Red Velvet Cake with Cheesecake Filling

Each December my son-in-law celebrates his birthday and each December I make him his favorite White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. About a week before his birthday, he called me requesting something different. His favorite cake is Red Velvet and he wanted me to combine Red Velvet cake and cheesecake. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to accomplish his request, but I started by researching the net to see what I could find. I typed red velvet cheesecake into the search engine and found an assortment of cheesecakes with red food coloring. I didn't even look at the recipes because I couldn't get past the color ~ something about it just wasn't appealing to me. Eventually I ran across some ideas that I liked and put my own spin on it. The result was a Red Velvet cake with Cheesecake filling and of course a thick layer of cream cheese icing. The cake was moist and rich (to say the least). I think I fell into a sugar coma after only a small piece, but my son-in-law was happy and that was the point. It is always good to keep the in-laws happy!

Merry, Merry Christmas to everyone

and

May God bless you with His peace, His joy and His love today and in the coming year!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

I made this coffee cake last night for my women's group and I was quite pleased with the results. The cake is moist, not too sweet and filled with nutritious ingredients. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Topping
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter
2/3 cup old fashioned oats

Cake
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

• In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.Stir in oats and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Add yogurt, pumpkin and vanilla and mix well.
• Conbine dry ingredients and stir into wet mixture.
• Place in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish
• Sprinkle with topping
• Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean

Holiday Treats

Can you believe it? Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is just around the corner! So now is a great time to start planning for parties, special dinners, drop-ins, and gift giving! I have put together some of my most popular treats for this season and each one is packaged for gift giving. Or better yet, if you just want to take it home and indulge yourself, I say go ahead, you deserve it! All cookies and treats are made-to-order using only the freshest ingredients. Choose a full size order or pair a cookie bag with one of the hot drink mixes for a unique gift . . . think teacher, special neighbor, co-worker, oh you get the idea. Check out the selections and prices below, and remember, orders need to be placed at least 3 days in advance of expected pick-up date.

Cookies

Large Cookie Tubs $18 (2 dozen cookies) or Cookie Bags $5 (1/2 dozen)
~White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies (filled with white chocolate morsels, cranberries & oatmeal)
~Butter Cookies with Icy Blue Buttercream Frosting (melt in your mouth elegance)
Sweet Treats
~Cookie Dough Truffles $4 (1 dozen) chocolate chip cookie dough covered in chocolate (no eggs)
~Meringue Mints $12 (4 dozen) meringue cookies with Andes Mint pieces
~Cinnamon Glazed Pecans $12 (12 oz. tub) cinnamon spiced pecan halves
Decadent Cheesecakes
$30 (serves 12-16)
~Chocolate Chip Cappuccino (coffee flavored cheesecake with chocolate morsels)
~White Chocolate Raspberry (white chocolate cheesecake marbled with raspberry filling)
Cakes
$25 (serves 12-15)
~Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
~Coconut Cake
Hot Drink Mixes
$4 each (approximately 16 servings)
~French Vanilla Coffee
~Mocha Espresso Coffee
~Hot Chocolate

Email me with questions or to place an order at raredding@hotmail.com
Blessings and Happy Holidays to All!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

There is a hint of fall in the air and that has me super excited for cooler weather, warmer clothes and PUMPKIN! So last evening, I went into the kitchen to see what I could come up with and these muffins were the result of my experiment. I was quite pleased with the results, but try them yourself and see what you think . . .

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ~ 6 oz. container of plain Greek yogurt
1 ~ 15 oz can pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup plain white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger

FILLING:
1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add Greek yogurt and pumpkin and stir well.

In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together. Add vanilla and stir well.

Add half of the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and STIR well (do not use beaters). Stir in buttermilk. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups, either lined with paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Using a small spoon, make a well in the batter of each muffin. Spoon cream cheese mixture into center of each muffin. I used an ice teaspoon and had a little of the cream cheese mixture left over. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and place muffins in center of oven for 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Chip & Peanut Butter Protein Bars

These are my favorite on the go snacks! Now that the fall semester is back in full swing, this is my snack of choice right before heading into class when I need to be concentrating on what the professor is saying rather than an empty stomach. They are packed with healthy oats, milk powder and really, who doesn't love chocolate? Here's how to make your own . . .

