Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth. Fill cupcake liners with 1/4 cup of batter (should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Frost with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe. If desired garnish with Lemonhead Sour Candies.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 (16-ounce) packages powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 20 seconds or until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and chopped strawberries, beating at low speed until creamy. Add more sugar if frosting is too thin, or add strawberries if too thick. Makes 2.5 cups.

Creamy Lemon Meringue Pie

3 eggs
1 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1 1/2 c condensed milk
1/2 c water
Juice and grated rind from one lemon
1 T butter

Combine milk and water in saucepan. Beat egg yolks until thick and smooth and add to milk. Add lemon juice, rind, and butter. Cook 2 minutes. Pour into baked pie crust. Cover with meringue made with stiffly beaten egg whites, 3 T sugar and pinch of cream of tartar. Bake in 325 F oven for 20 minutes.

Fruit Dip Recipes

Tonight I saw beautiful watermelons for the first time of the season. I love sweet watermelons and sweet grapes dipped in yummy fruit dip. Following are a few of my favs. Enjoy!

Coconut Fruit Dip
1 Can Cream of Coconut
7 oz Marshmallow Cream
8 oz Cream Cheese

Mix together with mixer or by hand. Stir well before serving.

Rich Fruit Dip
7 oz marshmallow cream
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
8 oz. sour cream
4 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 Tbsp. lemon

Mix together well with hand or stand mixer.

Easy Chocolate Fruit Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup chocolate syrup
7 oz marshmallow cream

Use a mixer to beat together cream cheese and chocolate syrup. Fold in the marshmallow cream. Chill until ready to serve.

Maple Fruit Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
½ c sour cream
¼ c sugar
¼ c packed brown sugar
1 – 2 T maple syrup

In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugars,and syrup to taste. Beat until smooth. Chill before serving.


Mock Devonshire Cream
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in whipping cream. With an electric mixer, beat mixture until stiff. Store in refrigerator.

Fresh Lime Fruit Dip
1 cup Sour Cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime peel

Combine all dip ingredients in small bowl. Cover; refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Serve dip with assorted fresh fruit.

Taste of Texas Brown Sugar Sour Cream Sauce
(for fresh berries)

1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Mix together and serve over fresh berries.

Strawberry Dream Cake

The following is definitely a family favorite of Mom's cakes!

Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix

Mix as directed except use milk instead of water and add 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring. Pour into 3 - 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degress for 20 - 25 mintues or until done. Do not over bake. Allow cake to cool as directed on box.

Frosting:
1 8 oz cream cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
8 oz cool whip

Fresh Strawberries, sliced or frozen sliced strawberries, thawed

Beat first four ingredients together until smooth. Stir in cool whip

Stack cake with frosting between each layer and top with berries. Then frost sides and top of cake. Garnish with sliced strawberries. Store cake in the refrigerator

Mocha Punch

Today Kent and I attended the Texas Bible College Reception in Lufkin. We enjoyed visiting with friends and family. Knowing we were going to have lunch immediately following the reception I chose only a cookie and a drink. Mom insisted I try the 'chocolate punch'. Wow! What a wonderful punch! Knowing Pat McInnis, the Food Service Manager, I made myself at home and wandered into the kitchen in search of her. I explained I LOVED the punch and asked if she would share the recipe.

Girlfriends, this punch is amazing!!!! It is a milkshake texture but has a ever so faint coffee flavor. I love frappuccinos but this is better than any I've ever had. Beside the punch bowl twere cans of whipping cream for garnish. I would probably feel the need to invest in a fancy whipping cream dispenser that uses the nitrous oxide chargers from Sur La Table. I struggled with the red can sitting on the table beside a punch bowl. I know that is weird but it just 'bothered' me.

1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup instance choclate drink mix (Swiss Mix for hot choc or similar)
1/2 sugar
1/4 cup instant coffee granules
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
whipped cream, optional for topping individual cups

In large saucepan, bring water to boil. Remove from heat. Add drink mix, sugar, and coffee. Stir until dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hrs or overnight.

20 - 30 minutes prior to serving pour drink mix into punch bowl. Add ice cream by scoopfuls. Stir until partially melted.

Guests can garnish with whipped cream if desired

Yield approx 20 - 25 servings (5 qts)

Cheeseburger Stuffed French Bread

1 lb Ground Beef
Minced onion, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
Velveeta Cheese slices or grated cheddar cheese
1 loaf fresh French bread

Brown meat with onion, drain. Add soup and pepper. Simmer over low heat until bubbly. Slice top 1/3 of bread. Hollow bread from larger piece to form bowl. Reserve 1/2 of the crumbs. Crumble reserved crumbs into small pieces. Combine meat mixture with crumbs and return to bread bowl. Top with cheese. Cover with bread top. Wrap with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for approx 20 minutes. Bake until cheese is melted.

NOTE:

I recently prepared 6 loaves for a crowd. Prior to wrapping the bread with foil and baking I sliced the loaves for serving. Once I removed bread from the oven it was ready to serve. I simply served with chips and dip. Of course I had fruit and desserts, too!!

Cake Balls

1 cake mix
Ingredients needed for cake mix
3/4 can of frosting
1 pkg of Almond Bark or Wilton Confectionary Wafer Coating

Bake the cake according to package instructions. While warm, crumble the cake into a bowl. Using a hand mixer continue to crumble to a fine texture. Mix in frosting to make a paste.

Using a melon baller, small cookie scoop, or your hands form the mixture into 1 ½ -inch balls. (Walnut size) Place the balls on wax paper; freeze uncovered for 2 hours.

Working in small batches, remove the balls from the freezer and dip the balls into warm, melted Almond Bark Coating or Confectionery Wafer Coating, using toothpicks or forks to manipulate the balls. Remove the balls. Place the balls on wax paper to harden.

Flavor Varieties:
Birthday Cake
French Vanilla Cake Mix (add a little almond flavoring to the mix)
Cream Cheese Frosting
White Chocolate Bark or Coating

Dipped Strawberries
Strawberry Cake Mix
Strawberry Frosting
Chocolate Bark

Carmel Pound Cake
Pound Cake
Carmel icing with pecans and coconut
Chocolate Bark

Very Lemon
Lemon Cake Mix
Lemon Frosting

Decorating Ideas:

• Drizzle with alternating color of bark. This will cause the balls to look like Truffles.


• Place in paper candy holders to dress the appearance or gift giving.


• For ideas & INSRUCTIONS for CAKE POPS go here. You will need to scroll down. I LOVE Bakerella!

Easy Almond Joy Cake

Cake:
Prepare 1 box Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Cake mix using milk instead of water. Pour into sheet cake pan and bake as directed on package.


Filling:
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
24 large marshmallows
7 oz can Angel Flake coconut

Combine milk and sugar; add marshmallows. Heat until melted. Add coconut. Pour over cake while hot.

Topping:
1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup evaporated milk
½ cup butter
1 ½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds or chopped pecans

Mix sugar, butter, and milk in medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil, add chocolate chips. Stir until melted over low heat. Add nuts. Pour over cake.