Red Velvet This and That

As far back as I can remember, Mama always made me a red velvet cake for my birthday.  I grew up loving the rich taste of the red velvet with the cream cheese icing.  It seems that in the past few years red velvet is all the rage.  All you have to do is click on Pinterest under "Red Velvet" and all kinds of sweet delicacies come up! Of course, I had a red velvet groom's cake long before Shelby in Fried Green Tomatoes--except mine was not in the shape of an armadillo! When I entertain, I love to serve anything red velvet-whatever.

Correction:  Oh good Lord, y'all must know I meant to say Shelby in Steel Magnolias!

Red velvet cupcakes for Valentine's treats several years ago...

Red velvet cake at a Christmas soiree...

The red velvet doughnuts from Krispy Kreme are delicious any time of the year!

The red velvet cookies I made for my February "Friendship Gifts" are moist and delicious.

Last week I prepared red velvet hot chocolate to sip while we watched the Olympic ice skating...

This was so good y'all!  It's hot chocolate {homemade or packaged}, a tablespoon of red food coloring, whipped cream, and chocolate morsels on top.

Last week I served red velvet pancakes, topped with lite syrup, powdered sugar, and the chocolate morsels.  The chocolate tea from Harney Tea was the perfect morning beverage!

Lord have mercy, of course I love the red velvet wine, by Cupcake.  It's not expensive and it is very smooth.

Red velvet wine...perfect for Merlot Hour!

On Valentine's Day I prepared a red velvet cheese ball*.  I didn't want to have too much before dinner, so I only had a couple of bites, along with some champagne.  It it fabulous!

*Recipe for Red Velvet Cheese Ball:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups red velvet cake mix, dry

2 tblsp brown sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips

Vanilla Wafers

In a large bowl, add cream cheese and butter and mix until smooth.  Add in the red velvet cake mix, the brown sugar, and the powdered sugar.  Continue mixing until everything is mixed well and looks smooth.  Pour the mixture out onto a large piece or saran wrap.  Wrap and shape the mixture into a ball and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.  Pour the mini chocolate chips onto a plate (use more if needed).  Remove the cheese ball from the refrigerator, unwrap, and roll the ball into the chocolate chips until the ball is covered. Place on a serving plate and garnish with cookies of choice.  Serve immediately or keep chilled until you are ready to serve.

Valentine Treats

OOTN...last night.  I'm wore my red gingham Jessie Steele apron in the kitchen...baking red velvet cookies.

The *recipe is very easy...Normally I add a cream cheese frosting, but left it off this time because my packaging would mess up the frosting.  They are still delicious without the frosting!

I placed them inside the heart-motif cups I bought on sale last year after Valentine's Day.

*Recipe for the red velvet cookies:~1 pouch (1-lb. 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
~1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
~1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
~1/4 cup sour cream
~1 tblsp red food coloring
~1 egg

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food coloring, and egg until soft dough forms.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-9 minutes or until set.  Cool 2 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely, about 15 minutes.  Makes 36

Cream cheese frosting may be added after the cookies are cool, if desired.

Sweet Tea and Red Velvet Cookies

National Iced Tea Month is coming to a close...but we'll still be drinking iced sweet tea here at "The Roost."  Last night I served a little treat...red velvet cookies with the iced tea.

When I was up in Georgia recently, I had an awful experience.  I was sippin' my merlot and just happened to look into the goblet and saw about 4-5 gnats floating in my wine.  Lord have mercy, I had a hissy fit!  Seriously y'all, it was disgusting!  Well, I should have carried my "beverage bonnets" on the road trip.  I've had these little cuties for several years and they are great to keep out unwanted critters who want to swim in your beverage!  Perfect for the Southern belle sippin' iced tea {or merlot} on the front porch!

Sweet Southern Red Velvet Cake Cookies...these are a special Southern treat.  They are dusted in cream cheese flavored sugar...Savannah bred and Scarlet-centered!  Byrd Cookie Company has the best cookies...delivered right to your front door!  Located in Savannah, Georgia, the company is known for its tiny crunch cookies and Southern specialties like bite-size Peach Cookies, Scotch Oatmeal Cookies, Key Lime Coolers, Raspberry Tarts, Cheddar Pecan Biscuits, Apple Pie Cookies, Chocolate Mint Cookies, Benne Wafers, and much more.

Y'all know I have to add a bit of humor!  It's just that down South...all we hear is how y'all do it up North!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

Cookie Exchange Cookies--Southern Style!

Today I've been baking cookies for a Cookie Exchange I'm attending tomorrow. The 'Cookie Lady' said "No store bought cookies, No Pillsberry Dough cookies, et cetera...only real homemade cookies!" Lord have mercy! That got me in a real panic! If The Fresh Market doesn't make 'em, I don't usually eat 'em!!!

So, I racked my brain to come up with a 'real cookie.' I have to tell y'all...I'm not really a good baker, so this got me pretty worked up into a tizzy! Anywho...I came up with Red Velvet Cake Cookies. Hmmm, when I saw the recipe from Betty Crocker, I knew it was the cookie for Miss Janice!

Now, I've been baking 9 dozen of these yummy things and I'm dressed very casual...{actually, I look like something the cat drug in}--I'm wearing my stretchy pants, my new red Paula Deen "Hey Y'all" apron, and my house socks! The oven has been on the entire day and I'm exhausted, but the cookies are ready to go!

I started with the baked cookies...then frosted them with cream cheese icing, and topped them off with chopped pecans!
Here are the cute little cookie boxes I got at Michael's...
I added the recipe to the bottom of the box ~ in the Church Lady style!
The Red Velvet Cookies on a bed of white shred, inside the boxes...
Now I have cookies to carry to the Cookie Exchange tomorrow, cookies for friends, and cookies for moi!


Recipe for Red Velvet Cookies:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 egg
3/4 to 1 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food coloring, and egg until soft dough forms.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 36 cookies.




Thank you for visiting with me today. Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season!!!