luscious lemonade layer cake

To my luck, my newly 7-year-old kiddo requested a "lemon cake" for his birthday.
Yippee! I love anything lemon...
He probably would have been fine with a boxed or store-bought, decoration-decked-out, crisco-frosting cake, but I wanted to enjoy it, too...;)
So I remembered making this lemon cake last year and loving it.
And it fit the bill again!
It's dense, moist, and the icing seeps into the cake making it even nummier the next day!

From "Keeping Up", 
luscious lemonade layer cake
click for: printable version

1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

place sugar, butter, zest, lemonade and vanilla in a mixer and mix until well blended. add eggs and egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. in a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. add dry ingredients to batter, alternating with buttermilk, until all dry ingredients and buttermilk are well blended. pour into two well-greased 9'' round pans. bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes (my oven needed about 30 minutes...just do the toothpick test!). cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.

frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

mix together all ingredients except powdered sugar and blend well. gradually add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until blended. don't over-beat. frost cake.

mint brownies

Of course it's not original to try a recipe and then post about it...

Wahoo. I mean, that's all I do on here!

But, I guess I like a "stamp of approval" from the people I know on things, ya know?

Well, these brownies get the stamps of approval...

Once again, from "Our Best Bites".

They are almost like fudge with a hint of mint frosting. 

SO good. I made them for a block party and a baby shower, and cut them up really small (rich!).

They were gone in a flash!

Enjoy!

Mint Brownies

from Our Best Bites

Mint Brownies


Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (4oz)
1 C butter (2 sticks)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Frosting:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-2 Tbs milk
green food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:
6 oz (about 1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips ,you could also use dark
6 Tbs real butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch.  Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.


Chop both unsweetened chocolate and two sticks of butter into chunks and place together in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.


With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes.  While egg mixture is beating, measure out flour and combine with baking powder.   While mixer is running, slowly add melted chocolate and beat to combine.  Turn beater speed to low and add in flour by spoonfuls.  Mix just until combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean.


Cool completely on a metal rack. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, prepare frosting.  Combine all frosting ingredients, starting with 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk, and beat until light and fluffy.  Add more milk by teaspoonful as needed.  Spread frosting evenly over brownies and then place brownies in fridge to chill.


While brownies are chilling prepare chocolate glaze.  Place chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully spread on top of the frosting layer.  Return pan to fridge to cool.  When chocolate has hardened, use edges of foil to remove entire brownie from pan.  Cut into squares and serve.

asian cabbage salad

In the mood for a different kind of salad... 

Not just the regular ole' greens and such. 

So I whipped up this healthy concoction from Best Bites. 

See, I told you I have to try about every recipe when I get a new cookbook?!

The photo (before I mixed in the nuts and seeds) makes me think CRUNCH! HEALTHY! YUM!

I love that this one doesn't include noodles, too. I don't know. It makes me feel better about eating it.
I ran out of rice wine vinegar, and used some red wine vinegar. Whatever.

Try this baby out. With or without the almonds. But I def recommend keeping the toasted sesame seeds.

Oh and unlike most salads, this one holds well the next day cuz' of it's low-oil dressing! Crunch on!

Asian Cabbage Salad Recipe by Our Best Bites

1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix 
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T toasted sesame seeds*
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted*
Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken


Dressing: 2 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
1 t kosher salt
2 t soy sauce
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t sesame oil

* To toast almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using.

Begin by making dressing. Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake shake shake. Store in the fridge until ready to use. You can definitely do this part a few days ahead of time.

Place all salad ingredients in a bowl

You need to pour on the dressing and toss to coat at least 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve. When you pour the dressing on you might think it’s not quite enough, but just wait. When it sits and marinates, it combines with the veggies and draws out liquid and there will be more than plenty of dressing after it sits. After you’ve poured on the dressing, place salad in the fridge to sit for 30-60 minutes.

Right before serving mix in toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

It’s as pretty as it is delicious!

Leave out the chicken and it makes a great vegetarian salad, or a terrific side dish for things like potstickers, Asian BBQ chicken, or Sweet and Sour Pork. Serve it with the chicken for a light meal.

best bite breadsticks

First let's get outta the way that I am in no way, shape or form much of a cook.

But I just try new recipes.

Since my Mom-in-Law gave me this cookbook, 

I feel it my duty to try everything with a drooling-effect photo.

I always do that with new cookbooks.

I'm definitely no photographer, per the phone camera shots below.

See, I was in a rush taking this yummy chowder (husband approved, kids didn't like) 

and breaksticks to a girl who just had a baby. 

I was totally intimidated, as usual by making bread of any sort.

I couldn't shape them the way the recipe called for, so I opted for blobs.

 Plus, I was hurrying to just whip them out in time.

But man, they were

TASTY.

A definite "try again" and "per-fect". 

I could see myself make these often since they were such a hit with the fam.

I used butter, garlic salt and parmesan cheese after the oven, 

but just butter or cinnamon sugar would be splendid as well.

Oh and best tip they suggested? 

Spray your countertop with cooking spray, instead of all the flour.

It makes SO much less of a mess!!

The lovely dough blobs.

My fancy "throw these on a plate and take bursting hot out the door" look.

Breadsticks

from Best Bites

1 1/2 c. warm (105-115 degrees) water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
3-4 1/2 c. flour

In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

Add salt and stir. Add 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and your humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

 Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Remove from bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Roll into a rectangle and cut into 12 strips with a pizza cutter.

Roll out each piece of dough into a snake and then drape over your forefinger and twist the dough. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining 11 pieces of dough. Try to space them evenly, but it's okay if they're close; pulling apart hot bread is one of life's greatest pleasures!

Cover pan and allow dough to rise for another 30 minutes. When there's about 15 minutes to go, preheat your oven to 425. When done rising, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Rub some butter on top of the breadsticks (just put a ziploc bag on your hand, grab some softened butter, and have at it) and sprinkle with garlic bread seasoning or the powdery Parmesan cheese in a can and garlic salt. Or you could sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar.