Classic Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 stick butter
• 1 cup water
• 8 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking spoon
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 1 pound confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring one stick of butter, water, and four tablespoons of cocoa to boil. 

Remove from heat and add in flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. 

Beat in eggs and sour cream.

Pour into greased large 15.5" x 10.5" pan.

Bake 20 minutes and let cool at least 10 minutes. 

Bring four tablespoons of cocoa, milk, and one stick of butter to a boil.  

Remove from heat and add confectioner's sugar, vanilla, and walnuts (optional). 

Pour over cake and spread evenly. 

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Doughnut Sandwich

Ingredients:

for each sandwich, you will need:

• 1 doughnut, any kind you like
• 1 generous scoop of chocolate chip cookie ice cream
• melted chocolate (pour a bag of chocolate chips into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and melted it over extremely low heat)

Directions:

Remove ice cream from freezer and let sit on countertop to soften ever so slightly while you prepare the doughnuts.

Slice each doughnut in half around the middle using a long, serrated bread knife.

Place a generous scoop of ice cream on a small plate. Using a spatula, flatten the scoop of ice cream to the same diameter as your doughnuts. Place the flattened scoop of ice cream on half the doughnut. “Close” the sandwich with the other half of the doughnut.

Place prepared doughnut sandwiches in freezer temporarily.

Melt your chocolate.

Remove sandwiches from freezer. Dip each sandwich into melted chocolate.

Giant Skillet Cinnamon Roll

Ingredients:

Dough

• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup warm water (90-110°F)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 6 cups all purpose flour, sifted
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon mixed together

Glaze

• 4 oz. cream cheese, slightly melted 
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons hot milk

Directions:

For the dough, heat milk, 1/2 cup sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar melts and a few small bubbles appear at the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the other elements.

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in very warm water (90°F to 110°F) in the bowl of a standing mixer (or a large bowl if you don't have a stand mixer). Stir with the paddle attachment (or wooden spoon) until well blended. Let stand 10 minutes.

Beat eggs into yeast mixture. Stir in cooled milk mixture (it should be lukewarm), switch to the dough hook then add in flour a little at a time until dough is elastic. Add melted butter and mix, then add in more flour until dough is elastic and pulls away from the sides of the mixer.  Note: you may not have to use all the flour. Do not add so much flour that  the dough does not stick to your hands. Set a timer and knead with the dough hook (or knead with hands on a floured surface) for 5 minutes. 

Place dough in a buttered bowl and turn it over to coat the entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 hour or until doubled (mine took a little longer than an hour to double).

Punch down dough and turnout onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times and cut into two pieces. Roll out each piece to 12x9-inch rectangles. 

For the filling, brush the rolled dough pieces with the melted butter. Sprinkle each with half the cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Cut the each dough piece into 5 even strip lengthwise. Roll one strip up as if you were making a regular cinnamon roll. When you get to the end, use another strip and continue rolling. When the dough spiral reaches about 6-inches in diameter, (3-4 strips-worth of spiraling) place it in the center of a  lightly greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Continue spiraling dough strips around the middle.

When all the dough has been used, cover and let rise about 45 minutes or until doubled.

Preheat oven to 400°. Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until golden. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn't over-bake.

Whisk together glaze ingredients, adding additional milk as needed. Glaze pastry in the pan while it is still hot. Add orange zest if desired. Slice into pieces and serve while still warm.

Healthy Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 3 teaspoons of cooking oil
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.  In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, and baking powder.  In another bowl, stir together milk, oil and egg white.   Add liquid mixture and blueberries to dry mixture and stir until just moistened. 

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough 10 times.  Roll dough into 3/4 inch thickness.  Cut dough into 12 pieces and transfer to baking sheet. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown  Cool on wire rack. 

Cookie Dough Cookies

Ingredients:

•  2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons non-fat powered milk
• 2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. 

Mix butter and sugars for 1-2 minutes. 

Add egg and vanilla extract and mix for additional 2-3 minutes. 

Add remaining ingredients and mix for one minute. 

Line cooking sheets with wax paper

Scoop dough onto baking sheet using an ice cream scoop.   Flatten out cookies a bit with a firm press of the hand.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the outside edges turn a brown color.   You might need to cook longer pending how well your oven heats up.  The goal is to still have the middle of the cookies somewhat like dough to have the cookie dough taste experience. 

 

King Ranch Casserole

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped 
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 3 mild green chiles, roasted, peeled (stems and seeds discarded), and diced 
• 1 ten-ounce can Ro-Tel 
• 18 corn tortillas 
• 1 cooked chicken (poached or roasted), meat shredded 
• 1 cup shredded Jack cheese 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar 

Directions:
 
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté on medium-low about 7 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until the white is no longer visible. Whisk in 3 cups of the stock, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir in chiles and tomatoes. 

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Pour remaining 1/2 cup of stock into a bowl. Stack the tortillas in the bowl, 6 at a time, to moisten, then line the bottom of the pan with the tortillas, making sure they overlap each other by about one third. Cover the tortillas with half the sauce. Add half the chicken and sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Add a second layer of soaked tortillas, the remaining sauce and chicken, and another third of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and cheese. 

Bake for about an hour, until bubbling and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Creamy Cheddar Cheese Soup with Crispy Bacon & Chives

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb bacon, chopped (optional garnish)
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large pimentos or roasted red peppers, diced
• 6 Tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 (12-oz) beer (preferably ale or lager)
• 1-1/2 cups cream
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 2-1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3/4 cup Colby cheese, grated
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1 bunch of chives or green onions, chopped (2 Tbsp reserved, optional garnish)
• Salt and white pepper, to taste (optional garnish)

Directions:

Render the bacon until crisp, stirring frequently, in a large stockpot over medium heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan onto a platter lined with paper towels. Drain the grease from the pan, leaving 2 Tbsp remaining.

Turn the heat up to medium high and add the butter, onions, leeks, garlic, and pimentos. Cook for 4-5 minutes until onions soften and develop slight color. Add the flour and stir to form a pasty roux. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Whisk in the stock, beer, cream, and milk. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the soup begins to thicken. Whisk in the cheeses, cayenne, and half of the chives. Allow the cheese to melt, then season with salt and white pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with the crispy bacon and reserved chives, if desired.