Neapolitan Cake

The idea for this cake came from another baking blog, but the description of their cake said that it was light and fluffy and, frankly, that just isn't how I like my cake.  I prefer a cake that is dense and nicely textured.  It also seemed to me that, if I was mixing cake flavors, each layer should be as flavorful as possible so as to stand out but also mix well.  It might seem sort of ridiculous to make three different cakes for this recipe, but one bite and it won't seem ridiculous at all. It certainly isn't an everyday cake, but I made this as a birthday cake at it was amazing.

Makes one layer cake

Vanilla Cake:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 egg whites (1/4 cup)

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Stir in butter until mixture resembles crumbs.  Pour in 1/4 cup milk, vanilla, and almond extract.  Beat until batter is smooth.  Add remaining milk and egg whites; beat well. 
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until it tests done.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack and cool completely.

Strawberry Cake:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
1 drop gel red food coloring
1/3 cup milk
1 cup finely diced strawberries

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Preheat oven to 350.
2. In small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add vanilla and almond extract, then beat well.  Stir in egg and white, then beat well.  Mix in red food coloring until a pretty pink color.  Stir in half the flour mixture, then all of the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture.  Stir in strawberry pieces by hand, gently folding just until incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.  Smooth top and place cake in oven.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until it tests done.  Cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cake:
6 tablespoons hot water
6 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup sour cream

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa powder together until smooth.  Set aside.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, white, vanilla, and almond extract.  Beat well.  Beat in cocoa mixture until incorporated.  Beat in half the flour, then all the sour cream, then the rest of the flour. 
5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake in prepared oven for 25-35 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Assemble Cake:
Vanilla Cake
Strawberry Cake
Chocolate Cake
Strawberry Filling
Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting
Shaved white and dark chocolate, for decoration

1. Cut each cake layer in half to make two thin layers.  You should have 6 layers of cake.
2. Place a dollop of frosting on a cake plate.  Place chocolate layer on plate.  Spread with 1/5 of the filling on cake layer and smooth to within 1/4 inch of edge.  Top with strawberry layer and smooth with another 1/5 of the filling.  Top with vanilla cake layer and smooth another 1/5 of the filling.  Repeat layers with chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla and the remaining filling.  If desired, cut a bamboo skewer to the same height as the cake and push it into the middle of the cake, from the top down, to keep the layers in place.
3. Frost the cake with the white chocolate frosting.  If desired, frost with a very thin layer of frosting and refrigerate for 30 minutes to seal in crumbs.  Frost sides and top of cake evenly.  Sprinkle shaved chocolates over the top of the cake, if using.
4. Refrigerate cake until ready to eat. For best flavor, allow cake to chill for at least 3 hours to blend flavors.  Cake can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting

I have made a couple of different kinds of strawberry frosting and never been real happy with them.  Somehow they never seem to actually taste like strawberry.  I decided to try simply adding strawberry to a frosting that I use quite often an adapted cream cheese frosting.  The result was a frosting that actually tasted like berries, but still also worked as frosting.  I used it on my Neapolitan Cake, but it would also be delicious just on white or chocolate cake.

Makes about 3 cups frosting (enough for a layer cake or about 24 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and cut in half
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 oz white chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1. Process strawberries in chopper or food processor until pureed. Pour puree into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.  Push puree through strainer with a spatula until about 1/2 cup of liquid is in the bowl. Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until combined.  Mix in cooled white chocolate until incorporated.  Beat in strawberry puree, scrapping bowl and beater well.  Beat in vanilla and almond extract.  Stir in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is fluffy.  It might be a bit loose, but you should not have to add more than 3 cups of the powdered sugar.  Refrigerate frosting until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.  Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to one week.

Strawberry Filling

I made this strawberry filling to go with the Neapolitan cake, but it would be delicious with anything that needs a little hit of strawberry.  I could see it on scones or as the filling in cupcakes of any kind.  Be aware, though, that the flavor in this really is strong so don't plan on using a lot in a small area.  I used one batch to fill layers for a 6-layer cake, so it makes a good-sized batch.

