Texas Sheet Cake

This is a longstanding family favorite! For a while there, we would have it at every family gathering! This is a very moist chocolate cake. You frost it while it's warm and then some of the frosting melts into the cake and makes it sooooo yummy! The original recipe calls for 2 C of regular sugar, but I find using half brown sugar gives the cake some extra depth of flavor (my secret trick!).

Mix in Bowl:

1 C Sugar

2 C flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

In separate bowl, Mix:

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 C Buttermilk

2 Eggs

1 C Brown Sugar

Melt together in pan:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbls Cocoa

1 Cup Water

Combine the first two mixtures then slowly mix in the pan mixture and pour into a greased (I like using coconut oil, but you can also spray it.) cookie sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25? minutes until done.

Frost cake while still warm (I frost it right out of the oven.)

Frosting:

1 Stick of Butter

2 Tbls. Coco

6 Tbls. Milk

16 oz. Powdered Sugar 

Beat and Frost!

Chinese Chicken Salad

2 Packages Raman Noodles

1/2 Head of Cabbage

Teryaki Chicken

Green Onions

Sunflower Seeds

Smash noodles, slice cabbage, chop green onions and chicken. Toss all in a bowl with dressing and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours (if you don't want crunchy cabbage. But I don't mind crunchy cabbage.)

Dressing:

Mix-

1/2 C Vinegar

4 Tbls. Sugar 

1 tsp. Salt

Ramen Noodle Seasoning Packets

Then add and mix-

1/2 C Oil

This is a very basic recipe. Sometimes I like to add other things to it to dress it up- 

Almonds (toasted mmmm!)

Mandarin Oranges

Sugar Snap or Snow Peas

Wontons

Cashews

Julienne Carrots

Chinese Noodles

Pistachio Cream Dessert

 

1 C Flour

1 Cube Butter

1/2 C Chopped Nuts

2 pkg. instant Pistachio Pudding

9oz Cool Whip

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 C Powdered Sugar

2 1/2 Cups Milk

Heat oven to 325 degree F. Grease a 13X9-inch baking pan.

Reserve 1 tablespoon nuts. Combine the remaining nuts with butter, flour and sugar with a pastry blender.

Press flour mixture onto bottom of the 9x12 pan. Bake until it is barely beginning to brown on the top and then set aside to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine together cream cheese and powdered sugar; use a hand mixer to mix until well combined. Mix in 2 cups of Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust.

Mix 2 pkgs pudding mixes and milk with whisk on low speed for 3 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer and let set in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes until thickened. Cover with the remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate for 4 hours. 

Slice and sprinkle with remaining nuts just before serving.
Note: I bring coolwhip and cream cheese to room temperature          Best if refridgerated 8 hours before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 459IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg

Homemade Oreos

I got this recipe from a great friend. Yeah. Really, a cake mix again!?! I know. This is great! They are fast to make and actually super delicious!

1 Devils Food Cake Mix

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Oil of your choice (OG recipe calls for Vegetable oil)

Mix and roll the mix into uniform balls

Bake at 350 for 8 mins. Don’t over cook!

Frosting: (can be halved)

1 block of cream cheese

1 tsp Vanilla

1 cube of butter

1/4 C Milk

Powdered Sugar (to desired thickness)

Now take your cookies and frosting and assemble your Oreos :D

I love "Our Best Bites!" Definitely stole the picture from there and also eyed their recipe. It uses shortening instead of oil. I wonder which is better. I would use coconut oil before I used shortening. But here's a link if you want to check it out.

https://ourbestbites.com/homemade-oreos/

Lemon Ice Cream

I got this recipe from my Aunt Melody and Uncle Terry. I just happened to be visiting their house when they were making this homemade ice cream for a ward activity. I got to taste some and it was heavenly!!! I've held on to it ever since. In fact, can I just say.... That this is the closest thing to Chik-Fil-A Ice cream that I have found?!!!!!  I'm going to admit that I was becoming an addict. I was making daily trips to Chic- Fil-A for Ice crack cream!!! I was getting a little worried! I can't keep doing this, I thought. I can't just go to Chik-Fil-A everyday!! I have to do something! Welp. This is it! Now no one has to know if I am an addict or not! I can eat all the Chik-Fil-A-esque ice cream that I want!!! Phew!

