Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Cream Puff Base:
5 TBS Butter
2/3 Cup Water
1 TBS sugar
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs

Cream Cheese Mixture
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 TSP Vanilla
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2/3 Cup Powedered Sugar

For the cream puff layer, preheat the oven to 375. Bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucpan. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is shiny with a satiny sheen. Don't overbeat. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inc springform pan (I used a circle cake pan and it worked fine.) Spread the mixture on the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick the pastry with a tooth pick 10-15 times. Return to the oven and bake 5-10 minutesmore until golden brown but not overbaked. (you can insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out with sticky dough, it still needs longer in the oven). Cool completely.

For the cream cheese mixture, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat with the cream cheese until mixture is smooth and light. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread onto the cooled cream puff shell.

Top with fresh sliced strawberries mixed with sugar.

I tried this recipe on a Sunday so I didn't have any heavy whipping cream. I made a slight variation that turned out more like frosting. It was very good but very rich. I later made this topping for pancakes with strawberries and it was DELICIOUS. I'm excited to try this recipe again with the correct topping. I love the idea and it's a very easy and fast and pretty cake recipe!! I recommend it for sure!

Thanks to Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Not really sure if this recipe actually is a Mrs. Fields original, but that's what's been typed up in our family cookbook, and it's been that way for as long as I can remember)

Mix:

1 ½ cup sugar

2 cups brown sugar

Add and beat for two min:

1 lb. softened butter/ margarine (I usually use Imperial Margerine, but my mom uses real butter ... just make sure it's softened and not melted!)

Add:

3 eggs

2 TBL vanilla (use the good stuff ... it makes such a difference)

Add and beat for 5 min.:

6 cups flour

1 ½ tsp soda

1 ½ tsp salt

Fold in 1 11.5 oz bag of chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard Real Milk Chocolate Chips)

Drop onto cookie sheet. Bake@ 350 until done. (Time varies by oven. The recipe says 7-10 minutes, but I have always ended up baking for 11-12 minutes. Apply common sense here.) Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies.

Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are a great, in a pinch, need a dessert/pick-me-up recipe.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Cake Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dana Howes

1 Cake mix (chocolate or cherry chip ***I prefer chocolate***)

¼ cup flour

½ cup oil

1 egg

¼ cup water

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients except chips. Fold chips in. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will not look done, do not over bake.

Cornbread and Andouille Dressing

Since Thanksgiving is around the corner ... and my assignment is typically stuffing ... thought I'd share with you the recipe for just about the best stuffing ever ... in my opinion.

2 tsp butter

½ lb andouille or other sausage, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1 tbsp minced garlic

Basic Cornbread

3 slices white bread, torn into ½ inch pieces

½ cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

pinch of cayenne

2 eggs, beaten

1 – 2 cups chicken stock as needed

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl to cool.

With fingers, crumble corn bread into the bowl, add bread, green onions, parsley, and thyme. Mix well. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, mix well. Add enough broth, ½ cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy.

Transfer to casserole dish and cover. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Basic Cornbread

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400, grease 9-inch pan.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and sir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to mixture, stir well to blend. Pour cornmeal batter into dish and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from over and let cool before serving.

adapted from Emeril

Pesto & Chicken Calzone

Pesto

Ingredients:

2 Cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 Cup parmesan cheese

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tsp Minced garlic or 1 garlic clove

Put all ingredients in the blender (or magic bullet :))

To make individual serving sizes I froze the Pesto in an ice tray.
For the calzone use the recipe found on the previous post here.

For the ingredients inside the calzone, I just grilled some chicken and added pepper and garlic salt.
Put together the calzones, spread the pesto
tasty chicken & cheese (I only had Monterey Jack and it tasted great)

Then after you pinch the edges glaze the top of the calzones with egg whites and add some grated parmesan cheese on top.
Bake at 350 until the top is golden brown.

These were very delicious. Jeff and I loved them!! They are pretty easy, especially if you already have the pesto made up. The dough is wonderful and is easy to make. We highly recommend them!!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)
1/3 cup vegetable oil*
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar**
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350*.

Mix flour and b.p. Set aside. Mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, spice, 1 ¼ cups sugar, b.s., and salt. Combine with flour mixture. In small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Divide batter evenly among 12 paper-lined muffins. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

These are pretty much my new favorite Fall treat. I love them, and they are a big hit with everyone that has had them!! I highly recommend them!! You shan't be disappointed.

The Best Chicken Fajitas

This hot summer weather put me in the mood for something fresh and light. These fajitas hit the spot. I LOVED them ... and so did the kids - amazing! My personal variations include using whole wheat tortillas, fresh avocados (vs. guacamole), smaller cut mushrooms - for the kids sake, reduced sodium soy sauce (pointless because you add salt anyway), and chicken breast tenderloins. Anyway, give it a try, it's delicious!

The Best Chicken Fajitas (courtesy of www.melskitchencafe.com)

Printable Version

Printable Version with Picture

*Serves 4-5

*Note: liquid smoke may seem like an unnecessary, optional ingredient but I promise it adds an irreplaceable flavor and smokiness – I keep a bottle of liquid smoke on hand in the refrigerator just to make these fajitas.

Marinade:

¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar

2 easpoons soy sauce

½ teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Fajitas:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)

1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

1 red (or orange) pepper, cut into thin strips

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon fresh lime juice (a quick squeeze of a cut lime)

dash of salt and pepper

Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the top. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

After marinading, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 4-5 minutes per side (I use my indoor grill pan usually). Remove from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still crisp tender. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal and toss with the vegetables in the skillet. Serve immediately with flour tortillas and top with tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, cheese, sour cream…the options are endless!