Saturday, May 28, 2016

Chicken and taters


Chicken and Taters
1 lb. chicken
1 1/2 T. my house seasoning (equal parts garlic powder, onion powder and pepper...combine and store in an airtight container)
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
Combine the last 3 ingredients and rub the chicken well with it. Place the chicken on a baking sheet covered with tinfoil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the taters.
2 med. potatoes, washed and cut into wedges
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. my house seasoning
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Place the potatoes in a ziploc bag and add the oil and seasoning. Shake to coat the potatoes well and then place the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet with the chicken. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes (internal temp. of chicken should be 165 degrees). Make sure to turn the potatoes after 20 minutes in the oven.
Compliments of Janets Appalachian Kitchen.

Borrowed and Shareing

Friday, May 27, 2016

Borrowed and Shareing
No Bake Chocolate Lasagna
36 Oreo cookies
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons milk, cold
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip, divided
2 (4 ounce) packages chocolate instant pudding
3 1⁄4 cups milk, cold
1 1⁄2 cups mini chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies. I used my food processor for this, but you could also place them in a large zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done.
Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on
the additional layers.
Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of
milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.
In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips, walnuts, almonds whatever you choose evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

Lemon

Ingredients :
2 cup vanilla wafer crumbs + 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 cup [1 stick] butter, melted
2 (8) oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar + 4 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 (8) oz whipped topping, thawed or 4 cup sweetened fresh whipped cream, divided
2 (3.4) oz boxes instant lemon pudding + 2 oz white chocolate bar, grated
Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spritz the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Melt the butter, then toss with the vanilla wafer crumbs, macadamia nuts, sugar, and white chocolate chips. Reserve 2 Tbsp of finely crushed nuts to sprinkle on top. Press firmly onto the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and set. Cool completely.
Whip together the cream cheese and powdered sugar with 1 tsp pure vanilla. Whip until fluffy, then whip in 1 8 oz cool chip or 2 cup sweetened fresh whipped cream. Spread over the cooled crust.
Whip together both packages of lemon pudding with 4 cup cold milk until thickened. Pour over the cream cheese layer.
Frost with the remaining 8 oz whipped topping or 2 cup sweetened fresh whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with grated white chocolate and reserved finely chopped macadamia nuts. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Using Blue Dawn