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half (about 10-15 berries)
Lemon juice
3 egg yolks (if making Neapolitan Cake, save whites)
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1. Pulse strawberries in chopper or food processor until they are liquified.  Pour pureed berries into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Using a spatula, press juice out of puree.  The seeds and pulp will stay in the strainer.  You should have about 2/3 cup juice from the puree. Add enough lemon juice to bring the level up to 3/4 cup (1-2 tablespoons). Set aside.
2. In small mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and egg white together.  Set aside.
3. In small saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch together.  Stir strawberry puree into sugar mixture until sugar is absorbed.  Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Working quickly, whisk about half the strawberry mixture into eggs.  Whisk egg-strawberry mixture back into saucepan and whisk together quickly.  Bring mixture back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
4. Stir almond extract into the strawberry filling.  Stir in the butter, a piece at a time, until each piece is melted.  Pour filling into heat-proof bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling.  Refrigerate filling until ready to use, at least 1 hour.  Mixture can be refrigerated up to a week.

Raspberry Cobbler with Lattice or Biscuit Topping

We tried to limit the raspberry picking this year.  It has been amazingly hot here for a long time, so I only made myself pick berries once.  I also still have a lot of jam from last year and made blueberry jam earlier this year, so I only had the one cobbler this year.  In order to make the most of it, I made a extra and made two toppings.  That way I got two desserts for the work of one.  The way I wrote the recipe, though, you pick one make that. I recommend using a large casserole dish for the lattice topping or biscuit topping, but making the biscuit topping if you use ramekins.

Serves 6

Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
8 cups raspberries

Lattice Top:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons cold water

Biscuit Top:
1 1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/3 cold buttermilk, plus more as needed

1. Grease a deep 2-quart casserole pan or 8 8-oz ramekins. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place casserole pan or ramekins on it.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the filling, mix all of the filling ingredients except raspberries and set aside.
3. To make Lattice Topping: Mix the flour and the salt together in a small bowl.  In a measuring cup, mix water and oil together until frothy.  Stir oil and water into flour mixture, mixing until well-blended and mixture forms a ball.  Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper until roughly the shape and size of your casserole dish opening.  Remove one layer of the waxed paper and set to the side.  Cut topping into strips and space half of them evenly on the other sheet of waxed paper.Weave remaining strips through the first grid, spacing evenly.
4. To make the Biscuit Topping: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fingers until the mixture looks like course crumbs.  Stir in buttermilk until mixture comes together and is sticky.
5. Once you have made your topping, stir the raspberries into the rest of the filling ingredients.  Pour filling into prepared dish, then top with topping.  For Lattice Topping, flip lattice onto casserole dish and and press ends of strips down.  For Biscuit Topping, drop filling by heaping spoonfuls on top of filling, spacing evenly.  Sprinkle topping with sugar.
6. Bake cobblers in prepared oven for 30-40 minutes for ramekins or 45-55 minutes for casserole dish.  Cobbler is done when the topping is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling.  Allow to cool to a warm temperature before serving.

Fruit Parfait Poundcake

I saw the idea for this in a magazine and it looked really really good.  The original recipe, though, used a purchased poundcake, which I am not generally a fan of.  They always seem to be heavy of texture and light on flavor.  The cake recipe for this, though, has flavor almost to spare.  With the poundcake so flavorful, the fruit and cream can be kept very simple.  The best part about it is that it is made ahead and frozen, meaning it keeps for a longer time and is very refreshing in the summer heat.

