Spinach & Sage Dressing

This little side dish here is one of my favorites. The flavors go so well together. I love the savory flavor of the sage with the onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Dressing does not need to be a holiday exclusive dish! I like to prepare this dish year round. And, as you know, dressing from a box just isn't the same.

This recipe started as the filling for my stuffed mushrooms. Then, over the years, it's morphed into its own dish which I serve either alone as a side dish or use as a stuffing. You can roll it up in a pork tenderloin or stuff it in the center of a chicken breast. I'm telling you, this is some good stuff!

Spinach and Sage Dressing
Yield: 4 side servings or enough to stuff one pork tenderloin

3 TBS butter
1 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cup diced mushroom
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz fresh spinach, chopped
1 TBS ground sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup ground Parmesan
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Melt the butter in a saute pan. Saute the onions and mushrooms over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook one minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the spinach, stirring to wilt. Add the sage, salt, and Parmesan, stirring to mix. Lastly, add the bread crumbs, stirring to moisten. Serve immediately as a side dish or let cool before stuffing into pork loin or chicken breasts.

Chocolate Cupcakes

To watch this Video-Recipe please click HERE!!

Hi everyone! Today's recipe is another Halloween idea, but it can be used for any other time of the year as well,  I'm going to be showing you how to make "Chocolate Cupcakes",  these are delicious, they came out so good, they reminded me of  one of my favorite Mexican treats "Pinguinos Marinela" Pinguinos are a very famous, soft and chocolaty Chocolate cupcakes filled with whipped cream,  of course my version is not filled with cream, but the bread part of the cupcake tasted almost the same! They melted in my mouth, they were so soft and moist! if you like sweets and chocolate, you should definitely give these a try!

Makes 18 cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 2¼ cups of cake flour
• 3 oz of unsweetened chocolate
• 1 stick of unsalted butter soften
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2¼ cups of light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup of boiling water

Chocolate Icing Ingredients:
2  stick of unsalted butter
½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup plus 2  tablespoons of heavy whipping cream

For decoration:
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)
Red Sugar (optional)
Halloween Pumpkin Sprinkles (optional)
(in the picture above, I also used Pre-made Orange Icing)

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Melt the chocolate. (you can melt in the microwave or in a double boiler.) Set aside until ready to use it

Sift the flour, also sift in 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt, stir together and set aside until ready to use.

In an electric mixer blend 1 stick of butter on medium speed  for 1 or 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.  Add in the Light brown sugar, blend until well combined.  Reduce the speed to low, add the eggs one at a time. (Blend each egg for 30 seconds before adding the next one.) Continue to blend on high for 5 minutes. (These 5 minutes of blending are very important to get a super soft and moist cupcake, so do not blend for less than 5 minutes! )

After 5 minutes, you should have a very creamy, and soft texture, almost like a Mousse.
Reduce the speed and add in the Vanilla extract, followed by the melted chocolate, blend for 2 more minutes on high. Reduce the speed again, add a third of the flour mixture, then add half the sour cream, blend for 30 seconds. Add the second third of the flour, followed by the rest of the sour cream, blend again for 30 seconds, and finally add the rest of the flour. Blend on medium speed for 1 more minute or until well combined. Reduce the speed to low, and add in ½ cup of boiling water, blend until everything is incorporated.  Pour batter into your cupcake pan and bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes or until cooked.

Let them cool completely before  decorating them.

To make the Chocolate Icing:

In an electric mixer blend 1 stick of butter for 2 minutes on high or until soft and creamy. Reduce the speed, Add in the vanilla extract, and cocoa powder, mix well until incorporated, scrape down the sides,  add in the powdered sugar, and half the heavy whipping cream, mix for 2 minutes on high or until all the ingredients are well incorporated, then add the rest of heavy cream and continue to mix for 3 minutes on high or until you get a creamy and fluffy consistency.

Decorate the cupcakes any way you like.
I used a Pastry Bag, I began decorating right in the middle of the cupcake, going outwards to the outer edge of the cupcake.  Or you can start decorating around the edges and go inwards all the way to the center of the cupcake. To finish, sprinkle with some chocolate sprinkles and colored sugar.

Enjoy!

Hamburger Buns

We are moved in! Well, everything is in here anyways. We still have a lot of stuff to put away... and a lot of stuff that still needs to find a home. This townhouse living is challenging! We're definitely going to have to get a storage unit. Yup, those three dish pack boxes full of mason jars will not be able to live with me this go around. So sad. Fortunately, despite still having a ways to go on being truly "moved in," my kitchen is unpacked, put away, and usable. I've been having a great time getting back into the kitchen making stuff I haven't really been able to make for the last two-plus months.

Today and tomorrow my husband gets off from work due to the storm, so we are trying to find a balance between getting things done and enjoying a little down time. I thought a little baking was in order. My husband's been hankering for cheeseburgers, but since I neglected to get buns when I was at the grocery last, I decided to making them for the first time. Wow! They were delicious and, really, quite simple to make. The dough is so easy to work with and they puff up beautifully in the oven. I highly recommend this recipe. Kudo's to the folks at King Arthur's Flour for making such a great recipe available to all!

