Recipe Corner

The Best Red Velvet Cake

2010-02-10T15:25:08Z

Solid vegetable oil shortening, for greasing the pans
Flour, for dusting the pans
1 (18.5-ounce) package plain butter recipe golden cake mix
2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 3 9-inch round cake pans with shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour and set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, food coloring, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and vinegar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are incorporated, 1 minute. Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well-blended. Divide batter evenly among 3 prepared pans, about 1 ½ cups batter per pan, smoothing the tops with rubber spatula. Place pans in the oven. If your oven is not large enough to hold 3 pans on center rack, place 2 on that rack and one in the center of the rack above.

3. Bake cake layers until they just start to pull away from the sides of the pans and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 17 to 21 minutes. The layer on the higher rack may bake faster so test it for doneness first.

4. Transfer cake pans to wire racks and cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and give the pans a good shake to loosen cakes. Invert each layer onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so the cakes are right side up. Let the layers cool completely. Make frosting.

5. To assemble the cake, transfer one cake layer, right side up, to a serving platter. Spread the top with some of the frosting. Place a second cake layer, right side up, on top of the first and frost the top. Repeat this process with the third layer. Frost the side of the cake with a thin coat just to set the crumbs. Use the remaining frosting to go back over this and liberally frost the side, working with smooth, clean strokes. To make slicing easier, place uncovered cake in the refrigerator until frosting sets, 20 minutes.

Makes 16 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Place 1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese and 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of room-temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stop machine and scrape down side of bowl with rubber spatula. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 4 cups sifted powdered sugar; beat on medium speed until well combined. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat the frosting for 1 minute longer.

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

2010-02-02T17:29:42Z

Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 18 to 20 minutes
Assembly time: 45 minutes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 inch size)

Cupcakes:
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pale chocolate frosting:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 containers (1.75 ounces each, 1 cup total) chocolate sprinkles

Head frosting and face:
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 to 4 teaspoons milk
48 miniature chocolate chips
24 brown M&M’s
Sliced almonds

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, life the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, prepare both frostings, starting with the pale chocolate: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in up to 1 tablespoon milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

5. Place the chocolate sprinkles in a small bowl and set aside.

6. Prepare the frosting used to make the head: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and 3 teaspoons milk. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and as stiff as peanut butter, 1 minute more. If the frosting is too stiff, add another teaspoon of milk. Set aside.

7. Place a heaping tablespoon of the pale chocolate frosting on each cupcake and spread it out smoothly with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Immediately dip the cupcake tops in the sprinkles to coat.

8. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #12 tip (5/16 inch wide) with two thirds of the frosting for the head. To create the head, point the pastry bag tip toward one edge of the cupcake top and squeeze the frosting from the bag in a small spiral about 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch deep. For the ears, pipe 1 small dot of frosting on both sides of the top of the spiral. For the face, place an M&M in the center of the spiral for the nose and 2 mini chocolate chips slightly above it for the eyes. Tuck 2 trimmed almond slices below the nose for the groundhog’s teeth. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, adding more frosting to the pastry bag as needed. Place these cupcakes, uncovered or in a cake saver, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Bake Sale Caramel Cupcakes

2010-01-22T16:16:30Z

What makes caramel frosting on a vanilla cupcake special is its delicious simplicity. And, what makes the frosting perfect for bake sales is that it isn’t affected by heat or humidity, it travels well without smudging, and most important, it is beloved by all.

Makes: 22 to 24 cupcakes (21⁄2 inches in diameter)
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 to 25 minutes
Cool: 20 minutes

Cupcakes:
24 paper liners for cupcake pans
(21/2-inch size)
cake mix
3 tablespoons vanilla instant
pudding mix
11/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Quick Caramel Frosting (below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners and set the pans aside.
2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 11/2 to 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well blended.
3. Spoon or scoop a heaping 1/4 cup of cupcake batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.)
4. Place the pans in the oven and bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of the cupcake cups, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the pans using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the pans carefully with your fingertips. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes longer before frosting.
5. Meanwhile, make the Quick Caramel Frosting.
6. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cupcake and spread it out with a short metal spatula or spoon, taking care to cover the top completely. The cupcakes are then ready to serve.

Quick Caramel Frosting

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the butter and brown sugars in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir, and let the mixture return to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add about 11/4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon or whisk until the frosting is smooth. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, but not so much so that it thickens and hardens. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cupcake and spread it out with a short metal spatula or spoon, taking care to cover the top completely. The cupcakes are then ready to serve.

