Red, White and Blue Layered Flag Cake

I made this flag cake last year for a work potluck we had to celebrate the Fourth of July and realized I didn’t post the recipe (which came from Betty Crocker). With Independence Day just around the corner, I thought now would be a perfect time to get it on here. It a bit labor-intensive (think hours), but the end result is a really cool, colorful and tasty dessert.

Ingredients

Red Cake Layers

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, stems removed, pureed in blender or food processor to about 1 1/4 cups
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 tsp. red paste food color

Blue Cake Layer

1/2 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups dry mix)
1/2 cup blueberries, pureed in blender or food processor
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon blue paste food color
3 tbsp. Betty Crocker® white star-shaped candy sprinkles or nonpareils

White Cake Layer

1/2 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups dry mix)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 egg whites

Frosting and Sprinkles

3 containers Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Betty Crocker® red, white and blue sprinkles, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F.
To make red cake layers: Grease or spray two 8-inch round pans; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of each pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In large bowl, beat red cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on low-speed 30 seconds, then on high-speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pans. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Gently remove from pans to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layers by trimming off rounded tops. Cut layers in half horizontally to make 4 thin red layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 1 thin layer and the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.
To make blue cake layer: Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In medium bowl, beat all blue cake layer ingredients except sprinkles with electric mixer on low-speed 30 seconds, then on high-speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Fold sprinkles into batter. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Do not cut in half horizontally. Cut small round out of center, using 4-inch round biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze 4-inch round; save for another use.
To make white cake layer: Grease or spray 8-inch round pan; place 8-inch round piece cooking parchment paper in bottom of pan. Grease or spray parchment paper. In medium bowl, beat white cake layer ingredients with electric mixer on high-speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 29 to 34 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 10 minutes; run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Gently remove from pan to cooling rack; remove parchment paper. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Flatten cake layer by trimming off rounded top. Cut layer in half horizontally to make 2 thin white layers. In 1 layer, cut small round out of center, using 4-inch biscuit cutter. Wrap and freeze the layer that was cut out of; save for another use.
To assemble cake: Place 1 red cake layer on cake stand or serving platter; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Top with 1 white cake layer; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Top with second red cake layer; spread 1/3 cup frosting on top. Gently top with blue layer. Carefully spread thin layer of frosting on cut edge inside of blue cake layer. Gently insert white 4-inch cake round; top with frosting and then red 4-inch cake round; press slightly. Frost side and top of cake using remaining frosting. Top with sprinkles. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Tips:

Don’t have a 4-inch round biscuit cutter? Cut out a 4-inch circle of cooking parchment paper, and use it as a pattern.
To easily cut cake layer horizontally to make 2 thin layers, mark side of cake with toothpicks and cut with long, thin serrated knife.
The paste food color can be found at cake and candy supply stores or online at countrykitchensa.com. Use paste food color to achieve the bright red and blue colors. If you use liquid or gel food color, your cake color will vary.

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Baked Tilapia

More Tilapia! I decided to make this dish last night since I had two remaining vacuumed-sealed frozen filets in the freezer and really didn’t feel like venturing out to the grocery story, and because it’s easy (and quick) to make. It turned out super delicious and just melts in your mouth with a nice buttery flavor, hint of lemon, and little salty tang from the capers.

Ingredients

2 tilapia fillets (6 oz. each)
3 tbsp. butter, melted
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. capers, drained
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. paprika

Directions

Place tilapia in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Season fish with salt, garlic and onion powder.
In a small bowl, combine the butter and lemon juice; pour over the fillets.
Sprinkle with oregano, paprika and capers.
Bake, uncovered, at 425°F for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

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Pan-Seared Tilapia with Cilantro, Soy, Ginger and Avocado

I was perusing recipes yesterday that used avocados, as I had four ripe ones ready to eat and knew I didn’t want to make guacamole or add them to a salad, but rather in some kind of main dish. I came across one from Tyler Florence which sounded delicious using sushi-grade tuna, and decided to try it with the tilapia I had on hand. Needless to say, it was fabulous, in addition to being easy to make. Oh, and it’s healthy, too!

Ingredients

2 big handfuls fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeño, diced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 limes, juiced
2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
Pinch of granulated sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tilapia filets, about 3 oz. each
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
Add the tilapia to the pan with half of the cilantro mixture and sauté until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Serve with the sliced avocado and remaining cilantro sauce, drizzled over the fish.
Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

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Mexican Tostada

Yesterday, I found myself craving Mexican food… maybe because I felt it only right to do my part in celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Breakfast was easy – I made a Mexican quesadilla, but couldn’t decide on something quick and easy for dinner. I love enchiladas, but wanted something simpler. I then thought about tacos, which were appealing, however, desired a dish with a crunch, so a tostada seemed to fit the bill. I was having a very lazy Sunday at home, and wanted to continue on that same path, thus made this as easy as possible by using canned refried beans and store-bought tostada shells. My normal method would be to make these from scratch, but honestly, I just wasn’t in the mood to go the extra mile last night. It was all about easy, breezy and tasty… and thankfully, that it was! As I made this just for me, I didn’t do much measuring, but will try to give you some idea as to how much you’ll need for two servings.

