Tres Leches Cake

• CAKE
• Baking cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cup cake flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• TRES LECHES GLAZE
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup Promised Land Homogenized Milk
• TOPPING
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. CAKE
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Coat a 13 by 9-inch pan with baking spray and set aside.
4. Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
5. Place the butter into the bowl or stand mixer and beat on medium speed until fluffy
6. Gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. 
7. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to combine. 
8. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. 
9. Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter in small batches until just until combined. 
10. Pour the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. 
11. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
12. Remove the cake pan and allow to cool. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork then prepare the glaze.
13. TRES LECHES GLAZE
14. Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and homogenized milk. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake 3-4 hours or overnight.
15. TOPPING
16. Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl and whip with a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a hand mixer. Mix until stiff peaks are formed. 
17. Spread the topping over the cake and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Baked Sausage and Peppers

If you are looking for a really good holiday recipe that involves your oven or your grill you have come to the right place.  I either make sausage in the oven or on the grill.  Since you can't predict the weather sometimes it's best to play it safe with some baked yummy sausage, peppers and onions....YUMMY!

A family favorite any time of the year is baked sausage and peppers.  I grew up eating either my mom's homemade sausage or Uncle John's.  Uncle John  had a fresh meat market when hubby and I were growing up.

I met Uncle John when hubby and I were first dating; a perky, feisty Italian who was a master of seasoning meat for sausage.  People came from all over for his sausage and I am totally serious.  They'd even bring coolers if they lived far away.

Unfortunately Uncle John passed away many years ago and so did his recipe.  Today I still buy the freshest and best quality sausage I can find and below is how I make it easily in the oven.  Enjoy!

Baked Sausage, peppers and onions.
1lb.+ mild or hot Italian sausage
1 large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 large red and green pepper, sliced thin

In a medium to large baking dish place several Tablespoons oil.   Place sausage (I remove casing) in dish along with onions and peppers. Add salt, pepper and slight amount of onion and garlic powder. Cover and place in 350 degree oven approx. 3/4 hour or more.

Remove cover toss and place in oven and bake until peppers and onions are soft but crispy about another ten minutes or so.

 Serve with fresh bread or rolls. YUM

7/27/14

2/24/16

11/12/14

Easy Mexican Lasagna

Re-post 

6-19-15

I love to use whatever I have in my kitchen, pantry or refrigerator and create something easy.  So today I did just that and it was absolutely delicious and was prepped and baked one, two , three!

Leftovers for tomorrow's lunch or freeze them in pieces for later. :)

Wrapped and ready for easy lunch or freeze in bag after wrapped.  Thaws in refrigerator overnight. 

1 package large flour tortillas 
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 jar mild organic salsa or your choice
1 small onion grated
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 to 3/4 sour cream
6 to 8 tortillas cut in half
1 small can Hunts sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese


Brown meat in oil with onion, salt and pepper.  Add 1/2 jar salsa and set aside

Mix softened cream cheese (use microwave for a few seconds if necessary)and 1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream. Set aside.

Mix the other half jar of salsa with the Hunts sauce. Set aside.

To assemble.  Place some of the meat/salsa mixture in bottom of 13x9 in. pan. Lay cut tortillas to fill as much space as you are able to.  This is not a perfect fit so just layer to the best of your ability and  don't get frustrated. Also double the recipe for a large family.  It's just the two of us so this size pan was fine.

 Add some of the meat mixture then add another layer of tortilla strips/pieces (I cut a tortilla in half and then quarter) and then by spoonfuls add some of the softened cream cheese mixture.  Continue layering tortilla, meat, cheese and finally the top layer of just tortilla.  Top with the other half jar of salsa and sauce mix.  Sprinkle shredded sharp cheese and cover.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover lasagna and bake approximately 30 minutes. Remove covering and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes until cheese has melted.  Wait 5 minutes and cut in pieces. This is really Tasty!

9-17-16

Chicken vegetable soup

Today's hearty soup was one made in the spare of the moment. We needed lunch and I knew if I made this there would be enough for another lunch serving or two!

Easy with little effort and you can create a bowl of yumminess.

If you have one boneless chicken breast you can cook it in the broth and shred it before you serve the soup. Boneless chicken cooks quickly in broth or water.  In about one hour after prep. It will be ready to enjoy.

Soup's on!!!!

Note:

Frozen veggies can be used if you don't feel like using fresh.  I used my handy chopper and chop my veggies in advance and freeze them . Like this!

I boneless chicken breast(use more if you like lots of chicken)

1-32 oz or more chicken broth

1cup chopped carrots 

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup diced tomatoes( I didn't use juice but you can do do if you desire)

1medium diced potato 

1can rinsed and drained northern beans

1cup frozen peas

1cup small noodles (acne de Pepe) or orzo, tiny shells etc. but they should be small.

Grated cheese for garnish (optional)

Crockpot Green chilles and tomatoes cubed steak

We had a nice weekend which included our (hubby and my) dual class reunion back in our hometown. I was able to see people I have not seen since graduation.  It was a really nice time.

Today I had to get back to reality so thinking ahead as I usually do; yes I'm a planner. Last evening before I hit the sheets I took out two pounds of cubed steak from the freezer and placed them in my refrigerator to thaw.

Cut in strips as in photo

Note:  If you don't know what cubed steak is it is basically tenderized round steak (beef) which is sold as cubed steak.  They are usually sold in large pieces or patties.

I did not have a clue what I was going to do with them but after a little thought I realized I had a can of diced tomatoes with chile so this is when I decided this would be tonight's dinner. Simple and very tasty.  That is if you like spicy.  It was spicy.

Simply cut the cubed steak in strips.  Slice a whole onion rather thin. In a skillet(I like to brown my meat first) add some olive oil.  Place onion in first and allow it to start to simmer, add steak, salt and pepper and cook until slightly browned.  Place in your crockpot which you have set to low.  Add the 1 can of tomatoes with the chilles (juice and all) on top of the meat. Cook on low for approximately 4 to 5 hours.  It does cook faster than other type steak(round) since it has been tenderized. (pounded with a mallet to tenderize). Hope to hear you enjoyed this easy meal.

I served it over mashed potatoes....Family friendly store bought Bob Evans. xo

Crockpot friendly 

2 lb. cubed steak cut in strips 

Salt and pepper 

1 medium onion sliced 

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilles

Happy Cooking!