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry milk powder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate morsels
3 tablespoons peanut butter (I like to use crunchy)
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. Place peanut butter in a microwave safe dish and micro for about 30 seconds. Mix peanut butter in with dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until foamy and add vanilla. Stir egg white mixture into dry ingredients and mix until all ingredients are moistened. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray and spread ingredients into pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Place pan on wire rack to cool, then cut into bars. Makes 12 bars.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

I think these are my new favorite muffins, although I am sure I will feel that way about any new tasty recipe!  The combination of orange and cranberry is super delicious ~ just try them, I think you will agree! This is a double recipe that makes 24 muffins, but you can easily cut it in half for just 12. Happy baking!

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
4 eggs
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup milled flax seed
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 (6 ounce) package dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and orange juice and beat well.
• In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients together.  Add half of dry ingredients to egg and butter mixture and stir with a spoon (DO NOT use beaters).
• Stir in buttermilk, remaining dry ingredients and dried cranberries.
• Divide batter into 24 muffin cups, either lined with paper cups or sprayed to prevent sticking.
• Sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake muffins for 18-22 minutes.

 Serve warm or place in freezer to be enjoyed later!

Tractor Cake

Got an order for a Tractor Cake and I was a little perplexed about how I was going to pull off the tractor part.  This was for a baby shower and the invites featured a silouhette of a tractor.  How hard can this be I thought ~ well, to my frustration, it was pretty stinkin' hard!  My first attempt resembled something my 15 month old granddaughter might do. I was not impressed and I knew my customer wouldn't be either.  I dashed off to Wally World to find a toy tractor to put on the cake.  I knew in shopping for my grandson a few months ago there had been LOTS of John Deere Tractors available in all sorts of sizes in the toy department.  Evidently, that was then, and this was now, because there was not one toy tractor of any kind on the shelves!!!   Later that night, I visited Tarjay and found a CAT.  It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it would have to do because I was so outta time! I think the results were pretty good and my customer seemed pleased.  Besides as this little boy gets a little older he will have a fun toy that makes really cool sounds.  This was a vanilla cake with raspberry filling, buttercream and chocolate icing.  YUM, YUM!

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

 I thought it would be fun to start sharing some of my favorite recipes and since I am all about muffins these days, I thought this would be a great place to start.  I found this recipe on line and tweaked it a little and these are my results!

Anything that starts with creamed butter and sugar has got to be good . . . right?

 And the juice of a lemon for a nice little zing . . . kinda cuts the sweet taste!

Now I don't have one of those fancy "zesters," but somehow I make this work.

We are getting there with most of the "wet" ingredients.

Here is my assortment of "dry" ingredients.

Ahhhh, the wet and the dry ~ now to put them together.

This is important, use a spoon when you mix the wet and dry together. You don't want to overwork the batter.

Don't worry about "overfilling" the muffin cups.

Cooked to perfection!

How's this for a breakfast or snack?

And while I was working, I heard the sounds of my grandchildren playing.

What wonderfully vivid imaginations they have!

Here is the recipe:

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups whole wheat flour

½ cup all purpose white flour

¼ cup milled flax seed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Juice of one whole lemon

½ teaspoon almond extract

¾ cup buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place whole wheat flour, white flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flax seed in a bowl.  Mix together and set aside.

Place softened butter and sugar in a bowl.  Beat with electric mixer until fluffy.  Add lemon zest and ricotta cheese and mix well.  Next add eggs, lemon juice, and almond extract and continue to beat well.

Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and stir well.  Add buttermilk and stir until all ingredients are moistened.

Prepare muffin pan with either paper liners or spray.  Divide batter evenly into 12 muffin cups.  Sprinkle tops of muffins with broken sliced almonds and white sugar.  Turn temperature down to 350° and place muffins in center of oven.  Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.  Place cooked muffins onto cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.  These freeze well and can be placed in the microwave oven for 30 to 50 seconds on high for a fresh out of the oven taste.

Do You Know the Muffin . . . Lady?

Here are some muffin varieties to tempt you. All muffins are filled with healthy ingredients such as whole wheat flour, flax seed, fresh buttermilk and real butter. They are great for breakfast or a late night snack. The muffins can be frozen and then microwaved until you are ready to eat them. Go ahead, you know you want some!

• Banana Nut Muffins ~ sweetened with ripened bananas and pecan topping
• Lemon Ricotta ~ fresh zing of lemons with ricotta cheese and a hint of almond
• Apple Raisin ~ fresh apples, raisins and cinnamon with cinnamon and sugar topping
• Apple Cranberry ~ a perfect blend of fresh apples and dried cranberries
• Banana Chocolate Chip ~ adding chocolate chips to banana muffins, but of course!
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip ~ chocolate muffins with chocolate chips . . .'nuff said!

