White Chip Pound Cake

Note:  We have a lot of things going and tons of company planned for the month of May.   To prepare I am doing some baking and putting it in the freezer so I will be prepared.    This cake is delicious by itself or served with some fruit on top.

White Chip Pound Cake

Directions
1 yellow cake mix (she uses the butter recipe and so did I)
3 eggs
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1 (3.5 ounce) small vanilla pudding mix
1 package white chocolate chips

Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together leaving out the white chocolate chips. Gently fold in the chips.  Spray your bundt pan really well with PAM.  Bake for 50-55 minutes. Remove from pan after it has cooled for about 10-15 minutes.

Nacho Pie

Note:  Sandwiches get old when you eat lunch at home every day.   Being the "lunch lady" for my boys means that we have to be a little creative to fight the monotony.  

Nacho Pie

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1-1/2 cups crushed nacho tortilla chips, divided
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream 
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
salsa 


Directions
 In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and 1/4 water.   Remove from heat.   Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in a greased 9-in. pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides to form a crust; seal perforations.   Sprinkle 1 cup chips over crust. Top with meat mixture. Carefully spread sour cream over meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining chips. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

For lunch servings - Use ramekins to create individual servings.  

Carrot Cake

Note:   Something about Spring and Easter that makes me think carrot cake.    I would not rate carrot cake as my favorite, but there is something about it that I really enjoy once or twice a year.    This recipe is simple, but the results are very good.   

Carrot Cake

Ingredients
1 Box Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 can (8oz) crushed Pineapple, with juice drained out
3/4 cup finely shredded carrots

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, eggs, oil & pineapple for about 2 minutes on low speed.  Stir in the carrots.  Pour mix into desired pans sprayed with cooking spray.     Be sure to test for doneness about 5-10 minutes before the box suggested cook finish time.

Best Carrot Cake Icing

Ingredients
3-4 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened (just use the butter...margarine if you must, but go on...use the butter!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
in reserve:  1-2 tablespoons of milk to add only if you need to make your frosting less thick

Direcctions
Cream the butter & cream cheese with a mixer.  Add 1-2 cups of sugar to the butter mixture until combined. Add the vanilla and mix.  Finally, start adding remaining sugar (& milk if needed) until you reach the taste and consistency desired. 

Will you need all of this icing for your cake?   Probably not.   So plan on making some cupcakes for the kids who probably won't want carrot cake.   More for you!!

Buttermilk Syrup

Note:  Christmas Eve is a breakfast kind of night for us.    Pancakes, eggs, cheesy grits, bacon and a roaring fire (if the weather cooperates).     When you are enjoying all your favorites, you really need homemade syrup too!

 

Buttermilk Syrup

Ingredients
2 T. butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 t. light corn syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla extract

Directions
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, boil all ingredients except vanilla for one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Cover and store in refrigerator.  Makes about one cup.

Crockpot Candy

Note:   Hubs asked me to make treats for the guys who work for him.    Crockpot candy makes a lot plus it is a crowd pleaser.   Most of all it is EASY!

Crockpot Candy

Ingredients
2 lbs salted dry-roasted peanuts
4 oz German's sweet chocolated
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 lb white almond bark

Directions
Layer ingredients in the crockpot starting with the peanuts and ending with the almond bark.   Do not stir.   Put the lid on.   Turn the crockpot on low and leave for 3 hours.    Stir really well with wooden spoon.  Drop into cupcake liners.    I prefer the mini-cupcake liners.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:

For the Cinnamon Filling...In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix until smooth:
1 stick softened butter, almost melty
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 T. cinnamon

Using a rubber spatula to scrape the sides, pour this mixture into a large pastry bag that had been opened and stood up in a tall tumbler. A large ziptop bag with the edges folded over the tumbler would work too.

For the Icing...
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 T. milk

Mix until smooth and pour into a second pastry bag just like you did with the cinnamon mixture above.

For the Pancakes...
In the same bowl that you used for the filling and the icing- no need to be using or washing too many bowls now- mix together:

Let's make this easy!! Use any pancake mix you desire.

Preparation:

In a large non-stick skillet, over medium to medium-low heat, and using a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup, ladle 2 pancakes. Snip the tip off the pastry bag containing the cinnamon filling so that the opening is a scant 1/2 inch wide, swirl over cooking pancakes in a circular motion- 3 go-a-rounds should do. Continue to cook the pancakes until bubbles form evenly through each cake.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Note:  Breakfast is delicious any meal of the day!    We are going to have the college kids over from our church for a pancake supper soon.   I think we will make it extra special with a few wonderful pancake recipes.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.