Strawberry Napoleon

Ransome wanted a Napoleon that he saw on the box of puff pastry I was thawing out in the fridge. I had to put my thinking hat on so I came up with this easy recipe for Napoleons. He loved it and so did the rest of the crew. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
1 package of frozen puff pastry-thawed in the fridge overnight
1 package instant vanilla pudding-made according to package directions
1/2 of a tub of Extra Creamy Cool Whip-thawed
1 pint strawberries-sliced
Powdered sugar

Slice puff pastry on the fold lines and bake according to package directions. Once baked cool completely. Now fold Cool Whip into pudding, I told told you this was easy. Layer Napoleon in the this order, puff pastry, pudding mixture, sliced strawberries, puff pastry until you have 3 layers of puff pastry. Sift powdered sugar over top of Napoleon and enjoy!

Peach Betty

I had some peaches in the freezer and could not decide what to make with them. I was not in the mood for pie so I made an old stand by here on Beaty's Creek, the Betty. I have made this recipe with all kinds of fruit but peaches are one of my favorites to use. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

10 peaches- peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
3 T all purpose flour
10 slices of day old bread-I used wheat
1 stick butter

Blend peaches, sugar, and flour together and mix very well. Pour into a 9x13 baking pan. Take your bread and put in your food processor and process until fine, now spread evenly on top of peach mixture. Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle on top of bread crumbs and bake at 350' for 35 minutes or until fruit is bubbling. I like it with vanilla ice-cream on top.

Multi Grain Peasant Bread

This is a good loaf to have with soup but I like it with fresh butter and a salad too. Weird I know but what can I say, I like weird sometimes. It's easy as going to the bakery to buy your bread and you will be glad you did it yourself. It looks like bakery bread with the slashes on top. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today. The creek is up today due to all of the rain the last few days, Spring is definitely here.

Needed:

3 1/2 cups water
2 T granulated yeast or 2 packets
1 T kosher salt
1 cup rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup gluten flour
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Pour water into your Kitchen Aid Mixer, sprinkle yeast on top of water, let it set until slightly foamy, now add the rest of your ingredients and mix until you have a sticky dough. I knead in my mixer for 15 minutes, not very long when you think about how good this bread is. Let bread double in size covered in a warm spot in your kitchen. When doubled, break dough into 3 pieces, which you will make into round loaves, you achieve this by rolling the dough under in your hand. I place mine on a Silpat and then let the loaves rise for 1 hour, once bread has risen slash the top of the loaves a couple of times. Bake at 450' for 25 minutes.

Chocolate Covered Banana Cake

This is the easiest cake you will ever make and it will look very good when you are done. This was made to celebrate Raven's play and it turned out to be a darn good cake if I do say so myself. Well, I guess I just did. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

1 yellow cake mix
1 large package cook and serve banana pudding-cooked according to directions on package
1/2 cup package cook and serve banana pudding mix-for cake mix
1 tub chocolate icing

Mix cake according directions but add 1/2 cup cook and serve banana pudding mix to the cake mixture and stir. You will add the pudding dry and stir it in very well. Bake cake in 2-9 inch cake rounds until a toothpick comes out clean. I just followed the baking directions on the cake mix box. While cake is baking make your pudding and let it cool. Cool cake completely, now spread pudding on one layer of cake and top with the other, now place covered in your fridge overnight, this helps keep everything together and helps the last layer to stay in place. Microwave your icing tub for 15-20 seconds and then spread over the top layer. Spread this out so it drips off the sides a little. Put cake back in the fridge for 1 hour. This is really good with whipped cream or ice-cream.

Easy Chicken and Dressing

Raven loves chicken and dressing and often orders it when we go out to eat. I decided to surprise her and make it at home. Chicken and dressing does not have to be time consuming and saved for Sunday dinner, as it was at my grandmother's home. This is a family pleaser and a budget pleaser. We serve it covered with gravy, but that is up to you. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:
1 boiled chicken-boned and chopped up
4 stalks celery-chopped
2 carrots-chopped
1/2 white onion-chopped
2 T sage
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chicken broth(from boiling your chicken)
1 pan cornbread-crumbled( I keep odd and end pieces in the freezer for dressing.)
6 slices white bread-toasted and cubed
2 sticks butter

Mix together cornbread, white bread, chicken, and sage. Saute carrots, celery, and onion in 2 sticks of butter until fork tender, now add them to the bread mixture and stir very well while salting and peppering to your taste. Add broth a cup at a time until you have a soft mixture that will hold shape when pressed together. Place dressing in a deep casserole pan and bake at 425' for 35 minutes or until a crust forms on top. Serve with gravy and cranberry sauce.

Angel Food Cake

I have made a lot of angel food cakes in my time and this recipe is my favorite and is the easiest to make. Don't be intimidated with the egg whites, beating them until they stand on their own is easy and when you do it once you will never be intimidated again. Egg whites will be your friend, so to speak. I love angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. I think I love all cake with strawberries and whipped cream and if you read this blog, you will agree. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.





Needed:
12 extra large eggs whites-I use free range eggs
1 t cream of tartar
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 t vanilla
1/2 t salt-I use sea salt
1 cup all purpose flour
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat your egg whites until foamy, now add cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, and white sugar, beat until stiff peaks are formed. Now sift together flour and powdered sugar and fold into egg whites
Bake at 350' for 30 minutes on the lowest rack in your oven. Also remember to use an ANGEL FOOD CAKE PAN AND NOT A BUNDT CAKE PAN. Yes, there is a difference.

Wild Spinach

These wild greens are a rite of spring on Beaty’s Creek, guess that is because they are almost everywhere along Beaty’s Creek. I freeze them and eat plenty when they are young too. These particular greens, to me anyway, taste like spinach with a broccoli rabe bite. This is What’s Cookin on Beaty’s Creek along with some fried cornbread.

Needed:

Spring Greens AKA Wild Spinach
Enough water to cover
Salt
Oil

I wash the greens and place them in my salad spinner, then I place them in a caste iron skillet covered with water and cook them until almost all of the water is gone. Now add oil and salt, now you will sauté the greens until tender. I love them with fried cornbread!