Lemon blueberry layer cake

Ingredients:

CAKE

• 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature*
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
• zest + juice of 3 medium lemons
• 1 and 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or non-thawed frozen 
  
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 ounces (224g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners' sugar
• 1 - 2 Tablespoons (15-30ml) heavy cream*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray three 9x2 inch cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Make the cake. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy - about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.

In a large sized bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 5 seconds, then add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove from the mixer and stir lightly until everything is just combined. Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter. Batter is extremely thick. Do not overmix at any point.Overmixing will lend a tough, dense textured crumb.

Spoon batter evenly into 3 prepared cake pans. If only using 2 cake pans, your bake time will be longer. Bake the three layers for about 21-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Mine took 21 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 Tablespoon cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of cream to thin out, if desired.

Assemble and frost. First, using a large serrated knife, trim the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. Place 1 layer on your cake stand. Evenly cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, then the third layer. Top with frosting and spread around the sides. The recipe doesn't make a ton of frosting, just enough for a light frost. Top with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.

Make 1 day in advance if you'd like. Extras keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3days.

Helpful notes:

*This batter will fit into a 9×13 pan. Fill 2/3 full. If there’s extra batter, you can make a few cupcakes. I’m unsure of the baking time since I only typically make it as a layer cake.

*VERY careful not to overmeasure your flour. This will result in a heavy, dense crumb. You want a precise 375g.

*Please use buttermilk in this recipe. See note in post about how to make your own at home. 

*1 medium-size lemon = approximately 1 tablespoon of lemon zest = 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice

*Room temperature eggs preferred for even distribution among batter. Simply set into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using or set out when you set out your cream cheese/butter for the recipe. 

*Heavy cream with 30% or more milk fat preferred in frosting for creamiest texture. For a less creamy texture, milk would be fine.

Chicken Tortilla soup

4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces 
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans or pinto beans (or one of each) 
2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa (heat of your choice)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies 
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomato sauce  

Combine all ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. To serve, top with sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips or chips, diced green onions, sliced black olives. This is a nice "throw together" dinner that can cook all day and be ready when you are.  If soup is too thick, add a cup of chicken stock.

Green Smoothie

There are lots of variations that can be made to this basic green smoothie recipe. You can use a variety of fruits and greens, but the ratio should be:

1/3 water

1/3 greens (after blended)

1/3 fruit

I usually start with 2 cups of water in the blender, then pack the blender full of greens (kale and spinach are what I usually use). Throw in 1/4 of a lemon (rind and all). Blend it down and add more greens and keep blending until the total volume is 4 cups after it's blended. Then fill the rest of the blender with fruit and blend until smooth. I almost always add a banana or two and frozen berries. If you like it sweeter, you can add some chopped dates as well. 

Slow Cooker Sausage Lentil Soup

1 pound lentils

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound sausage (we like apple chicken sausage)

6 cups chicken or veggie broth

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups chopped spinach or kale

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Canadian steak seasoning (or salt and pepper to taste)

Brown the sausage then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Before serving, blend 2-3 cups in blender and add back in or use immersion blender to thicken. 

Roast Veggies

I like to mix it up a bit when it comes to roasting veggies in the oven. Some of my favorites are:

Cauliflower
Broccoli
Sweet Potatoes
Fennel (Just the white part)
Potatoes
Carrots

Chop the veggies into bite sized pieces. I always add an onion as well, chopped into smaller pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper. Preheat the oven to 425* and cook for 20 min, then stir and cook for about another 20 min.

Steel Cut Oats 3 ways

1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

(optional)
Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves
Maple syrup or brown sugar
Fruit such as berries, chopped apples, or chopped bananas

Basic Stovetop Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Boil the water. Add the steel-cut oats to the pot, along with a pinch of salt, and bring back to a boil. Stir (traditionally done with a wooden spoon.) Reduce the heat to medium low and cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Start checking for doneness at about the 20-minute mark. For chewier oats, cook less. For more done oats, cook more. Do not stir the oats as they simmer. Allow them to rest in place as the water cooks them. Turn the heat lower if the oats seem to be drying out too quickly.

Add the milk to the oats. Stir the mixture well using a wooden spoon. Let the oatmeal simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the oatmeal from heat. Spoon into bowls for serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, maple syrup, or fruit.

Baked Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium pot on the stove over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the steel-cut oats. Use a wooden spoon to toss the oats with the butter. Toast the oats, stirring occasionally, for about three minutes or until brown.

Pour 3 - 3 1/4 cups boiling water into the pot with the oats. Stir the water into the oats with a wooden spoon. Stir in milk, salt, and optional ingredients such as cinnamon, apples, raisins, craisins, other dried fruits, etc. Scoop the mixture into a buttered glass baking dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake the oatmeal for 50 - 60 minutes. Check on it after 30 minutes to make sure it isn't burning. The oatmeal is ready when the top has browned. Serve with cream, fresh apples, or the toppings of your choice.

Overnight Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Butter your slow-cooker insert or crock. If you don't butter your crock first, you'll have a tough time extracting the oats from the slow-cooker in the morning. Place the steel-cut oats, salt, milk, and water in the crock pot or slow-cooker. Optional: Place the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and/or nuts in the crock pot or slow-cooker as well. Mix all the ingredients together until incorporated.

Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn the setting to low. Let the oatmeal cook overnight. If possible, check for doneness after five hours.

In the morning, remove the container from the slow cooker and stir the oatmeal. Spoon into bowls and stir in the toppings of your choice.

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

1 pkg (13.8 oz/283 g) refrigerated pizza crust or bread dough from your bread machine

1/2 medium onion

1 jalapeño pepper

8 oz Colby & Monterey Jack or marble cheese blend (about 2 cups grated), divided

2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts

1/2 cup mild green taco sauce3 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup grape tomatoes

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush baking stone with vegetable oil. Spread dough on bottom of pan, stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Bake 12–-14 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (If using dough from bread machine, you may have enough enough for 2 pizzas. If you use it for one pizza, you may have to cook it longer to cook it thoroughly.)

Meanwhile, coarsely chop onion and jalapeño. Grate cheese; combine onion, jalapeño, 1/2 cup of the cheese, chicken, taco sauce and garlic pressed; mix well.

Remove pan from oven . Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese evenly over crust; top with chicken mixture and remaining cheese. Bake 6-–7 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven to cooling rack.4

Slice tomatoes lengthwise into quarter. Coarsely chop cilantro. Sprinkle tomatoes and cilantro over pizza. Cut pizza into 12 rectangles. Serve.