NO-BAKE ECLAIR CAKE

In a late night surfing session, I found a recipe called Eclair Cake. It is not really a cake, but a combination of ready made ingredients that(when put together)make an ooey-gooey dessert that looks heavenly. I didn’t even write down the ingredients, I just sort of filed the idea away. Well, last weekend, I made my version and it was even better than I hoped for! Even Picky-picky husband loves this one.

Basically, it is three layers of graham crackers separated by two layers of vanilla pudding and topped with a fudge-y frosting. Make sure you make it a day BEFORE you want to serve it so that the graham crackers absorb a little moisture from the pudding and become “cake like”. This was so good that I made it for my own birthday!

(2) 3½ ounce instant French vanilla pudding
1 pound of graham crackers
8 ounce Cool Whip thawed
3 cups of milk

CHOCOLATE TOPPING

6 tablespoons butter (melted)
6 tablespoons boiling water
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13 dish (breaking to fit if necessary). In a large bowl, whisk the instant pudding with 3 cups milk until well mixed, then fold in the Cool Whip. Immediately pour half of this mixture over the graham crackers, spreading it out evenly.

Put another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding and then another layer of pudding mixture. Top second layer of pudding with a final layer of graham crackers. Cover the dish tightly, with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour before you frost it.

After an hour of chilling, mix melted butter, boiling water, cocoa and vanilla until well blended. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Immediately pour the frosting over the chilled pudding dessert and smooth it out.

Place dessert (uncovered) in fridge for an hour or so (until the frosting feels dry to the touch),then stretch plastic wrap over the pan(stretching it tightly so that it doesn't sag and touch the frosting). Refrigerate overnight (important).
NOTE: I use a glass 9x13 pan so that the plastic grips tightly to the glass and doesn’t sag down onto the frosting. Not necessary, but it looks prettier if the plastic doesn’t leave wrinkles in the frosting. A Tupperware 9x13 with snap-on lid works great too.

NOTE: After this "cake" has been in the fridge, overnight, it is easy to cut into squares to serve because the graham crackers are soft.

CARAMEL PECAN PIE

This sinfully rich and heavenly caramel pecan pie will be a hit at your next potluck, trust me! Baked in a shortbread type piecrust, it is perfection. I like to chop the pecans fairly small so that it is easier to slice (and easier for kids to eat). It is the perfectly sweet ending to any special meal.

36 Kraft caramels (individually wrapped kind)
¼ cup butter
¼ cup milk
½ cup white sugar
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
9" Shortbread pie crust (recipe below)

In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, heat caramels, butter, and milk over low heat (keep stirring) until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
Stir together sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt; add melted caramel mixture gradually. Stir in chopped nuts and pour into unbaked piecrust. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool until filling is firm.

SHORTBREAD PIE CRUST: In large electric mixer bowl, mix 1 cup flour (spoon into cup and level off), ½ cup butter flavored Crisco, 1 teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix until crumbly. While mixer is running, add 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon of beaten egg and ¾ teaspoon white vinegar. Beat until dough forms a ball. Use fingers to press dough into 9” pie plate (and up the sides). I use a two-piece 9” tart pan.

CHICKEN FINGERS

Chicken Fingers are an excellent appetizer for parties (for all age groups). It is also a quick “go to” meal for a weeknight dinner. Simple and delicious, what more can you ask for? If you have any leftovers, this chicken (chopped up) makes a fantastic chicken and grilled cheese sandwich on day two.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder

Combine the buttermilk, beaten egg and garlic powder and pour it into a large Ziploc bag. Cut the chicken breast into long half inch wide strips and put them in the same Ziploc bag. Refrigerate this until you are ready to cook (or at least 2 hours). In another large Ziploc bag, combine the flour, salt, pepper and onion powder.

When it is time to cook, follow these steps:
1. Drain chicken (saving liquid) and coat chicken in flour mixture.
2. Shake off excess flour mixture and put BACK INTO liquid again.
3. Repeat step one, then THROW AWAY BUTTERMILK LIQUID
Fry chicken fingers in ½” vegetable oil until golden. Keep warm in oven.
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BARBEQUE DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup white vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped onion (sautéed)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon powdered mustard
Combine and simmer slowly for about 10 minutes.

We like barbeque flavored Chicken Fingers. To do that, I simply put one half cup of barbeque into a large frying pan, let it heat up.

Then I put the cooked chicken fingers in

the sauce and toss lightly.

 

 NOTE: Personally, we like this recipe best with boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are so moist. This is also excellent with chicken tenders as well.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Have you ever tried an angel food cake made from scratch? They are a little intimidating, at first, but the flavor and texture is extraordinary and you will never be happy with a bakery angel food cake again. They are worth every bit of effort!! It is amazing how tall this cake gets!

Read these instructions at least twice before you start baking…then follow the instructions to a "T". This is one cake you shouldn’t experiment with.

1 cup of cake flour
1 ½ cups white sugar (divided)
12 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375°. Be sure that your 10” (two piece) angel food pan is TOTALLY FREE of any grease or oil and it needs to be an angel food pan that is NOT Teflon coated. Make sure your mixing bowl, beaters and mixing spoons are all totally grease free. Remember, grease is the enemy when making an angel food cake because the cake is mostly egg whites. The cake needs to “grab onto” the sides of the pan in order for it to raise, and if there is grease (or Teflon), it can’t do that.
Do ahead: Sift 1 cup of CAKE flour with ¾ cup of white sugar and set aside.
In a large bowl, whip the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt with an electric mixer, on high, until you get medium peaks (it takes about five minutes). Continue to whip and SLOWLY add ¾ cup of the sugar into the whites. Continue beating until the whites get to the stiff peak stage.