Makes 1 loaf (8-10 servings)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz container Cool Whip
1 1/2 cup berries (I used blueberries, but raspberries and strawberries would also be delicious)

1. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan well.  Preheat oven to 325.
2. In bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs and beat well.  Add extracts and zest, mixing well.  Stir in 1/2 cup flour, then all of sour cream, then the remaining 1 cup flour. 
3. Pour poundcake batter into the prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Remove poundcake from oven and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.
5. Once poundcake is cool, lay it on its side on a cutting board.  With a long serrated knife, cut poundcake into three separate layers.
6. Line a clean 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment.  Place the bottom of the poundcake in the clean pan.  Spread 1/4 of the Cool Whip evenly on top, then sprinkle it with half of the berries.  Spread another 1/4 of the Cool Whip over berries, smoothing as evenly as possible.  Repeat layers of cake and Cool Whip and berries once more, then top with the cake top.  Gently press top down to spread fillings.
7. Cover poundcake with plastic wrap.  Freeze poundcake for 4 hours or until ready to eat (it will keep for up to a week).  When ready to serve, allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.  Slice like a cake with a thin serrated knife.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake

One of the pasta restaurants around me reworked their menu a while ago and did away with one of my favorite dishes. It wasn't a perfect dish at the restaurant, but it was something different than the pasta normally offered.  I decided rather than letting it go, that I might as well try to make it myself.  Be aware if you make this recipe that it makes a very full casserole dish, so it will probably be enough pasta for a family.  It has a bit of something for everyone, though, so I really recommend it.

Serves 4-6

1 package cheese tortellini, enough to serve 4
1 cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized piece
1 Italian turkey sausage link, cooked and cut into thin coins
1 1/2 cup marinara
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian six-cheese blend

1. Preaheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
2. Cook tortellini according to package directions, undercooking slightly.  Drain well.  Place pasta in a greased casserole dish with the chicken and sausage, stirring well.  Stir in marinara and smooth top.  Set aside.
3. In small saucepan, whisk flour and milk together.  Set on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture simmers and thickens.  Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.
4. Pour creamy Parmesan sauce evenly over pasta-tomato mixture.  Do not stir.  Sprinkle evenly with six-cheese blend.
5. Bake pasta dish for 30 minutes or until sauces are bubbly and cheese on the top is browned.  Serve immediately.

Spring Fruits Pie

I have never really seen the point of the "Fruits of the Forest" pie.  It might just be that I hate all pies that aren't homemade (frozen and store-bought aren't really my thing) and fruits of the forest was not one that I had ever had.  Frankly, the concept of apples with berries sounded sort of gross. There is a story behind how I then ended up making one; a story that involves me thinking I had much more rhubarb than I really had and stupid already having measured all the dry ingredients for pie filling into the mixing bowl.  Apples are tart and I had some, so that's what ended up in this pie.  The pie has a very pretty color and a fantastic flavor.

Makes 9-inch pie

Crust for double-crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Dash cinnamon
1/2 cup diced rhubarb
1 cup sliced strawberries
3 Granny Smith apples, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix sugar and flour.  Stir in cinnamon.  Toss all fruits with with the sugar mixture and set aside.
3. Usually I let the fruit filling sit while I make the crusts.  The fruits in the filling will release juices and the flour will start to thicken it as it sits. 
4. Roll out the bottom crust and fit it to the pie plate. Stir the fruit filling and pour it into the lined pie plate.  Roll out top crust, cut a vent, and place it over the fruit filling.  Seal the edges and flute them as you desire.  Sprinkle the top crust with a fine layer of sugar to help it brown.
5. Bake pie in oven for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles out of the vent.  Remove pie to cooling rack.  Serve warm of cooled.

Greek Chicken Salad Pizza

For a quick weeknight meal that has some redeeming nuritional value, salad seems like a good idea.  I like salad, but I never seem to like it enough to make it an entire dinner unless it's a dinner I'm not making.  This meal is a good compromise between filling and salad.  One thing I can say, though, is that the pizza itself doesn't have a ton of flavor without the salad and the salad on it's own is very strong, so I would recommend eating them together.

