Chocolate Layer Cake
I love this cake. It’s my go to cake for special occasions and birthdays. Everyone seems to enjoy this cake and wants the recipe!
INGREDIENTS
Cake
½ Cup Shortening
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 (1 Ounce Each) Squares Unsweetened Chocolate (Melted & Cooled)
2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Buttermilk
Frosting
½ Cup Softened Butter
1 (3 Ounce) Package Softened Cream Cheese
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
2 Squares (1 Ounce Each) Unsweetened Chocolate (Melted & Cooled)
Preheat the oven to 325° F. To make the cake: cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the melted & cooled chocolate. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add alternately to the batter along with the buttermilk. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 40 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pans. Remove from the pans and cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting: combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar slowly. Beat on low speed. Stir 2 tablespoons of milk and the melted & cooled chocolate. Beat until fluffy.
To assemble place one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting. Place the second layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top layer. Serves 8
**If you do not have buttermilk just measure out 1 1/2 cups regular milk and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes.
Pumpkin & Berry Muffins
These muffins came out very moist! They are extra large and super good. I like to double the recipe and fill the muffin cups to the top edge for that bigger deli size muffin. You can add extra berries if you want.
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
½ Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Blackberries
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease the muffin cups or line them with muffin liners. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium size bowl. In a separate medium size bowl combine the oil, egg, buttermilk and pumpkin puree. Mix the wet mixture into the flour mixture. Next, fold in the blueberries and blackberries. Fill the muffin cups right to the top. Bake for 20 minutes until done. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and serve. Serves 8
Sourdough Rolls
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Cup Sourdough Starter
¼ Cup Melted Butter
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix well and make a hole in the center and pour in the starter. Knead the dough in the bowl for 3 minutes. Pinch off golf ball size pieces and shape them into biscuits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rolls on the baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Put in a warm place to rise for 1 ½ hours. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven sand serve warm. Makes 12 rolls.
Salsa Dressing
INGREDIENTS
2/3 Cup Light Sour Cream
2 Cups Salsa
1 Teaspoon Cumin
5 Teaspoons Fresh Lime Juice
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and combine well. Pour into a bowl or a medium size pitcher and place into the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.
Marinara Sauce
INGREDIENTS
2 (28 Ounce Each) Cans Crushed Plum Tomatoes
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Thinly Slice Garlic Cloves
10 Chopped Basil Leaves or 1 Tablespoon Dried
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, salt and pepper. Cook slowly on low for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Make sure to stir often. Cook for 30 minutes and serve over pasta or as a dipping sauce. Serves 4
Fettuccine Alfredo
INGREDIENTS
6 Ounces Butter
½ Cup Heavy Cream
1 Egg Yolk
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Pound Fettuccine
While the fettuccine is boiling in 6 to 8 quarts of salted water, carefully melt the butter in a medium size saucepan. If you are cooking fresh fettuccine then it will only need to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the melted butter and half of the Parmesan cheese while whisking the mixture together. Drain the noodles quickly to prevent over drying. Do NOT rinse the noodles. Quickly whisk the egg yolk and toss in a large bowl with the hot cream sauce. Mix rapidly so as to serve piping hot. Add the remaining grated cheese and fresh pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Buttermilk Waffles
Weekends are made for Waffles. Try this Buttermilk Waffle recipe and enjoy your morning!
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Buttermilk
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
2 Slightly Beaten Eggs
In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, butter and eggs. Stir until thoroughly mixed. The batter will be thick. Pour approximately 2/3 to ¾ cup of the batter into the middle of the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook 6 minutes until golden brown. Makes 4 to 6 waffles.
Pesto Rosso
Pesto Rosso (red pesto) is a Sicilian red sauce made out of sun dried tomatoes and is also called Pesto alla Siciliana. This sauce is great on pasta as well as bruschetta. Serve with seafood or poultry. Pesto Rosso is definitely a very versatile sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Chopped Water Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes (Drained)
2 Garlic Cloves
6 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Garlic Clove
1 C up Fresh Basil Leaves
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a medium size sauce pan add the drained sun dried tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic and 6 basil leaves. Cover with 1/3 cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let stand for 25 minutes. In a food processor or a blender place 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil, 1 garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles a paste. Next, drain the tomato mixture and add to the food processor and finely chop. The sauce is now ready to use. If you are using as a pasta sauce you may want to thin the sauce with ½ cup of reserved pasta cooking water. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. Serves 4
Classic Pullman Loaf
The Pullman Loaf is sometimes called the sandwich loaf or pan bread. The Pullman is a type of bread made with white flour and baked in a long, narrow and lidded pan. The French term for this style of loaf is “pain de mie.” In the United States, many popular mass produced sliced breads are actually Pullman loaves. The slices of these breads are frequently square, with four flat and uncurved crusts. The name Pullman was derived from its use in the compact kitchens of the Pullman railway cars. The Pullman Company is credited with inventing the lidded baking pans used to create the square loaves. Three Pullman loaves occupied the same space as two standard round-topped loaves, thus maximizing the use of space in the Pullman Kitchen.
INGREDIENTS
4 Cups Bread Flour – Divided
2 Cups Unbleached Flour
2 (1/4 Ounces) Packages Active Dry Yeast
3 Teaspoons Salt
2 Cup Water
½ Cup Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup Honey
1 Large Lightly Beaten Egg
1 Egg White
2 Tablespoons Water
Spray a large size mixing bowl with cooking spray and set aside. If you don’t have cooking spray then grease the bowl with olive oil. Spray 2 (9×5 inch) Pullman pans or 9x 5 inch bread pans with cooking spray (olive oil if you don’t have cooking spray) and set aside. In a separate large bowl combine 3 cups of bread flour, unbleached flour, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan combine 2 tablespoons of water, butter and honey. Heat over a medium heat until the mixture registers 120° F on an instant read thermometer. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the water mixture. Add the egg. Using a mixer on low speed beat for 2 minutes. Add enough remaining bread flour to make a soft dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in the prepared bowl. Turn to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85° F), free from drafts, for approximately 1 hour or until the dough is doubled in bulk.
Punch the dough down and divide into 2 nine inch loaves. Place the loaves into the prepared pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled. Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a small bowl whisk together the egg white and water. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the loaves with the egg white mixture. Bake for 25 minutes until the loaves are deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool on wire racks for 30 minutes before slicing. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Makes 2 loaves.
Toasted Open Faced Mozzarella Sandwiches
I like to serve these with soup. So easy to make and extremely yummy!
INGREDIENTS
6 Pieces Sliced Italian Bread
5 Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
4 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
6 Slices Fresh Mozzarella
In a small size bowl, mix together the butter and garlic powder. Set aside. In a separate small size bowl, mix together the mustards and set aside. Preheat the oven to broil on low. Butter each piece of bread evenly and then smear an even layer of the mustard mixture over the butter layer. Put a piece of mozzarella cheese on top of each slice of bread. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the sandwiches on the baking sheet. Place in the oven for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes turn off the oven and let the sandwiches sit for another 4 minutes. The cheese will not completely melt, but the sandwiches will be ready to eat. Take them out of the oven and place them on a serving plate. Serve warm. Serves 6
