Dr Pepper Cake

This is my new all time favorite chocolate cake -- so very moist and delicious.  I found this on a blog, and it was for cupcakes.  But the recipe works fine for a 9x13 cake pan.

I did not care for the icing on the blog...and I've tried making another recipe and it wasn't quite right so that part of the recipe is still to be perfected.

Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1- 15.25 oz Boxed Cake Mix, Devils' food flavored 

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup Dr. Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 cake pan with cooking spray.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add chocolate boxed cake mix.  Mix on low speed to break up any clumps.  Add buttermilk and vegetable oil and mix on medium speed until flour mixture is moistened.

3.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.  Once all the eggs have been combined, slowly stream in Dr. Pepper with the mixer running on low.  Mix until combined.

4. Pour into the pan and bake according to the instructions on the cake mix box.

Roast Chicken with stuffing

I saw this recipe on Cook's Country on PBS this week and it looked so good and easy that I decided I needed to try it.  It was very good.  The chicken came out moist and the stuffing had a great flavor.

Roast Chicken with Stuffing

4 lb. whole chicken
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme
1 tbsp. minced fresh sage
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix the above ingredients together and brush onto the chicken.

In a large skillet melt:
2 tbsp. butter

Add in:
2 diced onions
2 celery ribs, diced
3-4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook till soft (about 5 minutes) over medium high heat. 

Add:
1 tbsp. minced fresh sage
1 tbsp.  minced fresh thyme

Stir for about 30 seconds and turn off heat.  Add chicken, breast side up. 

Take a loaf of Italian bread (my deli only had French bread and that works too) and but into 1/2 inch cubes.  Add about 7 oz. of cubes to the skillet around the chicken.

Bake 1 hour on 375.  (till breast reaches 165* and thighs 175*)  Remove chicken, place on plate and cover with foil. Let sit 10 minutes.  Stir the bread into the onion/celery mixture...adding some chicken broth if needed for extra moisture.  Cover and let sit 10 minutes. 

Oven Roasted Corn on Cob

Happy Labor Day! Many are sad because this is the last weekend of summer....not me, it's the beginning of autumn! 

Oven Roasted Corn on Cob

Melt 1 stick of butter in a pie dish.  Get 1 sheet of aluminum foil for each ear of corn.  Put a corn in the butter and roll around to cover all sides.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and sugar in the middle of the foil. Place the corn in the middle and roll around to cover.  Wrap in 1-2 slices of bacon and fold the foil to seal the corn.  Place corn packets on a large cookie sheet.  Bake 20 minutes at 425 (more for larger roasting ears.)

Mexi Corn Dip

Mexi Corn Dip

3 cans mexi-corn (drained)
1 can of rotel (drained)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 cup shredded onion
chopped green onion

Mix all in bowl and let sit overnight.  Stir and serve with chips.

Pineapple Cream Cheese Ball

Pineapple Cream Cheese Ball

16 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup bell peppers, diced
2 tbsp onions, chopped
1 tbsp seasoning salt
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 can crushed pineapple, drained

Combine all ingredients, saving some pecan to roll cheese ball in.
Pack mixture into a bowl or mold, chill until firm.
Remove and roll in pecans to coat exterior.
Serve with crackers.

Mexican Cheese Dip

Mexican Cheese Dip

Source: Deana Magnuson

1 block velveeta cheese dip
1 can rotel
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black olives (chopped)
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb  ground beef (sometimes she adds 1/2 lb ground pork sausage too)
Garlic Powder

Brown and crumble beef (season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder).

In a large sauce pan, add rotel, tomatoes, onion, and start heating while cutting velvetta into chunks and chucking into the pan.  Stir constantly to keep from scorching.  Before completely melted add beef and black olives.  Continue to stir until fully mixed and melted.  Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy.

Corn Casserole

This recipe was shared with me by my cousin Arna.  She doesn't cook much but this is one thing she does cook. And it is very good!

Corn Casserole
Source: Arna Vargas

1 can whole kernal corn, dranined
1 can cram style corn
1 8 oz package jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl stir together all the ingredients but the cheese.  Mix well.  Pour into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.  Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and top with cheese.  Return to oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Blueberry Chili

This recipe is from the wife of a therapist that used to work in my office.  When he said he was bringing blueberry chili I thought he was nuts.  It's surprisingly very good!

Blueberry Chili

2 pounds ground beef
3 cans light red kidney beans (15 oz each)
2 cans tomato paste (12 oz each)
1 can stewed tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
2 cups frozen blueberries or 1 can blueberry pie filling (16 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (14.5 oz)
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp basil leaves
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp ground pepper

Put drained and rinsed kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and water into a large crock pot  Mash the stewed tomatoes and add to the pot.  Add blueberries  (if using pie filling, wash and drain the blueberries).  Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain and add pot. Warm mixture on low heat for an hour, then add the seasonings.  Heat an additional hour and serve.