Guest Post: The Better Baker

I have another awesome blogger guest posting today! I love these guest posts. It's so fun to bring someone new to my blog to share their recipes and cooking styles. We all have our own and this lady has excellent taste (no pun intended, well maybe a little). It's Marsha, The Better Baker. She is such a fabulous lady that I've become friends with through blogging. And she has a great apron collection (my kinda gal). Thanks, Marsha, for posting today!

 Hello Dear Bloggers -

First of all, I want to thank Mandy for the honor & privilege of sharing at her great blog. I've followed Mandy for a long time - she's a gal after my heart with her simple and family-oriented recipes. I just squealed with delight when she asked me to do a guest post.  YOWZA!  She's such a cutie, and her kids are too. 

I've been married to my high school sweetie for over 43 years. I'm mom to 3 - Nana to 8 beautiful grandkids. My hubby is retired military - diabetic, and 100% disabled because of exposure to Agent Orange, so I lean toward using healthy ingredients. I love simple, easy recipes using everyday ingredients. I want to be ready to cook & bake at all times!

Whenever folks have commented that I'm a good cook, my favorite response has always been "But I'm a Better Baker".  How I love living up to my name!

I had my own cookbook (300 easy recipes using every day ingredients) published in August 2010.  Have sold nearly 500 copies already (FYI - only about 75 in stores, the rest on my own...soo thankful that

whirlwind has slowed down=).

 With strawberry season coming on, I thought I would share this delightful summer dessert.  

 I received this recipe from a dear friend who always shares this yummy dessert when she gets an email recipe exchange request.

It's easy enough to put together and will be gone quickly, so make sure you have the ingredients to make another.

It was good enough to add to my cookbook too.

Changes I made: I cut the butter by 1 Tb. Not that it makes much difference, except it isn't as sticky when pressing into the pan.  Instead of the block of cream cheese, I found an 8 oz. tub of strawberry cream cheesespread - 1/3 reduced fat - hiding out in my fridge.  Because it was already sweetened, I didn't add the powdered sugar. (You can always substitute splenda if you need to watch the sugar intake). I also used the sugar free glaze. 

It is so delicious.  I ate my first piece for breakfast - right after I made it. And another piece for lunch.

You get the idea I'm sure.

STRAWBERRY PIZZA

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. cold butter, cut into chunks

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1 - 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 - 8 oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed

4 c. cleaned, sliced fresh strawberries

1 - 16 oz. pkg. strawberry glaze

Preheat oven to 350. In lg. bowl, combine flour,butter, brown sugar and nuts. Spread on 14" pizza pan or 10" X 15" X 1" cookie sheet.

Bake 12 - 15 minutes until browned. Cool. 

In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set up.  In large bowl, combine fresh strawberries and glaze until coated. Spread out over cream cheese filling, then top with dollops of Cool Whip to serve.  Keep leftovers refrigerated. 

I'd love for you to stop by and visit me sometime.

-The Better Baker

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Recipe Round-Up {Strawberries}

Hey everyone! I am loving this spring weather that we finally have in my neck of the woods. It is a gorgeous 73 degrees outside and I am heading out to mow my lawn. Before I do, I wanted to round up my strawberry links. Strawberry season is here in full force and I love it! I made some jam last week and I bottled it this time. I usually freeze it, but wanted to try something different. Success! I have to thank Brandie for the recipe round-up idea. I've seen it other places, but she reminded me about it. Enjoy these refreshing treats! Just click on the pics for the recipes.

Strawberry Quick Bread

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Strawberry Julius

Strawberry Pancakes 

And one other...I am making homemade lemonade and adding this Strawberry Sauce to make Strawberry Lemonade. Yumm...

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Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad {Totally Tasty Tuesdays}

I crave this salad. All the time. I actually made my husband take me out to eat at Applebee's just so I could have this salad. We live an hour away from the nearest Applebee's. What a good sport. But I decided to find a recipe to it so I could have it whenever I wanted and also save money. I did it! I found it on Top Secret Recipes and it tastes exactly like the real thing. Trust me. I am a bit of a food snob so I know my stuff. I hope I've made one of you just as ecstatic as I now am. This makes enough dressing for 3-4 people. Simply adjust the salad and chicken amount to fit your needs. I like to make the dressing and keep it in the fridge and use it on individual salads.

Oriental Dressing

3 Tbsp. honey

1 1/2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar (the white one)

1/4 c. Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. Sesame oil

Blend together all ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk or mixer. Refrigerate while you work on the salad.

Salad

2 pieces of Tyson's Crispy Chicken Strips

bagged salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, and cabbage

bagged coleslaw cabbage

1 Tbsp. sliced almonds

1/4 c. Chow Mein noodles

Bake the chicken strips according to the package directions. At the last few minutes, add the almonds on the pan that the chicken is on so they can get toasted. Remove and cool. Cut up the chicken.