The first step is to simply mix all the ingredients for the dough together and mix/knead until the dough comes together and is smooth and supple, about five minutes. The dough is then placed in an oiled bowl and covered to allow it to rise until it is double in volume, one to two hours. You know it's ready when you give it a gentle poke and the hole remains.

Dump the dough out and divide it into eight even pieces. This was easiest to accomplish with a kitchen scale. I weighed the total amount of dough and then divided that weight by eight. I then cut each piece until it was the appropriate size, in this case 111 grams.

Take each piece and smoosh it flat on the counter to degas it.

Then bring up the sides and pinch them together. Continue doing this, pulling the dough taunt to form a nice, smooth ball. You are pinching the dough together on the bottom of the future bun. This dough is so nice to work with; the dough pinches together easily and cleanly.

When finished, each piece should look smooth and make a nice round ball.

Place each ball on a parchment lined baking sheet. Eight will fit in a somewhat staggered fashion on an 11x17 inch baking sheet. Press each ball flat using a measuring cup or similar device. To keep the cup from sticking to the dough, lubricate it with a little bit of oil first. Press the dough flat until it is about three to four inches across.

Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap to keep the buns from drying out. Let rise for an hour or so, until nicely puffed.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and once it is ready, remove the plastic wrap and brush the tops of the buns with egg white wash. You could brush them with butter, but I found the egg white wash produced superior results. If you want, you can toss sesame seeds on at this point. The egg wash will help them to stick to the bun as it bakes.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until gorgeously golden. Remove and let cool before slicing and using or freezing.

Just a moment ago, I mentioned that I found the egg white wash superior to simply brushing the bun with butter. In this picture, the butter bun is on the right while the egg wash bun is on the left. The egg wash produces a bun that is beautifully golden and shiny. Once the buns come out of the oven, I do brush them all with butter because it helps to keep the top of the bun soft and glossy. As you might imagine, these homemade buns are more dense than the store bought kind, but they have such a wonderful flavor, you'll never regret the change!

Hamburger Buns
Yield: 8 4-inch buns
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup warm water
2 TBS melted butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS instant yeast
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Mix all ingredients together and knead until the dough comes together and is soft and smooth, about five minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and cover; let rise for about an hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide into eight even pieces. A scale is the most accurate way to accomplish this task. Taking each portion of dough in turn, press it flat against the counter to degas the dough. Then pull up the edges and pinch together in the middle to form a nice, smooth ball of dough. Place seam side down on a parchment lined 11x17 inch baking sheet. To fit all eight, the buns will need to be staggered slightly. Oil the bottom of a flat measuring cup or similar to press each dough ball flat into a 3-4 inch diameter circle. Cover the buns with plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour, until they are nicely puffed.

Once the buns are about finished rising, preheat the oven. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the top of each bun with a wash of egg white. Add sesame seeds, if desired. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the buns are beautifully golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing and using or freezing.

Chocolate Cookies for Halloween

To watch this Video-Recipe click HERE!!

Hi everyone, today's recipe is another Halloween idea, I hope you like it! These delicious Chocolate cookies are perfect to make with your children, so if you got any children at home, let them have fun in the kitchen, decorating these beautiful cookies!

Makes 2 dozens
Ingredients:

• 1½ cups of all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
• 1½ sticks of unsalted butter soften (3/4 cups)
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

You will also need:

• Halloween Cookie Cutters
• Black, Orange and Green Icing (Use your favorite colors) (you can buy it at most grocery stores)
• Chocolate Sprinkles (optional)
• Red Sugar (optional)
• Pumpkin Sprinkles  (optional)
• Black and white Decorating Gels (use your favorite colors)(you can buy it at most grocery stores)

Preparation:
Melt the semisweet chocolate chips. (you can melt them in the microwave or in a double boiler)

Mix the flour with ¼ teaspoon of salt, mix well and set aside for a minute.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter for about 1 or 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.  Scrape down the sides and add in the melted chocolate, continue to blend on medium speed for 1 more minute or until well combined. Add in 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 large egg, mix well for another minute and add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened Cocoa Powder, blend for 30 seconds, then add in half the powdered sugar, blend for 30 more seconds and add the rest of the sugar. Continue to mix on medium-high for 2 more minutes or until all the ingredients are well incorporated and have a nice and smooth creamy texture.

Scrape down the sides, reduce the speed to low, and slowly add in the flour.  Continue to mix on low speed until all the ingredients are well incorporated into a soft dough.

Cover the dough with some parchment paper and refrigerate for 1 hour before using it.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Place the dough on a floured surface, sprinkle some  flour over the dough, to prevent it from sticking to your rolling pin, and roll it out to a ¼in thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place them on a baking sheet and bake the cookies at 350ºF for 12-15 or until they are done.

Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them.

Decorate your cookies any way you want,  just be creative and have fun with the design.






