Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix with pudding
• 1/4 lb butter, melted
• 1 egg

Mix together cake mix, butter, and egg.  Pour in greased 9x13 pan.  May have to pat down dough in place. 

Topping Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened

Beat together eggs, powdered sugar, and cream cheese.  Pour over cake mixture. 
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes, maybe longer.

Four Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells

This is one of my favorites that we enjoy occasionally.  It is a little more prep time but very worth it.  I make it two ways.  One with red sauce and the other with alfredo sauce.  I will write out the recipe and then describe how I change it up a bit. 

8 to 12 jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 lbs ricotta cheese (I use the ricotta with whole milk)
1 lb mozerella, diced (be sure you cut it up, otherwise, it will not melt)
1/2 cup grated parmesian - Reggiano
1 cup shredded Asiago
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf Parsley
2 Tbspn EVOO
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 or 7 leaves fresh basil

Preheat oven to 450

Boil water, add some salt and EVOO to prevent sticking.  (add some extra shells, some will break). 
Cook shells 12 to 15 minutes, they should soften.  Drain and cool. 

Combine Ricotta, 1/2 of the diced mozerella, a few handfulls of Parmigiano and 1/2 of the Asaigo.  Add parsley to the cheeses and stir to combine.  (This can be made ahead of time.  I like to make it mid-day to give time for the flavors to fuse). 

 - - This is where I make 2 sauces - -
Red sauce:
Chop 1 cup onion and simmer in EVOO for a few minutes.  Chop 3 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes (Roma Tomatos are good and less expensive).  In sauce pot, stir in tomatoes and onion.  Chop & add 3 cloves garlic.  1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, 2 tbspn of tomato paste, 2 Tbspn chopped red pepper.  (Add salt and pepper to taste). 

Alfredo Sauce:  (I am constantly changing, adding, and dumping to perfect this)    =)
This is the basic recipe I use - I'll tell you what else I add or take away.

1 pint heavy cream
1 stick butter
1/2 package of cream cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
(I also add some oregano, 1 to 2 Tbspn Sour Cream, and 1 Tbspn Basil)

**You can also cook some ground chuck or ground sausage and add it to your red sauce if you would like to add meat to your entree**

Take 2 pans (I use glass pyrex dishes).  Cover the bottom of each pan with your sauce.  (One container alfredo and the other with Red Sauce).  Fill shells with rounded spoonfulls of cheese mixture & arrange them seam side down in dish.  Top shells with remaining sauce & mozerella and Asiago cheeses.  Place shells in very hot oven or 8 inches from hot broiler.  Cook 6 to 8 minutes to melt cheeses and bubble sauce. 

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

• 1/4 ounce package yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup scalded milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 egg 3 1/2 - 4 cup flour

Filling:

• 1/2 cup melted butter, plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tblsp ground cinnamon

Glaze:

• 4 Tblsp butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3-6 Tblsp of hot water

Directions:

In small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, set aside.  In large bowl, mix milk, sugar, melted butter,salt, and eggs.  Add 2 cups flour and mix until smooth.  Add yeast mixture.  Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.  Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes.  Place in well greased bowl and let rise until doubled, usually 1 - 1/2 hours.  

When doubled, punch down dough.  Roll out on floured surface into a 15x9 inch rectangle.  Spread melted butter all over dough.  Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.  Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or rasins if desired.  Beginning at 15 inch side, roll up dough and pinch edge together to seal.  Cut into 12-15 slices.  Coat bottom of baking pan with butter ad sprinkle with sugar.  Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pan and let rise until dough is doubled, about 45 minutes.  bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Add hot water1 tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency.  Spread over slightly cooled rolls. 

Prep Time: 20min
Inactive prep time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 min
Difficulty: Medium
Yield: 12-15

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Coca Cola Cake

Best chocolate cake you can imagine!

Grease & Flour 9 x 13 pan.
Combine in lage bowl:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar

Heat to boiling:

• 2 sticks butter
• 5 Tablepoons cocoa
• 1 cup Coca Cola

Pour over flour and sugar.  Beat well.  Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda, and vanilla.  Beat.  Stir in mashmellows.

• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1 teaspn baking soda
• 1 teaspn vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup mini marshmellows

(Don't make the icing until the cake is almost done.  Ice while hot.

Frosting: Heat the following (except powdered sugar).  Then pour over the powdered sugar.  If you like nuts you can add them here.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 Tblspn Cocoa
• 5 Tblspn Coca Cola
• 1 lb powdered sugar

Bake at 350 degrees for abou 35 minutes or until cake tests done.
HINT: the marshmellows will sink into the batter. 

