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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Quick and Easy Salsa


      It has been a very hectic week and this has left me with little time in the kitchen. Long hours with very little sleep means cranky Melissa. Just picture Jack in the Shining and that is what I look like after a long stressful week. Can you imagine it? I am just kidding but it is a close analogy. Playing around in the kitchen is my stress relief and if I had the opportunity to do that full time I totally would. Maybe some day..... A girl can dream. Until then I will have steal moments here and there in my sanctuary.

      I have been loving this season's Chopped Junior. Those little kids are so talented and I am just amazed at what they can concoct in the kitchen in such a little amount of time. I wish I would have had their talent when I was their age. Let's be honest. They could probably put me to shame in the kitchen. They are amazing! They inspire me to improve  my techniques in the kitchen and raise my cooking skills to the next level. I have vowed to get better at creating recipes and one way I plan on doing this is to start making a lot of my own sauces and marinades. I am going to include salsa in this statement because that is what I am sharing with you today. Haha!

      A little tidbit about me. I hate tomatoes but I love salsa, ketchup, pasta sauce, and other various tomato based foods. I know I am weird. I really tried to like fresh tomatoes but I just can't. They make me gag and I immediately spit one out if it is in my food. That was probably TMI  but I think its the texture and the smell. I did not make this salsa with fresh tomatoes but used canned instead. I can eat the canned ones as long as they have a lot of seasoning and flavor. I really love how this turned out and I definitely will be making my own from now on. My husband liked it too but he just asked next time it could be a little bit more spicy. Maybe I will just make him his own batch because he likes heat a lot more than me. This recipe is quick and easy to put together and the flavors intensify the longer it sits. I recommend you make it at least a couple of hours before you eat it so it can be nice and chilled and the flavors have plenty of time to meld together.

Quick and Easy Salsa
Melissa DeWees
 
Ingredients
  1. 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  2. 1 fresh jalapeno diced
  3. 1/2 onion diced
  4. 1 lime juiced
  5. 1/4 c chopped cilantro
  6. 1/2 tsp. cumin
  7. 1 tsp. salt
  8. 1 tsp. garlic powder
  9. 1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder
  10. 1/2 tsp. onion powder
Directions
 
  • Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Chill for at least a couple of hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to merry together. Feel free to adjust the heat level or use different peppers if desired.
  • Enjoy!
 
 

     

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Slow Cooker Black Beans



       Have you ever tried to make dried beans on the stove top only to find after hours of cooking they are still hard? If you are like me, you have. One day I was talking to one of my coworkers and she said at her house they always made a big batch of beans in their slow cooker and if they had any leftovers they would freeze them for next time. This made me wonder how good the beans would be prepared in the slow cooker and how convenient this would be for days when we are busy with our activities. Some days you just do not have time to watch beans cooking on the stove. Am I right?

     I love my slow cooker. Who does not like just placing all of the ingredients into the cooker and setting the timer and going about your day without worrying about dinner or in this case beans?  Sometimes I forget how convenient the slow cooker can be when you have a busy schedule. These beans were so easy to make and they were delicious. I definitely will be giving this another try but with other beans in the future. Since we are a family of two I did not prepare a whole pound of beans but only prepared 2 cups of dried beans. This was plenty for us and we still had leftovers which I froze for next time.  The liquid the beans were cooked in tasted awesome on top of the rice we also prepared. I think these beans tasted a lot better than the canned beans you can buy at the store.

    Next time you are thinking about cooking beans, I hope you give the slow cooker method a try. Sometimes I forget things cooked very simply can also be very delicious.

Slow Cooker Black Beans
 
Melissa DeWees
 
Ingredients
 
  1. 2 c of dried black beans soaked over night
  2. 2 garlic cloves minced
  3. 1 onion diced
  4. 1 jalapeno diced with half of the seeds and ribs
  5. 1 tsp. of cumin
  6. 1 tsp. Mexican chile powder
  7. 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  8. 4 c of chicken broth
  9. 2 bay leaves
  10. 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  11. 1 1/4 tsp. of salt or more if you like.
 
Directions
 
  • Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray for easy clean up.
  • Add all ingredients to the pot except the salt and set the timer for 8 hours.
 