I have added lemon to it, but I don't always. When you leave the lemon out, it tastes like chick fil a. However, I have added lemon... and lemon oreos and toasted mini marshmallows and ooohhhh divine!!!   I don't always add the eggs (infact I usually don't) if I don't want to go to the trouble of tempering the mixture. It still comes out good :D

7 C Whole Milk

1 C Whipping Cream

1 C Evaporated Milk

2 1/2 C Sugar

Pinch of Salt

4 Eggs

3 1/2 Tbls. Vanilla

1 Tbls. Lemon Extract (optional)

I got no instructions with this recipe. So from my cooking knowledge-- If you are not adding the eggs, just mix and you can either churn right away, or refrigerate until you are ready. 

If you want to add the eggs, you would cook the eggs in the hot milk and then need to refrigerate your ice cream base until it is cold. The easiest way I can think of to do this (don't know if it's the best way...) is to put it all in a blender and blend it up, then put it in a pan over medium/medium-high heat, whisk constantly until it reaches 160 degrees. Put in refrigerator until it's cold. Then add lemon juice and zest right before churning. If you want a stronger flavor, once the ice cream has chilled to room temperature, add Lemon juice and zest and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

This Ice Cream is A-MAZING! It's as good as Chick-Fil-A!!! We made a few modifications tonight. I wanted to get them down.

3 C Whole Milk

4 C Half and Half

1 C Evaporated Milk

1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 1/2 C Sugar (I might reduce the sugar by 1/2-3/4 of a cup because of the sweetened condensed milk)

Pinch of Salt

Zest from 2 Lemons

3 1/2 Tbls. Vanilla

2 Tbls. Lemon Juice

Mix and Churn! 

We added dark brown broiled marshmallow bits (Oh my goodness!!!! Delectable!)

Other add-ins:

Vanilla Wafers

Lemon Oreos

Cauliflower Potato Soup

 

Ingredients

SOUP

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 1 lb yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 medium yellow onions, papery skin removed
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5-6 cups vegetable stock

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Remove the core from the cauliflower and chop it into rough florets. Place the florets into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
• Chop the potatoes into pieces about half the size of the cauliflower florets and toss them into the baking dish as well.
• Chop the onions into rough 1-2 inch pieces and toss them into the dish. It doesn't matter if the onion layers stick to each other.
• Sprinkle the rosemary leaves over the vegetables in the dish. Liberally salt the vegetables and season with pepper to taste. Add the oil and toss the vegetables until evenly coated with the oil, rosemary, and seasoning.
• Roast vegetables for about an hour, flipping and tossing them here and there with a spatula/spoon to promote even browning. When done, remove from the oven and pour the lemon juice over the hot vegetables (I just drop the lemon half into the warm pan when I'm done so that it can release some oil too). Using your spatula, toss the vegetables with the lemon juice, scraping the browned bits off the bottom.
7. Blend Vegetables with vegetable stock

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

• more olive oil
• croutons
• toasted and chopped nuts
• chopped leafy herbs
• balsamic reduction
• squeezes of lemon
• more ground black pepper
https://thefirstmess.com/2013/02/20/vegan-roasted-cauliflower-soup-recipe/#recipe

Lemon Chicken Pasta

 

• 
  

• 8 oz angel hair pasta

• 1 lb chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/2-inch thick

•  1/2 teaspoon salt

•  1/2 teaspoon pepper

•  1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

•  1/4 cup flour

• 2 tablespoons butter

•  Lemon Cream Sauce For Chicken

•  4 tablespoons butter

•  3-4 cloves garlic, minced

•  1 cup heavy whipping cream

•  2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

•  zest of 1 lemon

•  1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• Instructions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Season chicken generously on both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Then dredge chicken in flour until coated on all sides.

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When butter is hot and starts to turn brown, add the chicken and cook on each side, flipping once, until golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

• 
  

• In the same skillet, add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. When melted and foamy, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon juice and zest and whisk to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and whisk until smooth and melted.Plate the pasta and top with chicken and sauce. Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and parsley if desired. Serve and enjoy!!