THE DOSSES BAKED BEANS

1 Can Bush's Baked Beans (Homestyle or Southern Style)

Open, drain, and pour into glass baking dish

Finely chop 1/4 cup yellow onions

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

Add 1/4 cup Bullseye Barbeque Sauce

You can cook them at 400 for 45 minutes or at 350 for 1 hour

FRIED CHICKEN & CHERRY CHEESECAKE PIE

FRIED CHICKEN


This is one of our favorite household dishes.  It usually gets made for birthdays and special dinners.  To start: I prefer skinless/boneless chicken breasts and I clean them WELL. Use a dinner plate, fill with flour, salt and pepper and cover both sides of the chicken. (on my peice, I soak it in butter milk for a few hours. It helps to break down the chicken for tenderness and adds some flavor. Be sure that they aren't too wet before you dip in the flour because you want the flour to stick). Turn the vegetable oil on low. You don't want to cook the chicken on high because the outside will burn and the inside won't be done.
We also had mash potatoes, green beans, and corn on the cob.


THE DOSSES SWEET TEA
We use Lipton Tea bags (the Luzianne tea bags get leaf droppings all in your tea - yuck!) and the Mr Tea Pot. Add your water to your Mr Teapot, 2 or 3 family size tea bags in the top of the Mr.Tea Pot, and add 2 cups sugar (go ahead and add it to the pitcher of the Mr Teapot). Then put in a gallon pitcher and fill with water.

OCIE'S CHEESECAKE CHERRY PIE


We hardly ever have company here in "the far country," so when we do I like to make dessert. Mom said her grandmother (Ocie) used to make this in the summer; but she didn't have the recipe. BUT we found it:

1 - 9" prepared graham cracker crust
1 - 8oz package of cream cheese
1 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1/3 cup Lemon juice
1 teaspn Vanilla extract
1 - 21 oz can Cherry Pie filling


** Make this in the morning. It needs to chill in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours before serving.**
Place softened cream cheese in mixing bowl. Add Eagle Brand Milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour over crust. Chill. Right befor serving, pour the cherry pie filling over the top of the pie and serve.

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspn vanilla
Beat the cream until it starts getting a little thick. Then add in sugar and vanilla. When it starts to peak, then you know it's done. Don't whip for too long or you'll have butter.

Pizza From Scratch

THE CRUST

I make my dough in the bread machine.  All I have to do is dump it into the bread machine and it does the work. 

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package quick active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)

Yields: 2 pizza crusts
I usually start the dough at 3:00 so that it's ready in time for dinner.

Divide dough in half.  Grease 2 cookie sheets.  With floured fingers pat out dough however you want your pizzas. Bake at 400 for 18 to 20 minutes. (I have been cooking the crust for about 10 minutes, take it out and put toppings on.  Start with the cheese first so that the cheese doesn't burn).

You can use the dough for cheesebread.  I melt some butter, add garlic powder and rosemary! (Adding sharp shredded cheddar under the mozzerella gives it a good flavor).

I use this same base when making lasagne.  It's my basic "red sauce."  I dislike the red sauce in the can.  I've always hated red sauce.  But this I love and tastes nothing like the canned stuff.  For pizza, I don't usually cook it in the crock pot for a few hours, but you can to fuse the flavors. 

RED SAUCE: (I kinda guess at these amounts because I'm using the lasagne recipe, but I'm not really making as much as I would with the lasagne)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion (I prefer yellow onions because they're sweeter)
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 Tablespoon Tomato paste
1 Tablespoon chopped Basil
3 or 4 Tomatos chopped

Chop the onion and caramalize the onions in the Olive Oil.  Add the rest of the ingredients. Heat. 
Add the rest of the pizza toppings you like!
Tip: I put the cheese under the pepperoni - so that the cheese doesn't burn

WHITE QUESO

I am burned out with velveeta and rotel! Wal-mart used to carry my favorite white queso, but no more. I do see they still sell it in Arkansas. Next time I'm there, I'll buy some and take a pic. You have to be careful. Not ALL white cheese is the same! Not all is meltable for dip.

1 cup Asadero - shredded
4 oz Jalapenos - chopped (buy canned/chopped; it's safer)
4 oz green chilis
1/4 cup half and half (you can use milk to get it thinner)
2 Tblsp Onion - FINELY chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 tspn salt

You can substitute white american for asadero, but it's hard to find. Central Market is the only place I've seen it. I've tried the white velveeta. Blugh. No good.

Mexico Chiquito's Punch

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm in Little Rock is Mexico Chiquito. While pregnant, I craved their punch. With a little research, help from my friend Dax who worked there, and some trial and error, this is what I came up with:

2 quarts Hawaiian Punch
1 quart of Pineapple Juice (a little bit more than a quart)
1 quart of Sweet Tea (a little bit less than a quart)
- when making the sweet tea, add 1 cup sugar

*If you find a better tweak, let me know! I am all about perfecting!

The Journey To Perfect

I love to cook! I am always trying to perfect my dish. So I decided to start a blog with my favorites! As I prepare different things for Noble James, I will share them. If you have a suggestion, let me know!
If I get a recipe for someone else, I always use their first name. (example: Debbie's Sugar Cookies...) I don't like to take credit for other's work.