Ding Dong Cake AKA Raven's 18th

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• I cannot believe my little Raven turned 18 last month.  Where did all that time go??  She graduated high school and is now enrolling in college,  sniff, sniff.  I know, I know this is what is supposed to happen but gosh it is hard on a mom and dad!  Raven has so many dreams and I do hope life gives her what she has given to life!  Raven is a giver and I love that about her!  This cake is my Ding Dong cake and it is what Raven picked for her birthday cake this year.  This cake is so rich and decadent that a small piece will go far.  Give this a try the next time chocolate is calling your name!  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!

Needed:

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• 2 boxes Duncan Hines  Devils Food cake mix( I learned years ago in a Wilton Class to only buy Duncan Hines boxed mixes

Bake cake according to directions on the box.  Saddens me to say but you know just DO IT!  I cooked mine in 4 round cake pans. Bake according to directions also....  Now go on to the next step so I don't feel like a complete loser!  Cool completely and remove from pans.

White Filling

4 cups whole milk

2 cups butter-softened

2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans-scraped

• 16 T flour
• Mix together  milk and flour. Cook until thick, then cool COMPLETELY. Mix butter and shortening until well incorporated in your Kitchen Aid mixer. Now add in sugar and vanilla beans and mix until mixture is light and fluffy. Now add in  flour mixture and beat until smooth and yummy.
• Now pick out a pretty plate and plop out your first first cake layer.  Spread the filling over cake all the way to the edge.  Make sure it is very even too.  Repeat with each layer of cake until you reach layer 4.  You will not it with filling.  Wrap cake completely with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 1 hour.
• Icing
• 2 t vanilla
• 4 sticks butter-softened
• 6 T whole milk
• 4 T cocoa
• I use a whole bag of powered sugar when I make this icing. Sometimes I need a cup more, I think it depends on the  humidity in your area.
• Mix butter, vanilla, and cocoa together.  Now add in your powdered sugar a cup at a time.  In between sugar add in a T of milk.  Once all of your sugar is mixed in you might need to add a little more milk or sugar.  Just depends if your icing is too runny or too thick.  You want it to be easily spreadable.  Now take your cake out of the freezer and ice it completely!!  You want about 1/4 of icing all over the cake.  Place iced cake in fridge until ready to serve.
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Snickerdoodles

This is Ransome's favorite cookie and mine too. I just love how the kitchen smells when they are baking and how good they taste when done. I think this is one of the easiest cookie recipes that I make and they are sure yummy! Give these a try and you will be so glad you did! This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today!

Needed:

1 cup butter flavor Crisco
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 eggs

Rolling mixture

1 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon

Cream Crisco, sugar, and salt together. Once creamed scrap down bowl and add in one egg at a time. Now add in 1 cup of flour, and baking powder mix until comes together continue to add flour 1 cup at a time until all has been added. Now roll all dough into 1 inch balls. Mix 1 cup sugar and 2 T of cinnamon together well. Roll each ball of cookie dough in this mixture before placing on cookie sheet. Now bake at 350' for 12 minutes. They will be soft but will crisp slightly as they cool.

Garden Fresh Pasta Sauce

Raine loves cherry tomatoes so I planted a few just for her this year.  They are already producing and my basil, for the first year, is doing great too!  I made this a fast pasta sauce the other night and it was a hit.  I went the vegan route but the rest of the family used Parmesan cheese and said it was even better!


Needed:
5 cups cherry tomatoes
2 purple onions- peeled and quartered
2 garlic  bulbs-sliced in half
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups fresh basil leaves-torn
Parmesan cheese-grated
Pasta of your choice cooked al dente




Coat veggies you are getting ready to roast with plenty of olive oil and toss with salt and pepper to your liking. Roast tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a 425' oven for 20 minutes or until tomatoes pop. Once your pasta  is done, drain and then add in your roasted veggies.  Right before serving, toss in basil leaves and Parmesan cheese. Super easy and super good!

Strawberry Sheet Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Strawberry anything is a favorite around here and I try to come up with a new recipe every once in a while.  The first time I made this was in a 9x13 pan, not a good choice.  It was still tasty but a little too banana bread like for a cake in my opinion. We are just now starting to get local strawberries but gosh there have been some incredible sales on California strawberries and they are really sweet too!

Needed:
3 cups fresh strawberries-cleaned and chopped 
2 1/2 cups sugar 
2 cups  flour
2 sticks of butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs-beaten
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla

Over the chopped strawberries, with  1/2 cup of sugar. Let them sit for an hour at room temperature so they can release some of their juices. The berries should reduce to about 1 1/2 cups. Hand  crush the strawberries, you want them juicy but still with some texture. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift 2 cups sugar and flour, and baking soda together in a bowl.

Melt the butter on low in a saucepan and then whisk it with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla. Add the liquid to the flour and then stir in the crushed strawberries.

Pour batter into a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cake is done when a knife comes out clean from the center. Let it cool completely and then frost with whipped cream!!!

Note: The cake will be a little brown. Still tastes great!

Barbecued Meatballs

I served these with my Crack Potatoes and the combo was well received. These are really moist and if you cut your onions small enough, something the whole family will eat. Raven, on the other hand, will not touch anything that she even "thinks" may have onions. I know, silly isn't she??? This is What's Cookin on this beautiful Spring Day on Beaty's Creek!!!


Needed:
3 pounds ground round
2 t salt
3 t black pepper
1 cup of milk
1 cup of oatmeal
1 small onion-grated
1 bottle ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves-smashed
2 T molasses
1 T hot sauce

 In a saucepan add ketchup, brown sugar, 2 smashed garlic cloves, molasses and hot sauce. Cook over low heat for 2 hours. While that is cooking, start your meatballs. Mix together the oatmeal and milk and set aside. Now mix together ground round, onion, salt and pepper. When completely mixed, then add in the oatmeal. Make into to 1 inch balls and now place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.  Once done add to your sauce. Continue to cook for 20 minutes.  I served these with my Crack Potatoes and homemade bread.

Sausage Burgers

I had never eaten a sausage burger until I started dating my husband. His family had always fixed them and I was ready to start the tradition for my family. I remember the first time I fixed them for my parents while still living at home. They were surprised that something so simple could taste so good. Give this a try the next time you grill burgers for something a little different. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek.

Needed:

3 pounds ground chuck
1 pound mild breakfast sausage
1 T salt
1 T pepper


Mix all of the ingredients together and form into patties. Grill until completely done. We top ours with cheese but that is up to you.

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

As I've said several times, my mom could live on peanut butter and ice-cream.  This cake is one of her absolute favorites and the kids just love it with a cold glass of milk.  Spring is upon us here on Beaty's Creek and it is gardening time a little early.  I have been out planting like crazy so hopefully we don't get a winter cold snap.  This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.




Needed:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 vanilla bean-scraped
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Icing: 
2 cups butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar


 In a saucepan heat peanut butter, water, and butter together until it melts together.  Pour into a bowl, now add in your sugars and stir until well blended.  Now add in all the dry ingredients.  Mix until all comes together, now add in the milk and vanilla bean and stir.  Now pour into a parchment lined jelly roll pan.  Spread out smoothly and bake at 325' for 15 minutes.


Mix butter and peanut butter in a saucepan.  Heat until boiling, then remove from heat.  Pour into your bowl and add in powdered sugar a cup at a time until all is added.  Now add in the milk and whip until creamy.  Frost cake while icing is still slightly warm.