Bacon Recipes and Other Yummmmmmy Stuff!

Chocolate cake, this is on the back of the Hershey Cocoa can. You will not find a more moist basic chocolate cake than this. Also the Chocolate frosting is on the back of the can, I can't stand store bought canned icing/frosting and this is quick and simple.

A lot of times I make 1/2 batch and bake in an 8x8 pan or 2-6" round pans or 18 cupcakes. Turn onto cooling rack 5 to 10 minutes after taking out of oven. Cut 8x8 in half when cooled and make a stacked loaf cake.

Preheat oven to 350

Put tea kettle on for boiling water.

Grease and flour 9x13, or 2 rounds or 2 square pan

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup boiling water

In large bowl put all dry ingredients. Mix well. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix or wisk about 2 minutes, until smooth. Add boiling water and carefully mix in. Batter will be thin but bake perfectly. Pour into desired pan(s) and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out pretty clean.

As always, set timer 4 to 5 minutes less than minimum time called for, You can always bake it longer but can never unbake it if overdone.

For cupcakes, line with papers and fill 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes but check before lesser time is reached. Makes 30 to 36 cupcakes.

Turn onto cooling rack 5 to 10 minutes after taking out of oven if making a stacked cake.

Frosting:

1 stick butter, 1/2 cup, softened
2/3 cup cocoa, I use 3/4 cup
3 cups powder sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix butter with vanilla. Add cocoa, powder sugar and about 3/4 of the milk, mix, add remainder of milk as need to achieve desired consistency.

I use 1 batch of frosting for 1/2 recipe of cake for a stacked cake or 9x13 or 1/2 batch of cupcakes.

I use a double batch for 2-9 inch round stacks or 2-8x8 stacks and full batch of cupcakes.

Scratch made always taste better, is not difficult and you control the ingredients.

Fried Green Beans (PF Chang style)

Aldi's whole fancy frozen green beans work well with this

You can use other veggies too, onions, asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini, ect.

Dipping sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 Tablespoons sriracha (I use 1 to 1 1/2 T)
6 green onions, white part only. (I have also substituted onion)
4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon horseradish

Put everything in a wide mouth deep cup and using a stick blender process until smooth.

Batter:
1 cup beer
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Fry battered coated green beans in 375 degree oil until golden brown. Drain on pan with rack or paper towels.

If you find you are having a hard time getting the batter to stick to the veggies dust the veggies in flour before putting them in the batter.

You all are awesome! Can't wait to try some of these recipes out!

Christmas Jello :but you can make it anytime

2 large packs Strawberry Jello
2 cans pineapple tidbits, I think they are 20 oz cans, look for packed in juice
16 to 20 oz sweetened frozen strawberries, thawed, (you can use up to 24 oz if desired)
About 12 large bananas

Boil water to have 3 1/2 cups

In large bowl pour jello powder in. Add 3 1/2 cups of boiling water. Stir until dissolved.

***Do NOT add any cold water***

Pour both cans of pineapple tidbit in, juice and all, stir. Add thawed sweetened strawberries, juice and all, stir.
Add bananas, sliced about 1/4 to 1/3" thick, stir after each banana is added. Place in fridge, stir every 20 minutes until jello starts to jell. Push bananas down under the jell. When stirred the last time and jelling, place plastic wrap directly on top of the jello to keep any bananas that surface from browning. Chill overnight.

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings:

Arrange oven racks:

1 oven rack in upper middle of oven
1 oven rack in lower middle of oven

Preheat oven to 250 degrees, yes 250.


4 lbs chicken wings, cut at joints so you have a drummy, a flat and a tip. Freeze wingtips for stock later.
2 Tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Rinse wings and pat totally dry, this is important for a crispy wing. In large ziplock bag mix baking powder and kosher salt. Toss in wings and shake to evenly coat.

Place on sprayed wire rack that is placed over foil lined baking sheet, skin side up. Makes for easy clean up.
Bake for 30 minutes on lower oven rack.
Take chicken out of oven.
Turn oven up to 425.
Turn chicken skin side down and put on the upper rack, bake 25 to 30 minutes, then turn chicken skin side up and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with favorite sauce.

Sausage Gravy:

1 lb sausage (I use RB Rice medium sausage)
1 stick butter
6 Tablespoons flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half
Salt and pepper

Brown sausage in dutch oven, remove to bowl or plate
In same pan melt butter, wisk in flour, cook about 2 minutes to take away the raw flour taste.
Slowly add the milk, wisking it in.
Wisk in the half and half.
Crumble the cooked sausage and add back to the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until thickened. Simmer about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with pepper, taste before adding salt.
Serve over biscuits, Ladle over eggs, make a deep dish gravy egg pizza or a morning oven bake with a hash brown crust, gravy, eggs, cheese and veggies.

Grilled Cheese, the choices are endless, here are a few different ones from the norm.

Grilled Raisin bread with brie

Grilled country cream bread with brie and chutney

Grilled rye with gruyere and bacon and/or ham

Grilled sourdough with gruyere, caramelized onions and beef