Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

from melskitchencafe.com

*Makes about 4 cups of frosting

½ cup (1 stick, 8 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

16 ounces powdered sugar (about 3 ½ cups)

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix in fully after each addition. Cream at low speed until well blended and creamy. Pour in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy.

For a chocolate butter cream you can add 4 oz of melted chocolate or 1/2 C. of cocoa.

Enjoy!

Soft Butter Spread

Soft Butter Spread

http://www.tammysrecipes.com/soft_butter_spread

Description:

A fluffy butter mixture that's easily spreadable

Yield:

2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water, at room temperature

Instructions:

1. Using an electric mixer, blend butter on HI until fluffy.

2. Continue mixing, and slowly add oil. Continue mixing and slowly add water. Mixture will turn white and be very light and fluffy!

3. Chill until set. (See additional notes.)

Soft Butter Spread on pancakes...
One of many great ways to use this butter spread!

Additional Notes:

*This mixture may be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature. At room temperature, it is very soft and fluffy. From the fridge, it is still spreadable, and softens or melts quickly.

This spread is great for toast, bagels, bread, pancakes, or grilled cheese sandwiches. In fact, I thought the grilled cheese sandwiches were extra crispy when I used this spread instead of plain butter!

We have tried adding salt to this recipe, which makes it taste even better (I love salt) but can make the water separate after being stored in the fridge a while.

Preparation Time:

5 minutes

"Homemade" Salad Dressing Tutorial

We eat a lot of salad in our house! I LOVE salad, in fact I am know for making some of the yummiest salads on earth (I am not know for my humility huh?).

Since we practically drink salad dressing in our house, I like to make my own. My favorite seasoning packet is made by Good Seasons. I have tried using the store brand equivalent- which is still really yummy- but I have found that I can have the REAL THING if I get creative.

Last summer I popped into GFS (Gordon Food Service) to make a purchase and I found my favorite seasoning packet super sized!
In fact, this packet makes 16 bottles of salad dressing for $5.29.

Small $1.49/bottle & Big $.33/bottle.

I keep my seasoning mix in a plastic storage container in the pantry until I need it.

Making homemade salad dressing is easy, super inexpensive, yummy and can be made healthier than purchased dressing. Here are all of the ingredients that I use: seasoning mix, red wine vinegar (you could sub balsamic if you'd prefer), vegetable oil and water.

I have purchased several Good Seasonings cruet's (salad dressing holders) they come in a box with two seasoning packets, and they usually sell for $2.59- which I think is funny because 2 small packets of seasonings alone should cost about $3.

Here are the simple steps in making your own dressing:

Fill the cruet up to the "V" line with vinegar- full price, this should cost about $.25.

Next, add water up to the "W" line... $0.

A heaping spoonful of seasoning mix is about 1/16 of the big packet, $.33.

The directions say to add oil to the "O" line, but I add half the amount of oil, making the dressing lighter and yet still very yummy! $.10.

Lastly, I add more water all of the way to the top of the cruet. The directions do NOT say to do this, but it is just another way for the dressing to be healthier- I like a LOT of dressing!!!

Mmmmmmmmmmm, delicious! And only $.68!!!

Homemade Croutons

I purchased a loaf of Italian bread, but you could easily make a smaller batch of croutons with leftover bread. Ingredients: bread, butter, olive oil and spices.

Because I am using an entire loaf of bread, I have melted one stick of butter and I have stirred in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Reduce this mixture if you are working with a smaller quantity of bread.

To prepare the bread, first slice your bread similarly to the thickness of a typical slice of sandwich bread.
Taking 3-4 slices at a time, cut the bread into 1" slices.

Turn the slices 90* and finish slicing the bread into 1" cubes!

I find it easier to work with smaller batches, it helps to evenly coat all of the bread cubes.

Drizzle the butter and oil mixture over the cubes, and mix thoroughly.

Mmmm, your cubes will look just as yummy as these! (Not saturated, just coated!)

Go ahead, eat a few... just don't eat too many or you'll have fewer croutons to enjoy later!

After you've finished taste testing your buttery cubes, add some of your favorite spices. I've added my ol' stand by of Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix AND some dried Rosemary- I definitely recommend the Rosemary!!!

Spread an even layer in the bottom of a pan. Bake at 375* for 10 minutes, flip all of your half crispy croutons and bake for another 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on your crisping croutons- especially during the second half of the baking!

I prefer 2 metal 9x13's so that I don't accidentally toss half of my croutons off of the pan when I flip them half way through baking.

These croutons are a perfect addition to any salad! We are BIG salad eaters in our home, so I thought that I'd share some of my favorite salad add-ins.

Romain lettuce (best current price is $3.99/2 pound bag of pre-washed, pre-cut leaves at Gordon Food Service).

Cheddar, mozzarella, feta, diced eggs, bacon crumbles, grilled chicken, sliced steak, thinly sliced deli meat, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrot slices, sliced strawberries, dried cranberries or cherries, canned pineapple chunks, canned mandarin orange slices and, of course... yummy croutons!

And be sure to try my favorite 'homemade' salad dressing!