 
 
  • 1 hour before it is done add the salt.
  • Taste the beans and if they are soft and the skin pulls away they are done.
  • Adjust seasonings if necessary.

 


Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Crown Royal Steak Marinade




       Lately, I have been fascinated with experimenting with alcohol in many different recipes. I have previously used Crown Royal with chicken and pasta and I found it added a richness to the dish so I figured why not use it to marinate steak and see what happens. Let me tell you, I am happy I did.

   I have been trying to stay away from ready made marinades from the grocery store because of all the additives and preservatives and who else knows what that could be hidden in them. I figured if I am going to be a serious cook and maybe someday open my little cafĂ© or bakery, I must be willing to experiment with a variety of things in the kitchen. For me, the goal of this little blog is to share my experiences as well as improve my skills in the kitchen. I also wanted to have a platform to share my triumphs as well as failures. I mean, let's be real, you can't succeed all of the time but I think learning where you went wrong or what went right is important.


   Okay now back to this marinade. Since, I previously used Crown in a recipe and had some leftover in the liquor cabinet, I thought to myself, why not try it with beef this time instead of chicken? I loved how it turned out in my chicken recipe so I surmised it would be good here as well. If you are worried the meat ended up tasting like Crown, don't be. The alcohol cooked off and just imparted the wonderful flavor of the spirit. The brown sugar took away the harsh bite of Crown while it added just a hint of sweetness. I found the steak to be flavorful and tender. I definitely will be trying out different bourbons in the future with my proteins. Please do not be scared to try this! It was really delicious and only took a few minutes to put together. Most of the time was spent marinating the meat. It sat for about 3 hours in the marinade and I assume it would only get better if it spent another couple of hours in it. Next time you are having steak for dinner and you have a little bit of Crown in the cabinet give this marinade a try.


Crown Royal Steak Marinade
Melissa DeWees
Ingredients
  1. Your favorite steak about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.(I used sirloin)
  2. 3 T olive oil
  3. 1/3 c Crown Royal
  4. 3 T brown sugar
  5. 2 T soy sauce
  6. 1/2 lemon juiced
  7. 2 cloves of garlic minced
  8. 1/4 c Italian Parsley chopped
  9. 1/2 tsp. salt
  10. 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  11. 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  12. 1 T Dijon mustard
  13. pinch of red pepper flakes
Directions
  • Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Look at the beautiful color!
  • Add steak to a Ziploc bag and then pour the marinade over the meat.
  • Massage the marinade
  • into the meat and close bag.
  • Marinate for at least 2 hours.
  • Remove steak from marinade and try and get the garlic off the meat before grilling. You do not want it to burn because it could leave behind a bitter taste.
  • Grill to your favorite temperature and enjoy with your favorite sides. Finish with a little sea salt if desired.




Sunday, May 22, 2016

Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake


      Does anyone else feel as if this year is passing in a blink of an eye? It felt like just yesterday it was winter and now it's spring almost summer. I can't believe Memorial day is just next weekend and the kids are already out of school here. Where did all the time go? Before you know it, Christmas will be here. In an effort to slow down the year, at least in my mind, I decided to create a cake that actually would be perfect for the cooler months. What am I saying? It is perfect for any month. The weather this week has been some what mild so I can almost pretend it is fall. Wait. Does this mean I am actually speeding up the year or going back in time? Hmm. I'll have to think about this for a while.
      
     In the meantime how about I share the recipe of this delicious cake. My first attempt at creating a bundt cake recipe did not go so well. It looked really good until I took it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then the unthinkable happened...... the middle sank. Luckily the cake was still delicious but it made me think my ratios were off. This time I adjusted my ingredients and baking time and it came out perfect. It was moist and the crumb was tender. I sometimes find it really  frustrating when I try and create a new recipe and it does not turn out quite right. I know it happens to the best of us and it is all in the learning process but it does not make it any easier to accept. The key is to not give up and eventually it will come together. I am so happy I kept at it because this cake was so worth it.

     This cake combines two of my favorite things, apple and cinnamon. I love this flavor combination and the aroma of it because it reminds me of my childhood. One of my favorite pies is apple only second to Lemon meringue. My sister makes a mean apple pie and I am jealous because mine never comes out quite as good as hers. I am going to have to keep practicing and someday I might be able to make mine better than hers. Until then, I have this cake.

    This cake is perfect for anytime of the day, whether you eat it for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea or maybe for dessert if you prefer. If you are like me, you nibble on it all day long because why not? I hope you don't wait until Fall to make this cake because that would be a shame. I am not saying you have to make it tomorrow but I hope you give it a try soon.


Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
created by :Melissa DeWees
Ingredients
  1. 2 c all purpose flour
  2. 2 tsp. baking powder
  3. 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  4. 1 tsp. baking soda
  5. 1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon divided
  6. 1/2 tsp. cardamom divided
  7.  1/4 tsp. salt
  8. 4 eggs
  9. 1 stick and 1 T of unsalted butter
  10. 1 c white sugar
  11. 1 c brown sugar and 2 T brown sugar
  12. 3/4 c buttermilk
  13. 2 tsp. of vanilla
  14. 2 c diced apples and 1 T of lemon juice squeezed on them to prevent browning.
for the glaze
  • 1 c of powdered sugar
  • 2 T of heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. of vanilla

Directions
  • Preheat oven 350 F
  • Spray a bundt pan really well with cooking spray or butter and flour your bundt pan.
  • In a pan on the stove melt 1 T of butter over medium heat. Add the apples, 2 T of brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. cardamom, and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and mix together. Cook until softened and the liquid is reduced and set aside to cool. 
  • Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, 1tsp. of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. of cardamom, and salt in a bowl together and then set aside.
  • Mix the vanilla and buttermilk together in a measuring cup.
  • In a mixer beat one stick of butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
  • Mix the eggs one at a time scraping the bowl when necessary.
  • Add 1/3 of the flour, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture, another 1/3 of the flour, the rest of milk, and then finally the last of the flour mixture. Make sure it is mixed well.
  • Add 1/2 of the batter to the bundt pan and top with cooked apples, then pour the remaining batter over the top and smooth with and offset spatula.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Let cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes and then invert on a plate or baking board and cool completely.


  • Make the glaze adding more sugar or heavy cream if necessary to get a thick but spreadable consistency.
  • Drizzle glaze over cake and let set before cutting.
  • Enjoy!


    
     
     

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Shrimp Carbonara



       Sometimes I wish I lived by the ocean. Okay that's not true, everyday I wish I lived next to the ocean. Can you just picture it, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, tranquil breezes, you without a care in the world, all the fresh seafood you could eat, and a cute cabana boy waiting on you hand and foot? Well, maybe not the cabana boy. I don't think the hubby would appreciate him but a girl can dream. Haha.  I am determined to someday live by the ocean but until I win the lottery or become rich and famous I will just have to visit on occasion or at least think of ways to bring it to me.

      I love seafood and when I say seafood I mean all kinds. Fish, shrimp, oysters, lobster, okay you get the point I think I almost sounded like Bubba Gump for a minute. Anyway, it can be quite expensive in Arizona, you know because of the no water thing but that does not diminish my love for it. In fact, I think I crave it more. I grew up in Georgia, Savannah to be precise, and we always had fresh seafood. This was one of the hardest things to have to give up when I moved to Arizona. I don't mean give it up completely but you can't go down to the docks and purchase fresh shrimp off the boat here. This makes me savor every time I get to eat it.
   
     I bought some shrimp on sale at the grocery store the other day and could not wait to eat it. I did not want to just boil it or sautĂ© it but combine it with two of my favorite things. Pasta and bacon. I know not the healthiest way to prepare it but boy did it taste good! This recipe was very easy to make and so worth the extra calories. I do hope you give it a try the next time you buy shrimp but are not quite sure what to do with it.

