Jane's Favorite Recipes

The Perfect Red Velvet Cupcake
Just in time for your Valentine!


3 cups  all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil 
1 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (shake well)
1 Tablespoon vinegar, white or cider
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 oz red food coloring

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa.
Beat together the sugar, melted butter and oil until smooth, about 3 minutes using a mixer
Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add the vinegar and the vanilla.

Add half the dry ingredients and mix well, then add half of the buttermilk.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well, then add the rest of the buttermilk.
Add the whole (1 oz.) bottle of liquid and mix well.

Fill cupcake lines about 3/4 full.

Bake the cupcakes for 25-32 minutes. They're done when they pass a toothpick test .
When cool, frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting recipe below. 

Makes about 3 dozen cupcakes


Cream Cheese Frosting

2, 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract
pinch of salt
5-7 cups powdered sugar, or more 

Beat the cream cheese and the butter together with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer.

Beat it well until very creamy, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla, 5 cups  of sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat well until very fluffy.

This recipe was adapted from http://alchemybaking.blogspot.com/

Orzo Shrimp Salad

1 lb orzo pasta
1 lb cooked shrimp
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 block feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing for the Salad
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayo
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and place in mixing bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, dill and shrimp. In small bowl, comibine dressign ingredients and whisk well. Add dressing to pasta mixture and top with feta. Toss lightly. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Strawberry Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3 oz package strawberry jello
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1/3 cup mashed strawberries

Combine cake mix and dry jello.  Add milk and oil and mix.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla extract and mashed strawberries.  Mix well.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 3 round 8 or 9 inch pans with nonstick spray.  Divide batter evenly into each pan.  Bake until cake pulls away from pans (about 20 minutes).  Cool well before frosting.

Frosting for Strawberry Cake
1 lb confectioners sugar
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 stick salted butter (softened)
3 or 4 fresh strawberries 

Cream butter and cream cheese together well.  Slowly add confectioners sugar and mix well.  Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Mash the strawberries and add a little at a time into frosting and mix well.  Frosting should be fairly stiff.

Frost cake.  Using a pastry bag, pipe frosting around edges, and then, garnish with fresh berries.



Cherry Sweetheart Floats

6 oz cherry Seven-Up
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons cherry juice
1 maraschino cherry
whipped cream
In a tall glass, add ice cream and cherry juice.  Slowly add cherry Seven Up, and give a quick stir.  Top with whipped cream and cherry.
 
Chocolate Paté with Strawberry Coulis

16 oz block chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
16 oz frozen strawberries
1/2 cup sugar 

For the chocolate paté:  Place chocolate, corn syrup, butter and 1/2 cup of whipping cream in a double boiler and simmer until the chocolate melts.  Cool.  Add liquor and vanilla.  Beat remaining cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.  Fold chocolate mixture into the whipping cream in three additions.  Pour into cups, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for about 3 hours, or overnight.

For the strawberry coulis:  Blend strawberries and sugar in blender until smooth.  Strain mixture.

Serve paté as desired with drizzled strawberry coulis and a fresh strawberry.  

Strawberry Mousse

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons cold water
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tablespoon shortening

 In a small bowl, mix gelatin with water and let stand until it solidifies.  Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium low heat until mixture is warm.  Stir and mash berries while heating. Mix in gelatin.   Combine whipping cream and vanilla within bowl and mix until soft peaks form.  Gently fold strawberry mixture into whipped cream mixture.  Spoon into dessert cups.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days.  When ready to serve, melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave (about 2 minutes).  Drizzle chocolate over the mousse.

All-American Nachos

5-7 white potatoes, cubed
1 cup chili
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers
2 tablespoons ranch dressing
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 cup salsa
1 bunch green onions
Oil for frying potatoes
In a skillet heat oil to 350. Add potatoes and cook until golden brown. In a 13x9x2 casserole, add ranch dressing and spread to coat bottom of casserole. Add potatoes, followed by chili, then jalapenos, cheese, and bacon.  Bake at 350 until cheese melts remove from oven, and top with salsa as well as chopped green onion.

Football Pimento Cheese and Crackers

8 oz cream cheese (softened)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup diced pimentos
1-2 cups mayonnaise
2 slices crumbled bacon
Mix softened cream cheese and other cheeses well. Add pimentos, pepper, and garlic salt, Mix well. Add mayo to consistency desired. Shaped in to two footballs and cover with crumbled bacon. Serve with crackers of your choice.

