Black Velvet Cake

Ingredients for the cake

Butter, for greasing the pans

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups good cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot Inka made extra strong (pero or postum)

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the Inka and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

9 ounces good semisweet chocolate

3/4 pound  unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons Inka

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the Inka powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and Inka to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Sprinkle in more Inka to taste. Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Wheat and White Sandwich Bread

3 cups water (do not overfill or round tops of cups)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon lecithin
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons soft butter
2-2/3 cup white flour
1/3 cup dry milk
23 ounces (1 pound 7 ounces) wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten
3-1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix all together, being sure that the gluten flour does not touch any liquid before the mixing process.
Mix for  10 to 12 minutes in a stand mixer- this is important.  (If kneading by hand, knead for 12 - 15 minutes)

Allow to rise twice before forming into two (2) loaves.  Let rise until doubled.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 365 degrees.

Pancetta and Fava Bean Pasta

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound dried spaghetti
24 fresh fava beans, shelled and peeled
1 cup chicken broth
1 lemon, juice and zest divided
1 bunch chopped green onion
2 chopped tomatoes
Salt to taste
Black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, and cook until slightly crispy, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Place spaghetti noodles in salted water pot and cook for 5 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
4. In a sauté pan, add fava beans, white wine, and broth to sauté pan, and cook for 3 minutes, or until beans become tender.
5. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss spaghetti in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
6. Add spaghetti, green onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, and tomatoes to sauté pan, tossing to mix thoroughly. Add pasta water if pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until heated through.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with Parmesan cheese.

***Notes:  You could easily use peas or fresh green beans instead of fava beans and ham and/or bacon in place of the pancetta.***

Liquid Gold (aka Almost Buttermilk Syrup)

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons maple flavoring (optional)


Heat and let boil on the stop top for 3 minutes.
Serve.

Turkey Apple Cheese Melt

Deli turkey breast
Apple slices
1 oz slice cheddar cheese
Whole wheat bread

Layer 2 teaspoons honey mustard, 2 slices deli turkey breast, apple slices, and 1 ounce thinly sliced Gruyère or aged Cheddar cheese on whole-wheat bread. Toast in a skillet coated with cooking spray on medium heat until bread is lightly browned on both sides.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Sliders Recipe: (from 'six sisters stuff')

Big smiley face in my cookbook!  (I think that this would be delicious on toast!)

Roast:

1 3-4 lb beef roast
1 cup water
1 cup salsa

1 envelope onion soup mix
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1 envelope Au Jus mix

Whisk together water, salsa and seasoning packets. Place roast in slow cooker. Pour seasoning mixture over roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

If you want to make sliders:

Three Envelope Pot Roast recipe (above), shredded

1 pkg. King's Hawaiian Rolls

Sliced Swiss cheese (1 slice per slider)

Creamy Chipotle Sauce (recipe below)

Cut each roll in half and place on a baking sheet. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on the bottom half of each roll. Place baking sheet in oven with broiler on low. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until edges of the rolls are golden and cheese has melted (be sure to watch them closely so they don't burn!). Remove baking sheet from oven.

Place a spoonful of shredded beef on top of each roll with Swiss cheese on it. Spread Creamy Chipotle sauce on the top half of each roll. Assemble each slider by placing the top half of the roll on top of the bottom.

Creamy Chipotle Sauce:
1/4 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
2 Tbsp chili sauce

2 tsp creamy horseradish sauce (I used Kraft)

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons fast rising yeast, such as Fleischmann's Rapid Rise (1 packet)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 -1 1/3 cup hot water (120-130 degrees)
4 teaspoons olive oil

1. Combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix.

2. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup.

3. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. the dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tbsp flour.

4. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.

6. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed side down, over the dough.

7. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

*Used these proportions to make two THIN crusts.

Bryce says this is the EASIEST pizza crust he has ever done.


"Using half whole wheat and half all purpose flour yields a light crust with a distinctive nutty taste. Quick rising yeast shortens the rising time to just 10 minutes, making wholesome homemade pizza a possibility for busy weeknights. A food processor makes fast work of mixing the dough, but you can also use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a little elbow grease to do it by hand. Whichever method you choose, add enough liquid to the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes. The dough will keep, in a plastic bag coated with cooking spray, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days."

- eatingwell.com