Birthday Cake - Dinosaurs Eating The Cake

I wanted to find a fun cake to make for my fiance's birthday. Thankfully, Pinterest has a lot of great ideas. This one was really playful and simple! I bought some dinosaur toys and the kids at the party ended up playing with all the extra dinosaurs. I originally wanted to make the frosting a forest green but for reasons still unknown, the frosting separated. Luckily, I had some heavy cream on hand and turned it into whipped cream to frost the cake. It ended up being a big hit with the kids and adults!

Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
food coloring

Buttercream Frosting:
1 stick butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
3 to 8 tbs. milk

Directions:
1. Bake cake according to package directions. I like to do three layers so I follow the instructions for two layer cakes and cut down the time a little.

2. Combine melted butter and powered sugar with an electric mixer until it looks like chalky beads. Add vanilla and salt, mix until combined. Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the mixture is a spreadable, creamy consistency. If it gets too runny, add more sugar. If it gets too stiff, add more milk. Add any food coloring if using and mix in. You can go online and look up what color combinations are needed to make the desired shade you want.

3. Put the first cake layer on a platter. Put a mound of icing in the middle of the cake and spread with a spatula until evenly spread around top of cake. Put the second layer on top and put more frosting in the middle. Add the final layer on top and put the remaining frosting on the top layer. Working from the center, slowly spread it around. You'll want to spread it over the sides and then move the extra frosting around the outside.

4. Once you have a nice smooth layer of frosting around the entire cake you get to do the fun part of the decorating. Figure out how you want to place your dinosaurs. Use the picture above for reference but if your dinosaurs are different shapes get creative and dig out more cake. Once dinosaurs are planned, use a sharp knife to cut into the cake. You want to make sure you take out a good chunk of cake.

5. Touch up the cake, place your dinosaurs and candles, and you're ready to go!! If you plan on taking this cake make sure to place the dinosaurs and cut out the cake at your location.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros is a Mexican dish that is basically eggs with a spicy red sauce. I used to eat these at a place in Las Vegas all the time. I would order it every chance I got, sometimes eating this dish 4 times in a weekend. When I order anywhere else, it's just not as good. This recipe was close and very tasty but it wasn't as good as the Vegas version. 

The ranchero sauce can be used in this dish but the recipe below makes a lot. I freeze the excess (it lasts for about 3 months). Thaw it by cooking it over low heat in a sauce pan and use for tacos, enchiladas, or as a sauce for a torta/sandwich. 

Ingredients:

Eggs (3 per plate)

Corn tortillas (2 per plate)

Optional Garnish:

Refried pinto beans

Sour cream

Avocado

Cooked bacon

Ranchero Sauce:

5 Roma tomatoes

1 small white onion, quartered

4 dried New Mexico or Guajillo chile peppers, stems and seeds removed

1 serrano pepper, stems removed

2 chipotlé in adobo

4 cloves garlic

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp of olive oil

3 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp. honey (if sauce ends up too spicy)

Directions:

Make the Ranchero Sauce: 

1. In a large pot, combine the tomatoes, dried peppers, fresh peppers, onion and garlic. Cover with water, bring a boil, reduce heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Drain the tomato mixture and transfer all to the blender. Add the spices and 2 cups of chicken broth. Blend on high until smooth. 

3. Preheat the 4 tablespoons of canola oil to medium heat for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for another minute. Pour the sauce from the blender into the hot pan. Add the remaining chicken broth. Cook the sauce at a low simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, taste for salt and adjust seasonings.

2. Heat the refried beans in a small saute pan over low heat, stir occasionally. Heat tortillas in microwave. 

3. Set up your plate: put 1 warmed tortilla on a plate. Top with a medium layer of the beans. Put second  tortilla on top of beans. Warm ranchero sauce to keep warm while you fry your eggs. 

4. Fry your eggs over easy. I LOVE a runny yolk for this dish, it runs into the sauce and makes everything even more rich. I cook my eggs in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Put a dab of butter into the pan and melt. Crack eggs into pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until whites are just set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until egg whites are set but yolk is still runny. 

5. Put fried eggs on top of tortilla and bean stack. Smother in the ranchero sauce. To garnish I added some avocado slices and put some sour cream in a plastic bag, cut the corner, and used it as a pastry bag to make nice lines of sour cream. Top with cooked bacon and fresh herbs. Serve immediately! 

Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish using flank steak. You don't normally make it in a slow cooker so my recipe is definitely not authentic but it was tasty. The beef was very tender and the sauce had some kick to it. I served mine with black beans, rice, and some tortilla. Traditionally there would be plantains as well but I couldn't find any at my grocery store.

 Ingredients
 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
 3 tablespoons ketchup
 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (with seeds)
 Kosher salt
 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut in half
 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green), sliced 1/2 inch thick
 1 small onion, thinly sliced
 3 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives, plus 1 tablespoon brine from the jar
 Cooked white rice, for serving
1 can black beans

 Directions:
1. Combine the tomatoes, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, cumin, jalapeno and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add the steak, bell peppers and onion and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low, undisturbed, 6 hours.

2. Uncover and skim off any excess fat. Coarsely shred the meat with 2 forks, then stir in the olives and olive brine. Serve over rice and beans.

Watermelon Sangria

I had my fiance's birthday party this past weekend and he loves sangria. I found this recipe and the watermelon made it feel very summery. I actually preferred the other lemonade sangria I made last year more than this one but if you like watermelon, you'll LOVE this drink. 

Ingredients:

2 pounds seedless watermelon, peeled and cubed, plus 1/2 pound watermelon cut into balls with a melon baller and skewered on picks

1 bottle sauvignon blanc

6 oz vodka

4 oz triple sec

2 oz simple syrup

2 oz lime juice

6 oz club soda

Ice

 Directions:

1. In a blender, puree the watermelon cubes and vodka. Pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher. 

2. Add the white wine, vodka, triple sec, simple syrup and lime juice. Stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve stir again and add club soda. Pour the sangria into ice-filled white wine glasses and garnish with the skewered watermelon balls.

Crispy Rice Bowl with Chicken and Veggies

I have a few days off work and wanted to try to make some healthy dishes and not just my normal favorites like beef stew or chicken paprika. I found this one and it was surprisingly quick to put together. Feel free to add any veggies that you like, customize it to make it your perfect bowl!

Ingredients:
2 cups rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
rotisserie chicken, shredded
scallions
1 inch ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp. siracha
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
olive oil
avocado wedges
carrot slices or sticks
1 red bell pepper, diced
basil
lime wedges

Directions:
1. Rinse 2 cups of rice in a sieve, stirring with your fingers until liquid runs mostly clear. Shake off excess water and transfer to a medium nonstick skillet. Add reserved 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium high heat. reduce heat and cover skillet, simmer until rice is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed, 8-10 minutes.

2.  While rice cooks put together sauce - combine ginger, garlic, siracha, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Drizzle olive oil around edge of rice pan (do not stir). Increase heat to medium high and cook rice, uncovered, until underside is golden and crisp, 10-12 minutes. If pan seems dry, drizzle more oil around edge of rice as needed. The goal is an evenly browned bottom with tender rice on top.

4. While rice is crisping, cut scallion whites into thin rounds and finely grate remaining piece of ginger. Shred chicken from rotisserie chicken.

5. Divide rice and chicken among bowls; add some avocado, scallions, grated ginger, any other veggies you're using and reserved basil to each. Serve with lime wedges and sauce we made earlier.