My Baking Experiment: Peach Cake Recipe

Okay, I'll admit it. . . I love to create recipes, throwing ingredients into a bowl, adding a touch of this and a hint of that. Sometimes, I'll admit, my creations come up a little short, but this time it was a success! David, the kids and I all loved it. Here's the recipe, if you're interested.

Peach Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1 regular sized can of peaches, sliced into small pieces
1/3-1/2 cup orange juice

Frosting:
1 tub of fat free Cool Whip
1 T. peach jello mix (I used regular, but sugar-free might work too.)
1 small can mandarin oranges, mostly drained

In a large bowl mix the cake mix with the can of peaches (partially drained) and the orange juice. Put batter into a 13X11" pan and bake according to directions on the back of the cake mix box.
Let the cake cool completely. Meanwhile you can prepare the "frosting". Fold the peach jello mix into the Cool Whip. Then fold in the mandarin oranges. Spread the frosting on the cake and enjoy! The oranges and peaches really taste delicious together.

Easy Tator Tot Casserole The Kids Love

I found this recipe in my Four Ingredient Cookbook my mom bought me a few years ago. I believe in simplicity, and when you're short on time using only 4 ingredients really helps speed things along. The recipe actually called for ground beef, but I substituted fat-free hot dogs because all the beef was frozen.

Ingredients:
1 large bag of frozen tator tots
1 can cream of chicken (or celery, or mushroom) soup
1 cup shredded cheese (your choice)
1 package hot dogs, cut up OR lean ground beef, browned

Spray an 11X13" pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with the hot dog pieces. (If you have very small children, be sure to cut the hotdogs up into very little pieces.) Next, pour the soup over the top of the meat. Then sprinkle the shredded cheese and finally, top with the tator tots. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes. I served this with veggies and ketchup and the kids (and the parents) loved it!

Our Little Toothless Wonders-The Toothfairy Must Be Broke!

After school last week Cooper and Maddie were excited to show me that they had each lost a tooth while eating an apple at lunch time. The nurse gave them each a small tooth-shaped box that they proudly wore around their necks to transport the teeth home safely. I took this picture right after school. Then about an hour later, Maddie lost her 2nd front tooth! They both looked cute and Maddie started talking with a lisp without her 2 front teeth. The toothfairy did tripple duty at our house that night.

Easy Bran Muffins Recipe-Enough To Feed An Army

If you have a big family like me, or you simply love eating muffins, here is a tasty recipe for you. You can prepare the mix and just store it in your fridge for a couple of weeks. They are very healthy and use heart-healthy olive oil.

Refrigerated Bran Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:
1 20-ounce box raisin bran cereal
2-1/2 cups sugar
5 cups unbleached flour
5 t. baking soda
2-1/2 t. salt
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (I like to use pecans too)
1 quart low-fat buttermilk
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, packed in juice, undrained
2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 cup olive oil

Pour cereal into a large bowl. Add sugar and stir. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into cereal. Add walnuts and stir.

In a separate large mixing bowl, mix buttermilk, pineapple, eggs, egg whites and oil. Stir until completely mixed, then pour into dry mixture and stir completely.

Bake in sprayed muffin tins, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. The batter can be refrigerated fro up to six weeks. makes 5 dozen muffins (about 15 cups batter).

Each serving contains approximately: 131 calories, 3 grams fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 284 milligrams sodium, 25 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein and 1 gram fiber.

On The Menu: Baked Bolognese

Well, my dear hubby has done it again! He prepared a delicious meal last night that had all 6 of us going back for seconds (and thirds). I think he's trying to show me up! It's okay though, who am I to complain about such a tasty meal?

Here is the recipe courtesy the Food Network's Good Deal with Dave Lieberman.

Baked Bolognese

For the tomato sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Couple dashes red chili flakes

1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

Sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the bechamel:

1/2 stick butter
1 large onion

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white wine, optional

1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed

Dash ground nutmeg or ground cinnamon

2 cups grated three-cheese blend, divided

1 pound parcooked rigatoni

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add oil to large skillet over high heat. Add ground beef and saute, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Add garlic, oregano and chili flakes and cook a couple minutes. Add tomatoes and season, to taste, with sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

For the bechamel:

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat until bubbling. Add onions and saute until translucent. Sprinkle with flour, stirring constantly and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Gradually whisk in the wine, if using, and then gradually whisk in the milk and nutmeg and cook until smooth, thick and creamy. Combine the meat sauce and pasta, and then pour in half the pasta mixture. Spoon half the bechamel over the pasta and top with half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake 30 to 45 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Just in case you were wondering (like me) how to pronounce bolognese and bechamel maybe this will help:

bolognese: [boh-luh-neez, -nees, -luhn-yeez, -yees] 1. Of or pertaining to Bologna or its inhabitants. 2. Italian cookery.

bechamel: [bey-shuh-mel; Fr. bey-sha-mel] A white sauce, sometimes seasoned with nutmeg and onion.

Valentine's Be-Mine Cupcakes Recipe

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I wanted to share this recipe with you, courtesy Parent's Magazine online:

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups red melting wafers
2-1/2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 can (16 ounce) vanilla frosting
Pink icing color
18 cupcakes, any flavor
Red fruit slices or any soft, chewy candy, halved
Red licorice strings
Sprinkles

Directions
1. In bowl, combine red melting wafers and vegetable shortening. Microwave on medium, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and combined, about 2 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into a foil-lined baking pan, and spread out into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Refrigerate for 3 minutes, or just until set.
3. Using a 1-1/2" heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many hearts as you can. Place scraps of wafers back into the bowl, and microwave again to melt. Pour into baking pan, and spread into a 6" x 8" rectangle. Follow previous directions for chilling and cutting.
4. Tint frosting pink with icing color, and frost cupcakes. Place two hearts at angles, points together, in center of each cupcake to make butterfly wings. Place a fruit slice or candy between wings for body. Insert 2 small pieces of licorice strings for the antennae. Top cupcakes with sprinkles.

Our Special Meals for the Month of February

Drew: Baked potatoes with ham and cheese, mixed veggies, fruit salad, Candy Sushi (recipe from Rachel Ray's Kids Cookbook, p. 20).

Cooper: Turkey with gravy, hashbrown casserole, corn on the cob, peaches, and chocolate milkshakes.

Maddie: Pancakes, hard-boiled eggs, sausage, grits, and blueberry muffins.

Emma: Homemade pizza, corn on the cob, carrots, Oreos.