Home-Made Chocolate Cake with Frosting

I have trouble making a cake using a store bought cake mix. It will rise on one side of the cake pan, but stay thin on the other side. But when we make a cake from scratch, we never have that problem. The entire cake rises beautifully.

The other thing about store bought cakes is that you can eat the entire cake and not feel full. That is not good, especially when you read about how many calories are in a box cake. 

When we make a cake, we make it from scratch. In all honesty, it doesn’t take that much longer to make, and it tastes so much better.

Ingredients

1 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. boiling water
1 to 2 tsp. instant coffee

Cooked Vanilla Frosting

3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter or shortening
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 13 x 9-inch cake pan. 

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk until thoroughly combined and there are no lumps of cocoa. 

Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Mix with a mixer on low speed to combine.  Turn the mixer to medium high and beat for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer off and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.

Combine the boiling water and instant coffee together.  Stir until the coffee dissolves.

With the mixer speed on low, pour in the boiling hot coffee.  The mixture will be very thin. Don't worry, as this is the way it is supposed to be. 

Pour in prepared cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until done. Test the cake with a wooden toothpick to make sure it is done.  

Allow to cool. If you baked the cake in two round cake pans, allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove them to a rack to finish cooling. 

Frost when cool.

In a small saucepan, mix flour and milk together. Cook and stir over low heat until it becomes thick. It will be about the consistency of paste. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, butter, and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Add the cooled milk and flour mixture. Beat well.  The longer you beat it, the better and smoother the frosting will be. 

Frost the cooled cake.    

Ham Scalloped Potatoes

 

Comfort food from my childhood. Tender potatoes, onions and ham in a cream sauce. It doesn't cost a lot, but it is filling and delicious. 

Ingredients

6 Tbs. butter, divided
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. thyme
3 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
6 potatoes, sliced very thin
1 onion, sliced thin in half rings
1 1/2 c. ham, fully cooked, cut into small cubes

Directions

Heat oven to 375°. Grease or spray a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat.  Whisk in flour.  Cook and stir for a couple of minutes to remove the flour taste.

Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the milk.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for about 2 minutes until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Layer a third of the potatoes, onion and ham in the prepared baking dish.  Pour a third of the sauce over the top.  Repeat layering potatoes, onion, and ham, ending with the sauce.

Cover and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender. Remove from the oven and remove the lid.

Dot the remaining butter. Return to the oven, uncovered, and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until potatoes are tender.  

Notes

You can top this with shredded cheese, or even add a layer of cheese on top of the ham or on top of each sauce layer.

Easy Garlic Corn 

Garlic is so good, and it is healthy for you.  This is a colorful dish with the sweet bell pepper, corn, and parsley. It takes only a few minutes to put together for an easy side dish. 

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter
3  garlic cloves, minced (more or less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (15 oz.) can corn or 1 lb. frozen corn
1 tsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat.  Add the garlic cloves, sweet bell pepper and onion. Sauté until the onions and peppers are tender.  Make sure to keep the vegetables moving, so the garlic does not burn. 

Drain off all but half a can of the liquid in the canned corn. Add the corn, half a can of the liquid and parsley to the garlic mixture. If using frozen corn, add 1/3 c. water. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Simmer until almost all the liquid has cooked away. 

Serve and enjoy!

Slow Baked Chicken Thighs With Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

Slow baked chicken thighs with vegetables. This is comfort food at its best.  This recipe is reminiscent of chicken pot pie, but instead of a crust, there are cheesy biscuits to serve instead.

Ingredients

3 potatoes, cut into cubes
2 carrots, cut into rounds
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 (4 oz) can mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. chicken thighs
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 2/3 c. baking mix
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. milk
1 c. frozen peas
3 oz. cream cheese

Directions

Set oven temperature to 175° to 200°.

In a large cast iron Dutch oven with a lid, combine, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic.  

Sprinkle the thyme, and sage over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.  

Mix the cornstarch and about 1/4 c. chicken broth together until smooth.  Add the remaining chicken broth, mixing well. Pour the chicken broth over the chicken thighs and vegetables. 

Cover the pot and bake for 7 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender, and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven.

Take the chicken out and allow the chicken pieces to cool slightly, so they are easier to handle.  See notes below. Remove the meat off the bones and then coarsely chop the chicken meat. Return the chicken meat to the vegetables.  

Stir in frozen peas and cream cheese until the cream cheese melts. The sauce should be creamy. Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes.

As the chicken and vegetables are cooking, it is time to start the biscuits.

