Red Velvet Cake (Fine cooking) Makes one 9-inch cake. Red velvet cake is a dessert that everyone oohs and aahs over�it�s tall, dark, and handsome, with deep crimson cake layers and a thick coating of cream cheese frosting above, around, and between. This red velvet cake recipe excerpted from David Guas and Raquel Pelzel's DamGoodSweet, is about as southern as a cake can be, but their version veers a bit from tradition. For the cake: 2 sticks (1 cup) plus 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 (1-lb.) box light brown sugar (about 2-1/4 cups) 3 Tbs. red food coloring 2-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 large eggs 1-3/4 cups buttermilk For the frosting 1-1/4 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature 2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 (2-lb.) bag confectioners� sugar (about 7-1/4 cups) To make the cake Heat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with 1 Tbs. of butter each. Add 2 Tbs. of the flour to each pan and shake the pans to coat the bottom and sides. Tap out the excess flour and set the pans aside. Sift the remaining 3 cups of flour with the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) cream the remaining butter with the brown sugar, food coloring, and vanilla on low to combine. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and pale, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and add one-third of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat, finishing with the final third of the dry mix. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans, spreading it out as evenly as possible. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the center of the cake resists slight pressure, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then run a paring knife around the edges of each pan to release the cake from the sides; invert the cakes onto the cooling rack. Cool for 1 hour, and then wrap each cake in plastic wrap for at least a few hours. To make the frosting Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add a few cups of the confectioners� sugar, incorporating it into the cream cheese mixture on low speed until combined. Repeat with the remaining sugar, adding it to the mixer in two additions. Once all of the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. To assemble the cake Unwrap the cake layers. Slice off the rounded top 1/8 inch of each cake and place the trimmed-away portion in the bowl of a food processor. Slice each cake in half horizontally (you�ll end up with 4 layers), working over a baking sheet to catch any crumb. Add the crumbs to the food processor and pulse until fine. Place one cake layer on a cake round or large plate (make sure that the diameter of the plate is at least 1 inch larger than the cake). Use an offset spatula to evenly spread a heaping 3/4 cup of frosting on the first cake layer. Repeat with the remaining three cake layers, ending with a bottom half of a cake on top, browned-side up (so you don�t get cake crumbs in the frosting). Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake (the sides don�t have to look perfect�you�re going to cover them with cake crumbs anyway). Gently press a handful of the reserved crumbs into the side of the cake until all of the sides are evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. make ahead tips You can make the cake layers up to 3 days in advance. The filled and frosted cake keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Let it stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Ok! How about this one? Come on! Let's party!!! Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Mayo Steamy Kitchen 2008 If you are using frozen shrimp, defrost by placing in a bowl of ice water. Raw shrimp should always be kept chilled. Safety note regarding frying, always keep a lid for the pan close by, as well as ice. Ingredients 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce 1 teaspoon chili-garlic hot sauce (optional) 1 pound tail-on shrimp, shelled but leave tail on 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 egg 2 tablespoons coconut milk (or regular milk) Salt and pepper 1/2 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes Oil, for frying Method In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and the chili-garlic hot sauce (optional). Set aside. With a paring knife, slice down deep at the middle of the back of the shrimp, but do not cut all the way through. Discard the black vein/tract. Set three shallow bowls side by side. Place flour in the first bowl; whisk the egg and coconut milk in the second; and combine the panko and coconut flakes in the third. Heat 2 inches of oil in a saut� pan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 350�F. As the oil is heating, bread the shrimp by dipping the shrimp on both sides in the flour and shaking excess off. Next dip in the egg/coconut milk mixture and then in the panko/coconut flakes, patting to ensure the coating sticks well. Fry the shrimp in small batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Serve with Sweet Chili Mayo for dipping. Serves 4.

This is a Paula Deen recipe and my family just loves it. Smoked Sausage Jambalaya So very good, so Louisiana style good. You are not going to believe how easy this dish is to prepare. Serves: 6 Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ingredients 1/2 pound Smithfield Smoked Sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices 2 1/2 cups water 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 bay leaf 3 tablespoons dried minced onion 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup long-grain rice 1/2 to 3/4 pound medium, fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined. Steps In a Dutch oven add water, tomatoes, tomato sauce. Add dry ingredients, smoked sausage and rice. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. You do not want to overcook the shrimp. A tip from Paula: Never cook the shrimp before you add it to the jambalaya. You want all of the wonderful shrimp flavors to cook into your jambalaya and cooking it before would make the shrimp overcooked (rubbery). Shrimp cooks so quickly, it is best to add it at the last few minutes.

Ohhhh that sounds sooooo good! Thank you! Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookie a clone of Nutter Butters or Girl Scout Do-Si-Dos. Even if you don't make them into a sandwich cookie, they are to die for, or as the someone else stated... LETHAL!!! 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup quick cooking oats In a large bowl, cream together butter or margarine, peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350* for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown. Filling 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream Cream butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches. Note: Since I seldom have cream on hand, I make the old fashioned Gravy Frosting, and substitute peanut butter for part of the butter in it. 2 Tablespoons flour 1/4 cup milk Whisk together and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a thick blob. LOL Set aside to cool 2 Tablespoons butter or butter Crisco 4 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter 6 Tablespoons sugar Beat these together until light and fluffy and sugar is dissolved. Beat in the cooked mixture. Place in a baggie, snip off the corner and squeeze onto a cookie, top with another cookie.