Mix together some of each of the lettuce and coleslaw. Top with cut up chicken, almonds & noodles. Drizzle the dressing on top. 

Printable Version
I linked this to Weekend Potluck, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Gooseberry Patch, WhipperBerry, Seasonal Inspiration, Trick or Treat Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show

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Sugar Blues? Gluten-free Baking Without Sugar

Baking gluten-free without sugar: substitutions and tips.

An increasing number of comments and questions have revolved around sugar as a sweetener and how to substitute it in gluten-free baking. I thought the subject sweet enough to deserve its own post.

And since I recently started a sugar detox (I'm on day six sugar-free-, Darlings-- completely- no sweetener except a pinch of the herb stevia in my tea and smoothies), I thought it might be appropriate to refresh this post and bring it forward.

Read more + get the recipe >>

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Guest Post: The Country Cook

I have another guest blogger here and I am thrilled that it's Miss Brandie from The Country Cook. Can I get a Yee Haw?! That's me being excited. All right. Enough of my nerdiness. Here she is...

Hello everyone! First let me start off by saying a big THANK YOU to Mandy for letting me chat and have some fun on her blog today. It is such a special treat to be here and to have a chance to share a recipe I hope everyone will really enjoy. I'm a big fan of Mandy and all of her delicious recipes. She is a fantastic cook!

Let me introduce myself. My name is Brandie, the cook over at The Country Cook.  I live in beautiful Southwest Virginia near the Appalachian mountains. I’m a jack-of-all-trades, like most women. I’m a momma and a wife. I also work part-time outside the home. I love to make comfort food and I like to eat it. I do my best to get supper on the table every night – which can be a challenge some nights. My food may not be considered gourmet or fancy but it feeds my family and it gathers us around the table each day. I cook a lot of the same foods my own Mom made as well as ones I have learned to make myself along the way.

Today, I want to share an old-timey Southern recipe. It is called Hot Milk Sponge Cake. And you guessed it, the secret ingredient is hot milk!

I make this sponge cake a lot just after we've gone strawberry picking and I have a whole mess of strawberries to do something with. I can't wait for strawberry season here. We should be heading into peak season in our area in about a week or so.

This cake is so moist and sweet all by itself but something about it just lends itself to being eaten with strawberries (or any kind of berry) and fresh whipped cream.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

 (FOR THE CAKE)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup granulated white sugar

½ cup whole milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(FOR THE BERRIES)

2 pints fresh strawberries

¼ cup granulated white sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray nonstick cooking spray inside a 9X9 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.

In a separate bowl (or stand mixer), beat eggs on high speed for about 4 minutes, until thick.

If you’re using a stand mixer, I would suggest using your whisk attachment for this step. Gradually add sugar and beat at medium speed for 4-5 minutes until fluffy.

Now add your flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed until just combined (don’t overmix or cake will turn out rubbery).

In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add milk and butter and stir until butter is melted. Do not boil – you just want this mixture to be very warm (scalded is the cooking term).  Take off heat.

Add milk and butter mixture to batter, also add vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Pour into baking dish and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm with macerated strawberries spooned on top and fresh whipped cream.

Cook’s Note: For a little variety in the cake, try adding different flavored extracts, like lemon or almond.  Need more? Just double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 baking dish for about 25 minutes (until an inserted toothpick or knife comes out clean)

Thank you again to Mandy for letting me share this recipe on her blog today. 

I hope you'll come visit me sometime over at The Country Cook. 

Also, I'm hanging out on facebook as well, just click HERE.

                                                                Printable Recipe Here

Enjoy!

Brandie, The Country Cook

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Browse Gluten-Free Recipes Visually

Browse Gluten-Free Goddess recipes visually.

Today's post will be short and sweet. A gentle nudge to try the new Snapshot browsing view for Gluten-Free Goddess, linked in the left sidebar. Have you tried it yet? I love it. Here's the low down.

Read more + get the recipe >>

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South of the Border Burritos {Totally Tasty Tuesdays}

Hola! Since Cinco de Mayo is coming up, I am sharing a yummy Mexican recipe today. It's a wrap/burrito. Mess free eating at its best. And oh so yummy. I made a roast and shredded it up for this, but you could also use  ground beef. My children liked it so that makes this a keeper in my kitchen. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

3 c. shredded beef

2 Tbsp. Taco seasoning

1 can Pinto beans, drained

1 pkg. Zatarains Dirty Rice 

shredded cheddar cheese

6 flour tortilla

Prepare rice as directed on the package, excluding the beef. Add beef, taco seasoning, and beans. Spoon onto tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold in the bottom end of the tortilla and wrap it up. Place seam side down a plate and microwave each one for 30 seconds. Eat as is or top with salsa or anything else you like.

If making with ground beef, cook it and then go on as explained.

Printable Version

I shared these on Made It On Monday, Trick or Treat Tuesday, Weekend Potluck

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