PERFECT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

There seems to be two main variations of cream cheese frosting. One is more cheesy than sweet and the other is way more sweet than cheesy. Personally, I don't care for either.

Today's recipe is a magical blend of both styles of cream cheese frosting. It is VERY smooth and VERY creamy, it has the flavor of a GREAT cheesecake but it definitely has some sweetness too....it's just perfect, AND it pipes well !!



(2) 8 ounce packages full fat cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup UNSALTED butter  (room temperature)
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and the UNSALTED butter together with electric mixer (on high) until smooth and creamy.

Add the vanilla extract and the powdered sugar,(add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until smooth between each addition.

Scrape down interior of the bowl and give it one last mix...that's it!!

This is the perfect frosting for that red velvet cake you've been wanting to make.



ENJOY !!!

EASY ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Slight variations of this easy angel food cupcake recipe are all over the Internet, but look no further, todays post is DELICIOUS!!!

Even my picky-picky husband ate several of these this afternoon and he is NOT known to be big on snacking (so that is quite the thumbs up at our house).

The cupcake is super moist, ultra light and fluffy and definitely going (immediately) into my "make again soon" recipe box.

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons caster sugar(divided)(see note below)
1/2 cup CAKE FLOUR  (no substitutions)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 egg whites (at room temperature) (see note below)
2 1/2 tablespoons warm water (not hot)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1   tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350° and put paper cupcake liners in your cupcake pan (makes 18).

Sift together 1/2 cup castor sugar (reserve the rest) + 1/2 cup cake flour + salt and set this mixture aside. (*Make sure you use only 1/2 cup of the castor sugar in this step)

With electric mixer and a large bowl (I use my stand mixer), beat the egg whites, warm water, vanilla, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the reserved caster sugar. Beat until its very foamy, then while the mixer is still going, sprinkle in the reserved final two tablespoons of caster sugar and beat on high till stiff peaks form. If you are using a hand mixer, this can take as long as 5 minutes, but I had stiff peaks in only 2-3 minutes with my stand mixer.

After egg white mixture reaches stiff peaks, turn mixer off and use a spatula to GENTLY FOLD IN the cake flour mixture (about 1/3 of it at a time).

Divide the batter (it will look like meringue) evenly between 18 cupcake papers. Stack the batter high above the top of the cupcake papers.

Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or till top is light golden. Remove from oven and cool in the pan. When they are completely cool to the touch  when you hold your hand against the underside of the cupcake pan.....then you can frost or top with whipped cream and berries.

NOTE:  If you do not have caster sugar(which is fine sugar but NOT powdered sugar) you can make it by putting it in the food processor for about 15 seconds. Just make sure you measure it AFTER it comes out of the food processor.

 

NOTE: To get "room temperature eggs", I put mine in a bowl and then cover them with (almost) hot tap water and let them sit for 15 minutes.

 

NOTE: Make sure you stack the batter in a well rounded mound above the top of the cupcake paper. When you first take them out of the oven, they will look tall, but they collapse as they cool so that the final cupcake is even with the top of the cupcake paper.

 

 

ENJOY !!!

SARAH LEE POUND CAKE CLONE

I don't know how many times I've tried one of those clone recipes and later thought..."close, but no cigar".  But this time, I've hit the mother lode.

Not only is this cake made from standard pantry staples, but it is rich, buttery and it has a very fine and velvety crumb, just like a Sarah Lee pound cake. I can think of a million great uses for this quick and easy cake, but I doubt it will last that long around here. I'm definitely going to be putting one of these beauties in the freezer for unexpected guests.

 

 

 

8 ounces butter at room temperature (no substitutions)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 2/3 cups CAKE FLOUR  (important, no substitutes)
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe calls for an 8 1/2" loaf pan. If you are using Pyrex, preheat your oven to 325°. If you are using a metal pan, preheat the oven to 350°. Spray the pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper (or foil) and spray again.

Cream the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for a full FIVE MINUTES.

Add one of the eggs and a couple spoons of the flour and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Add the 2nd egg and half of the remaining flour  and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Add the sour cream and the rest of the flour and the extracts, and beat another TWO MINUTES.

Spread the batter into the greased parchment paper lined loaf pan and bake  65 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.

Cool in the pan (on a rack) for 20 minutes before you take it out of the pan.  Wrap the HOT pound cake snugly in plastic wrap and cool completely.

 

NOTES: It is important to use cake flour. With all of the mixing in this recipe, all purpose flour or bread flour wouldn't give you a very good cake.

OLD FASHIONED CARAMEL FROSTING

This is one of those great old classic recipes that gets passed down from generation to generation because it is just SO delicious. It doesn't even need cake, I would be happy with a bowl of this frosting and a big spoon!! This frosting would be GREAT on ANY cake!!

A true caramel flavor, not that imitation caramel kind.

1/2 cup butter (no substitutions)
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed tight)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Melt the butter over medium low heat in a saucepan that has a heavy bottom (this helps the frosting not to scorch).

Add the dark brown sugar and stir well. Bring it up to full boil (stirring all the time)

Add the heavy cream (it will bubble up a little, so make sure your saucepan is big enough). Return to a boil (stirring) and boil for 30 seconds (keep stirring), then remove from the heat.