Ingredients

2 tostada shells
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1/8 head iceberg lettuce, seasoned with salt & vinegar
1/2 tomato, chopped
Guacamole (or 1/2 chopped avocado)
2 oz. Mexican four cheese blend (or you favorite kind)
4 tbsp. salsa
A small handful of cilantro, chopped

Directions

Heat refried beans in a frying pan on medium low until warm.
Chop lettuce into thin slices and add a little salt (about 1/8 tsp.) and vinegar (about 1/4 tsp.).
Place tostada shells in oven at 350°F on baking sheet or oven rack, and heat for 3-4 minutes, until you can smell the aroma of them. Be careful not to burn.
To assemble, place tostadas on a plate, spread the warm/hot refried beans on top, sprinkle a little cheese on top of the beans, then the seasoned lettuce, some chopped tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, a skosh more cheese (if desired), and topped off with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.

Obviously, you can add additional toppings, like chopped onion, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, etc. and tailor this to your liking. I ate this like a slice of pizza, just a little bit more carefully.

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Almond Thin Cookies (aka Pain d’amonde)

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Around Christmas time, our office was overflowing with succulent treats from our vendors, which is how I discovered (and fell in love) with small crisp almond thin cookies from Jules Destrooper. I think I might have actually eaten half of the box. At that point, I was on a mad hunt to find these, and had planned on ordering some (okay, a dozen) when I found them. Thankfully, I came to my senses and resisted my urge as I knew the majority of them would remain in my house (and then consumed). Just recently, I started thinking (dreaming) of those delicious thins, and decided to see if I could find the recipe online. I came across two, and after reading the ingredients and directions, I chose to go with this one on David Lebovitz‘s site, which came from Flo Braker. I highly recommend checking them out if you’re not familiar with David or Flo!

Ingredients

8 tbsp. butter, salted or unsalted, cubed
1 1/3 cups coarse crystal golden sugar*
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup water
2 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sliced almonds, blanched or unblanched

* You should be able to find course crystal golden sugar in your local grocery store. I used Sugar in the Raw Natural Cane Turbinado Sugar.

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat with the sugar, cinnamon, and water. Stir until the butter just melts but don’t allow to boil: most of the sugar should not be dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in the flour, baking soda, and almonds until well mixed.
Line a 9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and press the dough into the pan so the top is smooth. Chill until firm.
To bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Using a very sharp chef’s knife, slice the dough crosswise, as thin as possible, into rectangles (I cut my rectangles in half). If you can get them as thin as a coin, all the better. The thinner they are, the more delicate and crisp they’ll be.
Space the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies feel slightly firm and the undersides are golden brown. Flip the cookies over and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cookies are crisp and deep golden-brown on top. The baking times depend on how thin you cut the cookies.
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

For storage: Once baked, the cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to three days. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, or frozen for up to two months, if well-wrapped.

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Vegetable Tempura (with Dipping Sauce)

Here’s a simple recipe for veggie tempura that I made last week. As you should be able to tell by the picture, some of the vegetables have more of a coating due to dredging them through flour first, then the tempura batter. You can eliminate the flour if you like, but personally, I preferred the ones with the flour as they were crispier.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil
Vegetables of your choice (I used onions, kale, carrots and pickled jalapeños)
Flour
Tempura Batter, prepared according to box directions

Directions

Heat about 2-3 inches of oil to 375°F in electric fryer or in a large, deep heavy pan on stove top.
Place approximately 1 cup of flour into a bowl.
Roll vegetables in flour and shake off excess.
Dip vegetables into tempura batter and carefully place in oil to fry.
Remove from oil when golden brown and place on paper towels to drain.
Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

Ingredients

1 cup dashi soup stock*
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. grated ginger

* If you can’t find dash, you can use low-sodium beef broth.

Directions

Put dashi (or beef broth), mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a sauce pan and mix well.
Bring to a boil on medium heat. Stop the heat, add the ginger and let it cool.
Serve with your favorite tempura.

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Horseradish Crusted Beef

For some unknown reason, I decided to pick up a London Broil when I was at the store a few weeks ago, even though I had never made it before, and usually choose other cuts of beef. I already had the idea of using a horseradish crust, and wanted to see how it’d turn out with this type of meat. Well… it was absolutely fantastic and I loved the flavor of the crust! This can be used on your favorite type of meat, and would also be great on chicken.

