Raspberry-Lemonade Cake

This cake looks and sounds delicious and uses the best of convenience foods to make it quick and easy to prepare.

Love the idea of a poke cake and the addition of frosting and Cool Whip . . . can't wait to try this!

This recipe and photo comes from Betty Crocker.

Ingredients

1 cup very hot water

1 box (4-serving size) Jell-O™ raspberry-flavored gelatin

1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ white cake mix

1/2 cup frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate

1/4 cup water 

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 egg whites

1 container Betty Crocker™ Whipped vanilla frosting

1 cup Cool Whip™ frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, if desired

Lemon peel strips, if desired



Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). 

Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour. 

Mix hot water and gelatin until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Cool slightly.

Beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the gelatin mixture, 1/4 cup of the lemonade concentrate, the water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. 

Reserve remaining gelatin mixture and lemonade concentrate.

Bake 25 to 31 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Poke warm cake every inch with fork tines. Remove 1 tablespoon of the reserved gelatin mixture to microwavable small bowl.  In another bowl, mix remaining gelatin mixture and remaining 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate and pour slowly over cake. 

Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Fold together frosting and whipped topping.  Frost cake. 

Microwave 1 tablespoon gelatin mixture uncovered on High 10 seconds to liquefy. Place small drops of gelatin mixture over frosting; with spoon or toothpick, swirl gelatin into frosting. 

Garnish each piece with raspberries and lemon peel strips. 

Store covered in refrigerator.

Source:  Betty Crocker.com

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Sassy Fruit Salsa

Sassy Fruit Salsa
1 1/3 cups large chunks peeled kiwifruit (2 medium)
1 cup chopped peeled oranges (2 medium)
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root, if
desired

Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
1 cup milk
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
Powdered sugar, if desired

In large bowl, mix salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled.

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour, or spray with baking spray with flour, 10- or 12-cup fluted tube (bundt cake) pan. In medium bowl, beat dry cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour into pan.

Bake 40 to 46 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; turn upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate and remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Place cake on serving plate; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Stir salsa; serve with cake. Store cake loosely covered. Store salsa covered in refrigerator.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DoriesDeliciousDishes/

Fruit Smoothies

Ingredients
1 C. vanilla-flavored fat-free soy milk or 1/2 C. vanilla yogurt plus 1/2 C. skim milk
1/2 frozen banana
1 C. frozen fruit: strawberries, blueberries, peaches, melon etc.
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)


Directions
Place the soy milk (or yogurt/skim milk) and banana in a blender and mix until smooth. Add the frozen fruit and blend until smooth.


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When I'm seriously dieting, smoothies made with the powder form of Slim Fast are my primary meals. My smoothies are loosely based on this recipe with the following variations:

I use fat free half and half . . . makes a very creamy, rich tasting smoothie . . . add a handful of ice to the blender to make it thick like a milk shake.

For flavored smoothies, I use vanilla Slim Fast with fat free yogurt in my preferred flavor, add a handful of ice and fat free half and half.  The yogurt makes it much creamier and provides a greater variety of flavors.


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Tropical Smoothie

Ingredients
6 oz. cold water
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
6 oz. vanilla or strawberry yogurt (for a creamy or more fruity taste)
1 banana, sliced
1/2 C. frozen mixed berries

Directions
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth and purple.

Cottage Cheese Fruit Salad

This is one of those recipes that is so versatile and adaptable to your taste and dietary needs. It is what I make to take care of my sweet tooth when I'm seriously dieting . . . it is excellent even when made with no fat cottage cheese and sugar free jello.


Here is the basic recipe . . .

24 ounces cottage cheese
1 (12 ounce)container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 ounce) package orange flavored gelatin mix
2 (11 ounce)cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 (20 ounce)can pineapple chunks, drained


Blend together the cottage cheese, whipped topping
and gelatin. Add the oranges and pineapple; mix well
and refrigerate until chilled.


Variations . . .

Strawberries with strawberry flavored gelatin

I love adding walnuts and coconut to any combination
(sorry, I don't measure - I go by how it looks in the bowl)

Fruit cocktail is excellent with any flavored gelatin

Experiment with different flavors and fruits

Fruity Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/4 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 C. sugar
4 oz. cream cheese -- cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 egg
1/3 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. frozen fruit (unthawed)

Directions

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add sugar and mix well. Add cream cheese squares; coat well with flour mix. In another medium bowl, combine egg, oil, milk and vanilla. Add reserved dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in frozen fruit. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill greased muffin pans half full. Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes or until they test done.

Makes 10 to 12 muffins.

Country Morning Muffins

Muffins are one of my favorite things! In the past week I have been searching for something that hits the spot since it seemed like everything was boring me . . . and muffins won. Now that I am in a muffin-obsessed mood, I'm on a quest for muffin recipes that I have not tried and will also post some of my favorite muffin recipes.

Here is one that you can vary by changing the type of fruit or add nuts, raisins, dried fruit . . . I like to make a basic batch of muffin batter, divide it up and make variations from one batch.


Ingredients

1 C. fresh or frozen fruit
2 C. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 C. milk
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon


Directions

Cut fruit in small pieces. Combine flour, baking powder, 3/4 C. sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in fruit until well blended. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add butter and milk. Stir into the flour mixture just to blend. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with 1/4 C. sugar and cinnamon.

Bake in 400-degree oven about 15 minutes.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins