New Oven, New Recipes

We finally got a new oven, and a convection one no less.  So I can no longer complain about my baking no longer turning out well.

I decided to christen to oven with two new recipes: a mushroom lasagna, and rum cake.  Both were definite keepers.  Again, it was eaten before it could be photographed :(

Rum Cake


Ingredients:
1 bundt pan greased and floured well
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 box yellow cake mix with pudding in it
1/2 box instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water, and some more
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup rum, divided into 2
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Method:
Step 1: preheat oven to 325 degrees and cover bottom of bundt pan with pecans and a sprinkle of sugar
Step 2: Mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, 1/2 cup rum, and blend well
Step 3: Pour batter in pan, and bake for 60 minutes
Step 4: When cake is baked, take it out, and mix 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in saucepan, and add butter
Step 5: Boil sugar mixture, and take off of burner, then add remaining rum
Step 6: Use a wooden bamboo skewer and poke holes in bottom of cake (it shouldn't be flipped over yet), and drizzle 3/4 of the syrup into the holes
Step 7: Allow cake to cool down for at least two hours, and flip over
Step 8: Add remaining syrup to top of cake, and enjoy!


Mushroom Lasagna


Ingredients:

6 ounces portobello mushrooms
6 ounces crimini mushrooms pre-sliced
1 cup Italian cheese blend (fontina, provolone, parmesan, asiago)
2 tbsp. chopped thyme
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 minced garlic clove
8 oz. low-fat ricotta
2 cups milk
3/4 stick butter
Olive Oil
8 lasagna noodles
1/8 tsp fresh nutmeg
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Step 1: Soak noodles in boiled water while preparing the rest of the dish, and preheat oven to 375 degrees
Step 2:  Bring milk to simmer in saucepan, and set aside
Step 3: Melt 2/3 of the butter in a sauce pan, add flour, and cook for 1 minute on low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon
Step 4: Add hot milk into flour mix, and add salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1 tbsp. thyme, and nutmeg while whisking for 5 minutes on medium low heat
Step 5: Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and remaining butter in large skillet on medium heat
Step 6: Add shallots, garlic clove, remaining thyme in skillet and cook until light golden brown
Step 7: Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.  Add more oil if needed, as well as salt and pepper
Step 8: Take out lasagna pan, and arrange sauce first, 4 noodles, ricotta cheese, 1/2 grated cheese, and 1/2 mushrooms, then repeat again, and top with black pepper if you like
Step 9: Put lasagna in oven, bake for 45 minutes, and let cool for 15 minutes prior to eating