Chocolate Cola Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

This is so good!  It was in last month's Southern Living and I made it on a whim this week.  I had all of the ingredients on hand.  The cake is super moist and the frosting tastes like peanut butter fudge.  I actually made two 8-inch square cakes instead of one 9x13 and passed the second cake on.  I got great reviews from the recipients!

Peanut-Cola Cake

Category:  Desserts

Sub Category: Cake

Source: Southern Living

Cake:

1 c cola
½ c buttermilk
1 c butter, softened
1 ¾ c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 c flour
¼ c cocoa
1 t baking soda
1 c chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Frosting:

¼ c butter
¾ c milk
1 c creamy peanut butter
16 oz package powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine cola and buttermilk in a 2-cup measure.
2. Beat butter at low speed until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until blended.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat at low speed just until blended.
3. Combine flour and next two ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add to butter mixture alternately with cola mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Pour batter into lightly greased 13x9 pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare frosting:  Melt butter in a large saucepan over med heat.  Whisk in milk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce heat to low, and whisk in peanut butter until smooth.  Gradually whisk in sugar until smooth; remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla.  Use immediately.  Pour over warm cake.
6. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. As a note, I assumed the peanuts were an optional garnish and I did not have any on hand, so I didn't worry about it.  However, it was not possible for me to get the frosting completely smooth and you could see little pieces of powdered sugar.  I think the peanuts are to cover that up, so I would suggest them if you like peanuts alright.

Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn

We grill corn a lot in the summer and we try lots of new things to season it.  This is a butter recipe to serve with the corn and we loved it!  So good!

Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Corn

Category:  Vegetables

Sub Category:

Source: Southern Living

8 ears corn, husked

Cooking spray
Salt and pepper
½ c butter, softened
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1 T lime zest
1 T lime juice

1.  Preheat grill to mid-high heat.  Coat corn with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.  Grill corn, covered with grill lid, 15 min or until golden brown, turning occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, stir together butter and next 5 ingredients.  Remove corn from grill and serve with butter mixture.

Shrimp and Grits

This was sooo good. It was more labor intensive than I will generally put up with, but it was worth it! I would definitely make this again - soon!

Shrimp and Grits

Category: Main Dishes

Sub Category: Seafood

Source: Southern Living

Grits:

1 ½ c Milk

¼ c unsalted butter

1 ½ c quick-cooking grits

1 T unsalted butter

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, minced

¾ c dry white wine

½ c grated parmesan cheese

2 T chives

1 ½ t salt

¼ t pepper

Shrimp Sauce:

30 jumbo raw shrimp

1/8 t salt

1/8 t black pepper

¼ c olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 T minced shallots

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 T lemon juice

1 ½ t drained capers

¼ t ground red pepper

Dash of hot sauce

3 T unsalted butter, cubed

1 T chives

1. Prepare grits: Preheat oven to 350. Bring milk, ¼ c butter and 4 c water to boil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over med-high heat. Whisk in grits; bring mixture to boil, whisking occasionally. Cover and bake 45 min or until grits are creamy, whisking every 15 min.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 T butter in a large skillet over med heat; add 4 cloves garlic and 3 shallots and sauté 3 ½ min or until shallots are translucent. Add wine, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Cook, stirring often, 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced by 2/3; fold into hot cooked grits. Stir in cheese and next 3 ingredients.

3. Prepare shrimp sauce: Peel shrimp; devein if desired (I bought peeled and deveined). Sprinkle with 1/8 t each salt and pepper.

4. Cook shrimp, in 2 batches, in 2 T hot oil in large skillet over med-high heat 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp from skillet.

5. Saute 3 garlic cloves and 1 T minced shallots in remaining 2 T hot oil in skillet over med-high heat 1 minute. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring often, 5-7 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break apart. Stir in shrimp and 3 T butter. Serve with chives over grits.