Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Cakes, Desserts and tagged with cake, dessert, fall, pumpkin, recipe, vegetarian, yellow cake mix November 17, 2014

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

October may be over, but anything pumpkin seems to still be a popular item. Especially with Thanksgiving coming up. If pumpkin pie is not your thing, or you would like something other than pie for your holiday dessert table, these dessert squares will surely fit the bill.

Recipes featuring the great orange squash are still popping up everywhere. I have a whole board devoted to pumpkin on Pinterest….it’s called “Pumpkin Anything” and so many pictures from that board get repinned. Today’s recipe is one that I found on Pinterest, one of those quick and easy baked items that use a cake mix for convenience. You’re gonna love this one 🙂

This dessert is fabulous, tasting like pumpkin pie, but rather cake-like, a cross between cake and a creamy dessert square. The pecans on top give it some crunch, so you have a nice contrast between the creamy pumpkin layer, the cake layer and the topping. Oh, and be sure to dollop each serving with some whipped cream. This makes a 13″ x 9″ pan, so there will be plenty of servings, about 20 – 24.

PUMPKIN CRUNCH CAKE

Yield: Makes 20 – 24 servings

Ingredients:

1 can pumpkin puree
1 12-0z. can evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box Yellow Cake mix
1/2 – 1 cup pecans, chopped
2 sticks butter, melted ( I used 1 stick butter and 1/2 cup coconut oil with good results.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray a 13″ x 9″ pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour into the prepared baking pan.

3. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the pumpkin layer. If the mix is very lumpy, run it through a sifter before sprinkling it on.

4. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of cake mix.

5. Drizzle butter over all. Bake at 350*F. for 50 – 55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Golden brown from the oven.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

This is sooo good!

SOURCE: Itty Bitty Homestead

Tomato, Tortellini and Spinach Soup

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Soups and tagged with dinner, quick meal, recipe, soup, spinach, tortellini, vegetarian November 14, 2014

Tomato-Tortellini-Spinach Soup

Soups are pretty mundane. They don’t garner all the razzmatazz that entrees do in a fancy restaurant. Soups sit quietly in the back row, never speaking unless spoken to. I think of soups as kind of shy. They mind their own business, but if you seek them out, well then….they love to be noticed, and they can charm you, but quietly.

I made this soup on a day when I needed soup….and on a day when I needed the soup to be easy, but captivating. This is a soup that shines when you taste it, but not before.

The savory onions and garlic go from sautéing, into a pot of hot broth, to which diced tomatoes are added and the seasonings. Add some fresh cheese-filled tortilini, cook a few minutes till done, add some spinach, and there it is. The dried basil and oregano are essential. They are what makes this soup have that wonderful Italian flavor. The only thing that can make it better is a shaving of Parmesan cheese on top. Oh, and a loaf of crusty, crunchy bread to soak up the broth. Listen closely, and you will hear Andrea Bocelli singing.

SPINACH-TOMATO-TORTELLINI SOUP

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp, dried oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with their juice
4 cups chicken broth (vegetarians, use vegetable broth)
9 0z. pkg. refrigerated 3-cheese tortellini
3 cups baby spinach, or 1 box frozen spinach, squeezed dry
grated Parmesan for serving

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup kettle. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.

Sautéing the onions and garlic.

2. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, the chicken broth plus 1 cup of water, all the seasonings, the tortellini and salt and pepper to taste.

There’s all those lovely seasonings.

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook until the tortellini is tender, about 5 – 6 minutes

4. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 – 3 more minutes to heat through.

5. Ladle into bowls and serve with shaved Parmesan cheese as garnish.

Warming, captivating, delicious!!

SOURCE: adapted from Cooking Classy

Reese’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies and tagged with Bar cookies, dessert, oatmeal, peanut butter, recipe, Reese's miniatures November 12, 2014

Reese’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Let’s take out some butter to soften up. Check that your pantry has plenty of flour, sugar and brown sugar. Oh, and we’re going to need peanut butter, peanut butter in several forms. Why? Because today is baking day.

