Red White and Blueberry Trifle

This is the best trifle in the entire world! I will not enjoy any other.
I heard of this recipe from my friend, Sam, who had gotten it from Martha Stewart.
It calls for store bought pound cake, which makes it super easy, but I've always made my own.
I usually put almost double the pound cake in this trifle. I have also had success with the combination of fresh mango chunks and sliced strawberries.

Red, White, and Blueberry Trifle

Serves 6; prep time: 30 minutes; total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
This dessert would be right at home at a Fourth of July barbecue. You can substitute sliced fresh strawberries for the raspberries, if you prefer.

• 1/4 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 store-bought pound cake (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 bar reduced-fat cream cheese (8 ounces), room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups fresh blueberries (three 1/2-pint containers), rinsed and dried
• 3 cups (two 6-ounce containers) fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries

1. Make lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Let cool completely, then brush over both sides of cake slices. Quarter each slice.
   
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar on high speed until lightened. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add heavy cream in a steady stream; continue beating until mixture is light and airy (mixture will be like a very soft whipped cream).
   
3. Arrange half the cake pieces in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. Spoon half the cream-cheese mixture over cake in dollops; spread to sides of dish. Scatter half the blueberries and raspberries on top. Repeat layering with remaining cake, cream-cheese mixture, and berries, piling berries in the center.

Cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Light and Fluffy Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls

These rolls have a wonderful light and fluffy texture. I change the original recipe to be a bit healthier.

Oatmeal Sourdough Rolls
Adapted from Allrecipes.com, original recipe here.

• 1 cup sourdough starter
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 tablespoons honey (or agave)
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons yeast

Mix dough in a bread machine or with a stand mixer. I just put the ingredients in a bowl and used the dough hooks attachment on my hand mixer.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Dough will be very soft, you might want to flour your hands and the top of the dough while you press it out. Use a biscuit cutter to cut rolls, place on oiled baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
Yummy!

Gluten (Seitan) Roast

We have many different varities of gluten roasts in my family. We use this as a main dish for Thanksgiving. This is my favorite recipe!

Gluten Roast

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

gluten:
3 cups vital wheat gluten
3 cups warm vegetarian chicken broth (can use water)

Mix together in large bowl until just combined. Add seasoning.

seasoning:
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika

Mix seasoning and stretch gluten to get seasoning into every part of the gluten. Use your hands and rub seasoning on gluten. Place in a lightly greased baking dish. Pop in oven for about 50 minutes to an hour, until middle is cooked and not rubbery raw. You may want to take roast out half way, cut it in quarters, and flip it for the rest of the baking time. I use a stoneware baking dish, so it's not needed with that.
After gluten roast is done and has cooled for a few minutes, you may want to slice on a diagonal to serve. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables.

The Chocolate Cake Formally Known as Beatty's

This recipe used to be Beatty's Chocolate Cake from Ina Garten (aka The Barefoot Contessa). Click here for the original recipe!

I made this cake for Mom's (Barbara) Birthday on May 30th.
Now, since we don't use coffee and I don't keep milk in the house, I changed that. I'm posting my version! I also cut the icing recipe in half, I just knew it was going to be WAY too much.
This is a very light and moist cake. I usually like dense cakes, but this one was really good!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• Butter, for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup almond milk, plus 1 T lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot Teechino (or any roasted herbal drink)
  

Directions

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the almond milk with lemon, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the Teechino and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Frosting:

3 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 small egg yolk, at room temperature (you can omit this or use half a large egg yolk)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 C + 2 tablespoons cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons instant roasted herbal drink (or 2 teaspoons of hot Teechino)

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Pizza!

We love pizza in our house. I think Scott could eat it every day. In this picture, I used veggie italian sausage, green peppers, pineapple, and fresh baby portabella mushrooms.
There are so many options for pizza! I also make an alfredo mushroom, fresh spinach pizza often.
Next I'll try my hand at a Greek pizza with feta...Scott won't be as thrilled for that one!
This is my favorite pizza crust recipe. It always turns out beautifully. I can get it really thin too and it tastes amazing. I use bread flour, it seems to easier to work with. I also don't bother making a crust, I like my toppings to go all the way to the edges. Use a pizza stone for the BEST results! You can pile as many toppings as you want and your crust won't get soggy this way.
Make more dough than you need and freeze them for a quick pizza!

Jay's Signature Pizza Crust
(from allrecipes.com)

2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 C warm water (110 F)
1 tsp salt
2 T olive oil
3 1/3 C bread flour (you might need more if using all purpose)

Pour water into a large bowl, sprinkle in brown sugar and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in salt and oil. Mix in 2 1/2 C of the flour. Knead until not sticky (if using bread flour, it can be a little sticky). Place in oiled bowl, cover. Rise 1 hour (or longer if you want!), til doubled. Punch down and form two tight balls. Yields two large thin crust pizzas.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. When pizza is assembled, pop in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and starting to get brown and crust is the right crispness for you.