The Perfect Chocolate Cake

The Perfect Chocolate Cake
(I picked this recipe up from McCall's magazine many years ago, and started making it in the early 1990's for a 4th of July party, and now I make it every year.  The cake is very moist, make the cake a day ahead to give the frosting time to sit, refrigerate the cake or the frosting gets soft- enjoy!

Cake: 

 1 c. unsweetened cocoa

2 c. boiling water
2 3/4 c. sifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. butter-softened

 2 1/2 c. granulated sugar

 4 eggs

 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

* In medium bowl, combine unsweetened cocoa with 2 c. boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth.  Cool completely.

*  Sift flour with soda, salt and baking powder. 

* Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease well and lightly flour (3)  9 x 1 1/2 inch layer cake pans.

*In mixer bowl beat at high speed, butter with sugar, eggs and vanilla - scraping bowl occasionally until light and fluffy-about 3 min.  At low speed beat in the flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with the cocoa mixture (in thirds)
*begin and end with flour mixture.  Do not overbeat.  Divide evenly into pans, smooth top with spatula.

*  Bake for 25 to 30 min. or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.  Cool in pans 10 min.  Carefully loosen sides with spatula

*Remove from pans, cool on racks.

 
Filling: 

 1 c. heavy cream 

1/4 c. powder sugar,

1 tsp. vanilla
*Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until it holds shape and put in fridge.

Frosting:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6oz)

 1/2 c. light cream

 1 c. butter

 2 1/2 c. powder sugar.  

*  In medium saucepan combine chocolate, cream and butter, stir over medium heat until smooth, remove from heat, with whisk blend in 2 1/2 c. powder sugar, turn into bowl and place over ice ( I put ice in bigger bowl and set the bowl with the icing in it, this cools off the frosting and lets it set) Beat until the frosting holds it's shape, this make take a few minutes.

* to assemble cake:  on plate, place a layer top side down, spread with half the cream mixture, place 2nd layer top side down, spread with rest of cream.  Place 3rd layer, top side up.  Frost cake, sides first, covering whip cream, use rest of frosting on top swirling decoratively.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  Serves 10 to 12 ( this is very rich and I slice mine very thin and can serve about 17 people or more)

Fried Zucchini Rounds

Fried Zucchini Rounds

(this comes from another favorite Pinterest recipe, I make this and the ranch dressing from this blog, my family loves this!)

Slice zucchini about 1/8 inch
dip each round in flour
then into whisked egg with a little water
then into a mixture of :

 1c. panko bread crumbs, 1/2c. fresh grated Parmesan Cheese, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. seasoning salt.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown, serve warm and enjoy!

A good use of all that summer zucchini!  

Pat's Strawberry salad with Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing

Pat's Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing
(this recipe came from my mother in law's Relief Society, we love the flavors and it's a nice summer salad )


Salad:  salad greens ( I just used a bag of lettuce) , Feta cheese (to your own taste),
toasted-sugared slivered almonds, Strawberries-sliced, as much as you like

Dressing:   1 1/2 c. sugar, 2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt, 2/3 c. rice vinegar, 4 Tbsp. chopped red onion, 4 fresh strawberries, 1 Tbsp. water, 1 1/2 c. olive oil (my mother in law used Canola), 
4 tsp. poppy seeds - Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!  My family loves this!

Melissa's Ranch Dressing / Dip

                                                                                    Melissa's Ranch Dressing/ Dip 

 (this is such a good recipe for a nice homemade ranch dip!  I love it for my salads and for my veggies, without all the artificial ingredients that are so unhealthy!)

This makes a lot, I usually 1/2 the recipe

1 qt. Mayonaise (Add a little more to make this dressing a little thicker about 1/4 c to 1/2 c more)

1 qt. Buttermilk

1 Tbsp. Parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder (I usually add 1 tsp.)

2 tsp. onion powder ( I add 1/2 tsp to this)

3/4 tsp pepper

2 1/2 tsp. salt

( this recipe calls for 2tsp. Accent, which is MSG, if you choose not to use this, just play with the garlic powder and onion powder to where you like it, this is why I add extra of each to the recipe) - whisk together and enjoy !  Melissa makes this by the gallon for her family reunions, it is that popular!  

One Of The Best Sugar Cookies Out There! by orsoshesays

One of the Best Sugar Cookies Out There!


by orsoshesays( since I found this recipe on Pinterest and read about it, she is right, it's the best!  and the frosting makes it so magical! I have made these so many times in the last few months, my kids can't get enough of them )

4 sticks (2c.) softened butter  
3 c. granulated sugar 

5 1/2 c. flour 
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder 
 2 eggs     
2 tsp vanilla
 6Tbsp. buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until somewhat smooth
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla
4. In another bowl stir together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and baking powder
5. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients.  Mix well.
6. Add the buttermilk to make the dough soft, not wet.
7. Roll into med/small balls and place on cookie sheet and bake until done.
8. After 8 min, check them and wait until the edges barely start to show a golden color...
9. Remove from oven and let them rest on cookie sheet several minutes.  Then cool on rack
10. Frost:   * 1 stick softened butter (not too soft!) (1/2 c.)  * 4 c. powdered sugar * 1 tsp. vanilla * milk to consistency * food coloring ---- mix well with hand mixer.  * I add sugar crystal sprinkles on top, it seems to add a magical touch!  Enjoy!  

And yes this is going on my Christmas plate this year - My daughter came in tonight and said she was craving these, it's becoming an addiction!  Enjoy!

Four Cheese Gnocchi

            Four Cheese Gnocchi
(my daughter sent this to me knowing how much our family loves the Chicken Gnocchi we make, and I will say this dish didn't disappoint!)

Preheat oven to 375 - grease and butter casserole dish

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. flour, 1 c. chicken broth, 1 c. heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1/3 c. shredded Asiago cheese, 1/3 c. shredded Provolone cheese, 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (divided), 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (divided), 2 (17.5 oz) packages of gnocchi, 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil.

*Cook gnocchi according to package and put in buttered casserole dish.
**In large pot over medium heat, melt 3 Tbsp. butter, add garlic, and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds, Whisk flour, one Tbsp. at a time, stirring constantly until raw taste is cooked off, about 1 min. - to pot, add chicken broth and heavy cream and whisk together, season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.  Quickly whisk in Asiago, Provolone, 1/3c. Mozzarella and 1/3c. Parmesan until smooth, remove from heat, and pour over gnocchi in casserole dish.  Stir until pasta is evenly coated, top with remaining cheeses and some pepper, bake until cheese is bubbly and golden about 25 to 30 min.  Garnish with basil.  And Enjoy with bacon bits on top if you like and a nice salad with garlic toast.  Very filling meal!  

Rick's Chicken Gnocchi

This recipe was inspired by the Olive Garden, years ago they had a great chicken gnocchi dish,  so Rick searched the internet and add some amazing touches and now the finished product.  Our kids beg for this dish on their birthday.

Fontina Sauce:
2 tsp. flour -
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2c. hot milk or cream
1/2 lb. cubed Fontina Cheese - 
olives
artichoke hearts
grilled chicken
toasted pine nuts ( optional, but taste wonderful in this dish!)

Fry flour and butter until it is a paste.  Add hot milk, whisk, bring to a boil.  Add cheese and simmer gently ( over very low heat- do not boil!)  until melted.  If too thick add some cream or milk.  Cook gnocchi (can use penne pasta instead) according to package, then add sauce and add cream if too thick, or parmesan cheese if too liquidy.  Add olives (we use black), artichoke hearts, and grilled chicken, can also toast pinenuts and add to this, heat and serve. 

 Bon Appetit!