Strawberry Layers :)

Emma and I found this fun cookbook at the library the other day and Emma and I decided to try it out! Our First dessert was a huge hit! Look below!
Strawberry layers: This is super amazing! Recipe below...

2 1/3 cups whole strawberries

4 tbls strawberry jam

7/8 cup heavy whipping cream

6 tbls Greek yogurt

mint leaves - decor

I added 2 tsp vanilla and 2/3 cups powdered sugar to sweeten the yogurt part.

1 - destem strawberries. put a few aside for decor and slice the rest into a bowl with the jam

2- use a potato masher to mash up strawberries and jam - Emma did this for me and she did a great job!

3 - in a separated bowl, or in mixer, whisk the cream to stiff peaks, the fold in yogurt. ( add powdered sugar and vanilla if you want to sweeten it! taste to make your decision!)

4 - Layer the strawberry and cream mixutres as shown in pics, in little serving dishes.

5 - decorate the top with sliced strawberries and mint leaves!

Royal Icing

6 egg whites - room temp.

1 pkg - 8 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar

food coloring

don't let sit out! it will dry quickly

This makes a lot of frosting!!! like way too much for two gingerbread houses! I would half or quarter this is you are doing a small job! I used a quarter recipe on the back parts of this birthday cake and it was way too much!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I did mini cupcakes for fun for kids, but obviouse you can do big ones too!

1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp. butter flavor extract
(if no butter flavor extract - you can cancel the shortening and extract, just add 1 cup butter)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
4 tbls red food coloring
2 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk - (I used 2% milk and it worked just fine)
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbls distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda

preheat oven to 350
-cream shortening , buter extract, sugar and eggs with mixer - until fluffy.
-in separate bowl, make paste with food coloring & cocoa powder.
-add to other mixture
-in separate bowl combine; buttermilk, salt, baking soda and vinegar - add to other mixture
-slowly add flour to mixture in batches
bake @ 350 for 20-22 mins ( If you do mini cupcakes, just bake for less time)
let cool and frost
buttercream frosting is best, but cream cheese is really good too!

Orange Julius

1 cup water ( I use 1/2 cup and add more ice)
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup milk
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice

put in blender; as blending...add 6-8 ice cubes (or more if used less water)

Apple Pie

Pie Crust:
4 C. Flour
1 3/4 C. Shortening
1 Tbls. Sugar
2 Tsp. Salt
1 Tbls Vinegar
Mix above with Fork

1 egg
1/2 C. Water
Beat together with fork

Combine all above until moist
Separate into 5 balls and place in freezer for 15 mins
MAKE PIES!

Apple Pie Filling:
5-7 Tart apples - peeled & sliced
3/4 - 1 C. Sugar
2 Tbls. Flour
Dash Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg
Mix all the above
Put into pie crust
Place 6 Tbls butter in Slabs on top of apples, then put top crust on pie!
Pinch edges together
I like to cut a cute Apple Shape in top crust...but my next adventure is to roll out the top crust and cookie cutter leaves to layer on top!
Top with Homemade Whip Cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! Good Luck and Enjoy!

Lasagna Rolls, French Bread and Fall Apple Crisp!

Sauce:

1lb. Ground Beef

1 can Spaghetti sauce

1 can Tomato sauce

1 tbls. Parsley

1 tsp. oregano

Cheese:

1 16oz container of cottage cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesian cheese

1 egg

1 tbls. Parsley

1 tsp. Basil

also needed:

10 cooked lasagna noodles

2 cup mozzerella cheese

Instead of Layering the lasagna, just take the cooked noodles, and scoop the cheese mixture onto the cooked noodles and spread along theml then roll the noddles up an dplace them in the pan, with sauce on the bottom of pan! Then Pour extra sauce on top of the noodles! Bake @ 350 for 1 hr! This is just a fun way to display lasagna!

French bread:
1/2 C. Warm water
4 1/2 tsp. Active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. Sugar
Stir the above and set aside!

2 C. Hot water
3 Tbls Sugar
2 1/2 C. Flour
2 tsp Salt
1/3 C. melted shortening
Mix Above until smooth
Add yeast mixture
Add 3 more cups flour and stir until smooth

Knead for 6-8 mins
Let rise 'til double in size- about 30 mins
form into loaves or rols
then let rise another 30 mins!
Bake @ 350 for 30 mins - until golden brown!Apple Crisp:

4	medium tart cooking apples, sliced (4 cups)
3/4	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3	cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4	teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	Cream or Ice cream, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening.
2. Spread apples in pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve warm with cream.

Old Fashioned Cake-Doughnuts

2 large eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon lemon oil or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
3 1/2 cups (14 7/8 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) lard, shortening or vegetable oil

While you prepare the dough, begin heating the lard (best flavor), shortening (less saturated fat but also less flavor), or vegetable oil (probably the healthiest alternative but if you're doing these for flavor, this is not the choice to make). An 8-quart stock pot is an appropriate size cooking container.

You want the fat to reach somewhere between 365°F and 375°F before you begin to cook. It's best to have a thermometer that you can clip onto the side of your pot so you can monitor the temperature. And make temperature changes slowly. Unlike water, it takes time for the fat to respond to increased or decreased heat. It's easy, if you're too exuberant, to have the temperature begin to soar up to the smoke point. And it doesn't like to give up its heat easily.

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, sugar and lemon oil or zest until light. In a separate bowl, blend together the dry ingredients. Melt the butter but make sure it's not excessively hot. Quickly blend the dry ingredients with the wet and stir in the melted butter. The resulting dough will be quite soft, but if you keep surfaces well sprinkled with flour, you can manage it. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead four or five times to make it cohesive (a bench knife helps here). Then, with a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until it's about 1/2-inch thick. With a doughnut cutter dipped in flour (each time you cut), cut out doughnuts. Save the "holes" or re-roll them with leftover dough. Try to handle the dough as little as possible.

When the fat is at the appropriate temperature, lower three or four doughnuts into it. A slotted spoon is useful here. They will initially sink to the bottom of the pot but will rise shortly. Give them a minute or so on one side, then flip them over and give them another minute. Flip them a third time and cook for another 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels (or brown paper grocery bags). Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen doughnuts, depending on the size of your cutter.

Hot Fudge Pudding cake!

Sunday Dinner!

Soft Garlic Knots, Honey Mustard Salmon,

Corn on the cob, and Hot Fudge Pudding cake for dessert!

Emma and I had a blast together

Making all dinner and dessert! Enjoy!

Emma is definatly her Mommy's girl when it comes to good Chocolate!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder
• 1 1/4 cups hot water

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, butter and vanilla; beat until smooth.
2. Pour batter into ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top; do not stir.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes. Serve in dessert dishes, spooning sauce from bottom of pan over top. Garnish with whipped topping, if desired.

Read All Directions First and follow them!!!! It sounds funny but it really works!