Ina's Blueberry Cake-Made Stacey's Way

Raine is my blueberry baby! Her Grandy Carole grows some blueberries and Raine thinks that they are the perfect food. Raine wanted a blueberry cake for her birthday party, she thinks B-day parties are so fun that we are having them every couple of weeks. It's funny but at the same time kinda scary, not of Raine wanting a B-day party but for me giving her one that often... I found this particular recipe in one of my Ina Garten cookbooks. I changed a few things to our likes and whipped it right up for the "again" birthday girl. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.


For the streusel

1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar-lightly packed
1 t cinnamon
1 stick butter-melted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

For the cake:

6 T butter-softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs-at room temperature
1 vanilla bean-scraped
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.

For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar

Tomato Quinoa

Hold on to your hats folks because Stacey has gone veggie. I just love a good vegetarian meal and will occasionally add my favs to the blog. I live amongst the carnivorous so these will be in addition to my usual recipes. You will hear about the good recipes and I'll save the bad ones for the dog hee hee. Here is one that the whole family chowed on for lunch. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
2 cups quinoa-that has been rinsed very well
4 cups water
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T salt
1 onion-chopped
2 T basil-chopped
2 T red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 jar home canned tomatoes-or 1 large can whole tomatoes from the grocery.
2 T olive oil

I sauteed my onions, garlic, and pepper flakes in 2 T of olive oil. Just long enough for the onion and garlic to get a little color to them. I then added in the tomatoes and salt. I cooked this for about 30 minutes at a low boil. For the quinoa, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, when boiling add in your quinoa and 2 T nutritional yeast. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. I then poured the quinoa into the tomato mixture. You can sprinkle a little basil on it if you care to. This meal is good for you and a quickly prepared warm lunch that your kiddos will love.

Oysters on the Half Shell

I look forward to months with an "r" in them so I can have my beloved oysters on the half shell. This year we bought a box of these gems at White River Fish Market and boy were we happy with the quality! These were the best oysters we have eaten in years! So plump and juicy that I could not wait for all of them to get shucked before I dug in. Speaking of shucking, Sean found the best thing in the world to shuck these tight lipped goodies. What did he use??? A chain saw multi tool.... Maybe it is the red-neck in us but it worked so well that we abandoned our oyster specific shucking tool for good. Not too much to tell you on shucking but my sauce is different from any you have ever eaten. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 cup ketchup
3 T horseradish-creamed
1 T cayenne pepper
2 T lemon juice
1 t garlic-minced


Mix everything together and serve with oysters or shrimp.


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French Apple Tart

I love Ina Garten! I own every cookbook she has ever written and watch her show on the Food Channel until my kiddos beg me to stop. This recipe comes from her Back to Basics cookbook and is a must have in any kitchen. That being said, this is an awesome and very easy tart that will impress everyone you serve it to. Give it a try with some freshly whipped cream and you will be dreaming of warm summer days. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

For the Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t kosher salt
1 T sugar
12 T cold butter-diced
1/2 cup cold water

For the Apple:
4 Granny Apples- peeled and sliced 1/8 thick
1/2 cup sugar
4 T butter-diced
1/2 cup apricot jelly
2 T water


For the pastry, place flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10-12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400'. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Roll the dough slightly larger than 10x14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Now place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples. Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove stem and cores with a sharp knife. Slice apples crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Place apples slices overlapping in a pretty design. Sprinkle cut butter all over apples. Now sprinkle sugar all over apples. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven. Melt apricot jelly on stove and brush on top of tart. Serve warm.

Curry Chicken

I really enjoy a good curry chicken. The trouble is there are no restaurants near Beaty's Creek to get this favorite dish. Some people say that they hate curry but those people have never had this! Asian or Thai curry has a totally different taste than the Indian type in my opinion. I bought my curry paste at this Asian Market in Tulsa. They have a great selection of cooking items and are friendly and eager to assist. That is a plus when you are learning, as I am, about Asian cooking. Give this recipe a try the next time you have chicken laid out and not sure what to do with it. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today. Can you believe it, they are predicting more snow for Beaty's Creek....I think we have had our share this year. It is definitely time for spring!!!

Needed:

1 whole chicken-cut up
Oil
5 carrots-peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 bag frozen peas
3 potatoes-peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 onion-peeled and quartered
1 container button mushrooms-halved
2 T curry
3 garlic cloves-peeled and smashed
1 can unsweetened coconut milk-I found this at my local grocery store
3 cups water
2 cans Thai red curry paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Steamed Rice

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat a large dutch oven with oil and heat up over medium heat. Once heated, add chicken fat side down. Don't crowd your chicken so you may have to brown it in two batches. Brown on each side for about 5 minutes, when browned remove from pan and add in all your veggies. When veggies are just beginning to soften add your chicken back in with you water, coconut milk, and curry paste and stir well, being sure to scrape the bottom of your pan to release all the goodness. Cook covered for 1 hour over medium heat, stir every once in awhile. Serve over steamed rice.

San Pellegrino Almost Famous

I am trying to win a trip to the San Pellegrino Almost Famous get away to Napa in March. I would love to go and share with you all that I would learn. Wish me luck and I will keep you updated! Could I be the next Almost Famous Chef????

Stacey

Beef Taquitos

I have never been a big fan of taquitos but the kiddos just love them. I made beef this time around but think chicken would be even better. You have to have a "no fear" kind of mentality when cooking these puppies! Hot oil burns, or so I have been told. This meal takes a little planning but is really worth the time. I served our taquitos with rice and of course my favorite, pinto beans. This is What's Cookin on this ice storm warning day, I just hope for the foot of possible snow they are predicting instead.


Needed:
1 3 pound beef roast
3 whole jalapenos-I used canned ones that I pickled but fresh is fine too
1 purple onion-diced
2 bunches of cilantro-chopped
5 T salt
5 garlic cloves-smashed and peeled
5 T black pepper
Water
10 corn tortillas
Oil


Place all of the ingredients in a soup pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat with lid on until roast falls apart. I cooked this one for about 4 hours. Now remove roast from broth and shred roast.

Now wrap three of your corn tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds. They should be rollable now. Place about a 1/4 cup of the meat in the middle of each corn tortilla and roll up. Pour oil a quarter of the way up in a heavy bottomed skillet, I used my cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat. Lay each taquitos seam side down. Fry for 4 minutes or until golden brown and then turn and repeat. Serve with salsa, sour cream, pico.