Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Coat 10 cup bundt pan with Pam or baking spray; set aside

Walnut Streusel Filling
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Place the above ingredients into mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes until Crumbly. Set aside. (mine came out a little wet... turns out great either way after baking)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.

Place butter and sugar in mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Stop and scrap bowl. Continue mixing on low speed and add eggs one at a time, beating about 20 seconds after each addition. Stop and scrap bowl. Continue mixing on low speed and add sour cream mixing until combined (about 1 minute). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda in medium bowl and add mixture gradually until combined. Batter will be thick.

Spoon 2/3 of batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with spatula. Add Walnut Streusel Filling evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter and then remaining filling. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with friends and family!!!

Sarah B's Family Lumpia Recipe

For those who don't know what lumpia is, it is the Filipino version of an egg roll or spring roll.  Below I've posted my family recipe, and I have found that pretty much every Filipino family has their own recipe.  So, if you've had lumpia before, that explains why this recipe is so different ... and so delicious! ;)  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family has.  (That's me manning the fryer in the proper fashion ... with a glass of vino!)

Ingredients: 

Lumpia wrappers (50, so 1 or 2 boxes depending on count)

1lb ground beef

1lb pork sausage

1 onion, diced

6 large cloves of garlic, finely diced

1 can French cut green beans, drained well

1 can garbanzo beans, drained well

1 can water chesnuts, drained well and diced OR 1 potato, peeled and finely diced

1 package cole slaw mix (cabbage and carrots)

salt and pepper to taste

For wrapping:

About a tbs of cornstarch and a cup or so of water in a bowl

Use vegetable oil for frying.

Preparation:

In large pan, brown meats and drain grease.  Add onion and garlic; saute for a few minutes on low heat until onion is soft.  Add all other ingredients.  Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until ingredients are evenly heated.  If using potato, cook until potato is soft.  Cool.

Wrappers:

A word about wrappers: you can purchase them in any Asian market and can purchase ones that are stuck together (about 50-count per package) or separated with paper (about 30-count per package).  Separating the wrappers can be challenging because they are thin and can stick together if they are not super fresh.  You should also separate and wrap all in the same time block because if you try to separate the wrappers in advance, they will dry up and harden.  

Once filling is cooled (this is important because warm filling will cause the wrappers to tear), you then need to fill and wrap your lumpias.  Lay one wrapper on a flat surface.  Take one heaping tablespoon of filling and spoon onto wrapper at about 2 inches from one edge (filling should be positioned as you would fill a burrito).  Fold closest edge over filling.  Fold outer edges over so ends become closed.  Roll together so you are wrapping the wrapper around.  Using the cornstarch/water mixture, soak the free end in mixture.  Using fingers, smooth wrapper so it adheres to the lumpia.  Set aside.  Once you've finished wrapping, deep fry until wrappers become a medium golden brown.  Cool and enjoy.

For dipping sauces: use Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce (can be bought at same Asian market where you find your lumpia wrappers), sweet and sour sauce, or my favorite, vinegar and garlic sauce. 

Vinegar and garlic sauce is about 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with several diced garlic cloves and some fresh ground pepper.  Let the vinegar sauce season overnight for best flavor. 

This recipe makes about 4-dozen lumpia (usually about 3 inches long and 1 inch in diameter). 

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Beatty's Chocolate Cake....but ladies, it is made with Chocolate and Coffee... what could be better? ?????

Saw this on a recipe made on Barefoot Contessa and immediately downloaded it. It is to die for.

Enjoy!

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 buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

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 buttermilk, 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 coffee 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: 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut) 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
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.

Faz's Famous Lemon Bars

*These bars are best served the same day. If making ahead, refrigerate, bring to room temperature, and sift with powdered sugar before serving. Makes one 8” pan; total preparation time: 50 mins.

*Toast; set aside 3 T.:
½ c sliced almonds

*Whisk together; Cut in:
¾ c all-purpose flour
1/3 c powdered sugar
½ t. almond extract
¼ t. table salt
Remaining toasted almonds, finely chopped
6 T. unsalted butter; chilled, cubed

*Sprinkle with; Bake:
3 T. reserved toasted almonds

For the filling:
*Combine; Whisk in:
1 c sugar
¼ c all-purpose flour
3 eggs
Add:
½ c fresh lemon juice (about 4 small or 2 large lemons)
2 t. lemon zest (finely grated rinds)
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line an 8” square baking pan with foil.

Toast almonds for the crust in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, 3-5 mins. Set aside 3 T. to layer on the crust; chop the rest to mix into crust.

Whisk together flour, sugar, almond extract, salt, and chopped almonds. Cut in butter with a fork until mixture is dry and crumbly; press into prepared pan.

Sprinkle with reserved almonds, pressing them into the crust. Bake until the edges are golden, 20-25 mins.

Combine sugar and flour for the filling; whisk in the eggs.

Add lemon juice and zest. Pour over warm crust and dust with powdered sugar. Return to oven and bake until filling no longer jiggles in center, 18-20 mins. Cool completely on rack. Remove from pan by lifting foil by the edges; remove foil and cut into squares. Dust with more powdered sugar.

Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs.