Secret Recipe Club-Quick StrawberryShortcakes

This month I joined in with the Secret Recipe Club hosted by Amanda from Amanda's Cookin'. Each month you are assigned a blog, make something from the blog and post it on a certain day, like today. The secret? You don't tell until posting day.

So, who was my blogger, well that would be Wendy, from The Weekend Gourmet. One of the great things about a bloghop is that you are introduced to blogs that you may not know exists, I had no idea about Wendy and I am so glad I do now! Go check her out, she has alot of great looking stuff!

I decided to make her Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes, and is exactly what they are. I did change a couple things, just to make it a little simpler..isn't that what "shortcut" means? To make it more simpler?

Wanna join in on the fun for next month? Just go here to sign up!

Shortcut Strawberry Shortcakes
By: Wendy, at The Weekend Gourmet

1 container of strawberries, sliced
Sugar
1 container of Grands biscuits
Cool Whip

At least one hour before serving, mix your strawberries and sugar together and put into the refrigerator. I sprinkled my strawberries with about a tablespoon of vanilla sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle the top of the biscuits with some more sugar, again I used vanilla sugar and bake the biscuits 8-10 minutes, or until done. Let cool slightly.

Split your biscuit, top with some of the strawberries and Cool Whip. There you have it! Easy Peasy!

50 Women Game Changers in Food-#4 Martha Stewart's Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

Last week I came across Mary at One Perfect Bite, she and a few other bloggers have decided to tackle the list from Gourmet of the top 50 women chefs. For the next 46 weeks, I plan to go along with them. There are some on the list that I have not heard of, so I hope to learn a little bit along the way. I have missed the first three being 1-Julia Child, that is no surprise to me, 2-Alice Waters, and 3-Fannie Farmer. This leads us to #4, Martha Stewart.

Martha is one that you either love or hate. I like her, although she will not be the first one that I run to for a recipe as I have not had much luck with her recipes. Although this chocolate cake is a keeper. The one reason that I decided on this cake was because of the frosting, there is no powdered sugar, marshmallow cream takes the place of it and if you know me, I can't turn down anything that has marshmallow in it.

Next week: M.F.K. Fisher

Wanna see more of Martha:

Mary-One Perfect Bite

Val-More than burnt toast

Taryn-Have Kitchen will Feed

Susan-The Spice Garden

Claudia-A seasonal Cook in Turkey

Heather-Girlichef

Miranda-Mangoes and Chutney

Jeanette-Healthy Living

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream Frosting

By: Martha Stewart

For the cake:

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 jars (7.5 oz each) marshmallow cream

2/3 cup cocoa

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 Tbsp vanilla

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions,alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed.

Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream:

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate and vanilla.

Place 1 layer on platter and spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place the second layer on top and frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.

Taco Pasta

With a family of 5, I am always on the look for low cost and filling meals. I am on a budget that I have to stick with. We don't eat out for a couple of reasons, 1-we really can't afford it, and 2-I can recreate the meals that we like from restaurants for a lot cheaper. This Taco Pasta is a low cost meal and it makes alot, enough to feed my family and have plenty left over for lunch or dinner, if we choose to do a "fend for yourself" night. If you are a smaller family, you can cut the recipe in half. Enjoy!

Taco Pasta

1 lb ground beef
16 oz small dry pasta. any shape
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups salsa
2 packets taco seasoning
8 oz block cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Shredded cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Once the meat is cooked through, drain off the excess fat and mix in the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the salsa and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and pasta water and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Top with shredded cheese and cover with lid just until the cheese is melted.

Top with sour cream and more salsa, if desired.

Peach Amaretto Jam

A couple of months ago Ball Canning sent me a sample pack of their Small Batch Pectin, I knew right off what I would be making with it. I figured I would make a small batch in case it was just nasty...I know, how could peaches and Amaretto not be good, right? Of course, this is delish and what I now think of as Summer in a jar! Enjoy it on your toast, homemade biscuits (or store bought), thumbprint cookies, or really just from the spoon!