Today we are going to make Peanut Butter Oatmeal bars, and we’re pulling out all the stops with these, incorporating peanut butter-flavored baking chips, peanut butter, and Reese’s Miniature candies. Total peanut butter heaven! I’ve been enthralled with all kinds of bar cookies lately, and these leave no room for disappointment. If you have Reese’s Cups left from Halloween this is a great way to use them up.

These bars are fabulous in every way; besides the wonderful taste, the centers are perfectly soft and chewy, and the Reese’s cup surprise in the middle makes them even more drool-worthy. It takes very little time to whip these up, but everyone who tastes them will want the recipe. To make sure the Reese’s are nicely distributed I put down a layer of about half the dough in the bottom of the baking dish and then sprinkled the chopped candy on top. Next I dolloped the remaining dough on top of all that, making a kind of peanut butter oatmeal cookie sandwich with a Reese’s filling. Turned out to be a great way to do it, as every bite gives you all that yumminess combined.

These will bake up beautifully and cut nicely also. I cut mine into 16 bars for the photos here, but you may want to cut them diagonally in half if you’re serving a large group, or double up on all the ingredients and bake in a 13″ x 9″ pan for a larger batch. Be sure to treat yourself to a whole bar… you deserve it. I know I did! 🙂

REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIE BARS

Yield: Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup peanut butter-flavored baking chips
1 cup Reese’s miniatures, chopped or Reese’s minis

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Cream butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and continue mixing.

3. Add egg, mix in well, then add vanilla.

4. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir in well.

5. Stir in the peanut butter chips.

6. Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Top with chopped Reese’s miniatures. Dollop the remaining dough on top by the teaspoon. It doesn’t have to completely cover all the Reese’s.

About half the dough on the bottom, a layer of Reese’s cups, and the remaining dough on top.

7. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Serve with a glass of cold milk for supreme satisfaction!!

SOURCE: Slightly modified from Mom on Time Out.com

Huevos Rancheros with Bacon and Corn Tortillas

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast, Carolyn's Originals and tagged with bacon, breakfast, corn tortillas, eggs, huevos rancheros, recipe, salsa November 10, 2014

Hoevos Rancheros with Bacon and Corn Tortillas

I admit that sometimes I’m just weird, like when I jump out of bed thinking about what I’ll make for breakfast. I’m not talking OJ, toast and coffee or a bowl of cold cereal here. I mean really cooking up something good. This happens mostly on a weekend morning, like today, Saturday.

It would be eggs, with bacon included, but in a not so ordinary way. Like huevos rancheros. That means eggs on the ranch, or eggs ranch-style. See, I’m fluent in Spanish. I’m also fluent in cooking by the seat of my pants, which means no recipe in sight. OK then, here’s how it unfolded.

Walk to the refrigerator and take out eggs ( natch), bacon, corn tortillas, an open jar of salsa and some grated cheddar jack cheese. Do I know what I’m doing? Not really, I’ve never made huevos rancheros, but I have seen a recipe with a picture of the finished dish. What I intended to produce was my own version of what I thought they must be like. Be on notice: that’s open to wide interpretation.

Begin by cooking up 4 slices of bacon till crisp. Save a small amount of the drippings in the pan. Add two corn tortillas to the bacon drippings and cook until puffed and golden. Remove to paper towels to drain. Keep any drippings remaining in the pan and add a small pat of butter. Prepare eggs in the usual way for scrambling, add to pan and cook until just beginning to set. Sprinkle with grated cheddar-jack cheese. Cover and turn off heat, allowing cheese to melt, and eggs to finish cooking. Place a crisp tortilla on each plate, cover with a portion of scrambled egg, spoon on some salsa, and top with strips of bacon. Olé. Mue Bueno!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS WITH BACON AND CORN TORTILLAS

Yield: Serves 2 Increase quantities accordingly to serve more

Ingredients:

4 slices lean bacon
2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 jar salsa, mild or spicy, your preference
4 eggs
1 small pat butter
grated cheddar-jack cheese or Cotija cheese or queso fresco

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet.

Cook the bacon first and save some of the drippings for the tortillas.