Ingredients

1 (2 lb.) London Broil
1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup potato chips, crushed
1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 small shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp. prepared horseradish
2 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs (pick your favorites… I used Parsley, Thyme and Oregano)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions

Sprinkle beef with 1 tbsp. salt, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400°F.
Toss panko with 2 tsp. oil, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in skillet.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer to bowl, add crushed potato chips and toss with shallot, garlic, 2 tbsp. horseradish and herbs.
Pat exterior of beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle evenly with remaining fresh cracked black pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear tenderloin until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and let rest 10 minutes.
Combine 1 tbsp. horseradish, and mustard in small bowl.
Spread horseradish & mustard on top and sides of meat, leaving bottom and ends bare.
Roll coated sides of meat in bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently so crumbs adhere in an even layer.
Return tenderloin to wire rack. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 120 to 125°F for medium-rare, 25 to 30 minutes.
Transfer roast to carving board and let rest 20 minutes.
Carefully cut meat crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

With Baked Mashed Potatoes and Sautéed Kale

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Remembering and Honoring The Victims Affected by Yesterday’s Tragedy at The Boston Marathon

I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt sympathy to all those who were affected by yesterday’s horrific and unthinkable act of terrorism on our precious America, land of the free and home of the brave. I don’t think we as a Nation, as individuals, will ever be able to fathom how someone could do such evil to other human beings, like yesterday, and at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I know I’ll never understand how someone could walk into a school where young, innocent children are learning education and having fun, and open fire upon on them. Or plant bombs at the finish line of a marathon. It truly saddens and sickens me that we live amongst such individuals, whether domestic and/or abroad. But despite efforts by said such individuals, we come together and unite as a community, as a Nation, to help others in need, without hesitating for even a second. The acts of bravery and humanity that I have witnessed on television in the wake of this tragedy, and others, makes me ever-so-proud to be American.

Please join me in saying prayers for the three innocent people (and their families and friends) who lost their lives yesterday, 8 year-old Martin Richard, 29 year-old Krystle Campbell, and a female student who went to Boston University. Also, to all those who were injured.

United We Stand!

Oreo Truffles

My Mom told me about these little gems recently, and how incredibly scrumptious they were, so it goes without saying… I just had to try them out. I did last night and she was NOT kidding! Today, I brought them into work and they went over like gangbusters! In addition, everyone was shocked that they’re only made up of three ingredients and the inside is totally creamy! They do take a little bit of work to put together, but I promise you, it is well worth the effort!

I decided to divide the recipe in half and make these smaller than one inch instructed on Kraft’s site (although they look larger in the picture), and thought they were the perfect size.

Ingredients

36 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 (8 oz.) package of Philly cream cheese, softened
4 packages (4 oz.) Bakers semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions

Break Oreos into small pieces, place into food processor (or blender) and grind to fine crumbs.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the crumbs.
Combine cream cheese & remaining crumbs in a bowl until well blended.
Shape into approximately 48 (1 inch) balls.
Put in freezer for 15 minutes to harden.
Melt chocolate in microwave* or in a chocolate warmer (my favorite).
Dip the oreo-cream cheese balls into chocolate, using one or two forks, or a toothpick, until covered, and place on wax or parchment paper-covered rimmed baking sheet.
Sprinkle immediately with reserved crumbs and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

* To melt chocolate: Place chocolate in microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 sec.

Store in airtight container in fridge.

A Different Batch Using Milk Chocolate & Almond Bark — A different batch made with milk chocolate & almond bark

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Healthy Fettuccine “Alfredo”

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I recently saw a post on Facebook from Daphne Oz about her take on Fettuccine Alfredo using a cauliflower puree as the substitute for alfredo sauce. Since I’ve made cauliflower mashed “potatoes” before, and it turned out delicious, I was overly anxious to try her recipe. And as expected, it turned out delicious! Feel free to add some chicken, seafood or tofu if you desire some protein with your pasta. I pretty much followed the recipe to a tee, which is rare, since I usually put my own take on it, but didn’t really see a need for changing anything. This does yield a ginormous amount of pasta, so divide it in half if you’re not feeding a large family or small army 😉

Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine
4 cups cauliflower (cut into large chunks)
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
1 large shallot (finely minced)
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano (freshly grated)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup Parsley (chopped)
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Place the milk and the cauliflower in a large sauce pot and season with salt and pepper.
Bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Using a slotted utensil, transfer the cauliflower to a blender.
Add the milk to make a creamy puree.
Add the butter and continue blending until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt (Daphne writes, “so it tastes like the ocean”).
Cook the pasta one minute less than the packaged instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add the shallot, season with salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly tender.
Deglaze with the white wine. Reduce by half, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the cauliflower puree to the sauté pan and thin out with about 1/3 cup of pasta water.
Remove the pasta from the water, add it to the cauliflower puree, and then sprinkle ground nutmeg over the top.
Toss again and add more cooking water if the pasta seems too dry.
Add the Parmigiano and parsley, and toss to coat.

Note: For leftovers, you can reheat in the microwave or on top of the stove, but may want to add a little milk or water to make it saucier after being refrigerated.

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