Brat Bar

Enough bratwursts and buns to serve your crowd

Toppings as follows:
New York Style: sauerkraut, yellow mustard
Coney style: chili, grated cheese
All-American Style: yellow mustard, chili, onion, ketchup
Southwestern Style: Salsa, jalapenos, onion, chili, cheese
Buffalo Style: chili, hot sauce, blue cheese, celery salt
Chicago Style: sweet pickle relish, kosher pickle, tomato, mild peppers, brown mustard
Carolina Style: chili, slaw, yellow mustard, onion

Super Bowl Sunday Sundaes

Brownie mix of your choice 
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate syrup
Whipped cream
Toppings

The trick to this is to fill well greased cupcake tins 2/3 full of brownie mix and bake.  When done, take an identical cupcake tin, turn it over and press into the hot brownies creating a bowl.  Pop "bowls" out of tin and fill with ice cream and top as desired.


Gingerbread Cookies with a Twist

1 c unsalted butter
1 c dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c dark molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoons ginger
4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of two lemons
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and molasses. In another bowl sift flour soda, baking powder, and remaining ingredients together. Add lemon zest to wet ingredients. Slowly add flour mixture into wet mixture until well mixed. Dough will be very thick. Shape into a ball and place in frig for about 2 hours. When dough is cool, roll onto floured wax paper to 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut as desired and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Ice as desired but I used a drizzle of lemon juice, confectioners sugar and water. Just mix ingredients together until desired consistancy and drizzle over cooled cookies.

Thanksgiving Casserole (aka Holiday Casserole)

1 large rotisserie chicken (deboned)
1 pan of cornbread (About 4 cups)
1 c light bread crumbs
1 c chopped celery
1/3 c chopped onion
4 boiled eggs sliced
salt and pepper
poultry seasoning
4 c chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup

Mix crumbled cornbread with bread crumbs, celery, and onion. Add creams soups with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Combine bread mixture with soup mixture, and add chicken broth. Place 1/2 of the mixture into a greased casserole dish. Add chicken and eggs over bread mixture. Cover chicken and eggs with the remaining bread mixture. Bake at 350, until set and hot. 

Quick Tip: Purchase a large rotisserie chicken in your grocer's deli. 

Quick Tip: Make your cornbread ahead of time and freeze it.

Quick Tip: Purchase prechopped onion and celery

Quick Fix Gravy


4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 T cornstarch
1 chopped boiled egg
chopped chicken if giblets aren't available

Heat chicken broth to a slow boil. Add a little water to the cornstarch and slowly add into the rolling broth. Add salt and pepper. When thick add boiled egg and chicken.

Sautéed Green Beans

2 lbs fresh green beans
1/4 c olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced onion
salt and pepper

Cut off the ends of the beans. Wash and drain beans. In a saute pan heat olive oil, garlic and onion. Add beans and toss, cooking until crisp tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Quick Tip: Use dried, minced onion.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 16 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 3/4 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Combine, flour, baking soda, salt and spices together in a bowl. In another bowl, cream sugar, eggs, and oil. Mix contents of both bowls together with pumpkin. Fold in walnuts and raisins. Bake in desire pans at 350 until cake pulls away from pan. Cool before frosting.


Red, White, and Blue Pudding

This recipe makes 12 individual "jars" of a really festive dessert that can be carried in your cooler on any picnic or camping trip.

1 large instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring
10 oz of whipped topping
about 40 vanilla wafers
2 cups of sliced strawberries
2 cups of blueberries

Layer bottom of jar with 3 vanilla wafers.  Mix pudding, milk, condensed milk and vanilla flavoring well.  Spoon over vanilla wafers distributing evenly.  Arrange sliced strawberries on top of pudding mixture, add a layer of whipped topping, add a layer of blueberries and top with whipped topping.  Sprinkle vanilla wafer crumbles on top.  Close with jar top and decorate with a red, white and blue ribbon.  

Greek Potato Salad

(I love this stuff, and it's not quite as fat-laden as some potato salads tend to be)

2 to 3 lbs small red potatoes (quartered)
1 c chopped black olives
1/2 chopped chives
1/2 c diced red onion
1/4 c fresh parsley (chopped)
3/4 feta cheese (crumbled)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
2 tablespoons fat free plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons light sour cream
2 tablespoons mayo or fat free mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in water until very soft.  Drain well.  Add olives, chives, parsley, feta, and celery.  Combine well.  Mix together yogurt, sour cream, and mayo.  Gently combine with potato mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or cold.