Serves 3-4

1 tube pizza crust
Garlic salt
3/4 cup feta cheese crumbles, divided
1/2 cup grilled chicken pieces
1 Roma tomato, sliced very thinly
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 cups salad

1. Preheat oven to 425 (or the temperature called for on the tube of pizza crust). Grease a jellyroll pan.  Using your hands, spread out the pizza crust as thinly as you can without it tearing.  I ended up with something that covered almost all of the jellyroll pan.  Sprinkle sparingly with garlic salt. Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes.
2. Remove hot pizza crust from the oven and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup feta.  Top feta with chicken, tomato, and black olive, trying to make sure the toppings are evenly distributed.  Sprinkle the pizza evenly with the mozzarella cheese and return to the oven.for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
3. While pizza is baking the last time, whisk lemon juice and olive oil together in a large bowl.  Add salad and toss well.
4. When pizza is done baking, remove it from the oven and cut into 4-6 pieces.  Let sit a couple of minutes, then place a piece of pizza on a plate and top with salad.  Sprinkle remaining feta cheese on top of the salad on the plate. Eat immediately.

Mini Lemon Poppyseed Cakes

I happened upon a mini Bundt cake pan a couple of years ago on a factory clearance.  I realized this weekend, in trying to figure out what to make for dessert on Sunday, that I hadn't used the pan yet.  Feeling slightly guilty, I tried to figure out what to make.  I bought lemons at the store, so I thought something lemon would be good. For not having much of a plan, these were remarkably good.  The lemon flavor is strong the cake is dense and very moist.  I highly recommend them. (Note: I used a pan like this Nordic Ware 54737 Platinum Collection Cast Aluminum Garland Bundt Pan, but a regular muffin pan would probably work also.)

Makes 6 mini cakes (if making one large Bundt cake, double recipe)

1/2 cup cake flour
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash salt
1/2 cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon, divided
Finely grated rind of one lemon, divided
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons milk

1. In small mixing bowl, mix together flours with salt and baking powder.  Stir well and set aside.
2. Grate half of the lemon rind into small mixing bowl.  Juice half of the lemon over rind in bowl.  Set aside for glaze later.
3. Measure sour cream into a measuring cup or small bowl.  Add half of the lemon juice and half of the lemon rind.  Stir well, then stir in lemon extract.  Set aside.
4. In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until sugar is incorporated.  Add eggs one at a time, beating as vigorously as possible after each.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix well.  Stir in half of the sour cream mixture.  Mix in another 1/3 of the flour, then the rest of the sour cream.  Stir well and scrap sides.  Add remaining flour mixture and poppy seeds, mixing just until incorporated.
5. Grease baking pan(s) with butter, then flour or spray them with baking spray that has flour in it.  Spoon batter into pan(s), dividing batter evenly if needed.  Smooth top and tap pan on the counter a few times to get out air bubbles.
6. Bake cake(s) in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes for mini cakes.  If making a full 12-cup cake, bake for 55-65 minutes.
7. Cool cake in mini pans for 10 minutes.  If using full pan, cool for 15 minutes.  Pull cake away from the edges of the pans or tilt pan slightly to loosen.  Invert cake or cakes onto cooling rack and for 30 minutes for mini or 60 minutes for full. Cake should be slightly warm.
8. Make the glaze for the cake by placing powdered sugar in small mixing bowl with reserved lemon juice and rind.  Stir well and add enough of the milk to produce a thin glaze.  Using a knife or small spatula, spread glaze evenly over the top of the cake or cakes.  Allow cakes to cool completely before serving.

Toffee Cookies

I really like the flavor of English Toffee, but I have never had great success in incorporating it into cookies.  I think it's because toffee isn't usually a very strong flavor on its own.  Every cookie I have used toffee in has either tasted like something else (i.e.: chocolate chips) or has been so crunchy and hard after baking that they almost tasted burned.  Husband mentioned the other day that he was really hungry for a toffee bar, so I bought a bag of milk chocolate toffee bits to see if I could make some satisfying cookies.  And boy are they.  Baked the way I made them, the edges are chewy and the centers are fluffy and soft.  The toffee flavor comes through with just a hint of chocolate.