May 29, 2014
Wow Who Knew??
Borrowed and Shareing
ORIGINAL BLUE DAWN . . . IT’S NOT JUST FOR DISHES ANYMORE
Wild Life
Ever wonder why Dawn Dishwashing Liquid is the wildlife cleaner of choice after an oil spill? According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to the skin of the birds. It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates.
BUBBLES
According to Bubbles.org, Dawn dishwashing liquid makes great homemade bubbles. Here is the Giant Bubble Recipe used in bubble makers at many children’s museums: 1/2 cup Ultra Dawn 1/2 gallon warm water 1 tablespoon glycerin (available at any drug store) OR White Karo syrup works too! Stir gently. Skim the foam off the top of the solution (too much foam breaks down the bubbles). Dip bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun!
GREASY HAIR PROBLEMS
Kids get into the darnedest things! Like Vaseline and baby oil rubbed into their hair! Dawn is mild enough to use on their hair and strong enough to remove the most stubborn grease.
HAIR PRODUCT BUILDUP
Once a month use original Dawn as you would shampoo. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp and strip away any build-up of styling products without any damage. Perform this once a month and you won’t have to buy expensive salon products that do the same thing.
MANICURE SECRET
Soak fingers in full-strength blue Dawn. It makes the cuticles soft and easy to work with. And it removes the natural oil from the fingernails, which allows the polish to adhere very well.
REPEL HOUSEPLANT INSECTS
A safe, effective way to repel insects from your houseplants, including aphids, spider mites and mealy bugs. Put a drop of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid in a spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and mist your household plants with the soapy water.
CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS
Try this recipe from Merry Maids: mix 3 drops Dawn in 1 gallon water and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spritz and wipe as you would with any window cleaner.
PETS AND PESTS
Use it to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact and is much cheaper than expensive dogshampoos.
CLEAN AUTOMOTIVE TOOLS
After you have finished your automotive repair project, soak your dirty tools in Dawn before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. Dawn also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools.
ICE PACK
Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dishwashing liquid, close and freeze. The liquid soap stays cold much longer and it can be re-frozen many times. It will conform to the place you need an ice pack.
TUB AND SHOWER CLEANER
Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with blue Dawn. Put lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring.
REPEL ANTS
Spray counter-tops, cupboards and any other area where you see ants with a solution of Dawn and water. Wipe dry. The slight residue of Dawn that remains will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, go ahead and hit them with the Dawn spray.
STRIPPING CLOTH DIAPERS
Add a squirt or two of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. Dawn is a degreasing agent and helps stripping by removing oily residue. Be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse until the water runs clear.
UNCLOGGING TOILETS
A cup of Dawn detergent poured into a clogged toilet allowed to sit for 15 minutes and then followed with a bucket of hot water poured from waist height will clear out the toilet.
POISON IVY
Poison ivy spreads through the spread of the oil within the blisters. Washing the affected area with Dawn, especially on children who keep scratching the blister’s open, helps dry up the fluid, AND keep it from spreading.
DRIVEWAY CLEANER
If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, you can use the kitty litter method to clean up the excess oil and then use a scrub broom and a solution of biodegradable Dawn dishwashing detergent and warm water to safely and effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement.
OILY SKIN
Dawn makes a great facial cleanser for oily skin. A drop or two combined with warm water will do the trick.
PAINT OR GREASE REMOVER FOR HANDS
Dawn combined with corn oil makes for the perfect paint or grease remover. Simply combine a little bit of both in your hands then rub it over affected areas. The corn oil and the dishwashing liquid both help to dissolve the grease and paint – yet leave skin soft, unlike harsher paint removers.
CLEANING THE KIDDIE POOL
Plastic wading pools can get very gunky, very fast. Dump the water, then scrub the pool with Dawn and a sponge. More potent cleaners like bleach will weaken and dry out the plastic in the sun.
MULTIPURPOSE CLEANER
Merry Maids recommends using a drop of Dawn in water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. You can also use the spray on:
• Bathroom and kitchen counters and sinks.
• Woodwork, e.g., baseboards, shelves, and wainscoting. (Dry as you go–wood doesn’t like prolonged contact with water.)
• Tubs and toilet seats.
LAUNDRY PRE-TREATER FOR OILY STAINS
For oil-based stains such as lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks, simply apply some Dawn dishwashing liquid directly to the stain and scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as usual.
NON-TOXIC LUBRICANT
Sliding glass doors, door knobs, hinges etc. It lasts much longer than any aerosol type spray that I have tried. And Its non-toxic! It does a great job of cleaning the parts that its lubricating as well!
SIDEWALK DE-ICER
For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon hot/warm water and pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze. No more salt eating at the concrete in your sidewalks
POOL CLEANING
Squirt Dawn down the middle of the pool and all of the dirt, suntan lotion, etc. will move to the edges of the pool for easy clean up! AND it makes the pools sparkle.
EYEGLASS DEFOGGER
Simply rub a small drop of Dawn on eyeglass lenses, and wipe clean. It will leave a very thin film that will prevent them from fogging up.
SHOWER FLOORS
Cover greasy footprints on shower floors with a coating of Dawn; let sit overnight. Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush.
APHID CONTROL ON FRUIT TREES
Mix two tablespoons Dawn to a gallon of water and put in your sprayer. Try to get spray both sides of the leaves, branches and the tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY!
AND FINALLY……..
Here’s a brilliant idea! Need a hostess gift when visiting friends and family this summer? Print off this post and include it with a bottle of Blue Dawn! Talk about USEFUL !
REMEMBER! SHARE, LIKE & COMMENT to keep seeing my P

Monday, May 23, 2016

Carmel Apple Dump Cake

🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎🍏🍎
Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Borrowed an shareing >> www.facebook.com/pamjm8
Ingredients
•2 cans of apple pie filling (you can also use cherry, blueberry, etc.)
•1 box of yellow cake mix
•2 sticks of butter, melted (1 cup)
•1/2 cup caramel sauce (like you would put on ice cream)
•1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
•1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
•Whipped cream for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1.In a greased 9x13 dish, mix apple pie filling and caramel sauce.
2.You may add in the 1/2 tsp cinnamon if desired.
3.Spread evenly in pan.
4.Pour dry cake mix directly on top of the pie filing and spread evenly.
5.Top with melted butter and pecans (optional).
6.Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and apple filling is bubbly around the edges.
7.Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

strawberry Pie

Strawberry Pie Recipe
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
3 oz box strawberry Jell-O
2 cups sliced strawberries
Pre-bake a 10" pie shell
Line bottom of pie shell with the sliced strawberries. Combine cornstarch, sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add the Jell-O and stir until dissolved. Pour over the strawberries and refrigerate until set. Serve with whipped cream.

