The Stepford Kitchen

Wizard of Oz Cake

2009-11-09T17:27:00.002-05:00

My mother's birthday is tomorrow, and I promised her a cake. She LOVES The Wizard of Oz, so I decided to go with that. Back to working with fondant and modeling chocolate, I felt much more at home than when I was working with buttercream.

Wizard of Oz Cake

I did not use any new recipes for this cake. I did make a few changes to some of the recipes, but those will be listed below. It is a banana cake with vanilla cream filling, white chocolate fondant, and white modeling chocolate details (shoes and poppies). I put sliced bananas and strawberries between the layers.

I also used luster dust from Wilton to make the shoes and Emerald City sparkle. I think it added a nice touch.

Recipes

Banana Cake
Vanilla Cream Filling - I added 1/2 cup of butter, softened, to thicken the filling.
White Chocolate Fondant - I used imitation banana extract instead of vanilla extract to give it a slight banana taste.
White Modeling Chocolate

Apple Cake: Last Course 1 Wilton Cake

2009-11-09T17:21:00.005-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I did not particularly enjoy my first cake class because my teacher was a bit of a pill. She didn't really follow the rules the way I wanted her to, and I just didn't get along with her overall. Disappointing, but whatever.

I learned that I'm not a huge fan of working with buttercream and that I hate working with someone looking over my shoulder. I also realized that I do not work well when I only have two hours to do something. My final cake looks okay, I suppose...I wouldn't sell it, and I am sure I could do better. It doesn't really matter, though, right? It just got turned into cake bites for Walter's office.

This is the cake in all its amateur goodness. I was the only one who didn't bring pink/red for the roses. I got scolded for this.

Here are some of my better roses. They're still not great, but apparently the teacher was telling me to hold my piping bag incorrectly. Thanks, Teach.

Here is a rosebud. They were easy to make. I guess I made mine wrong, though. I got scolded because apparently you HAVE to have an odd number of buds on the cake. YOU HAVE TO. I don't know. I just added another bud and shut my mouth.

Here is the fluting done on the borders. My border was a little more white than my cake because I iced my cake with cream cheese frosting. I got scolded for that, too.

On another note, did you know that if you bake a cake, you can still eat it if you're diabetic because all of the sugar bakes out of it?! Yeah, neither did I. My teacher is full of knowledge.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT TRUE. PLEASE DO NOT EAT CAKE AS A DIABETIC AND THEN BLAME ME WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE SERIOUS PROBLEMS RELATING TO YOUR DIABETES.

Apple Cake

I made an this Apple Cake recipe from Foodie Two Shoes (I love that blog name, btw). I used the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting from her blog as well, and it was all to die for. The cake tasted like apple crisp, and the frosting was heavenly. It was fantastic.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (For these two ingredients, I used 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice)
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-2 cups packed light-brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, two coarsely grated and two diced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 by 13 inch sheet cake pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, and eggs until well combined. Fold in grated and diced apples. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a pick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for twenty minutes in pans, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

As I said before, this frosting was heavenly. It was the perfect compliment for this cake.

Ingredients
-2 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
-1 stick unsalted butter, softened
-1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar until mixture is desired thickness. Stir in vanilla extract.

Bananas Foster Cake Bites

2009-11-03T14:10:00.007-05:00

Some friends of ours (the ones who ordered the Half-Life Cake back in June) had a fake Halloween wedding. They wanted lots and lots of cake bites. In fact, they ordered 200: 100 chocolate with chocolate buttercream, 50 red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and 50 bananas foster with almond buttercream. And so, last week I went to work. I was sick the beginning of the week and missed the third Wilton cake class, but I only really missed making the ugly little clowns, so not a big loss. Besides, I am not impressed with the teacher.

Anyway, Katie wanted the cake bites to be pretty, not Halloweeny, so I made them normal looking. Then, I sent the extras to work with Walter, and THOSE were full of Halloween goodness. Pumpkins and eyeballs galore.

By the way, I was a cupcake for Halloween. Walter was Charlie Brown in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" In addition to the ghost costume with extra eye-holes, he had a Charlie Brown shirt on underneath:

Bananas Foster Cake

This cake was sooo good. I found the recipe here at Erin's Food Files. I loved her video on the flambeeing, but I hoped my experience would be more fun.

