2 1/4 C cake flour (sifted, then measured)
2T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk (1 T vinegar to 1 C milk. use WHOLE milk)
1 T red food coloring
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 9" diameter cake pans with 1 1/2" sides. Sift sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 3 additions.
Divide batter between pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 27 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.
Frosting:
2 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 T vanilla extract
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Place one cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread one cup of frosting over top of cake. Top with second layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
Cake can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature one hour before serving.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Sherbet Punch
1 bottle champagne
1 bottle ginger ale
1 qt. sherbet (orange, etc.)
orange slices
maraschino cherries
Pour champagne and ginger ale into punch bowl.
Add sherbet, orange slices and some maraschino cherries.
Serve.
1 bottle ginger ale
1 qt. sherbet (orange, etc.)
orange slices
maraschino cherries
Pour champagne and ginger ale into punch bowl.
Add sherbet, orange slices and some maraschino cherries.
Serve.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Christmas Punch
(Bon Appetit calls this "Algonquin Bar Punch")
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients:
Peel from 4 lemons (removed in strips with vegetable peeler)
1/3 cup superfine sugar
2 cups fresh rasberries, divided
3 cups sloe gin
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups dark rum
6 cups ice cubes
1 ice block
2 cups chilled brut Champagne
Lemon slices
Preparation
Place lemon peel strips in large bowl.
Add sugar and mash with muddler or wodden spoon to infuse sugar with lemon.
Add 1 1/4 cups raspberries and mash to blend.
Pour in sloe gin, lemon juice and rum.
Add ice crubes; stir to blend.
Refigerate 20 minutes.
Place ice block in punch bowl.
Strain punch over ice block into bowl.
Add champagne.
Stir to blend.
Garnish punch with lemon slices and remaining rasberries.
Ladle into punch cups to serve.
Serves 12 to 16
Ingredients:
Peel from 4 lemons (removed in strips with vegetable peeler)
1/3 cup superfine sugar
2 cups fresh rasberries, divided
3 cups sloe gin
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups dark rum
6 cups ice cubes
1 ice block
2 cups chilled brut Champagne
Lemon slices
Preparation
Place lemon peel strips in large bowl.
Add sugar and mash with muddler or wodden spoon to infuse sugar with lemon.
Add 1 1/4 cups raspberries and mash to blend.
Pour in sloe gin, lemon juice and rum.
Add ice crubes; stir to blend.
Refigerate 20 minutes.
Place ice block in punch bowl.
Strain punch over ice block into bowl.
Add champagne.
Stir to blend.
Garnish punch with lemon slices and remaining rasberries.
Ladle into punch cups to serve.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Lemongrass Chicken
Ingredients:
6-8 chicken wings
half root of lemongrass finely minced
one clove of garlic finely minced
pinch of salt (a little less than 1/4 teaspoon)
1/4 of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
pinch of ground pepper (if preferred spicy)
I tablespoon of oyster sauce
1.5 teaspoon of soy sauce
Directions:
1) wash chicken and make slice marks on both sides of each piece
2) heat broiler 400-425 (or grill if available)
3) mixed all ingredients and chicken together, let sit for 15 minutes if in a rush (30 minutes to 1 hour in refrigerator if available)
4) place chicken on removable broiler rack that allows for juice to drain/fall down
5) broil/grill until cooked (flip once or twice)
6-8 chicken wings
half root of lemongrass finely minced
one clove of garlic finely minced
pinch of salt (a little less than 1/4 teaspoon)
1/4 of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
pinch of ground pepper (if preferred spicy)
I tablespoon of oyster sauce
1.5 teaspoon of soy sauce
Directions:
1) wash chicken and make slice marks on both sides of each piece
2) heat broiler 400-425 (or grill if available)
3) mixed all ingredients and chicken together, let sit for 15 minutes if in a rush (30 minutes to 1 hour in refrigerator if available)
4) place chicken on removable broiler rack that allows for juice to drain/fall down
5) broil/grill until cooked (flip once or twice)
Crock Pot Apricot Chicken
2 cans of Apricot Preserves (10 or 12 oz each)
1 packet of dried onion soup mix
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Rice
Mix together soup mix and preserves in crock pot.
