Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake

This flavorful recipe is courtesy of Epicurious Food Recipes.

If you're looking to provide dessert for 12 hefty adults, this is a perfect solution. The servings are huge! The recipe makes two loaf pans.

Jack added a lemon-zest, lemon juice glaze, but I preferred it without.

Very moist and lots of flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1 cup sour cream

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.
2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
3. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.
4. Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sour-Cream-and-Lemon-Pound-Cake-2121#ixzz2GqaACXnf

Reindeer Crunch - a great party snack!

A special recipe for any celebration: Reindeer Crunch - courtesy of Framed Cooks.

INGREDIENTS

12 cups plain popped popcorn

1 1/2 cups salted mixed nuts

1/2 cup butter

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounces chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat over to 250.

2. Combine popcorn and nuts in large bowl

3. Melt butter in medium heavy saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Stir in vanilla.

4. Working quickly and carefully (sugar mixture is super-hot!), pour sugar mixture over popcorn and nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until coated.

5. Spread mixture in a single layer on two lightly greased two baking pans. Bake at 250 for 30 minutes, stirring once.

6. Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes and break into chunks.

7. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave (if you use the microwave, melt on 50% power for 30 second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds until melted). Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn.

8. Cool until chocolate hardens (this goes faster in the fridge.) Store in airtight container

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Recipe from CHRISTMAS WITH SOUTHERN LIVING 2011

Red Velvet Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

My magical friend Lynn Hagen is one fabulous baker, and frequently treats us with her wonderful desserts and pastries. At our recent Cookie Exchange party, Lynn brought her award winning, triple layer, red velvet cake with butter cream frosting! Yummy! I never knew red velvet could taste so good!

When asked if I could share her recipe with you, Lynn graciously said "yes".  This New Orleans recipe is one she acquired long ago from a friend's aunt's cookbook. The frosting is a "Classic Wilton" recipe.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we have!


Red Velvet Cake (frosting recipe is below)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups cake flour

¾ cup unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons red food coloring (2 bottles)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar

 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350

• Grease and lightly flour three 9x2 inch round cake pans; then line the bottom with waxed paper (or parchment paper)

• In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside.  In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa and vanilla.  Add to the batter and beat well. 

• In a measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk, Add to the batter in three parts alternating with the flour.  With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not over beat.  In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda.  Add to the batter and mix well,  Using a rubber spatula scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and batter is smooth.  Divide the batter among the prepared pans.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

• When the cake has cooled, spread with buttercream frosting between the layers, then ice the top and sides of the cake.  One recipe is enough if spreading thin.  I use one and one-half recipes of frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (1 Crisco white stick)

1 cup butter, softened

2 pounds powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons milk

Method:

• Cream shortening and butter until fluffy.  Add sugar, milk and vanilla, Blend on medium speed until all ingredients are mixed well.  Blend a minute or two more until creamy in texture.
• To thin frosting, add 2 teaspoons milk per cup of stiff frosting.
• Yield: 6 cups stiff frosting – enough for a two layer cake.  

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp Revisited

recipe courtesy of Diane Kester allrecipes.com

photos from Jack’s kitchen

Ingredients:

10 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter, melted

NOTE: We enjoy cinnamon-ier apples, so we used 1 tbsp cinnamon. If your family likes walnuts and raisins, add those, too, for texture and flavor.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Place sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. 

Mix white sugar, 1 tsp flour and ground cinnamon together. 

Sprinkle over the apples. Pour water evenly over all.

Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. 

Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes.

Serve for breakfast, snacks or dessert.

Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

We thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake recipe, however it is very rich, and only small slices were needed to satisfy even the most avid dessert lover. This recipe easily meets requirements for large gatherings, and refrigerates beautifully for up to a week!

Ingredients-------

1 (8-oz.) package semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped*

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Microwave chocolate baking squares in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute and 15 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla until smooth.

2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (14-cup) tube pan.

3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with Mexican Chocolate Sauce. Garnish, if desired.

NOTE: *2 (4.4-oz.) packages Mexican chocolate, chopped, may be substituted. Omit ground cinnamon.

This recipe is courtesy of Southern Living.  Photos are from Jack's Kitchen

Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2010 edition

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie Bars are perfect for school lunches because they don't break apart. We suggest baking for 18-20 minutes unless your oven normally takes longer. We also used parchment paper in the pan for easy removal and cooling, and no-mess cutting.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (12 ounce) packages semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts ( I like pecans) (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375* Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
5. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture.
6. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
7. Spread into prepared pan.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Always on the lookout for creative ways incorporating our prosperous harvests, I find zucchini is the easiest of all to utilize.

