Southern Style Strawberry Cake

This is a really fun, easy, impressive cake to make. I found it while reading up on one of the best baking blogs EVER www.joythebaker.com. Joy is witty, adorable, and always has the best recipes. One day, when I have my dream kitchen, I'll make every single thing she's ever posted on her blog. For reals. Starting with this killer cake!



Southern Style Strawberry Cake

Cake:

1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix (without pudding)

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry jello

1 Tablespoon self rising flour

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup fresh strawberries, finely diced.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

2 (1 pound) boxes powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

pink food coloring

4 sliced strawberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cake, combine to cake mix, Jello, flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition Add the water and strawberries and mix well. Divide the batter evenly into three 8-inch round baking pans that have been oiled and floured. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean and the layers pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the layers from the oven to wire racks. Let them cool, still in their pans, for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the inside edge of each pan, then unmold each layer onto the racks to cool completely.




To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat until soft and pliable and no lumps remain. Add one box of the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated. Add the second box of sugar and mix until incorporated. If you would like a smoother consistency, and a slash of milk. If you would like a thicker consistency, and a bit more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved.




Put the coconut in a small bowl and sprinkle with two or three drops of pink die. Mix with hands to distribute the color and wash hands immediately. Once the cake is frosted, decorate the top of the cake with the shredded coconut and sliced strawberries.



Enjoy!

Poor Man's Gumbo

This dish is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It's simple to make, but has a great flavor and once you whip out the word "gumbo" around people, they get impressed.





Plus, it has bacon and bacon makes people happy.

So make someone happy and make them this today!



Like this happy guy


Or this dog. He's real good at begging.



Just don't slice your finger while trying to dice onions. It hurts and it makes it really hard to cook.

Poor Man's Gumbo
From Eveyday with Rachael Ray

• 12 slices bacon (about 1/2 pound)
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• One 12-ounce can solid white tuna packed in water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon filé powder, such as Zatarain's
• 1-1/4 cups rice
  
  

1. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

2. Drain off all but 1/4 cup bacon fat and return the skillet to the heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tuna and its liquid, tomato paste, jalapeño and 1 cup water and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Whisk in the filé powder; remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Serve the gumbo over the rice and crumble the bacon on top.

I like to stir the bacon into the gumbo about half way into the 20 minute simmering, it gives the dish a good flavor. Also, I'd rather use red pepper flakes instead of the jalapeño. It didn't really add much taste or heat to the dish and the red pepper flakes give it a nice heat.