Texas Sheet Cake

We were conscripted to make our niece's favorite cake for her first birthday at college. We decided we could stick it in a pizza box for transport and delivery so she wouldn't have to clean and return a pan. This of course meant we had to cut a rectangular cake down to a square and find a home for the leftovers ;)

 

Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

2 c flour

2 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

1/2 c oil

1/4 c cocoa

1 c water

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

 

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frosting

 

1/2 c butter (1 stick)

1/4 c cocoa

3 Tbsp milk

3 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   Grease and flour a cookie sheet (the silver ones 1/2 sheet size work best).

 

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt.   In a medium sauce pan, combine and bring to a boil the butter, oil, cocoa, and water.   Add the cocoa mixture to the flour/sugar mixture and mix well with an electric mixer.   add the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and soda, and mix well again.   Pour into prepared cookie sheet.   Bake for 20-22 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean).   Frost with chocolate frosting when cool.

 

for frosting:

Put the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.   melt butter in a small saucepan and add cocoa.   Remove from heat and add milk.   Pour cocoa mixture into powdered sugar.   Mix well (starting on low speed) until creamy.   Add vanilla and mix until of spreading consistancy.   If it is too thick, add more milk a little at a time.   If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

 

Number Of Servings: that all depends, but generally 15

 

Preparation Time: 10 min. mixing, about 20 min baking, 1 hour cooling, 10 min. frosting

Smoky Slowcooker Pork Roast and Pulled Pork

Smoky Slowcooker Pork Roast and Pulled Pork

This recipe came maxi-sized for funerals and other parties. We don't have a roasting pan, so we make do with a slowcooker. Original recipe attached for comparison.

We often chop and mix the rub the night before so we can toss this into the crockpot on the way out the door. 

Mike’s Slow-n-Low Pork Roast - Quartered and Slowcookered

Meat rub - Ingredients for rub:

• 1 TBSP seasalt

• 1 TBSP garlic (granulated or powder) – I like granulated

• 1/2 TBSP black pepper

• 1 TSP ground cumin

• 1/2 TSP ground sage

• 1/4 TSP ground thyme (or just a dash)

3.5-4 lb boneless butt pork shoulder roast

1 pounds/ 2 large onions

1 pounds/ 4 medium carrots

2 Tbs Liquid Smoke 

1 bay leaf

1 cup broth 

Instructions (20 minute prep time):

0. Chop vegetables to final desired size (You can remove them or mix them into pulled pork as preferred)

1. Combine rub seasonings

2. Either pat rub onto sides of the meat with hands, or place meat in crockpot with tongs, then sprinkle rub on top and roll meat in the rub until it's absorbed on all sides

3. Place seasoned meat in crock pot, fatty side down

4. Add liquid smoke and bay leaf 

5. Add carrots and onions for flavor. Keep meat and veggies as low as possible for maximum liquid coverage. 

6. Add 1 cup of beef broth. If absolutely necessary to cook, add a little more liquid to almost cover meat as necessary for the slowcooker. This can be avoided if you have a low snug fit and you'll be able to turn meat a few times.

7. Cook on low for 8 hours (may be slightly less time depending on your oven). The pork will be ready once the meat has reached an internal 195 degrees and has the desired texture.

8. Remove meat from heat to rest for 10 minutes. Then, remove fat from top of meat, then slice, pull or chunk meat as desired. 

9. You quickly create pulled pork by beating in a stand mixer and adding a desired BBQ sauce.

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And the original:

 

Mike’s Slow-n-Low Pork Roast

13-16 lb boneless butt pork shoulder roast (Costco $1.69-1.99/lb)

Liquid Smoke – ½ bottle

3 pounds onions (if desired)

5 pounds carrots (if desired)

Meat rub - Ingredients for rub:

• 4 TBSP seasalt

• 4 TBSP garlic (granulated or powder) – I like granulated

• 2 TBSP black pepper

• 1 TBSP ground cumin

• 2 TSP ground sage

• 1 TSP ground thyme

Instructions (20 minute prep time):

1. Combine rub seasonings

2. After rinsing meat, either pat rub onto all meat surfaces with hands, or spread rub on cookie sheet and dab meat in the rub on all meat surfaces

3. Place seasoned meat in roasting pan, fatty side up

4. Add ½ bottle liquid smoke and 2-3 bay leaves at the bottom

5. Add 1 cup of beef broth 

6. Add 5 pounds of carrots and 3 pounds of onions for flavor

7. Roast in oven 400 degrees (or electric roaster pan) for 20 minutes, then turn down to 225 degrees for approximately 11 hours (may be slightly less time depending on your oven). The pork will be ready once the meat has reached an internal 195 degrees.

8. Remove meat from heat to rest in its juices for 30-45 minutes. Then, remove fat from top of meat, and pull or chunk meat as desired

Your home will smell lovely all day, and your hungry eaters will be ready to feast on this simple and yummy meal.

Cranberry Applesauce Muffins

Classic repost 

So it's entirely possible we buy 5 or so bags of raw cranberries every holiday season-since that's the only time they're available- just to make these muffins a few times each year.

Cranberry Applesauce Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg, beat
• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ground oats
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease and flour a muffin tin, or use paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, mix together applesauce, oil, and egg.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in applesauce mixture. Stir until just moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans.
5. Spoon into muffin cups, 2/3 full.
6. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan 2 minutes before removing.

Original ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans

My modifications and notes.

• Used 1 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup oil. Next time I make this I will use 1 1/3 cup applesauce and leave the oil out completely.
• Used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white.
• I used brown sugar instead of white.
• Added a bit extra cinnamon.
• Didn't use pecans.
• I couldn't find fresh or frozen cranberries at the grocery store, so I used whole berry cranberry sauce. (I actually dumped out the can in a bowl, sifted through it and pulled out the berries. Though I threw in a couple spoonfuls of the jelly part too, for good measure, I guess.)
• Made half the batch with cranberries, and the other half with frozen blueberries.
• Only baked them for 24 minutes. Keep an eye on them.
• These were awesome! They are very moist and tasty. It's a very good base muffin recipe and I'm going to try future incarnations of it with different types of berries. (Maybe raspberries? Mmm...)

Creole Red Beans and Rice

One of the first, regular, and most enduring recipes from my years serving down south is Red Beans and Rice. More than jambalaya or gumbo, this is the regular staple, and we served it once a week at the soup kitchen in Laurel.

When I started at OIT, we had a Mardi Gras potluck, and with some suggestions, Elizabeth found a version of this recipe. Everyone loved it, and my Baton Rouge native student said it's the best Red Beans he's eaten past the Rockies. 

The southerners want it hotter, but you can use as little spice as suits your palate. This comes out as a nice, thick stew, so half the time I skip the rice altogether.

Creole Red Beans and Rice

Stew:

1 pound dried red beans

7 cups broth, [or water + 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon]

1 red bell pepper, chopped

At least 2 hot peppers (Jalepeno, Serrano, etc.)

2 medium onions, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning (Tony Cachere’s More Spice is the real deal)

2 tablespoons hot sauce (or vinegar if you're watching the heat)

1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced (I generally just use hot links)

Toppings:

Hot cooked rice

Hot Sauce

Garnish: sliced green onions

Preparation

Place stew ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker.

Cook, covered, 8-10 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with hot cooked rice.