Red Velvet Cupcakes

These are so good!!!

The Cake

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 1 small box of chocolate instant pudding
• 1 1/4 cups of water
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. of  pure vanilla extract

The Icing

• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 tbs. pure vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix into dry cake mix.

BEAT cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar.  Spoon 1-1/2 cups into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small corner off bottom of bag. Insert tip of bag into top of each cupcake to pipe about 1 Tbsp. frosting into center of cupcake.

FROST cupcakes with remaining frosting. Keep refrigerated.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
Makes 24
FOR THE CUPCAKES
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup milk
FOR THE ICING
8 ounces cream cheese (not whipped)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in top and bottom thirds. Line twenty-four muffin cups (1-cup capacity) with paper or foil liners, and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add orange zest. Beat in flour mixture and milk in three alternating batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture. After each addition, beat until just combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as necessary.
Fill prepared muffin cups with about 1/4 cup batter. Bake, rotating pans once, until cupcakes are just golden brown and spring back to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in tins, about 5 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks. Repeat with any remaining batter. Let cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar in a small bowl until just smooth. Add milk and vanilla; beat frosting until combined. Use immediately

Daniel's Birthday Cake

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.  I made chocolate cream cheese frosting for this cake!  Yummy!

kosher salt

Sharp Cheddar Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:
HEAT oven to 375°F.
PREPARE Macaroni as directed on package. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce.
LAYER the meat mixture, macaroni and mozzarella cheese in a casserole dish.  Repeat layers and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Pampered Chef Chicken Broccoli Braid

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Cooked Chicken - Shredded or Cubed
• 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup Pepper Jack Cheese
• 1 Garlic Clove - Minced or Pressed
• 1 Tbs. Pampered Chef Dill Seasoning Mix
• 1 Cup of Broccoli - Chopped
• ½ Cup of Red, Green or Yellow Pepper - Finley Chopped (Optional) I omit this! We don’t like peppers so I use Pepper Jack cheese to get that flavor.
• ¼ Cup of Onion - Minced (I don’t like onion so I use 2 Tbs. of fresh chives or dried minced onions)
• Black Pepper to taste
• ½ Cup of Hellman’s Mayo - I use just enough to combine all the ingredients together.
• 2 Packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 1 Egg - Beaten to brush on top.

Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, garlic, cheese, mayonnaise, dill mix, pepper, and onion until well incorporated. (I use more than 2 cups of cheese because we like it really cheesy)!!

Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 6 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal.

Brush braided dough with the egg. Bake on 350 degrees for 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.

I did mine a little different this time instead of the traditional braid. I make this into a ring instead of a braid sometimes and that is pretty also. We like to eat this with Macaroni and Cheese.

　

Super Easy Meatballs

MEATBALLS

• 2lb of Ground Beef (I use 80/20 for these to keep them tender)
• 1 Egg - lightly beaten
• 1 Tbs. Onion Powder or 1 small onion finely chopped
• ½ Tbs. Garlic powder or 1 garlic glove minced
• Black Pepper to taste
• ½ Cup of Bread Crumbs
• ½ Cup of Ketchup
• 3 or 4 Tbs. of Worcestershire Sauce
• Parsley

SAUCE

• 1 Jar of Heinz Chili Sauce
• 1 Jar of Grape Jelly

PREHEAT the oven to 400 degrees.

COMBINE the ingredients for the meatballs until well incorporated.  Shape into 1 inch balls (I use a small scoop to keep them all the same size). 

BAKE in the oven on 400 degrees on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil until golden brown. (Depends on the size of the meatballs)  I keep them small.  30 to 35 minutes depending on the oven.

Meanwhile place the Heinz Chili Sauce and Grape Jelly in the crock pot on high until the jelly melts into the sauce.

Drain the grease from the meatballs and place them in the crock pot on low for several hours. They are ready when you are! Daniel loves these!!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Sticks of butter or margarine, room temp.
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (I use creamy)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Extra large egg, room temp.
• 1 Package of Milk Chocolate Morsels
• Granulated sugar

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar. I use a small ice cream scoop.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.