Potato: Skillet Scalloped Potatoes

Serves 8

6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoos flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step one:  In a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and cook until melted and frothy.  Add flour and whisk until lightly browned, about 30 seconds.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk in milk until smooth.  Increase heat to simmer for about 30 seconds.

Step two:  Use an 8 to 9 inch oven safe skillet.  Arrange potato slices in skillet so that they slightly overlap.  Use 1 1/2 cups of cheese between every second layer of potato.  Pour milk mixture into the skillet to coat potatoes.  Top potatoes with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Cover with lid (or foil) and bake for 60 minutes.  Remove lid or foil and continue to bake or broil for 5-10 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Ice cream and hot fudge sauce

Classic Vanilla Ice Cream Mix

1 qt Heavy Cream

1 1/4 cup Milk

1 1/4 cup Sugar

10 Egg Yokes

1 TBS vanilla




Combine cream and milk in a saucepan and sprinkle in half the of the sugar.  Stirring constantly, heat to 170°.  Do not allow the cream  mixture to boil or it will curdle.

Meanwhile whisk 10 egg yokes with the remaining sugar and 1 TBS of vanilla. 

When cream is heated, pour 1/3 of the cream into the egg mixture and whisk.  When combined, add the egg mixture to the remaining cream mixture in the pan and return to low heat. Stir constantly until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon (do not allow mixture to boil).

[Hint:  if the cream mixture does curdle, put it in a blender to liquify it again]

Pour the cream mixture 3/4 of the way in your provided ice cream makers canister. Chill in the freezer until cold.(1 to 2 hours) or in refrigerator over night.

Freeze according to directions on your ice cream freezer.  When finished, remove dasher and pack ice cream down into the can.  Cover the can with plastic wrap held in place by a rubber band and place can in the freezer for about 5 hours (or overnight) to "ripen".

Hot Fudge Sauce

 

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons water

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Heat all ingredients in microwave safe bowl for about 2 minutes on high.  Whisk together until smooth.  Homemade ice cream has a very low melting point, so you don't want the hot fudge to be too hot.  You can store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.

Frosting, Vanilla Buttercream

Basic Vanilla Buttercream

3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 sticks butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Mix together sugar and butter on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Frosting, Chocolate Butter Cream

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 cups SIFTED confectioners sugar (measure after you sift)
2 sticks butter
6 Tablespoons Milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)

Directions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Put the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler set over but not touching simmering water in the bottom pan. Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, the 6 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, then reduce the speed to low. Add the chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute more.

If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Cake - Italian cream (wedding) cake

Italian Cream (Wedding) Cake - from Karen Thomas

Cake mix
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon baking sodda
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all purpose flour (or cake flour)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple
1 cup chopped pecans (you can use walnuts)

Frosting
1 stick butter
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz powdered sgar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour three 8' cake pans (I used two 9' pans)

In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour, mixing just until incorporated. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Stir in pineapple, coconut and 1 cup pecans.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting: Cream together the butter, cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until blended. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 cup pecans. If frosting is too stiff to spread, stir in milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency.  Be sure the cake is completely cool before frosting.

Store cake in refrigerator.  This cake keeps well and can be made 1 to 2 days ahead of date needed. 

Cake - Bacardi Chocolate Rum Cake

You need a 10" tube pan or 12 cup bunt pan to make this cake.

1 cup Bacardi gold rum
1 pkg (18 1/2 ounces) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. chocolate instant pudding/pie filling
3/4 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 pkg. (12 oz) semisweet chocolate
1 cup raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons shortening
1 oz. white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, 1/2 cup of rum, water and oil in mixing bowl.  Beat at low speed until moistened, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of chocolate pieces.

Pour into prepared greased pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes until cake tests done.  CHECK AT 50 minutes becuase the bottom of a bunt cake burns easily & you can't see it until you unpan the cake.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on rack. 

Raspberry filling:
In a small saucepan, heat the raspberry preserves and remaining 1/2 cup of rum.  Strain heated mixture through sieve to remove seeds.  Place cake on serving plate.  Prick surface of cake with a fork and brush the raspberry glaze evenly over the cake allowing the cake to absorb the glaze.  Repeat until all glaze has been used.

Frosting:  (Be sure cake is room temperature before you apply the frosting).
In a bowl, combine remaining 1 cup chocolate pieces and shortening.  Microwave on high until melted (about 1 minute).  Stir until smooth.  Spoon chocolate icing over cake.  Let stand 10 minutes until mixture frosting begins to firm slightly.  In a small bowl, combine white chocolate and 1 teaspoon water.  Microwave on high about 30 seconds or until melted.  Stir well and drizzle over the chocolate icing.

I actually wrote to the Bacardi company and they sent me this recipe.  It's not really what I was looking for (had a rum layer cake years ago that was great and that's what I asked about) but it did turn out to be a very good dessert.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Basic cream cheese frosting

2 packages cream cheese, 8 oz each
1 stick butter
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Allow butter and cream cheese to soften.  Do not melt the butter or the frosting will not hold up.

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 the refrigerator after use.

Avocado Cream Sauce

Perfect to serve over chicken enchiladas

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

2 cups chicken broth

¾ cup sour cream

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. pepper

2 California avocados, peeled and pitted

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

juice of one lime

·  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes.

·  Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

·  Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps.

·  Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. (Be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.)

·  Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.