Strawberry Swirl Cake

I found this recipe last year in my Kraft Foods Calendar (Why oh why have you forsaken me and quit making the only calendar I ever wanted to use again?! Curse you Kraft and your delicious recipes!) and it is UNbelievably good. I'm so happy it's finally spring, I may just make this for Easter. Or this.

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INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
2/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; set aside. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour half of the batter into medium bowl. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until well blended. Spoon half of the white batter and half of the pink batter, side-by-side, into each prepared pan. Swirl batters together using a teaspoon.


2. Bake 30 min. Cool 30 min. in pans. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.


3. Mix sour cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Place one of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the whipped topping mixture. Top with 1 cup of the strawberries and remaining cake layer. Spread top and side of cake with remaining whipped topping mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 cup strawberries just before serving. Store any leftover cake in refrigerator.

Tiramisu

I have been wanting to make tiramisu for years, but I was always intimidated. I finally found a recipe I was comfortable with from Joy of Baking and found the time to do it when I had the day off a few weeks ago. It's definitely labor intensive, but I would by no means call it difficult.The hardest part is waiting for the custard to cool.

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INGREDIENTS

Cream Filling:
2 cups (480 ml) milk, divided
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1/4 cup (35 grams) all purpose flour

6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark rum or Marsala
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 ounces (1 cup) (227 grams) mascarpone cheese

Ladyfingers:
32 crisp ladyfingers (Savoiardi)


Coffee Soaking Syrup:
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) very strong brewed coffee or espresso
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) dark rum or Marsala


Topping:
Cocoa Powder for Garnishing
1 ounce (30 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated or chopped
Fresh Raspberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cream Topping:
In a medium sized saucepan heat 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) milk and 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar just until boiling. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk, 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar, flour, and egg yolks. When the milk comes to a boil, gradually whisk it into the egg yolk mixture. Transfer this mixture into another clean large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. When it boils, continue to whisk the mixture constantly for another minute or so or until it thickens. Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl. (This will remove any lumps that may have formed.) Whisk in the Marsala (or rum), vanilla extract, and butter. Immediately cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Refrigerate until cold, approximately two hours.

Once the custard has cooled sufficiently, remove from the refrigerator. In a separate bowl, with a wooden spoon, beat the mascarpone cheese until it is soft and smooth. Gently fold, or whisk, the mascarpone into the cold custard until smooth.

Coffee Soaking Syrup:
In a large shallow bowl combine the coffee (espresso), sugar, and rum. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Set aside.


To Assemble:
Line a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap extends over the sides of the loaf pan.

Have ready the ladyfingers, coffee mixture, and cream filling.

Working with one ladyfinger at a time, dip 8 ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and place them side by side in a single layer over the bottom of the loaf pan. Spoon 1/3 of the cream filling over the ladyfingers, making sure they are completely covered. Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers by dipping them (8) ladyfingers in the coffee mixture and placing them on top of the cream. Again, cover the ladyfingers with cream and repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, cream, and ladyfingers. Cover the Tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

To Serve:
Remove the plastic wrap from the top of the tiramisu. Gently invert the Tiramisu from the loaf pan onto your serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Sift cocoa powder over the top of the Tiramisu and decorate with grated or chopped semisweet chocolate and fresh raspberries (if in season).

Makes 8 - 10 servings.

Jen's Secret Recipe Corn Muffins

Tonight I wanted Macaroni and cornbread. I always cheat and make cornbread from a mix, but this time, I discovered something incredible. I had some leftover buttermilk, so I used that. Then I went to reach for the eggs and...realized I didn't have any. No problem right? I just added a little vegetable oil. Dave normally doesn't respond to food until they day after when he'll say something like "hey, can we have that yellow stuff again sometime?". Tonight though, the first words out of his mouth was "Write this recipe down!". So, now I have my very own "secret recipe", but I'll share it with you. I'd have posted a picture, but dave ate them all. I'm using a photo from myrecipes.com instead.

INGREDIENTS

1 package Martha White Corn Muffin Mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Measure milk in a 2 cup measuring cup and add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. Stir in muffin mix until well incorporated.
3. Poor into muffin tins until about 2/3 full and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Yeilds 6 corn muffins.

Todd's Famous Blueberry Pancakes

I made these tonight and they were UNbelievably good! Dave's first bite include a "oh man", and he wouldn't even put butter or syrup on them. They're THAT good.

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INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

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INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Salsa Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Chicken breasts or tenders
1/2 packet taco seasoning
salsa
cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sprinkle 1/4 packet of seasoning onto the bottom of a baking dish. Place chicken in dish and sprinkle remaining seasoning over chicken.
3. Top with as much salsa and cheese as your little heart desires.
4. Bake covered with foil for 25-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through, and then bake uncovered for 5 minutes to melt any cheese that hasn't melted

Blue Cheese Inside-Out Burgers

INGREDIENTS

1 LB. Lean Ground Beef (or Sirloin)
1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic (or more)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine first four ingredients and divide into four equal parts.
2. Create a ball with 1/4 of the mixture, and then make a whole in the middle. Put a little bit of blue cheese inside, and cover with the hamburger mixture.
3. Press until flattened a bit, and then continue with remaining hamburger mixture.
4. Grill or pan fry hamburger patties until no longer pink in the middle.