Texas sheet cake

Mix in bowl:

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Bring to boil in saucepan:

2 sticks of butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup water

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Add to dry mixture, then add:

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1tsp vanilla

Mix well, and pour into 12"x17" jelly roll pan, ungreased. Bake 20 minutes at 375.

FROSTING: Five minutes before cake comes out, bring to a boil in a saucepan: 1 stick butter, 1/4 cup cocoa & 6 T milk. Then add 1 lb box (or 1/2 bag) of powder sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional). Frost cake as it comes out of the oven.

Red Velvet Cake

Prep Time: 25 min
Inactive Prep Time: hr min
Cook Time: 30 min

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 ounces red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 pound box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool.

For the Frosting:
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in pecans. Use frosting to fill and ice cake. Slice and serve on individual plates.

Corie's Apple Dip

This is Corie's recipe. I got it from Lisa and it is one of my favorites. Anytime I take it anywhere people go nuts for it.

2 8oz. cream cheese
1 heaping cup powder sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Tub of caramel apple dip (found by the apples at the store)
1/2 -BIG symphony bar with toffee bits.

Mix with a mixer the cream cheese, powder sugar & lemon juice. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate. Put the caramel dip in the microwave just to soften it. Spread a generous amount over cream cheese. Chop up the symphony bar and sprinkle it on top. Cover and refridgerate.

I eat with apples but you could probably eat with other things. Seriousoully this is so yummy and it takes all of about 5 minutes to prepare!

Baked Potato Soup

I tried this recipe tonight - and I thought it was yummy! ( I am a soup-aholic though....)
Sorry, I haven't figured out how to post pictures..... Addie is busy with homework.

3 Tbs. Butter
1 c. chopped onion
2 Tbs. flour
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth (I used one and a 1/2 cans....it needed it)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
dash Tobasco sauce (or 2 or 3...)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 c. half and half

Melt butter in soup pan on medium heat. Add onion and suate for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, Tobasco and garlic salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half and half, and heat through.

We then loaded our bowls up with grated cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions and sour cream...you can be creative! The kids really liked the cheese and bacon in their soup.

It was good comfort food - enjoy!

It's cooling off outside- time to make soup and chili!

It is starting to cool off outside and my favorite part of fall is the soups and chili’s that I love. So here is a couple of our family’s favorite fall and winter “comfort foods”

Tomato Basil Soup

1 Can of tomato soup
1 can of tomato Italian stewed tomatoes
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (best if fresh)
1/3 cube of butter
1 tsp basil leaves
½ tsp garlic salt

Mix tomato soup and ½ can of water together in a medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat. Puree stewed tomatoes in the blender and add to sauce pan. Add parmesan cheese and basil leaves and garlic salt. Heat to almost a boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with croutons and sprinkle with parmesan cheese

White Boy Chili

This is one of my favorite recipes for fall and winter- plus you can make it low-fat

3-4 chicken breasts cubed
1 med. Onion, diced
1 ½ t. garlic powder
2 T. butter
3 cans Great Northern White beans-rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans chopped green chili’s
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
¼ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. black pepper
1 c. sour cream (I use low fat or fat free)
½ c. whipping cream (I have used low fat half and half before but it better with whipping cream)

Directions: Sauté chicken, onion, garlic, and butter together until chicken is cooked through.
Add beans, broth, chilis, and spices- bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for ½ hour….. I put it in my crock-pot for up to 2 hrs
Just before serving add sour cream and whipping cream.

Berry Cream Muffins

2C. Flour

1 C. Sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. frozen (or fresh) blueberries or raspberries

(if using frozen don't let them thaw)

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 C (8 oz) sour cream

1/2 C oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add berries and toss gently.

2. Combine eggs, sour cream, oil & vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

3. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.

4. Bake @ 400 for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes about 18 muffins.

Pulled-Pork Tacos

2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup apricot jam or preserves
2 jalapeños, sliced into rings and seeded
1 red onion, roughly chopped
8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat oven to 300° F.

Place 2 large sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface, one atop the other. Place the pork in the center of the foil and season on all sides with the salt, pepper, and cumin. Spoon the jam over the pork, turning to coat. Scatter the jalapeños and onion around the pork. Fold the double layer of foil around the pork and crimp the edges to seal tightly. Place in a baking dish. Roast until fork-tender, about 4 hours; let cool. Unwrap the pork, reserving the juices and discarding the foil. Use a fork to shred the pork. Transfer to a bowl. Pour the cooking juices, onion, and jalapeños over the pork and toss. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, and lime wedges.

This recipe is yumilicious and easy clean-up! A few tricks I've learned are: make sure you get a good seal on the tin foil wrap, make sure to cook it long enough and let it cool as the instructions say - otherwise it will be tough and not easy to shred or eat.

Tip: The best place to warm the tortillas is in the oven: it's quicker than a skillet and less drying than a microwave. As soon as you remove the pork, turn off the heat, wrap the tortillas in foil, and warm them for 10 to 20 minutes.

Yield: Makes about 6 servings

CALORIES 396 (30% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 4g); CHOLESTEROL 125mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30g; SODIUM 800mg; PROTEIN 39g; FIBER 3g; SUGAR 5g

P.S. I did a bigger roast (about 4 lbs) and just cooked it for 6 1/2 hours and it turned out great.

Pumpkin cookies

1/2 C butter

1 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 C pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 C flour

1 C chocolate chips

Mix together and bake for 10-13 minutes at 375. Makes about 30+ cookies.

Frosting: 4 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 C. butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 C. powder sugar

Mix and put on top of cookies.