Keep It Fresh! Store these cupcakes, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to five days or for up to one week in the refrigerator. Freeze the cupcakes, in a cake saver or wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to three months. Let the cupcakes thaw overnight on the counter before serving.

Chinese Chicken

2009-04-16T21:36:39Z

Chinese Chicken

To prep: 5 minutes
To cook: 10-11 minutes
Serves: 4

Doctor chicken tenders with a little sherry, soy sauce, garlic, and fresh ginger, to turn out a flavorful meal that’s just right for midweek family suppers or weekend company dinners. The chicken is delicious spooned over jasmine rice. For a fancier presentation, garnish it with a few spears of lightly steamed asparagus or a spoonful of frozen French-cut green beans that have been briefly steamed and tossed with toasted sliced almonds.

1⁄4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (see Tips)
3 tablespoons sherry (see Tips)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound chicken tenders (about 12), rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 scallions, both white and light green parts, sliced on the diagonal (for 1⁄2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger (see Tips)
2 cloves garlic, sliced

Tips: I like reduced-sodium soy sauce because it is just as flavorful as regular soy sauce and is better for you. While I prefer a medium-dry sherry for cooking, this recipe works with just about any sherry except those overly sweet dessert sherries. Fresh ginger and garlic are key components of this dish because they scent the cooking oil. Omit the ginger if you don’t care for spicy foods. Fresh ginger keeps for up to three weeks, stored in the refrigerator drawer loosely wrapped in a paper towel in a plastic bag. If you want to keep it longer than this, place it in the freezer, and peel and slice it frozen.

1. Place the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, and sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl with 1⁄4 cup of water and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Stir in the chicken tenders and set the bowl aside.

2. Pour the oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes. Drain the marinade from the chicken; do not discard the marinade. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 1 minute on each side. Pour the marinade over the chicken, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce has thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. Serve at once.

Saturday Night Fever Pasta

2009-04-16T21:00:31Z

Saturday Night Fever Pasta

To prep: 8 minutes
To cook: 4 minutes
Serves: 4

Don’t you just love angel hair pasta? The dry kind cooks in just four minutes! A full-bodied Italian puttanesca sauce is a perfect accompaniment for the delicate pasta. The version here is based on a jar of marinara that you doctor with store-bought black-olive paste, capers, and hot red pepper flakes. Its bite is tempered by fresh parsley—the sauce goes great with a big red wine. It’s just what you need for a Saturday night. Serve the pasta with crusty bread.

Salt (optional), for cooking the pasta
8 ounces angel hair pasta
2 cups store-bought marinara sauce (from one 26-ounce jar)
3 tablespoons black-olive paste (see Tips)
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1⁄2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or more to taste
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Tips: If getting angel hair pasta to stay on the fork gives you trouble, breaking the pasta in half before you add it to the pot will make it easier to eat. The difference is like combing out tangles in short versus long hair.
Vary the sauce as you please, using an Asian chile sauce instead of hot red pepper, chopped black olives instead of black-olive paste, and/or chopped fresh cilantro or basil instead of parsley.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt, if using, and stir in the angel hair pasta. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the angel hair, uncovered, until al dente, 4 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the marinara sauce, olive paste, capers, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan to keep the sauce warm.

3. Drain the angel hair well in a colander, shaking it a few times to remove any water that might still cling to the pasta. Return the angel hair to the pot. Spoon the sauce over it and stir to coat the pasta well. Serve at once, garnished with the parsley.

School Morning Waffles

2009-04-16T19:49:46Z

School Morning Waffles

To prep: 5 minutes
To cook: 18-40 minutes
Makes 6 to 8 waffles

Mornings are frantic at our house when school is in session. Luring the children from their warm beds, getting breakfast on the table, and locating missing shoes and math homework is exhausting. All the more reason to have a routine in place, and a breakfast routine that is not boring. My children love these waffles, which I make twice a week. They’re fast, they’re satisfying, and they’re every bit as good as those made totally from scratch. Serve them with the customary butter and syrup or jam.

Vegetable oil cooking spray, for misting the waffle iron
2 cups biscuit mix such as Bisquick (see Tip)
11⁄2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Butter and pancake syrup or jam, for serving
Crisp bacon, for serving (optional)

Tip: I have tried this recipe with three or four of the biscuit mixes on the market, and all of them work reasonably well for making waffles.

