Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

2 8-inch or 9-inch chocolate cakes, baked and cooled
(use German Chocolate Cake)
2 cans of cherry pie filling
3 cups cold whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar


Directions

Split each cake in half horizontally to create a total of 4 layers. Crumble one of the layers into a bowl and set aside.

Beat the cold whipping cream and the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer set at high speed until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream for decorative piping.

Place one cake layer on the serving plate. Spread with 1 cup of whipped cream and top with 3/4 cup cherry filling. Place second cake layer on top. Spread with 1 cup of whipped cream and top with 3/4 cup cherry filing. Top with third cake layer.

Frost sides of cake with remaining whipped cream and pat gently with cake crumbs that were made earlier.

Spoon reserved 1 1/2 cups of whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe around the top and bottom edges of the cake. Spoon remaining cherry filling over the top of the cake.

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup boiling water
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature


Directions

Grease two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a small bowl, pour boiling water on chocolate and stir until smooth, then set aside until it reaches room temperature.

In the bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, melted chocolate, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.

Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there's no trace of egg white visible.

Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake layers completely. Then proceed to fill as desired.

Minestrone

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
7 cups chopped vegetables (celery, carrot, pepper, onion, corn, cabbage, etc.)
5 cups beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can white beans
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta of your choice
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping


Directions

In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped vegetables and continue to saute for approximately 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Add broth and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and add beans, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for at 15 minutes.

Add pasta to the soup and continue to simmer until pasta is tender (at least 15 more minutes).

Once pasta is tender, the soup is ready to be served. Ladle into individual serving bowls and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.


This recipe is also linked to...

Sunday Night = Soup Night
Seasonal Inspiration Saturday

Ham & Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup diced cooked ham (I like more ham, so I double or even triple it)
water, enough to cover
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (goat's milk or rice milk also work)

DIRECTIONS

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion and ham in a stockpot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, corn, salt and pepper.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.


NOTE: I don't do the butter, milk and flour in a separate pot. Once the potatoes are tender, I add the butter to the pot. In a small bowl I whisk together the milk and flour and then add it to the pot and stir it over medium-low heat until the soup is thickened.

NOTE: Some people add peas or corn when making the soup and cheese when serving the soup. Also have used the recipe but changed out the veg and meat for different ones. If you have more time you can use ham on the bone and then de-bone it when you want to serve it.


This recipe is also linked to...

Seasonal Inspiration Saturday