Turnip Green Stew

When we lived in Meridian, MS we had some of the best neighbors.  Buster and Jewel was an elderly couple that lived across the street and became like grandparents to our family.  I remember the first time we met Mrs. Jewel, she was so excited to tell us about her church and how much they loved the pastor. She was so convincing that we visited the church.  We loved the church too and ended up joining and serving for three years until Brandon received orders to Charleston, SC. 

Mrs. Jewel loved sharing recipes, shopping deals or anything else that she thought would be of interest to me. This was one of those recipes. She told me it was the best turnip green recipe she had ever eaten. She was right about the church so I was certain that these greens would be great.  It is now one of my favorite recipes.  Mrs. Jewel is so wise.  

The recipe makes a lot, so for our family of four I typically prepare only 1/2 the amount. These greens go great with a side of buttered cornbread!

Buon Appetito!

Turnip Greens Stew

prep: 5 minutes

cook: 30 minutes

yield: 6 to 8 servings

calories: 114

fat: 5.1

• 
  2 cups chopped cooked ham 
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 3 cups chicken broth 
• 2 (16-ounce) packages frozen chopped turnip greens
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen diced onion, red and green bell peppers, and celery
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1. Sauté ham in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broth and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes.
2. Collard 'n' Black-eyed Pea Stew: Substitute 1 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped collard greens for turnip greens. Prepare as directed, and cook for 15 minutes. Add 1 (16-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained, and cook 10 more minutes.

Freezer Friendly Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

This is one of my favorite go-to freezer friendly dishes.  These moist Bacon-Wrapped Chicken breasts are stuffed with onion and chive cream cheese then wrapped in bacon.  My family always gobbles them up.

This recipe reminds me of the first time we invited an Italian family (Davide and Ester and their two kids) over for lunch after church.  My older son, Graham, had gotten to know Davide through his involvement in the youth group.  They seemed like such a sweet family, and we really wanted to get to know them better.

Davide and Ester speak very good English, but sometimes communication could still be a little challenging, but I guess that can be true even when both parties speak English as their first language.  At the time, we all attended chapel services on base.  The chapel offered two Sunday morning services.  We typically attended the earlier service, and Davide and Ester attended the later service.  When I invited them for lunch I explained that we would attend the early service, but let them know if they wanted to attend the late service they could meet us at the house.  Davide said they would attend both services and meet us after church; at least that is what I thought he said.  Attending two Sunday morning services didn't make a lot of sense to me, but who am I to judge, and besides it would give me enough time to have lunch ready.  Much to my surprise they met up with us after the early service and were ready to go.

Typically when entertaining I like to get everything ready before the guests arrive so that I can relax and enjoy my guests.  I definitely don't like to put my guests to work especially the first time I have them over.  However, I had lots to do before we could eat so I reluctantly asked Ester to help prepare the Bacon-Wrapped Chicken.  We had a great time in the kitchen together, and she loved learning to cook American style.  I think we had more fun cooking than we would have had just sitting and talking.

We became very good friends during our time in Italy.  At our going away party Ester was wearing a lovely turquoise necklace, which is one of my favorite colors.  I told her that I thought it was really cute.  As she was getting ready to leave she insisted that I have her necklace.  I was so touched by her thoughtfulness, but told her that I could not take her necklace.  Ester is sweet but stubborn, and she wouldn't hear of it.  After some persuasion, I accepted the gift. I love it.  Every time I look at it or wear it I think of sweet Ester.  She will always be in my heart regardless of how many miles or years separate us.

Freezer Friendly Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

yields: 12 servings

12 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves

2 cartons (8 ounces each) whipped cream cheese with onion and chives

2 Tbsp butter (I typically leave out the butter.)

Salt to taste

12 bacon strips 

1. Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness. 
2. Spread 3 Tbsp cream cheese over each. 

1. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt; roll up. 
2. Wrap each with a bacon stip. 
3. Place seam side down, in a greased pan. 

1. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. 
2. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. 

Freeze these uncooked. 

Banana Crumb Muffins

I recently gave some banana bread to my next-door neighbor as a thank-you for their wonderful hospitality when we moved to our new neighborhood. I feel blessed to have neighbors that practice good ole "Southern Hospitality" even though we are not in the South. A few days later she stopped by to tell me that it was the best banana bread she ever had, and asked if she could have the recipe. I love it when that happens! I think you will enjoy them too, but you don't have to take my word for it.