1. Preheat an electric waffle iron (see box). Mist the top and bottom of the interior with vegetable oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 250ºF (you’ll use it to keep the waffles warm until they are all ready to serve).

2. Place the biscuit mix, buttermilk, egg, and oil in a large mixing bowl and stir until the egg is well incorporated. Ladle about 1⁄3 cup of the batter onto the hot waffle iron, spreading it out so that it almost but not entirely covers the bottom. Close the lid and cook the waffle for 3 to 5 minutes or until the light comes on to indicate that the waffle is done. The waffle is fully cooked when it does not stick to the top or bottom of the iron and has a light brown color. Using a fork, transfer the waffle to a heatproof plate and place it in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining waffle batter.

3. Serve the waffles with butter and jam or a pitcher of pancake syrup. If desired, serve with slices of crisp bacon, too.

Mexican "Lasagna"

2009-04-16T19:47:52Z

Mexican "Lasagna"

To prep and cook: 15 minutes
To bake: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8

Now, here’s one clever and downright simple dish. I wish I could take credit for it, but this recipe has made the circuit. The only trick is to find corn tortillas the same size as your glass pie pan. And actually, that’s no trick either—you can always cut to fit. I use a 10-inch pie pan, but a 9-incher works well, too. With it’s Mexican flavors, the “lasagna” is comforting.
I discovered that substituting reduced-fat sour cream and fat-free refried beans does not reduce the flavor, so I’m all for using them.

Vegetable oil cooking spray for misting the skillet 1 pound ground beef round (see Tip)
1 jar (12 ounces) chunky salsa 6 corn tortillas (10 inches each)
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, fat free if possible
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1 package (8 ounces; 2 cups)
pre-shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend
Chopped fresh tomato and chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)

Tip: I enjoy cooking with lean ground beef because for most recipes it isn’t necessary to fuss with draining off the fat. But should you have a fattier beef, brown it, then rinse it in a colander under running hot water. Return it to the skillet, stir in the salsa, and continue with the recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Mist a large skillet with vegetable oil cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until the beef browns all over and is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1⁄2 cup of the salsa. Set the beef mixture aside.

3. Spread the remaining salsa in the bottom of a 10-inch glass pie pan. Top it with 3 of the tortillas. Spread half of the beans over the tortillas, then half of the meat mixture, then 1⁄2 cup of the sour cream, then 1 cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining 3 tortillas and repeat the layers, ending with all but 1⁄4 cup of the remaining cheese. Cover the pie pan loosely with aluminum foil.

4. Bake the “lasagna” until it is hot throughout and the cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the “lasagna” from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into wedges or spoon servings onto plates, garnished with the remaining 1⁄4 cup cheese and the chopped tomato and scallions, if desired.

Kentucky Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2009-04-16T19:16:34Z

Kentucky Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

To Prep: 15 minutes
To Bake: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 8

You have to come up with something good when you cook for a crowd. When asked to feed some fifty volunteers a hot lunch at a fundraiser, I knew it was going to be a casserole that I’d pull out of my hat. I don’t remember how I ended up making this chicken and wild rice casserole but I did, and luckily I made plenty of it because everyone came around for seconds. After the lunch, my friend Katy Varney Goetz, who’s a good cook, asked if that casserole went by the name Mulberry Garden, for the Mulberry Garden casserole of Kentucky, she said, was quite famous and was much like mine. I later asked Katy to share that recipe. She did, and I think her recipe is tastier, so here it is.

4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 package (6 ounces) Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice Original Recipe
1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of celery soup (see Tips)
2⁄3 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing (see Tips)
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 jar (2 ounces) sliced pimiento peppers, drained
1 package (9 ounces) frozen French-cut green beans, thawed and drained (see Tips)
11⁄2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (from one 14- to 14.5-ounce can) or water
2 tablespoons pre-grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

2. Combine the chicken, rice with its seasonings, celery soup, salad dressing, water chestnuts, pimientos, green beans, and chicken broth in a large bowl. Transfer the mixture to a 13-by-9-inch (3-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish and top with the Parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

3. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the rice has cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then serve.

Tips: It is important for the flavor of the casserole not to substitute another type of soup for the cream of celery or mayonnaise for the sweeter Miracle Whip.