In a bowl, combine, biscuit mix, and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix in the milk, stirring only until combined. Do not over mix or the biscuits will be tough.

On a floured surface, turn the dough out and knead about 10 times. Roll or pat the dough out into a circle that is about 1/2-inch thick. 

Cut the biscuits with a biscuit cutter.  Place the biscuits on a baking sheet. 

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Turn the oven temperature to 425°.  When the oven comes to the right temperature, bake the biscuits until golden brown. This takes about 10 to 12 minutes. 

Notes

You don't have to remove the bones and chop up the chicken meat. You can leave the chicken thighs whole and serve the dish that way.

If you want more sauce with your chicken and vegetables, add more chicken broth. Be sure to mix in about a tablespoon cornstarch with another 1 to 1/2 c. chicken broth for a thicker sauce.  

You can use a slow cooker set to the low setting, instead of using the oven.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is perfect to serve with your favorite pasta,  meatballs or as a dip for garlic bread.  This is an easy recipe to make your own marinara sauce, and it doesn't take you all day to make either.  Cooking the sauce over low heat, brings out the flavors and gives you the consistency you want.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
5 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 oz.) can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
2 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 c. chicken stock or wine
2 Tbs. oregano 
1 Tbs. basil
2 Tbs. parsley
1 to 2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want the marinara sauce to be)
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. mozzarella cheese shredded (optional)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender.

Pour in the tomato purée, tomato paste, chicken stock, oregano, basil, parsley, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bring the contents to a bubble. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.   You can simmer the sauce longer. Simmering for a longer period of time brings out the flavors and allows them to mix and mingle.

Taste the sauce.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Stir in the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Cook and stir until the cheese melts. 

Remove bay leaf before serving. 

Serve with meatballs, spaghetti, or use as a sauce to dip your garlic bread into.  

Tips

When using dried herbs, crush them in your hand before adding them to the sauce. This releases the oils and freshens up the herbs, so they add more flavor.

If you have left over marinara sauce, pour some into a sealable bag and place in the freezer.

Fluffy Pancakes

The other day I was able to buy pancake syrup for 79 cents each. We have not had pancake syrup in a long while because it is so expensive. So today, we are making pancakes.

Ingredients 

2 cups flour, all-purpose or wheat
2 to 4 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. melted butter cooled to lukewarm
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 c. milk or buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
extra butter or oil for the griddle

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Make a well in the center.

In another bowl, whisk together melted lukewarm butter, eggs, milk and vanilla.  Pour the mixture into the well that you formed in the center of the dry ingredients.

Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together. Only mix until the flour is moistened. There will be a few lumps of flour, but that is all right. That is exactly the way it is supposed to be. You don't want to over mix the ingredients or your pancakes will be dense, and they will not rise.

The batter should be thick. If it is too thick to pour out of a ladle, then gently fold in a tablespoon or two of milk.  

Set the batter aside to rest for about 15 minutes.

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat.  Lightly butter the bottom of your skillet or griddle. When the griddle is hot, it is time to make the pancakes. 

Pour about 1/4 cup batter, or more if you want bigger pancakes, onto the griddle. When you see bubbles rising on the top of the pancake, check the bottom of the pancake. The bottom should be lightly browned.  This can take between 2 and 4 minutes.  Flip the pancake over and cook until the other side is lightly browned. Do not press down on the pancake with your spatula. If you do, your pancakes will not rise and be fluffy.

Remove the pancake to a plate. Serve with syrup, honey, fruit or what ever you prefer. Continue to make the rest of the pancakes. 

If you want to keep the pancakes warm while you make them before serving, heat the oven to 200°.   Place the pancakes on an ovenproof plate to keep warm for up to 15 minutes. 

If you have left over pancake batter left over, put it in a covered container and place it in the refrigerator.

Ground Beef Noodle Casserole

This recipe is so quick and easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have dinner ready to eat in a short time.  It's comfort food! It gets you out of the kitchen fast, leaving you time to enjoy some relazation before eating.

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) pkg. egg noodles or any noodles that you like
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 c. sour cream
3 oz. or 6 Tbs. cream cheese
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or casserole dish.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain

In a large cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, onion and green peppers and the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease.

Season the ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.

Stir in the tomato sauce. Bring to a bubble. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese. Mix until smooth.

Layer half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.   Spread half of the sour cream mixture over the noodles.   Then add half of the ground beef mixture over the top. Repeat the layers of cooked noodles, cream cheese mixture and ground beef. 

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. 

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese melts completely.

Serve and enjoy.