The cinnamon and brown sugar crumb topping sets this recipe apart from other banana breads. This recipe yields 12 muffins, one large loaf, two regular size loaves, or 4 mini loaves (which are great for gifts). Paired with coffee or milk, they make for a delicious breakfast or snack. 

Buon Appetito!

Banana Crumb Muffins

yield: 12 muffins

prep: 15 minutes

cook: 18-20 minutes

calories: 213

fat grams: 6.7

muffins:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 large bananas, mashed

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl combine bananas, sugar, egg, and butter. Mix well.
4. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 
5. Fill greased paper lined muffin tins 3/4 full.
6. Combine first 3 topping ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on top. 
7. Bake 18-20 minutes. 

This video explains how to "cut in butter".

Turtle Cookies

Here's some tantalizing Turtle cookies to tempt you today, which happens to be Tuesday! This post is brought to you by the letter T.

This recipe is a variation of Mom's Famous Cookies. This cookie recipe is so versatile. Simply mix the dough and add in your favorite candy chips like peanut butter, mint chocolate, white chocolate, or butterscotch; pretzels or dried fruit would also be a great addition. Turtles candies and dark chocolate chips added in the dough make for a truly tasty treat.

The dough can be mixed and stored in the fridge until ready to use. I usually make a batch, store in the fridge for up to a week, and then bake a few at a time as needed. This ensures that leftover cookies don't go to waste and also helps with portion control :) To freeze, scoop dough balls onto a cookie sheet or platter and place in freezer for about 30 minutes. Then remove frozen balls and store in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to six months. When ready to use, place frozen dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until done, or you can let the dough thaw and bake for 10 minutes.

Buon Appetito! 

Turtle Cookies

Source: Southern Living 

Prep: 30 minutes

Bake: 12 min

Yield: 40 cookies

Calories per cookie: 155

Fat grams per cookie: 8

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
•  2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (7 oz.) package milk chocolate-caramel-pecan clusters, coarsely chopped 
• 1 (12-oz.) packages dark chocolate morsels
• Parchment paper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, beating until blended.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Beat in morsels just until combined. Using a 2 Tbsp. cookie scoop or measuring spoon, drop onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 14 minutes (I bake them 12 minutes) or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks, and cool completely (about 15 minutes).

Smothered Hamburger Steaks and Onions

Hamburger steak is a typical southern recipe. Dressed up hamburger patties with gravy makes for some delicious comfort food, and since ground beef is inexpensive you don't have to worry about busting your grocery budget. I know you all have a grocery budget, right? This dish is low carb making it a perfect choice if you are trying to limit carb consumption.

I first came across this recipe several years ago when I was doing a lot of freezer cooking.  It has become one of our favorite family recipes. For those that don't care for onions, the onions are sliced and can be easily picked out.

Buon Appetito!

Smothered Hamburger Steaks and Onions

yield: 6 servings

calories: 336

fat gram: 10

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup cold water

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 large onion, sliced

Beef gravy (bottled, canned, or mix) I like to use 2 packages of McCormick brown gravy mix following directions on package. 

Mix all ingredients except onions and gravy. Shape into patties (I like to make 4 oz. patties) and brown in greased skillet. Turn; add onions. Add gravy; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. 

To freeze, prepare patties. Place a sheet of wax paper between patties. Place in a freezer bag and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer bag. If freezing raw meat, when ready to cook simply thaw and cook per recipe instructions. If freezing leftovers, simply thaw and reheat in microwave or on stove.

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups

In my last post I mentioned that some ingredients are not easy to come by here in Italy. Case in point, the original version of this recipe calls for manicotti noodles. I couldn't find manicotti or even cannelloni noodles at the Commissary. I live in the pasta capital of the world, but really didn't feel like braving the Italian traffic to hunt down some manicotti. Recently, I have seen several recipes for lasagna roll-ups so I decided to try lasagna instead. I simply boiled 12 noodles, drained and blotted dry then spread the filling on each noodle and rolled them.