Spread some of the icing over the cookie, smooth it out on an even layer and you can either top it with chocolate sprinkles, colored sugar, Halloween sprinkles or make a beautiful design with the decorating gels! 

 

Enjoy!!!

Grandma Heninger's Banana Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Mom was here staying with us and Seth's favorite treat is PIE! I had told him my mom makes the best and he dared to say otherwise! So we put her to the test! And it was AMAZING!!! As we all know, it is the best banana pie!

3c milk (2% is best to prevent a runny pie)
2/3c sugar
1/3c corn starch
dash of salt
2 eggs
1 T butter
1 t vanilla

bananas
whipped cream

Mix dry ingredients together then slowly add milk. Mix well. Cook over medium heat to boil. Beat eggs in separate bowl. Then slowly add a small amount of the hot mixture into eggs and mix to prevent from cooking. Then return egg mixture to pan and bring to just a boil stirring always. This burns easily. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool in fridge with plastic wrap touching surface to prevent a film. Add cut bananas after cooled and pour into baked pie crust. Top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

*I felt like there was enough filling for two pies, depending on size of crust!

Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

Its no secret that I love breakfast food and I definitely have my favorite recipe for waffles.  However, I'm always up for trying something new.  In this case, I'm so glad I did.  I might be adding cinnamon to waffles from here on out.  We served this with maple syrup, fresh whipped cream and bananas.  So delicious.

courtesy

Cinnamon Belgian Waffles

Recipe from allrecipes.com

2 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 Tbs. white sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pinch ground cinnamon (add more if you prefer)

Preheat your waffle iron.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, buttermilk, and butter until well blended.  Whisk in all dry ingredients- don't overmix.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff.  Fold gently into the waffle batter.  Cook batter in waffle maker until steam subsides.  This makes about 3 large waffles- so if you are cooking for a crowd, I would definitely double the recipe.

Halloween Mini Pizzas

To watch this Video-Recipe please click HERE!!

Hi everyone! Today's recipe is another Halloween idea, another Halloween Pizza! I just love pizzas, they are one of the easiest and more versatile dishes out there, they are also perfect for any kind of party; easy to make, budget friendly, you can make them in advance, can be eaten warm or cold, so after you bake them, dinner is ready and  you can go ahead and enjoy the party, and the guests can serve themselves!

So yes, Spooky pizzas are a great dish for a Halloween Party! For this recipe I will be making my own pizza crust, but feel free to go buy your favorite pizza crust at the grocery store! It will save you a lot of time...

But if you are willing to make your own pizza, you can make it the night before, and just keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.  And even better, this crust can be frozen for up to 2 weeks!

Ingredients: (makes 8 5½in pizzas)
(For the Pizza crust)

• 3½ cups of all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of warm water plus (115ºF)
• 1 package of quick rise Yeast
• ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

Ingredients to make (top) the pizzas:

• 1 14oz jar of your favorite Pizza Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• 16-24 cheese slices cut into ghost shapes (2-3 slices per pizza) (cut with a cookie cutter, I'm using White Cheddar Cheese, you can you Havarti, or any other white cheese you like)
• 8-10 slices of bacon cut into Bat shapes (cut with a cookie cutter)
• Black or Green Olives for garnish.

To make the crust: Combine 1 cup or warm water with 1pack. of Quick Rise Yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt, mix well until the yeast and sugar have dissolved. Then add in ½ tablespoon of Extra virgin Olive oil. Mix well and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Combine the flour with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan Cheese, ½ teaspoon of Garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Stir together until well combined and set aside until ready to use.

After 10 minutes or so.  Slowly combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture. Knead until you get a soft and elastic dough; if the dough seems too dry, feel free to add up to 4 more tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time. after you get the desire texture, (a very soft, non-sticky dough,) continue to knead for 2 more minutes. Then  place the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour.

Just before you start building the pizzas, preheat the oven to 450ºF.

Cook the bacon in a 400ºF oven for 8-10 minutes or until brown.

Mix 1 tablespoon of extra virgen olive oil with a ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, mix well and set aside for a minute.

After an hour or so,  the dough should be ready to roll out.  Place the dough on a floured surface and punch it a couple of times, just to get rid of any excess air that might be in the dough.  Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness.  And using a circular cutter, cut the pizza circles.

Brush each circle with the Olive oil mixture and sprinkle each circle with about ½ tablespoon of Parmesan Cheese.  (For super Crispy Pizza dough, bake these for 5 minutes in a 450ºF oven, before adding the tomato sauce!)

Top the circles with the tomato sauce, you want to add plenty of the tomato sauce to each pizza. I added about 2½ tablespoons to each circle. Then top the circles with the Cheese figures, place them right in the middle of each circle, you want to add 2 or 3 slices of cheese per pizza, to make sure the figure holds its form while in the oven. If you only add 1 slice, the cheese will melt before the crust is completely cooked and the figure will disappear  right into the tomato sauce without holding its shape.

