Sprite Cake

This cake is super moist and tastes almost homemade! (For this cake I doubled the recipe, you could probably get a decent two layer cake if you only did one)

1 box white cake mix

1 10oz can Sprite (mini can)

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

1 3oz box instant Vanilla pudding

Mix all ingredients together, but don't over beat. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 2 (or 3) 9 inch round cake pans.

Separate mix into however many bowls of different colors you'd like. We had 4, I've seen Rainbow before with 7 bowls. Food color away. Remember, the more vivid the color, the better and brighter it will bake. For the first color, use a 1 cup (or smaller depending on how many colors you have) and drop one circle into the center of the pan. Repeat with alternating colors, dropping the next on top of one another, creating concentric circles, like above. The previous color will get pushed out as the color on top hits. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool, cut tops off to make flat. You can leave the top one rounded or flatten it, whatever you like.

We used a whipped cream filling that was light and airy with fresh strawberries.

Icing

3 cups heavy whipping cream, beaten into soft, but firm peaks

3/4 cup powdered sugar beaten into the peaks

any food color

you want this icing pretty firm- almost like a regular buttercream icing.

Strawberries diced with a little sugar. Don't over sugar them or you'll get a ton of syrup and the cake will be really wet and can affect the icing.

When layering, put the icing first, then the strawberries on top, then the next cake layer.

click on picture to see the color swirls better

Mandarin Spinach with Caramelized Walnut Salad

Really good with shredded chicken too.

Caramelized Walnuts:

2 cups water

1cup ¼” diced walnut pieces walnuts

3 Tablespoons white sugar

Boil water. Add walnuts and cook for 40 seconds. Strain the walnuts. Combine walnuts and sugar in a bowl. Stir to coat. Place sugar covered walnuts on a sheet pan and bake at 325 degrees for approximately 8 – 10 minutes or until golden brown.

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Dressing:

2 cups canola oil 1 ¼ cups fresh orange juice

1 cup white sugar 6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 Tablespoon Spanish paprika

1 Tablespoon table salt

Combine ingredients and whisk to thoroughly dissolve the sugar

Yields approximately 4 ¾ cups.

Salad:

8 cups chopped spinach

1 ½ cups Mandarin oranges

1 cup caramelized walnuts

¼ cup ¼” diced red onions

3/8 cup dressing

Combine ingredients and toss until evenly coated with dressing.

Summer Lemon Salad with Spiced Pecans

This is from Souplantation and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this salad! It's light and really good if you add Manchego cheese instead of Blue.

Dressing- Yields 5 cups

• 3 cups Mayonnaise- whole egg
• 2 cups Lemonade Concentrate
• 2 ½ TBLS Dijon Mustard

Combine ingredients and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with sugar.

Spiced Pecans

• 1 ¼ cups ¼” Diced Pecans
• ¼ lb Butter or margarine
• 2 TBLS White Sugar
• ¾ tsp Ground Cumin
• ½ tsp Table Salt
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Melt butter in pan. Add sugar, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper. Heat until bubbling and sugar dissolves. Immediately add pecans and stir to coat. Spread pecans on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until brown and toasted.

Salad

• 4 cups Chopped Romaine
• 2 cups Spring Mix Lettuce
• ½ cup Spiced Pecans
• ½ cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
• ½ cup Diced Craisins
• ½ cup Lemon Vinaigrette

Combine ingredients and toss and ENJOY!!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

3 sticks butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 lg eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips/chunks

1 1/2 cup coconut

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars till fluffy, about 6 minutes. On med-low, add vanilla, then eggs one at a time till fully combined. Mix drys together then into butter mixture till just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and chunks and coconut. Using a 1/4 cup measure, create balls of dough, rounding with your hands. On parchment paper, refrigerate 1 hour (or freeze). On parchment lined trays, bake 6 at a time. Bake at 350 (preheat oven with racks in upper and lower thirds) for 17-18 minutes, rotating trays halfway thru baking time.

Pretty Darn Good and Super Easy Chili

Those of you that have had Basil's chili know that he's a picky guy. If I can't get him to make his, this one is a close second. If you want it closer to his, add one Chipotle pepper in adobo and some chopped up fresh jalapenos.

2lb ground turkey

1 chopped onion

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

2 cans tomato sauce

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 8oz jar red salsa

4T chili seasoning mix or 1T chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1T seasoned salt

2 cans kidney beans

Sautee onion and garlic with all spices till tender, add meat and break up with wooden spoon. Add salsa, tomato sauce, and beans.

You can substitute any type of meat, beans, and add corn if you like!

Tres Leches Cake

From the Pioneer Woman.

Ingredients

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• ⅓ cups Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• ¼ cups Heavy Cream
• 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla.
Pour egg yolk mixture over flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into other mixture very gently until just combined.
Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out surface.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher.
When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times.
Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.
Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

(Almost) Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk (I use 2%)
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup sliced celery (I omitted before and it still tastes good)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups diced, cooked chicken (about two breasts)
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower combo)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 dried rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 (9 inch) refrigerated pastry crust

Preheat oven to 400'F.

Pour chicken broth, salt, and pepper into a glass measure bowl; add enough milk to equal 2 1/2 cups.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils. Add chicken, vegetables, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Pour into 1 1/2 quart deep round casserole dish.

Roll out pastry. Cut slits or make cutouts. Place pastry on top of casserole. Roll the edges. Bake about 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.