Cherry Deliciousness!!

2 cups of cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup of maraschino cherries chopped 

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350*

Mix your dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter until smooth and add the sugar until fluffy.   Add the eggs and mix well. Mix the mix and cherry juice and alternate with the flour mixture into the batter. 

Bake for 1 hour or until a butter knife comes out clean (test the center). 

Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

So yummy and easy!!!

Hummus from home.

Home made hummus is quick, easy and delicious. All you need is:

1 can of Garbonzo beans (chick peas)

6 or 7 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons dried basil

Juice from half of a lemon

5 or 6 peanuts (or monkey nuts) out of the shell

1/2-3/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil (use more for a smoother hummus)

Combine all the ingredients an a food processor and blend until the it has reached the consistency you prefer. Extra smooth and creamy is about 10 minutes. I prefer a couple extra lumps in mine, I enjoy the texture.

Serve with fresh warm pita or on pita chips!!

Yesterday's home made pita recipe can be found here:

http://insidekrystleskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/05/pita.html

Pita!!

1 packet of active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (105*-110*)

3 cups of flour

1 1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon ganulated sugar

1 cup (luke)warm water

Mix flour and salt and set aside.

To activate the yeast add the half cup of tempered water to it along with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Let it sit and foam for 10-15 minutes.

Mix the foamy mixture with the flour mixture, also slowly add in the lukewarm water and mix.

Once fully incorporated knead the dough on a very floured surface for 15 minutes until the dough is like elastic.

Roll the dough into a ball and let proof until double in a greased container.  

Once it has proofed divide the dough into 10-12 portions and roll them into balls. Let those sit about 15 minutes.

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 500*

Roll the dough balls out flat, about 1/4 inch thick about 4-6 inches wide, into a circle. Bake about 4-5 minutes on each side and let cool.

 

Your pita will puff up and resemble a pillow    

                                                                            if done right. They're hollow on the inside 

                                                           hence the name "pita pocket".

Along side peanut butter or hummus, or filled with meat and cheese, these little buns take the cake!

Pineapple upside down fantasy!!

The difference between a good pineapple upside down cake a GREAT one is separated by using fresh pineapples. Fresh pineapples bring a bolder sweeter flavor than when using canned. First peel and core one ripened pineapple.

Cut the pineapple into whatever style you want on the top of your cake. At this point slice about 6 cherries. In 2 round 9" pans pour 1/4 cup of butter and all the brown sugar (evenly divided). 

Lay down the fruit on top of the sugar and butter in only one of the pans.

                                   

 2 sticks of butter

2 1/4 cups of sugar

5 Large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups of cake flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups whole buttermilk

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350*

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream the butter until smooth then add the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time incorporating every one before adding the next. Add in the vanilla. 

Alternate the buttermilk and flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour.

Pour the cake batter in both pans.

Cook for 40-45 MINUTES.

COOL

To arrange:

Layer the "decorated" cake on top of the non decorated cake. 

Ice with your own butter cream frosting, mine is pineapple butter cream.

This sweet fruity cake is moist and delicious. 

A surprise in every bite!!!

Drunken Watermelon!!

I bought some fresh seeded watermelon from my local farmers market and diced it into cubes and removed the seeds.

Fill an old empty CLEAN glass jar (i used an old pace picante jar) with the watermelon and the rest of the way with Burnett's watermelon Vodka. 

Let the watermelon sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (overnight)...!!!

Serve alone, or with a cocktail!! 

The perfect wind down!!

Oven roasted pork spare ribs...

Summer time is vastly approaching and barbecue season is here!!! But what about those days when 

the grill just isnt your best option??!

Season a slab of pork spare ribs and rub the seasoning into the meat.

Roast in the oven on 380* F. For 35 minutes or until the inner temp is 145*-150*

Let your ribs rest before you cut them... dont want those wonderful juices pouring out!!

With or without sauce Oven roasted ribs are always a good choice!!!

Whip it! Whip it real good!!

To get the best results when making whipped cream, freeze your bowl and whisk atleast half an hour.

On medium high speed  whip heavy whipping cream until soft "peaks" form. "Peaks" form when the cream is stiff. Now add 1 Table spoon of powdered sugar (optional) for sweetness. 

Thats all it takes to make whipped cream. You can add cocoa, strawberries or whatever you like to adjust the flavor .

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast!!!

 

Dough:

1 cup warm water (105* to 110* F)

1 packet active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter softened

1 egg

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

Mix the yeast and water and let set for 5 minutes. Add the sugar, salt butter egg and one cup of flour. Now incorporate another cup of flour. Add enough flour to form a soft dough ball. Knead the dough for atleast ten minutes until soft and fully incorporated.

In a greased bowl cover the dough ball and let proof atleast an hour. To proof I preheated my oven to 350* and place my wire rack on my back eye and place my bowl on top of the wire rack.

Filling:

Softened butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed

Flatten the dough and roll it into as much of a rectangle as possible. 

Spread on the butter, and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the entire piece of dough.

Roll the dough "the long way" tightly and tuck the ends. 

Cut into slices.

On a greased baking pan let the slices proof for another hour.

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Mix all the icing ingredients together and set aside. Bake your roll in a preheated (350*F) oven for 20-25 minutes.

Drizzle with your icing!!

 

Soft, fresh and sweet. ...yummm!!!

Creamy cajun chicken and mushroom pasta..!!

Cinnamon and cumin make this dish what it is. A hint of cayenne pepper gives it spice while the butter and cream give it its smooth creaminess. 

First boil off 5 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds) and let cool.

Saute about 5 cloves of garlic in butter along with 5 baby portobello mushrooms, sliced. Add one red bell pepper julienned (sliced in thin strips).

After the mushrooms and peppers are soft add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of half and half and let simmer. Add 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and a dash of salt.    

Serve over penne pasta!!!

Roasted lemon garlic shrimp

Peel and clean 1 pound of medium shrimp.

To do so, take a serrated knife and gently 

cut down the backside of the shrimp. Hard

enough to get through the shell, but don't cut the shrimp in half.

Remove the "vein" or intestinal tract...

Remove the tail and wash each shrimp individually.

Chop 6 or 7 cloves of garlic and toss in with the shrimp

along with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Roast on 400* for 8 minutes or until the flesh is pink and white. 

Toss with capellini or angel hair pasta, butter

 and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Filling and enjoyable, roasted shrimp is easy and delicious!!