Garnish with the bacon, and sliced olives.  Use the olives to create the eyes and the mouth of your ghost.  Bake at 450ºF for 10-12 minutes.

The crust will cook in 8 minutes. You want to remove the pizzas from the oven just after the crust is cooked and the cheese has melted. if you leave them in the oven for too long, the ghost will melt away, and the figure wont be very visible at all.
Thanks it, Enjoy! 

Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

I made these for a party a couple of weeks ago and I LOVED them.  They are very rich and delicious- but also a little more fussy than a regular cookie because your'e making two different cookie toppings.  It was worth it, trust me.

courtesy

Grasshopper Mint Cookies
From Six Sisters Stuff

Cookie bottom:
1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs together (don't follow directions on back of cake mix).  Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes (do NOT overcook).  Let cool completely.

Peppermint Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 Tbs. milk
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. peppermint extract
Green food coloring (I added about 8 drops to get a good color)

Mix together all the ingredients- adjust for desired consistency.  Spread on top of each cooled cookie.

Chocolate topping:
2 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a double boiler or microwave (for 30-second intervals, stir and repeat until fully melted).  Spread melted chocolate on each cookie using the back of a spoon to smooth.

Copycat Cafe Rio Chicken Tortilla Soup

pic courtesy of Favorite Family Recipes

Oh. My. Goodness. This is SO good and almost identical (if not completely identical) to Cafe Rio's soup. It's so fresh and hearty. Christian hasn't raved about dinner this much in a long, long time.

Copycat Cafe Rio Chicken Tortilla Soup
adapted from Favorite Family Recipes 

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• a dash (or two) cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 5 c. chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime
• pepper, to taste
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• vegetable oil (to taste)
• pico de gallo or your favorite fresh salsa (I used Jack's salsa)
• 2-3 avocados, diced
• 2 c. pepper jack cheese
• tortilla strips
• cilantro (for garnish)
• lime wedges (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a small skillet, saute onion in 1 Tbsp. oil until onions become slightly soft. Stir in cumin, cayenne, and chili powder and saute an additional minute or two.
• Transfer seasoned onions to a small crock pot (or medium-sized saucepan). Add chicken broth, cliantro, lime juice, pepper and pinto beans to onions and simmer on low-heat for at least 2-3 hours.
• In the meantime (when you are close to serving), combine taco seasoning and paprika. Brush chicken with oil and rub with taco seasoning/paprika mixture. Grill chicken over medium-heat until cooked through (try to turn only once during the grilling process). After cooking on one side, flip chicken, add small amount of water to pan and cover. Remove from grill. Let rest for 10 minutes and shred.
• In individual bowls layer chicken, about 1/3 c. pico de gallo or salsa, 1/3 c. diced avocado, and 1/3 c. pepper jack cheese. Ladle about 1 cup of chicken broth directly over the layers. Top with tortilla strips and garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges, if desired.

 

Simple Shredded Chicken

Pic courtesy of Mels Kitchen Cafe

I have used this method of cooking chicken twice now and it's now going to be the only way I cook chicken because it is THAT good. Chicken just pulls apart (almost crockpot-like) and it's yummy and so easy.

Simple Shredded Chicken
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

*Makes 3-4 cups of cooked, shredded chicken
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (about 2 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
DIRECTIONS:
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chicken top-side down in the hot skillet and let the chicken cook for 5 minutes until golden brown on top. Flip the chicken, add the water or chicken broth, cover the skillet and let the chicken simmer gently over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (it will register 160 degrees on a thermometer). Don’t overcook or it might be dry. While the chicken is simmering, add additional water 1/4 cup at a time if the liquid evaporates too quickly. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Let it cool slightly before shredding. The cooked chicken will keep well-covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months. 

Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips

Pic courtesy Mel's Kitchen Cafe

I have been pinning everything from Mel's Kitchen Cafe lately. She's my favorite food blogger and pretty much everything I have tried from her blog has turned out great. And, this is no exception. I ate almost the whole pan myself, and I'm only partly embarrassed to admit that. Anyway, I followed her "low fat" option on these by subbing applesauce for half of the butter and it made it so moist and yummy, but not as rich and dense as I imagine butter would have made it (It was more like a cake than a brownie). But, it was so yummy and pumpkin-y.

Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips
adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

*Note: I adapted the original recipe so that I could sub out half the butter for applesauce. Yay for the cut in calories! By doing this, the bars become slightly more cakey than brownie-like so if you want the denser texture, use 2 sticks of butter and omit the applesauce instead. Also, if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, I’ve included a DIY below the recipe (for this recipe, triple the DIY amounts to get the 1 tablespoon called for in the recipe).

*Makes 9X13-pan of bars

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on each long side so the bars can be easily pulled out of the pan once they are done baking and cooling.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream the butter, applesauce, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled – that’s completely fine!
Mix in the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before lifting the bars out of the pan, cutting into squares and serving.

*For a homemade pumpkin pie spice mix use the following, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together for the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.

Vegetarian Quesadilla (Mushroom and Black Beans)

To watch this Video-Recipe click HERE!!