It wasn't. It was disappointing. Very few flames and no fun. Tasty, though, which I suppose is really what matters...

This was also my first time buying alcohol. I turned 21 last month. I am such a grown up. :P

Ingredients
For the Bananas Foster
-1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-2 ripe, but still firm bananas quartered (halved crosswise, then lengthwise)
-2 tablespoons dark rum
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cake:
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I did use some whole wheat flour)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-3 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon dark rum
-Prepared bananas foster
-3/4 cup sour cream

Directions
For the Bananas Foster:
1. In a saute pan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until butter melts and sugar is dissolved (4 to 5 minutes). Add the banana slices and cook until tender, turning once for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
2. Stir together rum and vanilla. Turn off the burner and add the rum mixture to the pan.
3. Using a long match, light the alcohol by placing the flame just in the outer edge of the pan. Stand as far back as possible. The flame should extingish in a few seconds. There will not be nearly as many flames as you expect. Gently shake the pan from side to side to coat the bananas with the sauce. Spoon the bananas into a bowl and set aside.

For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add eggs, vanilla, rum and banana to butter mixture. Mix well.
5. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream. Blend thoroughly but do not overmix.
6. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Almond Buttercream

This was a very smooth buttercream, and the almond went so well with the bananas foster. I found it here at Bake Space.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-4 1/2 cups confectioners' Sugar
-3/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
-6-7 Tablespoons Milk

Directions
1. Cream butter until fluffy. Add other ingredients gradually, mixing until desired consistency.

Spicy Bacon Chili

2009-10-22T14:15:00.004-04:00

I am starting to really love chili. It's a lot of fun to experiment with different things, and since my cake class is at 6:30 on Tuesdays, it is much easier to make a slow-cooker chili in the morning than to worry about dinner in the evening.

Spicy Bacon Chili

This recipe is spicy, but not overly so, and I LOVE the subtle bacon flavor. It's definitely VERY subtle, but I think it adds depth to the chili that is fantastic.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 Tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon (Hormel makes crumbled bacon pieces that work great)
-2 Tablespoons minced garlic
-1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
-1 15.5-ounce can chili beans in sauce
-1 7.76-ounce can medium homestyle Mexican salsa
-1 4-ounce can chopped green chilis
-3 Tablespoons Cumin
-1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-6 Tablespoons chili powder
-1 Tablespoon bacon salt
-1 Tablespoon Dean Jacobs Garlic and Tex-Mex Spices (garlic, paprika, cumin, white pepper, onion, oregano, and thyme)
-1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with chopped onions.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired.

Pink Lemonade Cake (Wilton Course 1 Cake 1)

2009-10-22T13:46:00.003-04:00

So, I started the Wilton Course 1 classes last week, on my birthday. So far, I am not sure I enjoy it.

My teacher is 73 years old and claims she has been decorating cakes for 50 years. That is great, but she is very sure that everything SHE thinks about cakes is correct. She also thinks she taught us things that she never mentioned. Nobody in the class (there are seven of us) is incredibly pleased with her.

She also believes in changing the rules some. We learned how to make the roses completely on the first night. I came to the first cake class expecting to make a cake with a star tip image on it, like I've seen from others who have taken the classes. Instead, we made a random practice cake using different designs that didn't look cohesive at all. I got scolded for bringing colored icing even though she told us it could be colored the week before. She scolds people if they add flavoring to the icing (I did it anyway. She didn't taste it, so she didn't know). We had a discussion about fondant, and she told me that the only fondant that is worth using is Wilton fondant, and that it tastes best (maybe just because she is doing a Wilton class, she has to promote Wilton products).

Overall, I think I am going to get what I want out of the class. She's a good teacher, albeit a bit too opinionated. But I think that when my cousin and I take Course 2, we are going to see about getting a different teacher.

Here are a couple shots of the cake:

I did pink icing because I was going to make a breast cancer awareness ribbon on my cake, since I assumed she'd follow what most people do in the classes. Note my kind of squiggly shell border.

A close up of my best rose. I am quite pleased with this one. Most of them turn out kind of funny, but this one is kind of pretty. It also has a few leaves from practicing with the leaf tip (which is really easy).

A close up of the circle of practicing the star tip. I really enjoy using the star tip, but she doesn't seem to think it's very important, so we didn't focus on it much.

