My Personal Challenge

This is a big thing for me. I'm completely giving up eating out for a month.

Why? Number one, this requires planning!

Number Two: I'm a fully aware, stressing eating machine. I mean this in as nice of a way as I can to myself. These are changes that I'm trying to incorporate. So... stay tuned. I'm going to post my weekly planning as I can. :)

A Challenge for Succotashers!

So here's the Deal with my Radio Show this week:

In a coming post (uploading archive as I type), this weeks Succotash was presented with a challenge or game for the folks at home!

I need you guys to come up with something Romantic that you would put on a slip of paper inside a fortune cookie. It has to fit on a strip 4 inches long, by half an inch wide. The person with the best Romantic Fortune Cookie Insert gets a 5 song set in my show next week!

You can leave Comments or Tweet them to @Angelofmysoul on twitter. Please do so in a hurry! :) Let's see how many we can get tuned in!

So listen to Succotash @ 7p.m. Eastern on MojoRadio.us!
(enter link: http://www.mojoradio.us:9090 in your Media Player!)

May 18th Succotash

Neopolitan Cake

These layers are meant to be put together in three cakes, preferably round cake pans. I ended up making the normal batch and using the rest for cake pops when I made these. Just get some store bought frosting to frost each layer in it's color to really give affect.

Chocolate Layer

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter. Stir in 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the cooled cocoa mixture.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the cocoa buttermilk mixture. Stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Ice the cake with Buttermilk Pecan Icing while it's still warm.
4. For the icing: In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with 4 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in 1/3 cup buttermilk, and heat until almost boiling. Stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla, salt and pecans. Remove from heat. Mix well and pour over warm cake.

Vanilla Layer

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Measure sifted flour, baking powder, and salt; sift together three times.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, and continue beating only until meringue will hold up in soft peaks.
3. Cream butter or margarine. Gradually add remaining 1 cup sugar, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Mix in flavorings. Add meringue, and beat thoroughly into batter. Spread batter in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan which has been lined on the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. This cake may also be baked in two 9 inch round pans for 30 to 35 minutes, or in three 8 inch round pans for 25 to 30 minutes.

Strawberry Layer

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Thaw and drain the frozen strawberries.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease on 9x13 inch cake pan.
3. Combine the white cake mix, strawberry gelatin, oil, eggs, flour, thawed strawberries, and buttermilk and mix until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

SHOW ARCHIVE

May 11th, 2010 Succotash!

Inside-out Bacon Cheeseburger

It takes 10 lbs of hamburger, use a mixer! I added like 1/8 cup of Worcestershire Sauce, a tablespoon of dried chives, cilantro, black pepper, garlic, and whatever else to taste!

set that on medium and while that is mixing, fold slices of a hard cheese (a REALLY sharp cheddar if you can!) then take gather your hamburger, half of what would be a normal patty, around a 1/4 cup, and flatten it. Do this several times over until you are out of meat. Then place cheese between smaller patties and work edges together.

Cook these on a medium heat, you want them to take their time in order to allow the meat to cook thoroughly, without melting the cheese out of the center. It is EXTREMELY important to allow the meat to rest and cook due to the cheese in the middle. If you play with this burger by pressing and flipping many times, you will make the cheese meld out of the burger and leave an empty cavity!
Whiskey Baked Beans in Crock-pot

I made these, but put Whiskey and some Honey Jack Daniels BBQ sauce in with it!

NEW ENGLAND BAKED BEANS MADE IN A CROCK POT

1 lb. dry navy beans Wash and pick over beans, removing any stones, broken beans, etc. In a saucepan, cover beans with water (about 1 inch above top of beans). Simmer beans for 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer to CrockPot, along with water they were cooked in. Cover and leave to soak overnight. The next day add: 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 additional cup water (if beans are dry) 4 tsp. dry mustard 4 tbsp. molasses 2 tablespoons ketchup (optional) 1 tsp. salt (or to taste) 1 large onion, sliced onion powder, to taste (optional) 1/4-1/2 lb. salt pork Mix ingredients (except for salt pork) and stir into beans. Slash salt pork in 1/2 inch slices nearly up to the rind, but not all the way through. Cut across the previous slices until the salt pork is deeply scored. Submerge salt pork in beans. A slice of hickory smoked bacon can be placed over the top of the beans. Turn CrockPot on low setting. Cover and cook for 6 hours, or until beans are tender. If beans start to become dry during cooking, add a small amount of hot water. When beans are tender, taste and adjust seasonings before serving. Slice up bits of the pork to add to each serving. Traditionally, the cooking is begun on a Saturday night. Baked beans make for a leisurely Sunday lunch and can be served with good quality natural casing frankfurts or kielbasa.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package graham crackers
• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 cups milk
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Directions

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with graham crackers. In a large bowl, combine the milk and vanilla pudding according to directions on box. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread a layer of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Alternate the graham cracker and pudding layers up to the top of the pan. Cook the container of prepared frosting, uncovered in the microwave for 1 minute on half power. Pour over the top of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.