Hi everyone! Today's recipe is another vegetarian recipe: "Mushroom and Black Beans Quesadilla", even if you are a meat lover, you wont regret giving this recipe a try,  I never thought mushrooms and black beans would work together, but they do make a terrific combination this super easy dish is perfect for lunch, dinner and even breakfast.  It is full of flavor and it is also rich in  antioxidants, fiber and protein!

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:

• 1 14oz can Black Beans
• 2  cups  Sliced Mushrooms
• ½ cup chopped Tomatoes
• ½ cup chopped Onions
• ½ cup chopped Bell Peppers
• 1-2 Jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
• 1 minced Garlic clove
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons dry Oregano
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Tortillas (I'm using 9in Whole Wheat Tortillas, but feel free to use any kind-size of tortilla you like)
• 3-4 cups shredded Cheese (I used Cheddar Cheese, you can use  your favorite cheese)

Wash and drain the beans. Season the beans with ½ teaspoon of each: Salt, Black Pepper, and Dry Oregano.  Mix well and set aside for a minute.

In a large skillet, on medium heat,  heat up 1 tablespoon of  Extra virgin Olive Oil, and cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes or until soft. Add in the mushrooms, season with salt to taste, and cook for 3 more minutes or until the mushroom begin to soften. (Add more oil if necessary)

After the mushrooms are somewhat soft, bring in the tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeno peppers, season with salt and black pepper to taste, (I added ½ teaspoon of each); also season with 2 teaspoons of dry Oregano.  Continue to cook for 3 more minutes or until the mushrooms are completely cooked and the peppers have become soft.  Add in the beans, stir together, taste the flavor and add any more seasoning if needed. Cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the beans are heated through and there's no more liquid in the skillet. (The mushroom will release some liquid while cooking)

On a griddle or skillet, heat up the tortillas, top the tortillas with some cheese, then add in some of the mushroom mixture over the cheese, sprinkle with more cheese, and cover with a second tortilla. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until the cheese has melted.   (If you prefer, you can fold your Quesadilla as if it were a taco, add some cheese, top with the mushroom mixture, then fold it like a taco, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.)

Serve with your favorite Salsa and enjoy!

Jana's Corn Dip

This is Jason's absolute favorite dip and he frequently requests it. We love it in the summertime because its so fresh and cool. Its a unique and delicious dip.

Jana's Corn Dip

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1/2 c mayo
3 chopped green onions (cut it all, green and white parts)
1 small can chopped jalapenos undrained
2 cans mexicorn drained (MUST use Mexicorn, chipotle corn is NOT the same)
10 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Combine all ingredients and chill for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Matooz' Rolls

I have never cooked rolls (or even bread for that matter) in my life but I was really craving some yummy homemade rolls so I stole this recipe from my sis-in-law Suzanne's blog. She has made these rolls for lots of family occasions including thanksgiving and christmas and they never disappoint and are requested often. I was nervous to try them because last time I tried baking bread it ended horribly but I'm happy to say these were a success! Even I (the baker) was raving about how good they turned out :) I halved this recipe and got about 2 pans worth of rolls which was plenty for us but it is a great amount if you're cooking for a large group.  Taken from http://www.suzmatooz.blogspot.com/2009/02/for-jo-ive-been-promising-bryans-very.html

My Family's Roll Recipe
In a medium/small bowl combine 2 Tbsp. yeast and 1 Tbsp. Sugar into 1/2 cup warm water. Set in a warm place. The yeast needs time to rise and become active. (maybe 10-15 mins.)

In a large bowl combine:
1 Cup butter (melted)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Boiling Water

Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the ingredients from the first bowl (yeast, etc) to this mixture.

Add: 4 eggs, beaten
1 cup cold water
2 tsp. salt
7 1/2 cups Flour  ( I needed more flour at sea level, dough should be a little shiny and just barely too sticky to roll out)
in the order they are listed and mix with a spoon.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. About 2 to 3 hours before baking remove from fridge and form rolls.

For crescent rolls, divide dough into fourths and roll each part out into circle and spread with melted or softened butter. Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter and roll up each piece, beginning at wide end of triangle.

Cover (we just usually use a clean dish towel) and let rise for 3 hours.

 

Bake at 425 for 8 to 12 minutes. Altitude and humidity seem to affect these a lot, so check them often to see how long it takes where you live! (I barely needed 8 min at sea level)

Greek Style Chicken Pitas

You know what happens in five days? We finally start moving into our new place. I can't tell you how excited I am. Two and a half months in temporary housing is more than enough! I am really starting to miss my stuff. While I miss our king sized bed (two adults and a forty pound dog is a little cramped for a queen sized), fall appropriate clothing (it's getting a bit cool to be wearing summer wear in mid-October), and comfortable furniture (there is not a single chair in this place that doesn't make my butt go numb), what I really miss the most is my kitchen.