Muffins are $15 per dozen

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake ~ need I say more?

Serves 12 to 16

$25

Menu for March

Entrees – $25 each (serves 4-6)

1.    Baked Pasta – pasta baked in a marinara meat sauce with a blend of mozzarella, ricotta & parmesan cheeses.

2.    Lemon Chicken – chicken breasts sautéed in olive oil and then slow cooked in a light lemon sauce.

3.    Pot Roast & Veggies – slow cooked roast with potatoes, carrots, onion & celery.

4.    Spinach & Mushroom Quiche – fresh spinach, mushrooms and onions lightly sautéed in olive oil, and mixed with a blend of Colby & Monterey Jack cheeses.

5.    Barbecue Chicken – chicken breasts slow cooked until tender, shredded & slow cooked again in a blend of special sauce.

Salads & Sides – $10 each(serves 4-6)

1.    Baked Macaroni and Cheese – southern style baked mac & cheese with a blend of Colby, Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar Cheeses.

2.    Fresh Green Salad – Romaine lettuce, glazed pecans, mandarin oranges and blue cheese.

3.    Spinach Strata – a layer of 9 grain bread cubes covered in a layer of sautéed onion, fresh spinach, Colby, Monterey Jack & Asiago cheeses & soaked overnight in a mixture of eggs, milk & spices.

4.    Cheese Spoon Bread – corn meal, eggs, milk and sharp cheddar cheese.

Vegetables - $9 each (serves 4-6)

1.    Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes – small red potatoes cubed and seasoned with fresh garlic & spices.

2.    Baked Squash – yellow squash, onion, butter & spices baked for a delicious take on a popular vegetable.

3.    Baked Sweet Potatoes – sweet potatoes baked & then scooped out & blended with butter, cinnamon & brown sugar.

4.    Fresh Green Beans – green beans cooked just until tender and perfectly seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Breads - $6 each

1.    Focaccia – 10” round of Focaccia with caramelized onion, fresh apple and blue cheese.

2.    Parmesan Bread – yeast bread with Italian spices & Parmesan cheese.

3.    Asiago Cheese Bread – yeast bread with Italian spices & Asiago cheese

Desserts – individually priced

1.    Coconut Pineapple Pie – experienced this pie a couple of years ago while vacationing on Edisto Island ~ absolutely delicious! $12

2.      Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate & Cranberries – delicious twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie. $10 per dozen

3.      Chocolate Chocolate Brownies – pure cocoa, chocolate chips and marshmallows ~ super rich! $12 per dozen

New for March ~ Apple Raisin Muffins

Spring is just around the corner and warm weather means a more active lifestyle. More activity requires more fuel and these muffins are loaded with all kinds of delicious and healthy ingredients to keep you going. They are jammed packed with fresh apples, raisins, cinnamon, whole wheat flour, milled flax seed and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.  They can be kept in the freezer and microwaved for a quick snack on the go, or they go great for breakfast.  Muffins are $15 per dozen, or $7.50 for a half dozen.

Got Cake?

 Cate's First Birthday Cake

 This one was actually shared by the adults!

This was Cate's very own cake

I think it was a hit!

The large cake was a ten inch, two layer cake with buttercream icing.  It will feed 16 to 18 people.  Cakes can be created to match your theme or decor.  Contact me for available flavors, sizes and prices.

Power Packed Protein Bars

Protein bars are a great, nutritious snack for a quick pick me up or even as a meal replacement when you are in a hurry. These protein bars are packed with all sorts of delicious and nutritious ingredients without any of the fillers or questionable ingredients of store bought brands.


The bars are made with old fashioned oats, dry milk powder, egg whites and just a touch of brown sugar. Choose from 3 different varieties:

• Chocolate Chip & Pecan - 227 calories per bar
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip - 252 calories per bar
• Sunflower Seeds, Raisins & Cranberries - 184 calories per bar

Health benefits:


Oats

• lower cholesterol
• boosts immune system
• energy booster
• reduces high blood sugar

Nuts & Seeds

• unsaturated fats (helps lower LDL cholesterol)
• provides energy
• helps to maintain strong immune system
• helps to curb your appetite

Dark Chocolate

• contains antioxidants

Bars are individually wrapped and are $14 per dozen.

