Summer Berry Trifle

June is turning into dessert month!  I made this trifle for a dinner party recently.  It's a yummy combination of fruit, cream and angel food cake!  I use a box cake mix so this recipe takes very little time to pull together.  My boys got a kick out of the cake getting inverted on a beer bottle when it came out of the oven!  They didn't understand that angel food cake is so light and airy that it would fall under it's own weight if not inverted.  

Summer Berry Trifle:

(Serves 12)

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1 cup raspberries

3/4 cup confectioner sugar, divided

3 tsp vanilla extract

11/2cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sour cream

1 angel food cake, cubed or torn into pieces

Directions:

Prepare cake per package instructions and let cool completely inverted on a bottle.  Cube cooled cake and set aside.  Toss the fruit with 1/4 cup of confectioner sugar plus 2 tsp of vanilla.  Let fruit mixture rest about 15 minutes to allow sugar and fruit to macerate (break down and get syrupy).  Before making the sweetened whipped cream, place the mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.  The chilled bowl and utensils will allow the cream to set up better.  Mix the heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar and the reminding teaspoon of vanilla until soft peaks form.  Fold sour cream into the mixture.  To assemble the trifle, start with a layer of cake then a 1/2 cup of berries and a 1/2 cup whipped cream mixture.  Repeat layering 2 more times and then top with remaining berries.  Chill the trifle at least 2 hours before serving!

Bananas for Banana Cake!

My youngest son's favorite fruit is the banana so we always have them on hand. This morning, I noticed there were three that had become over ripe.  I was out of milk, but did have buttermilk on hand that I had used in another recipe.  I found a recipe for the cake on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/calling-all-cooks/banana-cake-recipe/index.htmltwork.com, but the reviews of the icing weren't very good so I chose to cover the cake with a simple cream cheese frosting topped with toasted pecans.  It was super moist and light! It passed the grade with the family and with our friends.  I did a backyard dessert exchange with my friend, Sherry.  Slices of the banana cake for slices of her yummy peach cobbler!  I hope you get the chance to try this in your own kitchen soon!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
2 eggs, separated
2 or 3 bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Mix sugar and shortening until creamy. Add egg yolks and bananas, beat thoroughly. Dissolve soda in sour milk. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Mix alternately. Add vanilla. 

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. 

Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  Let the cakes cool in the pans before turning out on to racks to cool completely (at least 30-45 minutes).

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons chopped toasted nuts (optional)

Directions

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and vanilla. Reduce speed and gradually add confectioners’ sugar.

June Means Strawberry Pie!

Last Fall, I wrote an entry about my Nana and her wonderful pies when I shared her apple pie recipe.  Today's entry is one of her summer beauties, strawberry pie!  I love the fresh, light taste of this pie.  It is  a simple recipe that comes together very quickly.  I made the pie crust dough the day before and let it rest in the refridge overnight.  After rolling out the crust, bake at 425* for 15 minutes. Be sure to prick the bottom with a fork to keep it from puffing up and being uneven.

Allow the crust to cool for 15-30 minutes before filling with fruit.  When you make the filling, you need to stir the mixture constantly and watching for the point that the mixture turns clear and thickens.  If you don't thicken it enough, your pie will be runny and if it gets too thick, it won't set up right with the fresh fruit.  

This pie takes about 25 minutes to prepare and 2-3 hours of chilling time in the fridge.  Since I had enough dough for a second crust, I also threw together a chocolate pie using Jello chocolate pudding and following the recipe on the side of the box!  It too only took 15-20 minutes to prepare! These summer pies are great ways to have dessert without a lot of effort or mess :)

Easy Asian Chicken!

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a party at my friend, Kristi's house. She had 3 other ladies besides myself over for a great meal and socializing. During the evening, we also put together 6 chicken recipes that could be frozen and used for quick meals in the future. We each brought 36 chicken breasts and Kristi did the rest of the shopping. We each paid her $10 for her groceries. I split the 6 recipes into two meals a piece which really cut the price of each meal down to about $9! When you add sides, you get a great home cooked meal that is cheaper and better for you than dining out! The prep of the 6 recipes only took about 45 minutes and was so much fun!