Next FOLD the flour/sugar combo into the whipped egg whites a tablespoon at a time. Make sure you FOLD, this mixture into the egg whites, DO NOT use mixer to do this and DO NOT stir. Gently fold from top to bottom. This process is necessary so you do not deflate the egg whites.

Put the batter into the angel food pan and smooth the top a little. Bake for 45 minutes. When the cake is done, the top will spring back just a little when you lightly touch it and the cake top will be dry to the touch. Remove from oven and immediately invert the pan and cool for a couple of hours. To remove the cooled cake from the pan, use a long slender bladed knife (I like my bread knife) and run it around the sides of the pan in small sawing motions. Next do the same around the center tube of the pan. Lift the cake out and run your knife under the cake, it should then life right off of the pan.
NOTE: Separate your egg whites into a small bowl before you add them to your mixing bowl so you don’t get ANY yolks into the batter.
NOTE: Save the yolks in a clean jar in the fridge. They will be good for a couple days at least.
NOTE: I usually run my utensils through the hottest dishwasher setting before I make this recipe, to insure they are totally grease free.

I hope I haven’t scared you away from trying this cake. It is delicious and worth every bit of effort.

PEACH COFFEE CAKE

If you are cooking for your mother, mother-in-law, wife (or yourself) on Mothers Day, I hope you consider this recipe. Its humble title, “Peaches and Cream Coffee Cake” does not accurately describe it. The base is a vanilla cake, partially baked (25 minutes), then topped with a mixture of sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, chopped peaches, toasted pecans and a cinnamon streusel topping. It is then put back in the oven for another 35 minutes. It is divine!

2 and 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 and 1/3 cups white sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
(1) 3 ounce cream cheese (room temp)
(1) 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
(1) 29 ounce can peaches well drained (reserve syrup)
1/3 cup reserved peach liquid
2 teaspoons cinnamon (divided)
1 cup toasted pecans (divided)
1/3 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with vegetable spray (set aside).

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt; cut in the Crisco until crumbly. Remove one cup of these crumbs and set them aside. To the rest of the crumbs, add baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed two minutes. Spread batter in prepared 9”x13” baking pan and bake 25 minutes (cake will be only partially baked).

While cake is baking, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk and peach juice. Chop the drained peaches and add them to the milk mixture. Stir in ONE teaspoon of cinnamon and half cup of toasted nuts (set aside).

Make the streusel topping by combining the 1 cup of reserved cake crumb mixture, ½ cup of toasted chopped pecans and ONE teaspoon of cinnamon (set aside).

After the cake base has baked for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven and pour the peaches and cream mixture over it, spreading the peaches evenly. Top the peaches and cream mixture with the streusel topping and return to the oven for 35 more minutes

NOTE: When cutting the Crisco into the flour and sugar, try to get crumbs as fine as possible. I use my pastry cutter to get most of it worked in, but then I use my electric beaters and it will turn the crumbs into a very fine powder, which is what you want.
NOTE: I have never tried to substitute butter for the Crisco in this recipe.
NOTE: This cake is excellent, served warm (or room temperature) with whipped cream or ice cream.

Happy Mothers Day to all of you Mom’s out there! This Sunday is also my birthday (my birthday lands on Mothers Day every 7th year), so it will be a great day for me too!

CHIPOTLE COLESLAW

This is a quick side dish for today’s Cinco de Mayo dinner. It has traditional coleslaw veggies with just a slight twist on the dressing.

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon limejuice
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
3 cups shredded green cabbage
½ cup chopped red cabbage
1/3 cup chopped red onion
¾ cup chopped red (or yellow) bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Stir together mayonnaise, juice, honey, cumin and ground chipotle pepper (set aside). Combine remaining ingredients, pour chipotle dressing over, and toss to mix. Serve immediately (or chill up to 24 hours).

 

CROCKPOT TURKEY BREAST

WEEK DAY TURKEY DINNER!!

 

Have you ever cooked a whole turkey breast in the crockpot? I did, for the first time, this weekend, and I can tell you I will be doing it again and again. It was super tender without being dried out (in fact it was quite moist and flavorful) and it makes enough broth to make a wonderful gravy too!
5 pound bone-in turkey breast
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
black pepper

The size of your crockpot will determine how many pounds of turkey you can cook. I've found turkey breasts weighing as little as 4 1/2 pounds and as much as 7 pounds.
 Wash and pat dry your turkey breast. Trim the meat so that it will fit into the crockpot ( I had to remove a little of the rib bones to get it to fit into my crockpot). Coat the surface of the turkey with minimal butter and rub the dry onion soup mix and pepper all over the surface of the turkey. Put the chopped celery into the bottom of the crockpot and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Lay the turkey breast (breastbone or skin side down) on top of the chopped celery. Cook on low for 5-7 hours (see notes below).
NOTE: You are going to be tempted to add more than 1/2 cup of broth to the crockpot, but do not. The turkey will produce plenty of liquid (for gravy) and don't worry about an over-powering onion soup taste, you won't even know its in there, but it really makes a great addition to the gravy.
NOTE: Everyone’s crockpot cooks at a different temperature, so you will have to decide how long you cook this turkey. We like our turkey to come easily off the bone, and that took 6 hours on low for a 5 pound (bone-in) turkey breast. Just start testing it after 5 hours.

This is a great (fool proof) cooking method for turkey breast. I can see so many uses for it like extra turkey if you are having a big holiday dinner, great for turkey sandwiches, casseroles, soups, salads, etc. Tons of possibilities, not to mention a great way to have a nice hot turkey dinner without heating up the kitchen.