To quickly thaw the green beans, follow the microwave directions on the package, then drain them well. Or substitute a drained can of French-cut green beans for the frozen ones.

This casserole freezes well, either baked or unbaked, and it can be doubled or tripled for feeding a crowd. If you freeze it unbaked, don’t add the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle it on before baking.

Italian-Style Mini Meat Loaves

2009-04-16T19:09:56Z

Italian-Style Mini Meat Loaves

To Prep: 12 minutes
To Bake: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

By adding packaged bread crumbs or stuffing mix to a favorite meat loaf recipe and by making small loaves, you not only speed up the preparation but shorten the baking time by as much as 20 minutes—these little loaves need just 15 to 20 minutes to cook through.

Season them as you wish; I like to add fresh garlic and chopped parsley and often a dash of Italian seasoning. Begin with ground round and you will have little fat drain out of the loaf and into the pan. What to serve alongside the meat loaves? Mashed potatoes—naturally!

2 large eggs
1 cup plain bread crumbs or
stuffing mix (see Tip)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1⁄2 medium-size onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 pound ground beef round

Tip: Using a food processor to chop the onion and parsley saves time here, especially since the pieces don’t have to be perfect and uniform, just chopped. Be careful not to overwork the ground beef. You want to mix it only enough to combine the ingredients so that the loaves stay light and moist when baked. I am not a fan of sage-flavored stuffing mixes, so I like to use a plain stuffing mix or the coarse bread crumbs that come in bags.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with a fork until lemon colored. Stir in the bread crumbs and tomato sauce. Cut the onion half in half. Place the onion halves, garlic, and parsley in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped. Add the onion mixture to the bread crumb mixture along with the Italian seasoning and stir to combine. Add the ground round to the bread crumb mixture and mash it with a fork to combine.

3. Divide the ground round mixture into 6 even portions and form these into loaves. Place the meat loaves in a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake until the tops brown and the meat loaves have cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the meat loaves from the oven, serve at once, or let cool, wrap in aluminum foil, and freeze for a later meal. The meat loaves will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Grandma's Coconut Icebox Cake

2009-04-06T17:24:59Z

Or should this be titled Holiday Garage Coconut Cake? Let me explain.

One Christmas we traveled to Lookout Mountain, Georgia, to spend the holidays with my in-laws. As will invariably happen when you are away from home with three small children, an ice storm hit the mountain and we lost power. We had plans for some great cooking—a chocolate yule log cake, a pork roast, and gingerbread cookies for the children to decorate—but instead, we listened to the crashing of heavy ice-laden tree limbs outside and ate sandwiches, cereal, and, thank goodness, this coconut cake. It stayed nice and chilled in the frigid garage!

The recipe came to me from Savannah cook and food writer Damon Lee Fowler, who says his grandmother MaMa made this cake, and it was her specialty. It tastes best if allowed to rest at least three days in the icebox (old wonderful word for refrigerator), and it’s superlative after five days,
but this requires willpower! I recommend you bake it in the winter and tote it along for insurance if you’re planning to travel during an ice storm!

Serves: 20
Preparation time: 5 to 7 minutes
Baking time: 27 to 29 minutes
Assembly time: 15 minutes

Cake:
Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as canola, corn, safflower, soybean, or sunflower
3 large eggs
Coconut frosting:
2 cups sugar
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1 package (12 ounces, 3 1/2 cups) frozen unsweetened grated coconut, thawed

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
2. Place the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Combine the sugar, sour cream, and thawed coconut in a medium bowl. Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator until the sugar dissolves, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
6. When the sugar has dissolved in the frosting, begin to assemble the cake. Carefully slice the cake layers in half horizontally, using a large, sharp serrated bread knife or a long piece of unflavored dental floss. You will have four layers. Place the bottom half of a cake layer on a serving platter, cut side up. Spread with some of the coconut frosting. Top the bottom half with the matching top of the layer, cut side down. Spread with frosting. Next, add the bottom half of the second layer, cut side up, and spread with frosting. Top the bottom half with the matching top of the layer, cut side down. Spread the top and sides of the entire cake with all of the remaining coconut frosting, using clean, smooth strokes. The frosting should be nice and thick and not run off the sides.
7. Chill the cake, uncovered, until the frosting is firm, 1 hour.

