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homemadeish

    Homemade-ish

    Snickerdoodle Cookies

    kristingambacciniblog.com

    These cookies have it all; a bit of a crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, sweet and a bit tart – a trifecta of “get in my belly now”.

    You can’t go wrong with these sweet treat favorites!

    kristingambacciniblog.com

    Snickerdoodle Cookies

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/2 cup Salted Butter
    • 1/2 cup Shortening
    • 1 1/2 cup White Sugar
    • 2 Eggs
    • 2 tsp Vanilla
    • 2 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
    • 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
    • 1 tsp Baking Soda
    • 1/4 tsp Salt
    • 1/2 cup White Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Ground Cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400°
    • In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups white sugar, eggs and vanilla using stand mixer or handheld mixer.
    • Blend in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt to creamed mix, adding slowly.
    • In a separate smaller bowl, combine 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.
    • Using a teaspoon, scoop out cookie dough and form into a ball shape by rolling dough between palms.
    • Dip and roll the dough ball in the cinnamon/sugar mix to thoroughly coat.
    • Place on baking sheet allowing room for cookies to spread while baking.
    • Bake 8-10 minutes.
    Homemade-ish

    Homemade Fruity Pop-Tarts

    kristingambacciniblog.com

    What do you get when you mix a pop-tart and a toaster strudel?

    A Tart Toaster?

    A Pop Strudel?

    Deliciousness. That’s what you get.

    Deliciousness.

    And they can be as homemade as you want them to be. Don’t want to make pie crust from scratch? Use premade frozen crusts. Don’t want to make your own fruit preserves? Use jarred jam! Don’t have time to make your own icing? Use store-bought frosting!

    But if you do want to try your hand at a completely homemade pop-tart, I’ve got you covered there too. You may find you need to tweak the recipe to please your fam. For my brood, homemade crust is definitely preferred but frosting in a can is the winner over the DIY sugar glaze (although they don’t mind the glaze. They just prefer the canned stuff). And these kids of mine don’t notice a difference between made-at-home jam and a jar of Smuckers inside these sweet treats. No matter how you make these fruity pop-tarts, they’re a special morning breakfast or after-dinner delight that everyone will love!

    Oh, and if you want to skip the sugar glaze for a bit healthier of an option? No worries – these pop-tarts will still be totally delish.

    kristingambacciniblog.com
    kristingambacciniblog.com

    Homemade Fruity Pop-Tarts

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 Pie Crusts *My Butter Crust recipe is attached below*
    • 3/4 cup Strawberry Preserves Or Blueberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Blackberry – whatever flavor you want!
    • 1 tbsp Corn Starch
    • 1 tbsp Water Cold
    • 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
    • 1 tbsp Milk
    • pinch of Salt
    • Sprinkles

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425°. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Unroll premade pie crusts or roll out butter crust on a lightly floured surface.
    • Using a cookie cutter for fun shapes or a butter knife for a traditional rectangle shape, cut 8 equal size shapes from each crust (so 16 shapes total).
    • Use a fork to poke holes in 8 of the crust shapes for the top of the pop tarts.
    • In a small saucepan, add strawberry preserves on low heat.
    • Add cornstarch and water together in separate bowl and mix until well blended.
    • Pour cornstarch mix into the warm jam over the stovetop and stir until combined.
      Continue mixing consistently to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
    • Once jam mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat.
    • Spoon a small amount of jam in the center of 8 cut shapes (the ones that have not been poked) and spread it over the crust making sure to leave a small border along the edges to allow a better crust seal.
    • Take the top crust pieces and place them over the jam covered shapes. I used my fingers (or a fork) press the two crust edges together.
    • Place pop tarts on the baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until they are golden brown.
    • To make the glaze:
      Combine powdered sugar, milk and salt in a small bowl.
      Mix consistently until a smooth glaze forms.
      Drizzle sugar glaze over baked and cooled pop tarts.
      Add sprinkles.
      Enjoy!
    kristingambacciniblog.com

    Butter Pie Crust

    Made with butter and a few other not-near-as-important ingredients.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 cups flour
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 cup cold salted butter cut into small cubes
    • 1/2 cup ice water
    • 2 metal pie pans Why metal pans? Because this is an all butter crust, it needs to be frozen before baking to keep the pie shape. The extreme temp change from freezer to oven could cause glass to shatter.

