White/Choclate Cake Combo

This seems to be everyone's favorite birthday cake recipe not the easiest to make, which is why they make me make it. But if you are feeling up to it here is the recipe. :)

White Cake Side

2 egg whites room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix together dry ingredients and set aside then to mixer add butter, then sugar and vanilla beat until well combined. Add egg whites one at a time then add dry mix and buttermilk a little at a time alternating. Then set aside and make Chocolate cake mixture.

Chocolate Cake Side

6 tablespoons butter softened
1 1/2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa power (Carlo V if you want it to be good) order off Amazon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk

Mix together dry ingredients set aside. Beat butter then gradually add sugar, beat 2 minutes, add eggs, add vanilla then add dry ingredients and milk altering between both a little at a time. Mix well.

Now the hard part I use one of those plastic cutting board covers or any thick plastic will work and cut it exactly to the shape of the width of the middle of the 13x9 inch pan. Put this in the middle of the pan to keep your mixes separated. Pour in chocolate mixture on one side then pour in white cake mix on the other, or both at the same time if you have help. Remove plastic divider slowly you should have minimal mixing. Cover the white cake mix side with foil since it cooks faster then the chocolate side this keeps it from burning. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes just keep checking sometimes it take longer. Let cool then add frosting.

Butter Frosting
3/4 cups butter softened
8 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
about 1/3 cup milk (just add milk last until you get the right spreading consistency)

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

My husband loves this recipe it is basically a cheesecake and pie recipe combined and tweaked to work together. It is great for a hot summer day.

Gram Cracker Crust

6 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 cups gram crackers
2 tablespoons of sugar

 bake 16 min. 325

Strawberry Pie Filling

6 oz or so of cream cheese, softened (just enough to make a nice layer on the bottom of the pie crust)
1 large package of strawberries about 2 pounds
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Fill pie crust with cream cheese on bottom just enough to make a nice layer, then add enough strawberries to fill pie to the top. I cut some in half and leave some whole to really pack it full. Mash left over strawberries should be a little less then half of what you started with then add 1 cup of water bring to a boil over medium heat. Sire in cornstarch and sugar and mix slowly return to a boil stir and cook 1 min. Pour over strawberries and cream cheese filling and let cool for at least 2 hours.

 

When cool top with whip cream or ice cream. Enjoy! :)

Do It Yourself Dog Biscuits That Are Easy and Your Dog Will Love

Oh no you have run out of dog biscuits and the store it close what do you do? This is my easy recipe I use for my dogs. You probably have all the ingredients already in the house I always do. This recipe is very simple and takes no time to make. I hate cooking so if it wasn't easy I wouldn't be doing it. They make a tone and are better for you dog because they don't have preservatives or all that yucky stuff regular dog biscuits do. I like knowing what I am feeding my dog.

1/3 cup of water (add more later if you don't get the right texture)

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

3 tablespoons peanut butter

1 very ripe banana (everyone has them that banana to ripe to eat is great for these any banana will work though)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour (once again add more later if texture is not right)

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup oats

Now mix everything together. I throw everything in the Kitchenaid and go.

You want a ball of dough sugar cookie consistency.

Flour your surface and roll out.

I use cute cookie cutters but you could even just cut into rectangle or squares the dogs don't care as long as it taste good.

Use a nonstick cookie sheet or spray one with Pam. Stick them on there and put them in the over for 20 minutes at 400 F.

 If you want them crisp turn off the oven after 20 minutes and leave them in the oven till they cool. I am usually impatient and take them out at 20 minutes. They are a softer cookie but still work. Also make sure these go in an air tight container they don't have preservatives in them so they will mold over time if not kept sealed and fresh.

Blog from the obsessive perfectionist

Let me introduce what my blog shall be about. I am defiantly a perfectionist and the way things are built today and made do not always line up with these standards. This is a blog about how to fix that leaky toilet without the trial and error that I went through, or how to garden organiclly rather then putting all those chemicals on your lawn, or even how to fix it after the repair man screwed it up. I am that crazy lady repair people hate. I sit and watch them like a hawk, but I figure it helps them do a better job and I can watch and ask questions so I don't need them the next time it breaks. I also paint, sew and do lots of craft projects because many times doing it yourself is the only way you're going to really be happy with it, or at least then you only have yourself to blame.