Texas Sheet Cake

This is it! After making it, I can say this is "my" recipe!!! I had made a different version I found online & it just wasn't the same (of course that was the one I had to serve to family & friends).

My recipe is MIA, I haven't gotten it back from my Mom yet, but I think this is close enough that I don't need too. It was just right.

TEXAS SHEET CAKE

2 sticks butter
1 c. water
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

In a saucepan bring to boil first 3 ingredients and remove from heat. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a large, greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes. Frost with Texas Sheet Cake Frosting while still warm.

* Mine only took 20, but I have a baking stone in my oven I put all my pans on, so it helps with the even cooking*

FROSTING:

1 stick butter
6 tbsp. milk
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 lb. confectioners sugar (I think that it was about 3 cups, but I used my scale so I was exact, I buy this in bulk)
1 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a boil first 3 ingredients; remove from heat and add last 3 ingredients. Spread on cake while still warm.

Shortcuts worth sharing (Taste of Home)

I have been getting the Taste of Home monthly newsletter for quite some time now (as demonstrated by the fact that the April 2006 email is still in my inbox???)

Shortcuts Worth Sharing
TRY these timely tips from fellow readers and you’ll be asking yourself, “Now, why didn’t I think of that?”

• Keep your steel wool scouring pad in a plastic bag in the freezer between uses. It won’t rust and thaws quickly under warm water. —Susan D., Oliver Beach, Maryland

• When using bulk chocolate to coat candies, set the bowl of melted chocolate into a larger bowl of boiling water to keep from having to reheat it. —Doris C., Minneapolis, Minnesota

• When making a lot of sandwiches for my family or for a potluck or gathering, I spread the mayonnaise or butter with a spatula instead of a knife. Broader strokes save time. —Connie S., Glennallen, Alaska

• Before putting uncooked meat or any sticky, drippy food into a resealable plastic bag, first fold down the opening to prevent clogging up the “zipper.” —Regina D., Angleton, Texas

• To make mini quiche appetizers, I use a turkey baster to fill tart shells with the egg and milk mixture. Then I sprinkle on chopped green onions, pimientos and shredded Swiss cheese. —Toni S., Loveland, Ohio

• For quick egg salad or potato salad, use an egg poacher. In minutes, you’ll have hard-cooked eggs without the time-consuming and tedious job of boiling water and peeling shells. —Pat P., Waukesha, Wisconsin

• By coating the saucepan and the inside of the lid with nonstick cooking spray before boiling chicken, I save a lot of scouring. The mess easily wipes out of the pan with a paper towel. —Pam L., Dallastown, Pennsylvania
~From the April 2006 Taste Of Home email Newsletter

Skillet Corn bread

Skillet Corn Bread

I used this recipe but I made some changes to it!!! I added a can of drained corn & a 1/4 cup of sugar, plus I used evaporated milk instead of buttermilk (all I had on hand otherwise was skim). I think this is the same recipe I tried before & failed at, but the addition of the sugar made it better. Plus the bread popped out of the skillet this time instead of sticking to it.

Of course we ate it all before I could get a picture...

Bread Making Links

The Fresh Loaf

Bread-Maker.net

ABM-recipes a yahoo group.

All Recipes has a nice bread machine section.

I really do love my bread machine, but I like making dough by hand as well. Since my machine has decided to be more of a pain than it's worth (every time it kneads dough the container jumps out of its holder) I do it all by hand. I really, really want a new machine (bigger would be better!). I have been looking at a nice 2 pounder. Maybe for my next birthday...I don't want to wait that long, but I'll try!

Friday's Feast #6

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
How fast can you type?

I can typ about 40 wpm. but I'm not bery accurate...

***oh yeah, I'm sure I can really type faster than that, but I met dh in typing class so if I'm not "flirting" I really can't type very fast at all!!!***

Soup
What is your favorite online game?

Sudoku (websudoku.com) recently & bejewelled. Toontown was way too addicting to keep up the subscription.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are?