    Instructions
     

    • In a stand mixer, or by hand with a pastry cutter if you're old school like that, blend the dry ingredients together.
    • Add butter. Mix until the butter chunks are no bigger than blueberries.
    • Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix until a dough ball forms.
    • Remove ball and cut in half. Flatten into 2 large pancake dough discs.
    • Flour counter and roll out dough half a few inches larger than the pie pan you are using.
    • Line the buttered pan with the pie dough, tuck under the edges evenly and beautify -AKA- "crimp" the edges. Poke holes throughout the bottom of the crust using a fork.
    • Place the crimped pie shells into the freezer for at least an hour before baking but preferably overnight.
    • When you are ready to bake your pie, fill the frozen crust and bake immediately. Do not thaw the crust.
    • Preheat oven to 400. After 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 and bake according to your recipe. Starting out with a very hot oven helps keep the shape of your crimping.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 2 regular sized pie crusts (top and bottom). But, if you are making a slab pie, this recipe will make 1 slab pie crust.
    Homemade-ish

    Bake Sale Brownie Pops

    perfectlydestressed.com

    My kiddos like to participate in their school plays (they totally get their drama from their Mama!)

    There’s typically a bake sale going on outside the auditorium through the duration of the show weekend. I try to help out as much as I can with school activities and baking at home is something that is easy for me to do along with all the other Mom Stuff I’ve got going on. I wanted to do something fun and different for the sale, but because I’m me, I waited until the last minute to actually bake said fun treat, so I had to scrounge in my cabinets to piece together the supplies.

    Here’s what I came up with: A big ol’ slab of freshly baked milk chocolate brownie – straight from the box, dino-shaped sprinkles, craft sticks, clear treat bags and a rectangle-shaped cookie cutter.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    I was short on time (surprise, surprise) so I threw the baked brownie slab into the freezer to speed up the cooling process. Also, cutting brownie into shapes is a bit easier when the brownie is room temp or cold.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Once it was cool, but not frozen – I basically had just enough time to clean up the kitchen from baking the brownies, change a diaper, wash my hands and fold a few towels before it was time to take them out of the freezer – I started cutting out my shapes. It is really important to remember to grease your pan before adding the brownie batter due to this step in particular. The greased pan will allow you to easily remove your cut-out shapes.

    If you’re wondering – “what about the outside and inside pieces that aren’t part of the cut-outs? They’re just wasted.” Ummm, no way. We eat them. We don’t discriminate based on shape, size or general appearance of desserts. We’ll literally eat anything.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Once you’ve got your brownie rectangles cut out, take your craft sticks and push them through one of the short ends of the brownie. I had to go about halfway in to ensure the brownie and the stick would fit in the size bags I had on hand.

    Taking a pastry brush and a glass of water, I brushed the top of the brownies until slightly damp and added the sprinkles on the brownie.

    *the water just helps the sprinkles stick to the top of the brownie. Technically, you could add the sprinkles before baking the brownies, but in my experience the sprinkles lose a little of their bright color and tend to be more brittle after they’ve been baked. I prefer to add them at the end.*

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Slide the Brownie Pops into the treat bags, brownie side first and tie the bag closed around the craft stick with curling ribbon, twist ties, yarn or string.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Dino Brownie Pop Perfection – BRAVO! These pops will make everyone screaming for an ENCORE! <—– see what I did there?!

    Homemade-ish

    Sticky Chicken Rice

    perfectlydestressed.com

    This chicken flavored sticky rice using authentic sushi rice will be your new favorite supper time side dish!

    My older kids have been eating a lot of rice lately. I don’t know exactly why, but all of a sudden it’s their go-to for weekend lunch or evening snacks. So much so, that I’m constantly replenishing our good ol’ box of “Instant White Rice” at the grocery store. And because of this, I’ve started paying way more attention to the other types of rice around me. To the point that I’m ashamed that I never knew some of them even existed. Like, did you know “Instant White Rice” isn’t the only white rice? Or that the amazing rice you get at the hibachi restaurants is actually sold in the store to non-hibachi-restaurant owners? It’s actually not an Ancient Chinese Secret? I’m embarrassed to say that I certainly didn’t!