Peach Amaretto Jam

2 cups peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped--I like mine a little chunky
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 package Small Batch Pectin
1/4 cup Amaretto

Mix the peaches and pectin together in a large pot on medium high heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Once to a boil add your sugar and amaretto and bring back to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Ladle into your jars, wipe the rims, put on the lids and rings and process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remember to start timing with the water returns to a boil in the water bath.

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

Try saying that 3 times fast! The only thing that I can say about this cake is YUM! It was gone overnight in my house. Although, I am not sure about the Cola, you really can't taste it. Maybe it helps with the moistness, not sure but I will be making this over and over again!

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake
1 cup Coca-cola
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
3 Tbsp cocoa
2 cup sugar
2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla


In a saucepan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, margarine and cocoa to a boil; mix
the sugar, flour and salt, Pour in the boiling liquid and beat well. Add
the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour into a greased
and floured sheet cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.


Frosting:
1/4 lb. margarine
3 Tbsp cocoa
6 Tbsp cream or milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. confectioners' sugar


In a saucepan, combine butter, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter
melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients, and spread on the hot cake. Cool
and cut.

Honey Rolls

I cannot tell you how excited I am that these actually turned out and taste fantastic! One of my personal goals is to make yummy tasting bread that is fluffy and yeasty...these were all of those! These have a hint of sweetness due to the honey you add in the dough and the honey and butter mixture you brush on the top before you bake them, although despite the sweetness, I think this bread would be great as a loaf for your favorite sandwich!

Honey Rolls
Yields 12 rolls

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup honey, plus 1 Tbsp for brushing
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add the honey, salt and egg to the yeast mixture and stir until blended. Add 3 cups flour and mix until the dough comes together, it will be sticky. On a lightly floured surface knead the dough until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour to keep the dough from sticking if necessary, being careful not to add too much flour. The dough will become more workable the longer you knead it. If you have a stand mixture, attache the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-7 minutes, or until it becomes elastic.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape into round balls and place in a lightly greased pan. Cover and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and the 1 Tbsp honey. Brush over the rolls and bake 10-13 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Strawberry Mango Salsa

I have been kicking myself all weekend because I did not make this sooner. I saw this recipe about a month ago from Maria and just couldn't get it out of my mind. I knew that I would have to make it so my brain could rest. Just for the record, it has still haunted me because I have ate it all weekend and can't wait to make another batch. It has that sweet/spicy combo that I like and is a great snack (or meal) on these hot days. Make it, you will love it!

Strawberry Mango Salsa
From: Two Peas and Their Pod

1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 medium mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 half of a large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/4 of a purple onion, chopped
1/2 of an avocado, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

I like my chunks in the salsa on the small size, so chop them how you like them. :)

Mix all the ingredients together and toss to coat with the lime juice. Enjoy!!

I'm back and I brought you a Peach Pie Bar

I can't believe it myself, I am posting a blog post! It has been way too long, how is everyone?...that is if I have any readers still lurking around these parts. Well, let's not waste any time and get to these bars. Tennessee weather is so strange this year. This past winter we had so much snow. Not like blizzard snow, but for TN when you have and inch or two several times in the season, that is alot. And what happened to spring? One day we are in the 50's and the next we are in the 90's. There is no in between. So with the 90 degree weather, I want the summer fruits. There is a roadside stand that have fresh peaches from South Carolina and I just had to have them, so glad I didn't skip them..they hit the spot. We made peach jam, peach amaretto jam, sliced some up to freeze, some to eat by themselves and these bars. These bars are quick to throw together and a few ingredients. Perfect for an afternoon snack, or breakfast :), they won't last long.

Peach Pie Bars

For the dough:
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

In the bowl of your mixer, dump in flour, sugar, and butter. Beat with the paddle attachment for a couple of minutes until the dough comes together in small chunks.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Set aside the remaining dough.
Bake the dough for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Let cool for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups peaches, peeled, sliced and coarsely chopped

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, sour cream and flour to the eggs. Mix well and then fold in peaches.

Pour mixture over baked crust and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the reserved dough on top of the peach mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Let cool one hour before serving.