Now, I'm not saying I can't cook without all my kitchen gear, but I am quite limited in what types of things I can make. Additionally, it will be nice not to run out of dishes after one meal. Ooooo, and to have enough pots and pans to make all of the dishes in my meal at the same time! What a concept! I've really been sticking with simple stuff here lately. I especially miss having the wherewithal to successfully experiment in the kitchen. Prepare to feast your eyes!!

But, alas... I still have a week of dinners to prepare in this little no nothing kitchen. Fortunately, simple doesn't have to mean boring. This dish, although it's really great with homemade pita bread, can be easily made with store bought in mere minutes. This dish is flavorful and filling. I love the contrast between the tang of the tzatziki, the sweetness of the onions, and the savory flavor of the browned meat.

I like to use diced chicken tenderloin for this dish, but you could use regular chicken breasts as well. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and then add some minced garlic, a sliced onion, oregano, lemon juice, and a tiny bit of olive oil. You'll also want to salt and pepper to taste, but I often do that as I finish the cooking. That way I can be sure I don't overdo it.

Stir all the ingredients together and then let them sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes. This will give the meat a little time to absorb all the flavors. This is a great time to put together the tzatziki. After thirty minutes, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil in the pan and saute the mixture until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Spoon chicken mixture into a pita pocket with tomato slices and the tzatziki. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Greek Style Chicken Pitas
Yield: 4 pita pocket "sandwiches"

1/2 pound diced chicken breast
1 medium onion, sliced
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
tomato slices
2 pita pockets, sliced in half
1 TBS oil, for sauteing

For the tzatziki:
1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and minced cucumber
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the chicken, onion, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and oregano together. Stir to mix and let sit at room temperature for thirty minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the tzatziki ingredients. Stir until well incorporated and set aside. Slice tomatoes and pita bread. After the thirty minutes is up, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and let it heat up before adding the chicken mixture. Saute until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon cooked mixture into pita pockets and add tomato slices and tzatziki. Serve immediately.

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken

Pic courtesy Stick a Fork In It

In food, just as in life, there's the sweet and the savory. Barbecue, for me, is one of those foods that kinda lingers between the two. It's so sweet but savory at the same time (at least the way I like it)! There's really not much better- whether it's a nice steak or a yummy ice cream sundae. I could literally eat it for a week straight. That being said, here's another BBQ crockpot recipe that I made a couple days ago that we loved. I made mashed potatoes with it and then sprinkled it with cheese. Mmmmm.


Barbecue Crockpot Chicken
from Stick a Fork in It 

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier!)
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 c vinegar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. place chicken in crockpot. pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. Shred if desired.

Creamy Chicken Rigatoni

To watch this Video-Recipe please click HERE!!

Hi Everyone!
Today's recipe is a wonderful dish, full of flavor, creamy, cheesy and simply delicious, perfect for any time of the year.  I hope you like it as much as I did.

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked Rigatoni (Add 1 more cup of pasta to serve up to 5-6 )
• 2 large chicken breasts cut into bite sizes pieces (add 1 more breast to serve 5-6)
• 1 12oz package of frozen broccoli and cauliflower
• 1 10oz can of Cream of Chicken
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• ½ cup chopped onions
• ¼ cup of fresh parsley finely chopped
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup chicken broth or water (add 2/3 cups of broth or water to serve 5-6)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 
• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese (add ¼ cup more of cheese to serve 5-6)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cook the Rigatoni according to direction on the package. ( I usually cook my pasta in boiling water, with salt, 1 garlic clove and splash of olive oil. Cook until Al Dente, drain and set aside.

In a large pan, on high heat,  heat up 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil,  cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes or until brown on all sides. (It doesn't matter if the chicken isn't cooked all they way, you just want to give it a little color, and it will finish cooking later.) Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside for a little bit.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes or until soft and aromatic.  Add in the white wine and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes on medium high, or until the wine is reduce to half.

Once the wine is reduced, add in the cream of chicken and also add in ½ cup of chicken broth or water; stir together,  continue to cook on medium high for about 5 minutes or until heated through,taste the flavor and add any salt and pepper if needed; then add in the frozen vegetable and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add in the chicken, continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Add in the pasta,  season with ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley. Give it one last toss, and that's it, turn off the heat, top the pasta mixture with 2 more tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and serve.

Garnish with more cheese if you want to and fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

Jennefer's Cinnamon Rolls

It was love at first taste with these babies. They are better than ANY homemade cinnamon roll I have ever had. No contest. And they are pretty easy. I don't even look around for recipes any more. I once strayed and tried a cinnabon recipe but went back to this one. Jennefer got it from a friend and I could've sworn it was on the blog because its a staple among all of us. Shocked it wasn't on here!

Ingredients:

1/2 c warm water

1/4 c butter, melted

1/2 (3.4oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding

1 c warm milk

1 egg, room temp.

1 T sugar

1/2 t salt

4 c bread flour (I have always just used regular!)

