I needed a cream cheese icing recipe for the carrot cake I was making, because no carrot cake is complete without cream cheese frosting. I found this recipe online and decided to give it a try. It was perfect and quite possibly the best cream cheese icing I've ever had. I didn't need to make as much as the recipe calls for, so I cut the recipe in half when I made it and it still made a lot of icing. :)
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in refrigerator.
Friday, 20 January 2012
Monday, 16 January 2012
White Cake
I wanted to make a cake last night, and went looking online for a good white cake recipe. Found this and it's pretty good. Really dense, but quite yummy.
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat int he eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, then add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally, stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter in the prepared pan (or muffin tin).
Bake for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners
In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat int he eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, then add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally, stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter in the prepared pan (or muffin tin).
Bake for 30-40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.
Homemade Pizza Crust
So, Alex and I got sick of buying those packaged just-add-water pizza dough mixes. The last time we were going to make a pizza, he said "Find a pizza dough recipe." So I did. And we will NEVER use anything else again when making homemade pizza.
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and the salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Pat dough into pan or on to a pizza stone using fingers dipped in olive oil. If desired sprinkle basil, thyme or other seasonings on crust. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven.
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Stir water, sugar and yeast together until dissolved. Add the olive oil and the salt. Stir in the flour until well blended. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Pat dough into pan or on to a pizza stone using fingers dipped in olive oil. If desired sprinkle basil, thyme or other seasonings on crust. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Sweet Pork Bites
I made this recipe up this afternoon after not wanting to do any of my normal things for pork. We loved it, and it's really so easy. I'll definitely do it again. :)
2 boneless pork chops, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
Put pork and onion in a baking pan (I used a 8x8 brownie pan, but whatever works for you). In a measuring cup, put the brown sugar and apple juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over pork and onions. Cover with tin foil and bake at 425F for 40 minutes.
It made enough for Alex and I to have for supper tonight with no left overs.
2 boneless pork chops, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
Put pork and onion in a baking pan (I used a 8x8 brownie pan, but whatever works for you). In a measuring cup, put the brown sugar and apple juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over pork and onions. Cover with tin foil and bake at 425F for 40 minutes.
It made enough for Alex and I to have for supper tonight with no left overs.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Banana Cake
I had bananas that needed to be used, and didn't want to make a banana loaf or banana muffins, so I went looking for something different. I ended up finding this recipe online and it was a hit as dessert at my parents' house for supper tonight. It's actually called "Frosted Banana Bars" but it's more of a cake to me than bars, so that's why I called it what I did. I made some modifications, so I'll give the actual recipe and then give my modifications.
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas
1 container of cream cheese frosting
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10x15 inch baking pan
Mash bananas in a bowl
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the four, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then frost.
Modifications: I used 2 cups of bananas instead of 1, because that's how much banana I had and I needed to get rid of it. I also used an 11x7 inch pan (because that's what I had). Because of these modifications, it actually took 40 minutes to cook. Also, I was unable to get cream cheese frosting, so I put chocolate frosting on it and it was delicious.
PS: For anybody who might be wary of using sour cream or doesn't like sour cream...put it in. My father hates sour cream and didn't even notice it was in the cake. :)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas
1 container of cream cheese frosting
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 10x15 inch baking pan
Mash bananas in a bowl
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the four, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then frost.
Modifications: I used 2 cups of bananas instead of 1, because that's how much banana I had and I needed to get rid of it. I also used an 11x7 inch pan (because that's what I had). Because of these modifications, it actually took 40 minutes to cook. Also, I was unable to get cream cheese frosting, so I put chocolate frosting on it and it was delicious.
PS: For anybody who might be wary of using sour cream or doesn't like sour cream...put it in. My father hates sour cream and didn't even notice it was in the cake. :)
Sunday, 13 November 2011
Chewy Milk Chocolate Cookies
I actually got this recipe on the back of a bag of Chipits milk chocolate chips...and they are now my favorite chocolate chip cookes ever. who knew that making a mistake (I usually buy semi-sweet chocolate chips) would result in something so good?
1. Beat 2/3 cup melted butter, 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar, 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons hot water. Mix well.
2. Stir in 2 2/3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt (I didn't use that much salt).
3. Stir in 1 package of Chipits milk chocolate chips.
4. Drop from small spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes.
1. Beat 2/3 cup melted butter, 2 cups lightly packed brown sugar, 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons hot water. Mix well.
2. Stir in 2 2/3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt (I didn't use that much salt).
3. Stir in 1 package of Chipits milk chocolate chips.
4. Drop from small spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Easy Sugar Cookies
I made these for our Halloween party and they were a hit. I got the recipe on allrecipes.com and some of the comments there complained that they couldn't make the cookies into shapes, but I had no trouble using cookie cutters to make ghosts and pumpkins out of the dough, so I think those people were crazy. LOL. Anyway, these are the best sugar cookies I've ever tried, and I will definitely make them again.
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter (or margarine) softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets (or if you want to be like me, take amounts of the dough, flatten them on the counter and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes before using a metal spatula to put them onto the cookie sheets).
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand on cookie sheet for two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter (or margarine) softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets (or if you want to be like me, take amounts of the dough, flatten them on the counter and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes before using a metal spatula to put them onto the cookie sheets).
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand on cookie sheet for two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
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