SHOW ARCHIVE

May 4th Radio Show

This show was a tribute to Dan Akroyd... and unfortunately was cut a bit. So enjoy the bits that exist! Here are all the drinks that were presented on this show!

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Orange Whips (Blues Brothers)

4 ounces Orange Juice
1 oz Rum
1 oz Vodka
2 oz Cream

Mix these ingredients with hand blender and pour over ice to serve.

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Sex with an Alien (My Stepmother is an Alien)

1/2 oz. Amaretto
1/2 oz. Liqueur, melon
1/2 oz. Schnapps, peach
1 splash Orange Juice
1 splash Pineapple Juice

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into glass.

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Marshmellow Drink (Ghost Busters)

1.0 Each Cherry
2.0 oz Coconut Cream
0.5 oz Grenadine
6.0 oz Lemonade
0.5 oz Raspberry Syrup

Mix all the ingredients (save half of the coconut cream) together with ice in a tall glass. Carefully pour the rest of the coconut cream on top and garnish with a cherry.

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SHOW ARCHIVE

Succotash Debut Radio Show!

I've taken on another interest in the past few months, and that my dears is internet radio broadcasting. I've joined MojoRadio's Staff as a DJ and started a show that runs on Tuesday's from 7 - 10 p.m. Eastern. I take requests and play different types of music! I also share some recipes that I have found or made that sound extremely good! at the end of this Blog, you'll find a link to the archive for the first show! Check it out! Just excuse the initial microphone issues! They clear up around the second hour, you know the saying: The show must go on!

The two recipes shared were Pork Chops over Stuffing and Hostess Twinkie Dessert. They will be listed below for this!

Pork Chops over Stuffing

Ingredients

• 4 Thick Cut Pork Chops Boneless
• 1 box Chicken Flavored Stuffing
• Cilantro
• Seasoned Pepper
• Kosher Salt
• Garlic Salt
• 2 Cans Cream of Chicken
• 1.5 Cups Chicken Broth
• Olive Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 445
2. Heat a pan on high with Olive Oil, add cilantro, Seasoned Pepper, and Garlic Salt
3. Put chops in pan and let sit for 3 – 4 minutes, or until Chops are golden brown
4. While waiting, heavily season the other side with cilantro and pepper.
5. Turn and cook for the same amount of time on the other side.
6. Let cool slightly while you mix the cream of chicken soup and broth together, add seasoned pepper, cilantro, and garlic salt. When thoroughly mixed, add stuffing mix.
7. Put on the bottom of a pan. Lightly sprinkle the top with Kosher Salt, then layer on the chops covering the top of the pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place in over.
8. Cook for 40 minutes then turn off oven. Leave the Chops and stuffing in the oven for 20 minutes.

HOSTESS TWINKIES DESSERT
6 Hostess Twinkies 3 bananas 1 box vanilla pudding 1 box strawberries or other fruit 1 sm. carton Cool Whip (8 oz.) Layer in a 9"x13" pan and refrigerate. 1. Hostess Twinkies, cut lengthwise 2. Bananas cut lengthwise 3. Vanilla pudding, cooked according to directions on box 4. Strawberries or other fruit. 5. Cool Whip

Show Archive Here!

Tending to the monotony is never montotonous!

So I’ve spent my entire day just moving this, taking this out, and essentially… cleaning. Now you would think that after almost five years of this, it would be entirely monotonous and a second nature. But is in fact the exact opposite because with my two lovely children, well, I never know what to expect!

Thankfully though, I set up our PS3 today to stream Netflix movies and TV Shows… I know we aren’t supposed to use the TV as a babysitter, but after the day I had with fighting with them to just clean their rooms… I needed a little space to do some things for us. So I’ve cleaned a good portion of my home, with minimal fuss from my Kidlets. Unfortunately, I am disheartened to find that Tori despises Fraggle Rock. Maybe when she’s older? She’s also getting to the point that she doesn’t like Dora the Explorer anymore. She’s starting to grow up on me… and I don’t know if I’m ready.

Today dinner was, well, not as healthy as it could be, but still better than pizza! We had home cooked potatoes with parsley, garlic salt, and cracked pepper. Then buttered peas, and some lil’ smokies. Yum! As dessert, my husband is taking the children out to get some ice cream. Mmm… talk about your calorie-free desserts!

I should so hire them out!

Seriously! If you have to pack something, and you really don't care about it's condition... Tori and Ian are soooo your people to hire! I swear, there was enough under the couches that un-kiddified, has the volume OF THE COUCH... in a little 4 inch tall space. Someday, i'm going to find their secret!

It's a busy day here, we have Snow! So we are introducing a Georgia-ian to sledding today! Followed by a scrumptious meal of Chicken and Dumplings. Yum! So at this point, I think the couch is dry, time to work through all of this on the floor!