Makes about 40 cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup toffee bits with chocolate

1. In bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars.  Add vanilla and eggs, beating well.  Scrap sides and bottom of bowl with a strong spatula.  Stir in 1 cup of the flour and the soda and salt.  Mix well and scrap bowl again.  Add remaining flour, mixing at low speed until incorporated.  Add toffee bits and mix on lowest speed just until incorporated. Turn off mixer and mix a few times with strong spatula by hand, ensuring all flour and toffee bits are incorporated.
2. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Parchment will keep the toffee from sticking after baking.
3. Scoop dough by tablespoons onto lined baking sheet, spacing down about 2 inches apart.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden and centers are puffed and set.  Allow to sit on the sheets for a minute before removing them to a waxed-paper covered surface to cool.  Waxed paper will keep the toffee from sticking while cooling.
4. Cool cookies completely before stacking in an air-tight container.  They will keep in this container for up to 4 days.

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake

Still no oven, but I wanted cake the other day so I started looking around.  I have always been a fan of hot fudge cake, but it tends to have a short shelf-life.  I had people coming over, so I decided to try out an idea that I had and make hot fudge cake in the slow cooker.  It was delicious, but I do recommend smaller servings since the cake is very rich.  As it cooks in the slow cooker over the course of an hour and requires very little prep, it would be fantastic for a dinner party or group gathering.

Serves 6

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup very hot water
Ice cream, for serving
Cool whip or whipped cream, for serving

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Measure milk, oil, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.  Add milk mixture and peanut butter to flour mixture in bowl.  Stir until smooth.  Add peanut butter chips.  Spread batter in the bottom of a greased slow cooker.
2. In small bowl, mix brown sugar with 1/4 cup cocoa.  Pour in hot water and mix until sugar dissolves and cocoa mixes in evenly.  Pour hot water mixture over batter in slow cooker.
3. Place paper towels over top of slow cooker, then top with lid.  Cook cake on high for 60-90 minutes.  Check the cake every 15 minutes after the 60 minutes are off.  Cake is done when a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  As the cake bakes, hot fudge collects under the cake, so be sure to only check the cake for cooking.  Allow cake to cool for 15-30 minutes once it tests done.
4. To serve, spoon cake into bowls and top with ice cream.  Spoon hot fudge sauce from underneath cake over ice cream. Top with whipped cream as desired.  Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Turkey and Stuffing

I am still without oven and it has now been long enough that I am getting tired of traditional slow cooker food.  I was thumbing through a slow cooker cookbook I have and decided to try something different.  There was a recipe for basic turkey and stuffing, but it seemed like the turkey would be dry and/or flavorless.  I decided to take the basic idea and mix it up a bit.  What I came up with was pretty flavorful and moist, so I think it was a winner.

Serves 4

2 strips bacon
1/4 cup diced onion
4 cups sage and onion stuffing mix
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 egg
1 1/2-2 lb boneless skinless turkey breast
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Cut one strip of bacon into bite-sized pieces.  In skillet or microwave, cook bacon until it just starts to brown.  Add onion and continue cooking until onion is soft and bacon is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes.  Add stuffing mix and stir well.  Stir in a bit of chicken broth and the egg.  Continue adding broth to the stuffing mix until it is desired consistency, but try to keep it as dry as possible.  Stuffing should just hang together when stirred.  Pour stuffing into greased slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle turkey breast with salt and pepper. Take the remaining strip of bacon and stretch it slightly between your hands.  Wrap bacon strip around turkey breast, placing ends under the turkey so that the weight holds it down.  Nestle turkey breast in stuffing.
3. Cover slow cooker.  Cook turkey and stuffing on low for 6-7 hours. 
4. To serve, remove turkey from slow cooker to platter or plate.  Turn off slow cooker and allow stuffing to sit for five minutes.  Stir well and spoon stuffing into serving bowl.  Slice turkey and serve.

