FoodFoodFood - Red Velvet (Cheese) Cake

Ingredients:

For the cheesecake:
1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

For the cake:
2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 TBSP cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 c. buttermilk
2 TBSP (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 c. confectioners' sugar

1 bar white or dark chocolate (Optional for decoration), I used Ghiradelli

Directions:

For cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely, then level.

Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Assembly:
Place bottom layer on cake stand. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any red velvet crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with shaved white chocolate and/or shaved dark chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (This cake doesn't have to stay in the fridge until IMMEDIATELY before serving, so don't worry if you have a 30 minute lapse between the refrigerator and serving.)

FoodFoodFood - Easy, Easy Peanutbutter Cup Pie

Chilling Time: 4 hr

Cooking Time: 10 min

What You'll Need:

•1 2/3 cups (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
•1/2 cup milk
•1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, divided
•2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•16 miniature peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
•1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
•1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate pie crust

What To Do:

1.In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine peanut butter chips, milk, and 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk. Cook until mixture is thick and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

2.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in remaining sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla. With a spoon, stir in chopped peanut butter cups.

3.Add whipped topping to peanut butter and milk mixture and blend completely with a spoon.

4.Pour peanut butter mixture and cream cheese mixture alternately into pie crust, ending with cream cheese mixture. Swirl with a knife to get a marble effect. Cover and freeze until firm. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

FoodFoodFood - Easy Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

Makes: 12

Cooking Time: 10 min

What You'll Need:

•2 cups pancake and baking mix
•3/4 cup milk
•3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
•1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir baking mix, milk, and cheese until a soft dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.

3. Mix garlic powder and butter; brush half the mixture over biscuits.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush remaining garlic mixture over warm biscuits and serve.

FoodFoodFood - TexMex Casserole

From the biggest Ranch in Texas...King Ranch...

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

What You'll Need:

•1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•1 large green bell pepper, diced
•1 cup chopped onion
•2 garlic cloves, minced
•1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
•1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
•1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
•12 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
•4 cups diced cooked chicken
•2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

What To Do:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute bell pepper, onion, and garlic 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in soup, diced tomatoes, and chili powder. Cook just until warmed.

3.Line bottom of prepared baking dish with half the tortilla strips. Sprinkle half the chicken over tortilla strips, top with half the vegetables, and half the cheese. Repeat layers.

4.Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and hot

FoodFoodFood - To-Die-For Lemon Meringue Cake

What You'll Need:

•1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
•1 (18.25-ounce) package lemon cake mix, batter prepared according to package directions
•4 egg whites
•1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
•1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.Stir lemon peel into cake batter then pour batter into prepared baking dish.

3.Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of comes comes out clean.

4.In a medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon mixture over cake, spreading to completely cover cake. Form lots of peaks and valleys with a spatula to create a tempting-looking meringue.

5.Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Let cool, then slice and serve.

FoodFoodFood - Marinated Pork Chops - Asian Style

4 servings

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 (3/4-inch) pork loin chops (1-1/2 to 2 pounds total)

3 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except pork chops and butter; mix well.

Place chops in a 9" x 13" baking dish and pour soy sauce mixture over the top, turning chops to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for 2 hours, turning after 1 hour. Remove chops from marinade and discard marinade.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook chops 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Serve immediately.

FoodFoodFood - Spaghetti Noodle Cassarole

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients:

•1 (1-pound) package spaghetti
•4 tablespoons butter
•1 onion, chopped
•1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
•1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
•1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch chunks
•2 cups chicken broth
•2 (10-3/4-ounce) cans condensed cheese soup
•8 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions

1.Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain, return to pot, and set aside.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; saute onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Add vegetable mixture and remaining ingredients to spaghetti; mix well.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

4.Place mixture in prepared casserole dish, cover, and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.