Authentic Red Velvet Cake

Paula Deen’s Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans, fresh raspberry or strawberry, or sprinkles.

Menu Plan Monday

I have got to get out of this funk I've been in.
Meals, grocery shopping and eating have been less than steller arround here, so here goes, let's see how this works:

Monday: King Ranch Chicken
Tuesday: Crock Pot Meat Loaf
Wednesday: Taco Pie
Thursday: Teryiaki Chicken
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Hot dogs and Burgers on the grill (I work so ths is up to the boys)
Sunday: Ham and potatoes

I also plan to make snacky stuff:
Peanut butter lover's dip for apples and bananas
blueberry muffins

More Menu's over here.

Crock Pot Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk
2 slices of bread
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs (farm fresh from a friend are best!)
1 small onion peeled
1-1/2 teas salt
1/2 teas pepper
1 teas dry mustard
12 oz whole tomatoes

Instructions:
Place milk and bread in large mixing bowl, let stand until bread has absorbed all the milk.
With 2 forks break the bread into crumbs.
Beat the ground beef into the crumbs until well mixed.
Make a hollow in the center of the meat and break the eggs into it.
Beat the eggs a little, then grate the onion into the egg.
Add salt, pepper and mustard.
Beat the eggs into the beef.
Shape into a round cake and place in the slow cooker.
Drain tomatoes and place them on the meat.
Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.
Before serving, uncover the pot turn the heat to high and bubble away some of the sauce.
It should be thick, not thin.

Let me know if you make it and how it turns out!!

Make Your Own Hard Shell

Like magic shell for your ice cream?
Here's an instructable on how to make your own!
Enjoy!

untitled

Tonight I am using a jared alfredo sauce but the next time I want to make my own.
So far I'll make this one.

Do you have an alfredo recipe for me???
please say yes

Pickles

Bread and butter pickles in the pot.

Dill pickles in the jar.

Learning. having fun. Making a mess.

A Big Spread

Here's who ate dinner at my house 2 weeks ago.
18 teenagers and 6 adults.
Steve and I cooked spaghetti and garlic bread.
The students had traveled from house to house eating salad, appetizers, dinner then last house: dessert!!
As I was prepping for the meal I thought about Jesus and his travels.
I thought about how he hung out with 12 other guys, a group mainly made up of teenagers, and a couple of women.
I thought about those women, preparing a table for 13 plus.
I thought about the fun in moving from place to place with a large group of people, the friendships, the laughs, the inside jokes. How amazing was it to be one of Jesus' original disciples; how amazing it is to be one today.

What a great night!!