Key Lime Cake

Mmmmm...this is probably my second favorite cake I have ever made. (My first favorite here.)

Same basic techniques, here's the recipe:

Cake:
1 white cake mix
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix
About 10-15 drops of doTERRA lime oil
Bake according to package

Frosting:
1 pkg cream cheese softened
1 tub cool whip
Juice of 1-2 limes (to taste)

Topping:
1 pkg graham crackers crushed
1/3 c. butter
1/4 sugar
Melt butter then brown crackers and sugar
Lime slices

Bake the cake, then let cool. Frost it about 1/4 in thickness or better, then top with graham cracker crumbs and lime slices.

Chicken pot pie

Ingredients:
2 pie crusts (could do homemade or pre made)
1-3 cups chicken (I usually do about 2)
1/4 c butter
1/3 c flour
1/3 c onion
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper
1.5 c chicken broth
1/2 c milk
2 cup frozen or fresh veggies (if fresh precook them for a couple mins) I like using broccoli, corn, peas, and carrots. And sometimes some hash browns.

Heat oven to 425. Place one crust in 9 in pie pan and pre bake according to package directions. In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium, add onion and cook until tender about 2-3 mins. Stir in flour, salt and pepper and stir constantly until mixture is bubbly, then remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk and heat to boiling stirring often until thick and smooth. Stir in chicken and veggies. Spoon onto crust and place the second crust on top and flute the edge. Cut slits in the top and bake for 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Also if I'm in a rush I omit the flour, broth steps and just use a can of cream of chicken soup and 1 can of milk and heat through.

Sweet Cornbread Muffins

I used to think I didn't like cornbread. Then one time I had a really delicious cornbread muffin and I realized I previously had only really dry and bland cornbread. This recipe is a compilation of a few different recipes that makes IMHO the best cornbread muffins/loaves.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter softened 
2/3 cup sugar 
2 eggs 
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 cup cornmeal 
3 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup milk 
1 cup sour cream 
1 cup creamed corn

Directions:
Preheat oven 400 degrees. Take 1/3 cup butter, sugar, eggs and mix in a large bowl until creamy. In another bowl, sift flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Add milk, sour cream, and creamed corn. Mix well. Place cupcake liners in pans and fill almost to the top (doesn't rise much when baking) and bake for 20-25 mins until just golden on the top. Check with toothpick, if it comes out clean they are done. Super yummy when topped with whipped honey butter! Enjoy!

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients


3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
Top with"Special Sauce".

Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients


1/2 cup sweet butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 (12 ounce) box angel hair pasta (or other)

Directions

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium/low heat.
2. Add the garlic, cream, white pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.
3. Stir often.
4. Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is smooth.
5. When sauce has thickened add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth. STIR FREQUENTLY.
6. While the sauce cooks, boil noodles for 3-5 minutes.

Place pasta on serving plates and spoon sauce over pasta.

The yummiest cake ever!

I recently ate the BEST cake I have ever had (that I made myself). I learned some new tricks that I'd like to share along with the recipe.

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix (don't judge, I didn't say it was from scratch :) made according to package directions
1 vanilla pudding mix

Bake according to package directions in two round pans


Filling:
1-2 fresh peaches (yum) either chopped real small or blended or some of both (with a little sugar to taste)


Frosting:
1  pkg cream cheese softened
1 tub of cool whip
1/8-1/4 tsp almond extract (to taste)

Topping:
Fresh peach and pineapple slices

How to put it together (might be obvious, but just in case):

Let the cakes cool for a bit (ten mins?) in the pan then on a cooling rack for about an hour. Then frost the top of one of the cakes just enough to cover it (so the filling doesn't make the cake soggy) then put the peach topping on and spread it all over but stay about a 1/2 in away from the edges so it doesn't ooze everywhere. Then frost the bottom of the other cake just to cover (I hate soggy cake) and put it atop the first cake. Then cover them all over with frosting as thick or thin as you'd like. I personally like it about 1/16-1/8 in thick. And lastly, top them all pretty like with your sliced peaches and pineapple. Get prepared to gobble it up!