Some Pictures to Tempt You!

Asiago Cheese Bread

Chicken & Broccoli Quiche

Sweet Treats for Valentine's Day

Sweet Treats
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and here is a great idea for that special someone in your life!  Why not treat them to a box of homemade goodies?  These make great gifts for your significant other, a special friend or even a great teacher's gift!  All treats come gift boxed and tied with a beautiful bow.  You may choose from the following or any combination of treats:
Chocolate Chip Merangue Cookies		$10.00
16-18 cookies	sweet, light and melt in your mouth
Chocolate, Chocolate Brownie Bites		$12.00
16 bites	pure cocoa, chocolate chips & marshmallows
Cinnamon Glazed Pecans		$15.00
12 ounces	cinnamon, sugar & pecans
Create Your Own (any two of the three selections)
Price is half of each selection. Ex: Pecans & Brownie Bites $13.50
Keepsake Gift Box (includes all three selections)		$40.00

Menu for February

Some of you were having trouble opening the menu so here it is:

Menu for February 2011

Entrees – $25 each (serves 4-6)

1.    Baked Pasta – pasta baked in a marinara meat sauce with a blend of mozzarella, ricotta & parmesan cheeses.

2.    Bratwurst with rice & beans – whole grain rice with bratwurst, kidney beans, black beans, onion, tomatoes & a touch of hot peppers for a spicy kick.

3.    Pot Roast & Veggies – slow cooked roast with potatoes, carrots, onion & celery.

4.    Chicken & Broccoli Quiche – tender chicken, fresh broccoli, onions & a blend of Colby & Monterey Jack cheeses.

5.    Barbecue Pork – pork roast slow cooked until tender, shredded & slow cooked again in a blend of special sauce.

Soups – 1 Quart $12

1.    Baked Potato – baked potatoes, turkey bacon, onion and sour cream come together to create a delicious & hearty soup.

2.    Turkey Chili – ground turkey, red beans, black beans, tomatoes & spices for a delicious mild chili.

Vegetables - $9 each (serves 4-6)

1.    Green beans with Small Red Potatoes

2.    Baked Squash – yellow squash, onion, butter & spices baked for a delicious take on a popular vegetable.

3.    Baked Sweet Potatoes – sweet potatoes baked & then scooped out & blended with butter, cinnamon & brown sugar.

4.    Spinach Strata – a layer of 9 grain bread cubes covered in a layer of sautéed onion, fresh spinach, Colby, Monterey Jack & Asiago cheeses & soaked overnight in a mixture of eggs, milk & spices.

Breads - $6 each

1.    Cornbread – southern style yellow cornbread baked in an iron skillet.

2.    Parmesan Bread – yeast bread with Italian spices & Parmesan cheese.

3.    Asiago Cheese Bread – yeast bread with Italian spices & Asiago cheese

Desserts – individually priced

1.    Mini Cheesecakes – single serving cheesecakes enough to satisfy the sweet tooth and not derail your diet. Can be made with low fat Neufchatel Cheese. Choose from plain with cherry topping or Oreo Cookie. $15 per dozen

2.      Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate & Cranberries – delicious twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie. $10 per dozen

Menu for February 2011

Here it is ~ my first menu! I am offering some classics like pot roast & veggies, barbecue pork & baked pasta that are sure to please and satisfy. There is also a selection of soups to warm up with on those cold winter nights that will be lingering on for the next few weeks. Check out the breads and desserts! Let me know if you have any special requests as I will do my best to accommodate your needs and/or taste preferences. Copy and paste the link below to access the menu:


M:\Rachel's Docs\Nonnie's Kitchen\Menu for February 2011.pdf


And look for info on my Valentine Special coming soon!

It's 5:00 and what's for dinner?

It's been a long day, you're tired and now you have hungry mouths to feed and no idea where to start!  How do you serve something healthy, nutritious, but most of all with little to no work involved?   The answer is: let Nonnie do the cooking for you.  You can choose from wholesome entrees, sides, soups, snacks and desserts that suit your tastes and lifestyle.  Each recipe is individually prepared for you, packaged and ready for pick-up to place in your frig or freezer. 


How does it work?  Each week you make your selections from our menu and place your order by Tuesday of that week.  You can choose as few or as many as you would like.  Your meals will be prepared and ready for pick-up the following Saturday and Sunday.  Each month a new menu will be available listing that month's selections ~ special requests are always available.