The Beast Cake

For this cake I just bought two boxes of White cake mix at the Grocery store and followed the directions on the box for 9 inch cake rounds. I believe all it calls for is oil and Eggs.

Then I made whipped cream:

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

1. In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

Then I bought 2 pints of Strawberries and slice thinly. and between each layer of cake I just covered with whipped cream and topped with strawberries…

Bacon and Tomato Pasta

 

2 tablespoons kosher salt
16 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, diced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red wine
4 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta
is al dente.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add bacon and sauté until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent,
add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.

 

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe

Bacon Onion Cheddar Biscuits

• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ cups Vegetable Shortening (crisco, Etc)
• 10 Tablespoons Milk (whole Milk Is Best)
• 4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 whole Egg
• 10 slices Thick Cut Bacon, Fried And Crumbled
• 1 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until all combined.

Combine milk, oil, and egg in a separate bowl. Whisk together.

Combine flour mixture, milk mixture, bacon, onions, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Stir gently until all combined.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes on 375 degrees until golden Remove from pan and serve warm.

Recipe

Slow-Cooker Pork Stew

I made this for my hubby for his birthday. He loves pork so I thought it would be perfect! He loved it!

 

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes
• 3 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks  
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bone-in pork shoulder or pork sirloin roast (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

 

Combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger in a slow cooker. Toss in half of the flour and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the bay leaves over the vegetables.

Season the pork generously with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the thyme and allspice and toss with the remaining flour to coat. Place the pork over the vegetables in the slow cooker. Add 2 cups water and the tomatoes, cover and cook on low 8 hours.

Discard the bay leaves. Remove the pork roast and slice or pull the meat off the bone into large pieces. Serve in bowls with the vegetables and broth.

Recipe

Slow-Cooked Salmon with Creamy Leeks and Red Wine Butter

1 cup red wine
2 shallots (1 roughly chopped,
   1 finely chopped)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter (6 tbsp. softened,
   2 tbsp. diced)
2 tsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley plus
   1 tbsp. thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
   to taste
3 medium leeks (white and light green parts only),
   julienned and washed
1⁄2 tbsp. finely chopped marjoram
1⁄2 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
1 tsp. crushed fennel seeds
1⁄3 cup dry vermouth
2 cups heavy cream
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4  8-oz. skinless boneless salmon filets
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1. Combine red wine and roughly chopped shallots in a 1-quart saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced to 1 tbsp., about 13 minutes. Strain the wine through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard shallots. Let wine cool. Add softened butter and chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir with a fork until well combined. Transfer red wine butter to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll tightly into a 1″-thick cylinder about 5″ long. Twist ends of plastic wrap to seal tightly. Chill until firm. (The red wine butter may be made and refrigerated up to 1 week in advance.)

2. Heat remaining butter in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, marjoram, thyme, and fennel, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the cream and lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and the cream has thickened, about 25 minutes. (Add a little water if leeks become dry.) Season with salt and pepper. Keep leeks warm, covered, over low heat.

3. Heat oven to 275°. Arrange the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the remaining shallots, olive oil, and garlic. Rub salmon with the shallot mixture and season with salt and pepper. Roast the salmon until medium rare, about 12 minutes. Cut four 1⁄4″-thick slices of the red wine butter, place 1 on top of each filet, and let melt slightly in the oven, about 3 minutes.

4. To serve, spoon some of the leeks onto the center of 4 plates. Using a spatula, place a salmon filet atop each. Garnish with remaining parsley.

Recipe

Phyllo Pizza with Feta, Basil, and Tomatoes

 

• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) finely crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 10  (18 x 14–inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• Cooking spray
• 2  cups  thinly sliced plum tomato
• 1/3  cup  thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4  cup  fresh basil leaves

 

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

3. Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise. Working with 1 phyllo sheet half at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), place phyllo sheet on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Repeat with 2 more layers of phyllo. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Repeat layers 5 times, ending with 2 phyllo sheets. Coat top phyllo sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Pat tomato slices with a paper towel. Arrange tomato slices on top of cheese, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with onions and the remaining 6 tablespoons cheese mixture. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with basil leaves.

Recipe

Mongolian Beef

• 2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  cornstarch
• 2  teaspoons  dry sherry
• 2  teaspoons  hoisin sauce
• 1  teaspoon  rice vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  chile paste with garlic
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  peanut oil
• 1  tablespoon  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh garlic
• 1  pound  sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
• 16  medium green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

 

1. Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; sauté for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; sauté 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Recipe