Sunday, July 17, 2011

Fried Bread and AmAzInG Honey Butter!

ok ... it's been a LONG while since we've posted {me too} ... I guess I've been in a cooking rut and just do the same things over and over! I'm trying hard to break that so I will try to get some posts up soon of some of the new things I'm trying out in the kitchen :) Sharon ... Thanks for jumpstarting this blog!! You are amazing!

so the other night we decided we needed a little bedtime snack and there is nothing better then fried bread and honey butter! so I called Momma Cindy and between Sis, Nin and her I got this yummy recipe! ENJOY!!





2 Tbsps sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp oil

mix this together in a big metal bowl {I just used my kitchenaid and left it in the bowl to rise}

then add: 1 1/2 cups of warm water and mix it until it dissolves.
then add: 3 1/2 cups of flour {can add a little more if it's really sticky}






let this rise with greased plastic wrap or a hot dish towel over the top. once it's raised up {usually an hour} break pieces off, flatten and cook in hot oil on the stove top.




NOW for the topping! I found this recipe on Our Best Bites and I made half of what they called for and it was the perfect amount!

1 cube butter
3/8 cup honey {just over 5 Tbsps}
1/2 cup powdered sugar {just under 1/2 cup}

whip this together until smooth and it is perfection!





Monday, July 11, 2011

Lemon Strawberry Jar Cakes

Get posting ladies! I want to see your latest!

Lemon Strawberry Jar Cakes

Cake Ingredients
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small lemon jello instant pudding mix
4 large egg whites
1 cup sour cream
1/2 milk
1/3 cup oil

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 tbls Milk

Berry Filling Ingredients
Thick strawberry (or raspberry) Jam

Candied Lemons Ingredients**
(totally not necessary)
2 lemons thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

If you are going for the gold and making the candied lemons, they need to be made a day or two in advance (I had no idea). Boil sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium heat. Place slices in pan and simmer for 5-7 mins. Place lemons on cooling wrack and cool until hard. )A really long time.)

To the cake:
Preheat oven to temp indicated on your box cake. Mix cake ingredients for 2 mins. on medium setting. Fill sprayed and floured mason jars half way with batter. Place jars in a 9X14 pan that is filled with a 1/4in of water. Place in oven and cook for 30-45 mins (depends how large your jars are, the small ones I did took 30mins, the 1/2 pint jars took 35. Insert fork and just test every 5 mins to see when done.)

While cake is cooking make your frosting. Cream butter and shortening together then add sugar,vanilla and milk. You might need to add more sugar or milk to thicken or thin. Place in fridge while waiting for cake to cool.

Once your cakes are done place jars on a cooling wrack and wait until they are 100% cooled. If you decide that just spooning jam and frosting on top isn't "cool" enough or rather the cake to frosting ratio just won't cut it, then you can be ambitious and layer. Knock the cake out of the jars. You'll have to rewash the jars as they are all crumby and not nice looking. Cut cakes into 4ths, place one layer into jar, spoon in a dollop of jam then frosting, place next cake slice and repeat with dollops and layers. Top with frosting and lemon slice.
Walahh.

Sometimes I get a little too ambitious, this was one of those times.
You got the "easy" recipe, keep it that way. Here are the Do's and Don'ts I learned on the first go around of these delicious cakes.

DO stick to a recipe.
DON'T think that because you don't stick to recipes while cooking you can do the same thing while baking. Baking and cooking are totally different.

DO use milk when the recipe calls for milk.
*DON'T use whipping cream in place of milk thinking that it is "heavier" and "yummier" and therefore will make the cake taste better.

DO use jam for your berry filling.
DON'T try to make your own berry filling, especially DON'T use cornstarch and gelatin to thicken your mashed up strawberries.

DO start with a small amount of milk *not whipping cream* when mixing your frosting, add more later if you need to thin.
DON'T dump in a large amount of milk all at once and then have to use an entire bag of powdered sugar to thicken resulting in a week of frosting sitting in your fridge and you eating a spoon full every time you enter the kitchen.

In the end, this CAN be super easy, make it that way.
Did you see my ridiculous Jello floating around on pinterest? Try it our next year, it gets every talking about how cool you are : )