Lemonade Party Cake

This recipe immediately caught my eye on Betty Crocker.com and now I have to find an excuse to make it . . . the only thing I will do different is make a cream cheese frosting.



Prep Time: 20 min
Start to Finish: 3 hr 10 min
Makes: 12 servings


1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon or yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 can (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white or fluffy lemon frosting
Yellow colored sugar, if desired



1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool 15 minutes.

2. Mix lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Pierce top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle lemonade mixture evenly over top of cake. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.

3. Spread frosting over top of cake. Sprinkle with sugar. Store covered in refrigerator.


High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box.

Campbell's® Lemon Broccoli Chicken

I've mentioned that since I've become a widow cooking for one has become a chore and I use many shortcuts to make quick and easy meals. One of my secrets is using Campbell Cream Soups . . . their recipes are among my favorites . . . some I have used for years and years.

With the following recipe, I would use left overs from a previous meal . . . my favorite thing to do. For example, I'll cook a batch of chicken and vary the recipes so that I'm not bored with the same meal every night. Same with the broccoli . . . I'll steam a bunch at one time and use it for this recipe one night, another night a frittata . . . etc.

Another thing I love about these recipes . . . you can make different variations. I love mushrooms, so I would add mushrooms to this recipe if I have them available. How about using pork chops instead of chicken? The possibilities are endless . . . there is no need to be bored with recipes!



From: Campbell's Kitchen

Prep/Cook: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 lemon
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions:

CUT 4 thin slices of lemon. Squeeze 2 tsp. juice from remaining lemon.

HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.

ADD soup, milk, lemon juice and pepper. Top chicken with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice.

Baked Smoked Ham

Ever since I found this recipe on David Ruggerio's PBS cooking show "Little Italy" (at least 15 years ago), it has been MY recipe for baked ham. I had tried various recipes, but this is "the one", even though it can get very messy putting the brown sugar on a very hot ham and ending up with burning hands. It is worth it!!

David Ruggerio remains my absolute favorite television chef even though he has not been on television since his unfortunate legal problems . . . not for me to judge! I do miss his sparkling wittypersonality, awesome recipes and "back in the day" stories that parallel my background and reminded me of my childhood . . . well, yeah, he's a sicilian italian. Come back David, your biggest fan misses you!

Here is the recipe for the most awesome baked ham ever . . .

1 large smoked ham, about 12 to 18 pounds
whole cloves
3 cups pineapple juice
I pound dark brown sugar
One 16-ounce bottle dark corn syrup

Preheat the oven to 325° F

Place the ham in a shallow pan. Score the fat and cover it with cloves. Pour the pineapple juice over the ham and bake for 12 minutes per pound.

After baking 1 1/2 hours, remove the ham from the oven and carefully (watch out . . . it is very hot) pat the brown sugar on top, completely covering the top of the ham. Gently pour the corn syrup over the ham, being careful not to disturb the sugar covering. Continue baking, basting every 15 minutes.

Remove the ham from the oven and continue basting until it is cooled, leaving a beautiful glazed look.

I use the remaining syrup as a "gravy" for the ham . . . added cornstarch makes it thicker. I don't measure . . . take a little cornstarch at a time until you get the desired consistency.

A video clip from the series "Little Italy"

Key Lime Cupcakes

Cake mix and ready-to-spread frosting make prep super easy.

Topping

1 box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup Key lime or regular lime juice
4 drops green food color
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


Cupcakes

48 regular-size paper baking cups
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box


Frosting

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 tablespoon Key lime or regular lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated Key lime or regular lime peel



1. In large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with wire whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup Key lime juice and the food color; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Spoon about 1 rounded tablespoonful batter into each muffin cup, using about half of the batter. (Muffin cups will be about 1/3 full.) Refrigerate remaining batter. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Repeat with remaining baking cups and batter. Cool cupcakes completely, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove paper baking cups from cupcakes. Swirl about 2 teaspoons topping on top of each cupcake.

4. Stir frosting in container 20 times. Gently stir in 1 tablespoon Key lime juice and the lime peel. Spoon frosting into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2-inch opening from bottom corner of bag. Squeeze 1 rounded teaspoonful frosting from bag onto topping. Garnish with fresh lime wedge, if desired. Store in refrigerator.



This recipe comes from Betty Crocker.com . . .