Thursday, November 29, 2012
CHOCOLATE!
For those of you who follow my blogs, you know I love chocolate! And being a diabetic for the past 5 years hasn't changed that one bit. It warms my heart to know that my blog readers also love chocolate. Recipes containing chocolate get many more hits on this blog than any other type. So if you think I post too many chocolate recipes because that is what I like, you are wrong. I post so many chocolate recipes because that is what my readers demand. Way to go, readers!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
INFO ON VANILLA
Have you ever wondered how to substitute one type of vanilla for another? If so, here are the substitutions:
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste = 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 whole vanilla bean = 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Monday, November 19, 2012
HOMEMADE SPICED TEA MIX
1 cup Country Time lemonade-flavored tea mix
1 cup Tang orange drink powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Combine all ingredients together well. Store in a large zip-top plastic food storage bag for home use or put in a pretty glass jar to give as a gift. If giving as a gift, don't forget to include the instructions for making a cup of tea (below).
To make a cup of hot tea: Place 2 heaping tablespoonsful of the mixture into a cup or mug. Add 1 cup boiling water and stir gently.
Yield: 2 cups of mix
1 cup Tang orange drink powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Combine all ingredients together well. Store in a large zip-top plastic food storage bag for home use or put in a pretty glass jar to give as a gift. If giving as a gift, don't forget to include the instructions for making a cup of tea (below).
To make a cup of hot tea: Place 2 heaping tablespoonsful of the mixture into a cup or mug. Add 1 cup boiling water and stir gently.
Yield: 2 cups of mix
Homemade Spiced Tea Ready for Gifting
Note: This is my version of an old Southern Living Recipe
Saturday, November 10, 2012
DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK CHERRY CAKE FROM SOUTHERN LIVING 2006
Unsweetened cocoa
1 box (18 1/4-oz) yellow cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup sugar
1 box (3.8-oz) devil's food instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 carton (8-oz) sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
5 bars (3-oz) dark chocolate bars, divided (Ghirardelli works well)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan, dust with the unsweetened cocoa and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, and pudding mix together; set aside.
With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the eggs, oil, water, sour cream, and vanilla together until blended. Gradually add to the cake mix mixture and beat for 2 minutes.
Coarsely chop 3 of the chocolate bars and fold, along with the cherries, into the cake batter. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake cake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely on wire rack.
Coarsely chop 1 chocolate bar; place in a small bowl with the butter.
Bring the whipping cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Cool for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drizzle chocolate over the cake.
Coarsely chop the last chocolate bar and sprinkle over the cake.
Yield: 12 servings
Note: For the holidays, I like to place some well-drained maraschino cherries over the top.
1 box (18 1/4-oz) yellow cake mix with pudding
1/2 cup sugar
1 box (3.8-oz) devil's food instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 carton (8-oz) sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
5 bars (3-oz) dark chocolate bars, divided (Ghirardelli works well)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried cherries
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan, dust with the unsweetened cocoa and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, sugar, and pudding mix together; set aside.
With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the eggs, oil, water, sour cream, and vanilla together until blended. Gradually add to the cake mix mixture and beat for 2 minutes.
Coarsely chop 3 of the chocolate bars and fold, along with the cherries, into the cake batter. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake cake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely on wire rack.
Coarsely chop 1 chocolate bar; place in a small bowl with the butter.
Bring the whipping cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and immediately pour over the chocolate and butter; whisk until smooth. Cool for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drizzle chocolate over the cake.
Coarsely chop the last chocolate bar and sprinkle over the cake.
Note: For the holidays, I like to place some well-drained maraschino cherries over the top.