1 pkg yeast

Put ingredients in bread machine and mix on dough cycle. I don't have a bread machine so I put it in my Bosch and just mix it for about ten minutes. Turn dough onto slightly floured surface and roll into 17x10 rectangle. Spread with 1/4 c softened butter. Combine in a small bowl 1 c brown sugar and 4 t cinnamon. You can add chopped pecans into the mix if desired. Spread evenly over dough. Roll up from long end to long end. Cut into 1inch slices. Mom's tip: use floss or sewing thread to cut...just ease the string under then tie it around and off, slicing the dough. Let rise until double, about 45 minutes. Preheat over to 350. Bake for 12-15 minutes. While rolls bake mix the icing.

Mix the following with beaters:

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 c butter

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

1/8 t salt

Put icing on WHILE ROLLS ARE HOT! Devour.

Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Pic courtesy of the cafe sucre farine

I made this for dinner last night and it was SOOOO delicious! Christian went on and on about what an amazing cook he thinks I am the whole time he was eating (he's a little biased).  I love a good green salad with some fruitiness to it, but then you add the avocados and cilantro and then the nuts...oh my goodness. The nuts were amazing. I also added chicken because we are a meat-eating family:). Another plus is that you can make the nuts ahead of time and store them for lots of different recipes! (I only made 1 cup of nuts and it was plenty.)


Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette
from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Ingredients for the dressing:  (I halved the dressing and it was more than enough)

⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oii
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the salad:
12 ounces baby spinach, arugula, field greens

1/2  small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems
2 medium avocados, peeled and halved
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup Candied Spiced Almonds

 Candied Spiced Almonds (I made one cup of almonds and it was plenty)

Ingredients:

5 cups sliced almonds, or a 1 pound package*
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin*
1-1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika* - some smoked paprikas are quite hot, if you don't like "hot", just use 1 teaspoon and they will be mildly spiced.
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

*The cumin and the smoked paprika give just a hint of mysterious, delicious flavor - even though these are savory spices, these almonds are still wonderful served with sweets like ice cream or yogurt.

Candied Spiced Almonds Directions:
1. Place a large sheet of foil on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray or rub a teaspoon of oil over foil with a paper towel.

2.  Place sugar in a large non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium heat , occasionally tipping and swirling the sugar until it is all melted into a pale golden syrup.

3. Lower heat immediately and add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and all butter is incorporated into the sugar syrup.

4. Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Don't worry if you have some clumps of caramelized sugar - they will melt as you continute to sauté the almonds. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can go from beautiful to burned very quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool.

 

Salad Directions:
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

6 dinner size salads, 8 side salads

White Texas Sheet Cake

Pic Courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything

I made this cake way back in July- for the 4th of July, actually. It was a kind of "Welcome to Texas" for us.:) Just kidding. Anyway, it reminded me so much of that white cake we used to eat at the school cafeteria growing up. I know- not to appetizing, but trust me- it was REALLY good. I could have eaten the whole thing myself.  And, no boxed cake mix necessary!! It came together really easily and was super moist and almond flavored (Need I say more?).

White Texas Sheet Cake

Source: AllRecipes via Life as a Lofthouse
Serves 24

                                                                                                      
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose four
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup milk
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions: 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


In a medium saucepan bring butter and water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl add flour and sugar and mix. Then add in eggs, sour cream, extract, baking soda and salt. Slowly pour in the boiling butter/water mixture. Stir with a spatula until well combined and smooth.  No need to use an electric mixer. Batter will be very thin.

Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Your cake will be flat and not very tall (it's a sheet cake). Cool for about 10 minutes. You still want your cake a little warm when you add the frosting so that it spreads well.

For the frosting: In a large saucepan, combine butter and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, and then stir in the powdered sugar and extract. Stir until smooth and all combined. Spread immediately over warm cake. Decorate cake with sprinkles, if desired.

Vegetarian Tostadas

To watch this Video-Recipe please click HERE!!

Hi Everyone! Today's recipe is a super easy Vegetarian Recipe, full of flavor with lots of delicious goodness, "Cheesy Zucchini Tostadas". Zucchini are low in calories, but are also a great source of Vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. So these delicious Tostadas are not only easy to make, but they are also good for you.  I did add some cheese, but you can use Vegan Cheese to make it even healthier!  Enjoy

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped zucchini (I used green and Yellow Zucchini)
• 1 15oz can of corn kernels
• ½ cup of chopped onions
• ½ cup tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 cup of shredded cheese ( I used a Mexican Blend. You can use Vegan Cheese if desired.)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1-2 teaspoons of dry oregano
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

To serve/Garnish:

• Tostadas  2 per person
• 1 sliced tomato
• 1/4 cup of sliced onions
• Your favorite Salsa
• ½ cup of shredded cheese

In a large skillet on medium heat add  1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and cook the onion for about 3 minutes or until soft. Add in the tomatoes and the garlic, season with about ½ teaspoon of each: salt, ground black pepper and dry oregano; give it a quick stir and cook for about 2 more minutes or until the garlic becomes aromatic.

