Rainbow Cake and Cake Balls

I saw this cake idea on a friend's blog and was cocky enough to think I could make it without glancing at the directions. Boy, am I glad I didn't try that! The original recipe comes from MckMama. Mine didn't exactly end up looking like hers. Oh well! It was still yummy.

I loved the cake idea and decided to save the recipe for a future birthday of one of my children. Justin said I should make it for Michelle's birthday and I simply couldn't resist the challenge. Not sure if it's correctly themed for an adult woman but I thought Michelle might like it anyways. So, I began. Excited?

Be warned: this recipe is not for the faint hearted.

Ingredients

• 2 boxes white cake mix
• 1 box food coloring
• 4 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 TB vanilla
• 5-6 cups powdered sugar

Mix up one box of cake mix and divide it into three equal portions. It comes out to a little over 1 cup of batter in each bowl. Dye each one of the first three colors (purple, blue and green). Bake in greased and FLOURED round cake pans for about 16 minutes each. Repeat for remaining three colors (yellow, orange, red).

Meanwhile, make the frosting by mixing cream cheese and butter; add vanilla. Add sugar to taste.

After the cakes are completely cooled, remove from pans, level the tops with a large bread knife, and assemble cake starting with purple, then blue, green, yellow, orange and finally red, spreading 1/2 - 1 cup of frosting on top of each. It is recommended to freeze the cake after every two layers, because it is easier to work with when it is stiff, not wobbly.

At this point, I would freeze it again and then frost it with the rest of the frosting.

If you have left over frosting, dye it any color you want, put it in a zip lock bag, cut the tip off of the bag, and decorate!

Cake Balls

(original recipe from Bakerella)

Ingredients

• 1 cake mix (I used the scraps from the cake above)
• 1 can of cream cheese frosting (I made my own from an 8oz package of cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter and 1.5 cups powdered sugar)
• melting chocolate (I bought 9oz mini dove bars and it was sufficient)

If you did this with a regular recipe, you'd make the cake according to package directions, then crumble in a large bowl. Since I used my scraps, I used several small bowls.

With a spoon or your fingers, mix crumbled cake with cream cheese frosting.

Roll into balls and freeze or refrigerate for several hours.

Melt chocolate, dip and roll each ball in chocolate with a spoon. Place on wax paper to dry/harden. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Walah!

Cranberry Apple Wheel

As Jodi was walking through the store, she spotted a sale: cranberries. I don't know about you, but I have never made anything with cranberries. The only thing I think I have had with cranberries is juice. She grabbed a few bags and began her hunt for the perfect recipe. She wanted to make something of James' that he had recently posted on his blog, but discovered that our short food supply was lacking. So Jodi searched the internet and found a delectable delight -- the Cranberry Apple Wheel. Yes, it is divine!

Cranberry Apple Wheel

Crust

• 3-4 c. flour
• 1 Tbsp. yeast
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. butter, melted
• 1 c. milk
• 1 egg

Topping

• 1 c. fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped (we used fresh)
• 2 apples, peeled and diced (we used one Granny Smith and one Gala)
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 5 Tbsp. flour

Frosting

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. water
  

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Combine butter and milk and heat to a temperature of 120ºF - 130ºF. Add to dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Add egg; mix well. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough that is not sticky when handled.

Lightly grease a medium mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll around so that it is lightly covered with grease. Place bowl with dough in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients, except powdered sugar and water, in a medium mixing bowl. Punch down dough and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten dough into a 10-inch circle. Spread topping over dough, leaving an inch all around. Place in a warm place until dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Combine powdered sugar and water in a small mixing bowl to make glaze. Cool wheel completely and drizzle with glaze. Makes 1 10-inch wheel.

Black Beans and Rice

I had a bunch of black beans I needed to get rid of and we always have tons of rice, so the other day when I was looking for dinner ideas I googled and found this recipe. We had it on nachos with seasoned shredded chicken, green onions, salsa and cheese, but it would also be great with burritos. Justin liked it so much he requested it a couple of days later.

It's very simple, just my style!

Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium, low fat vegetable broth [I used chicken bouillon dissolved in water]
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper [I used crushed red pepper]
• 3 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained [I put in two cans, I think any more would be too much]

Directions

In a stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the spices and black beans.

Honey Curry Chicken

Hey everyone!

I haven't posted in a while because I haven't felt like anything I've made recently has been very exciting or worth sharing. I still don't think this ranks with what you guys have been posting, but I thought I'd tell you about it anyway.

It's simple and good, which is my favorite kind of dish to make most days. I got this recipe in a recipe exchange I participated in. But, the first time I made it I realized much too late that instead of adding 2 tsp curry powder I accidentally added 2 TB curry powder. That is 3 times as much curry powder than was called for! I was scared of the outcome, but it turned out Justin loved it. Tonight I made it with pork instead of chicken (I recommend chicken) and did 2 heaping tsp curry powder.

So, here is the recipe!

Honey Curry Chicken 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup mustard 2 t. curry powder 3 lbs. chicken thighs [I used boneless, skinless breasts and cut them into 1 inch strips] cooked rice Melt butter. Add honey, mustard, and curry powder; mix well. Coat chicken with honey mixture. Place in baking pan, skin side down. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn chicken over halfway and baste occasionally. Remove chicken to platter, and pour pan juices/sauce into gravy separator and pour de-fatted sauce into pitcher to pass with chicken. Serve with rice.