Just~One~Donna

My sister-in-law brought a delicious strawberry cake to a family picnic at my house a few weekends ago.   The cake was a hit with everyone because it was moist and packed with fresh strawberry flavor.  Of course, I asked for the recipe.  It was a Paula Dean strawberry cake recipe that started with a white cake mix. Delightful Strawberry Cupcakes Strawberry Cupcakes I wanted to make cupcakes from the recipe so I went into test kitchen mode.  If you decide to make this using Paula Dean's recipe be sure to read the full recipe through to the end.  I know, that's rule number one of baking, but once in a while some of us break the rules.  If you don't read the recipe through to the end you'll most likely end up with a very soupy frosting.  I may, or may not, know this from personal experience. Through my test kitchen experience, I made a few changes to the original recipe.  I thought the recipe ingredients unnecessarily added to...

Truth be told, ice cream doesn't make its way into my house all that much these days.  Why, you ask?   Well, friends, when ice cream is in my freezer it has a nasty way of calling to me...letting me know it is in there...waiting... Oh, yes, I do love ice cream.  Occasionally, I'll break down and buy some ice cream.  I did just that a week, or so, ago and it sat for a day or two in the freezer, just waiting for a crack in my resolute armor.  The crack surfaced one hot evening.  Did I mention it was chocolate peanut butter ice cream?  Who can resist that, I ask you? "Hubby, would you like a dish of ice cream?"  "We have ice cream?" "Would you like hot fudge sauce?" "We have hot fudge sauce?" We didn't have any hot fudge sauce, but I had the ingredients to make some.  It is so quick and easy to make a delicious fudge sauce, there really is no reason to buy the jarred kind. Quick and Easy Fudge Sauce 1 cup chocolate...

Whenever Hubby and I dine in an Italian restaurant with Chicken Marsala on the menu it is a safe bet that he will choose the Chicken Marsala for his dinner.  That's why, when I heard that one of Buitoni's new pastas being introduced in the the Northeast was Chicken Marsala Ravioli, I knew he would love it. Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Artichoke Hearts I decided to make a traditional Marsala sauce for the Buitoni Chicken Marsala raviolis, but kicked up the color and flavor of the dish with the addition of prosciutto, red pepper and artichoke hearts.  Buitoni provided coupons that allowed me to try the pasta for free, but as always, the recipe and my opinion about the pasta are all mine. Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Artichoke Hearts Serves 4 The Chicken Marsala Ravioli and Artichoke Hearts Ingredients 2 packages Buitoni Chicken Marsala Ravioli 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 2 ounces prosciutto, cut i...

This week I am posting a couple of recipes highlighting fresh packaged pastas from Buitoni .  The fine folks at Buitoni recently contacted me to let me know they were launching two new pastas in New England and to ask me if I would be interested in showcasing them in Just One Donna recipes.  I jumped at the opportunity, mainly because it would be an opportunity to demonstrate how quality prepackaged foods can help all of us to prepare knock your socks off dishes for our families and friends. Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti in a Pistachio Cream Sauce This post is sponsored by Buitoni.  I was given coupons with which I was able to purchase the Buitoni Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti pasta used in today's recipe for free from my local grocery store.  As a thank you, Buitoni also sent me a cutting board, an apron and a kitchen towel.  The recipe is mine, as is my opinion about the pasta. Butternut squash sou...

When the temperature in southern New England hits the 90s you'll hear a lot of complaining.  The heat becomes the main topic of conversation throughout the town and finding ways to cool down becomes a focus.  One way to keep cool is with cold drinks and iced teas are a particular favorite. My Spearmint Plant I'm a fan of green tea.  I like it hot most of the year, but in the heat of summer iced green tea is a refreshing cool drink alternative.  I grow a spearmint plant on my deck each summer, mainly because it is an essential component of two favorite summer drinks, mojitos and iced tea.         Iced Mint Green Tea Makes 8 cups 2 quarts of cool water 10 green tea bags, your favorite 8 large spearmint leaves sweetener, optional Directions Pour 8 cups of cool water into a 3 quart saucepan.  Add 10 tea bags.  You are going to want your tea to be a bit stronger than if you were drinking it hot because it will be diluted...