist, so decadent, so perfectly chocolate.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and while you're at it...grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans (and if you really want to be sure your cake will slide right out then I suggest lining the bottom of your pan with wax paper--you know, just in case).

In a large bowl (or your Kitchen-Aid mixer) stir together:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons each baking powder and baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Then you will add:

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

And beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Then stir in:

1 cup boiling water (I use a glass measuring cup in the microwave for 2 minutes while the mixture is beating--two birds, one stone...)

The batter will be thin, it's okay. Pour into your prepared pans, try to get an even amount in each pan while trying to hold off the voracious kids that are trying to snatch the bowl and spatula from you.

*13X9 pan directions* Prepare as above but bake 35-40 minutes.

Pop 'em in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove (hopefully in one piece) from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting while being careful to guard your cooling cakes from wandering fingers.

Please, you've come this far--do not, I repeat, do not use premade frosting!

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of butter, melted

2/3 cup of Hershey's cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium bowl stir the cocoa into the melted butter. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a tiny bit more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Once your cake is cooled: Place one cake on a plate or cake pedestal and frost the top generously. Place the other cake on top of the frosting, frost the top of that cake and then finish the sides. I find an offset spatula makes the job a little easier.

This cake seems so nostalgic to me, it reminds me of the cakes that are in Pollyanna when she is at the fair and the ones that are involved in the Hayley Mills vs. Hayley Mills fight in The Parent Trap...

Comfort me

This recipe courtesy of Cat Cora (Iron Chef)

I'm sorry to report that I did not grow up with very many "comfort foods"; but I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this recipe, for it became an instant classic for me and I hope my kids will enjoy it as they grow up. Plus, it's a perfect use for my leftover rice...

I love the texture of this rice pudding and how good it feels in my belly when it is warmed.

This can be eaten hot or cold, morning or night.

Rizogalo

Place 2 cups cooked brown rice in a large bowl and rinse with cold water, drain well.

Pour 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and vanilla and bring to a low boil.

Turn the heat down to low and whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and the zest of one lemon. (If you don't have a lemon lying around, just skip it.)

Crack one egg into a small bowl and beat. Pour about 1/4-cup of the hot milk slowly into the beaten egg, whisking constantly. This will "temper" the egg and prevent it from scrambling.

Pour your tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir. Add the rice and stir continuously over low heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. (Next time I think I'll bribe one of the kids to do this step for me.)

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter and stir. Sprinkle with another 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and serve.

*Serving Suggestion* Top with granola and a drizzle of honey. Serve warm with milk in bowls.

One for you, one dozen for me...

This is my all-time absolute, favorite cookie recipe, ever. I realize everyone has their own favorite but this one is mine. I usually heavily guard my top-secret, classified recipe, but for you two people that read this blog--the much coveted secret is finally being revealed. Shhhhhh!

(This recipe comes from Hershey's, with slight modifications.)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heat oven to 350.

One of the most wonderful things about this recipe is that it only uses one bowl, yippee!

I use my Kitchen-Aid, of course, but you can use a big bowl and a mixer.

Chop 1/2 cup nuts (1 cup if you are really nutty) and set aside. Please don't tell me you are one of those people who don't like nuts!

Cream together:

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 14 tablespoons of softened butter

Then stir in:

• 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 egg; mix until light and fluffy

Stir in:

• 2 cups quick oats, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt*

*this is my modification, I add in 2 heaping tablespoons of ground flaxseed, you may also swap 1/2 a cup of regular flour for whole wheat flour without altering the taste

Stir in:

• 1 cup semisweet* chocolate chips and the chopped walnuts, if desired

*sometimes I do half milk chocolate and half semisweet, it's like a party in my mouth

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Warning: You may be compelled to take a cookie every time you pass through the kitchen. (I justify this by telling myself that the walnuts, flaxseed and oats are doing damage control on the butter and sugar as I digest. You can come up with your own excuse or feel free to use mine.)

Bananas beware!

If I see three bananas sitting on my counter not getting eaten, I secretly hope they don't get eaten so I can turn them into this luscious bread. Add in the fact that everyone in my family is crazy about this bread and--bananas, your counter-sitting days are numbered!

Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups mashed banana, about 3 medium

1/2 cup egg substitute

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt ( I prefer Greek)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Combine flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk. Set aside. If desired, this is where I usually add in 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed.
• Mash the bananas in another bowl. Set aside.
• Place sugar and butter in a large bowl ( I use my Kitchen-Aid); beat until well blended-about a minute. Add banana, egg substitute and yogurt; beat until blended.
• Add flour mixture; beat on low just until moist.
• Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
• Add 1 cup of batter to the melted chocolate, stirring until combined.
• Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Swirl batters by running a knife lengthwise and then from side to side.
• Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Yield:16 slices

Tip: Don't cover the top of the bread, it will cause the delectable top crust to become soggy.

Guilty pleasure: Toast a slice of the bread and slather with peanut butter...you must try this, it is such a treat!

Sorry this is post is all centered...having technical difficulties!

Monkeyin' around

Monkey Bread (Pull-aparts)

This photo looks like it was taken in 1978; however, in my defense, I made this at the cabin and the kitchen looks like it is from the 1970's as well as the plate it is sitting on....so it all works.

This satisfies the kids (and Ryan's) requests for cinnamon rolls and it is way less effort.

• Thaw 24 Rhodes white dinner rolls, this takes about an hour. Cut each roll in half.
• In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup brown sugar with 3 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped pecans, if desired.
• In another bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter.

Spray a bundt cake pan with Pam. Dip the roll halves in the melted butter and then in the cinnamon sugar and put in the bundt pan. Spray the tops of the rolls with Pam and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size (2-3 hours). Remove wrap and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cover with foil the last 15 minutes of baking. Immediately after baking, loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a plate.

New-kini

What a surprise to see a post about zucchini in August, I know. It's just that time of year. And it's pretty much the only thing actually producing in my garden, aside from my sweet peppers.
Here are just a few things I have done with my zucchini so far this season....the other things got eaten before I remembered to photograph them! Sorry if this feels a bit like Pvt. Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue...
Oh yeah, and the title comes from Kian...I say zucchini, he says new-kini.

Fried Zucchini

First, I cut the zucchini into quarters and halved lengthwise.

Then, I mixed up some regular breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a smattering of Italian seasoning in a bowl.

Then I cracked and beat an egg in another bowl.

Next, I dipped each piece of zucchini in the egg and dredged through the breadcrumb mixture.

Sometimes I faux-fry these in the oven but since it was already too hot in the house I decided to do the real deal. I heated olive oil in a skillet. When it was good and hot I started adding pieces of zucchini and would turn them to let them brown on each side. Once out, I drained them on paper towels and then spooned more parmesan cheese over them. Now, I am not a huge fan of ranch dressing--but for some reason, these beg to be dipped in it.

These are almost as good as the ones on the pier from Riva in Santa Cruz. Almost.

BBQ'd Zucchini

So easy....Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4" thick pieces. Drizzle the slices with olive oil and sprinkle generously with Creole seasoning. Barbecue to your hearts content.

'Sauteed' Zucchini

This is the traditional method my Mom uses to make zucchini. I don't know who showed her this....maybe her Mom?

Slice up the zucchini into 1/8" thick slices. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and bit of butter in a pot. Add the zucchini and stir to coat pieces with oil. Let sit to saute and cook through. Stir every few minutes. It's okay to let the pieces on the bottom brown, in fact, a fight usually breaks out over who is taking all the "brown pieces".