Red Velvet cupcakes and cakes are such a nice treat on Valentine’s Day. The cake is surprisingly chocolaty and the rich cream cheese frosting make it such a beautiful and decedent dessert. I love this recipe because it is not as oily as some red velvet recipes because it uses sour cream instead of buttermilk. I frost these with my Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Set aside.

In a larger mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together:
1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar
Once butter and sugar are combined and light and fluffy, beat in, on lowest speed:
4 eggs, one at a time
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons red food coloring

Mix until combined and slowly add dry ingredients. Fill cupcake cups about 2/3 full and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a cupcake. Frost as desired.

Makes 30 cupcakes

This is a great and easy cream cheese frosting. Try it on my Red Velvet Cupcakes.

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together:
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix until combined, then slowly add in:
1 16oz box powdered sugar
Beat until smooth. Frosts about 30 cupcakes or one 2 layer cake.

I am always looking for easy, light dishes, and this one is amazing. The citrus salsa verde makes the dish come to life with the combination of sweet from the oranges and salty from the capers. I used salmon, but you could could easily substitute halibut or scallops as well.

For the Citrus Salsa Verde, in a medium bowl, combine:
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 oranges, peeled and chopped using a knife
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 scallions finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons mint, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Toss lightly and set aside. Put a grill pan on medium-high heat or preheat grill. Brush pan or grill with olive oil. In a small bowl mix together:

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Brush oil and honey mixture over both sides of 4 cleaned and skinless salmon fillets, about 4-5 oz. each. Season with salt and pepper and grill on each side for 3-5 minutes. Fish will char quickly. Grill until fish flakes easily. Remove from heat and top with citrus salsa verde. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

This a wonderful, easy, step by step roasted turkey recipe, perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.  Hope you enjoy!

14 Pound WHOLE TURKEY, fresh or frozen, thawed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Medium yellow onions, quartered
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 Medium shallots, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/3 Cup Madeira cooking wine

1. Remove giblets (discard liver), neck and any visible fat from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place one quartered onion in cavity.
3. Combine parsley, thyme, rosemary, shallots and 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.
4. Separate turkey skin from breast meat, taking care not to tear skin or pierce the meat.
5. Rub herb mixture under the skin on each side of the breastbone.
6. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and twist wing tips behind the back.
7. Place turkey, breast side up, on a wire roasting rack (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) in a shallow hotel pan.
8. Loosely cover turkey with foil and roast in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for 2 hours.
9. Remove foil from turkey and continue to roast, basting every 15 minutes with Madeira cooking wine. Cook another 1 to 1-3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh.
10. Transfer turkey to carving board and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

Madeira Gravy
2/3 Cup Madeira
1/4 Cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Cups turkey or chicken stock

1. Pour pan drippings from roasting pan through a fine sieve. Place in freezer for 15-20 minutes to solidify fat.
2. Meanwhile, de-glaze the roasting pan with remaining Madeira and wine. Cook about 1 minute, until the mixture comes to a boil. Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a sauce pot.
3. Skim the fat from the chilled pan and discard. Add drippings to the sauce pot. Add turkey or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water. Slowly add to the simmering mixture, whisking until gravy thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish turkey with loose thyme and rosemary leaves. Serve gravy along side turkey.
Serves 16

My good friend, Tina, just emailed me this fabulous and easy biscuit recipe. I love biscuits and was eager to try them. They are so wonderful and just slightly sweet so that you need nothing on them. This is a great Southern side dish that I served with Molasses-Mustard Glazed Pork, but would go beautifully with BBQ Chicken or Chicken Sticks. This would also be a wonderful side dish at Thanksgiving.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease one cookie sheet. In a large bowl, beat together until smooth:
1 cup mashed sweet potato
2/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a small bowl sift together:
1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Add to the potato mixture. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the sweet potato mixture to form a soft dough. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until deep golden orange tinged with brown. Serve warm or let cool on a wire rack.

Makes one dozen biscuits