Red Velvet Treats

This weekend I made some Red Velvet Treats for my father-in-law’s birthday, Red Velvet Truffles and Red Velvet Cupcakes. My father-in-law loved the Red Velvet truffles and is convinced that I should go in the candy making business (For Christmas, I made some Oreo truffles, which he raved about to all his friends). He is so sweet, he loves every treat I make. :-)

Red Velvet Truffles
From: http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2007/12/red-velvet-cake-balls.html



1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet.
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package or melt chocolate using the double boiler method.
6. Using a toothpick, dip each ball into the melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Decorate as desired. Store in refrigerator.

Red Velvet cupcakes



Since I had bought a second box of red velvet cake mix, I decided to also make some red velvet cupcakes. So I did not make it from scratch this time around, I just didn’t have the time. I did make the frosting from scratch. I used the Sprinkle's cream cheese frosting recipe and that made all the yummy difference. I think Mr. Bear’s cousin really liked the cupcakes :-)



Sprinkle’s cream cheese frosting

8oz. cold cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, firm but not cold
1/8 tsp salt
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and salt until smooth.
2. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and beat until incorporated.
3. Add vanilla and beat just until incorporated
4. Don't over mix. It should be creamy and dense like ice cream.

It's all in the cheese: Mac and Cheese

I decided that I wanted to make mac and cheese for a a family BBQ for my Father-in-law's birthday. So I looked at a ton of different recipes from friends and on the internet. There are a range of ways to make mac and cheese and I finally decided to take a little something from all the recipes I found and created my own. I am glad I did, everyone seemed to love it. I used 4 different cheeses because I love cheese, especially sharp cheese. You can really use any type you like.


Rumbly Tumbly Mac and Cheese



INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Paprika
Garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9 X 13 casserole.

Bring the large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7-8 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, melt eight tablespoons of the butter. Add flour, whisking often until smooth bubbly. Gradually add half and half and cream cheese. Continue cooking on medium heat until sauce is thickened and cream cheese is melted. Add seasonings. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. Add half of the mixed cheese s to the sauce and stir until melted.

Stir sauce into the macaroni. Then add the other half of the shredded cheeses and mix until well combined. Transfer to the buttered casserole.

Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

An Easter Feast

Mr. Bear and I had a low key Easter Sunday with basically just the two of us and my father-in-law.

Easter Dinner Menu
Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
French rolls
Apple crisp a la mode


I almost forgot to take a picture of dinner, so this plate is half eaten, LOL.



Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast
From: allrecipes.com

I modified the recipe by adding some veggies and by cutting it in half since it was only Mr. Bear, my father-in-law, and me for dinner. My modifications are in blue italics.

INGREDIENTS
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup water
2 3/4 pounds pot roast

My additions: salt, pepper, baby carrots, 1 onion, 1 beef bullion cube, and mushrooms

DIRECTIONS
In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water.
Add carrots, onion, and beef bullion cube.
Season pot roast with salt and pepper.
Place pot roast (on top of veggies) in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
Put mushrooms on top of roast.
Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Gravy

Using the drippings and flour, I made a wonderful gravy to go with the roast and the mashed potatoes. Add flour until you get the right consistency. My father-in-law had two helpings of everything. A great sign, dinner was so yummy!! Now for dessert.



Apple Crisp

I had never made an Apple Crisp or any kind of apple dessert before. I looked around for a recipe and decided to combine a few different recipes. The result was perfect. I was very pleased with my recipe combination, not too sweet and or runny. It was so yummy with some vanilla bean ice cream.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups sliced apples (peeled and cored) - I used 2 large granny smith apples and 1 medium gala apple
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
Soak apples in water then drain and place apples in prepared dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
In a bowl, mix the 1/2 cup brown sugar, flour, oats, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the apples.
Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is golden.
Top each serving with ice cream.

Yummy! Two recipes I will definitely use again!

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Low-Fat Baked Chicken

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes. It is easy and healthy for you.



Best Ever Low-Fat Baked Chicken
From: http://www.recipeland.com/recipe/32827/

4 each chicken breasts skinless, boneless
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated fat free
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley leaves flakes
1/2 cup liquid margarine fat free (squeeze bottle) - I used olive oil instead

Mix bread crumbs, cheese and seasoning in shallow bowl.
Dip each chicken breast in liquid spread, then in bread crumb mixture.
Place each breast on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes on 375 degress or until golden brown.

Yields 4 servings

Gourmet Club

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to a gourmet club meeting. The theme was New Orleans cuisine, so everyone made something. I was invited just a few nights before so I brought wine to my first club meeting. Our next meeting in May and it will be a Spanish theme. Yummy! I studied abroad in Spain for a summer while I was in college and so I have a few favorite dishes, I only hope I can find a good recipe.

Here are some pictures from the New Orleans Gourmet Club meeting. Everything was soooo good. Great food with great friends, what can get better than that!



Cajun Garlic Barbecue Ribs


Yo Mama's Rice


Jambalaya


Not pictured: crab cakes, bread pudding with whiskey reduction sauce.

Enter to Win!

Check out this food blog. Megan is having raffling off some goodies; a basket of some great spring items. All you have to do is reply to her post and there are other ways to earn more entries, check it out. Don't forget to let her know that sherthebear referred you!

Smoky Joe's Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

I found this website with a ton of healthy crock pot recipes. I decided to give one a try yesterday and this was a pretty yummy recipe. Mr. Bear even went back for seconds, always a good sign!



Smoky Joe's Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

1 pound well-trimmed beef cubes
3/4 cup each drained salsa and barbecue sauce
1 (1.25-ounce) packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
2 cups frozen corn
2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed and drained black beans (I only used 1 can)
1 (19-ounce) can rinsed and drained chickpeas or garbanzo beans (I used white beans since that was what I happened to have)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

In a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine beef, salsa, barbecue sauce, taco mix and corn; mix well. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or low 6 to 8 hours, or until meat is tender. Add beans and cilantro; mix well. Cover and let stand 5 minutes for beans to heat through.

Serves 8. Nutrition information per serving: 301 calories; 23g protein; 5g fat; 40g carbohydrate; 35mg cholesterol; 1,002mg sodium; 11g fiber. 4.5 WW points.

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