adventures in the kitchen
Monday, April 21, 2008 Red velvet balls


Pros: Deliciously moist and yummy. Always a big hit!
Cons: Take a while to make.

Bake a red velvet cake, per the instructions on the back of the cake mix box. Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and put it in a large bowl. Break the cake up until it is all one consistency (make sure there are no hard edges). If you want, you can put the cake in a food processor to make sure it is mixed into a very fine texture. Mix a tub of cream cheese icing into the cake. Stir well, making sure the icing gets evenly distributed. Form the cake/icing mixture into small (apx. 1-inch) balls. Place balls in the freezer until they harden (about 10-15 minutes)
Melt a package of chocolate-flavored almond bark, making sure you don't burn it (I melt mine on the stove over low heat, stirring constantly). Dip red velvet balls in the almond bark. Place dipped balls on wax paper until chocolate hardens. Yields approximately 40 red velvet balls.

I've heard that you can use any type of cake mix with this recipe, but I've yet to try anything but red velvet (why mess with a good thing, right?!!). I've also tried dipping the red velvet balls in white chocolate flavored almond bark. The white chocolate makes the treats a bit sweeter, but I still prefer the classic milk-chocolate.

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Posted by kristy :: 10:22 PM :: 3 comments

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Monday, June 16, 2008 Father's Day Lunch



Yesterday we celebrated Father's Day at our home with a lot of our family (there were 12 of us). It was wonderful to get to spend quality time with so many of our loved ones!
The following is our lunch menu. The only recipes that weren't already on this blog are the twice baked potatoes and mom's banana pudding. I've listed that recipe at the bottom of the post.

Father's Day Lunch Menu:
1. Green Salad (no recipe...just mixed lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, carrots and cheese in a pretty bowl and topped with dressing).
2. Grape Salad
3. Green Bean Bundles
4. Yeast rolls, Hawaiian rolls and corn muffins (rolls were purchased, muffins were made from a mix in a bag)
5. Twice Baked Potatoes (recipe below)
6. Meatloaf
7. Red Velvet Balls
8. Mom's Banana Pudding
9. Chocolate Fountain with fresh fruit and rice krispie treats

Ultimate Twice Baked Potatoes (recipe taken from allrecipies.com)
(This recipe serves 8. For Father's Day lunch, I doubled the recipe)

Ingredients


  • 4 large baking potatoes

  • 8 slices bacon

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 4 tablespoons butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

  • 8 green onions, sliced, divided

  • ***I added mayonnaise (about 1/2 cup), to make it extra creamy
Directions


  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.

  3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

  4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins. To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, butter, (mayonnaise if you choose to include it), salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.

  5. Bake for another 15 minutes.

My mom's banana pudding
(I copied and pasted the recipe e-mail she sent me 2 years ago)

Ingredients:
1 box of vanilla wafers
1 box of cook and serve vanilla pudding
1/2 cup of sugar
3 egg yolks and whites separated
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4-6 bananas

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350F for later. Get out wafers and all other ingredients. Get out pyrex dish, and boiler.

In medium to large boiler, mix 1 box of cook and serve vanilla pudding mix with 3 beaten egg yolks, 2 cups of whipping cream and 1 cup of half and half, 1/4 cup of sugar. Stir well and often while cooking on MEDIUM heat. Stir until it thickens--this will take several minutes (15 or so). After the pudding thickens add 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1 stick of butter. Stir.

Cut up bananas Now.

Layer a pyrex dish with vanilla wafers. Pour pudding on top of vanilla wafers in pyrex dish. Add cut bananas to make a thin layer on top of pudding. Continue layering with vanilla wafers and pudding. Pudding on top.

In a separate clean bowl (Be sure your bowl is really clean-use glass if possible) beat 3 egg whites at high speed until they are fluffy. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until it peaks. Pour on top of pudding and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

Take out and cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Posted by kristy :: 6:01 PM :: 1 comments

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