    And this Sticky Chicken Rice is yum-azing! It may not be as good for sushi (it’s still sticky, but the broth definitely changes the sticky aspect a bit differently than adding the traditional rice vinegar)

    But, it’s great in a bowl with chicken for dinner. Or for fun school lunches, you can see some that I’ve made here.

    It can be made on the stove, but making it in the Instant Pot is no-fail.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Sticky Chicken Rice – In an Instant Pot!

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 cups water
    • 2 chicken bouillon cubes
    • 2 cups sushi rice

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse your dry rice (this step is optional)
    • After you've rinsed (or not rinsed) your dry rice, add your rice to the instant pot.
    • Add your water and your bouillon cubes.
    • Seal your instant pot closed.
    • Set to cook on Manual (on my appliance it's the Steam setting) for 4 minutes.
    • Allow the pressure to release naturally at the end of cook time.
    • If using in a traditional supper side dish – fluff the rice and serve warm.
      If using in a sushi dish – remove inner pot from appliance and set to the side allowing it to cool to room temperature.
      Fluff the rice and flatten with wet hands to prepare to roll.
    Homemade-ish

    Cheesy Chip Tuna Noodle Casserole

    perfectlydestressed.com

    “If you liked it then you should have put some cheese and chips on it” is what I always say. Okay, not really, but if I were to talk about how to make a Tuna Casserole your kids will actually eat, I totally would belt this out in such a way that Beyonce would be proud. Okay, not really that either. Alas, here’s the casserole recipe. And you can print out it. Trust me, you’ll love it.

    Cheesy Chip Tuna Noodle Casserole

    Cheese and Chips make everything taste better. Especially this Tuna Noodle Casserole. The size is meant to feed a crowd (my big ol' family of 10). You may want to half the ingredients in the recipe for a smaller sized casserole.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 bags Egg Noodles (12 oz each)
    • 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
    • 4 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
    • 2 cups Frozen Peas
    • 4 cans Tuna 5 oz each – drained
    • 4 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup 10.75 oz cans
    • 1 can Sliced Mushrooms 4.5 oz
    • 1 cup Melted Butter
    • 2 cups Salted Potato Chips place in large Ziplok bag, crush into crumbles using hands

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425°
    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Pour in egg noodles. Boil for approximately 8-10 minutes or until al dente.
    • In a large bowl, thoroughly mix noodles, melted butter, onions, soup, tuna, mushrooms, peas and half of the cheese.
    • Pour mix into a greased 9×13 baking pan.
    • Top casserole with potato chip crumbles and the rest of the shredded cheese.
    • Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
    Homemade-ish

    Pumpkin Pie Cake Slab

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Have you ever had one of those days where you really want a piece of pie, but you really want a piece of cake, too? I was having one of these major dessert dilemmas the other afternoon. I mean, why the heck do we have to choose just one? I resolved this sweet tooth conundrum, combined pie and cake together, and now your Cake Cravin’ Autumn Lovin’ Pumpkin Pie Relishin’ Tastebuds will never be the same.

    It all starts with a can of pumpkin pie mix. The rest is easy as pie. I mean it. This recipe is a real piece of cake. Goodness, the puns are strong with this one!

    perfectlydestressed.com

    The best part about this recipe (other than its amazing flavor), is it can be served with or without frosting. Both finishes are yummy. But, if you do decide to frost the slab cake, make sure to use my homemade cream cheese frosting below the cake recipe!

    Pumpkin Pie Cake Slab

    This recipe feeds a crowd. It makes a slab (a sheet cake). Perfect for holiday get-togethers!

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 cups flour
    • 4 tsp baking powder
    • 2 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 cups vegetable oil
    • 8 eggs
    • 2 cups brown sugar
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 can pumpkin pie mix 30 ounce

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°. Grease your 9×13 baking pan.
    • Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.
    • Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and pumpkin pie mix together until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. The batter will be thick.
    • Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Baking times vary – the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
      *You may find you have extra batter left over after filling the sheet pan. I call this "Mom's Cake". It's just a smaller, extra cake that I prepare (typically a small 8" round), bake and stash away somewhere in the back of the fridge for a few days to snack on in secret. I have no shame.*
    • Remove from oven and allow to fully cool.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 ounces cream cheese 1 full block
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temp
    • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/8 tsp salt

    Instructions
     

    • Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat on lower speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
      *If you prefer a sturdier frosting, add extra sugar – 1/4 cup at a time – until desired thickness*
    Homemade-ish

    Pumpkin Casserole

    perfectlydestressed.com

    I know what you’re thinking – “dinner in a pumpkin? You’ve got to be jack-o-lantern-in’ me around!” Nope! I swear to gourd this is a real thing. And it’s totally awesome, my friends.

