Red Velvet Cake

Prep:25 mins Cook:30 mins Additional:1 hr 30 mins Total:2 hrs 25 mins Servings:12 Yield:1 9-inch layer cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• ½ cup shortening
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 2 large eggs eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 4 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Icing:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round pans.
• Step 2Beat shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until very light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.
• Step 3Make a paste of cocoa and red food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and buttermilk together. Add the flour to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Mix soda and vinegar and gently fold into cake batter. Don’t beat or stir the batter after this point.
• Step 4Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes completely on wire rack.
• Step 5To Make Icing: Cook 5 tablespoons flour and milk over low heat till thick, stirring constantly. Let cool completely! While mixture is cooling, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Add cooled flour mixture and beat until frosting is a good spreading consistency. Frost cake layers when completely cool.

Quesadillas Breakfast

Breakfast Quesadillas with bacon, egg and cheese. An easy breakfast or dinner idea your family is sure to LOVE!

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 6 large eggs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese , grated or sliced thin
• 8 large flour tortillas

For serving:

• salsa, sour cream and guacamole

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Chop the bacon and add to the skillet, cooking until crisp. Remove some (but not all) of the grease.
• Crack the eggs into a bowl and add a splash of water or milk. Whisk until smooth. 
• Add eggs to the skillet with the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, scrambling into small pieces, until desired doneness.
• Cover one flour tortilla with a thin layer of shredded cheese. Top with some of the scrambled eggs and bacon.
• Top with some more shredded cheese and place another flour tortilla on top. 
• Carefully set the quesadilla into the pan over medium heat. Cook until the cheese begins to slightly melt and the bottom tortilla is golden brown. 
• Carefully flip to the other side and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Slice and serve warm with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Notes

To Freeze:Prepare and cook the quesadillas as directed. Allow to cool completely and then place in a freezer ziplock bag. When ready to eat, microwave them or place them on a hot skillet until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 326mg | Sodium: 1075mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Calcium: 509mg | Iron: 3.7mg

Pumpkin Roll

An easy pumpkin roll dessert that tastes great.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs eggs, beaten
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter or grease one 10×15 inch jelly roll pan.
• Step 2In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend until smooth. Evenly spread the mixture over the prepared jelly roll pan.
• Step 3Bake 15 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
• Step 4Remove cake from pan and place on tea towel (cotton, not terry cloth). Roll up the cake by rolling a towel inside cake and place seam side down to cool.
• Step 5Prepare the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and vanilla.
• Step 6When cake is completely cooled, unroll and spread with cream cheese filling. Roll up again without towel. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle top with confectioners sugar and slice into 8-10 servings.

Oven Omelet – Light Version

A simple and hearty ham and cheese breakfast casserole. You can substitute any kind of low-fat cheese to reduce the overall fat content of this recipe.

Prep:10 minsCook:50 minsTotal:1 hrServings:8Yield:8 servings

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon canola oil 
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced low-fat ham
• 6 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
• Step 2Beat eggs together in a large bowl. Stir milk into eggs.
• Step 3Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; saute onion until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add ham; cook and stir until ham is warmed, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion-ham mixture to the prepared baking dish. Layer provolone cheese over onion-ham mixture. Pour egg mixture over cheese; season with salt and pepper.
• Step 4Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Nacho Pie II

Prep:10 minsCook:25 minsTotal:35 minsServings:6Yield:6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups nacho-flavor tortilla chips, crushed
• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ cup chopped onion 
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can chili beans 
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch pie plate. Spread crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of the prepared pie plate.
• Step 2Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is well browned. Drain fat. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture over chips. Top meat with chili beans, tomato sauce, and cheese.
• Step 3Bake pie, uncovered, until filling is hot and the cheese is melted, 15 to 17 minutes.

Author / Uncategorized / dads, moms, family, legacy, The Cornerstone Challenge / 0 Comments

As I set here thinking about growing up and what I want to leave my family is what my parents left me. I hope my legacy is as good as my parents is. Growing up we did not have much but we had what we needed. My parents meet when my dad was stationed at Carswell Airforce base. They dated fell in love got married and had three children. My parents owned a typewriter repair shop and my dad would work 7 days a week at times. He would go to work even when he could not walk do to gout. My mom was just as hard working as my dad. The legacy that they gave me was to work hard and take care of their family. Make sure all bills was paid and that food was on the table before anything else. I remember going out to eat on special occasions and time with extended family on holidays and just to get together on the weekends. The good times and the bad they were always there for others as much as family. Watching mom go through a short battle of cancer before she went to be with our Lord. I was so glad that I had time to learn how to be strong like her. Glad I was able to be there for my dad going to take him to doctor appointments and was with him and my brother when he left us. My legacy to my family is not going to be money but memories good times and bad. I hope that they understand that family time and helping others is the best legacy to give your loved ones.

Deb

Grands!™ Monkey Bread

If you’re looking for a classic, kitchen-tested, Doughboy-approved monkey bread recipe, this is it. Toss Pillsbury™ biscuits with cinnamon-sugar, pour in a brown sugar-butter mixture and bake in a bundt pan until golden brown. The result is a warm, gooey, buttery, comforting and delicious pull-apart—just the thing you’d want to eat for breakfast or dessert (or both!).

Ingredients

1/2cup granulated sugar1teaspoon cinnamon2cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated Original biscuits1/2cup chopped walnuts, if desired1/2cup raisins, if desired1cup firmly packed brown sugar3/4cup butter or margarine, melted

Steps

• 1Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large 1-gallon plastic food storage bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
• 2Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces. Sprinkle any remaining sugar over biscuits.
• 3In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.

4Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Loosen edges of pan with metal spatula. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; replacing any biscuit pieces and caramel from pan. Pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

August 31 is Eat Outside Day. So, pack up a lunch, head on over to the park and commune with nature while you eat your meal under the Sun.

This unofficial holiday of unknown origins encourages eating outside as an excuse for people to go outdoors and take in some fresh air and enjoy some time under the Sun.

The day is also known as Eat Outdoors Day or National Eat Outside Day in the US.

How to Celebrate?

• Pack up a picnic lunch and enjoy it with family and friends in the park.
• Grill outside in the yard or take a portable grill to the park.
• If you usually have lunch at your desk at work, what about going out for your lunch break and having your meal under the Sun?

Did You Know…

…that picnics began as a meal break for hunters while hunting?

Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients

Decrease Serving 8 Increase Serving Adjust

• 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
• ½ pound ground pork
• ½ pound lean ground beef
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ cup minced onion
• ⅛ teaspoon white sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 pound small curd cottage cheese
• 3 large eggs eggs
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
• Step 2Place pork and beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Step 3In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Step 4In a 9×13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.
• Step 5Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.

Kabobs

Grilled steak and chicken that doesn’t dry out on the grill, but stays moist and flavorful. These kabobs are simple to make, and delicious to eat. Skewered meat with peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a honey teriyaki sauce.

Ingredients

• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• ½ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ pinch ground ginger
• 2 medium (blank)s red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 ½ cups whole fresh mushrooms
• 1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into cubes
• 10 eaches skewers

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger. Place red bell peppers, onion wedges, mushrooms, beef, and chicken in the bag with the marinade. Seal, and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
• Step 2Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
• Step 3Discard marinade, and thread the meat and vegetables onto skewers, leaving a small space between each item.
• Step 4Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 10 minutes, turning as needed, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.