I made a pink lemonade cake, inspired by the Deen Brother's recipe, but instead of white cake mix, I used this white cake recipe. I added some pink food coloring to get a nice, bright pink color. I didn't use the Deen icing recipe; instead, I used the Wilton Class Recipe with lemon flavoring.

After the class, I tore the cake up and made breast cancer awareness cake bites to send to work with Walter:

Pink Lemonade Cake

Ingredients
-1 recipe Classic White Cake
-3 tabl
espoons pink lemonade drink powder
-1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
2. Add pink lemonade powder and lemon zest to dry ingredients in white cake recipe. Make white cake according to recipe.
3. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until pick inserted into center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack until completely cooled.

Zebra Cake

2009-10-19T21:22:00.003-04:00

My fourteen year old cousin and I have always been very close. He came to stay with us this past weekend, and he asked me to make him a "zebra cake." I wasn't sure what that meant, but I did my best, and he did enjoy the results.

I used this recipe from Food Network for the cake, and I added one box of vanilla pudding to half of the batter and one box of chocolate pudding to the other half, then I swirled them together in the pans. I used these recipes for the buttercream-- with 1/4 cup cocoa powder added to 1/2 of the recipe--and the modeling chocolate (for the zebra). I used marshmallow fondant to cover the cake and for the cake's details.

Classic White Cake

This cake was just the right texture. It wasn't too crumbly for decorating like some recipes are.

Ingredients
-12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-2 cups all purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-6 large egg whites
-3/4 cup milk
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract.
5. Alternately add flour mixture and egg white mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
6. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
7. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-10-15T22:31:00.003-04:00

The pumpkin shortage is finally over here in Missouri. I picked up four cans of pumpkin, just in case. That should hold me over until fall baking is through. ;)

Also, I was going to get a new camera this week, but the one I want is not actually out yet. When I do get it, I am hoping that my photos will be much better. :)

Pumpkin Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I saw these cookies here at Erin's Food Files, I knew I had to make them. I LOVE butterscotch chips, and while I don't like the taste of pumpkin in some things, it was not overwhelming in these cookies. They also had a fantastic, chewy texture that I adored. Another thing I loved about this recipe was that it made five dozen cookies, meaning I only had to double it to make enough for Walter's office (I usually have to triple or even quadruple recipes).

Ingredients
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 cup sugar
-1 cup light brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup canned pumpkin puree
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
-1 cup chocolate chips
-1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, to butter mixture, beating well after each. Add vanilla and pumpkin and mix well.
5. Add flour mixture to batter in thirds and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate and butterscotch chips. Chill batter if desired (I chilled mine for about twenty minutes, and it made it much easier to work with).
6. Drop batter by large Tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for two minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Fallfetti Cupcakes

2009-10-10T13:52:00.004-04:00

Today is National Cake Decorating Day! I didn't know about it earlier, so I decided to whip up some cupcakes to celebrate. Walter and I are going on a double date with a friend and his new girlfriend, and I thought it would be fun to bring my cupcakes with me.

I decided to do Funfetti cupcakes, but I didn't have any rainbow sprinkles. I had many fun fall sprinkles, though, so I used fall colors and call the cupcakes Fallfetti!

Fallfetti Cupcakes

I found this recipe here at Amber's Delectable Delights. She borrowed it from Annie at Annie's Eats. I really like this cake recipe. It was fast and easy and tasted great. Very moist and fluffy.

Ingredients
-1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-6 Tablespoon butter, at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-3 large egg whites
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon almond extract
-1/2 cup milk
-1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites to the bowl and beat until combined. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until incorporated.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated.
5. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula.
6. Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a pick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan for ten minutes. Frost when completely cooled.

Wilton's Buttercream Frosting

I usually use Wilton's recipe for frosting, but when I went to their site today, I found a different version of it that included real butter. I decided to use it instead of the normal one.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
-4 cups sifted powdered sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
-2 Tablespoons milk

Directions
1. Cream butter and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar to the butter, mixing until incorporated. Add milk and mix until smooth. If icing is too stiff or too soft, add more powdered sugar or milk respectively until desired consistency.
3. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with nonpareils or sprinkles.

