Vanilla Sponge Cakes with Filling

I wasn't sure how these were going to turn out since I didn't have a rectangular pan.  I made cupcakes instead.  These were kid tested and approved, so it got a smiley face.

Vanilla Sponge Cakes with Filling

Recipe came out of either Woman's Day or Family Circle

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup water

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour pan and set aside(I use cooking spray).

2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl.  Whisk to blend.  Heat water and butter in a small sauce pan until the water just boils and the butter melts.  Remove from heat.

3. Beat the eggs with electric mixer on high for 2 minutes.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until thick and golden, 4 to 5 minutes longer.  Fold in the flour mixture until just blended.  Add the water and melted butter stir until just blended.

4. Divide half the batter evenly among the prepared pan indents.

5.  Bake until cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 to 17 minutes.  Invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely.

FILLING:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 to 2 tablespoon milk

1. Beat butter in medium size bowl until light and fluffy.  gradually add confectioners sugar.  Add 1 tablespoon milk and beat 5 minutes until almost white and light.  Add extra milk if filling is too stiff..  Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip.  Remove cakes from pan.  Insert the tip of the pastry bag in center of the flat side and squeeze.Repeat for the remaining cakes.



Kisses Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are really neat.  I've never made cookies where I had to hide candy inside.  I thought that the kisses would make a melty center, but the Kisses stayed pretty much in one piece.  These are very rich, but sooo good.  Here's the recipe:

Kisses Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by: Hershey's

48 Hershey Kisses unwrapped

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup Hershey's mini semi sweet chocolate chips (I use Nestle Toll House Instead)

1 tsp. shortening

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended.  Beat in flour.  Stir in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Mold scant tablespoon dough around each Hershey's Kisses, covering completely.  Shape into balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

2.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set.  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely.

3.  Melt remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and shortening; drizzle over each cookie.  Makes 4 dozen.

All-American Burger Recipe

This is what I fixed for dinner.  It was good another one with a smiley face yay!

All-American Burger Recipe

This recipe is either by French's or Tennessee Pride

1lb. Tennessee Pride Real Country Sausage any flavor

2lbs ground beef (we used ground turkey)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced or 1/2 onion, minced optional

MIX: all ingredients; shape into burgers.

GRILL: 15 minutes until cooked in center.

SPLASH: on more Worcestershire sauce to taste.



Andes Grasshopper Cake

This cake for my GA (girls in action) fund raiser for tomorrow night.  Just one of the things I will be baking for the sale.

Andes Grasshopper Cake

This recipe is by Andes creme de Menthe Thins

1 devil food cake mix

water

vegetable oil

eggs

16oz non-dairy whipped topping

1 package 8oz cream cheese, softened

1pkg Andes Creme de Menthe Thins

CAKE: Follow the package directions of your favorite devil food cake mix.  Bake as directed for 2 8 or 9 inch layers.  Cool cakes thoroughly before frosting (about 40 minutes).  Meanwhile, with a vegetable peeler shave along side of each Andes mint lengthwise to equal 1/2 cup of curls.  (It is common to shave only have of the mint before it breaks).  Set aside curls for sprinkling on top of assembled cake.  Chop broken pieces and reserve for use in frosting (about 1/3 cup).

FROSTING: In a large mixing bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth then lower the speed and slowly mix in the non-dairy whipped topping with the cream cheese.  Fold the pieces of Andes Creme de Menthe in the cream mixture.  Place one cake layer on a serving plate; top with half the frosting and spread evenly.  Place second layer on top and use remaining frosting to top the cake.  Sprinkle top with Andes Creme de Menthe curls.  Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away.

Zesty and Tender Steak and Milk chocolate Tres Leches Cake

I don't have a picture for the Zesty and Tender Steak, but it got a smiley face and my daughter asked for seconds.  Thank goodness I fixed extra.  Here's the recipe...

Zesty and Tender Steak

Recipe by: French's

1 cup extra tenderizing Worcestershire sauce

2lbs top round steak

4 tsp. steak seasoning

MARINATE: steak in Worcestershire sauce.  Drain and season.

BROIL: or grill steak about 15 minutes for medium rare

SLICE: steak and splash with more Worcestershire sauce.

Now, for the Milk Chocolate Tres Leches Cake.  I made this to bring to church for our Wednesday night dinner.  My husband who hardly ever eats sweets got a piece and he felt as I did, that it wasn't as moist as we thought it would be, but I think that had a lot to do with me.  I might not have poked enough holes in it.  A lot of other people said it was good.  So here is the recipe and the picture.

