Cake Decorating Tip!

I made this cake a few years ago with a store bought cake mix (funfetti!) and store bought icing (vanilla). Sometimes you just don't have time for homemade cakes. And lets be honest, funfetti cake is awesome.

I realize that this isn't the prettiest cake that anyone has ever made, it's a little rough around the edges, but the idea has potential! All I did was take half of the icing out of container and put it into a separate bowl, put some red food coloring in, and mix! I then took the pink icing, put it in a sandwich baggie, sealed the baggie, clipped the corner off so there was a small hole in the bottom, and started decorating! I didn't even use a piping tip! 

It's an easy and cost effective way to take your cake to the next level without having to spend hours (or dollars) decorating! You can pipe a design like I did or write "Happy Birthday!" The possibilities are endless! Happy decorating!

Arby's Chicken Salad Copycat

I've always like Arby's Chicken Salad Wrap, but it's so expensive! Or maybe I'm just cheap...probably a little bit of both. Anyway here is a copycat recipe that I think is just as good!

To make 3-4 chicken salad sandwiches you will need:

• 1 & 1/4 cups of cubed CHICKEN BREASTS, I think I actually just chopped up a chicken breast
• 1/2 cup diced RED APPLES
• 1/2 Tbs LEMON JUICE
• 1/2 cup sliced RED GRAPES
• 1/2 cup chopped PECANS
• 1/4 cup chopped CELERY
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup MAYO, start with 1/4 cup and add more to taste
• SALT & PEPPER to taste

In a medium bowl, toss the diced apple in the lemon juice to prevent the apple from turning brown. Then, add everything else in and mix! The great part of this recipe is that if you don't like one of the ingredients, or if you really like grapes or pecans or something you can add more and make it your own! 

It is recommended to allow the chicken salad to sit for about an hour before serving to let all of the flavor marry together. And that's it! Easy as pie! Actually, probably easier than pie...

You can get some lettuce and use it on a sandwich or a wrap, or you can just eat it out of a bowl! Yum!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://www.copykat.com/2011/07/26/arbys-grilled-chicken-and-pecan-salad/

Lemon Pound Cake

This recipe for lemon pound cake is supposedly a Starbucks copycat recipe. I haven't actually had Starbucks' lemon pound cake, but I have made this cake and it is wonderful! It is moist, sweet, and has a nice lemon flavor without being overwhelming. 

To make this pound cake you will need:

• 1 & 1/2 cups of FLOUR
• 1/2 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1/2 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 3 EGGS
• 1 cup SUGAR
• 2 Tbs softened BUTTER
• 1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 tsp LEMON EXTRACT
• 1 tsp LEMON JUICE
• 1/2 cup VEGETABLE OIL

To make the icing you will need:

• 1 cup + 1 Tbs POWDERED SUGAR
• 2 Tbs WHOLE MILK (I used 1% since that's what I had on hand)
• 1/2 tsp LEMON EXTRACT

Start by preheating your oven 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Next, mix the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, and lemon juice in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the oil. Mix until there are no lumps in the batter. 

Pour the batter into a well greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until you are able to insert a toothpick and have it come out clean. 

To make the icing, use an electric mixer to blend together the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon extract in a small bowl. When the loaf has cooled, pour the icing over the top of the cake! And vuala!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://punkinheadsanddoodaloos.blogspot.com/2011/11/chrissy-from-boerman-ramblings-is-on-da.html

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

These are a great if you are looking for something new to try with potatoes! The following recipe will make enough of the oil & spice mixture to cover a 3 lb. bag of potatoes.

What you will need is:

• 3 lb. bag BABY YUKON GOLD POTATOES (3 lb. bag will yield about 8 servings, so adjust the number of potatoes by how many people you are actually serving)
• 1/3 cup OLIVE OIL
• 4 tsp SALT
• 2 tsp PEPPER
• 2 Tbs finely chopped ROSEMARY (if you don't like rosemary or don't have any on hand, try a different spice!)

Start preheating your oven to 425 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, cut the bottom off each potato to allow it to sit on the counter rather than roll around. Next, cut slices in the potato about 1/8 inches apart. Be careful not to cut all the way through the potato, but allow about 1/4 inch at the bottom to hold the potato together.

Tip: Place the potato in a shallow spoon to hold it in place, but also to make it easier to cut the slices without cutting all the way through the potato.

