1 cup vegetable oil
1¾ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons white vinegar
¼ cup red food coloring
2¼ cups cake flour, sifted
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt FROSTING
1 cup cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup pecans, optional
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, eggs & vanilla. After mixture is blended well, add buttermilk, vinegar & food coloring.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together 3 times, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Slowly add flour mixture to bowl of liquid mixture, a little at a time. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into pans & bake for 25 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
3. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese, butter & vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar & beat for 5 minutes until smooth. Frost cake & place pecans on top.
8 sweet & hot Italian sausages
2 large red onions, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
½ cup olive oil
sea salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
8 hot dog buns
1. Prepare coals to medium heat. Place sausages on rack & grill for 10 minutes, occasionally turning. Place sliced vegetables on a grill pan & place on the rack. Stir & cook vegetables for 6-7 minutes. Brush sausages & vegetables with olive oil, then season with salt & pepper.
2. Place sausages in buns, then add onions & assorted peppers.
8 ears fresh corn, husked
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Prepare coals in BBQ grill to medium heat. In a large pot, boil ears of corn for 10 minutes. Remove corn from water & lay to dry on paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix butter, parmesan, basil, garlic powder, salt & cayenne pepper. Brush corn thoroughly with olive oil. Place corn on the grill & cook for 7-10 minutes, turning frequently.
3. Remove corn from the grill. Generously brush butter mixture all over corn & serve hot.
10 catfish fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
safflower oil, for deep frying
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cups cornmeal
1. Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer or heavy pot. In a small bowl, beat milk & eggs together. In a second bowl combine salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic, onion & brown sugar. In a third bowl combine flour & cornmeal.
2. First, dip each piece of fish into the egg mixture. Then, sprinkle each piece with the seasoning mixture. Finally, coat each piece with the flour mixture.
3. Deep fry fish in small batches, without overcrowding. Cook for 3-4 minutes per batch or until golden brown. Lay fish on paper towels to drain excess oil.
1 cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup green onion, finely chopped
safflower oil
1. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper & garlic powder in a medium bowl. Stir in milk, egg & green onion until blended. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oil to 375 degrees in a deep heavy pot. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter into hot oil, without overcrowding. Fry hushpuppies in batches for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Lay hushpuppies on paper towels to drain excess oil.