Ant Killer

Ant Killer
What's so cool about this is, it took them 2 minutes to find it and 5 minutes to fill up like the pic ! Wow
1 empty water bottle
(Cut it down to about 2" tall)
5 Tbsp of baking soda
5 Tbsp of powdered sugar
3 Tbsp of water.
The very best way of eliminating ants is truly simple:
Take a small amount of powdered sugar (also called icing sugar) and mix it with an equal amount of baking soda (formally called sodium bicarbonate) and water.
Powdered sugar is essential. You cannot use the larger grains of sugar for this..
Mix the two powders together and then place small amounts against the walls or other areas where you would not normally walk but where you would normally see the ants.
The ants will be attracted to the sugar and will eat some of it and collect more to take home to feed others, so all of them will get their share.
The sugar and baking soda powders are similar in size and, once mixed together, the ants cannot separate the two items, so, as they eat the sugar, they will also ingest the baking soda, which they would otherwise never touch. This is the reason for using powdered sugar.
Once the ants eat the baking soda it will react with the formic acid in their stomachs and cause gas. The bodies of ants are unlike humans and they cannot eliminate gas so it will build up inside them and cause them to literally explode.

Borrowed from and sharing from Anne Marie Cabrejos who is always posting great stuff 

Friday, May 20, 2016

Peach Cobbler Minnies


Borowed and Shareing
Melanie Landau Kerwin 
Mini Peach Cobbler Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
a dash of salt
3/4 cup milk
1 stick of melted butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
1 can diced peaches
Directions:
Put 1 tsp of melted butter into each regular size muffin tin.
Combine the first 5 ingredients by hand… sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk.
Put 2 tbsp of batter into each regular size muffin tin… on top of the melted butter.
Then put 1 tbsp diced peaches on top of the batter.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and then cinnamon.
Bake the regular size muffin tins for 12 minutes.
Let them cool almost completely before taking out of pan.
☆ Thank you all for passing my things around and sharing 

chickin Vheese Enchiladas

Borrowed and Shareing 

Chicken Cheese Enchiladas Recipe
2 cups sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
1 (2 oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained
4 cups cooked chicken, cubed
3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
12 flour tortillas (6 inches)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, soup, chilies, and olives. Set aside 1-1/2 cups for topping. Add the chicken, 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese and 2 cups Cheddar cheese to remaining soup mixture, mix. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a greased 13-x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with reserved soup mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; top with onions (I put the onions on first since I wanted more onion flavor in the enchiladas and then cheese on top, the onion mixed in with the cheese great as you can see in the picture). Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Slow cooker corn on the cob





Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob. Easy, healthy, and delicious with olive oil (no butter). 6 seasoning recipes. From TheYummyLife.com Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob. Easy, healthy, and delicious with olive oil (no butter). 6 seasoning recipes. From TheYummyLife.com
Corn on the Cob in a Slow Cooker
By Monica              Servings: 6-10 ears of corn
Ingredients
  • 6-10 ears of corn, husked and silks removed (the number of ears depends on size of slow cooker)
  • FOR SEASONING (see directions for suggested combinations):
  • olive oil
  • sea salt
  • pepper
  • chili powder
  • ground cumin
  • fresh lime juice
  • fresh herbs (dill, thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, oregano, or basil)
  • curry powder
  • coconut milk (canned)
  • pesto
  • Sriracha sauce (or other hot chili sauce)
Directions
FOIL METHOD:
Tear/cut pieces of foil big enough to wrap individual ears of corn. Put an ear of corn in middle of foil. Add seasonings (see suggestions below). Wrap corn tightly in foil. Place in dry slow cooker, seam side up & cover. Approx. cooking times: for 4-6 ears with the slow cooker approx. 3/4 full, cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. For 8-10 ears with the slow cooker filled all the way to the top, cook on high for 3 hours and on low for 5 hours.* 

NO FOIL METHOD: Season ears of corn (see seasoning suggestions below). Brush inside of slow cooker with olive oil or coat with cooking spray. Add seasoned ears of corn to slow cooker and cover. Approx. cooking times: For 4-6 ears with the slow cooker approx. 3/4 full, cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. For 8-10 ears with the slow cooker filled all the way to the top, cook on high for 4 hours and on low for 6 hours.*

*NOTE: these are approximate times; slow cookers can vary in size, and how hot and quickly they cook. Cooking times may need to be adjusted accordingly. 

