Philly Cheese Steak

 This is my first time making this for dinner and I must say that my children loved it.  Its so easy and fast to prepare.

Ingredients

1 lb ribeye or sirloin steak
1 medium onion, small diced
8 slices american cheese or provolone cheese
2 large hoagie rolls (the ones I used were about 10" long)
2 TBSP canola or vegetable oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder (optional)

I also added some red and green bell peppers ( cooked them till they are soft)

Instructions

• If your steak was not already sliced by your butcher, place it in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Remove the steak from the freezer and use a sharp knife to cut the meat as thin as possible, making sure the cut against the grain. Set aside.
• Cut the rolls down the center and place 4 slices of cheese each in the rolls.
• Meanwhile, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot add the oil to the pan. Add the onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute for a few minutes until slightly caramelized.
• Keeping the pan over medium-high heat, add the steak to the pan with the onions and season well with salt and pepper and a bit of garlic powder if desired. Cook just until cooked through, this should only take a couple of minutes. You do not want to over cook the meat. Most often, cheesesteak cooks shred the meat even further while cooking it by breaking it up with your spatula.
• Immediately divide the meat and onions between the two rolls.

Sailaa 18th Bday

Today is my daughters 18th birthday.  I have been cracking my head on the cake that I was going to make for her.  I know she likes red velvet and cream cheese but since the weather is so hot here, the cream cheese did not hold on to the shape well.  Also I tried to make a shoe box cake but I am not too happy with the outcome.  Overall she liked it and that the most important thing :)

Ingredients


2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 oz. red food coloring
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

•  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans.
•  Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.
•  In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
•  Make sure you have cake pans buttered, floured, and nearby.  In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda.  Yes, it will fizz!  Add it to the cake batter and stir well to combine.  Working quickly, divide batter evenly between the cake pans and place them in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check early, cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
•  Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. To remove the cakes from the pan, place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, then gently lift the pan.  Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting. Frost with buttercream or cream cheese icing.

Fresh Fruit Chiffon Cake

Made this cake for my dear friend who came to visit me.  It is so hot and humid and I thought what would be the best cake to do....so the chiffon came to my mind.  Topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit..yumm.

I used the basic chiffon recipe and baked in 2 6inch cake pan.  Once baked, immediately turn it onto a wire rack and let cool.  Once cool take it off the cake pan.  Garnish with whip cream and fruits.

I layered this cake with banana on the bottom layer and strawberries on the second layer.

For the whipped cream, I used Dream Whip to stabilize the heavy cream.