A house divided

Jory loves this cake.  It is one of his absolute favorite desserts I make.  In fact, once I made it for a potluck and he didn't know I had done it.  He was sitting at the Potluck devouring this cake and raving about it without knowing it was my Chocolate Chip Cake.  I personally don't think it's that great.  I was going to remove it from my recipes until the Potluck incident when I realized how much he really loves it.

The recipe does not call for frosting.  It says that the cake does not need it and that is actually true, but it seems weird to me to take a cake without frosting.  So if I am taking this to someone or to a dinner I ice it.  I have made a Cream Cheese frosting and a Milk Chocolate one.  They both worked fine.

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake

Category: Desserts

Source: Woman’s Day

2 2/3 c flour

2 c sugar

2 t baking powder

½ t salt

1 c milk

½ c water

¾ c oil

1 T vanilla

2 eggs

1 c mini chocolate chips

1.  Heat oven to 350.  Line a 13x9 with nonstick foil.

2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a whisk.  Whisk milk, water, oil, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl.
3. Make a well in flour mixture.  Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture; whisk until blended.  Stir in chips.
4. Pour into pan and bake 35 minutes.
5. Cool in pan on wire rack 30 minutes.  Remove from pan, remove foil and cool completely.

Coconut Almond Cream Cake

This was the very first Southern Living White Cake I made many years ago. The first time it took me three days.  Thankfully, I have gotten more efficient.  The filling still has to be made the day before (or at least eight hours before) and the recipe is somewhat time consuming, but it's not hard and everyone always really likes this cake.

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Category:  Desserts

Source: Southern Living

2 c sweetened flaked coconut

½ c sliced almonds

Parchment paper

3 ½ c flour

1 T baking powder

½ t salt

1 ½ c unsalted butter, at room temp

1 ¼ c sugar

1 c firmly packed light brown sugar

5 large eggs

1 c whipping cream

1/3 c coconut milk

1 T vanilla extract

1 T almond extract

Coconut Almond Filling

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Bake coconut in single layer in shallow pan 6 minutes.  Place almonds in single layer in another pan; bake, w/coconut, 7-9 min or until almonds are fragrant and coconut is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Line 3 (9-in) round cake pans with parchment paper.  Grease and flour paper.
3. Sift flour, baking powder & salt in very large bowl.
4. Beat butter at med speed until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until blended.  Beat 8 min or until very fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in whipping cream and next three ingredients.
5. Fold butter mixture into flour mixture in batches just until combined.  Pour into pans.
6. Bake at 325 for 30-32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks 10 min; remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely.
7. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate.  Spread half of chilled Coconut Almond Filling over layer.  Top with 1 layer, gently pressing.  Repeat procedure with remaining half of Filling and remaining cake layer.
8. Gently spread Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake.  Press toasted coconut on sides of cake; sprinkle almonds on top.

Coconut Almond Filling

2 T cornstarch

1 t almond extract

1 ¼ c whipping cream

½ c firmly packed light brown sugar

½ c unsalted butter

2 ¼ c sweetened flaked coconut

¼ c sour cream

1.         Stir together cornstarch, almond extract and 2 T water in a small bowl.

2.         Bring whipping cream, brown sugar and butter to a boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat and immediately whisk in cornstarch mixture.  Stir in coconut and sour cream.  Cover and chill 8 hours.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

2 packages cream cheese, softened

½ c unsalted butter, softened

2 c powdered sugar

1 T cream of coconut

1 t vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.
2. Increase speed to medium and beat in cream of coconut and vanilla until smooth.

7-Layer Salad

I make this salad for every Potluck I go to.  I love it.  The leftovers are good, too, and it looks so nice!

Seven Layer Salad

Category:  Salads

Source:  Jenni Holman

1 package pre-washed lettuce

3 stalks celery, diced

4 green onions, green part sliced

1 red bell, diced

1 sm package frozen peas, heated just to boiling with salt, then drained and rinsed w/cold water

1-2 cans sliced water chestnuts

2 c mayo

¼ c sugar

Shredded cheddar cheese

Crumbled bacon

Layer Ingredients in order

Chocolate Cake

I've been making this cake a lot lately when I am taking a meal.  It is a super moist cake that has been very popular.  Instead of using a 9X13 pan, I have been using two square pans so I have an extra cake to take to someone!

