Hot Fudge Cake

I am not a chocolate fan...but this smelled and looked delicious! The kids gobbled it up. I will definitely be making this again, and doubling the recipe. It was so easy and the center is so much like a lava cake that you would think it took hours!

~Recipe~
1 c flour
3/4 c sugar
6 Tbsp baking cocoa, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c whole milk
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 c packed brown sugar
1 3/4 c hot water
toppings*I used whipped cream, hot fudge and caramel sauce*

Combine the flour, sugar, 2 Tbsp cocoa, baking powder and salt then stir in the milk, oil and vanilla.  Spread into an ungreased 9 inch square baking pan.  Stir the brown sugar and 4 Tbsp cocoa together and toss it over the batter.  Pour the hot water over everything and do NOT stir. Bake at 350 degrees fro 40 minutes.  Serve warm and top with goodies! Enjoy~

Oven Roast

I  am a fan of crock pot roasts...easy and the clean up is a snap.  I came across this recipe and tried it.  It was good but I will make some changes next time.

~Recipe~
3-5 pound beef roast *I used chuck*
kosher salt and pepper *I used sea salt*
2 cups of beef broth

Season the roast with the salt and pepper and sear in a hot pan until all sides are browned.  Place chuck in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Bake at 275 degrees for around 3-4 hours.  I placed carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes around the roast and they cooked nicely! Enjoy~

Bananas and Cream Bundt Cake

 I got this recipe from a friend. She sends me some wonderful things to try! Thanks Laura! I am still on a quest to find a banana cake that Tony loves as much as he loved the one in San Angelo....this came close! I will definitely be making this again!

~Recipe~

1/3 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Add bananas and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, stirring just until combined. Stir in walnuts. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving. **I actually used 1 banana, 2 Tbsp butter melted and 2 cups of powdered sugar and used that as a frosting drizzle for the cake instead of the called for powdered sugar.

Crabmeat Saffron Fettucini

Christmas dinner was a little different. I will make this again but put my own touch to it.  I will post it as I change it.  We thought it was not full of enough flavor.  Kinda boring and blah....try it, you may like it!

~Recipe~
1/8 tsp saffron
1 Tbsp sherrt
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbsp shallots, chopped
3 cups whipping cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 pound fresh lump crab meat, shells removed
1 pkg fettucini cooked and drained
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Mix saffron and sherry, set aside.  Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add shallots and saute until soft, stir in cream.  Turn heat to low, simmer on low until reduced, about 30-35 minutes.  Stir in sherry mixture and simmer 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Gently stir in crabmeat and warm only, so not cook.  Add pasta and toss ocer ow heat.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Enjoy~

Roasted Rosemary Pork with Asparagus

Christmas Eve dinner was new for us this year.  We are usually with family and this year we were just 4 of us, so we embarked on new traditions.  This pork was awesome! We voted that it will be our new menu!

~Recipe~
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 fresh ground pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 center cut pork loin, 5 pounds
2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and blanched

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, olive oil, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl, reserve 1 Tbsp of this mixture for the asparagus.  Spread the rest of the mixture over the fat side of the pork.  Place pork, fat side up, on a wire rack in a roasting pan.  Place it in the oven and immediately turn the oven to 325 degrees and cook uncovered 2 hours.  Toss the asparagus with the garlic mixture. Arrange it around the pork loin and cook uncovered 15-20 minute. Serve and enjoy~

Banana Cake

I had a lot of bananas to use and Tony had told me of this banana cake he has tried while he was in south Texas.  I found a recipe for TX banana cake! YUM! WE had a ton of teen age boys over that night and they devoured it before I could take a photo.  I will definitely be making it again and then post a pic.

~Recipe~
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 large bananas, mashed
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda

~Frosting~
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted(I don't sift...I whisk well)
1 large banana mashed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease and flour a 9x13 baking pan.  Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Min in the eggs and banana.  Add the pecans, milk and vanilla, blend well. Sift(again I whisk well) flour and baking soda then add to the banana mixture.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Cream the butter powdered sugar and banana together and spread over the warm cake, sprinkle with extra pecans if you want! Easy and so good. I served it warm.  Enjoy~

Cranberry Bread Pudding

I made this delicious dessert for Christmas Eve dinner.  It was so good, very simple and elegant.
I got got this recipe off of the Williams-Sonoma website.  I will be making it again, with different types of dried fruit, the possibilities are endless!

~Recipe~
12 slices day old baguette cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 eggs at room temp
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg(BEST spice ever)
pinch of salt
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup dried cranberries
powdered sugar for dusting

Lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish.  Spread bread cubes in it.  In a bowl whisk the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt.  Put in the milk, whisk until well combined.  Pour over the bread, let stand,  then press the bread down evenly until soaked, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scatter the cranberries evenly over the top and hen press to submerge.  Set the baking dish in a shallow roasting pan.  Fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with very hot tap water/  Bake the pudding until knife comes out clean.  I baked mine about 58 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temp. Dust each slice with powdered sugar and eat! Enjoy~