The first dish that I took out of the freezer was the Asian chicken. I grilled the chicken, sliced it and did a mock stir fry. To quote our young neighbor who ate with us, "This chicken is a trip to Flavorville!" :D

Asian Chicken Mock Stir Fry:
(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1/2 Asian Chicken (recipe above), thawed
Brown Minute Rice (follow package instructions for prep)
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Sliced Baby Carrots
1 can Bean Sprouts, drained
1 small Onion, rough chopped
1 package (10 oz) Frozen French Style Green Beans, thawed
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup Teriyaki or Soy Sauce

Grill chicken 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing on the diagonal.

While the chicken is grilling, prepare the rice per package instructions and then set aside. Once you have the chicken resting, you can start the stir fry. Heat the oil over a medium-low burner. Add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until you see the onions start to get translucent. Add the carrots and let them soften for 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently to keep from burning. Once the carrots are softened, add the green beans and sprouts. Stir in the teriyaki sauce gently and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes on low.

Lastly, add the sliced chicken to the pan and let all heat through for another 5 minutes. Serve the stir fry over a serving of rice and enjoy!! For fun, I also bought a small box of fortune cookies which the kids enjoyed reading!

Short Hiatus

Hello, All: I'm still around, but with the end of the school year paired with baseball season, I have not had time to cook much. I hope to be back in a few days with a post for Mmorial Day. Baseball season will be over in 3 weeks so dinner beyond grilled cheese and soup will be an option again! Thanks for your readership and I look forward to posting again soon! ~Debbie

My Nephew's 14th Birthday Cake!

Yesterday was my nephew's 14th birthday! I remember his birth day as if it just happened. Rushing to the hospital to keep my little niece company in he waiting room as she worried about her mommy. We didn't have long to wait for her baby brother's arrival. We were all so excited to meet Baby Davis! The baby is long gone and in his place is a quiet and thoughtful young man. I've made a few of his birthday cakes and this year was no different. Davis asked for a plain vanilla cake and I found a great recipe on the blog - The Cilanthropist, which she found on Food That Really Schmecks! I doubled the recipe found below.

My sister gave me the idea for the sports theme. I decided to represent all the sports he plays, soccer, basketball, baseball and golf. I baked 5 pieces of cake and 2 pieces out of Rice Krispies. I covered the cake with buttercream and with tinted fondant. For the lettering, I used Wilton sugar sheet lettering, they were super simple to use! I also used food markers for the detailing. Lastly, I used buttercream and mini dowels to assemble the cake. This is not a fast process. I always bake my cakes the day before decorating so they are completely cooled. The decorating took about 4 hours. It was all worth the time to see my nephew's smile!

Happy Birthday, Davis!

Snow White Vanilla Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups ice water
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
4 egg whites, beaten until they hold stiff peaks (set aside while you make the batter)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare cake pans by spraying with non-stick spray or greasing the pans; then place parchment round in the bottom of the pan and spray or grease that as well.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. To make the cake batter, add the flour mixture and the ice water to the creamed butter, alternating between wet and dry ingredients and beating after each addition After everything is well mixed, add the vanilla and almond extracts, mix again to incorporate, and then fold in the beaten egg whites until the batter is smooth. Divide evenly between the prepared pans, smooth the top of the batter, and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes completely on cooling racks, then remove from the baking pans and discard the parchment. Cakes can be prepared ahead of time - kept well-wrapped they can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 1 week.

Balsamic Roast Pork

Tonight, we had a rare night off of baseball so dinner was a little more complex than sandwiches, soup and salad. I made pork loin roast that I put in a balsamic marinade before going to work. Fiv minute prep and an hour oasting time. I alo did twice baked potatoes and green beans. Everyone enjoyed the meal and it was low on the mess scale!


Balsamic Pork Loin:

1.5-2 lb pork roast
3 tbsp steak seasoning (I used McCormick's Grill Mates Montreal Steak)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup oil (I used safflower oil)

Place the pork in a gallon Baggie. Mix the other 3 ingredients in a small bowl and then pour over roast. Seal bag and let marinade at least 4 hours. When ready to roast, place the pork loin and marinade into a glass baking dish. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and roast for 60 minutes in a 350* oven. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.