This easy Devil's Food Cake is a great way of integrating some fiber and nutrition into a dessert chocolate lovers are sure to enjoy, with no one the wiser as to what you have put into the cake.

First, let me admit to cheating. I used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake mix.

In lieu of water, I used 2-3 cups shredded zucchini, including the skin. The zucchini squash contains lots of water and electrolytes, making for a very moist cake. Though layer cakes are perfect for this recipe, a simple cake pan was used to accommodate limited refrigerator space.

Ingredients:

Cake Mix (any flavor is fine)
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2-3 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

Mix eggs, oil.
Add cake mix until blended well, but not overly beaten (too much beating will toughen the cake).

Add the zucchini, thoroughly blending. Pour into pans of your choice.

Baking time depends on your oven. This one actually baked 7 minutes sooner than it would have with water. My husband never knew about the zucchini until he had polished the cake off, and I told him.

Icing:

1/2 brick cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 - 1/3 cup pure cocoa
1 tsp pure vanilla
1-3 tbsp cold water
3/4 box of 10x powdered sugar

(for less icing, reduce the ingredients)

This is a rich cake, and no one even knows vegetables are in it.

Have fun experimenting with unconventional ingredients in your daily baking!

Peach Cobbler

 INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

    * 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges

    * 1/4 cup white sugar

    * 1/4 cup brown sugar

    * 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    * 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    * 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

    * 2 teaspoons cornstarch

    * 1 cup all-purpose flour

    * 1/4 cup white sugar

    * 1/4 cup brown sugar

    * 1 teaspoon baking powder

    * 1/2 teaspoon salt

    * 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

    * 1/4 cup boiling water

     

    * MIX TOGETHER:

     3 tablespoons white sugar

     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

   2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

   3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.

   4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

recipe courtesy of All Recipes.com

Pumpkin Pie

It's not made from fresh pumpkins (hanging our heads in shame) - we use canned 100% pure pumpin, and buy it when it is on sale to use in breads, custards, pies, cakes, cookies and dips. Pumpkin is a fantastic source of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), low in calories and fat, and contains Vitamins C and E, Calcium, and Iron.


Ingredients:


1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar or spenda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves


Method:


Mix dry ingredients in bowl. 


In separate bowl, beat eggs. Stir in pumpkin and dry mixture. 


Slowly stir in the evaporated milk until blended well.


Pour into shell.


Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature, and baked an additional 40-50 minutes at 350F, until inserted toothpick emerges clean.


Cool for about 2 hours. May be served at room temperature or chilled.


NOTE: it is not recommended that custard pies be frozen because the filling may separate itself from the crust.

Banana Nut Bread

Our favorite recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens “New” Cookbook copyright 1955.

A little extra banana can be added, if desired, creating a moister loaf.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method:

Cream together shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat well.

Cream Bananas separately.

Sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixtrue alternately with banana, blending well after each addition.

Stir in nuts.

Pour into well-greased 9.5 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Bake in moderate over 350F 40-45 minutes or till done.

Remove from pan; cool on rack.

Easy, Cool Pineapple Upside Down Layer Cake

This upside-down layer cake is easy to create, easy to clean up, and provides a cool, interesting flavor.

 Interesting - unusual - this dessert is a crowd pleaser.

Cheater's Version: Use a cake mix.

Ingredients:

Duncan Hines cake mix (butter, yellow or pineapple flavored).

1 tall can sliced in-juice pineapple, drained, with excess juice placed in measuring cup.

1 jar maraschino cherries

oil, shortening or butter (per cake mix)

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 pieces parchment paper

Mix cake per directions, substituting mix’s water amount with the left over pineapple juice.

Line two round layer pans with fitted parchment paper (for easy cake removal)

Spray inside of pans with oil. Sprinkle brown sugar to nearly cover the parchment paper on both pans. 

Arrange pineapple slices on top of brown sugar (as desired) and embellish with cherries.

Divide cake batter evenly in round pans.

Bake per directions until toothpick comes out clean. Pop cake out on two pieces of parchment paper on cooling rack. When cool, slide one layer onto cake platter.

