White Texas Sheet Cake

•  1 cup butter

•  1 cup water

•  2 cups all-purpose flour

•  2 cups sugar

•  2 eggs

•  1/2 cup sour cream

•  1 tsp salt

•  1 tsp baking powder

•  1 tsp almond extract

•  1/4 tsp baking soda

Frosting

•  1/2 cup butter

•  1/4 cup milk

•  4  1/2 cups powdered sugar (I use 2  1/2 – 3  1/2 cups)

•  1/2 tsp almond extract

•  1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil. Immediately remove from heat; stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, almond extract, and baking soda until smooth.

2. Pour into a greased jelly-roll pan (15 x 10 x 1-in). Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes.

3. For frosting, combine milk and butter in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts, if desired, and spread over warm cake.

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Bars--like PCMC cafeteria :)

1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup Butterscotch Chips
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup Karo Light syrup just to a boil mixing well. Take off heat and add 1 cup peanut butter and mix until smooth.
Add to the 6 cups of Rice Krispies and mix until all the Krispies are coated well.
Put this mixture into a well greased 9X13 pan and press down evenly into the pan. Empty chips into a microwaveable bowl and microwave at 3-45 second intervals, mixing well after each 45 seconds. Mix together until smooth. (You can use a double boiler method if you prefer.) Pour entire mixture on top of the pressed down Rice Krispies and spread to cover. Let them cool.

Smore Cupcakes

I haven't made these...I saw them on TV and they looked so good I have to share!

S'more Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Ingredients:

· 1 cup sour cream

· 4 eggs

· ½ cup water

· ½ cup canola oil

· 1 devil's food cake mix

· 1 small box instant chocolate pudding

· 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

· ¼ cup sugar

· 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

· 1 bag mini semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sour cream and water. Mix until well combined.

3. Add cake mix and chocolate pudding and mix on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes.

4. Place graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

5. Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a metal spoon to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

6. Place 1 teaspoon chocolate chips in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining graham cracker mixture and a few chocolate chips. Return to oven and bake until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

8. Prepare marshmallow frosting.

9. Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or star tip. Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. You can also quickly brown the frosting under the broiling element in your oven. Preheat the broiler to hi. Place cupcakes about 6 inches below the broiler element. While watching constantly, broil the cupcakes for about 2 minutes until the tops are browned. Do not walk away while the cupcakes are browning! They will burn very quickly.

Marshmallow Frosting Ingredients:

Ingredients:

· 8 large egg whites

· 2 cups sugar

· 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

· 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extrac

Method:

1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Stuffed Peppers

These are the most delicious things in the entire world!!  

In fact, this is what I am bringing to the Fav. Foods Dinner on Sunday.  So, since Karine suggested we all bring a copy for each other, I decided to be friendly to a tree or two and strictly post it here for everyone to access.  

Stuffed peppers are usually filled with grease, cheese, and other delicious things that clog our arteries.  These are delish, and cut out all of that yucky stuff that keep Karine (and soon Cam and Christy!) employed!!  While we all wait them to remain gainfully employed, I am all about doing what is healthy at this point in my life!!  

Stuffed Peppers

Recipe Taken From :  www.bethenny.com

Recipe By:  Bethenny Frankel 

(My BFF, that I have never actually met!)

Ingredients:

• 6 peppers (I like red ones the best!)
• 1 pound ground turkey meat (I have made them with ground chicken as well, also tasty!)
• 1 cup quinoa (cooked) (This is usually in the organic/health food section of the grocery store.)
• ½ large onion, chopped
• 2 cups jarred tomato sauce
• 1.5 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp tabasco
• 2.5 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup feta cheese (I use about 2/3 cup.....mmmm, feta)
• 2 tablespoon toasted pine nuts (I leave these out, they aren't my fav.)
• Parsley for garnish

Directions:  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Cook for 30 minutes Prep Time 30 minutes

1. Cook quinoa per directions. Add one cup grain to 2 cups water. Boil, then simmer until water is gone.
2. Crumble turkey meat with wooden spoon over medium heat.
3. While turkey meat is cooking, chop the tops and bottoms of peppers into pieces and combine with chopped onion, garlic salt and tomato sauce. Saute over medium heat and add remaining ingredients except the feta and pine nuts.
4. Combine the above with cooked turkey, quinoa, pine nuts and feta cheese (save a small amount of feta to sprinkle on top later on).
5. Remove the inside of the peppers. Portion the mixture into each of the peppers and place them on a baking sheet. Top with feta cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

  

Thought I'd post something...these are a favorite of the family. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Bars
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 C Butter
1 8 oz Cream Cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla
cream the above ingredients together
Then add:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 C flour
Place in 11X17 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min.

Frosting:
1/2 C butter
4 oz. cream cheese
3 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
food coloring of choice
milk as needed

Karine Romero

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

Cafe Rio might be my favorite thing to eat, and when our secretary at school made these salads for us for Christmas I was in heaven!  I found the recipes in my box this morning, and thought while my student teacher was teaching I would post them for all of you!!

Cafe Rio Pork Salads

Recipes from:  Caryn Waterman

Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork

2 Cups Pace Salsa

1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1 Can Coke or Dr. Pepper

1 3lb. Pork Tenderloin or Center-Cut Pork Loin

Cut the pot into large chunks and place in a crock pot.  Fill it half way up with water.  Cook on low for 5-7 hours.  Drain off the water.  Shred the port and remove any excess fat.  Put salsa, soda, and brown sugar in a blender and mix well.  Pour over the shredded port and cook in the crock pot for 3 more hours on low.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix

1 Cup Mayonaise

4 tbs. Green Salsa Verde

1-2 Cloves of Garlic

3/4-1 Cup Chopped Cilantro

1 tsp. Lime Juice

1/2-1 Small Jalepeno, seeds removed.

Blend everything together in a blender.  Add a little milk if the dressing is too thick.



Black Beans

2- 16 oz. Cans Black Bean

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion

2 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Juice from 1/2 a Lime

In a medium sauce pan, combine beans, onions and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Season the beans with cayenne and salt.  Add pepper if needed.  Simmer for 15 minutes, add lime juice, and serve.

Cafe Rio Rice

4 tsp. Chicken Bouillon

4 tsp. Chopped Garlic

1/2 Bunch Chopped Cilantro

1 tsp. Cumin

1 Can Green Chilies

3/4 tsp. Salt

1 tbs. Butter

1/2 of a Chopped Onion

Blend ingredients together in a blender, then put in a pan on the stove.  Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Add 3 cups of MINUTE rice and simmer for 30 minutes.

"No-Guilt" Chocloate Oat Cookies

The only guilt you'll have is from eating half the batch in one day!

1/4 cup butter
3/4 c. Splenda
1/2 c. brown sugar Splenda blend (or you can use 3/4 c. brown sugar)
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites
2 T. water
2 t. vanilla
1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)
1/4 t salt
2 c. rolled oats, uncooked (can substitute quick-cooking)
1/2 to 3/4 c. chocolate chips

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add applesauce, egg whites, water and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Add all dry ingredients except for the oats to butter mixture; beat until blended. Mix in oats; stir in chocolate chips. I use a cookie scoop to drop cookies onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
makes 2-1/2 to 3 dozen cookies.

Take my word for it, they are EXTREMELY yummy. You may want to double the recipe!