WELCOME TO MY KITCHEN!
Sharing the most delectable recipes I find with fellow foodies on a tight budget. Enjoy!
I Dream of London
As most of my faithful readers know, I am terminally ill and things aren’t looking very well for me. Seems a given, since I spent 8 months of 2011 hospitalized. I don’t have cooties, nothing contagious, I am just allergic to so much medication and in need of a transplant I am too ill to endure. Before I was hospitalized 3 weeks ago, my physician informed me another organ has begun to fail. I’ve always been successful at putting away some meager savings while I was a teacher and even better when I worked in business. When I became ill, it became necessary to live off my savings and now I practically live on a budget you would believe impossible. Now I require so much medication that I find that 97% of my savings for my dream trip to Europe are gone. I don’t care if I only make enough money to be there for one day. I just want to go before my lungs can’t handle the plane flight. As a last ditch effort, I am imploring all my friends, family and readers to help make my dream a reality. As you know, I’ve mentored the same group of kids for 10 years and they’ve agreed to help me sell valentine cakes and cupcakes in my most popular 4 flavors to people who live in or near LA, CA.
- lemon poppy seed with buttered lemon zest and red sugar glaze
- strawberry with cream cheese and pineapple filling
- carrot cake with cream cheese filling (contains walnuts)
- (…or the most popular) 4 layer devils food and french vanilla marbled with violet and strawberry, filled with vanilla custard and frosted with cream cheese
ALL DECORATED FOR VALENTINES DAY
- 9 inch heart shaped cakes (4″ tall) are $10 USD
- half a dozen heart shaped cupcakes are $5, a dozen are $10
If you dont want to buy one,are diabetic, can’t afford it or live too far, you can still donate if you want. Please contact me on Facebook or on the email on this page and we’ll sort out the order and the details. Payments are through Paypal so they’re secure. Hey, even a buck helps. My hands are a little unsteady but i promise it will be the best thing you’ve ever tasted even if it’s not to my usual standard of perfection (Prideful, aren’t I? lol). Tell your friends ! delivery will be on the 13th, payments are due by the 11th so I can make sure to be done on time. Thank you for your generosity and for helping to teach my kids about selfless service (They’ve all volunteered to deliver for free!) Love and thanks for considering it, Amanda
Yuletide Pumpkin Log
This is a favorite Holiday cake roll in my family! Gets requested every year. Enjoy! 
Cake:
3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup cooked pumpkin, canned
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Powdered sugar
Cream Cheese Filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp margarine
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
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Cake Roll:
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a medium bowl, beat 3 eggs at high speed for 1-2 minutes.
3. Gradually work in 1 cup of sugar.
4. Stir in pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix well.
5. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the bowl.
6. Spray a large cookie sheet (with 1″ sides) with nonstick spray. Place waxed paper on the sprayed pan with the edges overlapping.
7. Spray the waxed paper lightly with nonstick spray.
8. Spoon the batter onto the cookie sheet and spread evenly (very important!).
9. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and place in the center rack in the oven for 10-15 minutes. (Do not let cake get too done)
10. Lay a clean dish towel (no terry cloth) on a flat surface and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar, spreading evenly.
11. When cake is done, turn cake onto the dusted towel and remove waxed paper gently.
12. Gather the ends of the dish towel on the right and begin to roll the cake gently with the towel while the cake is still hot.
13. Place the roll on a flat surface in the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely.
14. When cake is completely cool, unroll gently and spread filling evenly.
15. Re-roll without the towel and refrigerate. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with holly or mint leaves and berries.
16. To serve, cut into slices. Cake resembles pinwheels. Makes one log that serves 8.
Cream Cheese Filling:
1. Cream together in a medium bowl powdered sugar, margarine, cream cheese and vanilla.
2. Beat for 3 minutes or until smooth.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Holiday Peanut Butter Pixies
The best version of the classic peanut butter cookie! Perfect for holiday tables
½ cup butter
½ cup crunchy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup crushed roasted peanuts, salted (if desired)
powdered sugar
baking powder
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1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl, mix cream together butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla until well mixed.
3. Add flour, soda, salt and nuts. Mix well by hand.
4. Shape into 1” inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Dip fork into baking powder and press down once very lightly in the center of a dough ball. Dip fork into baking powder again and hold the fork at a right angle and press down again, making a criss cross shape. Repeat with all dough balls.
6. Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (if you prefer a chewy cookie, bake closer to 12 minutes, and for a crispy cookie, closer to 15 minutes)
7. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
8. When cookies are completely cool, place on cookie plate.
9. Dust with sifted powdered sugar until snowy. Garnish plate with mint sprigs and raspberries.
Makes about 2 dozen.
Perfectly Puffy Pineapple and Strawberry Filling
Always a big hit with family and friends Definitely one of my favorites!
(As seen in the Spring Strawberry Cake post)
1 can crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 tub whipped cream
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened
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1. In a large bowl, empty the contents of the can of pineapple complete with juice.
2. Mix in cream cheese, stirring well.
3. Stir in Vanilla pudding mix, until well mixed.
4. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/2 tub of whipped cream, mixing well and slowly, taking care not to overstir and flatten the mixture. The objective is to keep it light and fluffy.
5. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
6. When ready to fill or serve, gently stir in sliced strawberries until just mixed. (Over-stirring will make strawberries come apart and turn your filling pink)
7. Delicately spoon mixture onto cake or ice cream with rubber spatula. Serve as desired.
Makes about 3 cups of filling.