Pour this hot mixture into a stand mixer and add the sugar, vanilla, salt and 2 tablespoons milk (add sugar one cup at a time). Beat until well combined.

If the frosting seems a little thick, add the other 2 tablespoons of milk and beat well. (I always end up putting in all 4 tablespoons of milk for some reason).

This frosting is too creamy to use in a decorator bag, but it is perfect for sheet cakes, cupcakes, etc.

Keep in mind that this is a cooked frosting and it will "set up" after its completely cooled and be ALMOST fudgy in texture.

ENJOY !!!

GUILT FREE REFRIED BEANS

First, let me say that I love traditional refried beans. I could eat them in or on anything. However, recently, I've been trying to eat a little healthier, so I've been experimenting with bean recipes, trying to create one that will not only be "guilt free", but one that will hit all of those coveted comfort-food bells in my head. A tall order, I know.

My first attempts were just plain bland. The next attempts were tasty but it was still missing that butter, bacon, ham hock something I couldn't put my finger on.

So I finally just took a wild fling and added a can of fire roasted tomatoes and upped the seasonings just a little, and BINGO, I am VERY satisfied with the outcome. Even picky-picky husband (without prompting, mind you) said, "these beans are really good". They are also made in the Crockpot, so it doesn't get much easier than that!!!

1 1/2  cups DRY pinto beans (no need to soak)
(1)  15 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
1 1/2 tomato can of water
(1) 4 ounce can mild green chili's
2 (scant) teaspoons salt
1/2   teaspoon black pepper
1  tablespoon vegetable (or corn) oil
1/2  cup chopped onion
2  teaspoons minced garlic
3  teaspoons chili powder
1  teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (important)

Saute the chopped onion in the vegetable oil until they are tender, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Put the sautéed onion/garlic in the Crockpot, then add everything else and cook on low for 8 hours, or overnight, your house will smell heavenly the next morning.

Drain the cooked beans (save the liquid) and put them in a food processor. Pulse a few times (depending on how smooth you like your refried beans). If they seem a little dry, add some of the reserved bean liquid (I like mine a little on the "wet" side, so I add about half cup of the liquid).

Use in any recipe that requires refried beans. This recipe freezes very well.

 

NOTE: Don't freak out about there being tomatoes in this recipe. I know it isn't traditional, but you can barely tell they are there. They just add a nice FULL (low calorie flavor).

ENJOY !!!

EASY MOIST POUND CAKE

This cake is not only easy to make, but it is super moist and flavorful. It is great just to snack on, or for shortcake or even petit fours. When its cooled, it cuts beautifully.

 

3/4 cup butter (room temperature)

6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

5 eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2  cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract (see note)

3 tablespoons milk

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

 

Spray a 9" x 5" x 2 3/4" loaf pan with cooking spray and then line the bottom only with parchment paper (waxed paper will work in a pinch) then spray the paper too..

 

In large bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, baking powder, milk and extracts until smooth.

 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. When the eggs are all in there, beat batter on high for 3 minutes.

 

Sift the flour, then add it (while the mixer is running on LOW) 1/4 cup at a time, beating only until the flour is well incorporated, but don't over mix.

 

Bake in prepared pan in pre-heated 350° oven for 70 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. My electric oven takes 70 minutes.

 

Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and tip it out onto a cooling rack.

 

While the cake is still VERY hot, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and let it cool that way. This makes a huge difference in the moisture any cake will have. I do ALL of my cakes this way.

 

 

NOTE: The coconut extract gives this cake a wonderful flavor (you won't taste the coconut) but it really adds to the vanilla flavor. If you don't have coconut extract, use the required 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1 more teaspoon of your favorite extract, like rum, or orange or almond.

 

OVEN POACHED EGGS !!

A dear friend of mine, posted a video (from Foodstyle.com)about
poaching eggs in the oven and I was quite intrigued. Not only can poaching eggs, in the traditional method, be a disaster be challenging but you can only make 2-3 at a time!!

Here is what I found:

The video said to put about a tablespoon of water in each cup of a regular muffin pan, then crack an egg over the water and bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes.........well, that ALMOST worked.

I DID use the scant tablespoon of water, and I DID preheat my electric oven to 350°, but when I tried it using a standard cupcake (muffin) pan, the egg + water filled it to overflowing and took a full 20 minutes to cook, not 8 to 10.

On my second attempt, I had excellent luck using a jumbo size muffin pan (I think they call them Texas size?) and I gave it a light mist of vegetable spray, then put in the scant tablespoon of water and a large egg. I baked them at 350° for exactly 12 minutes (not 8 to 10)
and they lifted right out of the pan with a spoon.....YUM!!!

  A PERFECTLY POACHED EGG !!

 

Whether you are making one or 30, this method (with my tweaks) really does work and it couldn't be easier!!

 

The difference in cooking time (between my oven and the Foodstyle video) COULD be that their oven simply runs hotter than mine or maybe they were using smaller eggs (?)With so many variables, I suggest you do a "test egg" to see how long it takes in your oven before you make a whole pan of these.

 

One other note: When your eggs are done to your liking, take them OUT OF THE PAN right away or they will continue to cook.

 

Don't you just want to

dunk your toast in this one?

 

ENJOY !!!