Note: Store this cake covered with waxed paper taped down along the underside of the platter to keep it snug. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Red Velvet Cupcakes With White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-02-11T16:06:06Z

Red Velvet Cupcakes With White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Red velvet cupcakes take a beloved traditional recipe and make it even more flavorful. Yes the cupcakes are the de rigueur red, but they are filled with mini chocolate chips to bring out the chocolate flavor. To complement the color and the flavor, I’ve paired them with a white chocolate frosting, delicately seasoned with peppermint.

Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inches each)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 18 to 20 minutes
Assembly time: 5 minutes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 –inch size)
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream (see Note)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
3 large eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Note: Use reduced-fat sour cream, and you’ll sacrifice only fat and calories, not flavor. If you can’t find plain German chocolate cake mix, buy the pudding in the mix version and forgo the added pudding. For more chocolate flavor, use chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla, but the cake won’t be as red in color.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting.

5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Place these cupcakes, uncovered or in a cake server, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Store the cupcakes, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

I dream about this frosting slathered on any dark chocolate cupcakes, because I love the cool creaminess of it. And, as a bonus, it’s a breeze to make.

Makes 3 cups, enough to frost 24 cupcakes generously
Preparation time: 10 minutes

6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1. Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

2. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the melted white chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the peppermint extract and 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and blend on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.

3. Use to frost any chocolate cupcakes of your choice.

Snowman Cupcakes

2008-12-17T15:32:09Z

Here’s another cupcake that’s almost too cute to eat. Honestly, with this adorable pudgy white marshmallow snowman perched atop a white cupcake, you might be tempted just to stare at it. But do take a bite, because the cake is moist and the vanilla comes through in the buttercream frosting. These cupcakes are a simple indulgence on snowy days and festive winter occasions. It’s an idea I adapted from a marshmallow snowman I saw on the Martha Stewart Web site. Any orange candy that can be shaped will do for the nose, and if you can’t find rolled fruit, use ribbon for a scarf.

Makes 22 to 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inches each)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 16 to 20 minutes
Assembly time: 30 minutes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2 –inch size)

CUPCAKES AND FROSTING:
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Buttercream frosting (Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor, page 318, or see Note)
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

SNOWMEN:
48 large marshmallows
Chocolate sprinkles
3 orange gumdrops, cut into 24 slivers, or 24 pieces of candy corn
Red rolled fruit snack or ribbon for the scarves
72 green gumdrops

Note: Vary this recipe as you like, baking your favorite cupcake—even if it’s chocolate—but always top with white frosting. And look for white paper liners in the supermarket to complete the all-white look. The coconut can easily be omitted, if your children don’t like the texture.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with white paper liners. Set the pans aside.
2. Place that cake mix, flour, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
3. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
5. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Sprinkle the tops of the cupcakes with coconut.
6. Make the snowmen: For each body, moisten a toothpick or wooden skewer with water and poke 2 holes, one above the other, into each of the 24 marshmallows. Leave about 1/4-inch space between the holes. Insert a chocolate sprinkle into each hole to look like buttons.
7. For each head, poke 2 holes for eyes near the top of each of the remaining marshmallows. Poke 1 hole, beneath the eyes and centered, for the nose. And finally, poke 5 holes for the mouth in a smile shape. Insert a sprinkle into each of the eye and mouth holes, and an orange gumdrop sliver into the nose hole.
8. For the hat, cut a strip about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide from the rolled fruit. Use your thumb to mash together 2 green gumdrops into a flat round shape. Cut a thin slice off the wide end of a gumdrop and press it onto the gumdrop round. Wrap the fruit strip as a hatband, damping the ends to secure it. Repeat with the rolled fruit and remaining gumdrops.
9. For the scarf, cut 48 pieces of rolled fruit about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Cut a notch out of one end of each strip about 1/2 inch deep.
10. To assemble a snowman, place a marshmallow body in the center of each cupcake, pressing it slightly into the frosting to adhere. Place 2 scarf strips on top of the marshmallow, notched ends out, and place a marshmallow head on top of the scarf, pressing down to secure all in place. If the snowman feels wobbly, dampen the scarf ends or dab a bit of frosting on them to help secure all in place. Add another dab of frosting on the top of the snowman’s head and place his gumdrop hat. Continue assembling the snowmen until all the cupcakes are used up. The snowmen are ready to be served.

