Red Velvet Cake for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone ! Bake yourself a luscious Red Velvet Cake to celebrate Love.


My friend from back home N. and I decided to do just that and here are the results . We used similar recipes , i used Paula Deen's - there are lots of variations - N. used a classic buttercream frosting and i used a Southern creamcheese frosting - both are yummy. To be extra festive bake in a heart shaped cake pan like N. did. Pretty !Red Velvet Cake

Cake

2 cups sugar 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature 2 eggs 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 ounces red food coloring 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon vinegar Icing: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese 1 stick butter, softened 1 cup melted marshmallows 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting. Icing: Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake. Devour with abandon ! N's Alternative Red Velvet Cake Recipe 2 T. cocoa powder (unsweetened) 2 oz. red food coloring (I only had 1 oz. so the cake was actually burgundy-colored but still pretty) 1 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 c. shortening 1 and 1/2 c. white sugar 2 eggs 2 and 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, sifted 1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. white vinegar Grease two 9 inch cake pans (I used heart-shaped pans) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring, set aside. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla. In another bowl, cream the shortening and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa paste. Add salt and baking soda to the flour and mix. Add the buttermilk and vanilla alternately with the flour, then stir in the vinegar. Pour into pans and bake for 30 min. or till a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. To make icing: 1 cup milk 5 T. all-purpose flour 1 c. white sugar 1 c. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract In saucepan, combine the milk and 5 T. of flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, till thickened. Set aside to cool completely. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla till light and fluffy, then stir in the cooled milk and flour mixture, beating till icing reaches spreading consistency (I used an electric hand mixer for that). I used cocoa that I brought home from a Paris chocolatier -- don't know if that made any difference but the cake was really good. The frosting was super-rich -- next time, if I use it, I will only frost the middle and the top and skip the sides.

More Comfort Food for Cold Weather : Pot Roast

Ah , what to make in my brand new spankin' Mario Batali Dutch Oven ?

This week's dinner menu includes a perennial favorite - New England Pot Roast - or as the Frenchie's call it " Pot Au Feu".
I haven't made this in years as i have been a vegetarian of sorts off and on again over the years -as well as eliminating RED meat all together for more than 15 years.
That all changed when i became pregnant.
I was severely anemic ( due to fibroids - NOT my diet ) and iron supplements just weren't cutting it.
The anemia got even worse after an emergency C-Section that drained yours truly of more than a liter of blood. I was as empty a vessel as one could be.
So , I HAD to add beef back to my diet -
and so i did, albeit i now only eat free-range , 100% organic meat of any kind , but it IS meat , nonetheless.
The theory goes - if i am forced to once again eat red meat ( which truly i did not miss ) than i was going to enjoy it , dammit ! I have labored long and hard on 'beefing ' up my meat repertoire in the kitchen and i have some pretty great recipes at my new-found carnivore's disposal.
Actually , i am more aptly a dyed-in -the-wool Ominivore at heart ( can sheep be omnivore's ? ) as the amount of veggies in this dish attests to.

Well here it is , Mom , your great great great traditional pot roast with your daughter's own twist.

The secret to this dish and it's deliciousness is cooking a pork roast in with the beef - makes an amazing au jus or gravy if you wish.

New England Pot Roast With Winter Root Vegetables

3 1/2 lb of pork roast and 3 1/2 lb. boneless chuck roast
1 Tbsp olive or grapeseed oil
1 tsp. each -salt, pepper, thyme rubbed into meat
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped or sliced
3cloves of garlic, peeled
1 stalk celery chopped
1 carrot chopped
1tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1tsp. gravy magic
1/2 cup of red wine or sherry
3 cups beef stock
1/2 dozen each - carrots , parsnips, celery root, chopped
into large pieces
1 dozen small potatoes
1 dozen pearl onions
1 flat of mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place a dutch oven over high heat for 2 minutes, add oil. Meanwhile, rub both sides of meat with the salt , pepper & thyme. When the pan is hot (really hot- wisps of smoke beginning to form ) sear meat on both sides and remove from pan. Turn down heat and add just enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan, then add the flour , then the onion , garlic ,celery and carrot. Stir constantly until onion is softened and a rough roux forms.

Add the red wine to deglaze the dutch oven , scraping up the browned bits into the sauce. Add worchestershire , gravy magic and stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Add back the roasts and cover with added stock if necessary to reach a 2/3 covered ratio.
Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until a fork pushes easily into the meat. Add remaining vegetables and cook 30 minutes more at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and rest for at least 1/2 hour. Slice meat thinly, or pull apart with a fork. Serve with sauce and a rustic bread and a green salad.

Better Late Than Never Macaroni & Cheese

I have been having trouble posting Sunday Dinner on an actual Sunday- but I hope this hasn't deterred the culinary faithful from accepting my invitation to visit this blog. I will post weekly - even if it isn't Sunday. That's a promise, and i will work on updating on Sunday whenever possible.There will always be a link on Hysteria Lane when updated.

Well , if you ask me this one is worth the wait !
What can be better ( and easier ) than homemade Mac & Cheese ??
It is the ultimate comfort food and perfect for the whole family. And perfectly nutritious , too if you add a green salad . Presto ! A balanced meal that the kids will cheer for . And SO much prettier than the day-glow doppelganger that resides in the blue box.

You all know what I'm talking about here - i bet EVERYONE has a box or two in the pantry. Well, donate it to your favorite food bank and try making this one night - it is worth the little extra effort . Your family will thank you for it and you will love picking at it the next day when you need to eat on the fly. Leftovers are a bonus...


Macaroni & Cheese ( adapted from an America's Test Kitchen recipe)

Serves 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side

Bread Crumb Topping 6 slices white sandwich bread (good-quality, about 6 ounces), torn into rough pieces 3 tablespoons butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces Pasta and Cheese 1 pound elbow macaroni 1 tablespoon salt 5 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons flour 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered mustard 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups milk 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (2 cups) 8 ounces, cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups) 1 teaspoon salt

1. For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread and butter in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. Set aside. 2. For the pasta and cheese: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over high heat. Add macaroni and 1 tablespoon salt; cook until pasta is tender. Drain pasta and set aside in colander. 3. In now-empty Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour, mustard, and cayenne (if using) and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to fully thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to , yogurt and 1 teaspoon salt until cheeses are fully melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 minutes. 4. Transfer mixture to broiler-safe 9-by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 minutes, then serve. Yum !