Best Frosting

This is another PW recipe. It's a very different type of frosting - buttercream-y, but with a firm, moldable texture. Anyhow, I've never made anything quiet like it, but it is very good paired with chocolate sheet cake (search Desserts for the recipe).

Best Frosting

5 Tbsp flour
1 c milk (or 1/2 and 1/2)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c butter
1 c granulated sugar (NOT powdered sugar)

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If you're in a hurry, you can place it in the freezer for 10 minutes.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, keep beating it. Beat it until the texture resembles whipped cream.
Spread on a cooled cake.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

This really is a wonderful chocolate sheet cake. SO good and so many things to do with it!

Chocolate Sheet Cake
{From PW}

2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp (heaping) Cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 c boiling water
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa. Stir together.
Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Pour over flour mixture, and stir lightly to cool.
In a measuring cup, pour buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture. Pour into sprayed sheet cake pan (13X18) and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream is very easy to make - don't be intimidated! Just be sure to keep it cold or cool - it starts getting slippery at regular room temp. This frosting has a lovely flavor and the Key lime zest gives the perfect hint of green to it. I used it on white cupcakes, topped with a salty pretzel!

Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp Key lime zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 16-oz package powdered sugar

3 Tbsp Key lime juice

1 to 2 Tbsp milk

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with Key lime juice, 1 Tbsp at a time. Add 1 Tbsp milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in up to 1 Tbsp additional milk for desired consistency.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

We had some rainy and cold days last week- perfect for a dinner of soup and cornbread. This recipe is a great "clean-out-the-pantry" meal and can be easily adjusted to fit what's in yours! Both kids ate all of their helpings, and rumor has it my brother licked the bowl the next day at lunch!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1 small onion, chopped

1 c shredded carrots

5 c water

1 (6.2 oz) package fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli

2 c chopped cooked chicken

1 (8 oz) loaf Velveeta, cubed

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

Saute onion and carrots in a lightly greased Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add 5 c water, seasoning packet from rice, broccoli, and chicken. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice; reduce heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

Add cheese and soup; cook, stirring constantly, 5 min or until cheese melts.

Serve immediately.