Slow-Cooker Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake (with regular oven variation)

I have now been without an oven for about 5 days--if confused, read this--and of course all I could think about all day was how much I wanted baked goods.  The second something is impossible is the second it is also really tempting.  After days of wanting homemade bread, complicated meals, and fresh (not frozen) cookies, I decided that I needed to take evasive action. Somewhere I had heard that it was possible to make cake in a slow cooker.  Looking online I couldn't find any recipes that sounded good.  I wanted a really basic cake and I decided peanut butter sounded good, so I figured I might as well give it a shot.  The cake was moist with a good peanut butter taste.  The chocolate and topping really just made a good thing better.  I included directions to make it in an oven as well, for those of you who have one that works.

Serves 6-8

1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
------------
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

1. In small bowl, mix together the 1/3 cup flour and the 1/2 cup brown sugar.  Cut in the 1/3 cup peanut butter and the 2 tablespoons of butter until mixture is crumbly.  Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, stir together the 2 cups flour and 1 1/4 cups brown sugar.  Add baking powder, soda, and salt.  Stir in sour cream, milk, 2/3 cup peanut butter, eggs, and 1/4 cup butter.  Stir until combined, then beat until light and fluffy.  Stir in chocolate chips.
3. If making in a regular oven, pour mixture into greased 9x13-inch pan.  Top with peanut butter crumbles.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cake tests done.
4. If making in a slow cooker, pour into greased 3-quart slow cooker liner.  Put a double-layer of paper towels and place lid on top.  The towels should stay between the cake and the lid. Cook on high for 90 minutes, then crumble topping over cake.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 30-45 minutes more. 
5. Serve warm or cooled.

Oven Troubles

Preheating the oven one morning to make biscuits, I heard this weird sound.  I was standing right in front of my oven at the time, so I got treated to not only a strange "zzzzzt" sound but also the sight of sparks through my oven door and a bright light that looked a lot like flames.  I turned off the oven, but by then the oven seemed to be smoking.  Husband pulled out the oven drawer to see what was going on and we unplugged it, but it wasn't until later that day that the oven was cool enough to look inside.  What we saw you can see on the right.

That would be the broiler element of my oven.  The exposed tungsten wire, complete with melted ceramic and steel, should be the major clue to where the sparks and fire came from.  Standing theory seems to be that somehow grease got on the top element--the broiler element--and then overheated on the element, causing the outside to melt and expose the wire.

The part is ordered, thanks to a very helpful schematic online, but probably won't be here until next week.  As of now the oven is still unplugged--which I think is the safest course of action--so the oven and stove-top are out of commission.  Luckily I have a number of fine plug-in appliances that can help fill this void, but expect some creative recipes for at least a few days.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I had some leftover broccoli in the fridge, so I thought I might as well make a meal that used it up.  Hearty delicious soup that is thick and creamy, but with a nice flavor of cheese.

Serves 2-3 (main dish)

2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup water
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup cubed Velveeta
Dash ground mustard
Salt, ground black pepper, and garlic salt to taste

1. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add shallot and saute until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add broccoli and stir well.  Add water and cover saucepan with lid.  Steam broccoli for 1-3 minutes or until bright and still crisp.
2. While broccoli is steaming, whisk flour into milk.  Add milk mixture to broccoli in saucepan and mix well.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles appear around edges of saucepan and soup thickens.  Turn off heat.  Add cheeses, mustard, and seasonings.  Stir until cheeses are melted and serve hot.

Cinnamon Rolls

Though homemade rolls takes a little more time, the flavor of these really makes it worth it.  Though you can make them and bake them all in one day, I usually prefer to let the final rise happen in the refrigerator overnight and bake them the next morning so they are warm and gooey from the oven for breakfast.

