Red Velvet Cake

1 ½ c sugar

1 c butter

½ c veggie oil

3 eggs

2 ½ c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP coca

1 tsp vanilla

1 c buttermilk (or 1 c milk and 1 tsp lemon juice)

1 ½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp white vinegar

2 oz red food coloring (this is US food coloring; I just add some powder stir and keep adding until I get it real red; remember when you add the flour it will lighten up)

Preheat oven. Grease and flour pans (either two circle or a 9x13 or cupcake). Cream sugar, butter, and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and food coloring, and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients. Gradually and alternately add flour mixture and milk. Mix the b. soda and vinegar together first, then add to mixture and mix well. Pour into pans. Bake at 350 for 30 min.

Icing:

About 2 ½ c. powdered sugar (can add more or less depending on taste)

Package of cream cheese

½ - ¾ c butter

2 tsp vanilla

Beat together. Ice the cake when it has completely cooled.

Swiss Cashew Tossed Salad

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon grated onion
• Dash salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 medium bunch romaine, torn
• 1 cup salted cashew halves
• 4 ounces Swiss cheese, julienned

Directions

• In a blender, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard, onion and salt; cover and process until well blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds. In a salad bowl, combine the romaine, cashews and Swiss cheese; serve with dressing. Yield: 8-10 servings.

* from http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Swiss-Cashew-Tossed-Salad

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

* Off allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jays-Signature-Pizza-Crust/Detail.aspx

Moist Yellow Cake

Moist Yellow Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter (room temperature)
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs (room temperature)
3 cups of sifted self-rising flour (or 3 cups flour, 3 3/4 t. baking powder, 3/8 t. salt)
1 cup of whole milk (room temperature)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (McCormicks)
1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour (3) 8 inch cake pans.
• Using a mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
• Add sugar and continue to cream for about 7 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg is added.
• Add flour and milk (alternating to creamed mixture), beginning and ending with flour.
• Add vanilla and butter flavoring to mix; until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally into three cake pans.
• Hold each layer about 3 inches above your counter and carefully drop the pans flat onto counter several times to ensure release of any air bubbles. This will help you have a more level cake.
• Bake for 25 – 30 minutes (depending on your oven) until done.
• Cool in pans for 5 – 10 minutes.
• Remove and immediately wrap each layer in plastic wrap to seal in moisture. Cool completely on wire racks.
• Once cooled, you are ready to assemble your cake.

Here’s a little trick to add moisture into your layers:

• Combine 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water.
• Bring to boil and boil for approximately 3 minutes. Let cool.
• Pour liquid into a spray bottle or pouring bottle.

* Recipe from http://www.bakerella.com/finally-i-found-it/

Spring Rolls

3 Chicken thighs
1 Onion
1 Zucchini
1 Carrot
Soy Sauce
Oil
Yufka

Cut chicken into tiny pieces. Place in pan and sprinkle with soy sauce. Chop the onion and zucchini into tiny pieces and add to pan. Grate the carrot and add to pan. If needed add a little more soy sauce. Sprinkle with oil and cook until chicken is done.

Cut yufka into triangles (or better yet, buy the ones already cut in triangles). Put a small amount of chicken mixture at the wide end of the triangle. Roll twice. Fold ends in, and finish rolling. Place on a pan. When all the rolls have been completed, place pan in freezer. When ready to cook, heat oil. Place spring rolls into oil side by side. Cook until both side are golden brown (flipping them over when one side is completed).  You can also brush with olive oil and bake at 350.  Flip once and cook until golden and crispy.  Not quite as yummy, but healthier. 

Yummy Gummy BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp liquid smoke

1 tbsp mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

small onion

little bit of oil

Saute the onion and add all the other stuff. Let it simmer a bit, and let it cool before bottling it.

BBQ Chicken tostadas

Step 1:

Homemade Tortillas

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
7 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup warm water

Mix dry ingredients together. Stir in oil. Stir in warm water slowly. Once the ingredients are coming together take it out and place it on a lightly floured board and knead the dough until smooth (about 5 minutes). Cover the dough and let rest in warm place for 15 minutes. After the rest, roll the dough into small balls. Press with tortilla press. Cook in a hot skillet. Cook on one side until it bubbles and then flip it over and cook about a minute, until lightly browned.

* recipe from a friend's blog: http://recipesforroger.blogspot.com/

Step 2:

Fry tortillas in a bit of oil.

Step 3:

Cut bit size pieces of chicken. Season with garlic, salt, a little taco seasoning and a little chili powder. Cook in a little oil.

Step 4:

On a baking sheet place fried tortillas. Layer with chicken and cheese and cook in the over until cheese is melted and slightly brown.

Step 5:

Cover with BBQ sauce and enjoy!