Vanilla Cake with Sprinkles from Vicki Delany

I was asked to bring a cake to a dinner with young children.  I wanted to make something fun and also delicious so searched for a suitable recipe.  This one is from Martha Stewart.  I tend not to like Martha Stewart recipes as I find them generally to be far more complex than necessary (showing off maybe?).  This cake is a case in point. I mean buttermilk AND milk.  Butter AND shortening.  Cake flour AND all purpose?

Having said that, it is an excellent cake.  I might have used the wrong sort of sprinkles because, as you can see in the photo of the cut cake, it turned out muddy rather than white with colourful sprinkles dotted throughout.  Didn’t affect the taste though. Children AND adults loved it.

Vanilla Cake with Sprinkles

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g) 

2 1/2 cups cake flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, room temperature (113g) 

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup ice-cold water

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup sprinkles (assorted colors)

 3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour

Whisk together both flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl, add egg, and beat until just combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together ice-cold water, milk, and buttermilk.

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with water mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl. With mixer on medium speed, beat for a few seconds to incorporate. Remove bowl from stand mixer, scatter sprinkles across the top of the batter, and fold them in with a rubber spatula.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar just until soft peaks form; do not overbeat. Gently fold egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake, rotating pans halfway through baking time, until a toothpick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes Transfer cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack, remove from pans, and let cool completely.

Ice the cake with icing of your choice. I used a standard American buttercream. Then decorate the cake with more sprinkles or tiny candies, as shown.

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Pasta Salad with Chicken in Creamy Peanut Dressing from Vicki Delany

 This is one of those no-recipe recipes that I sort of made up myself and modified as time went on. It makes a creamy pasta salad that’s perfect for a summer dinner, for taking to a pot luck, or as a side dish to grilled vegetables or meat. In other words, the perfect summer dish.  

The portions I’m giving you here are for one person, but you can easily expand it to 10.. or 50.. maybe a hundred guests at a barbeque.  Add whatever vegetables you think will suit, but the tomatoes and carrots are good for colour and the avocado provides an extra hint of creaminess.

Pasta Salad with Chicken in Creamy Peanut Dressing

Serves one

Ingredients

One small boneless chicken breast

One tomato - diced

One carrot – grated

Half an avocado – pitted and sliced into cubes

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Thai-style peanut sauce

1 cup penne or similar pasta

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Grill the chicken breast until cooked through. Don’t over-cook or it will dry out. Slice chicken into bite-sized chunks. 

Mix mayonnaise and peanut dressing in a small bowl.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and IMMEDIATELY add the mayonnaise mixture (adding the dressing to the warm pasta helps it absorb better). Stir to combine well.  Add tomato, carrot, avocado and combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste

Put bowl into refrigerator until cool. (Probably about an hour)

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Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers and Mushrooms from Vicki Delany PLUS CONTEST!

One of the things I love most about pasta is how many delicious ways there are to serve it. Here’s an easy recipe for a lovely vegetarian sauce.  I roasted the red peppers myself, but you can use jarred or canned, if you prefer.

Pasta with Roasted Red Peppers and Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons olive oil divided

10 ounces mushrooms, any variety will work, cut into thin slices

6 ounces spinach or arugula optional

3 roasted red bell peppers (jarred is fine)

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

10 ounces penne (or other type of pasta)

Parmesan cheese freshly shredded or grated

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium high heat.

Add the mushrooms and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and caramelized. If you're adding spinach or arugula add them and wilt it down. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted red bell peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and vinegar. Blend for 1-2 minutes until the ingredients become smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the sauce to the pan with the mushrooms and stir to combine.

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Add the reserved water if you need to thin out the sauce. Adjust salt and pepper if needed and serve and serve with freshly shredded parmesan cheese.

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COMING JULY 7! The ninth Lighthouse Library mystery by Eva Gates, DEATH BY BEACH READ.  If you’d like to win a signed hardcover copy, please leave a comment here. Contest open to US and Canada entries. Contest Closes Monday May23

 

Soup with Orzo, Shrimp, and Cherry Tomatoes from Vicki Delany

This unusual soup captures the flavours of summer, but is served hot. As something different, it cooks in the oven, although you should be able to do it on the stovetop also (I have not tried it that way)

Soup with Orzo, Shrimp, and Cherry Tomatoes 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes

salt and ground pepper

3/4 cup orzo

3 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in top position. In a large broilerproof skillet, heat 5 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add tomatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 minutes. Add orzo and broth and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and bake until liquid is mostly absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.

Toss shrimp with 1 teaspoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove skillet from oven and place shrimp on top of orzo. Heat broiler. Broil until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

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Coconut Lime Cake from Vicki Delany

 If you love coconut and you love the flavour of lime – which I do! – you’ll love this cake. It’s very easy. The recipe includes the drizzle topping which is used instead of icing the cake.  

Coconut Lime Cake 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 2 ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt.
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
2. Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.
3. Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt, and 1/2 cup coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together milk and 2 tablespoons lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.
4. Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.
5. Whisk together confectioners sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

Now available for pre-order, the 8^th Lighthouse Library mystery, Deadly Ever After.  Coming May 11 from Crooked Lane Books

Thai-Style Peanut Chicken in the Slow Cooker from Vicki Delany

Another slow cooker recipe! Yes, I love using it and I love trying out new things.  This one is delicious, if you like peanut butter.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb (750 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

1 Onion, chopped

1 Sweet Red Pepper, chopped

1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut milk

1/4 cup (50 mL) smooth peanut butter

2 tbsp Thai red curry paste,

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

Cooked rice noodles 

Instructions

Place chicken, onion, red pepper, sweet potato, ginger and garlic in slow-cooker.

In medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter, red curry paste, soy sauce, lime juice and salt until smooth. Pour over chicken; cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken and vegetables are tender.

Spoon over noodles.

Optional: Sprinkle with coriander leaves and peanuts.

Now available for pre-order: Deadly Ever After, the seventh Lighthouse Library mystery by Eva Gates. Coming May 11 from Crooked Lane Books.