DR PEPPER CAKE

Do you like Dr Pepper?  Do you like chocolate?  Do you like cake?  Then this is the recipe for you.  I made it for Joe for his birthday one year and he loved it.  I mean LOVED it.  He is a big Dr Pepper fan, but he said you didn't even taste the Dr Pepper.  Just lots of luscious chocolate.  I really have to make this again real soon.

Since Joe is diabetic I used sugar-free cake mix and pudding, and diet Dr Pepper and it still turned out wonderful.

DR PEPPER CAKE

Cake:

1 box German Chocolate Cake mix (I sometimes use devil's food or whatever)

1 box instant vanilla pudding

2/3 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 can Dr Pepper

Frosting:

1  (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 stick butter

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

1 pound powdered sugar

1 cup pecans

Cake:

Combine first three ingredients, mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add Dr Pepper, mix well. Pour batter into greased and floured pan. (I use a 9 X 13 inch pan)

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool in pan before frosting.

Frosting:

Melt butter and beat together with first 5 ingredients until light and fluffy. Mix chopped pecans or you can sprinkle them on top.

  
Hint:  Since Joe and I are lactose-intolerant using a cream cheese frosting just wouldn't work for us so I got a can of sugar free chocolate icing.  So good.  Like a frosted brownie.

UPDATE ON CHICKEN A LA KING

I made the Chicken a la King for dinner tonight.  It turned out fantastic!  Joe who doesn't like Chicken a la King had three helpings.

The changes I made was I didn't have Progresso Soup so I used Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom soup.  I added fresh mushrooms and a can of milk.  However, when I make it again I will use 1/2 can of milk.  It was a little two watery and I had to let it boil down a bit before I used it.

Otherwise it was wonderful and I hope you will try it.

CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS AND GRAPES

Do you like grapes?  I do.  Especially green seedless.  But have you ever cooked with grapes?  I hadn't until I tried this recipe.  I was surprised at how great they tasted.  The roasting seems to bring out the sweetness of the grapes.  It's a totally different flavor.  The only difference I made was I put handfuls of individual grapes in the pan and did not leave them on the stems in clusters.

I hope you try this.  I think you'll like it.

Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots

Bon Appétit  | December 2009

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

  

photo by Lisa Hubbard

yield:  Makes 4 servings

active time:  15 minutes

total time:  1 hour 35 minutes 

This is an incredibly simple recipe with an impressive payoff: Golden roasted chicken is dressed up with beautiful bunches of sweet grapes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds assorted seedless grapes (such as green, red, and black), cut into small clusters
• 6 large shallots (about 10 ounces), peeled, halved through root end
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme plus 6 large sprigs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 4-to 4 1/2-pound chicken, excess fat removed from cavity

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently toss grape clusters, shallots, chopped thyme, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl to coat. Rub chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place thyme sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in large roasting pan; arrange grape mixture around chicken. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°F and grapes are shriveled, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, arrange grapes and shallots around chicken. Transfer pan juices to small pitcher; spoon fat from surface of juices and discard. Serve chicken with pan juices alongside. 

Per serving: 436.9 kcal calories, 45.1 % calories from fat, 21.9 g fat, 5.4 g saturated fat, 106.3 mg cholesterol, 25.9 g carbohydrates, 1.2 g dietary fiber, 18.5 g total sugars, 24.7 g net carbohydrates 34.6 g protein 

Nutritional analysis provided by Bon Appétit