Shrimp Carbonara
 
Melissa DeWees
 
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound of shrimp de-shelled and de-veined
  2. 5 pieces of bacon
  3. 1 t olive oil
  4. 1 onion diced
  5. 1 red or yellow bell pepper diced (I used 6 mini)
  6. 1 head of broccoli broken into florets
  7. 1/2 c heavy cream
  8. 4 oz. of cream cheese
  9. 2 cloves of garlic minced
  10. 2 T of butter
  11. 1/4 c chicken broth (you can substitute white wine but I did not have any)
  12. 1/4 c parmesan cheese and more for topping
  13. 2 tsp. of basil flakes
  14. 1 tsp. of oregano
  15. pinch of red pepper flakes
  16. salt and pepper to taste
  17. 1 1b. of your favorite pasta
 
Directions
 
  • Heat pan over medium heat and cook bacon until crispy and at the same time cook pasta according to package directions. Drain but set aside some pasta water in case you need to thin out sauce.
 
  • Remove bacon, drain on paper towel, dice when cool and set aside
  • Remove all but 1 T of bacon fat and add olive oil and butter
  • Add onions, bell pepper, and broccoli, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until softened
 
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant about 1 minute
  • Add shrimp and cook until almost done then add seasonings - basil and oregano
  • Add the chicken broth and cook until reduced
  • Add the cream cheese and melt it in the pan and when it is melted add the heavy cream and cook until thickened.
 
  • Mix in the pasta, red pepper flakes into the veggie sauce.
  • Add bacon back in and the parmesan cheese. Toss together. Taste. if it needs salt and pepper add it to taste.
 
  • Enjoy with more parmesan cheese if desired.

    

Friday, May 13, 2016

Ty's Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pie


     My husband is what you would call a chocoholic. If they had meetings for his condition I would definitely sign him up for them. I know you probably think I am exaggerating but it is so true. Have you seen the commercial with Cookie Monster waiting for his cookies? That's my husband. Anytime I am in the kitchen working on new recipes the first thing he asks me is if it is going to contain chocolate. If he was a poet I bet he would write odes to the beauty that is chocolate. The man has a one track mind but that's okay. I love making him desserts, well I just love him period.

     Back to this chocolate recipe. The other day I was working on a recipe for a cake, which I will share later, when the hubby came into the kitchen and asked once again for something chocolate. This got me thinking. I did not want to have to make a trip to the store so I started exploring the cabinets and the fridge for ingredients. I saw that I had some Oreos on hand as well as chocolate chips, peanut butter, cream cheese. I thought to myself what could I do with these items? It then came to me. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! I made something similar not too long ago but the recipe I used did not come out quite right. If you are wondering where the recipe was from it was from the book, Lick the Bowl Good. It was the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie and it was one of the recipes I was not happy with. The mousse never set and remained runny. I wanted something similar but less fussy.

     This pie was very easy to make but still delicious. It only takes a few minutes to put together and the rest of the time, it needs to chill. I put mine in the freezer and my husband is enjoying it as a frozen treat. It is almost summertime here in Arizona and yesterday we hit over 100. How I am dreading the next few months because it is going to be so hot and I will have to find ways to keep cool. Anyway, the pie was hubby approved and he is happy he has something chocolaty to eat. Maybe he will even share it. Haha, somehow I doubt that but you should share it with the chocoholic in your life.

Ty's Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pie
 
Melissa DeWees
Inspired by Monica Holland
 
Ingredients
for the crust
  1. 12 Oreos crushed
  2. 3 T of melted butter
for the filling
  • 1 c of peanut butter
  • 3/4 c powdered sugar plus 2 T divided
  • 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 c melted chocolate chips cooled
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 c heavy cream
Topping
 
  1. 1/2 c of chocolate chips melted.
Directions
  • Preheat oven to 325 F
  • Crush Oreos in a food processor into crumbs and then add the melted butter to the cookies and pulse until combined.
  • Press the crumb mixture in a 9 inch spring form pan very firmly. I lined mine with parchment paper and sprayed it with cooking spray for easy release.
  • Bake for 10 minutes until fragrant and set aside to cool.
 
  • In a mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
 
  • While its whipping melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring after 30 seconds until smooth.
  • Add the powdered sugar to the peanut butter and cream cheese mixture and mix until combined.
  • Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. It will look a little grainy but it will become smooth again when you add the whipped cream.
  • In another bowl beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form and then add the powder sugar and vanilla and whip it for a few more seconds. Do not over whip or you will end up with butter.
  • Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture and pour into the spring form pan.
 
