Dark Chocolate Frosting

For quite a while I've been wanting to find a chocolate frosting recipe my family really likes.  I've tried some here and there, including one that uses cream cheese and sour cream.  I really wanted to love that one because it looks so beautiful piped onto cupcakes, but it just wasn't quite the taste I was going for.  One night I decided to make half batches of 4-5 chocolate frosting recipes and start taste testing.  My husband was a very good sport to help out with this project.  There were some good ones, but I kept my eyes open for more recipes to try.  Eventually I found this one and it's our favorite so far.  Some of the other recipes I've tried have a strong butter flavor, but this one does not.

I was using Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa for many of the frosting recipes.  It's a blend of natural and dutch-process cocoa.  I thought the frostings made with it had more of a grayish look rather than a rich, brown chocolate color.  Eventually I switched and started using unsweetened cocoa.  I much prefer the look of the natural unsweetened cocoa in frosting, and it tastes great too.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
Update 3/15: The last time I made this it was too thick to beat up nicely and I had to add in some extra cream.  I've updated the recipe accordingly.
Note: I decreased the powdered sugar by 1/2 cup from the original recipe.  If the chocolate flavor is too dark and you want to sweeten it a bit, you can add back in the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons heavy cream, plus additional tablespoons as necessary
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to ensure there are no lumps.  Set aside.

2. Beat the butter until creamy, for about 2 minutes.  Gradually add the sugar/cocoa mixture alternately with the heavy cream.  Beat on low speed after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla and continue to beat on high speed for 2 minutes, adding additional cream as necessary to reach desired consistency.  Add a pinch of salt if desired.

Source: slightly adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

It's been a long time since I've had the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden, but I've enjoyed it at home over the last few years.  I tend to like mine heavier on the potatoes and kale and lighter on the meat.  You can adjust the ratio to your liking.  I can't remember if Olive Garden's soup has bacon in it, but next time I think I'm going to make mine without it as the spicy sausage has plenty of flavor.  A bowl of soup like this really hits the spot on a cold winter day.

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup (aka Zuppa Toscana)
Notes: If you want to add bacon to the soup, cook four slices bacon until crispy and then slice or crumble and stir into soup at the end.  Heavy cream or half and half make for a richer, creamier soup, but the soup is also delicious with milk if you don't have cream on hand or want to cut fat calories.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb spicy (hot) Italian sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
6 potatoes, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
4 cups chopped kale (or more--I'll often add as much greens as I can fit)
1 cup heavy whipping cream, half and half, or milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.  Remove from heat, drain grease, and set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add garlic and onions, and cook 3 minutes.  Add potatoes, chicken broth, and water and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the potatoes are beginning to get tender.  Add the kale and continue to simmer about 10 minutes longer, until potatoes are tender and kale has softened.

3. Stir in cream (or half and half or milk) and sausage.  Heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: adapted from gimmesomeoven.com and allrecipes.com

Sour Cream Cake

Since my mom did most of the cooking for our family, most of the family recipes I have come from her side of the family.  This cake, however, is one of the few recipes I have that comes from my dad's mother.  She raised seven boys and somehow still managed to find some time to bake.  When my dad was growing up this cake was dubbed "tooth cake" because my grandma would often make it when one of her boys lost a tooth.  Isn't taking the time to celebrate an every day moment like that absolutely wonderful?  Sometimes she would bake coins into the batter so her boys would find an extra surprise in their piece of cake.

This recipe was our most-requested birthday cake growing up.

Sour Cream Cake
Note: This recipe can be halved to make an 8x8 pan.  The baking time may need to be decreased if recipe is halved.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sour cream
Chocolate chips, if desired

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan.

2. Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.  Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream.  Beat for 2 minutes.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  If desired, place rows of chocolate chips on top of cake immediately after removing from oven.