Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake

1 cup Coca Cola (real thing, not diet)
1/2 cup oil
1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting:

1 stick butter
3 Tablespoon cocoa
6 Tablespoon of cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, mix Coca Cola, oil, butter and cocoa and bring to a boil. In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Pour the boiling Cola mixture over the flour mixture and beat well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat well. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees or 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan. Cool for about 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting: In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on the cake while it's still warm. Enjoy!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce


Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce, Mushrooms and Onions

This dish is actually quite easy to prepare, surprisingly low in carbs and utterly delicious.  I got it from this web-site
It seriously is better than eating out. Love it!
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 of a Large Onion - Thinly sliced
1 Package of Whole Mushrooms - Halved (I used baby bellas... So Yummy!)
1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth
1 Cup Heavy Cream
5 Tbs. Butter - Divided
1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper
(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

Directions
Sauté onions over medium heat in 2 Tbs of butter until they are nice and caramelized - About 15 Minutes.  When they are a nice golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside

In a separate pan, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. of butter over medium-high heat.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan.  Brown on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside (Note - they will not be all the way cooked at this stage)

De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock.  Use a rubber spatula to make sure you get all the chicken bits and butter off the pan. This helps to flavor your sauce

Add the heavy cream and the balsamic vinegar and stir

Add mushrooms and a little S&P, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes

Add the chicken back to the pan, turn heat back up to medium and sauté until the chicken is cooked all the way through.  About 10-15 minutes

Remove chicken breasts from the pan and plate.  Add the Parmesan and caramelized onions to the sauce and keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted in.

Cover the chicken breasts with the sauce, SERVE AND ENJOY!!!

I garnish a lot of my dishes with freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.  It does not change the flavor, I just think it makes for a prettier plate presentation.