SEASONING SUGGESTIONS to add to corn before cooking.
--Sea Salt & Pepper: Brush corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
--Chili Lime: Brush corn ears with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with lime juice (a lime half has enough juice for 2-3 ears), sprinkle with chili powder (hot or mild according to your preference) and a smidgen of ground cumin.
--Fresh Herbs: Brush corn with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Chop a fresh herb or combination of herbs and sprinkle on corn.
--Curry Coconut: Brush corn with coconut milk (instead of olive oil) and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on curry powder and a smidgen of garlic powder.
--Pesto: Spread corn with prepared pesto. (no additional seasoning is needed)
--Sriracha: Spread corn with Sriracha or other hot chili sauce. (no additional seasoning is needed)

MAKE AHEAD TIP FOR FOIL WRAPPED CORN: The day before, you can husk and clean the corn, season it, wrap the ears in foil, and refrigerate them overnight. The next day, move the refrigerated corn directly to the slow cooker and add 30-60 min. to the cooking time to allow extra time for the cold corn to heat up.

GRILLING OR BAKING OPTION: The foil-wrapped ears can also be grilled over medium-high heat for approx. 20 minutes, rotating them periodically. Or, bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for approx. 30 min.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Borrowed and Shareing

Mexican Chicken Spaghetti. Seriously sent from heaven!!
Ingredients...
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb velveeta cheese, regular or Mexican (or ask me how to make HEALTHY Velveeta from REAL Cheese!)
1 can(s) rotel tomatoes, regular or hot
1 lb spaghetti pasta
1 stick butter (yes Butter is GOOD for you!)
1 can(s) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can(s) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 Boil chicken breasts in a large pot adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper to water.
2 Remove chicken when completely done, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3 Boil spaghetti pasta in remaining broth according to package directions. Drain pasta after done and discard water. Set aside the pasta...Do not rinse.
4 Melt the butter in that same (empty) pot and saute the onion and bell pepper.
5 Add tomatoes, soup, cooked chicken (cut into bite-size pieces) and spaghetti to the sauteed onion mixture, one at a time, and gently mix together.
6 Add cheese and stir together, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7 Heat until cheese is melted thoroughly, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching.
8 SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with a salad and hot garlic bread

Monday, May 16, 2016

Ripening Hard Avocados


 

Ripening Hard Avocados

Whether they want to make guacamole or put it on a sandwich, people love avocados for all sorts of uses. This can make it a big problem when they just bought some avocados from the store that still aren't ripe, but they want to eat it right now or they promised to make the guacamole for a party tonight. Ripening a rock-hard avocado can actually happen much quicker than waiting a few days.

First, the avocado needs to be wrapped in foil. Then it will be baked for 10 minutes, then placed in the fridge for 10 minutes. Now it will be soft enough to slice and serve however needed, and they even show a great way to easily get the skin off. While most might prefer to wait for their avocados to ripen naturally or in a paper bag, this is a useful technique for those who need their avocados ready sooner.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Corn Casserole

Corn casserole
1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can cream-style corn
1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix (8 oz.)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. mix all ingredients, minus the cheese, together and pour into a greased baking dish. After the casserole has baked for 45 minutes, or is set in the middle and golden brown, sprinkle with cheddar and put it back in the oven. Let the cheese melt, take the casserole out and enjoy this ridiculously buttery dish.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Butterfingers Pie

Borrowed and sharing
Original Butterfinger Pie with Butterfinger candy bars, cream cheese, vanilla and whipped cream topping.

Butterfinger Pie
14 ounces of Butterfinger candy bars*
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce container of Cool Whip, thawed
1 9-inch graham cracker crust

Chop Butterfingers into small bits and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top of the pie. I've done this a few ways over the years and have found the best way is to just line them up on a cutting board and chop with a chef’s knife. Using a food processor or smashing with a mallet or rolling pin tends to cream the chocolate a bit and things start to clump together. 

