Eggless Vanilla Cake

While I was in self quarantine, I did not have any eggs.  So I went looking for an egg less cake and found this cake.  It was very easy to make and very good I would make it again.

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 tin sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup milk

1 tsp. cider vinegar/white vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

 Grease cake tins

 In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda.

 In a mixer beat butter and vanilla for 2 minutes.

 Add the condensed milk and beat for one more minute.

 In the condensed milk tin, add milk and vinegar.  With a spoon scrap all the remaining condensed milk so that it mixes with the milk.  the milk will curdle in 5 minutes.

 Now add 1/3rd of the flour to the butter mixture and beat until incorporated.

 Add 1/2 of the curdled milk mixture and beat.  Repeat again finishing with the third portion of flour.

Stop beating once all the ingredients are incorportated.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tins.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Insert a skewer stick and check if it comes out clean.

Cool cake on wire rack, taking cake out of tins.

Ice with whatever icing you like, I use the Betty Crocker rainbow chip frosting.

 

Cookie Butter Banana Muffins

This recipe came in my email from Bake or Break.  I just had to try them.  I have to say they are pretty good.  I halved the recipe.  I will make them again.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 ripe bananas, mashed about 1 cup

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup cookie butter

1/4 unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375F. Grease or line with 18 standard muffin cups

2.  Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.  Make well in centre and set aside.

3.  Mix together bananas, milk, cookie butter, eggs and vanilla.

4.  Add the banana mixture to flour mixture.  Mix just until it is combined.

5.  Use large ice cream scoop and put into prepared muffin tin.

 6.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until browned.

   

 

Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

 Salty oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies

I made these cookies from Ina, they were very good. I think I would use less chocolate next time.
I am going to try this recipe with raisins and cinnamon, taking out cranberries and chocolate chips and salt.
 

Ingredients

 

 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon kosher salt

 1¼ cups old-fashioned oats, such as Quaker

 3/4 pound bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, chopped in chunks

 3/4 cup dried cranberries

 Fleur de sel

 Directions

 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. On low speed, add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl again.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix in the oats. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Don’t overbeat it! With a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate and cranberries until the dough is well mixed. With a 1¾-inch ice cream scoop (or two spoons), scoop round balls of dough onto the prepared sheet pans. Sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The Best Potato Salad

We were watching American test kitchen  and they made their favorite potato salad.  And it is now our favorite salad.

The best potato salad 

Ingredients 

3 pounds russet potatoes, about 6

3 Tbsp. white vinegar, divided

2 Tbsp. mustard

1/2 cup sliced cornichons, about 20

 salt and freshly ground pepper

3/4 cups mayonnaise

1 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup finely chopped scallion, about 3

Directions

Peel potatoes. Slice lengthwise into 1-inch-thick planks. Lay flat and slice again into 1-inch-thick strips. Stack strips together and cut crosswise into even cubes.

In a large pot, cover potatoes with at least 2 inches of water and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and continue boiling until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar. Stir in celery, cornichons, and scallions. Gently fold mayonnaise mixture into cooked potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day (bring to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes).

 

New York-Style Cheesecake

New York Style Cheesecake

My son really likes cheesecake and searched and found this recipe Here.  I am not a real lover of cheesecake that is baked.  But, I have to say this recipe is so good.  I will make it again.

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 12 whole crackers

5 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

For the Filling

4 8oz. blocks cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 tbsp. all purpose flour

4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. packed lemon juice

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 

1/4 tsp. salt

6 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

you will need a 9 - 10 inch spring form pan 

 1 can cherry pie fill

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Set rack in lower middle position.

Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil.

Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Make the Crust

In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt. Stir well and press into the bottom of the springform pan.  

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set.  Remove the pan from oven and set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven to 325F.  Boil a kettle of water.

Make the batter

In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour together on medium speed until smooth, scrape the bowl to insure mixture is well combined.

Add vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. beat on low speed until just combined.

Add eggs, one at a time on low speed until well mixed, scrape bowl as needed.

Mix sour cream in, do not over mix.

 Pour mixture into the springform pan.

Place the cheesecake into the roasting pan and pour the boiling water around the cheesecake about 1" up the side.

Bake cake until it is just set, about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.  The cake will still wobble when it is taken out.

Remove pan from oven and place on wire rack, cool in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from roasting pan and remove the foil.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan to insure it is not sticking to sides.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Serve on plate, with pie filling on top with whip cream.

The best Carrot Cake

I work with a lady that is a very person.  She was talking on day about making a carrot cake from a box.  I decided to make her one from scratch.  I gave it to her on June 15th.  She was very excited that I had done that for her.
So in looking for the best 8 X 8" carrot cake recipe this is the one this is the one I picked.

The Best Carrot Cake

Ingredients

 

Carrot Cake:

¾ c. sugar

 

1 ½ c. all purpose flour

 

1 tsp. baking powder

 

1 tsp. baking soda

 

½ tsp salt

 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

 

 ⅔ c. vegetable oil

 

2 large eggs

 

2 c. carrots, shredded

 

½ c. pineapple with syrup, crushed

 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

 

1 cup raisins (I added this) 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

 

2 c. confectioner's sugar

 

1 tbsp. butter, softened

 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. milk 

 

 Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients: sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In seperate mixer bowl, combine vegetable oil, eggs, carrots, crushed pineapple with syrup and vanilla and the raisins if you wish to add them.
Mix with a hand mixer at medium speed until all ingredients are combined (about 2 minutes).
Gradually add dry mixture to wet ingredients; mix well after each addition.
 Grease a 9x9-inch or 11x7.5- inch pan (anything larger will come out too thin) and pour batter into the pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

To make cream cheese frosting: combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
Let cake cool and top with frosting.

 

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Found this recipe on this blog.  It made up pretty quick easy to follow. It tasted great I will make this again.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Ingredients

 4 slices bacon, diced

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix, or more, to taste 

8 ounces rotini

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the alfredo sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream, or more, to taste 

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

 

Directions

 1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×9 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray. 

 

2.  To make the alfredo sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat; reserving 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

 

4.  In a gallon size Ziploc bag, add chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil and Ranch Seasoning, shaking to coat thoroughly. Add chicken to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes on each side; set aside.

5.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

 

6.  Add pasta to the prepared baking dish and layer with chicken and alfredo sauce; sprinkle with cheeses and bacon. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and heated through, about 15-20 minutes. 

 

7.  Serve immediately.  Make a salad or a side veggie dish,