  • Freeze for 3 hours or until firm.
  • Drizzle the melted chocolate chips on top and return to the freezer until set.
 
  • Enjoy.
 


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Chicken Gyros on Pita Bread


       When I was a young child there used to be a place in the mall that sold these delicious gyros. I used to walk by and see the meat on the spit and watch the workers slice off pieces and it always fascinated me. One day, I finally tried one and my love for gyros was born. Nowadays, I get my gyros from this little Greek cafĂ© by my house and they are so good. I have always wanted to try and make my own but I just do not see myself roasting a lamb mixture on a spit in my house any time soon. Instead of lamb I thought chicken would be a great alternative to make. The marinade for the chicken makes all of the difference. Seriously, I will be making this chicken more often. I have already mentioned chicken is not my favorite protein but this marinade made it juicy and tender and oh so flavorful.

        I adapted a recipe I found on pinterest for Greek chicken and let it marinate for a few hours. The recipe was from Cooking Classy. It involves a few ingredients but it was very easy to make. The most time consuming part of this is the marinating. The chicken smelled amazing as it was cooking and Tzatziki sauce was so good. I think I will use if for other things besides this recipe. I added feta cheese to my gyros but my husband who hates feta had pepper jack cheese on his. This dish was hubby approved and will definitely be added to our week night rotation. I served our gyros with homemade fries since I love fries and am convinced they go with everything. I recommend wrapping your pita in foil to keep it together and all of your toppings inside. I think it gives it an authentic restaurant feel so you can imagine it came from your favorite Greek place. Next time I might be adventurous and make my own pitas instead of purchasing them from the store.

Chicken Gyros
 
adapted from Cooking Classy
 
 
 
Ingredients
  1. 2 chicken breasts
For the Marinade
  1. 3 T of plain greek yogurt
  2. 3 cloves of garlic minced
  3. 1/4 c of lemon juice
  4. 1/4 c of olive oil
  5. 1 T red wine vinegar
  6. 2 tsp. oregano
  7. 2 tsp. fresh dill
  8. 1 tsp. of salt
  9. 1/2 tsp. of pepper
  10. 1/4 c diced red onion
 
For the Tzatziki Sauce
 
  1. 1 cucumber peeled and diced
  2. 1 c of plain greek yogart
  3. 2 T of lemon juice
  4. 1 clove of garlic
  5. 1 T olive oil
  6. 1 T fresh dill
  7. 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
  8. salt and pepper to taste

 
For the toppings
 
  1. Lettuce
  2. red onions
  3. diced cucumbers
  4. feta cheese
 
Pita Bread to serve on
Directions
 
  • For the marinade mix all the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and add chicken to it. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours but longer would be better but not to exceed 24.
  • For the tzatziki sauce - let the diced cucumber sit in a colander with a sprinkling of salt to draw out excess moisture. Rinse the salt off after 30 minutes and squeeze between either layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
  • Place in blender with rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  • For the chicken - grill marinated chicken until cooked through and let rest. I cooked mine on the stove because we were out of propane for our grill. It was still delicious.
 
  • Heat pita and then add your choice of toppings, chicken, sauce, and feta cheese.
  • Wrap in foil and enjoy.
 




Monday, May 9, 2016

Italian Meatballs


        I am not sure if I mentioned it before but I love Italian food. In fact my dream is to take a cooking tour of Italy. Just think, getting to experience the beauty of Italy and its old world architecture while learning how to create dishes from the local region. Sounds like heaven to me. Someday I will be able to go there and experience it but for now I will just have to bring Italy to me in the shape of meatballs. That's right meatballs.

       I love a good meatball sub as much as the next guy. I just do not like those meatballs in the frozen section of my local grocery store. You know the tasteless ones made out of mystery meat. Actually the idea to make my own meatballs came from one of my good friends who was complaining one day about the meatballs she recently purchased at the grocery store. I told her the first mistake was buying the cheap ones. If you are going for convenient meatballs you have to buy the good ones but the best ones are the ones you make yourself. She kind of took my advice and bought a better brand while I went a different route. I made my own and I must say they were better than the ones from the store in my opinion.

