The first F00d P0rn of the New Year

This was supposed to be a Strawberry Layer Cake. However, as I had frozen cherries, I decided to adapt it to what I had on hand. This cake has three layers and was very labor intensive to produce. The ingredients needed to be blended together in three separate bowls. I made huge mess in my kitchen and got cake flour (this stuff isn't cheap) on the floor, the counters and myself. I cleaned up my kitchen as the wonderful aroma of butter, sugar, vanilla and cherries filled my home.

After allowing the cake layers to cool completely, I made the icing as well as a huge mess in my kitchen (the second time today no less). This time I got confectioners sugar all over the place as the icing required six cups! Way to get a sugar high, eh followers?

I had a lot of trouble getting the icing to completely cover the cake. I had to keep spreading and smoothing it. Finally, I gave up, left well enough alone and put it in my layer cake carrier to present at my friend's New Years brunch.

I just got back from the brunch and I am VERY happy to report that this cake was a smashing success and almost all eaten. Here is some of the feedback I received as people enjoyed my creation......

"Rachel? Keep cooking....!"

"Amazing....!"

"So beautiful....!

It was all worth it. How long it took the create it. The resulting backache. The trashed kitchen. Me wearing flour and confectioners sugar (I even found some in my hair last night).

Happy New Year's, dear followers. Let's make 2011 delicious!

So pink and pretty! Cherry cake batter.

 Cake layers ready for the oven

Two out of three cake layers cooling on the table. One of them is on the plate of my layer cake carrier. I have them all set up for easy assembly once I make the icing.

 Assembling the cake and having a lot of trouble doing it :-(

Cherry triple layer cake. Finished! My back hurts :-(

This cake is almost all gone because we are all enjoying it!

Slice of cake on plate

Who needs to go to the local burger place?

......When you can create this level of yumminess in your own kitchen both economically and healthfully? My creation tonight was sirloin-portobello mushroom burgers. I set off my smoke alarm making these but the result was well worth it and incredibly delicious.

 Ready to go into the broiler!

All finished!

Plated with Swiss cheese on top with dollops of ketchup and mustard. 

Love lasagne? Dislike the work and mess?

Then toil no more, dear followers. This recipe is for YOU. This recipe has the perfect lasagne taste without all the work and mess. Introducing.....Baked Fettucine. This was adapted from a recipe I found online. Here it is.....

Ingredients
12 ounces Fettucine
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup parmesan
2 cups mozerella
2 cups cottage cheese
24 ounce jar garden style pasta sauce

Instructions.....
1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Line three quart baking pan with foil, dull side up.  Spray with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Brown your meat until no longer pink. Add pasta sauce. Cook until bubbling.
4. While you are doing your meat, cook pasta, according to package directions.
5. Drain pasta. Place back in pot. Add butter and 1/4 cup parmesan, toss to coat well.
6. Place pasta mixture in prepared pan.
7. Spoon cottage cheese over the top of pasta.
8. Pour sauce/meat mixture over pasta.
9. Top with remaining parmasen and two cups mozerella.
10. Cover pan with foil, dull side down.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.
12.  Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes
13. Take out of oven, and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving
14. Resist urge to charge everyone at the dinner table 16.95
15. ENJOY! Garlic bread is a must

Here are the results.....!

 Baked fettucine after I took off the foil, before putting it back in the oven for 15 more minutes.

Delicious bubbly goodness on the kitchen counter.

Baked fettucine plated with Texas toast.

A treat that wound up in the trash

As I have been on a baking spree lately, I wanted to try a different treat. Armed with my recipe for chocolate rice pudding, I set to work. Unfortunately, this one didn't work. It was labor intensive, messy and wound up in the trash. I am not sure if I will try this again. Right now, I am really irritated because I wasted two cans of evaporated milk and the last of my cocoa for something that didn't work.

Me holding a handful of frozen cherries with the juice dripping all over my fingers.  This had pureed cherries in it.

Another shot of me holding the cherries.

Chocolate rice pudding before it wound up in the trash. 

I took one look at the traffic and decided to spend the day creating

After sleeping until almost 11:30 and taking one look at the traffic outside, I decided to spend the day creating for tomorrow's Christmas Eve party. Today's creation? Chocolate cupcakes with milk chocolate icing.

I have a confession to make followers: I misread the recipe for icing. It called for 1/4 cup milk and I put in 1/2 cup milk. This resulted in a thinner but still delicious icing. To compensate for this mistake, I first spread each cupcake with a thin layer of icing allowed it to set and then put on another layer. The icing also thickened upon standing. While it took me a lot longer to ice these cupcakes, the result was still yummy. I had one of them for a snack with a small glass of ice cold (skim) milk.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time for me to hit the gym for an intense treadmill workout followed by kickboxing. Something has to keep this F00d P0rnographer looking like a hottie while she creates and eats these delicious things!

 Bowl of milk chocolate icing

 Chocolate cupcakes with milk chocolate icing on a red tray

One dozen chocolate cupcakes with milk chocolate icing presented on white cupcake tray

It's a continuing series....

Yes, you guessed it! More fun with leftovers. This one came from the spiced pot roast I made the other day. This recipe produced a lot of stock and had tomatoes, onions and kidney beans. I decided to form the leftovers into a delicious soup. It was very easy. First, I cut the remaining roast into chunks, then I added it to the stock, brought it to a boil, then covered it allowed it to simmer for about 10 minutes. Then, I added in three cups of cooked brown basmati rice, brought it to a boil (again), then covered and allowed it to simmer for about 20 more minutes. The result? A delicious soup perfect for this chilly night.

A delicious beef and rice soup I created out of leftover spiced pot roast

I tried two new things today

I decided to try something different with my new recipe for spiced pot roast. I set the Crockpot up last night, allowing the roast to cook overnight. After it was finished, I allowed it to cool to room temperature and put it in the refrigerator so the flavors could meld for a few hours before dinner. I will definitely make pot roast like this from now on. Not only was the flavor amazing,  allowing it to sit for a few hours allowed me to easily skim the fat off the top of the gravy.

My big culinary achievement of the day, however was sour cream-cheddar skillet cornbread. I tried to make this last week, set off my smoke alarm NINE times and it wound up in the trash. I think this was because I tried to do it in a cake pan, when the recipe called for a cast iron skillet (which I didn't own at the time). The day after this disaster, I went out and bought one.  I was able to get it right, despite missing one egg. The recipe called for three eggs and I only had two. The result was moist, delicious, mouthwatering and a wonderful side for my spiced pot roast. The best part? I didn't set off my smoke alarm.

Sour cream-cheddar skillet cornbread fresh out of the oven

Spiced pot roast served over rice pilaf with a side of sour cream-cheddar skillet cornbread