It was so much easier than trying to stuff cooked manicotti.  The recipe also calls for a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil of which I couldn't find.  Instead, I used a can of Rotel (for a little kick) and simply added some fresh basil, dried oregano and fresh garlic.  It can be frustrating to not be able to find needed ingredients, but there is usually a similar ingredient that can be substituted.

Many of you know that I often alter recipes to make them a little more figure friendly.  This recipe calls for Italian sausage which is very tasty, but also very fattening.  A healthier option is to use lean ground beef and add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds.  I calculated the calories and fat grams for each version and was amazed at the difference made by simply altering a few ingredients.

I was so pleased with how this recipe turned out using lasagna noodles and low fat ingredients that I will make it like this from now on.

These are generous serving sizes. I typically eat 1/2 of a serving (one lasagna roll-up) with a salad or side veggie and a slice of bread for a well-balanced delicious meal.

Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Manicotti ~ Original Version 

Southern Living

Yield: 6 servings

Calories 801 per serving

Fat grams 52

Ingredients 

• 1 (8-ounce) package uncooked manicotti noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil
• 1 pound Italian pork sausage
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Remove casings from sausage, and discard. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spoon into manicotti shells; arrange stuffed shells in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups ~ Figure Friendly

6 servings

adapted from Southern Living

Calories 587

Fat grams 23

Ingredients

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced Rotel added approximately 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. dried oregano, and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 pound 94% lean ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 (8-ounce) 1/3 less fat package cream cheese
• 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain and pat dry.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture on cooked shells and roll. Place in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Buon Appetito!

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body is one of my favorite blogs.  I love the author's humor and often lol when reading her post.  Her food looks great and is very different from my style of cooking.  I think one reason I like her blog so much is because I get ideas for foods that I wouldn't normally cook. For example, I have noticed that she often shares recipes that include goat cheese.  She even has a recipe for Goat Cheese Stuffed Cookies.  I had never tried goat cheese before and was really curious. I saw this recipe for Baked Goat Cheese Dip in Southern Living Magazine I thought I would give it a try.

Goat cheese has a very distinct flavor and reminds me a lot of feta cheese, which I love.  If you like feta, I think you will really enjoy this easy appetizer recipe.

 

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

Southern Living

DECEMBER 2010

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients 

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Pinch of sugar

1 (14.5-oz.) can petite-diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1/4 cup torn basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

2 (4-oz.) goat cheese logs, softened

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

Assorted cut vegetables and bread cubes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sauté onion in hot oil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic and next 3 ingredients, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in diced and sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir together goat cheese and cream cheese until well blended. Spread into a lightly greased 9-inch shallow ovenproof dish. Top with tomato mixture.
3. Bake at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with assorted vegetables and bread cubes.
Make ahead: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cover and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed.

Buon Appetito!

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

Once upon a time I used to do a lot of freezer cooking. It was a peaceful and joyful time in my cooking "career". Peaceful because I knew what was for dinner everyday. In the morning I would take the dish out of the freezer to thaw and in the evening bake/cook as directed by the recipe. Preparing side dishes, bread, and occasionally a dessert was a breeze since the main dish was already done. It was joyful because I could share meals with others since I had food ready to go in the freezer. Not only does freezer cooking save time but saves money too. By planning meals, it eliminates the last minute takeout dinner or errand to the store to purchase pricey readymade meals that are often loaded with preservatives. I truly love freezer cooking, but since I do not have much freezer space here in Italy, I am not able to do as much as I would like. I hope to do more freezer cooking again when we move back to the states.

These chicken chimichangas are one of my favorite freezer meals. When freezing, prepare chimichangas per directions, then wrap in foil and freeze. When ready to cook, simply thaw and following baking instructions.  

Chicken Chimichangas

From: Southern Living

Yield: 20 servings

1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce or salsa, divided

7 cups chopped cooked chicken - great tip for shredding chicken, place cooked chicken in a kitchen aid mixer and mix for a couple of minutes and you will have perfectly shredded chicken.

1 small onion, diced

2 to 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

20 (8 inch) tortillas

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato

Combine 1 ½ cups picante sauce and next 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven (I don't have a dutch oven so I use a skillet); cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 25 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.