    Before we hop into the casserole recipe nitty-gritty, there are actually 2 ways to make this meal. The first is for those who want the pumpkin look at dinner, but not the pumpkin taste. The second is for those pumpkin lovin’ peeps that can’t get enough of the orange stuff this season. Make sure you are following the proper recipe instructions for your preference!

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Pumpkin Casserole

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts shredded – I prefer to use cooked rotisserie chicken – de-skinned and shredded
    • 1 tsp garlic salt
    • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
    • 1 can corn
    • 1 can peas
    • 1 ½ cups instant white rice
    • 2 Tbsp butter
    • 1 cup cheddar cheese
    • 2 Tbsp cream cheese
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°. The pumpkin will need to be placed on the lowest rack, so you will most likely need to remove the second rack from your oven for the pumpkin to fit lid and all.
    • Cut the top off the pumpkin and set aside. Make sure your opening is fairly wide to allow ample room for the casserole to be spooned out. Remove the seeds and insides of the pumpkin. You can carve a face on your pumpkin, but just make sure to line that side with aluminum foil so the casserole stays inside. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet covered in foil.
    • Cook and stir chicken, garlic salt and a bit of salt and pepper together in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray until evenly browned.
    • Add veggies, butter and cream cheese; stir. Keep over heat until thoroughly mixed.
    • Remove from heat. Stir in rice and water. (If you are NOT planning on baking the pumpkin, continue to heat the rice and water until the rice is fully cooked. Pour cooked casserole into foil-lined pumpkin and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese generously on top. Serve immediately.)
    • Pour casserole into gutted pumpkin. Place cut pumpkin "lid" back on top.
    • Bake for 90 minutes on the lowest rack in the oven. Sprinkle generously with shredded cheddar cheese and let set for 10 minutes or so. You will have to serve the pumpkin on the baking sheet as they become very soft and easily break after baking.
    • Make sure to scoop some of the baked pumpkin off the sides as you scoop out the casserole!

    Notes

    Notes to Remember:
    If you are just using the pumpkin as a seasonal container and prefer not to cook it, line the interior of the pumpkin with aluminum foil and pour the completely cooked casserole inside right before serving.
    Homemade-ish

    Perfectly Perfect Apple Pie

    perfectlydestressed.com

    If you have been looking for an amazing and easy apple pie recipe, look no further.

    This apple pie recipe is all you’ll ever need. It’s a family favorite around here and it’ll be a favorite at your house, too!

    Pair the Perfectly Perfect Apple Pie Filling with my Give Me All The Butter Crust and you, my friend, have become the neighborhood Martha Stewart.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Perfectly Perfect Apple Pie Filling

    This recipe is for one regular-sized apple pie. But, if you are making a slab pie like mine, you will need to triple the recipe.

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 cups peeled and sliced apples approx. 4 large apples
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp cornstarch
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Coat peeled and sliced apples with lemon juice.
    • Toss lemon covered apples with sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg

    Notes

    This recipe freezes really well – if you pick a bunch of fresh apples in the fall, make a few containers to freeze and have throughout the long winter!
    kristingambacciniblog.com

    Butter Pie Crust

    Made with butter and a few other not-near-as-important ingredients.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 cups flour
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 cup cold salted butter cut into small cubes
    • 1/2 cup ice water
    • 2 metal pie pans Why metal pans? Because this is an all butter crust, it needs to be frozen before baking to keep the pie shape. The extreme temp change from freezer to oven could cause glass to shatter.