Coca-Cola Cake

Category:  Desserts

Source: More

2 c flour

9 T cocoa, divided

1 t baking soda

1 ½ c softened butter, divided

1 ¾ c sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla, divided

½ c buttermilk

1 1/3 c cola, divided

16 oz box confectioner’s sugar

1 ½ c miniature marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly grease 13x9 pan.  In med bowl, combine flour, 4 T cocoa, and baking soda; set aside.
2. Beat 1 c butter and sugar until creamy.  Beat in eggs and 1 t vanilla.  In small bowl, combine  buttermilk and 1 c cola.  Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with the cola mixture blending well. Turn batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake 35 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.  While cake is baking, make the icing:  Combine remaining 5 T cocoa, ½ c butter, 1 t vanilla and 1/3 c cola with confectioner’s sugar.  Beat until smooth.
4. Top cake w/marshmallows and return to oven for 1 min.  Spread frosting over marshmallows.  It will firm up when the cake cools.

Holiday Ham

This is ham recipe I most often make for a holiday or a large dinner.  It is very popular.  My husband loves it and calls it The Holiday Ham.  It has a sweet glaze, and Jory usually does not like that (he's not one to go for those sweet glaze packets you can buy), but he loves this.  He says it's not too sweet, just perfect.

Molasses-Coffee Glazed Ham

Category:  Main Dishes

Sub Category:

Source: Southern Living

 

1 c molasses

12 oz jar apricot jam

2 T cider vinegar

1 T Dijon mustard

1 t salt

1 t vanilla

¾ strong brewed coffee

8-9 lb bone-in, fully cooked smoked ham half

 

1.  Stir together first seven ingredients until blended.  Reserve one cup.
2. Place ham in 13x9 pan.  Pour remaining sauce evenly over ham.
3. Bake on lower oven rack at 350 for 2 hours or until thickest portion reaches 140, basting every 15 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil if ham starts to get too brown.
4. Remove from pan; let stand 30 minutes.  Heat reserved sauce and serve with ham.

 

Banana Pudding

Recently I was charged with bringing dessert to a Super Bowl party.  My husband chose banana pudding.  I think this recipe (or a variation of it) is probably pretty common, but it is easy and we really like it.

Banana Pudding*

Category:  Desserts

1 large box instant vanilla pudding

1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 box Vanilla Wafers

3-4 bananas, sliced

 

1.             Prepare pudding as directed.  Refrigerate for approximately 5 minutes.

2.             Mix together Cool Whip, Eagle Brand milk and sour cream.  Mix into pudding.

3.             Arrange a layer of Vanilla Wafers on bottom of 13x9 baking dish.  Arrange a layer of banana slices on top of the cookies.  Pour ½ of pudding mixture over bananas.  Repeat.  Top with more cookies.

4.             Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biscotti

I found a great recipe for gingerbread biscotti in a parenting magazine.  It was a fun, easy Christmas gifts kids can make.  The gingerbread flavor is so rich.  You bake the biscotti and then let it cool and then toast it.  Honestly, sometimes, we don't put it back into toast it.  When you take it out of the oven the first time it is the consistency of gingerbread (except it doesn't rise, so it's flat bread, but YUMMY). 

Gingerbread Biscotti

Category:  Baked Goods
Sub Category:
Source: Family Fun

 

2 c flour

1 t baking powder

1 ½ t ginger

3 t cinnamon

¼ t salt

6T unsalted butter, softened

1 c sugar

2 eggs

3 T light molasses

2 t vanilla

8 oz white chocolate chips

 

1.  Heat oven to 350. Coat a baking sheet w/cooking spray. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. 
3. In stand mixer on med, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, molasses and vanilla and mix well.  Reduce speed to low and blend in flour mixture.
4. With slightly wet hands, halve dough and shape into two 2 ½ x 9 in rectangles.  Bake until golden brown and just starting to crack, about 25 min.  Let cool and reduce the oven’s temperature to 325.
5. Use a sharp knife to cut loaves into ¾ in slices.  Place slices cut side down and bake until toasted, about 8 min.  They should be crunchy on outside but not hard.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
6. Melt the chocolate and drizzle on biscotti

Pancakes

I have three different pancake recipes I like.  Aaron asked for pancakes the other day and I grabbed this one.  I was reminded of how much I like it.  It turns out very good pancakes.  It calls for plain yogurt, but I always use flavored - whatever I have.  I've done blueberry, banana and vanilla.  I sometimes omit the vanilla depending on the flavor of yogurt used.