Spoon 1/3 cup mixture below center of each tortilla; top with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Fold in 2 sides of tortillas to enclose filling. Fold over top and bottom edges of tortillas, making rectangles. Secure with wooden picks. I did this for the blog, but I don't really think it is necessary to use toothpicks. I just lay the seam side down and it works just fine.

Place, folded side down, on greased baking sheets. Coat chimichangas with cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 8 minutes; turn and bake 5 more minutes. Remove picks; top with remaining picante sauce and desired toppings.

Chicken Chimichangas

From: Southern Living

Yield: 20 servings

1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce or salsa, divided

7 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 small onion, diced

2 to 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

20 (8 inch) tortillas

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

Toppings: guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomato

Combine 1 ½ cups picante sauce and next 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 25 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Spoon 1/3 cup mixture below center of each tortilla; top with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Fold in 2 sides of tortillas to enclose filling. Fold over top and bottom edges of tortillas, making rectangles. Secure with wooden picks. Place, folded side down, on greased baking sheets. Coat chimichangas with cooking spray.

Bake at 425° for 8 minutes; turn and bake 5 more minutes. Remove picks; top with remaining picante sauce and desired toppings.

Buon Appetito!

Easy Lasagna

This easy no-boil lasagna was a favorite family recipe when I was growing up and is now a favorite with my family. It is so delicious, and I can honestly say it is the best lasagna I have ever eaten. Even the lasagna in Italy doesn't compare to this dish. I have cooked this recipe many times over the years as you can tell by my well-worn cookbook.

Since I like a saucier lasagna, I typically make 1 1/2 times the amount of meat sauce the recipe calls for. I don't think you will be disappointed with this Italian family favorite.

Easy Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (I use canned spaghetti sauce. It is tasty and inexpensive.)

1/2 cup water

2 cups cottage cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Add sauce and water to meat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine next 7 ingredients.

Layer meat sauce

Layer noodles

 Layer cheese mixture

 repeat ending with meat sauce and cheese

Cover with foil.

Bake 45-60 minutes.
Remove foil the last 5 minutes to allow the top to lightly brown.

Buon Appetito!

Peppermint Palooza

I know that peppermint foods are typically associated with Christmas. However, I love peppermint so much that I cannot reserve it only for the holidays. 

My absolute favorite peppermint treat is Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies. I adapted Southern Living's All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies to create this recipe.

I like sweets. I really do, but I am not usually too tempted to eat what I bake. I get more enjoyment from baking than I usually get from eating. However, I cannot resist these chocolaty delights. They get me every time. I tell myself,  that I am not going to eat any, but when the aroma of warm chocolate and peppermint hits me as I take them from the oven, I can't resist. I end up eating one or two immediately followed by a cold glass of milk. Mmm, mmm good!

Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

Yield: Approximately 40 cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

12 large candy canes or 6 oz. peppermints crushed into pieces (make sure not to crush too much or it will become powdery)

1 (12 oz.) bag white chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat butter and sugars at medium speed until creamy.
• Add eggs and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, beating until blended.
• Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended.
• Beat in candy canes and white chocolate chips just until combined.
• Drop cookies using a 2 tbsp. ice cream scoop onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• Bake 10-14 minutes ( I bake mine 12 minutes). Remove to wire racks and cool completely (about 15 minutes).

I had about 1/2 of a batch of Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies leftover after Christmas so I decided to crumble them (in my brand new Cuisinart Food Processor that Santa brought me for Christmas) to use as a crust for a peppermint cheesecake. I looked through my cookbooks until I found this recipe. 

This Frozen Peppermint Cheesecake is a no bake  recipe. When eaten straight from the freezer it is more like ice cream than cheesecake. You also can remove it from the freezer and let it soften before eating. Either way it is delish!

I couldn't resist this recipe either. I had a piece every day until it was gone.

I think this makes a nice Valentine treat as well.

Frozen Peppermint Cheesecake

Yield 1 (9 inch cheesecake)

Adapted from: Southern Living Little Book of Cheesecakes

 

1 ¾ cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 25 wafers) I used crushed peppermint bark cookies (for a quicker version, use two ready made chocolate pie crusts instead of using cookies)

¼ cup sugar I didn't add the sugar

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/3 less fat

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk lowfat

1 cup crushed hard peppermint candy

2 cups whipping cream                

·         Stir together first 3 ingredients; press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

·         Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk, beating until smooth. Stir in candy.