    Instructions
     

    • In a stand mixer, or by hand with a pastry cutter if you're old school like that, blend the dry ingredients together.
    • Add butter. Mix until the butter chunks are no bigger than blueberries.
    • Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix until a dough ball forms.
    • Remove ball and cut in half. Flatten into 2 large pancake dough discs.
    • Flour counter and roll out dough half a few inches larger than the pie pan you are using.
    • Line the buttered pan with the pie dough, tuck under the edges evenly and beautify -AKA- "crimp" the edges. Poke holes throughout the bottom of the crust using a fork.
    • Place the crimped pie shells into the freezer for at least an hour before baking but preferably overnight.
    • When you are ready to bake your pie, fill the frozen crust and bake immediately. Do not thaw the crust.
    • Preheat oven to 400. After 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 and bake according to your recipe. Starting out with a very hot oven helps keep the shape of your crimping.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 2 regular sized pie crusts (top and bottom). But, if you are making a slab pie, this recipe will make 1 slab pie crust.
    Homemade-ish

    Easy Peasy Lasagna

    perfectlydestressed.com

    A super tasty 4 ingredient homemade-ish Lasagna and Meatballs dish for those crazy busy school nights.

    Tired mothers rejoice!

    Now you can feed your family a hot, home-cooked meal in under an hour from start to finish. No worries. You can thank me later.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Easy Peasy Lasagna & Meatballs

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 bag frozen cheese ravioli
    • 1 bag frozen meatballs
    • 1 jar spaghetti sauce
    • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    • grated parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9×13 baking dish
    • Place a layer of frozen ravioli along bottom of dish
    • Add spoonfuls of spaghetti sauce on top
    • Sprinkle sauce covered ravioli generously with mozzarella cheese
    • Repeat this process until the dish is full
    • Add a layer of frozen meatballs to the top and sprinkle with grated parm
    • Cover with aluminum foil and bake until hot and bubbly – 45 minutes to an hour.

    Notes

    This “Lasagna” is perfect for those busy school nights where running around to gymnastics, soccer games and after school clubs have left you tired and worn out.
    Now you can still make your fam a hot home-cooked meal in a flash.
    Homemade-ish

    Peach Pie Slab & Butter Crust Recipes

    www.perfectlydestressed.com

    This pie slab is perfect for ridiculously large families (like mine…) or for parties, banquets and celebrations.

    Go on ahead – just try to have only one slice.

    The heart-shaped pie crust cut-out additions on the top not only make it absolutely adorable, they also make it easy to cut even slices – a piece of your heart for everyone!

    www.perfectlydestressed.com

    Peach Pie Slab

    Ingredients
      

    • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp cornstarch
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/8 tsp salt
    • 6 cups fresh peach slices
    • 2 tbsp lemon juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400°
    • In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Toss in peaches and lemon juice.
    • Make sure peaches are thoroughly coated with the deliciousness listed above.
    • Add peach filling into prepared and 9×13 crust covered sheet pan. Spread filling evenly.
    • You can either A) place a second rectangular shaped pie crust on top, pinch the edges of the top and bottom crust together to seal, tuck under any additional crust along the edges and use a knife cut slits for venting OR B) if you're feeling really Martha Stewart-ish (or if you were really crabby all day to your kiddos and feel bad like I did) you can cut out pie dough heart shapes – or any other shape – with a cookie cutter.
    • NOTE:
      My Give Me ALLLL The Butter Pie Crust (below) makes enough dough for both the full bottom and the heart shapes on top of the Peach Pie Slab.
    • Bake 35-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Let cool and EAT!

    Can we be real? Let’s be real.

    Sometimes life is hectic and wild and crazy and Mama just doesn’t have time to make a pie crust from scratch. So, I buy some store-bought refrigerated bad boys and bake those babies right up. And you know what? No one around here cares! They eat it anyway…

    But, sometimes, sooooooometimes, I feel a bit more June Cleaver-ish than usual and I want to make my family food that’s been prepared with my blood, sweat and tears. Just Kidding. Sort of…

    But, this pie crust is super simple and so gosh darn good. I use it for dessert pies, dinner pies and biscuits. The ingredients are typical kitchen staples so I never have to worry about not having what I need. I hope you love it as much as my thighs I do!

    kristingambacciniblog.com

    Butter Pie Crust

    Made with butter and a few other not-near-as-important ingredients.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 1/2 cups flour
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 cup cold salted butter cut into small cubes
    • 1/2 cup ice water
    • 2 metal pie pans Why metal pans? Because this is an all butter crust, it needs to be frozen before baking to keep the pie shape. The extreme temp change from freezer to oven could cause glass to shatter.