Pancakes

1 c flour

1 T sugar

1 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

1 c plain yogurt

1 egg

½ c water

1 t vanilla

 

1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk remaining ingredients and add to dry ingredients, mixing well.
3. Cook on griddle.

 

The BEST Ham!

I cut a recipe out of Southern Living's New Year's Special called Good Luck Greens and Peas with Ham.  If you are not from the South, Black-eyed Peas are eaten on New Year's Day for luck.  (Where I come from it's Sauerkraut and no one has heard of Black-eyed peas, but that's another post).

This was the first time I made ham in a crock pot and it was SO GOOD.  The ham just fell apart and was really outstanding.  It was not a sweet ham, though, so if that's your thing...as good as the ham was, my husband went nuts over the peas and greens.  He told me several times he's never had greens or peas that good.  He took a picture and sent it to his friends.  This is definitely one of his favorite recipes I've ever made.

Ham with Greens and Peas

Category:  Main Dishes

Sub Category:

Source: Southern Living

 

32 oz vegetable broth

16 oz frozen black-eyed peas, thawed

1 sweet onion, cut into eighths

¼ c apple cider vinegar

¼ t dried crushed red pepper

2 T dark brown sugar

2 T country style Dijon mustard

5-6 lb smoked, fully cooked semi boneless ham

1 lb shredded fresh collard greens

1.  Place first five ingredients in slow cooker.  Stir together brown sugar and mustard and rub over ham.  Place ham in slow cooker.  Cook on high 6-7 hours.

2.  Add greens and cook on high one hour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Corn

I love to take a vegetable God meant for nourishment and just add as much fat as possible to it.  Seriously, this recipe is not healthy, but it is SO good.  And I don't always wait until dinner to serve it as a side dish.  A lot of times I treat it as a dip and dunk tortilla chips deep into it.  YUM.

Baked Corn*

Category:  Sides

Sub Category: 

Source:  Southern Living

2-4 bacon slices

1 T butter

2 T chopped onion

2 T all-purpose flour

1 t salt

1 c sour cream

16 oz package frozen corn, thawed

 

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 T drippings in skillet.  Crumble bacon and set aside.
2. Melt butter in hot drippings over med heat.  Add onion and saute until tender. 
3. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth and bubbly. 
4. Whisk in sour cream until smooth.  Cook, whisking often, 3 minutes.  Stir in corn and cook until thoroughly heated.
5. Spoon into a lightly greased 8 in baking dish.  Top with crumbled bacon.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or until bubbly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Bacon Cornbread Muffins

Cornbread with bacon and cheese? Yes, please!

Bacon Cornbread Muffins
Category: Baked Goods
Sub Category:
Source: Dallas Morning News

½ c unsalted butter, softened at room temp
¼ c sugar
2 eggs
1 can creamed corn
¾ c yellow cornmeal
¾ c flour
1 1/2 T baking powder
¾ t salt
½ c shredded cheddar
½ c cooked, crumbled applewood smoked bacon

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease 12 muffin cups

2. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer. Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Add creamed corn.

3. In separate bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and combine on low. Stir in cheese and bacon.

4. Spoon evenly into cups and bake until muffins are set and golden brown, about 18 minutes. Muffins are best served warm.

Queso

Going along with the Mexican Dishes I made this weekend, I made some GREAT Queso! I wish I had taken a picture of this because it looked sooo good. I actually made it because the picture with the recipe looked outstanding. I was not disappointed. This stuff is GONE!

Spinach Queso
Category: Eggs & Cheese
Sub Category: Cheese
Source:

10 oz frozen chopped spinach,
thawed & drained
16 oz Velveeta, cubed
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
10 oz Rotel, undrained
8 slices bacon, cooked &
crumbled

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Microwave on high 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture
is well blended, stirring after three minutes

Note: I get that Queso is unfriendly enough to your health before bacon and this recipe would probably still be awesome without the bacon, though after a day in the fridge you really could taste the bacon.

Mexican Dishes

I haven't posted in a while because nothing has really rocked our world, but we did have some success this weekend! I made King Ranch Chicken Mac & Cheese from last month's Southern Living. So good! Two of our favorite things - yes, please! I see Macaroni and Cheese recipes all the time that look sooo good, but then I look at the ingredients (heavy cream, whole milk, four kinds of cheese) and I just can't bring myself to call that dinner. As far as macaroni and cheese goes, this recipe wasn't too bad, though I certainly wouldn't enter it in any Heart Healthy Recipe Contests. Plus, it had chicken and some veggies and it really did seem like a meal. We ate it with salad and tortilla chips and it was excellent.

