Rhubarb Cake

Every single person I have served this to has begged for the recipe.  I had to try it after my friend Marilyn told me that the friends of her kids asked their moms, "I want you to make that rhubarb cake that Tommy's mom makes . . . for my birthday."  This cake is birthday-request-level.  

You probably already have everything you need to make this cake, except maybe RHUBARB . . . but did you know you can buy a rhubarb crown on amazon?  It's pretty cheap, for something that comes back a little bigger and better every year.

Did you know rhubarb is sometimes called "pie plant"?

Toss two cups chopped rhubarb with just enough flour
to coat each piece before you mix it into the batter

The cake is made with shortening, and with the crumble/streusel on top, it's similar to a coffee cake.  But it doesn't dry out like a coffee cake--the bits of rhubarb in the batter ensure a moist crumb.  And, of course, the sweet-tart rhubarb sauce and whipped cream take it over the top.

*One note: I add 3-4 drops of red food coloring to the sauce right before serving.

You're welcome, world.

Italian Wonderpot: a one-pot winner!

Since Cori introduced me to this recipe, it has been a staple in our meal rotation.  And it's so versatile, because you can make substitutions easily and deliciously.  

• I have used fettucine, penne, bowties, and even angel hair as the pasta.  
• I have made it with shrimp, cooked it with canned clams, used with rotisserie chicken, I've prepared it with Italian sausage and with smoked sausage, and I have even *GASP* served it without any meat (though technically, it's cooked in chicken stock: homemade chicken stock instructions below).  
• Speaking of which, you can swap out the stock for vegetable broth and make it vegetarian
• Use nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan and make it vegan
• I have used frozen spinach instead of fresh--you just add it with the broth instead of at the end (and actually, the original recipe called for 8 ounces of frozen spinach)
• You can use fresh garlic or minced from a jar
• You can leave out the red pepper flakes if your kids don't like "hot" spices
• I have used Italian seasoning blend when I've been out of dry basil (a problem in our house)
• Speaking of basil, the photo below has fresh basil in lieu of spinach, because I had neither fresh nor frozen on that day

Once you have made it a few times, you'll be substituting your own favorite ingredients according to your family's tastes.  Every person in my house is excited when I make Italian Wonderpot, and I usually double the chicken stock and the pasta so there's more to go around. 

I make chicken stock in the InstantPot and freeze until I need it--place a rotisserie chicken carcass in your InstantPot, add water until just covered, and pressure cook for 20 minutes.  Pour stock through sieve, let cool, and freeze in a Tupperware container until you need it for Italian Wonderpot.

I am so glad I finally got the motivation to make a recipe card--this is an easy, delicious, satisfying meal  that needs to be shared!

 

Best Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting

It's an Easter tradition!  Except this year, I made it the week after Easter, because hashtag-life-happens!  I wouldn't have even made it, but Mollie and Calvin were disappointed aaaaaaaaaaand Allen's parents came to stay for the weekend . . . so a special dessert was just the ticket.

This is a NO FAIL recipe--it's always moist and delicious.  I keep it fully frosted in the fridge (or, let's be honest, in my cake carrier in the garage, because who has room for a cake in their fridge?) and serve it cold--it's just the best spring time dessert.

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

If the number of bowls you dirty is an indication of how yummy a recipe is, then this one takes the (pun intended) cake!  THREE bowls, all your measuring cups and spoons, rubber spatulas, classic Bundt pan, and beaters will fill your sink . . . but the most moist and delectable chocolate cake you've ever had will fill your mouth.

Worth it, people.

For this chocolate cake (which recipe originally comes from America's Test Kitchen, but was introduced to me by my dear friend, mellifluous Melanie) you don't want to use Dutch-processed cocoa.  Natural cocoa is gonna give the cake a fuller chocolate flavor, and won't compromise the cake rise like Dutch-processed cocoa will.   You can dust it with powdered sugar when it's done, but I think it's perfect as is.

The recipe also came with the best Bundt cake advice ever: instead of greasing your Bundt pan with shortening and then dusting with flour (which doesn't really work and makes your cake look ugly and floury), make a cake release cocoa paste and brush it on the inside of your Bundt pan--it's just equal parts cocoa and melted butter.  I have NEVER had a Bundt cake slide out of the pan so perfectly!

This is the classic and original Bundt Pan design--I think it's perfect
for any cake.  You can get them for a great price on Amazon.

I am proud of myself for getting a photo of the cake before we started devouring it.  It is rich and moist and turns out perfectly every time, as most America's Test Kitchen recipes do.  I think these pictures speak for themselves.

Taco Soup

This is one of my mother-in-law's signature dishes and it is so satisfying.  The first time I had some, I knew I needed the recipe.  It's also one of the first recipe cards I ever made, and look how horrible it used to be:

Do not print this card--scroll down for new and improved recipe card.

The best thing about this taco soup is that you can have it in the crockpot (or in a regular large pot on your stove--I love making mine in my Amazon basics Dutch oven, one of my favorite Christmas gifts from my mom and dad!) in ten minutes.  It's fast and easy and the envelope of Ranch makes it so zesty.  Just be sure you buy a packet of Ranch DRESSING and not Ranch DIP.  I have made that mistake more than once, and believe me, they are not the same thing.

I really like to use elk burger or venison burger in taco soup, because the seasonings flavor the meat so well--no one can tell it's not beef.  I prefer frozen corn, but you can totally used canned corn. I also substitute other kinds of beans--usually Great Northern beans, sometimes black-eyed peas or garbanzo beans; Allen's mom always makes it with kidney beans.  I've added leftover rice, too--it's such a versatile, hearty soup!  I make it at least once a month, and always for hosting a large crowd.  The recipe makes a lot.  It feeds our family of six easily, and I freeze whatever is left (usually half) for a night when I don't feel like cooking.

