Chocolate Cake Ideas

Looking for a special cake

for your Christmas dinner?

A chocolate cake is one

of the funnest and easiest 

cakes to dress up.

Today I used my basic chocolate cake

recipe and whipped up some

icing with some of the same

ingredients as tiramisu.

Slice the two cake layers in half.

Simple, easy and delicious.

For this one I just used creamy white icing and topped it with

 seedless raspberry's and drizzled chocolate.

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half and half

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup of hot coffee* 

*I heat 1 cup of water in microwave and add 1 very 

rounded table spoon of instant coffee.

Mix together in order listed. I usually have the mixer on slow the

whole time I mix up this cake. Pour batter into 2 greased

and floured 9 in. cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes,

or until center springs back when touched.

Cool cakes and slice each layer in half.

Then you know how to do the rest.

I don't think you need directions for icing a cake.

Tiramisu Icing

1- 8 oz. container of Mascarpone Cheese

2/3 cup 10x sugar

2 tsp. coffee liquor

2 tsp. tiramisu syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

Mix together Mascarpone Cheese, 10x sugar, coffee liquor,

tiramisu syrup and vanilla. In a separate bowl whip whipping cream

until it holds light peaks. Add too Mascarpone Cheese mixture and

beat until combined. Don't over whip- the texture will get funny.

Creamy White Icing

1 cup Crisco

 4 cups 10x sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

4 Tbsp. milk

Mix until creamy.

Enjoy,

Hope

Christmas Centerpiece

Looking for an inexpensive centerpiece

to grace your Christmas table?

Go to your fire wood pile and pick

out a nice piece of wood.

Have your husband cut out the center for you.

Cut a block of floral oasis in half and lay in the center.

Fill it with moss, pine, pine cones and berries.

Taaa daa... a Christmas centerpiece for almost free.

Blessings,

Hope

Merry Christmas ...

... to all of you who are visitors here.

I enjoy interacting with each one of you

and hearing your feedback.

I really enjoy blogging...

not for the attention or whatever you

you would call it- I blog because I have

a passion for cooking and like

sharing my recipes with others.

May your Christmas be restful.

Blessings,

Hope

2011 Cookie Bake

Today was the 5th annual cookie bake/exchange

with Noel farm ladies and my friend Karana.

This years total topped all-

1,500 cookies baked.

We each usually mix up 2 - 3

turns of cookies. It's so nice

because you get all your Christmas

cookies and candies in one day.

I am so blessed to have a family

I can do things like this with.

Here are some photos from our day.

Karana's Peanut Butter Blossom's

Brenda's Spice Cookies

 Faith's Praline Cookies

 Beth's Spritz Cookies

 My Sugar Cookies with Orange Marmalade

JoAnn's Gingerbread Men

Maggie's Cranberry Nut Cookies

Mom's Reese's Cookies

Aunt Shirley's Chocolate Crinkles

Meredith and Trenton's Pretzel Sticks

Good ol' Dad counting out Mom's candy.

  Danielle helping her mom.

Sweet baby Riley.

I'm ready for the long hard winter-

my freezer is full of cookies.

Blessings,

 Hope

Christmas Photos

I took my nephews Chistmas photos

this afternoon. A two year old will

not sit still for photos until you give him candy.

So... they both have candy in their mouths,

at least it's a festive candy.

Blessings,

Hope

It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Chirstmas...

Well folks, it's that time of year.

When we bring pine trimmings in to decorate,

and baking aromas fill the air.

 I made turtles with a good friend

on Saturday and had a wreath 

making today with some friends.

Then made party mix and sugar cookies.

When I take off work I try to 

pack in as much as possible.

Here are some festive photos

documenting the last couple days.

No recipe needed. Just over cook my carmel apple recipe

and you have caramel brickle. Delicious.

My best friend, Karana, wrapping caramel

around the pecans.

Friends since second grade. Oh, the stories we could tell.

 Ready to exchange at our cookie bake this Tuesday.

 Gathering pine for our wreaths.

What character a tool filled basement adds to a backdrop.

The finished product.
Part of the group. Suetta and Faith are missing.

Then around 8:00pm my dear sister-in-law Hannah

helped me with my sugar cookies.

Aunt Hope has retired Sawyer from decorating cookies-

at least until next year.

Hannah has taken his place and does a lovely job.

She doesn't even mix sprinkles.

Ready to grace our cookie plates.

Blessings,

Hope

Orange Glazed Chicken

How many of you like Chinese food?

I love it but every time I eat

orange or general tso's chicken

it seems so sweet and heavy.

Here is my creation of 

a healthy orange chicken.

Instead of the chicken being coated

in cornstarch you only have 1 Tbsp.

of cornstarch in the sauce.

You will walk away feeling

light as a feather.

No heavy gut feelings here.

 Saute chicken breast pieces in butter. Then add onion slices

and saute until partly soft. Add sauce ingredients and

simmer until thickened.

Taaa daaaa.... light, delicious, orange chicken.

Pair with cooked potatoes and salad.

Orange Glazed Chicken

3 large chicken breast, cut into pieces

3 Tbsp. butter

salt and pepper

1 small onion, sliced

3/4 cup orange juice

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. fresh orange peel

2 Tbsp. vinegar

3 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Cut chicken into pieces. Melt butter in skillet and add chicken.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fry uncovered on low heat until done.

Add onions and saute until partly soft. Whisk together orange juice

and cornstarch. Pour into skillet and mix in orange peel, vinegar, 

soy sauce and honey. Simmer until thickened.

p.s. I really enjoyed this tonight. 

I guess I was hungry for orange chicken.

Blessings,

Hope