2. Cook the tortillas: heat the bacon drippings in the skillet, add the tortillas and cook until golden brown on the bottoms, 3 – 4 minutes; flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 3 more minutes. Wrap in foil to keep warm.

Corn Tortillas get crispy and puffed when cooked in a little oil.

3. Make the eggs: in a small bowl, whisk the eggs together to blend, add 1 -2 tablespoons water, salt and pepper to taste, and continue whisking to mix well.. Add the butter to any remaining drippings in the skillet, and allow to melt and become hot. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and cook on medium heat until the eggs are set, lifting the edges and letting the liquid portion run underneath. When the eggs are almost completely cooked sprinkle on the grated cheese. Turn off the heat, cover , and allow the cheese to melt before serving.

4. To serve: Place a warm tortilla on each plate. Top with a portion of the eggs, Spoon on desired amount of salsa, and lay two pieces of bacon on the top.

Layer it all up with some salsa and bacon on top.

This is probably not the most appetizing-looking meal I’ve ever made, but it sure tasted good, and got a weekend morning off to a great start.

SOURCE: A Carolyn Original

Beefy Mac and Cheese

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with chili beef, dinner entree, mac and cheese, one-dish meal, pasta shells, recipe November 7, 2014

Beefy Mac and Cheese

Don’t you think it’s about time we get down to the real thing?….We’ve roasted vegetables, cut up pumpkin, and peeled apples. Now let’s eat some mac and cheese. Here we are into November and we have every right to put apples in our pancakes, chicken in our pot pies, and chili beef in our Mac and Cheese. We have every right to all the comfort foods we can possibly eat.

Routines are comforting don’t you think? I have my routines. I get my oil changed every 3000 miles, I get my hair cut every 6 weeks, I drag myself out of bed every morning and back into it every night somewhere between 11 and 12m. It all feels good, and right. In the catalog of sometimes mundane routines is this Mac and Cheese recipe.

About three times a year I over-indulge and make this dish and wonder why I don’t make it a part of my more pressing monthly routine. Then I remember the calories, making the roux, assembling it all and baking it. Its worth it though, but still it remains my every-once-in-a-while dish. Maybe that’s why I enjoy it so much when I do make it. Something about absence making the heart grow fonder?

My variation: the recipe calls for 8 oz. ground beef, but I like the dish heartier, so I use 1 pound of beef and double up on the tomato paste and chili powder. This makes a thicker layer of chili beef under the mac and cheese, and you get more in every bite. Use either half or a whole pound of beef, it’s up to you, and either way it’ll be delicious! That’s what we do it 🙂

BEEFY MAC AND CHEESE

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces medium pasta shells
3 Tbsp, unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chili powder
8 ounces ground beef
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat milk ( 1%)
2 2/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend ( about 8 oz,)
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs, preferably panko
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the package directs. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chili powder and stir until brick red, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 4 minutes.

Browning the beef.

Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread the mixture in a 3-quart baking dish. Preheat the oven.

3. Having cooked the beef, now we make a roux. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. (It’s a thick and goopy mess. You’re totally doing it right.) Slowly add the milk and reserved cooking water.

Making the roux.

Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking away until thick, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups cheese, the cooked pasta and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir until the cheese melts.

Stir in the cheese and let it melt.

All that cheesy sauce gets inside the shells…Oh, Wow!

Spread over the beef mixture. This is all about layering flavors.

4. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and the breadcrumbs; sprinkle over the pasta mixture and bake for about 20 minutes.

Top with remaining cheese and crumbs and bake for 20 minutes.

Before removing from the oven, turn on the broiler, and broil until the top is golden and crunchy. Top with the scallions and serve.

Oh man… this is really good!

SOURCE: Cooking Light

Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin Scones

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Muffins & Scones and tagged with drop scones, fat-free half and half, low fat, pumpkin, recipe, scones, vegetarian November 5, 2014

Pumpkin Scones

I love Charlie Brown specials on TV. I watch them whenever I can. One in particular that I love is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The Great Pumpkin seems to be known only to Linus who waits for him every year on Halloween. Linus and his blanket wait patiently in the pumpkin patch for the Great Pumpkin to appear. Invariably he fails to show up and a humiliated but undefeated Linus vows to wait for him again the following Halloween.