·         Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form; gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Cover and freeze 6 hours or until firm. Gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake to release sides of pan; carefully remove pan just before serving.

This last recipe for White Chocolate Covered Oreo is one I saw on Pinterest a few months ago. This recipe is so simple. It is just oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate and then sprinkled with crushed peppermints. They are freakin awesome!

 

Buon Appetito!

William and Kate's White Almond Wedding Cake

I am a little behind on blogging to say the least, but wanted to share this wonderful cake recipe!

Less than a week before the Royal Wedding, I decided to throw a party. I thought it would be great fun to invite over some friends, get dressed up, and celebrate the mementous event. Most everyone dressed up in either wedding attire or something that they would wear to a wedding. Guests brought wedding pictures and/or momentos from their wedding and a finger food to share. It was so much fun!

Since you can't have a wedding party without a cake. I decided to attempt my version of a wedding cake. I wanted to decorate it using wildflowers, and at the time, wildflowers were abundant here in Sicily. The day before the party, I went to the flight line on base (the area where planes take off) and picked a trunk full of wildflowers while dodging bugs and fighter jets! After I got home, I put the mound of flowers on the floor near the kitchen. The next thing I knew there were creepy crawly things all over the place. So, I put the flowers outside until it was time to decorate the cake. By the time the cake was ready for decorating, most of the flowers had wilted.  I salvaged as many as I could and put them in the fridge. That didn't work so well either and by morning there just a few purple flowers that were usable. So shortly before my guests arrived, I was in my backyard cutting yellow flowers from our bush. Not exactly what I had in mind.

As for the recipe, I discovered it at http://www.allrecipes.com/. It had great reviews, and I was confident it would be really good. Most of the time when I bake a cake, I do a simple 9 x 13 inch sheet cake and serve it straight from the pan, but I knew that wouldn't suffice for the wedding party.  I decided to do a two tiered cake. The top tier was 6 in round layers and the bottom tier was 9 inch round layers.

After baking the layers and allowing them to cool, I leveled them using a cake leveler that I bought at The Nearly New Shop on base. (It is a thrift store run by Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. All the proceeds from the store go back to the military community.) It is a very handy tool and much easier than trying to level with a knife. The cake was so moist and delicious! I couldn't quit eating the leftover pieces.

 Instead of putting icing between the layers, I decided to use apricot preserves.

Next, I assembled the layers.

I iced the cake with a buttercream frosting and added ribbon, wildflowers, and some free printables that I found online.  

Here is a pic after it was eaten.

I had leftover batter, so I cooked a 9 inch cake and wrapped it in wax paper and foil then put it in the freezer. The next time I needed something to take to a potluck, I simply thawed the cake and topped it with a frosting of cool whip mixed with crushed fresh or frozen strawberries. The frosting was runny, so I put the cake on top of a wire baking rack and poured the frosting over the cake. I let the icing drip down then transferred the cake to a serving dish. Here is a pic of a slice.

A few weeks later I was asked to make a cake for a baby shower for one of my husband's coworkers. I decided to use this wedding recipe again, but wanted to do a cream cheese strawberry frosting instead of the buttercream frosting. She is expecting a girl, and I thought the pink icing would be pretty. Unfortunately, I cannot post the icing recipe, because I didn't pay attention to measurements, and it ended up being a concoction of cream cheese, cool whip, powdered sugar, frozen strawberries, and I think some strawberry sundae topping. I was given a bouquet of flowers for my birthday and used some of the flowers to decorate the cake. It turned out nice except you can see the layers of the cake since the icing was not very thick.

If you are looking for a very tasty, moist, and versatile cake, I would definitely recommend this recipe. 

WHITE ALMOND WEDDING CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11x13 inch cake pan.

2. Stir together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Pour in the water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites, and beat with an electric mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain, 4 minutes.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake in the preheated oven until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

(I doubled this recipe for this cake)

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup crisco

1/4 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring (clear) or almond flavoring

dash of salt

Mix together with a mixer until smooth.