brit's poppy seed cake with berries & cream

i found this recipe on another great food blog & changed it up to suit me better. i just can't leave things well enough alone!:) it is such a great mix on sweet, tart (with the berries), creamy & not too sweet. i just love the flavors & the beauty of it too! so great for mother's day!!!!

{brit's poppy seed cake with berries & cream}

2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Sticks Butter, softened
2 Cups Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 Cup Poppy Seeds

~Cream & Berries~

1 cup chilled whipping cream

1 cup creme fraiche

1- 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar--to taste

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh blackberries

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 pint fresh strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

in a large bowl, cream together, butter & sugar. add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. set aside. in another bowl, whisk together, flour, salt, baking powder & soda. stir both vanilla & almond extract into buttermilk. add 1/2 of the flour mixture to your butter & sugar & mix until combine. add 1/2 of the buttermilk & repeat the steps again. add poppy seeds & gently mix until combined. butter & flour 2- 9 in. round cake pans. evenly split batter between the 2. bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out dry. let cool in pan for 10 minutes, turn out & cool completely. after cakes are cooled, with a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally.

In a small sauce pan, over medium-high heat, combine blueberries, sugar & water until berries start to burst & create a sauce. Set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, whipping cream & creme fraiche & beat until whipping cream has reached full volume. Toss remaining berries in blueberry sauce.

Assemble cake by spreading cream mixure & spooning berries between each layer & on top. Serve immediately & enjoy!

brit's tex-mex shredded beef tacos...

the first time i ever made these, i had a roast & wanted to so something different with it. so i checked all my cupboards & this is what i came up with:) i have made them over & over since, but never been confident enough with "the recipe" to post it. so, this time i wrote it all down as i went, the way i thought i had done it the other times & it was perfect. so here it is--

{brit's tex-mex shredded beef tacos}

4-5 lbs. beef chuck roast

3- 14.5 oz. cans mexican style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can water

2 envelopes sazon goya

1 tsp. salt

1 TBSP dried chopped onion

1 TBSP cumin seed

2 tsp. beef bullion

place all ingredients into a heavy metal roasting pan. do not stir or mix. pre-heat oven to 400 degrees & cook for 4-4 1/2 hours. checking about halfway through to make sure you have enough liquid. if all liquid is gone add 1/2 cup water & continue cooking. remove pan from oven & carefully remove lid. using 2 forks, shred the meat & mix with the remaining liquid. replace the lid & let sit at least 30 minutes.

serve on tortillas, i prefer corn, with tomato, onion, cilantro, avocado, sour cream & lime. do not under any circumstances use ketchup:)... sorry dad, i'm calling you out on this one.

numbero dos of the salads promised...

this is the other salad that i made sunday. it is creamy, fresh & delicious! it is super simple as well, so that is great!

side note- when i was in high school my dad owned a dance studio. we practically lived there! Kenny Roger's Roasters was right next door & we ate there a lot!!! not only because it was close & we liked the food, but i had a huge crush on a kid that worked there:) anywhoo... this salad is quite similar to a salad they served there that i always got. maybe that's why i like it.?.

{austin's creamy dill pasta salad}

1- 16 oz. bag of pasta, cooked & drained- i prefer bowtie, cork screw or penne

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped

1/2 cup sliced carrots- i bought them pre-cut

1 cup prepared homemade ranch

1/2 cup italian dressing

2 TBSP dill weed

in a small bowl, mix together dressings with dill. set aside while you chop veggies. place all other ingredients into a large bowl & toss until combined. add dressing & mix well. refrigerate until ready to use. serve chilled or at room temperature.

the first of two tasty spring salads...

i first had this salad at a family dinner when my sister-in-law brought it. it didn't have the topping then, but i have made it with & without & prefer it with! i love the difference in textures & flavors. it is perfect for any of your spring & summer eats!

{Markae’s Fresh Grape Salad}

2 lbs. green grapes

2 lbs. red grapes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

Wash & pat dry grapes. Arrange in a bowl & stir until evenly mixed in colors. In an other bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, sugar & vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour over grapes, stir together. Refrigerate overnight.

In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar & pecans. Transfer grapes mix to a serving dish & sprinkle with sugar & nut mix. Return to fridge until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

little lemon mousse cups...

i love these little individual desserts! they are so simple, light & delicious! if you have any spring luncheons coming up or even looking ahead to mother's day-- these would be the perfect ending to any meal. let me know what you think.

{jeanette's little lemon mousse cups}

24 jumbo cupcake liners

24 pecan shortbread cookies (pecan sandies)

1-3 oz. package lemon jello

1 cup boiling water

3 TBSP lemon juice

1-8 oz. package cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-12 oz. can evaporated milk, well chilled

Place metal bowl, beaters & the can of evaporated milk in the freezer for 1 hour.

Place cupcake liners into cupcake pan. Press a cookie into the bottom of each liner. Set aside.

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add lemon juice. Cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until syrupy, then beat until light.

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar & vanilla. Add to jello mixture. Mix until all blended.

Whip chilled evaporated milk, on low speed, until full volume or beaters leave a soft peak. Blend & fold with jello mixture. Spoon into cookie lined cupcake liners. Refridgerate overnight. Top with fresh raspberries & raspberry sauce.

{Fresh Raspberry Sauce}

1 half-pint package fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 cup seedless raspberry jam

In a small sauce pan cook together raspberries, sugar & water. Bring to a boil, turn down heat & simmer for 4 minutes. Pour into a food processor. Add raspberry jam. Beat until smooth. Cool completely.

mykelle's coconut Easter cupcakes...

mykelle brought these to yummy little delights to recipe club this month. i had toasted coconut & cadbury eggs, so i just used those instead. but i thought they still turned out cute. make these for your little chicks this weekend:)

{mykelle's little nest cakes}

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup water

1 boxed white cake mix

1 tsp vanilla

1 can cream of coconut

prepared whipped cream

2 cups toasted coconut

1 bag candy eggs

in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, oil & eggs until smooth. beat in water, cake mix & vanilla. spoon into lined cupcake pans, filling about 2/3 full.

bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

pour cream of coconut into a small bowl. stir until all combined.

while cupcakes are still hot, poke a few holes into the top of the cupcake with the back of a wooden spoon. spoon cream of coconut over each cupcake one tablespoon at a time, you might have to use your spoon to guide into the hole.

let cool completely before decorating. when cooled, spread whipped cream onto the cupcake. sprinkle with toasted coconut & top with candy eggs.

oh what an Easter appetizer!...

i found this recipe online & i am making it for tomorrow. it would only be fair for me to share it with you guys! i love, love, love the flavor of pesto & you could either make your own, or just use a good quality pre-made pesto out of you grocers deli. if you ever do a cheese ball for your Easter dinner, try this instead!

{savory pesto cheesecake}

picture & recipe courtesy of confessions of a bake-a-holic

1 cup crushed sesame crackers (I like Keebler Toasteds)
6 T melted butter
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (look for a sun-dried tomato or Mediterranean herb flavor)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/4 cup prepared pesto
1/3 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cracker crumbs and butter. Press into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9 1/2 inch spring-form pan. Combine all cheeses and beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in pesto and sour cream. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top starts to brown and the center is almost set. Let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Loosen sides of pan with a knife and cool completely (about one hour). Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least four hours to set. Get out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature with crackers.