I feel I am a 12, but only because I seem to not make sense to anyone around me, I must be speaking in tongues. What does "Go brush your teeth" mean to you???

Main Course
Name three of your best teachers from your school years.

Lowell, John & Pat (okay, history, science & sister-in-law...)

Dessert
What are your plans for this upcoming weekend?

I am going to cook & sew. Other than that, I'll be a lame old-fart & watch hockey I'm sure!

Just a little template change

Sorry! I just needed to freshen things up. As soon as I can figure out the create your own template thing I'll have something prettier!

Cupcakes

Nothing special here, just a box of yellow cake mix & some chocolate frosting! But the Princess sure liked them!

Friday Feast #5

Friday Feast #140

Appetizer
What is your favorite kind of bread?

My favorite bread is my Grandma's sweet bread, warmed & drowning in butter my second favorite is my other Grandma's Brown Bread, the combo of oatmeal & buttermilk is just comfort food at it's best!

Soup
When was the last time you bought a new pillow?

I bought one a few months ago for the Princess, but I am overdue for new ones for my bed (they have a 10 year warranty, but it has only been 3...

Salad
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net?

Surfing - probably 1 hour a day, Time I spend typing posts, comments & emails - lots & lots!!!

Main Course
What’s the highest you remember your temperature being?

103 something...

Dessert
Fill in the blanks: When I ____________, I _____________.

When I sew I feel the most relaxed! ***okay, so not always, blind hems on my machine are not my Friend!***

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

I made this last night instead of the "Crock pot" meal I had planned. I already had cooked rice leftover from the night before. I tossed everything in my dutch oven & cooked it until it thickened & the meatballs were heated through.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

1 can crushed Pineapple in juice
1 can stewed tomatoes with onion & green pepper, crushed by hand
1 small can tomato sauce
1 Tbs cider vinegar
2 T Dried onion flakes
3-4 cups cooked rice
prepared frozen meatballs

Toss all ingredients into a dutch oven & bring to a simmer, approximately 20 minutes.

I served this with some Hawaiian Style bread. It would have been better if the meatballs I had in the freezer were more on the plain side, I think they were sausage flavored, which tasted funky with the sweet & sour.

Monday Menu Plan #1

Monday
Pizza
Pizza Hut Pan Crust
Tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Cup Cakes (The Princess already has the box out!)

Tuesday
Chicken Drumsticks
My coating (bread crumbs, milled flax seed & Lawry's poultry seasoning)
Corn
Rice

Wednesday
Sweet & Sour Meat & Rice
I'll be using premade meatballs

Thursday
Favorite Meatloaf - Kraft Foods
Mashed potatoes
Peas

Friday
Hot Hawaiian Sandwiches
Chips or fries
peaches

Saturday & Sunday are up in the air at this point! Usually we do leftovers & pancakes or eggs for brunch. It'll be different since hubby will have worked all week, we'll have to see what fits!

Carnival of the Recipes - The Meatless Edition

10000 Birds hosts this weeks carnival.

Some highlights...

crockpot hot chocolate - I have made hot chocolate using my crockpot before, but mostly to keep it warm, never from scratch! Sounds like a put it on before you head outside to build the snowman & sled!

Keewees Corner sent in muffins that taste like donuts. I don't think anything else needs to be said there, but YUMMY!

Filled Pancakes - sounds like the perfect quick dinner for my family! Ok, at least the adults!

Crockpot Oatmeal is one I'd love to try, me & the Princess would have to eat it all though, do you think that'd defeat the point of eating healthy? Probably, 8 cups is a lot for 2 people to eat, especially when one is a 3 year old!

Almost Tortuga Rum Cake

I just got this from a yahoo group I belong to Our Recipe World, if you are a recipe addict like I am they are worth the visit

Almost Tortuga Rum Cake

Serving size: 12

Tortuga Rum isn't available for sale to the public. It's only produced
in the Caribbean and used in Tortuga Rum cake. Whaler's Vanille Rum
should be a close second.

