Flowerbug's Inkspot

Cake in a Cup recipe

I've had a few requests for the recipe for this easy microwaved treat seen below, so here you go!

Cake:

1 box French Vanilla cake mix (white is okay too)

1 small box Chocolate Instant pudding

Mix the two together well - you will have enough for nine (1/2 cup) packets.

Glaze:  1/3 cup powdered sugar mixed with 2 tsp. French Vanilla Coffee Mate

Put each into a small zip-lock baggie.  The cake mix fits into a 3 X 4" baggie & the glaze into a 2 X 1 1/2" baggie.  Put them both inside the mug with the glaze on the bottom & the cake on top.  Wrap a ribbon around the cake packet of the 8 oz mug & attach this recipe card to it:

1. Generously spray the inside of your coffee cup with cooking spray.
2. Empty contents of large packet into cup.  Add 1 egg white 1 Tbsp. oil & 1 Tbsp. water.  Stir 15 seconds, carefully mixing in all the dry ingredients.
3. Microwave on full powder 2 minutes.
4. While cake is cooking, place glaze ingredients into a very small container & add 1 1/2 tsp. water.  Mix well. 
   
5. When cake is done, pour glaze over the cake in a cup.  Enjoy while warm!

Red Velvet........

Cake - not really velvet!  
Have you ever had it?  I mean the one with the truly original frosting?  Well, if not, you've got to try it!  It is the most amazing frosting - it is so smooth - like velvet, not terribly sweet & very silky.
This is the cake I made for my husbands birthday on Monday.  Most of my family requests this one at special events just because of the fantastic frosting.

The frosting is quite unusual.  You have to cook flour with milk to a paste first, then add the butter & sugar.  Be sure to use real butter!

Recipe below: 

Red Velvet Cake:

1 pkg. German Chocolate Cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. oil
3 eggs
one 1 oz. bottle Red food coloring - yes, the whole bottle!

Combine all ingredients & beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Pour into two buttered & floured 8 or 9" round cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 24 minutes.  Cool.  I cut each one in half horizontally so I had four 1" thick cake slices.  Spread 1/4 of the frosting between each layer & on the top. 

Frosting:

1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Combine flour & milk in a saucepan.  Cook until very thick on medium heat, whisking constantly.  Cover & chill until at least room temperature.  Beat the butter & sugar until smooth & fluffy.  Gradually add the flour/milk mixture by heaping tablespoons until smooth.  Add Vanilla. 

Oreo Truffle Recipe

One of my family's absolute favorite Christmas treat is Oreo Truffles.  I have to make a double batch - otherwise they'd fight over them & refuse to let me share with others. 
I thought I'd share this easy recipe with you.  It does take a bit of time, but they are so very yummy!

Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. Oreo cookies (not double stuffed)
1 8 oz. pkg. Cream cheese, softened

Put the cookies through a food processor until they are fine crumbs.  Stir into the softened cream cheese.
Roll into 1" balls & chill 1 hour.

Melt 12 oz white chocolate (almond bark works also) in a microwave.  Dip the balls into the melted white chocolate & set on waxed paper to harden.  I use a fork to dip them.

Melt milk or dark chocolate chips (4 oz should be plenty) & drizzle over the white balls.  I put my melted chocolate into a pastry bag or even a sandwich bag & snip a tiny hole in a corner for easy drizzling. 

Let harden & then store in a cool place.

Salsa Recipe

I've had a few requests for my Salsa Recipe from the other day.

I have made salsa each fall for many years; this is a compilation of a few different recipes.

Salsa Ninety Nine (medium heat)

24 lbs tomatoes
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)
14 jalapeno chili peppers (chopped fine with gloves on!!)
2 heads garlic, chopped
6 large green bell peppers, chopped
6 large onions, chopped
9 Tbsp. salt
2/3 c. vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. minced chipotle peppers
3 tsp. cumin

Remove skins from tomatoes, squeezing out as many seeds as you can & then dice them. 
****To easily remove the skins, place the whole tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute & then into an ice water bath for another minute or so.  Then peel & dice
 
Add the diced tomatoes with all remaining ingredients to a large pot & simmer for 30 minutes or so on medium heat, stirring often until the vegetables are soft.  I have cooked mine for up to an hour as I am prepping my jars.
If the salsa isn't thick enough for your liking, mix 1/2 c. water with 1/2 c. cornstarch & stir into the salsa.  Heat through well.
Place hot water in sterilized jars & top with lids.
I process mine in a water bath/canner for 20 minutes to seal.
I believe you could also freeze this salsa in freezer containers.  Let it cool before placing in containers first.

Variations:

- Roast a head or two of garlic in foil in a slow oven (250) for an hour.  Squeeze out pulp & add it to your salsa.  Adds a great roasted garlic flavor.

- Add diced Zucchini to the salsa.  We like ours chunky & I always have an extra one or two at this time of year.

Enjoy!!

 

Open House Fun!

We had a wonderful time today at my New Catalog Open House.  Sorry for those of you who couldn't come.  There was lots to do! 
We had games, door prizes, make your own Catty Tabs, free stamps & make & takes plus lots of food of course.

The winners of the Door Prizes are:

Level 1 Hostess set - Julie B

$15 in Free Merchandise - Sharon S

Free stamp set - Time Well Spent - Karen A

Free stamp set - Spring Solitude Bundle - Carol A

Friends & Flowers Simply Scrappin' kit - Vicki L.

Congrats girls!

Here are the projects we did:

The candy treat bag was made using the Top Note Sizzix die & the new Bella Toile background stamp.  So very quick & easy to do. The flower was made with Bella Rose DSP, the Birds & Blooms Sizzlits dies & our Boho Blossoms & 5 petal punches.

The  Upsy Daisy card  used the new Baja Breeze card stock along with Not Quite Navy.  We inked the large stamp in Baja Breeze ink & sponged Not Quite Navy over the tops of the flowers before stamping.

Food:

I also had a recipe contest.  I made a pan of bars with an unusual 'Secret Ingredient'.  Whoever guessed the ingredient correctly would win one my very own Cookbooks.  Well, I am sorry to say that nobody guessed it right.  Everyone loved the recipe & since so many people have asked for it I decided to post it here. 

Now for those who ate these, don't get mad at me!  Remember how good they are!
Chris's Bars

8 oz. crushed Pineapple

16 oz can Van Camps Pork & Beans (pork removed) ***yes I do mean 'beans'!

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. oil

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon 

Beat the Pineapple & Beans together until smooth.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Mix well & pour into a greased 11 X 15" baking pan (large bar pan).  Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.  Cool. 

Frosting:

4 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. cream or sweet milk

1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat together & spread over cooled bars. 

I'd love to hear from anyone who has ever made or heard of this recipe before.  It was a total shock to me how delicious they are.