     My hubby vehemently approved these meatballs and had a couple of servings of them. This recipe made a lot so I froze the remaining ones for the next time we had a meatball craving. These meatballs were fairly easy to make and so worth the extra effort. If you are not a huge fan of cheese you can cut the amount down, in fact I think it may have been a little too much cheese because some oozed out when they were cooking but they were still very tasty.

Italian Meatballs
 
by Melissa DeWees
 
Ingredients
 
  1. 1 lb. Italian sausage ground
  2. 1 lb. ground beef
  3. 1/2 c fresh chopped parsley
  4. 2 eggs
  5. 1 c parmesan cheese grated
  6. 1 tsp. salt
  7. 1 tsp. pepper
  8. 1 tsp. dried basil
  9. 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  10. 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  11. 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  12. 1/2 c + 2T Italian bread crumbs
 
 
Directions
  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to just combined.
  • Do not over mix it will make your meatball tough.
  • Scoop into balls ( I used my cookie scoop) and place a couple of inches apart.
 
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the meatball is cooked through.

 
 
              So easy and so delicious. 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Orange Poppy Seed Cake


         For the last month I have been baking out of the cookbook Lick the Bowl Good, by Monica Holland, and for the most part the recipes have turned out well. If you get the chance I recommend picking up this book. It contains a variety of recipes from cakes to brownies to puddings and they are very easy to follow.

       I asked my husband what kind of dessert he was in the mood for this past week and handed him the book to peruse. He chose the Orange Poppy Seed Cake which surprised me because he is usually all about the chocolate. His choice pleased me because I am one of the few who do not care for chocolate. I know, I am a little bit strange this way. This cake turned out light and fluffy with a very nice orange flavor. I used a naval orange for the cake and added a little extra something in the glaze. Can you guess what the something was? I bet you can. If you guessed alcohol you would be correct. Grand Marnier to be exact. I think it made the glaze just that much better. I do not recommend using orange juice out of a carton for this. I think the orange juice you buy from the store has a lot more sugar in it and you also won't achieve the delicate orange flavor in this cake.

     This cake is perfect for a breakfast treat to go with your morning tea or coffee. It is also good for an after dinner snack when you just want a little something to nibble on.  Don't worry about the alcohol because it is definitely not enough to get you drunk. I hope if you get the chance you make this cake and also pick up this book.

Orange Poppy Seed Cake
 
adapted from Monica Holland
 
Ingredients
 
For the cake
  1.  1 1/2 c all purpose flour
  2. 1 T of baking powder
  3. 1/2 tsp. of baking soda
  4. 1/4 tsp. of salt
  5. 3 T of poppy seeds
  6. 1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
  7. 2 L eggs
  8. 1/4 c fresh orange juice
  9. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  10. 1/2 c unsalted butter at room temperature
  11. 3/4 c granulated sugar
  12. 1 T orange zest
For the Glaze
 
  1. 3/4 c powdered sugar
  2. 1 tsp. orange zest
  3. 1 T Grand Marnier
  4. 1 T orange juice
 
Directions
 
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F
  • Grease a 9 inch cake pan and set aside
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seed in a small bowl.
 
  • Combine yogurt, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla together and whisk until combined.
  • In the mixer cream butter, sugar, and orange zest together until light and fluffy.
 
  • Add 1/3 of flour mixture followed by 1/2 of yogurt mixture and mix until combined. Repeat until all of the ingredients are incorporated scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  • Scrape into prepared cake pan and bake 30 - 35 minutes until done.
 
  • Cool cake in pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out on baking rack and cool completely.
  • Once the cake is cooled, transfer to serving plate and make the glaze.

 
  • Whisk all of the glaze ingredients in a bowl together, you may have to add more powdered sugar if it is not at the desired consistency.
  • Pour over top of the cake and allow it to set before cutting.
 
 
        This cake is perfect for the days when you are craving something sweet and not too heavy. The bonus is it is very easy to make and not time consuming. I hope you have a great day and I will talk to you soon.