Special Somethin'

My brother came to stay with us for a night, so I wanted to do something special for him! This dinner recipe was in the January Cooking Light, and it caught my eye while walking on the treadmill Monday (I used 1.5 lbs of meat since I have 2 boys for dinner! That’s why the pts are pretty high for a serving). As for dessert, Texas Sheet Cake is his favorite. While comparing recipes, I came across a white Texas Sheet Cake recipe….so I thought it would be fun to try to mix the 2 in one cake!

What I learned my first time baking sheet cake….it can be a pain! Maybe im not as good with delicate cake as I am with hard to mess up candy….But its hard to ice/frost cake without it crumbling. I guess it will take practice.

I did learn that you can microwave this icing to make it spread easier…that helped a lot. Also, I recommend doubling the icing recipes (mainly the chocolate one)…. I ran out by my last cake!

White Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp baking soda
frosting
½ cup butter, cubed
¼ cup milk
4 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup praline pecans, chopped

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, bring butter and water just to a boil.
2. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in the flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, extract and baking soda until smooth.
3. Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.
4. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
5. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
6. For frosting, in a large saucepan, bring butter and milk just to a boil.
7. Immediately remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar and extract.
8. Stir in pecans; spread over warm cake. Cool completely.

Texas Sheet Cake
Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 cup butter or stick margarine

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs
Icing:

¼ cup butter
3 tbs cocoa
3 tbs buttermilk
2 ¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup pecans, toasted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare the cake, coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, and dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set prepared pan aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 cups flour through salt) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
4. Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture.
6. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended.
7. Add buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs; beat well.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Place on a wire rack.
10. To prepare the icing, combine 6 tablespoons butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
11. Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
12. Spread over hot cake. Cool completely on wire rack.

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked noodles
cooking spray
1.5 lbs top sirloin steak, cut in ¾” pieces (or buy stew meat)
1 tbs butter
2 tbs chopped shallots
1 (8 oz) packaged baby bella mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
3 tbs low sodium soy sauce
3 tbs all purpose flour
1 ½ cups fat free, low sodium beef broth
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
3 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions
1. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cover.
3. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat.
4. Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes.
5. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
6. Stir in soy sauce.
7. Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
8. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.
9. Add pepper, salt, and thyme sprigs.
10. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.
11. Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Discard thyme sprigs.

Today

Breakfast: 1 cup congee (with 1 tbs honey, 2 tbs pecans), Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt ---6.5pts

Lunch: ¾ bag jolly time 94% ff popcorn :-( --- 2.5 pts

Dinner: Steak Tips in Peppered Mushroom Gravy, ½ cup wheat pasta --- 11pts

Totals (sorry will update with cals, etc later) --- 20 pts