After 2 minutes or so, add in the zucchini,and season again with about ½ teaspoon of each: salt, ground black pepper, and dry oregano;  stir together, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for about 6-10 minutes or until the zucchini is nice and soft, and there is no more liquid in the skillet.

Once the zucchini is soft, add in the corn and the cilantro, mix together and cook for 2 more minutes on high heat or until there is no more liquid in the skillet.

To finish, add in about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, stir together, taste the flavor and add any more seasoning if needed. Turn off the heat, top the zucchini  mixture with the rest of the cheese,  let it melt a little bit, and then serve.

To serve, grab your tostada, top it with the zucchini mixture, and garnish with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions and if you like, you can also add a little extra shredded cheese and your favorite salsa and that's it!

Enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

 picture courtesy of Southern Living 

I always make the same two cookie recipes. So when Jana passed this recipe along to me I thought I would try it. I don't think you can go wrong with chocolate chip cookies. This recipe is good. I will have to factor it into my rotation. Especially since I was out of lemon juice, so I am curious to see how that taste in these cookies - Jana swears that is what makes them so good!


Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
by: Loni Ponce

1/2 - 3/4 cup rolled oats
2 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup gradulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grind oats in food processor or blender. Combine the grounded oats with the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. (important to grind the oats for this recipe)

Cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Add eggs. Mix until smooth. Stir in the dry mixture and blend well. Add the chocolate chips. Spoon desired sized balls onto a cookie sheet.

Bake 350 for 9 - 13 minutes. Watch the cookies the first time you make these so you will know the exact time. My cookies took 10 minutes.

Angel Food Cake

 Angel food cake is one of those classic desserts that seems often to be forgotten these days. I do sometimes see it in the grocery store bakery, but I can't remember the last time anyone served it to me at a get together. I find this kind of odd considering just how delicious angel food cake is! Besides that fluffy texture and tasty flavor (in this case, just plain vanilla, but you can flavor it any way you like), this cake is great because it is almost fat free! No added oil or butter means that this cake is a bit more figure friendly than your average cake. I think some people shy away from it because it involves whipping so many egg whites and maybe that makes them nervous, but with a stand or hand mixer, it couldn't be quicker or easier.

The first step is to sift the flour and powdered sugar together and set it aside. That way it's all ready to go when you're done whipping the egg whites.

The next step is to whip the whites. This recipe takes between 10 and 12 egg whites, depending on the size of your eggs. The big question, of course, is what to do with all of those yolks...there are a few options. You can make a nice French vanilla ice cream, or a batch of pastry cream to fill some yummy cream puffs or eclairs, or - more simply - you could make some delicious pasta carbonara for dinner.

Mix together the egg whites (preferably at or close to room temperature), cream of tartar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until you get to the soft peak stage; this the point at which the whites are starting to be able to hold their shape, but the tip on a mound of whites will flop over.

Increase the speed now to medium-high or high. Gradually add the granulated sugar while the mixer is running.

Continue to beat the whites until they form stiff peaks. At this point, the mixture will hold its shape well, and a pointed peak of the whites will stay completely upright.

Gently fold in the flour and powdered sugar mixture to the egg whites and, once completely mixed, place in an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. This part is very important because if you put it in a greased (or even greasy) pan, the whites will not be able to hold themselves to the side of the pan and you could very well end up with a very flat cake! Smooth the top out as best you can and place into a preheated 350 degree F oven.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and beautiful. Remove the cake from the oven and place the hot pan upside down on a cooling rack to cool. Again, this is an important step as it helps to ensure that the cake retains its full height and fluffiness. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Once completely cool, flip the pan right side up and use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake away from the sides of the pan. Gently remove the cake.

Slicing an angel food cake is best done with a serrated blade. The great thing about this cake is that it is delicious right out of the pan or a day or two later. If not serving immediately, store tightly wrapped in an air tight container. Serve alone or with any topping you please. Some of my favorites are a chocolate sauce (as shown above) or a fruit sauce such as strawberry or blueberry.

Lastly, the other great thing about this cake is how easy it is to freeze and serve at a later date. When I had laying hens that got ahead of me, I would often make this cake to use some of the eggs and then freeze the cake for later use. I cut the cake and individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap before placing them in a bag to keep them together in the freezer. Provided they are tightly wrapped, they should last 4-6 months in the freezer without any adverse affects.

Angel Food Cake
Yield: 8-10 servings
Adapted from the New Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites, at or near room temperature (about 10-12 whites)
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the powdered sugar and flour and set aside. Using a stand or hand mixer, whip together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla on medium speed until the whites reach the soft peak stage. Slowly add the granulated sugar with the mixer running, then increase the speed to medium-high/high. Continue whipping until the whites reach the stiff peak stage. Fold in the flour and powdered sugar mixer. Pour batter into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Smooth out the top and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is nicely golden. Remove the cake from the oven and place upside down on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool, use a knife to cut around the edges of the pan to loosen it before removing. Use a serrated knife to slice cake into slices. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container up to 2 days before serving. This cake can also be frozen for up to 4-6 months if tightly wrapped.