Basic Cake Mix
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into bits
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the Cake
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup Whaler's Vanille Rum - Hawaiian-style rum
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rum Soaking Glaze
1/2 cup butter (NO SUBSTITUTE)
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Whaler's Vanille Rum - Hawaiian-style rum

For the Basic Cake Mix: Use an electric mixer on low speed to combine
the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the mix is the
consistency of fine gravel, and all of the particles are almost equal
in size. (Basic Cake Mix may be stored in a container in the
refrigerator for 3 months. This makes about 5 cups of mix and may be
multiplied for other recipes as needed.)

For the Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a large (12-cup
size) Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the chopped nuts
into the bottom.

Place Basic Cake Mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil and vanilla
extract in a large bowl and combine on medium speed with an electric
mixer for about 2 or 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
Batter should be very smooth. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and level
out top. Bake until fully golden and tester comes out clean and cake
springs back - about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling
rack while making soaking glaze.

Rum Soaking Glaze: In a small saucepan combine butter, water and
sugar. Bring to a boil carefully as mixture boils over very easily.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and syrup is
combine well and a little thicker. Remove from heat and add the rum
and mix to combine.

While cake is still cooling, pour hot syrup into and on top of cake.
There is a lot of syrup and if cake doesn't soak it up right away just
wait a couple minutes and add the rest. It will take time to soak it up.

Cool cake completely in Bundt pan before turning out onto serving platter.

This cake is delicate, so once it is turned out, it cannot be moved
around easily. Can be eaten when fully cool, but it is better the next
day.

Mini Cappuccino Cheesecakes

This arrived in my inbox today, so I haven't tried it yet. I'll probably make a batch & freeze half. I'll update when I do!

Mini Cappuccino Cheesecakes

Carnival of the Recipes

Carnival of the Recipes - Easter & Diabetic edition

10000Birds is hosting next weeks!

I think I am still trying to get to last weeks blogs... Ah the distractions of real life :-D.

I am a top 100 Mom Blog!

How cool!!! A lot of Mom Bloggers (99 others, to be exact) made Mother's Day Central's list of 100 Mom bloggers! Of course this blog is in the food & cooking category, but lots of the blogs I read regularly are in the un-categorizable (if it ain't a word yet it is now!) department!

Click the link or the button on the side bar to check out the cool website & the other blogs who made the list!

PIEROGIE BAKE

**Edited to add picture** I didn't make a huge pan of these I only did 8"x8" so I only used half the potatoes & only a few noodles, I caramelized the onions in a little butter & layered it with some mozzarella cheese. So my dish went potatoes mashed with sour cream, cheese, noodles, onions, potatoes, cheese, noodles, sour cream, cheese. SO really I didn't follow the recipe at all, which is usually what happens!!! I cooked it for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. I thought it was good, just like a pierogie!

I'm not sure why the Easter season leads me towards craving Polish food, but it does! It could be that I live near Buffalo & soon our TV will be filled with video from the local Dyngus Day festivities. It could be that I consider myself Polish by osmosis (adopted into a half Polish, 1/4 German, 1/4 Swedish household, crazy I know!). But when this recipe arrived in my in-box I just had to put it here & add it to my menu for next week!

PIEROGIE BAKE

16 oz. lasagna noodle, cooked
6 c. mashed potatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 1/4 c. butter

Put butter and onion in small pan and melt over low heat. Remove from
heat. Put a layer of lasagna on bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Put
2 cups of mashed potatoes on the noodles, spread the potatoes on the
noodles, spread the potatoes on the noodles; do this 2 more times. Put
1 more layer of noodles. Pour butter and onions over top. Bake for 30
minutes at 400 degrees. Cut and serve.

Carnival of the Recipes - April Fool's Day Issue

April Fools Day Carnival of the recipes

I am going to check this one out thoroughly. The Heavely Hots has me craving some pancakes!!!


Slow Cooker Recipes has me thinking ahead to leftovers from the upcoming Easter holiday....yummy, leftover turkey made into BBQ...

And I was going to look this info up on my own, Thanks for the food coloring chart Easter Recipes.