Beat cream cheese and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add half of the cool whip and mix until smooth.

Fold in crushed Butterfingers and remaining Cool Whip and mix by hand until evenly combined. Spoon mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup of crushed Butterfingers over pie. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator. 

*Use any size of Butterfinger candy bars (snack sized, fun sized or standard) so long as you have about 14 ounces total.
Read more at http://www.southyourmouth.com/2014/06/butterfinger-pie.html#RhjtoXeTw4mcdMD8.99

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Avocado Chocolate Cake

CAKE 
3 cups all-purpose flour 
5 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 cup canola oil 
ripe avocado, mashed until smooth 
2 cups water 
2 tablespoons white vinegar 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 cups sugar 
FROSTING 
ripe avocados, mashed until smooth 
2 cups confectioner's sugar 
5 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9” round cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk first five ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk canola oil and next four ingredients. Once combined, add sugar.
Pour wet avocado mixture into flour mixture and mix well until smooth. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake cake in two 9” round cake pans, checking for doneness after 30 minutes.
To frost, allow cakes to cool in pans, then turn out after 15 minutes to cool completely. Add a layer of frosting on first cake layer, then top with second cake layer. Add remaining frosting to the top of cake.

Crazy Cake

No eggs, no butter, no milk and no bowls. What more can one ask for

CRAZY CHOCOLATE CAKE
Serves 10
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
You’ll Need
– 1-½ cup all-purpose flour
– 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– ½ teaspoon kosher salt
– 1 teaspoon white vinegar
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
– 1 cup water
How To
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan.
  2. Add all the dry ingredients directly to the pan and mix.
  3. Make 3 depressions – 2 small and 1 large – in the mixed dry ingredients. Pour the vinegar in one of the small depressions, the vanilla in the other small depression, and the vegetable oil in the large depression. Pour water over all, and mix with a fork until smooth.
  4. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool. Top with your favorite frosting and enjoy!
What a treat! Such a good option for your vegan and dairy-free guests during celebrations, don’t you think? Have you ever made a cake like this one before? Tell us if you give it a try!

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Cobbler

21 hrs
Homemade Kentucky Blackberry Cobbler
Blackberry Cobbler is a very easy recipe, the only catch is that it takes about 45-55 minutes in the oven to go through the bubbling, caramelizing, browning process (now that doesn't sound too bad, does it?). The cobbler batter is a wonderful base that I could eat directly with a spoon if I didn't have the promise of blackberry heaven in my immediate future. It is akin to biscuits, and doesn't have sugar in the batter itself…that comes with the blackberries to create a nice glazed crust on top. For warmer weather, you can serve the cobbler with warmed cream (which I chose), or with fresh whipped cream–whatever makes you happy.
Traditional Recipe
2 1/2 C Fresh blackberries, washed
1 C Sugar
1 C Flour
2 t Baking powder
1/2 t Salt
1 C Milk
1 Stick of unsalted butter, melted
First you should take care of the blackberry and sugar mixture because it needs to sit for a while. Stir together just the berries and sugar in a large bowl and let it sit out for 25-30 minutes. This will coax out the juices of the blackberries so that they can be sweetened up by the sugar, and we can taste the full spectrum of the fruit–this process is called macerating.
After about 20 minutes, you should turn on the oven to about 375ΒΊ and start preparing your batter.
Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and milk with a wooden spoon. Next, stir in the melted butter and hand-mix it until the ingredients are well incorporated and you have few clumps.
Pick out a clean baking dish– a smaller one will do– pour in the batter and smooth it out. You can choose to line it with parchment paper or not, but don’t grease the pan (there is enough butter in there already!). Finally, pour the macerated blackberries on top with all the sugar included and evenly distribute it over the batter.
Bake this promising pan of happiness in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how golden you prefer it to be. Let it set up for a good 15 minutes so it will hold its shape. It will be bubbling like crazy and quite hot, so be careful!
This hour goes a little like this: you can hear it bubbling through the vent behind the stove, you can smell the buttery dough caramelizing with the sugar, and you can see the dotted crown of blackberries creating that quintessential golden cobbler crust. It is a marvel to have in your oven, let me tell you!
Serve warm or room temperature with warmed cream or fresh whipped cream. You can store this at room temperature with foil over it for 2-3 days, probably longer in the fridge…but it never lasts that long for me!