King Ranch Chicken Mac & Cheese
Category: Main Dishes
Sub Category: Chicken
Source: Southern Living

8 oz cellentani pasta
2 T butter
1 med onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
10 oz Rotel
8 oz Velveeta, cubed
3 c chopped cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ c sour cream
1 t chili powder
½ t cumin
1 ½ c shredded Cheddar

1. Heat oven to 350. Prepare pasta according to package directions

2. Melt butter in large Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté 5 min or until tender. Stir in Rotel and Velvetta; cook, stirring constantly, 2 min or until cheese melts. Stir in chicken, next four ingredients and hot cooked pasta until blended.

3. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 11x7 baking dish; sprinkle with shredded Cheddar cheese

4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min or until bubbly.

Notes: 1. I used penne pasta. Partially because that's what I had and partially because I don't know what that other pasta is. I also used whole wheat pasta and it was still good.

2. For the onion and green pepper, I used a cup of frozen diced Mexican blend (onions, celery and green bell peppers). It worked great. I'm a lazy cook.

3. I used canned chicken. Also worked fine. Still lazy.

No Bake Desserts

The following are two of the most popular desserts I make. I make them a lot for families with kids. I used to be embarrassed because they don't actually involve cooking, but no one seems to mind! The Mock Eclair is a graham cracker and pudding dessert that is unbelievably good. The pudding is just a good banana pudding recipe. Enjoy!

Mock Éclair
Category: Desserts
Sub Category:
Source:

2 (3.4 oz) pkgs instant vanilla pudding mix
8 oz cook whip
3 c milk
1 (16 oz) box graham crackers
1 (16 oz) tub chocolate frosting

1. In medium bowl, mix 1st 3 ingredients w/electric mixer for 2 minutes.
2. Place single layer of graham cracker squares in 13x9 in pan. Evenly spread ½ of the pudding mixture over crackers. Top w/another layer of crackers & remaining pudding mixture. Top w/final layer of crackers.
3. Heat tub of frosting 35 seconds in microwave. Pour over top layer of crackers. Spread to the pan’s edges.
4. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. Best if prepared 24 hours in advance.

Banana Pudding*
Category: Desserts
Sub Category:
Source:

1 large box instant vanilla pudding
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 box Vanilla Wafers
3-4 bananas, sliced

1. Prepare pudding as directed. Refrigerate for approximately 5 minutes.

2. Mix together Cool Whip, Eagle Brand milk and sour cream. Mix into pudding.

3. Arrange a layer of Vanilla Wafers on bottom of 13x9 baking dish. Arrange a layer of banana slices on top of the cookies. Pour ½ of pudding mixture over bananas. Repeat. Top with more cookies.

4. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

More of the Recipe Project

I am very slowly working my way through the entrees posted by readers of Kelly's Korner as their favorites. I continue to not be wowed. I tried Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese and would have thought this was mis-posted as an entree, but recently had someone bring me a casserole dish of Macaroni and Cheese as a meal. I did not make it as an entree, though. I made it as a side dish for a group dinner. It was fine, but it tasted like macaroni and cheese. Nothing made this dish special.

I did make Pasta Weesie as a meal and was confused by this on multiple levels. It is basically Fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp and mushrooms. And I did get it made and it was fine, but it didn't blow our socks off and I probably wouldn't make it again.

Some of my new favorites

I have been way behind on Blogging, but I am caught up on cooking and here are some new recipes I am loving right now:


Blueberry Muffins
Category: Baked Goods
Sub Category: Muffins
Source: Self – Gwyneth Paltrow

½ c butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
½ c whole milk
2 c flour
¾ c plus 1 t sugar, divided
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 ½ c blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line 12 muffin cups with liners.

2. Whisk butter, eggs and milk. Combine flour, ¾ c sugar, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Fold in berries.

3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Sprinkle with remaining 1 t sugar. Bake 25-30 min until golden and a knife comes out clean.

Coconut Layer Cake
Category: Desserts
Sub Category: Cake
Source: More

3 ¼ sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 c cake flour
1 ¼ c sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ t vanilla
2 ½ t baking powder
3/4 t salt
3 c shredded sweetened coconut
¾ c milk
1 lb box powdered sugar
2-4 T coconut milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9-in cake pans

2. Cream 1 ¼ sticks butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add 1 t vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, ¼ t salt and ½ c coconut. Add to mixer alternating with the milk just until combined. Do not over mix.