Milk Chocolate Tres Leces Cake

Recipe by: Hershey's (I think)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups cake flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Tres Leches Glaze

Cream Topping

Hershey kisses

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13x9x2 inch baking pan (I used cooking spray and the cake was easy to plop out).

2. Beat butter until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in sugar, continuing to beat about 1 minute.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in vanilla.  Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Gradually blend flour mixture into butter mixture, mixing just until blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes.  With skewer or fork pierce the entire top part of the cake.  PREPARE: TRES LECHES GLAZE: reserve 1 1/2 cups of glaze; pour remaining glaze over cake.  Cover; refrigerate cake and remaining glaze overnight.  (Cake will absorb most of the glaze and will be very wet).

4.  Prepare cream topping.  Spread over cake, refrigerate until ready to serve.  To serve, pour 1 to 2 tbsps of the reserved glaze on to bottom of each individual dessert dish.  Place piece (slice )cake on this glaze.  Garnish with Hershey's Kisses, if desired.  Cover refrigerate leftovers.  Makes 12 to 16 servings.

TRES LECHES GLAZE:  stir together 2 cans (14oz each) sweetened condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, 1 cup heavy cream and 3/4 cup Hershey's syrup. 

CREAM TOPPING: beat 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1tsp vanilla extract until stiff.

Szechwan Shrimp and Mango

Szechwan Shrimp and Mango

Szechwan Shrimp and Mango
     This recipe came from a magazine.  I made a few changes to this recipe. 
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (I added water instead)
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon szechwan chili sauce (I used to teaspoons of szechwan seasoning mix)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red sweet pepper
1/2 cup fresh mango chunks
Marinate 1lb peeled, devined shrimp in the refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes (I skipped this part to since there is no gas for the grill and decided to cook the shrimp and all the ingredients in a pan with the marinade.) Drain and reserve marinade/  On four 12 inch skewers, thread shrimp with sweet pepper cut into 1 inch pieces ( I used green bell pepper instead), mango chunks and 2 green onions bias sliced 1 inch pieces.  grill kabobs 6 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, turning once halfway through and brushing with marinade.

Polynesian Meatballs, Ham and Swiss Roll Ups and Basic Cookie Dough

                  Polynesian Meatballs

   This recipe is from Minute Rice (I think)

   Bake time: 30 minutes

1 20ounce can crushed pineapple, divided
1 pkg. 20 ounce ground turkey or chicken
2 cups of MINUTE brown rice (IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE YOU USE MINUTE RICE: REGULAR BROWN RICE WILL NOT COME OUT COOKED)
3/4 cup green onions, divided
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tbsp orange marmalade

PREHEAT: oven to 350 degrees.

DRAIN: 1/2 cup crushed pineapple for meatballs.  Reserve remaining pineapple and juice for sauce. 

COMBINE: ground turkey or chicken, rice, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup green onion, 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, egg, ginger and nutmeg in large bowl; mix well.

SCOOP: mixture and gently roll into desired meatball size; place meatballs on aluminum lined baking sheet with sides.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until meatballs are done.

WHILE: meatballs are baking, to make sauce, combine remaining pineapple and juice, remaining 1/4 teriyaki sauce and orange marmalade in medium sauce pan; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1/4 cup green onions.

TOP: cooked meatballs with sauce.  Serves 6 to 8.



     Baked Ham and Swiss Roll-Ups
This recipe I really didn't use.  I kinda did it my way and it turned out good it was perfect for lunch.
I used crescent rolls, deli Virgina baked ham, Swiss cheese, and onions.  I placed one piece of ham rolled it up, then wrapped a piece of Swiss around that, then wrapped another piece of ham around that, added a few onions and rolled up the crescent roll.  They were done as the package directed (for the crescent rolls).



Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

I am not sure where this recipe came from.

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

ONE: In a large bowl beat the butter with electric mixture medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking soda and salt, beat until combines.

TWO: Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much flour as you can with electric mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.

THREE: Divide dough in half and chill for 2 hours (I was able to make cut out cookies without refrigerating).  Roll on lightly floured area and cut into desired shapes bake to a golden brown. 

For some reason I didn't put the time on it so for the cookies I made this afternoon I tried with 12 minutes, they were a little too golden so I tried the next batch at 10 minutes and they turned out perfect!



Fondant topped.                                                                                 Frosting Drizzle!