Store these cupcakes, in a cake server or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pumpkin Muffins with chocolate chips

2008-11-06T18:29:05Z

Makes 12 muffins (2 ½ inches each)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20 to 22 minutes

Many of you know I’ll look for any way to sneak a few chocolate chips into baking. I am a chocoholic, I admit. But in all fairness, pumpkin and chocolate meld together beautifully. And it is doubly nice that this great-tasting muffin recipe, calling for just five ingredients, is also a snap to prepare. You can dust the tops with a little confectioners’ sugar, but it really isn’t necessary.

Note: For a dressy appearance, add a sprinkling of powdered sugar mixed with cocoa powder after the muffins have cooled.
I used a Duncan Hines muffin mix in this recipe and a can of pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
1 package (17.8 ounces) chocolate chip muffin mix
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup milk
1 large egg
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400° F. Mist the bottom of 12 muffin cups with the vegetable oil spray. Set the pan aside

2. Place the muffin mix in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Place the pumpkin, milk, egg, and pumpkin pie spice in the well and stir the wet ingredients together with a wooden spoon just until combined, 20 strokes. The batter will still be a little lumpy. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. Place the pan in the oven.

3. Bake the muffins until they just spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the muffins, lift them up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. The muffins are ready to serve.

Store these muffins, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the muffins overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Barbara's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-10-06T17:41:56Z

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Bake: About 8 minutes

This recipe comes from Barbara Anderson of Dataw Island. These wonderful oatmeal cookies are the best I have ever tasted. There are two secrets—soaking the raisins for ten minutes in warm water so they plump up and refrigerating the dough so they cookies hold their shape while baking. Better pour the milk now because these disappear quickly.

1 cup raisins
1 cup warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, not packed
2 large eggs
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Place the raisins in a small bowl, pour the warm water over them, and let soak until plump, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Set the flour mixture aside.

3. Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well on medium speed after each addition, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn off the machine. Dump the flour mixture into the bowl and beat on low just until the dough comes together, about 30 seconds.

4. Drain the raisins. Stir the raisins, oats, and pecans, if desired, into the dough until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

5. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375° F.

6. Spoon and roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned but the centers are still a little soft to the touch, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. Scrape the baking sheet and let it cool, then repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough.

Tote notes : The best way to tote these cookies is to arrange them in a deep box, tin, or plastic tub in single layers separated by waxed paper. This cushions the cookies so they won’t break and they won’t stick together.
You can also arrange the cookies on a tray and bring it covered with plastic wrap.

Plan ahead: Bake the cookies a day or two in advance and store them, covered, at room temperature. Or, you can prepare the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it, covered, then bake the cookies in the morning, before you’re ready to go.

Greek Pasta Salad

2008-02-07T16:05:30Z

I love this pasta salad; it’s so straightforward in flavor, easy to prepare, and pretty to look at. And, it’s interesting enough on the buffet table that it doesn’t get overlooked. Use whatever short pasta you’ve got in the pantry—shells, penne, or spirals. What makes the salad Greek is the seasonings—garlic, oregano, and mint—as well as the add-ins of kalamata olives, cucumbers, feta cheese, and tomatoes. Serve the salad from a nice ceramic bowl, and garnish it with pickled banana or cherry peppers or whole steamed and peeled shrimp. Or, just let the salad speak for itself.

Greek Pasta Salad

Serves 8
Prep: 40 to 45 minutes

1 pound medium-size shell or other short pasta (4 cups)
Salt
2/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 small cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 1/2 cups chopped cucumber (2 medium-size or 1 large cucumber)
1 cup chopped red onion (1 medium-size onion)
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley
Pickled banana or cherry peppers or steamed shrimp (optional), for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the pasta, uncovered, according to the package directions until just done, 8 to 9 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set the salad dressing aside.

3. Drain the pasta well in a colander, shaking it to remove the excess water. Transfer the pasta to the large mixing bowl with the dressing. Stir to coat and let the pasta come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

4. When the pasta is cool, fold in the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, olives, and mint or parsley. Stir to combine well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper if needed. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve at once garnished with the banana peppers or shrimp, if desired, or cover and refrigerate the salad until serving time.

Big Batch: This salad is easy to double or triple, but cook the pasta a pound at a time, and mix the salad one batch at a time.

Tote Notes: Tote this salad right in its serving bowl and bring the optional garnish of peppers or shrimp in a separate container, if you like. Cover the serving bowl with plastic wrap that sticks securely to the rim of the bowl to make traveling less messy. If possible, let the salad come to room temperature before serving. Then stir the salad again and top it with the garnish, if using.