3. Divide batter among pans. Bake 25 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

4. Cream remaining 2 sticks of butter with powdered sugar, ½ t salt and ½ t vanilla until creamy. Gradually add enough coconut milk to reach spreadable consistency.

5. When cake is cool, spread 1/3 of the frosting on one layer all the way to edges and sprinkle with ½ c coconut. Top with other layer. Spread on 1/3 of the frosting and use the rest to cover the sides. Press 2 c coconut onto top and sides of cake.

Note: I don't do well with layer cakes, so I did this in a 9 x 13 pan and it worked great. I baked it an extra five minutes.

German Chocolate Cake
Category: Desserts
Sub Category: Cake
Source: Food and Wine

2 ½ c cake flour
1/8 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
¼ t salt
1 c buttermilk
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs, separated
6 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Frosting
1 c pecans, coarsely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 lb confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ T cocoa
1 t vanilla
¼ c hot coffee
½ c packed sweetened shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare two 9-in cake pans. In small bowl, whisk flour w/cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. In a cup, stir buttermilk w/vanilla and baking soda until combined. In stand mixer, beat butter & sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks; beat until incorporated; beat in chocolate. Beat in dry and wet ingredients in three alternating batches.

2. Transfer batter to a large bowl and wash out mixing bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold beaten whites into batter until no streaks remain.

3. Divide batter b/w pans and bake 45-50 min, until toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.

4. Beat softened butter w/powdered sugar and cocoa until combined. Add vanilla & coffee; beat until fluffy. Fold in coconut and pecans. Frost layers and sides of cake.

Note: Don't make this if you are looking for style points. It is SO good, but it did not look very pretty. At first I thought it was because I have bad luck with layer cakes, but I tried it in a 9 x 13 and it still baked up weird. Again, it was very, very good, but not very pretty. I noticed that the magazine didn't have a picture, either, so I don't think it is just me.

Recipe Project

I have been working my way through the main dish recipes on Kelly's Blog. I have to say that I haven't been wowed by anything yet. I did do a remake on Kelly's Chicken Supreme. I turned it into a healthy casserole and it was really good. All three of us loved it and it was easy. I have to tweak it a little bit to get a better consistency, but I have high hopes. You can read about the original recipe here.

Here is the run down of the other recipes I have tried. Like I said, I have not been won over, but these have all been easy and inexpensive and probably things most kids would eat. That is likely the criteria in a lot of households, so these may work for you if you have similar standards.

Girl Scout Casserole - This was okay. My friend's 10 year old daughter was staying with us and she loved it - she took several servings home for her family. And Aaron enjoyed it, as well. My husband and I thought it was okay. It is definitely something kids will eat, but the top two layers are store bought biscuits and American Cheese slices. So I'm not sure if it's what you want your kids to eat. Being that the bottom layer is ground beef (no big servings of vegetables hidden in there) there just aren't a lot of redeeming qualities to this dish. If I did make it again I would make homemade drop biscuits and spread the dough on top of the casserole instead of using the store bought biscuits. The way this recipe comes out each serving has a big biscuit and a slice of cheese on top. I would probably also use shredded cheddar instead of American Slices.

Mexican Tortilla Stack - This recipe was posted by the same person who posted the Girl Scout Casserole. It was very underwhelming, but it was cheap and easy. There's nothing very healthy about it, but it's not horrible - it is beef, beans, cheese and tortillas. The only flavor comes from chili powder which I thought was a strange choice. It over powered the dish a bit. I cared very little for this and my husband thought it was okay, but dumping salsa on it helped tremendously.

Crescent Ring - Wow. This was posted as an entree and the recipe indicates that it serves 6. That means that each person is eating almost three store bought crescent rolls and three slices of bacon for dinner. That's just not dinner in the boring Allen household, so I made this as an appetizer for a group and turned it into 14 servings. It was popular, but I still wouldn't consider it an option for a meal.

Hawaiian Meatloaf - This was different. The recipe does indicate that this can be made into meat balls and I could see that as an appetizer at a party - a bit like Sweet and Sour Meatballs. But for dinner, it was a little strange. This is beef baked with pineapples and covered in a very sweet sauce. It was okay, but not something we would have again.

Pizza Bites - This is another one that seemed like an odd choice for an entree for me. It is basically pizza muffins. I made them for an appetizer for a group. They were alright, but no one asked for the recipe.

That's where I am so far. Hopefully soon I'll have some recipes I can recommend!