Birthday Cake

So I know it doesn't look great but it tastes amazing. Or so I'm told. I have given up sugar for 30 days so I didn't get a taste. But I made it from scratch and so it has to be good. It doesn't look wonderful because I had to go to kindergarten orientation. So as soon as the cake was done I took it out of the oven and ran. I didn't get to take it out of the pans after ten minutes cooling. I had to scrape it off the bottom on one of the cakes. So it looks like a mess but 4 through 7 year olds don't know the difference. Right?

From one of my favorite cookbooks-Better Homes and Gardens "New Cook Book" Although it is at least 15 years old.
White Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk (sour your milk with white vinegar)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 egg whites
Oven 350
In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoons salt. Add buttermilk, butter and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl.
Pour into 2 greased and floured round baking pans. (You can use 8 or 9 inch.) Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. Serves 12.

Butter Frosting (same cookbook)
1/3 cup butter
4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
In a bowl beat butter till fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
Slowly beat in remaining sugar. Beat in additional milk, if needed, to make of spreading consistency (I didn't do this and I wish I had because it was too thick). Tint with food coloring, if desired. Frosts tops and side of two 8 or 9 inch cake layers.

We had already begun to devour it so this picture doesn't do it justice. It was so yummy. I did change a few things from the recipe (found here: Yummy Salmon Asparagus Salad and the dressing here: The dressing that goes with it ) But it was really good. I used brown rice instead of orvo. And I didn't have any fresh dill so I used fresh parsley. I know that dill would have been much better with salmon. But I didn't want to haul 3 kids to the store to get it. And the red onion I had was not looking so good so it was also omitted. My kids love salmon but weren't so fond of the asparagus. I love asparagus so it was divine.

Homemade Spaghetti

Hello, is this thing on?

So I really have been cooking since my last post. I just keep forgetting to post. I made at least 5 dinners I swear. ;) So first of all I also added a recipe at the bottom of this post that I made for Super Bowl Sunday dinner. I forgot to take any pics.

Here is a yummy recipe for homemade marinara sauce. I got it from my cute friend and new visiting teachee Charees Miller.

chop a yellow onion
chop up a clove of garlic
shred 1 carrot
shred 1 zucchini
saute in olive oil
add 1T italian seasoning and some fresh basil--if you have it
add a large (20oz) can crushed tomatoes in puree

simmer for one hour

Yummo! I also added some ground turkey tonight for some protein. I used a pound but in the future will only use a quarter of that. It was too meaty for me. So I added another can of tomato puree. I wanted to savor more of the marinara. Served it with a caesar salad. My kids loved it.

Waistline: Very good. All healthy ingredients. And I used whole wheat noodles.
Frugality: Very "cheap" meal. Had it all on hand.

Super Bowl Chicken White Chili--realize that she calls it "simple" but it took me a good 2 hours.

And thank you to my one reader Kristen. :) Hope you like this.

Coriander Salmon and french green beans

This is what I made for dinner tonight. I love salmon and try to eat it at least once a week. This was a good recipe. But I've had better. Here is where I got it.

Do I have any still out there reading this? I have been less than faithful in posting. :) Hang in there with me and you'll see lots more coming. Maybe even 3 nights in a row!

Chicken and Mushrooms with steamed carrots

So I forgot to take a picture until we had already "dug" in. This was a really good meal. I'm trying to cook exclusively from my pantry and freezer this week. Except for fresh produce. I found this recipe here. My husband loved it and so did I. My kids ate some. They are so picky.

• 6 Servings
• Prep: 5 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup sherry or chicken broth
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

• Arrange chicken in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add the sherry or broth, green onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour over chicken.
• Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Top with cheese. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (1 chicken breast half) equals 198 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 79 mg cholesterol, 361 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat.

Scrumptious Seven Layer Dip

This is for my darling awesome Cowan family that I got to see last night. I made this dip last night for my Dad's annual Christmas party. Here ya go gals!

Seven Layer Dip
1 16 oz can of re-fried beans
1 16 oz sour cream
1 taco seasoning packet
3 avocados
garlic powder
lime juice
2 cups shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar and monterey jack)
1 can sliced olives
1 roma tomato
green onions

So all I do is layer the bottom with the refried beans. Then I mix the taco seasoning packet into the tub of sour cream. Then I put that as my second layer. Then I make the guacamole by mashing the avocados then adding the lime juice and garlic powder to taste. Then that is my third layer. (You could put the guac as second and sour cream as third if you wanted to.) Then the next layer is the cheese. Then I chop up the tomato and put that on top. Then add the olives. Then the green onions. I didn't have any green onions last night so I didn't add those. So technically it was a 6 layer dip. :)

Chicken Breast stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

I know that it has been a while. But I am starting anew tonight with some yummy meals each day this week. My first goal this week is to make all three meals and all snacks with the food I have already in my house. I did go to the store and get some milk and eggs and veggies but everything else I am going to try and use whats in my house. So tonight for dinner is Chicken stuffed with spinach and goat cheese. Except that I am using feta cheese because that is what I have in my fridge. I served it with a spinach salad with red wine vinaigrette.

Frugality: Everything was in my house so very frugal.

Waistline: This recipe comes from my South Beach Diet cook book. And it's a Phase 1 recipe which is very waistline conscious. Per serving: 280 calories, 10g fat, 42g protein, 3g carb, 1g dietary fiber, 390 mg sodium.

Recipe:
4 t evoo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1/2 pound) bunch spinach, tough stems removed
4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces low-fat goat cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

You'll also need wooden toothpicks

Heat oven to 400.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil int a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted and liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate. Wipe skillet dry with paper towels.
Slice your chicken breast open like a pita bread. Open each pocket and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then fill evenly with goat cheese and spinach. Seal each with two toothpicks and season outside with salt and pepper.
Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. -- Note -- I actually cooked them for about 5 minutes each side. I have a thing about making sure my chicken is thoroughly cooked. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until juices run clear. For me I cooked it for about 15-18 minutes. The recipe says 8 minutes. That's not long enough for me. The chicken was still pink in the middle.