Strawberries And Cream Poke Cake

Strawberries And Cream Poke Cake – This strawberries and cream poke cake may look complicated but, it’s not.  You can be as creative as you like decorating the top.  For me, it often depends on the day I make it, as to how I finish it off.   If time is an issue and I’m in a hurry, just before serving I slice fresh strawberries and pile them on top with a dusting of powdered sugar. Add a couple of sprigs of mint and voila…magic.

The truth is, one bite of this masterpiece and no one will care it’s so darn tasty.  You can start this cake with a cake mix or use a white buttermilk cake recipe if you prefer baking from scratch.  This luscious cake really shows the baking love to those you serve it to, and I always enjoy the reaction when I pull it out at the end of our meal.  Strawberries and cream remain a family favorite at my house any day of the year.

Ingredients you’ll need:
1 [16.25] oz box white cake mix, plus eggs, oil and water to prepare 
1 [14] oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 [8] oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 quarts fresh strawberries, divided
4 cup sweetened fresh whipped cream or 16 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 oz white chocolate, grated
few drops pink or red food coloring [optional]

Directions: 
Prepare the white cake in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan per the instructions on the packaging.  Use the recommended amount of eggs, oil and water.  Remove from the oven and use the back of a wooden spoon or to similar poke holes all over the cake.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whip together the sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese and vanilla for 2 minutes.  Whip until fluffy and fully blended.  Whip in 1 cup of sweetened whipped cream.  Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired.

Spread half of the whipped cream cheese filling onto the warm cake filling the holes.  Hull and cube enough strawberries to equal 2 cups and set aside the desired amount of whole berries to decorate the top. Mix the cubed strawberries into the remaining cream cheese mixture by hand then spread this over the top.

Place the cake into the fridge to cool completely.  After cooled, frost with the remaining whipped cream and decorate as desired with grated white chocolate and the reserved whole strawberries. Yield: 16 pieces

Cook’s note:
1) To prepare the cake from scratch use this a White Buttermilk cake recipe….
2) To decorate the cake as pictured additional whipped cream or whipped topping will be needed.

Cheesy Southern Style Mac N' Cheese

It has a great cheesy flavor, but even more significant, the pasta came out fluffy instead of weighed down. This is the recipe I’ll stick with from now on.  

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked – al dente, drained well
• 2 overflowing cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cut into 1/4-in cubes
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Season salt – to taste
• Fresh cracked black pepper – to taste
• Dash or two or three or four of cayenne pepper

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix cooked and well drained macaroni and cheese together.
2. In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and seasoning.
3. Pour egg/milk mixture over mac and cheese mixture, stir until well incorporated.
4. Pour into baking dish or tin, cover with foil.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.
6. Remove foil, turn on broiler – broil top of mac and cheese until golden brown and bubbly.

HOMEMADE CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME

It could just be me though. Like I said, I'm not familiar with Nacho cheese. Maybe that's just how Nacho cheese tastes and I never really noticed. Either way,  for the ultimate homemade Crunchwrap Supreme experience, make sure you buy quality Nacho cheese.

And make sure you brag to all of your friends who just wasted gas to go wait forever behind some really hungry guy at the drive thru, that in 10 minutes, you just whipped up your own Crunchwrap Supreme in the comfort of your own home, made out of more than 88 percent beef, and no secret, cancerous "signature recipe".

HOMEMADE CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME

Yield: 6 Crunchwrap Supremes

  

Ingredients:

6 large flour tortillas

6 small corn tortillas (or tortilla chips)

1 pound ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

sour cream

nacho cheese (or shredded Mexican blend cheese)

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a skillet, then add taco seasoning (according to package directions). Set aside.

Bake the corn tortillas in the oven at 400 degrees for a couple of minutes, until they are golden and crunchy.

Microwave the flour tortillas, one at a time (because they cool off quickly), for about 10 seconds to warm them up; this will make wrapping easier. You could also warm them up in the oven; just wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them up for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lay out the flour tortilla. Spoon some of the seasoned beef into the center of the tortilla. Top with some nacho cheese, or shredded cheese. Place the crunchy corn tortilla on top of the cheese/beef; spread a dollop of sour cream on top of it, then toss on some diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Starting with the bottom of the tortilla, fold the edge up to the center. Continue doing this in a clockwise or counter-clockwise movement until all of the tortilla is folded over, and the filling is entirely enclosed. If your filling isn't entirely enclosed and you have an open spot, simply cut out a circle from another flour tortilla and place it on the exposed area, then wrap the tortilla again. 

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray.  Carefully place the Crunchwrap, seam-side down, in the pan. Press with a spatula and cook on medium-low heat, for about 3 minutes, until the bottom is nice and brown. Flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve and enjoy 

One Pot Cheesy Pasta and Sausage

One Pot Cheesy Pasta and Sausage 

 3 cups halved grape tomatoes, divided 
1 large onion, sliced
 1 pound smoked Italian sausage links, precooked (sliced into coins)
 20-30 basil leaves, divided
 4 garlic cloves, sliced 
1 pound dry linguine 
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
4 1/2 cups water 
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

 Reserve (set aside)

1 cup halved tomatoes, 10 basil leaves and cheese.

 Combine remaining ingredients in a large (12") braising pan or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Once water is boiling, remove cover and cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it).  Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking.  Liquid will be mostly absorbed when pasta is cooked. Add cheese and toss to combine.  Cheese may clump but will melt into the sauce after a few minutes.  Toss in remaining tomatoes and basil before serving. Enjoy! - 

3 ingredient Simply Great Chicken

3 ingredient Simply Great Chicken - all you need is chicken, brown sugar and Italian dressing mix - and it only takes an hour!

About 3 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
1 ( .7 ounce) packet of Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13inch x 9 inch pan and set aside, and/or it may be preferable to line your dish with aluminum foil as the sugar tends to caramelize while baking.

Rinse chicken, pat dry with paper towels.

Combine and the dried Italian seasoning mix and the brown sugar, mixing together well.

Dip and press the chicken pieces into the mixture, coating front and back and place into your prepared pan, topside of the chicken facing up. Any extra coating that remains can just be sprinkled over the chicken.

Cook for 50-60 minutes or until chicken is done turning every 15 min and basting each time with the drippings with the final turn leaving the topside facing up for the last bit of baking.

Broccoli Siciliana

Broccoli Siciliana

Ingredients
1 Tbsp 100% organic extra virgin olive oil
2 Broccoli boiled
4 oz-Parmigiano grated
4 oz- Mozzarella diced
2 eggs
bread crumbs
salt
black pepper

Preparation
In a bowl put broccoli, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, parmigiano, breadcrumbs, mozzarella, pepper and salt then stir.
In a baking dish put the mixture and bake at 400 F for 20 min. or until set….
Serve.

Spaghetti alla Pugliese

Spaghetti alla Pugliese

Ingredients
4 Tbsp 100% Organic Extra virgin olive oil
1 lb-  Spaghetti
10 oz-  tomato
1 onion
oregano
salt
capers
green olives
black olives
black pepper

Preparation
In a pan with extra virgin olive oil fry onion then tomatoes cutted then put capers, olives, oregano ,salt and pepper. Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water.Then mix pasta drained and sauce. Serve.