Pistachio Christmas Cake

This recipe is adapted from several different versions of Pistachio Cake. It's made in a Christmas Bundt Pan. I use a Christmas Wreath design. It's frosted like an English Pudding with icing on the top and a bit running down the sides. Garnish it with fresh Holly leaves and fresh Cranberries.

1 (18.25oz.) package of white cake mix
1 (3.4oz.) box of instant pistachio pudding mix
1/2 C water
4 eggs
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/2 tsp almond extract
green food coloring

Frosting:
1 (3.4oz.) box instant pistachio pudding mix
1/2 C milk
1 (8oz.) container of frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
green food coloring
1/2 C chopped pistachios for garnish

Cake:
In a bowl:
cake mix
pudding mix
Whisk well, create a well in the center and add:
water
eggs
oil
stir well
add 7 drops of food coloring
Mix by hand with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.

Prepare the Bundt pan. I use my Pan Release Mix ( recipe to follow) It's the best way to grease a detailed designed Bundt pan for instant release.

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan.
Invert onto a serving platter. (don't be alarmed that the outside of the cake isn't green, it's normal!)

Frosting:
In a bowl:
pudding mix
milk
Stir well
Fold in whipped topping
Fold in 5 drops of food coloring

Frost the top of the cake letting some of the icing run down the sides.
Sprinkle the top only with crushed Pistachios.
Garnish the top with fresh Holly leaves and fresh Cranberries.

Pan Release Mix:
This is my foolproof pan release recipe. It's the only way I grease any baking recipe that requires greasing the pan.
In a bowl, mix equal parts of the following:
Flour
Crisco
Vegetable Oil
Mix well and store in a jar in the refrigerator.
You can start with any equal amount based on how much baking you do.
Example:
1 C of each to begin with.
I always have a jar in the refrigerator.
Use a pastry brush to coat the pan.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Baked Zucchini Appetizer Strips / with Ranch Dressing

Here's another great Tex - Mex recipe.

For each Large Zucchini, you'll need the following ingredients.

1 large Zucchini, trimmed, peeled and cut into French Fry Strips
1 tbs Olive Oil
3/4 cup plain Bread Crumbs 

1 tsp Adobo Seasoning

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Black Pepper

Ranch Dressing

1. Line a Sheet Pan with Foil ( spray it lightly with cooking spray) , preheat  oven to 425 degrees. Toss the Zucchini strips with the Olive Oil, making sure that every piece is well coated.

2. In a small bowl, combine the Bread Crumbs, Adobo Seasoning, Cayenne Pepper, Parmesan Cheese, Salt and Black Pepper. Cover the Olive Oil coated Zucchini Strips with the Bread Crumb mixture (shake off excess Breadcrumbs), place them on the Sheet Pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until they look Crispy, Golden Brown and still tender in the middle. Serve warm dipped in Ranch Dressing.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Strawberry Fudge from I Love Texas Recipes

I think any little girl would love to have this Strawberry Fudge. I have 3 grand daughters and I know they would ! It's also a recipe that they can help make, it's simple , easy, and....... it's Pink!
Be creative with other flavors of icing.......!



STRAWBERRY FUDGE 

INGREDIENTS:
1- (16 oz.) can of Strawberry Frosting
1 -(12 oz.) bag of White Chocolate Chips
2/3 C  chopped Pecans (optional)
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly spray 9x9 pan with cooking spray.
Put chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and melt them until smooth and creamy. You could also use a double boiler.
Stir in entire can of strawberry frosting.
Stir in pecans.

Spread into pan.
Sprinkle with sprinkles
Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve

This is the one that my grand daughters made.
Silver Glitter Sprinkles, Pink Pig Sprinkles and White Snowflake Sprinkles.

This is another version with Christmas Red, Green, Silver and White Sprinkles.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge / Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman

I saw this on a recent holiday episode of the Pioneer Woman. This would be a great recipe to make with children. It's simple, easy and the kids would love it! You could come up with alternative toppings such as holiday sprinkles, chopped nuts, chopped candy bars, miniature marshmallows etc.! 


Cooking spray, for spraying foil
3 C semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk 
Red peppermint candies, crushed, for topping
Directions
Line an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil hanging over the edges. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, or in a double boiler, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir until it's all melted and smooth. Pour it into the prepared pan and spread to even out the surface. Sprinkle on the crushed candies. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Lift the foil out of the pan and peel off the fudge. Cut into small squares.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocoholic Chocolate Chip Cookies

This may very well make it as an entry in the cookie contest next year.

Chocoholic Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C + 1 Tbs flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1- (8 oz.) bag semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
5 TBS butter, softened
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 C dark chocolate chips
1/2 C milk chocolate chips
1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, whisk:
flour
cocoa powder
baking powder
salt
Set aside

In a microwavable bowl, melt the 8 oz. of semi sweet chocolate chips until creamy smooth.
Set aside

In a small bowl, whisk:
eggs
vanilla
Set aside

In another bowl:
Beat butter until smooth, 1 minute
Beat in both sugars
Add the eggs and vanilla mixture, until well combined
Add melted chocolate chips
Beat well

Add dry ingredients that were set aside, on slow speed
Fold in all chocolate chips by hand
Chill dough for 30 minutes

Scoop 2 TBS of dough & form a ball , I use a 1 3/4" cookie scoop, equal to 2 TBS.
Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet pans at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet pans for 5 minutes
Transfer cookies to cooling racks and cool completely.

These will be soft, chewy and very gooey!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Magic Tomato Soup Cake !

This is truly a vintage recipe. 

My Aunt Faye used to make this.

I may have to search her recipes to see if she kept it.

I know that it may seem like an odd recipe but, like

Mom's Pantry said, "it's tried and true"

It has passed the test of time.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Cappuccino Cookies

I'm always in pursuit of cookie recipes as contenders for the annual cookie contest in Dallas. This one looks very appealing to me for next year.

• 12 TBS (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/3 C granulated sugar
• 1-(14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBS espresso coffee powder (I use Medaglia d'Oro)
• 1 tsp dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment:

butter

sugar

Until light and fluffy.

Add:

sweetened condensed milk

vanilla

Mix on high for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides.

Set aside

In a bowl, whisk:

flour

baking powder

espresso powder

cocoa

salt

With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the dry ingredients to the wet in batches.

Turn speed to medium and mix well.

Refrigerate dough for 1 hour

Line 2 baking sheet pans with parchment paper.

Use  a 1 3/4" cookie scoop, allowing quite a bit of space between them, because these cookies will spread, bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 15 - 18 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet pan.

Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!