    Instructions
     

    • In a stand mixer, or by hand with a pastry cutter if you're old school like that, blend the dry ingredients together.
    • Add butter. Mix until the butter chunks are no bigger than blueberries.
    • Add 1/2 cup of ice water and mix until a dough ball forms.
    • Remove ball and cut in half. Flatten into 2 large pancake dough discs.
    • Flour counter and roll out dough half a few inches larger than the pie pan you are using.
    • Line the buttered pan with the pie dough, tuck under the edges evenly and beautify -AKA- "crimp" the edges. Poke holes throughout the bottom of the crust using a fork.
    • Place the crimped pie shells into the freezer for at least an hour before baking but preferably overnight.
    • When you are ready to bake your pie, fill the frozen crust and bake immediately. Do not thaw the crust.
    • Preheat oven to 400. After 15 minutes, reduce oven to 375 and bake according to your recipe. Starting out with a very hot oven helps keep the shape of your crimping.

    Notes

    This recipe makes 2 regular sized pie crusts (top and bottom). But, if you are making a slab pie, this recipe will make 1 slab pie crust.

    Homemade-ish

    Mom’s Dr. Cake & Frosting

    perfectlydestressed.com
    I know. I know. You’re wondering “why in the ever-lovin’ world did she name this cake Dr.?” Trust me, it’s aptly named. See, it’s been doctored up so much from the original box whence it came, it’s basically got a doctorate in the technical field of Homemade-ish.
    Sounds legit, right?!
    perfectlydestressed.com

    Do we really eat cake like this? Why yes, yes we do.

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Mom’s Any Flavor Dr. Cake

    This cake is totally choose-your-own adventure style. You like vanilla cake? Use vanilla flavor box cake with vanilla flavor pudding. Chocolate? Go ALL in with the chocolate! You could even use Chocolate extract in place of the Vanilla. How about a touch of lemon? Start with a vanilla cake and use lemon flavored pudding. Or vice versa. You simply can't go wrong!

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 box Cake Mix Any Flavor
    • 1 box Instant Pudding Mix (3oz) Any Flavor
    • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 cup Sugar
    • 3/4 tsp Salt
    • 1 ⅓ cup Water
    • 1/8 cup Vegetable Oil
    • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
    • 1 cup Sour Cream Greek Yogurt works too. If you're hard core and goin' all Milli Vanilli (I typically do), you can even use Vanilla Greek Yogurt.
    • 3 Eggs

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour pans.
    • Mix all of the dry ingredients thoroughly.
    • Add wet ingredients.
    • Pour batter into greased and floured prepared pans filling a bit over halfway full.
    • Bake until cake is firm. Baking time varies based on pan size. Follow box directions.

    Notes

    Keep in mind that the additional ingredients will increase the amount of batter you are making. I can easily fill (3) 6 inch round cake pans. Or one huge sheet pan. Or (2) 9 inch pans….you get the idea. You get a lot of cake with this recipe! You *may* find that you need to increase your baking time depending on how full your pan is. 325 is a good temperature as it allows your cake to bake thoroughly throughout without the worry of burning the top. The lower temp and additional bake time allows for a more even bake.

    But wait, there’s more!

    This frosting will leave people thinking you are some sort of winning contestant on the Great American Baking Show. Own it. You don’t ever have to tell them you used a can of frosting for the base…

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Dr. Frosting

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tub Vanilla Canned Frosting
    • 1 box Cream Cheese optional (adding this makes a killer cream cheese frosting for sugar cookies fyi)
    • 2-3 drops Extract of choice I prefer 2 drops of Vanilla & 1 drop of Almond
    • 3-4 tbsp Confectioners Sugar *you may continue adding 1 tbsp at a time until you have reached desired consistency*

    Instructions
     

    • *I like to use my KitchenAid mixer for this particular recipe using the paddle attachment. That way I can walk away for a few seconds (or 15 minutes because I get side-tracked and forget I'm even making cake). But, a hand mixer will do just fine.*
      Empty your tub of frosting into a bowl, slowly mix in your extract 1 drop at a time and lastly add the sugar.
      This frosting leaves a delicate crust around your cake. Enough to hold it in place, but soft enough to taste super fresh.

    Notes

    Add too much powdered sugar? No problem – simply add milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it thins the frosting to your liking.
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