Red Velvet Cake Balls

I finally did it! I made Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake Balls. My hands were too sticky and red to stop and take pics, so I used bakerella's pics. They were much easier to make than I expected. They came out yummy!!

My notes:

I didn't use the entire can of frosting, maybe about 3/4. I didn't realize the recipe calls for them to be refrigerated for 4 hours. I was out of time, so I froze them for about 30 minutes. Because I was rushing, my chocolate coating came out a little messier than I wanted. I did the 2 spoon method, but by the end I was getting cake balls with lots of extra chocolate dripping down to create a big chocolate base. The chocolate lovers liked that. But since I'm not a chocolate person and I want them to look like bakerella's, next time, I'll plan on more time for the chocolate coating. Also, I made some "naked" cake balls, with no chocolate coating. I loved 'em! I'm not much of a sweet tooth, so I may be alone here in liking those. I can't wait to make them again!!

Photos from bakerella.com

Farmer's Market Green Beans

Last Saturday, I bought fresh green beans at the CC Southside Farmer's Market. I asked the vendor how to cook them. He told me to snap the ends off, boil to soften, then saute in olive oil. I did just that, but added diced tomatoes when I sauteed them. Yum!!

Roasted Carrots (updated)

I finally got to try a new recipe. I'm so excited because I cooked carrots that I bought at the Corpus Christi Southside Farmer's Market this past Saturday AND I used fresh thyme from my new herb pot in my backyard. My mom emailed me a recipe for Roasted Baby Carrots and I used it on my carrots. I used EVOO (olive oil) instead of vegetable oil, and I cut my carrots so they'd be thinner and somewhat even since they were all different sizes. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was too busy trying to calm two hungry little ones.

My ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 bag carrots

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425ºF. Spray rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients except carrots in large bowl. Add carrots; toss to coat. Spread carrots in pan.
3. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender.


My notes:
I think next time I'd use a little less olive oil for the same amount of carrots or stop myself from drizzling extra oil/thyme mixture on top. I'll definitely use fresh thyme again. It smelled wonderful in my kitchen.
I served mine with chicken breasts and Four Cheese Mashed Potoatoes (instant)...one step at a time here!

Update:
Now that I made these carrots again, I realized why I had too much oil the first time. I used 4 tablespoons instead of teaspoons! duh. Much better with the correct amount of oil. And I took pics this time.
6/4/2010

Before roasting:

After roasting:

Beef Brisket Sliders

I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had a chance to try any new recipes. But the other night, I put together a quick and yummy meal. I bought a container of HEB Fully Cooked Shredded Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce. For those of you not in the South Texas area, HEB is our local grocery store. I grabbed some Pepperidge Farm Slider Buns, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced pickles. I microwaved the brisket, scooped portions onto the buns and piled 'em on a plate. I let everyone add their own cheese and pickles. They were delicious! We had some ranch-flavored chips on the side. I will definitely be making these again. They'd be great for a picnic or party tray, too. There are so many possibilities of what you could put in the slider buns. Another plus, they're easier for toddler hands to handle.

Flower Pot Desserts

Check out this cute & tasty dessert from The Pioneer Woman perfect for Easter, a garden party, a Spring birthday, or just cuz!

Flower Pot Desserts

cake, ice cream, Oreos...mmm!

Photo from thepioneerwoman.com

Sharp Cheddar "Lasagna" (made over version)

Photo courtesy of Kraftrecipes.com

I made this Sharp Cheddar "Lasagna" recipe tonight. I loved it. I modified it a little bit. I don't like green peppers, so I cut that out. I browned the meat with Italian seasoning and cumin (for the smokiness). I didn't want to open a huge jar of pasta sauce for just 1 cup. So instead, I opened up a can of Italian-style diced tomatoes, added some Italian spices and chopped 'em in the food processor until I had a chunky sauce. Since it wasn't as liquidy as sauce from a jar, I mixed in the whole can. I think this was better than if I had used a prepared sauce. This recipe was so easy and everyone enjoyed it! Who doesn't like mac & cheese?

Chicken Parmigiana

Photo Courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Monday, I made Pioneer Woman's Chicken Parmigiana. Actually, I didn't make her sauce, but I plan on trying that next time. I used a jar of organic basil & garlic pasta sauce. And I made mine with spaghetti and picked up some garlic bread at HEB. It was delicious!

Next time, in addition to making my own sauce, there are a few things I'd do differently. I should have put the flour in a baking dish instead of a plate, so I wouldn't have spilled flour everywhere. Also, I think the heat was too high for the oil & butter. It started popping and I burned myself! Other than that, it was great. And hubby liked it, too.