Red Velvet Cake

One of my favorites things--EVER!-- is Red Velvet Cake. But I know someone who likes it even more than I do: my brother Josh. So this post is dedicated to him :) I love you bro!

Red Velvet Cake Recipe 

1 1/2 cup sifted flour

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon cocoa

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

2 eggs

1 (1 oz) bottle red food coloring

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

 

Sift together dry ingredients.

Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl...

don't forget lots of red food coloring.

Add the wet to the dry...

and mix well.

I chose to bake cupcakes this time, but this recipe also makes a fabulous cake :)

So if you're making cupcakes be sure to line the pan with cupcake liners.

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full with batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When the cupcakes are done remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Now to make the cream cheese frosting. I added a little something special this time :) vanilla bean! It made the icing SO YUMMY!

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Icing:

2 stick butter, at room temperature

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/2-3 cups confectioner's sugar (add according to your taste)

2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

Beat together butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla bean...

then beat in the powdered sugar until nice and creamy.  

Oh yeah baby!

All that's left is to ice the cupcakes!

The only thing that would make these babies better would be some toasted pecans :) Trust me on this one. 

I hope you all are having a great Friday! Happy weekend!

Apple Crisp for Two

 So what happened to all those apples we picked? Well, I made an apple crisp, and another, and another, and another until I realized I had made one every day for almost a week. The good news is that they were mini apple crisps so I couldn't just go back for seconds once my little bowl was gone, the bad news is my refrigerator is full of apples so I would just make another one. Seriously, these things are addicting and so easy to make. They are also great because one apple makes two mini crisps which is perfect for Adam and me. We don't need some huge dessert hanging around the house all week waiting to be eaten. Besides, I think baked apple desserts are best when they first come out of the oven. So would you like to know how I made apple crisp for two? Ok :)

You will need one firm baking apple, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons quick cooking oats, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and 3 tablespoons of butter at room temperature.

Peel, core, and dice the apple. Divide it evenly between two ramekins.

Using a fork, mash together the other ingredients until they are crumbly.

Pile half of the crumble mixture on top of the apples in one ramekin, and repeat with the other.

There! Now it's ready to go into the oven!

Let's admire it a moment more shall we? These are just too easy! Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Here they are!

How cute are they?

The only thing that would make this better would be some vanilla ice cream right on top.

Thanks for reading my friends! Stay warm tonight, Love ya!

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

This is a recipe my sister-in-law Karla used to make for us every time we came over to their house. Karla is a fabulous cook and can cook a lot of other great things-- we just always requested that she make her creamy chicken enchiladas because they are SO GOOD! She graciously shared her recipe with my mom and me. Here is what you will need:

8 oz pack cream cheese

1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Taco Seasoning packet

3 cups white meat chicken, cooked and cubed

8-10 Large Soft Shell Tortillas

1 Pack Lipton Brand Spanish Rice, cooked according to package direction.

1 can ROTEL

Honestly, I have made this recipe so many times now I no longer need to look at a recipe. The ingredients are engrained into my memory! Although, as I have said before, I am my mother's child and every time I make something I always do something different. It's in my blood! Karla's original recipe does not call for ROTEL--but I decided to change it up and added a can of ROTEL into the mix. It was so good! 

This stuff is sooooo yummy.

Start by melting together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the heavy cream, and the packet of taco seasoning.

It will look like this when melted.

In a large bowl add the ROTEL and cooked Spanish rice. Also, grab the chicken-- you'll be adding it in shortly.

Pour in the melted cream cheese mixture...

and the chicken...

and mix till well combined.

It's time to get an assembly line set up! You'll need a 9X13 casserole dish, the tortillas, and the chicken/cream cheese mixture. Grab a tortilla and start stuffin'!

I had 10 tortillas, so I spooned about 1/10 of the chicken/cream cheese mix down the middle of one tortilla.

Fold one side...

then the other.

Place seem side down into the casserole dish. 

Continue this process until all of the tortillas are filled.

They will be packed tight! If you are not cooking these right away this would be the time to stick the dish, covered, into the fridge. That's what I did! If not, continue to the next step.

Pour the remaining heavy cream over the top of the filled tortillas.

Mmm, mmm, mmmm. Sinful.

Then lightly sprinkle with cheese if you so desire-- I did. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the heavy cream has thickened to the consistency of white queso.

Like this!

Serve with chips...

or my personal favorite: smothered in velveeta cheese dip!

Yum!

I hope you are having a great Wednesday my friends! Love ya!