A line made famous by the TV special is “There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin” Well, I pretty much adhere to that rule, too, but seeing that Halloween has just passed, today is election day, and I baked pumpkin scones, I’m breaking the rule to share with you this recipe for awesome pumpkin scones. I imagine Linus would have loved to have one while he waited for the Great Pumpkin, but you don’t have to wait that long, only long enough to whip these up and have one while it’s still warm with a cup of coffee or tea.

PUMPKIN SCONES

Yield: 10 -11 drop scones

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour ( or use half white flour, and half whole wheat)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 Tbsp. chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup fat-free half and half ( plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones, if desired.)
In place of the half and half you can use 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk, plus add 1/2 tsp. baking soda to the dry ingredients.

Optional Spice Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice, and pulse to blend briefly.

Add the orange zest and better and pulse on and off. until the mixture has the consistency of fine meal.

Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the pumpkin and half and half, mixing just until combined.

Mixing in the pumpkin and half-and-half.

3. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheet, using 1/4 cup measure or large spoon, to divide evenly. This should make about 10 scones. (I got 11.) Space them about 1 inch apart.

Space about 1-inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with a tablespoon or two of fat-free half and half.

Brush tops with half-and-half.

Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

4. For the glaze: Add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and water to a small ;bowl. Whisk together well. Drizzle over scones and serve warm or cold.

Drizzle scones with glaze.

Light and tender. Just right for a snack.

SOURCE: old recipe from the Hartford Courant

Fall-ing for Apples

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with apple orchard, dessert, heritage apples, recipe, Rudyard Kipling, Scott's orchard November 3, 2014

Apples are the essence of fall.

Several weeks ago I attended an “apple-tasting” event at Scott’s Orchards in Dummerston, Vt. It was at the height of foliage season and the farm, orchards, and surrounding countryside were ablaze in the wonderful colors of autumn. The 36-acre orchard is located high above a valley and offers magnificent views of the surrounding hills. It is on the estate that once belonged to the author, Rudyard Kipling, but is now in the care of the Vermont Landmark Trust. The apple orchard is known for the variety of heritage apples that are being tested and grown there.

The farm and orchard are set in beautiful surroundings.

A few of the many heritage apples grown at Scott’s Orchard.

On my visit, I purchased a variety of apples, previously unknown to me, some of which you see pictured here. I have been using them sparingly so that we can taste and enjoy their unique flavors in some tasty treats. Some of these apples are strange looking, but the flavors are surprising and wonderful. Some are especially tart–you’ll taste it with your jawbone–but blend them with others that are sweeter and you will have a mixture that hardly needs any sugar. Applesauce is one of those mixtures that improves greatly by using a variety of apples to make it. Mixing a tart variety with a sweet one, or juicier apples with drier varieties, may produce excellent results–the only problem being that you may not ever be able to reproduce it’s exact flavor.

On the day of my visit the farm stand was bustling with people grabbing bags of apples and jars of cider. There were many “bins” of apples where you could fill a bag with the apples of your choice.

Many bins of apples, like this one.

That is what I did, taking only one or two of 12 different kinds. One woman asked the orchardist what apples were good right now, and he responded, “well, I’ve been taking home Reine de Reinettes. If you like Honeycrisps, you should try the Reine de Reinettes”.

Convincing someone to try a strange food/fruit can be challenging, but more and more people, New Englanders in particular, are showing an interest in trying the awkward, cosmetically challenged apples of the world, apples with an astonishing inner beauty that takes some time to get to know. Many of the apples from this farm are sold at Whole Foods and independent grocery stores throughout the eastern region of the country. If you should have the opportunity to meet a heritage variety of apple, I urge you to give one a try—it’s probably wise to start with an eating apple, they’re a little sweeter and pleasant to eat. But those tart babies, they’ll surely put some zing in your apple pie!

An example of what I mean by “using them sparingly”, is this dish I made recently that consisted of pork chops roasted with apples and onions. It required only two apples, but we got tremendous enjoyment from this meal.

