White Cake

It is cake season at our house in the spring because we have so many reasons to celebrate with cake during the spring months.  While I have many recipes I commonly use for cakes, I decided it was time to give a new recipe a try and I am sure glad I did because this is a wonderful and moist cake.
I really like that it uses whole eggs because I hate separating eggs and I don't have to find a use for the yolks afterwards.

White Cake

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans or line 24 muffin tins.
2. Cream together the butter and shortening with a stand or electric mixer until it is light and fluffy.  Slowly add the sugar one cup at a time, making sure it is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the eggs one at a time, in the same manner.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. 
4. Whisk the buttermilk and vanilla.
5. On a low speed, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients into the creamed mixture, starting and ending with  the dry ingredients.  Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down as you are adding the ingredients.
6. Evenly distribute the batter between the cake pans or muffin tins (3/4 full for 24 cupcakes or 1/2 full for 36).  The cakes should bake between 25-30 minutes and the cupcakes for approximately 18 minutes.  Use the toothpick test to ensure they are cooked through.
7. Ice and enjoy!

Cauliflower Ranch Chips

With the prices on cauliflower these days I like to get it when it is on special.  I was at my favourite Farm market and they had some on clearance for 99 cents a head so I grabbed a couple because I had a few recipes I wanted to try (but not on a $5.00 a head cauliflower).
I am always looking for ways to have a healthish but different snack and I think this falls into the healthy category.  Everyone enjoyed it so I will be making them again and playing with different herb/spice combinations, especially when the herbs in my garden are ready.
They are the perfect snack size so I know they will make it into the lunch box if there are any left by Monday.
My first attempt I made them about 1/4 of an inch thick, they are very nice but if you would like a crispier version I would make them fairly thin.

Cauliflower Ranch Chips

1 head of cauliflower

3 cups grated romano cheese

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp dill

1 1/2 tsp parsley

1 1/2 tsp chives

1 1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

freshly ground black pepper

1. Use a food processor to turn the cauliflower into a coarse crumble (grating it would also work).
2. Mix together the herbs and spices in a large bowl.
3. Toss the cauliflower crumble and cheese in with the herb mixture.
4. Beat the eggs and add to the cauliflower mixture.  You don't want this mixture to be wet, just moist enough so it stays together.
5. On a parchment lined baking sheet place a heaping 1 tbsp of the mixture and flatten with a fork.  Have them spaced about 1 inch apart.  Bake a 450 for 7-10 minutes and then flip them over and return them to the oven for another 7-10 minutes (or until they have reached your desired crispness).