Cameo Cake

Cake:

1 1/2c butter
3/4c water
4 oz white chocolate, crushed (I just use chips)
1 1/2c buttermilk
4 lg eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 c flour (save 1/2c to flour pecans)
1 c chopped, toasted pecans

Bring to a boil butter and water in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add white chocolate, and remove from heat. Stir until melted.
Stir together buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Add 3 c flour, sugar, and baking soda, and mix until blended. Gradually stir in white chocolate mixture. Toss pecans in remaining 1/2c flour. Gently fold into the rest of the cake mixture.
Pour into 3, 9" greased pans. Bake at 350 deg for 20-25min.

Frosting:

4 oz white chocolate
11 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c butter, softened
6 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Cool 10min.
Beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add white chocolate, beating constantly. Add powdered sugar, and beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla.


This is the cake that I made for Royce's mom for mother's day. (Cameo Cake) Her favorite color is purple, so I made two different shades of purple roses to put on top, but by the time we got there the flowers had turned blue. It was really weird. :)

Dinner Rolls (And slightly healthier cinnamon rolls)

Rolls (Dough)

4 c flour
2 TBSP dry milk
2 1/4 active dry yeast (one packet)
1/4 c sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon/lime juice
2 TBSP oil
1 1/2 c warm water (80 deg, or just about a baby bottle temp :) )

Combine ingredients in bread machine, and set on dough program. Once the dough is done, cut into 12 even pieces, and form into roll shape on lightly floured surface. (Sometimes my dough is too moist, so I knead in extra flour.) Put in sprayed 9x13" pan, and let rise for 20min. Then bake at 350deg for 20-25min. (Since we've been at Brackenridge, I check them at around 18min, since the oven cooks so hot.)

Cinnamon Rolls

Dough recipe (see above)
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP olive oil (or whatever oil you use...I use olive.)
1/4 c brown sugar
2 to 1 sugar/cinnamon mixture

Roll dough into a rectangle shape on a lightly floured surface. (Again, if too moist, knead in more flour.) Mix your oil and butter, and spread completely over dough. Sprinkle brown sugar, and your cinnamon/sugar mixture. (As much as you like in your cinnamon rolls :) ) Roll into log shape. Slice into 12 pieces, and put in sprayed 9x13" pan. Let rise 20 min, then bake for 20-25 min at 350deg.

I also like frosting on my cinnamon rolls, so here's one that's not too bad.

4 oz neufchatel cheese, softened (the cream cheese with 1/3 less fat)
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter in mixer on medium speed. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add milk and vanilla, then spread on warm gooey cinnamon rolls :)

Copy Cat Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

3 c Heavy Cream
3/4 c Butter
3 TBSP cream cheese
1 1/2 c Parmesan*
2 tsp garlic powder

In saucepan, combine butter, heavy cream, and cream cheese. Simmer until all is melted and mixed well. Add parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer for 15-20min on low. Season with salt and pepper.

*I've found that if you're adding cheese that you've just grated, this is a good amount, but if you're using the pre-grated cheese in the bottle, you might want to use a little less.