My husband likes to crumble corn chips in his taco soup, but I prefer to DIP my chips.  Our kids each have their own style, too.  Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite brand of corn chips is!

Nutella-and-Marshmallow-Stuffed Brownies

I used The Baked Brownie recipe to make these Nutella-and-Marshmallow-stuffed brownies, because it is the last brownie recipe you'll ever need.  I just spread half the batter in the pan, drizzled Nutella over it, then drizzled Marshmallow Cream (which I purchased for the first time specifically for this recipe), then covered with the remaining half of the brownie batter.

I was expecting them to be "too much."

But, um, hello.  They were amazing.

Cream and Spice Muffins

These muffins are my favorite on a cold winter morning, because they have just a hint of sweetness . . . and a savory, warm, "holiday" kind of taste.  I have mentioned before how my Aunt Kristie sent me a surprise package in the mail when we lived in Arkansas: it was a wonderful and beautiful cookbook called 1 Mix, 100 Muffins, by Susanna Tee.  [I just found out she has a new book called Whoopies! and it is on my Christmas wishlist, Allen Santa].

Growing up in a family of eight kids, we didn't have muffins very often, but whenever we did have them, it was always with hot cereal.  It has always seemed incredibly strange to me to have a breakfast in which muffins are the main (or only) course.  I don't really eat muffins without Cream O'Wheat or oatmeal or hot cracked wheat cereal.

If you don't like Cream O' Wheat, know that I feel
sorry for you.  From the bottom of my heart.

I have great memories of my dad making hot breakfast every morning.  We had cold cereal for breakfast only on Saturday mornings--other than that, it was an after-school snack.  Thanks to this tradition, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day for me.  I wake up hungry every morning, whether I am up at 5:30 or 7:00 or 10:00.  Cold cereal satisfies my hunger for about one hour, so I still eat a hot breakfast most mornings: usually eggs and whole wheat toast, or oatmeal and toast, or Greek yogurt with nuts and berries and some 5-grain mixed in.

But muffins make my breakfast special.  And my square muffin pan pushes "special" to "amazing."

If you want to try out something new for breakfast, this is a great muffin to get you started.  I also think they're a great complimentary treat for hot cocoa.

Square Muffin Pans use regular old muffin liners--when you
fill them with muffin batter, they form into the shape.

Like so . . .

Out of the oven and ready for dusting.

Dust with the magical OXO powdered sugar wand

My kids love it when I get out the muffin rack.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.  If it's not sweet enough for you, may I suggest my all-time favorite muffin?  Cinnamon Ripples . . .

Grilled Pizza

My sister Bonnie first told me about cooking pizza on the grill.  Then my husband got interested and looked up a bunch of methods on the Internet.  His first attempts were "blackened" more than "grilled" . . . which is the nice way to say that they were burnt to the point of inedibility.  Even our chickens turned up their beaks at those carbonized scraps . . .

So, I gave it a go and mine have never looked black I have never looked back.

Nothing makes me feel more like a chef than grilling pizza outside.  The best part is that it's actually really easy and super delicious.  Your pizza will have a crispy thin crust, and your cheese and toppings get a smoky, brick-oven flavor that can't be beat.  Right now we are seeing record-breaking temperatures and I have zero desire to turn on my oven, so the grill is my best friend.

I use my regular pizza crust and homemade sauce recipes for grilled pizza.  The only difference is that because you roll the crust so thin before placing it on the grill, the dough recipe actually goes a lot farther!  I usually make 5-6 twelve-inch pizzas with one dough recipe.

The main trick to grilled pizza is to be FAST.  You want to preheat your grill on it's highest temperature with the lid closed so it will simulate an oven, then you turn the burners all the way down to low before putting your dough on the grill (so it doesn't burn).  Have your toppings ready to go right by the grill.

After you make your dough, shape it into 5-6 balls and let them
rise for a half hour, then roll out each ball on cornmeal into a thin crust

Turn your preheated grill all the way down to low, then place
your thin crust DIRECTLY on the grating of your grill.  You do
not need to spray with nonstick or otherwise oil your grill---it will
not stick.  Close the lid and let one side of your dough cook for 2-3
minutes The first crusts sometimes puff up because the grill is so hot.  

Turn over crusts with tongs or pizza peel.  Now comes the most
essential part of grilled pizza: you need to quickly spread your
sauce, cheese, and toppings on the cooked side of the crust, then close
the lid so that the cheese will melt and the toppings will cook before
the bottom of the crust burns.

Sausage needs to be pre-cooked, I also saute my mushrooms or
onions so they will be pre-cooked, too.  Ham and pepperoni are
already pre-cooked and can be placed directly on the pizza.
ALWAYS use fresh mozzarella (it comes in a one-pound, shrink-
wrapped ball), it melts better and tastes a thousand times better.
I also never make any pizza without chopped, fresh, basil, and
I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

Hawaiian and pepperoni before the lid is closed . . . 

Let your cheese and toppings slowly grill for 5-7 minutes, until
cheese is melted all the way.  Use a pizza peel to slide the cooked
pizzas onto a platter or stone, then cut and serve.

Sausage and basil grilled pizza

Hawaiian is my favorite kind of pizza . . . and if you serve it with a
yummy summer salad from your own garden, you have officially
reached a state of Summer Zen.