Makes 12 rolls

3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast (NOT rapid-rise)
1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
3-3 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
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1 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Splash vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

1. In large microwave-safe bowl, heat milk for 1 minute or until scalded.  Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar and the salt.  Let cool until a drop placed on your wrist feels hot but not painful, about 5 minutes.  Stir in yeast until dissolved and let stand until frothy, about 5 more minutes.  Mix in egg and shortening as best you can, then beat in 1 cup flour until mixture is smooth and elastic.  Beat in another cup of flour until flour is all absorbed, then work in another 1/2 cup of flour with your hands.
2. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of flour on a flat surface.  Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding as little flour as possible to keep dough a little sticky.  This will keep the rolls from being dry and tough.
3. Once you are done kneading the dough, wash your bowl.  Dry the bowl and grease it with cooking spray or a little extra butter.  Turn dough into greased bowl and flip it to bring the greased top up.  Cover with a wet paper towel and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
4. Once dough is doubled in size, punch it down and flip it over.  Let rise another 30-45 minutes.
5. In small bowl, mix together the 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Set aside.
6. Grease a flat surface with cooking spray.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 9-by-12-inch rectangle.  Smear dough with the 1 tablespoon softened butter, then sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture.  Roll up tightly lengthwise to form a 12-inch log.  Slice log into 12 equal pieces, each 1 inch thick.
7. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with a lid.  Place roll slices in pan and cover with a wet paper towel.  Let rise in warm place for about 30 minutes or until rolls are puffy.  Cover pan with lid and place in refrigerator for 8-24 hours or until ready to use.
8.  Let rolls sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while oven preheats to 375 degrees.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until rolls are golden.
9. While rolls are baking, mix together the cream cheese and butter.  Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar, beating until smooth to create a rich frosting.
10. When rolls are done, let cool for 10 minutes.  Frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.  Store any leftovers tightly covered.

Apple Spice Layer Cake

When I asked my husband what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday, I wasn't terribly surprised when he said apple spice.  Apple is one of his favorite flavors--hence why it is featured so prominently on this blog--and a he knew I would make him a good cake.  The problem was finding a recipe for this good cake.  I scoured the internet and my cookbooks and came up with one recipe that fit my specifications (layer cake, no nuts, something that didn't have 12 comments proclaiming it very rich).  The recipe I was left with was one I had made before and was completely underwhelmed by as it was an apple spice cake that tasted nothing like apple or spice.  Needless to say, I ended up making up this recipe instead.  The cake itself is moist, dense, and wonderfully flavorful.  The filling I added because I thought actual pieces of apple would up the flavor.  The frosting was to bring all these flavors together and to add another dimension.  The result tastes a lot like a cross between apple pie and cake; completely heavenly.  Note: I made my own applesauce for this, but any unsweetened applesauce could probably be substituted.  I just wanted to make sure the flavor of my applesauce really was powerful, which I could control if I made my own.