Another example is the recipe below for Apple Cinnamon Squares. It also needs only two apples, but produces an outstanding dessert with lots of apple flavor underneath the crumb topping. Layered in between buttery yellow cake crumbs is a creamy layer that elevates this dessert from good to great. Made from a yellow cake mix, this couldn’t be easier, so give it a try.

Apple Cinnamon Squares

APPLE CINNAMON SQUARES

Yield: about 20 squares

Ingredients:

1 ( 18.25-oz) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup gown sugar
1/2 tsp. round cinnamon
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine the cake mix with the butter in a mixing bowl. Mix until crumbly. Reserve 2/3 cup of cake/butter mixture in a separate bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to this 2/3 cup mixture. Mix well and set aside.

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon with reserved crumbs.

3. Spread remaining cake/butter mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.

First layer, buttery crumbs in the bottom.

Then, layer sliced apples on top of that.

Next layer, sliced apples.

4. In a separate bowl, blend sour cream and egg until well mixed. Spread cream mixture evenly over sliced apples.

Spread sour cream mixture over the apples.

Top with reserved cinnamon crumb mixture.

Top layer, cinnamon crumbs.

5. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown.

Bake till golden brown.

This dish is best served warm.

Does it need cream on top? No, but it sure is good!!

SOURCE: Table for Seven

Caramel Apple Dip

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Snacks and tagged with after school snack, Apples, caramel, lunchbox treat, Marshmallow creme, recipe, snack, vegetarian October 31, 2014

Caramel Apple Dip

Looking for a little something extra for your Halloween Party? This one is easy to make and offers a different approach to caramel apples.

For some people, apple cider, apple pie, and caramel apples are some of the essential fall things, conjuring up memories of trips to the orchard, fall festivals, and such. I have never been one to go out of my way for a caramel apple, finding them sticky and messy to eat. But anything with caramel piques my interest, and this recipe for a dip really intrigued me.

In addition to the savory appetizers I served at Mr.D’s birthday party, I wanted something cold and fruit based, that children would like. Let me tell you, this was definitely it. Apples cut into thin wedges, arranged on a platter with this dip, some chunks of cheddar cheese, and some grapes made a perfect counterpoint to the hot and savory Salsa Wings and Baked Broccoli Parmesan Dip

This sweet smooth and fluffy dip is really a crowd-pleaser. Be careful it’s so good that you won’t want to stop eating it.

In my haste to set it out for everyone to enjoy, I forgot to take a photo of the final platter arrangement of fruit, dip, and cheese. But what I did was set the bowl of dip in the center of a square serving platter. In the two diagonal corners were piles of apple wedges, in another corner were the chunks of cheese, and in the fourth corner was a bunch of red grapes. This was a pretty arrangement, with all the cool foods grouped together.

The recipe calls for 3 apples, but I cut up 6 apples, and still there was some dip leftover. The next day, I put a small container of it and an apple in Mr. D’s lunch. He really liked having it as a mid-day snack at work. So this would also be good in lunch boxes for school, or as an after school snack, if you are someone looking for such ideas.

CARAMEL APPLE DIP

Yield: 2-3 cups of dip

Ingredients:

1 package (8-ounces) low fat cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 tsp, vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow creme
3 medium eating apples
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. water

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar,

Whip brown sugar with cream cheese.

add caramel topping and vanilla and beat until smooth;

Mix in caramel topping and vanilla.

Fold in the marshmallow creme. This can be really sticky so I used my beater on low speed to get the marshmallow mixed in evenly.

Fold in marshmallow creme.

2. Cut apples vertically into thin wedges. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and water; toss apples in the lemon juice mixture. Drain.

3. Serve apples with dip, and enjoy.

Happy Halloween, everyone, and have a great weekend!

SOURCE: Taste of Home

Spice Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Cakes and tagged with chocolate ganache, cream cheese frosting with orange peel, dessert, recipe, Spice cake mix, vegetarian October 29, 2014

Spice Cake with Chocolate Ganache

When it comes to birthday cake I like to make something a little unusual. And I find that a cake baked in a bundt pan serves more people, so I knew from the get go that it would be a bundt cake. A what? A Bunnnndddttt. Remember “My Big Fat Greek Wedding?’

