Simply Cookbooks

Archive for the ‘Paula Deen’ Category

For those of who are regular readers, you must have realized by now that I have a love affair with sweets and most if not all of Paula Deens recipes. Well, she has done it again with this cupcake recipe for the Fourth of July picnics…Enjoy!

I will tell you though I cheated a little by adding more cocoa powder…1 teaspoon just didn’t seem enough!

Ingredients:

2   large eggs, room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

For the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Cook’s Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip. Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Servings: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

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Like a lot of people I am getting ready for my Labor Day gathering.   We don’t have a huge family, but we like to graze.  So the challenge for me is to find foods that  can be set out and people “graze” on all day.

Another challenge I have is my son-in-law, who is a great cook, doesn’t like any salad with mayonnaise in it.  So for him, potato salad is out.  I remembered a recipe that my sister-in-law made years ago and have been looking for it all day and walla…..I found it in one of Paula’s cookbooks.   She has saved my day again!

Ingredients

* 2 bags (3-ounce) Ramen Noodle Soup in Oriental (other flavors will work, too)
* 3/4 stick butter
* 1/4 cup slivered almonds
* 2 bags (12-ounce) bags broccoli cole slaw (in the bagged salad section of the grocery store)
* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
* Chopped green onions, for garnish

Dressing Mix:

* 3/4 cup canola oil
* 1/4 cup brown or white sugar
* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 1 ramen noodle seasoning packet

Directions

Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin while melting butter in a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the crushed noodles and slivered almonds to the skillet and saute, stirring occasionally (keep temperature at low/medium heat). Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped green onions.

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Labor Day is this weekend and for some it is the last of the summer cookouts.  It is a time for celebrating the American Worker, and in these economic times no one person deserves more thanks than the American Worker.  Celebrate and thank all of those who are working to make this country a better place.

What better way to celebrate than with a truly American icon….the hamburger.  There are so many ways to prepare it.   My mother, God Bless her only knew one way…burnt.   My kids used to call them Hockey Pucks…I tended to agree with them, but not to her face.

I have learned to cook hamburgers than are edible…for that my kids are grateful.   So here is a new recipe that I will be trying out this weekend with the family.   It is naturally (for me anyway) from one of Paula Deens own recipes.   Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Hobo Hamburgers:
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
* 1 cup cracker crumbs
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1 cup grated cheese
* 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
* 2 teaspoons Lady’s House Seasoning, recipe follows
* 4 medium red potatoes, sliced thin
* 1 large onion, sliced thin
* 4 carrots, peeled and cut into strips
* 4 slices bacon

Directions

In a large bowl combine ground beef, cracker crumbs, egg, lemon juice, cheese, green pepper and House Seasoning. Mix well. Shape into 4 patties.

Place each patty onto 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil (enough to cover and close). On each patty, place potato slices, onion slice, and carrots. Slice bacon in 1/2 and place both slices on top. Seal aluminum foil tightly and cook on campfire or in a preheated 350 degree F oven for approximately 45 minutes.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

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As many of my readers know, I am a Paula Deen fan.  Last weekend I did a Turkey outside on the grill, and it was wonderful ( I will post that recipe later).  Needless to say I have leftover Turkey.  So I thought what can I do with this other than sandwiches.   Then I started going through the recipes I have from Paula and found this chicken salad recipe.   Why not use Turkey instead?  Another brainstorm (I don’t get them often so I take advantage when I do) instead of making it a sandwich, stuff them into tomato’s and walla….a great luncheon for my husband and me!

Ingredients

* 1 (3-pound) chicken
* Salt and pepper
* 1 onion, quartered
* 2 celery stalks
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
* 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (suggested: Jane’s mixed up Krazy salt)
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken stock

Directions

Place the chicken along with the salt, pepper, onion, and celery stalks in a large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pot, cool, and remove skin and bones. Reserve the liquid. Dice the chicken and place in a large bowl. Add the chopped celery, eggs, seasoning salt, mayonnaise, lemon-pepper, pepper, and some reserved stock and mix well.

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