Makes 8- or 9-inch layer cake

1/4 cup brown sugar
Dash cinnamon
3 apples, skinned, cored and chopped (I used Jonagold)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup water
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3 1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup sour cream
Apple Filling
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In small saucepan, stir apple pieces with the 1/4 cup brown sugar and dash cinnamon.  Add lemon juice and a few tablespoons of the water.  Bring to a simmer and cover, cooking until apples are soft (about 5 minutes).  Remove lid and simmer until apples begin to break down, adding more water as needed to keep it from scorching.  This simmering may take as much as 30 minutes, but just keep adding water and stirring occasionally until apples break down into a very thick sauce.  You should have about 1 1/2 cups sauce.  Remove from heat and refrigerate until you are ready to use.
2. In medium bowl, measure flour.  Add baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg.  Whisk to evenly distribute and set aside.
3. Grease and flour two layer cake pans, 8 or 9 inches each.  Set aside.
4. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter a few seconds to loosen.  Add the 2/3 cup brown sugar and the white sugar.  Beat well, scraping sides of the bowl as needed.  Add eggs one-at-a-time and beat well between eggs.  Beat in vanilla and molasses.  Scrape bowl and add 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Stir until combined.  Mix in 1/2 of the sour cream, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the remaining sour cream and flour.  This will alternate flour and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour.  Stir in applesauce.
5. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.  You will need to smooth the batter with a spatula or knife to make sure it is even in the pans.  Bake cake layers in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes in pans, then remove to cool completely on a cooling rack.  Cool completely before assembling cake.
6. Place about 1/2 cup frosting in a piping bag or baggie.  Cut corner off baggie or use wide round tip.  Place one cake layer on serving plate and pipe a rim around the top of the layer with your baggie or piping bag.  This frosting will act as a dam to hold the apple filling in place.  Pour apple filling on top of cake layer and smooth to distribute apple pieces evenly.  Place second cake layer on top of filling, making sure to center it.  Frost top and sides of cake with frosting, using as thin a coating of frosting as possible.  Refrigerate cake until frosting is hard, about 30 minutes.  Frost cold cake with remaining frosting, smoothing as desired.  Decorate as desired or leave plain.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.  Cake can be stored, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

I created this frosting to go on the apple layer cake that is found here. The frosting itself, though, was so good and had such a deep flavor that I think it would be delicious on any number of things.  I plan to try it on carrot cake, pumpkin bars, pretty much anything else that I can think of that uses a cream cheese frosting but that would also be good with cinnamon and maple.  It still has that nice tang of cream cheese, but it adds a lot of other flavors that give the frosting a very pleasing taste.

Makes about 4 cups (enough for one cake or 24 cupcakes)

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar

1. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon and beat well.  Make sure there are no lumps of brown sugar in the frosting, beating more as needed to break up lumps.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Beat in 2 cups of powdered sugar to start, then add remaining 1 1/2-2 cups as needed to reach desired spreading consistency.

Apple Filling / Topping

When I make pancakes for dinner, I like to make some kind of special sauce to go along with them.  This apple creation could be used for this, though I made it to function as the filling for a cake.  It has a nice taste of apple and it isn't too sweet, which makes it a winner in my book.  A nice bonus is that it also makes a very tasty "glue" in a layer cake.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Granny Smith apple, skinned, cored and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. In small saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch until cornstarch is no longer clumped.  Stir in water and mix until cornstarch is dissolved.  Stir in cinnamon.  Place saucepan on medium heat.  Cook and stir mixture until it bubbles and becomes clear.  Add apple pieces.  Return mixture to a boil to lightly cook apple.  Remove from heat, then stir in lemon juice.  If using as a sauce, use hot.  If using as cake filling, refrigerate filling until you are ready to use it.

White Chili

I don't really remember when I first had white chili, but I seem to recall having a fantastic bowl of it in a restaurant at some point when I was a teenager and thinking that I needed to learn how to make it.  No recipe that I tried could replicate the depth of spice and flavor that I wanted, so I ended up embellishing a number of recipes and concluding with this one recipe.  I can never decide if the taste or the smell is more fantastic, since the smell seems to seep into every room of the house and even outside.  The taste, however, is really something extraordinary.

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, minced
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small can chopped green chilies, drained
1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Shredded Jack cheese and tortilla chips, for serving

1. In dutch oven or stock pot, saute garlic in olive oil until fragrant.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add chicken and saute until chicken is evenly browned, about 5 minutes.  Stir in chilies and beans, then broth. Measure spices into mixture and stir well.  Bring mixture to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is tender.
2. In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk flour and milk together.  Stir milk mixture into simmering soup and stir well.  Return mixture to a simmer to thicken.
3. Remove chili from heat and stir in sour cream.  Serve with desired stir-ins.