Add chicken breasts.
Cook on low for 4 hours.
Serve with rice. Enjoy!
Berkshire Pie
Preparation time 30 minutes.
Baking time 40 minutes.
Cooling time 5–10 minutes.
Serves 6.
Here is a rich, delightful broccoli and cheddar cheese pie that will warm up everyone on a wintry evening or will be a showstopper at your holiday buffet.
Ingredients
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust
Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cubed onions (4–5 medium onions)
1½ cups chopped green cabbage
2¼ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups small broccoli florets
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
1½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup grated carrots
⅓ cup unbleached white flour
Instructions
Prepare Basic Pie Crust and place in a 9-inch pie pan.
Preheat oven to 375º F.
To make the filling:
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions for 3–5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the cabbage, salt, basil, thyme, tarragon, and black pepper and sauté on medium heat for 5–10 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Add the broccoli, cheddar and ricotta cheeses, sour cream, carrots, and flour, and mix together well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool for 5–10 minutes.
Serve.
Baking time 40 minutes.
Cooling time 5–10 minutes.
Serves 6.
Here is a rich, delightful broccoli and cheddar cheese pie that will warm up everyone on a wintry evening or will be a showstopper at your holiday buffet.
Ingredients
1 recipe Basic Pie Crust
Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cubed onions (4–5 medium onions)
1½ cups chopped green cabbage
2¼ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups small broccoli florets
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
1½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup grated carrots
⅓ cup unbleached white flour
Instructions
Prepare Basic Pie Crust and place in a 9-inch pie pan.
Preheat oven to 375º F.
To make the filling:
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions for 3–5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the cabbage, salt, basil, thyme, tarragon, and black pepper and sauté on medium heat for 5–10 minutes.
Turn off heat.
Add the broccoli, cheddar and ricotta cheeses, sour cream, carrots, and flour, and mix together well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool for 5–10 minutes.
Serve.
Orzo and Spinach Salad
This is my go to dish. Everyone loves it!!
¾ lb of orzo
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
3 tsp wine vinegar
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp oregano
¼ ground cumin
Spinach Salad
1 pkg. Baby spinach
½ c. Kalamata olives
1 sweet red pepper chopped
2 tsp capers
¼ cup minced scallions
Garnishments
6-4 oz feta
3 tsp toasted pine nuts
Cook the orzo according to package directions. If delay getting the dressing together, toss pasta with some olive oil.
Place the orzo in a large bowl and toss with 2/3 of dressing to start. Add spinach, olives, red pepper, scallions, capers and toss. Add rest of dressing. Can be refrigerated without adding the spinach. Cool for hours. At serving time, add spinach, feta and pine nuts.
While the water boils and the pasta is cooking you can get everything else ready, so it really only takes about 15 minutes. You could add grilled chicken to make it a main dish. I add everything right away and serve. I like it slightly warm. Keeps in fridge for days!
¾ lb of orzo
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
3 tsp wine vinegar
3 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp oregano
¼ ground cumin
Spinach Salad
1 pkg. Baby spinach
½ c. Kalamata olives
1 sweet red pepper chopped
2 tsp capers
¼ cup minced scallions
Garnishments
6-4 oz feta
3 tsp toasted pine nuts
Cook the orzo according to package directions. If delay getting the dressing together, toss pasta with some olive oil.
Place the orzo in a large bowl and toss with 2/3 of dressing to start. Add spinach, olives, red pepper, scallions, capers and toss. Add rest of dressing. Can be refrigerated without adding the spinach. Cool for hours. At serving time, add spinach, feta and pine nuts.
While the water boils and the pasta is cooking you can get everything else ready, so it really only takes about 15 minutes. You could add grilled chicken to make it a main dish. I add everything right away and serve. I like it slightly warm. Keeps in fridge for days!
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