I think there is something so grown up and sophisticated about bundt cakes. I’m not sure what it is though, maybe its the lines on the outside of the cake? Maybe its the curves? I love a slice of bundt cake, and I love baking in my bundt pan. Mine is enamel over metal with a non-stick coating–it’s Orange! But you can use a tube pan if you like with the same results.

This is a spice cake that is very moist, and I paired it with cream cheese frosting flavored with grated orange rind for the filling in the middle. I dusted the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar, then drizzled it heavily with chocolate ganache. I must say—-it was quite impressive!

My favorite spice cake is a mix from Duncan Hines, and I have no problem using a mix when the quality and flavor is really good.

After baking the cake in the bundt pan and letting it cool compeletely, I split the cake in half horizontally, and removed the top half. Then I used a can of cream cheese frosting to which I added grated orange peel and a little milk.

Orange peel added to cream cheese frosting.

Whipping it lightly with a beater made if fluffy and creamier. This was spread on the bottom layer of cake and the top layer put back in place.

Cream cheese frosting in the middle.

Then I made the chocolate ganache and spooned it over the top.

The combined flavors of orange, and chocolate with the spice cake was complex and multi-layered. Everyone commented on how good it was.

The recipe for the ganache is given below.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. corn syrup
1 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together the cream, milk, butter, vanilla and corn syrup.

2. When butter is melted, turn heat to low and add the chocolate. Allow to melt into the mixture.

3. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar. When smooth, spoon over the cake. Allow to set about 15 minutes.

SOURCE: for ganache: Taste of Home Baking

Baked Broccoli Parmesan Dip

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Appetizers and tagged with Appetizer, Broccoli, cheddar, creole seasoning, parmesan, recipe, vegetarian October 27, 2014

Baked Broccoli Parmesan Dip

Believe me, I went through some major mental arguments with myself before making this dip. Really silly isn’t it? Why would I need to convince myself to make something so unbelievably good?

With broccoli as its primary ingredient you’d expect it to be really healthy right? A reason to make it.

Cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese….all healthy in their own way, but collectively, that’s a lot of fat and calories A reason not to make it.

Serve with toasted French bread slices; oh, oh more calories. Do I really want to make this?

While all this was going through my mind, a little voice kept saying, ” just go for it, you know you want to.”

Well, as you might guess, the little voice won out, and boy am I glad. Once tasted, never forgotten!

I did make some concessions by using low-fat cream cheese, sour cream and milk.

BAKED BROCCOLI PARMESAN DIP

Yield: about 4 cups Dip

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup Panko crumbs
8 oz. cream cheese ( I used low-fat)
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (thaw if frozen)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar, divided
1/2 cup sour cream (used low-fat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. creole seasoning ( I used cajun spice)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
loaf of French bread, sliced 1/4-inch thick and toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F. Lightly spray a shallow baking dish or casserole.

2. Heat the olive oil, add Panko and cook, stirring till browned and toasted, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Melt butter and add Panko crumbs to toast them.

Remove when the crumbs are golden and crunchy.

3. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, milk, seasonings and salt and pepper. Mix well to blend.

Whip together cream cheese, sour cream, milk and seasonings.

Stir in broccoli, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses.

Stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

4. Spread into prepared pan, sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar.

Spread in baking dish,

Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake till bubbly, about 20 – 25 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with Panko, serve warm with sliced, toasted bread.

Baked Broccoli Parmesan Dip

SOURCE: Emeril Lagasse

Delicious on a Dollar

Devoted to the preparation of healthy & economical foods that taste fabulous!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Tomato, Tortellini and Spinach Soup

Reese’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Huevos Rancheros with Bacon and Corn Tortillas

Beefy Mac and Cheese

Charlie Brown’s Great Pumpkin Scones

Fall-ing for Apples

Caramel Apple Dip

Spice Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Baked Broccoli Parmesan Dip

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