Derby Day Pimento Cheese Spread

Derby Day Pimento Cheese Spread 

Karri Perry| Blue Ribbon Favorites

Ingredients:

4 ounces softened cream cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise (Duke’s)

1 cup freshly shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese-be sure to shred by hand the block of cheese (Cracker Barrel Brand)

4 ounces jarred pimentos-drained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon smoked 

paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Directions:

Stir together the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Add the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder. Stir to blend. Add the red wine vinegar, stir to combine. Fold in the shredded cheese and chopped pimentos.  Refrigerate for 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Serve with crackers, or celery. Keeps for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container.

Carrot Cake Trifle

This recipe can be made in a 9x13 baking dish, turned into a trifle, or as cupcakes, or a three-layer stacked cake.

Prize-Winning Carrot Cake as a Trifle

Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tiny pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

***

3 large eggs-room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk-room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

***

2 cups of finely grated carrot-  Food process once with a grater attachment and then a second time for finely grated carrot.

1 can (8 ounce) crushed pineapple, drained very well

1/2 cup flaked coconut-I use Baker's Sweetened Angel Flaked-in the blue bag.

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional) Toast nuts in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes, cool and chop before adding to the cake. 

Instructions for trifle:

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside

For a traditional layer cake:

Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease/spray.  Set aside.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and tiny pinch of ground cloves.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla, mixing together until combined and emulsified (smooth with no oily puddles).  Slowly add the flour mixture, stopping to scrape down the bowl.  Mix cake batter just until flour mixture is incorporated.

Fold in the grated carrot, pineapple, coconut and chopped nuts if using.

Pour batter into the prepared baking dish for trifle or equally into prepared cake pans.  

Cake pans: Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

9x13: Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly from the center of the cake.

For 9x13: let cake cool completely before cutting.

Making the Trifle: Cut cooled cake into two-inch squares.  Fill a large clear glass trifle dish or bowl with a layer of cake. Add a layer of frosting (recipe below) Add a layer of cake, followed by frosting, ending with frosting on top.  

Garnish:

Edible Easter Grass-available at Target, and Amazon (I used Galerie brand)

Strawberry “carrots”  Candy coated strawberries:

White chocolate candy coating/melts-availale in baking aisle: white candy coating at Kroger, or orange candy melts available at Michael’s/Joann’s or online.

Orange food gel

Fresh-cleaned and dried strawberries

Plate with waxed paper

Follow package instructions to melt candy coating.  Add orange food gel to achieve a good carrot color. Dip each cleaned and dried strawberry into melted candy to evenly coat the berry. 

Let excess drip back into the melted candy coating. Rest finished berries on a waxed paper-lined plate.  Let coating set-up, then place “carrots” on top of trifle to garnish.  Store extra dipped berries in the refrigerator.  Top trifle with edible grass and strawberry “carrots”. Refrigerate until 1 hour before serving. Can be made two days in advance.

Layer Cake:

Remove cakes from the very warm pans after 10 minutes AND remove and discard the parchment paper.  Let cool.

Once cakes are at room temperature, spread the frosting between the cake layers, on the sides and top of cake.  This is not the final coat, this is only the crumb-coat.

Chill cake in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, then apply a final coating of the frosting, add nuts to the sides for garnish. 

Refrigerate cake overnight, up to 24 hours and then serve. 

** For cupcakes, this recipe makes 36 cupcakes.  Use cupcake liners, fill cups 3/4 full, bake for 17-19 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
(I usually double this for a three-layer cake)

1 stick of softened butter (8 TBS)
1 brick of softened cream cheese (8 ounces)
3 cups of powdered sugar

1 small tub (8 ounces) of whipped topping

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts-for layer cake sides

Whip butter until smooth and airy, add softened cream cheese, mix until smooth. Add salt and vanilla and sugar.  Fold in the whipped topping—this lightens the frosting.

(If frosting is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until desired consistency is reached.)

Refrigerate the frosted cake, cupcakes or prepared trifle until one hour before serving. 

*Can be made two days in advance, the flavors develop in the refrigerator-it’s delicious the same day-and even better after 24 hours of refrigeration!

Butterscotch Blondies

 

Butterscotch Blondies

Karri Perry-Blue Ribbon Favorites

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

11 ounces-(1 bag) butterscotch chips

1/2 cup chopped-toasted pecans-optional 

8x8 baking dish-lined with parchment-and non stick spray

Bake 350 35-40 min

Cream butter, and sugars together…add eggs salt, cinnamon, mix…add flour, baking powder. Mix to combine, gently fold in butterscotch chips and pecans. Pour evenly into prepared baking dish-batter will be thick.  

Bake 35-40 mins (until golden and set-a toothpick will come out cleanly) at 350-on middle oven rack. 

Cool completely before cutting.  Use parchment to lift blondies out. Cut into 16 squares.

To fancy-up these butterscotch blondies, add a dollop of vanilla frosting and a candy egg… perfect for any springtime dessert table.

Homemade frosting:

4 Tablespoons softened butter

1/2-3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

Stir butter until creamy, add confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and salt. 

Cheddar Biscuits

These biscuits… the plain buttermilk version is a Best-of-Show winner…all the layers…  and this cheddar-garlic version… Sooo good too!!  

Knowing how to make a scrumptious biscuit can save the day… or at least a lackluster meal. I promise I’m not trying to oversell this recipe… it’s just so easy to make these… and the results are totally worth the effort!

These are the kind of biscuits that “all will be forgiven” —no matter what you’re serving, these biscuits will be the star of the show… perfect for any meal—-or made into a sandwich… 

Enjoy!!

Cheddar-Garlic Buttermilk Biscuits

Karri Perry|Blue Ribbon Favorites

8 Tablespoons cold grated butter (1 stick butter)

butter snow-finely grated frozen butter put through the grater

attachment of the food processor. Keep it cold.

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 Cups White Lily Self Rising Flour -no substitutions

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1 Cup cold buttermilk

Melted butter for biscuit tops- 2 TBS

2 TBS flour if needed for sticky dough

***

Preheat Oven: 450 degrees. Use center oven racks

Make butter snow with the food processor or grate butter

(see above) 

Keep butter snow chilled or frozen until ready to mix into flour.

Grate 1 cup of cheddar cheese

Whisk together self-rising flour, garlic powder, sugar and salt.

Add the butter snow and grated cheddar cheese.

Using a pastry blender or fork,

lightly incorporate the butter into the flour mixture.

Make a well in the center of flour mixture.

Pour in cold buttermilk.

Mix, just until combined using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

On a lightly floured work surface (I like parchment) empty the dough from the bowl onto the floured parchment surface.

How to create layers:

Roll the dough out (roughly an 8x11 rectangle), then fold the dough in half.

Gently roll or shape the dough again, back into a rough 8x11 rectangle.

If dough is sticky add a little extra flour until dough is not sticky.

Fold and gently roll about 4 times...until the dough is silky and smooth.

(Rolling and folding, helps to create layers)

Always be gentle...

For the final roll of the dough, roll to 1/2 -1 inch thickness. 

Using a lightly floured cutter, cut out biscuits and lay them touching one another on a greased and 

parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet.

Re-roll any leftover dough, 

cut out and add remaining biscuits to tray.  

Be sure to get cold biscuits right into the oven... if necessary,

chill tray of biscuits for five minutes before placing into the hot oven.

Bake on middle rack, in a hot-preheated 450 oven for

12 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Brush tops with melted butter.  

*If you want to omit the garlic powder… they will still be amazing.