Filling:

1/2 brick sour cream, room temperature

2 cups 10X sugar

1 tbsp real vanilla

2 tbsp water

Cream sour cream, vanilla and one tbsp water. Slowly add sugar until the desired consistency is achieved. If necessary, use other tbsp of water. Apply to top of bottom cake layer.

Slide 2nd layer on top. Garnish with cherries or more pineapple.

Moist Zucchini Bread

Adapted from allrecipes.com


Over the years we have tried several recipes before finding one with perfect flavoring and moistness. Of course, it is tweaked with a few changes (shown in italics).

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
a pinch of ground cloves

Directions

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, cloves and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. NOTE: be sure to squeeze the grated zucchini in a towel in order to press some of the excess water from the zucchini.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. NOTE: We found 70 minutes was needed, determined by the amount of moisture in the zucchini, and how hot your oven gets.

Serve cooled or warm with any meals, as a snack or a simple dessert.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

If you enjoy the nutty goodness of Whole Wheat and the rich flavor of honey and brown sugar,  this Zucchini Bread recipe is for you. Because the ingredients are dark in color, the baked bread will also appear darker than Zucchini Bread baked with white flour and white sugar.

Ingredients

    * 6 eggs, beaten

    * 1 cup honey

    * 1 cup packed brown sugar

    * 1/2 cup canola oil (we substituted olive oil)

    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    * 2 cups whole wheat flour

    * 4 cups all-purpose flour

    * 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

    * 2 teaspoons baking powder

    * 2 teaspoons baking soda

    * 2 teaspoons salt

    * 4 cups grated zucchini, and rubbed dry

    * 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

   1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8x4 inch loaf pans and set aside. Shred Zucchini, and towel dry to remove excess water.

   2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, brown sugar, oil and vanilla. Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the wet ingredients until moistened. Gently stir in the zucchini and walnuts until evenly distributed. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.

   3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown comes out clean. Cool in the pan until cool enough to touch, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in a plastic bag when cool to keep moist.

Super Fast, Very Delicious, Fruit Dessert Cobbler

(Note - 2 recipes are on this page. One with cake mix, one without)

Customer Jackie Hall recommended that we use a cake mix for a super quick, great tasting, VERY easy recipe. (And she was right!) This made a fantastic dessert which was gone immediately when friends dropped by. It has wonderful flavor and took 45 minutes from start until pulling out of the oven.

Jackie uses the traditional 1 and 1/2 sticks of yummy butter in her recipe! We opted for something with Omega Three fatty acids instead. Need a delicious, inexpensive dessert in a jiffy? Try adapting Jackie’s recipe with fruit to come up with your own cobbler. Instead of using the butter, we experimented with a ripe banana and Canola oil.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pints of Strawberries (more is better)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

2 tbsp Canola Oil

1 ripe Banana

1 yellow or butter flavored cake mix

1. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking oil.

2. Slice berries and place in bottom of pan.

3. Cream Canola Oil and Banana until smooth.

4. Add cake mix, blending until just moist, about 30-60 seconds. It will will resemble thick pie crust dough.

5. Spoon on top of berries.

6. Bake at 325F for 35 minutes or until golden on top.

Serve warm or cool, plain or with yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.

One medium banana contains 60mg of Omega Three fatty acid, no cholesterol, 1/3 the daily needed Vitamin C, 41% the daily recommended Folate, 15% Magnesium, 23% Potassium and 30% Manganese. There are several other vitamins and minerals present in Bananas. The drawback to using a banana in place of butter is that bananas are high in sugars and carbohydrates.
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The second recipe does not use a cake mix. To be honest, the flavor is not nearly as yummy, but it does not contain all the flavor enhancers and additives, either.

Need a delicious, inexpensive dessert in a jiffy? Try this fruit cobbler recipe. Instead of using the butter, we experimented with a ripe banana and Canola oil. For a sweeter cobbler, we recommend sprinkling sugar or cinnamon sugar on top of the cobbler before it is baked.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pints of Strawberries

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

2 tbsp Canola Oil

1 ripe Banana

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups splenda or sugar

1 tsp natural vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking oil.

2. Slice berries and place in bottom of pan.

3. Cream Canola Oil, Banana, vanilla, baking powder, salt and sugar in mixer until smooth.

4. Add flour, blending until just moist, about 30-60 seconds. It will will resemble thick pie crust dough.

5. Crumble on top of berries.

6. Bake at 325F for 35 minutes or until golden on top.

Serve warm or cool, plain or with yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.