EWJ Guacamole

avocados (pitted and peeled)
1 cup sour cream
2 small chopped roma tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Peel and mash the avocadoes in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes and olives. Squeeze the juice of one lime into mixture. Grate a little lime zest into the mixture. Add cilantro and mix in sour cream until combined. Serve with pita or tortilla chips or raw veggies.

Very Berry Cake

One box yellow cake mix
1 cup fresh assorted berries (mashed)
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
3 oz package strawberry jello
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix cake mix, oil.,milk and jello together.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla and then gently mix in berries.  Pour into two 9 inch prepared cake pans.  Bake at 350 until cake pulls away from the pan and a toothpick comes our clean.  Let cake cool completely.  Frost.

Frosting for "Very Berry Cake"
1/2 cup mashed strawberries
2 lbs confectioner's sugar
1 stick butter
1 8 oz package cream cheese
Berries to decorate

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add confectioner's sugar a little at time.  Add berries and 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring.
  If you want your cake white, don't add the berries to the frosting and decorate with blueberries and strawberries.

All-Day, Oven-Baked Ribs
Ribs 
BBQ Sauce
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Rub ribs with salt and pepper.  Top with your favorite BBQ sauce.  Wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet.  Cook for about 5 hours.  Remove from oven and basted with BBQ sauces.  Leave uncovered and bake at 350 until sauce is baked on to ribs.  Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

FeFe's Cole Slaw


16 oz bag cole slaw mix
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 package chicken flavored ramen noodles
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
flavor packate from ramen noodles

Mix cole slaw mix, sunflower seeds, almonds and noodles in a large bowl.  In a smaller bowl; mix sugar, oil, red wine vinegar, and flavor packet well.  Pour dressing over slaw and mix well.

Simply Watermelon Salad

Two cups watermelon
One cup blueberries
1/2 cup red onion
1 cup feta cheese
2 cups baby spinach
A splash of balsamic vinegar

Place spinach in a bowl or platter.  Add cubed watermelon and blueberries.  Add thinly sliced red onion.  Sprinkle feta cheese over fruit and veggies.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top to taste.

Caprese Salad with Arugula

This super simple salad is a real treat with summer tomatoes.

Fresh arugula
Fresh sliced mozzerella cheese
Sliced tomatoes
Basil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper

On a bed of arugula, stack cheese and tomatoes.  Sprinkle freshly chopped basil over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle balsamic vinegar to taste.  The key to this deliciousness is FRESH ingredients.

Jane's Shrimp and Grits

This recipe isn't like any you've ever tried.  Simple, light and oh-so summery!

1 lb Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
4 Servings quick grits
1 1/2 Cups gorgonzola cheese
6 Slices bacon
1 Bunch green onions
1 Large tomato
1 Cup heavy cream
4 Cloves minced garlic
1 Stick butter
Olive oil
1 Box chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare grits acccording to package substituting chicken broth for water.  When thick, add cream, cheese, butter and 2 cloves minced garlic.  Add salt and pepper.  Cook until desired consistency.  Fry bacon until crispy.  Break into small pieces.  Saute remain garlic and shrimp in olive oil and a little of the bacon renderings until shrimp are pink.  Serve grits in a shallow bowl topped with shrimp. Add crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and diced tomatoes.

Healthy Chicken Mozzarella

Who's says healthy isn't tasty?  Try this!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans diced tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon basil
1 cup whole mushrooms
1 (16 oz) bag baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup part skim maozzarella cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Grill or saute chicken until juices run clear.  Saute garlic in olive oil, add spices and mushrooms.  Saute until heated through.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cook until well heated.  Place chicken in a balking pan, add spinach and cover with the tomato mixture.  Sprinkle mozzarella on top and place under broiler until cheese melts.

Super Salad

This is a simple, super delicious salad that can be adapted to any taste.

Salad Base:
1 bag mixed greens
1/2 cup red onion
3/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup pecan pieces

Add-Ins:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Sliced pears
Cucumber
Tomato
Bacon

Dressing:
3/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup vinegar (I like balsamic)
1 teaspoon Herb de province or any other dried herb OR 1/8 cup of mashed berries instead of the herbs

Place ingredients in a closed bottle and shake until blended.