Once all of the potatoes have been sliced, mix the oil, salt, pepper, and 1 Tbs rosemary in a bowl and then toss the potatoes in with the oil and spices. Make sure to get a good coating of oil and spices over all of the potatoes and into the slits.

Next, place the potatoes on a cookie sheet cut side up. Bake the potatoes for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and the slices are crisp on top!

After taking the potatoes out of the oven sprinkle the remaining 1 Tbs of rosemary on top and serve!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/rosemary-roasted-potatoes-recipe2/index.html

Balsamic Chicken

My husband and I made this for dinner last night and we both really liked the marinade on the chicken! We made balsamic chicken with onion, tomato, mushrooms, and a side of potatoes. The marinade is quite simple. All you need is:

• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 3 Tbs BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 2 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
• 1 clove GARLIC
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut in half long-wise 

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Place the chicken into the marinade and make sure that there is a good coating of the marinade on the chicken. Heat the oil in a skillet on the stove. Once the oil is hot, pour the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side (or longer if you have thick chicken breasts). And that's it!

We cooked up some onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes with the chicken and then baked some cubed potatoes to have on the side! Yum!

Bon Appetit!

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Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 3 Tbs BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• 2 tsp DIJON MUSTARD
• 1 clove GARLIC
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST, cut in half long-wise 

Directions:

1. Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and garlic. 
2. Place the chicken into the marinade and make sure that there is a good coating of the marinade on the chicken. 
3. Heat the oil in a skillet on the stove. Once the oil is hot, pour the chicken and the marinade into the skillet. 
4. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side (or longer if you have thick chicken breasts). And that's it!

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The website where I found the marinade is: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=50441

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

These cookies are perfect for the fall. They are apple cider cookies with a gooey caramel filling! This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies, so I generally half the recipe.

To make them you will need:

• 1 cup BUTTER, softened
• 1 cup SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1 box ALPINE SPICED APPLE CIDER INSTANT ORIGINAL DRINK MIX (not sugar free!), all 10 packets
• 2 EGGS
• 1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 1 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1/2 tsp BAKING POWDER
• 1 tsp CINNAMON
• 3 cups FLOUR
• 1 bag KRAFT CARAMELS (14 oz.) or HOMEMADE CARAMEL SQUARES

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and apple cider until it becomes fluffy. Next, beat in one egg at a time and add the vanilla, making sure that all the ingredients are incorporated well.

In a small bowl whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and flour. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the butter & egg mixture. Mix until all ingredients are just combined.

Optional: Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. This makes the dough easier to work with!

Take a rounded tablespoon of dough and wrap it around a caramel square making sure that the caramel is completely covered. Place this on a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Make sure the balls are about 2 inches apart on the parchment. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are light brown around the edges. Be careful not to over bake the cookies!

When the cookies are done baking, pull them out of the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet until the cookies are firm enough to stay in one piece when moved, but still warm. (If you allow them cool all the way they will become difficult to remove from the cookie sheet.) Twist each cookie gently to get them to come off of the cookie sheet and flip each cookie upside down to finish cooling.

These cookies are best eaten warm! (Especially if you use the Kraft Caramels) I generally warm them in the microwave for a few seconds so they are nice and gooey!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://scrambledhenfruit.blogspot.com/2010/11/caramel-stuffed-apple-cider-cookies.html

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scone

These scones are yummy and especially great to have with a nice cup of tea! To make this scone, you will need the following ingredients:

• 3/4 cup cold BUTTERMILK
• 1/4 cup + 1 & 1/2 Tbs SUGAR
• 2 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
• 2 large EGGS
• 2 cups FLOUR
• 1 Tbs BAKING POWDER
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 3 Tbs cold BUTTER, chopped into small pieces
• 3/4 cup CHOCOLATE CHIPS

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and then whisk the buttermilk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and 1 egg in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt. Then, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in the chilled butter until the contents resemble coarse meal. Next, mix in the chocolate chips and then add the milk mixture. Stir until the mixture is just moist. 

Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Knead 4 times and then shape the dough into a 9 inch circle (should be about 3/4 inch thick) on a baking sheet that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Using a knife, make sure to cut the dough into 12 wedges before baking. 

Brush the top of the dough with an egg white and then sprinkle with the remaining 1 & 1/2 Tbs sugar. Place into the oven for about 18-20 minutes, until it is golden brown. The scones are best served warm!

The website where I found this recipe is: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/01/skinny-chocolate-chip-buttermilk-scones.html#more