Cinnamon Apple Butter Cookies

2009-10-07T15:37:00.006-04:00

Fall has wormed its way into my head and won't get out. Everything I make has to be spiced and autumnal, or I will explode.

Cinnamon Apple Butter Cookies

These cookies were meant to be spritz cookies, but I fought with my cookie press a lot and couldn't get it to work, so I added about 1/2 cup more flour and turned them into cutouts. This worked just as well, and they made lovely pumpkins and maple leaves.

I found the recipe here at Wilton's site. They were spiced and autumnal, soft on the inside with just a little crunch on the edges.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup apple butter
-1/2 cup butter, room temperature
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 egg yolk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
If making cutouts, add 1/2 cup flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, cream apple butter, butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg yolk, vanilla, cinnamon to butter mixture and mix. Mix in flour until well combined.
4. FOR COOKIE PRESS: Roll dough into logs and fill cookie press. Using desired shapes, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. FOR CUTOUTS: Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut shapes using desired cookie cutters, rerolling scraps.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool for two minutes on sheet. Remove from cookie sheet and continue to cool on a baking rack.

WC Fall Exchange Gifts

2009-10-07T15:35:00.004-04:00

The Fall Exchange has passed, and I got some fantastic goodies! My secret Elfster was WifeoftheChef, and she did a great job!

I received:

2010 Wilton Yearbook
Three different patterns of fall cupcake liners
Fall cookie cutters
Cute pumpkin kitchen towels
Fall sprinkles/sugars
Fall cupcake picks

Thanks, WifeoftheChef! I'm looking forward to the winter exchange!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shortbread Cookies

2009-09-30T18:58:00.002-04:00

I missed two weeks of cookies for Walter's office because of my illness, but now I'm on some great medication and ready to bake up a storm!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shortbread Cookies

I decided I wanted to make these cookies late last week. I saw an ad for Smuckers Uncrustables PB&J Sandwiches, and I had an idea to make a cookie out of everyone's favorite childhood sandwich.

I'm considerably lazier than I sound, so I went recipe hunting. First, I found this recipe. I tried it, but the cookies all spread horribly, to the point that they were inedible. The reviews mentioned none of this, so I was very confused. I am not sure if I did something wrong or not.

So, I decided I'd use the idea of drizzled peanut butter and apply it to another thumbprint recipe. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, and it had a load of good reviews and ratings. The biggest difference between this one and the other one? Eggs. I am pretty sure the eggs are crucial to hold these cookies together. So, this second recipe was the one I went with, and then I drizzled them with Wilton's Peanut Butter Candy Melts.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 egg yolks
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor (I used 1/4 cup strawberry preserves and 1/4 cup grape preserves and filled half with one and half with the other)
-Wilton Peanut Butter Candy Melts, for drizzle

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a
medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and egg yolks.
3. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
5. Press your thumb into the center of the cookie ball to make a well. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
7. Melt peanut butter candy melts and drizzle over cooled cookies.

Stepford Chili I

2009-09-30T18:32:00.005-04:00

Now that I'm on a low carb diet, I am struggling to find foods that are delicious, filling, and low-carb (or only full of good carbs). Walter's favorite food is chili, but I am not a huge fan. But I am learning to like it.

Stepford Chili I

This is not the greatest picture, but let's be honest--we all know what chili looks like.

My last chili recipe, Volcano Chili, was far too spicy for me to consume. It was far too spicy for most normal people to consume. Walter is not a normal person when it comes to spice (or much else). He devoured it, sweat beading on his forehead, but he loved it. This one had to be a lot more mild so I wouldn't die eating it, and I think the green chilis made that possible without the chili being bland.

Ingredients
-1 pound lean ground beef
-1 medium onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 4-ounce can chopped green chilis
-1 10.5-ounce can chili beans, undrained
-1 10.5-ounce can tomato sauce
-3 Tablespoons chili powder
-2 Tablespoons cumin
-1 Tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwestern Chipotle Seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
-1 teaspoon bacon salt
-2 Tablespoons Dean Jacobs Garlic and Tex-Mex Spices (garlic, paprika, cumin, white pepper, onion, oregano, and thyme)
-1 teaspoon paprika

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with onions and garlic.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high, stirring occasionally and before serving.

Fall Pumpkin Cake

2009-09-17T20:36:00.002-04:00

My mother's best friend's birthday was on Tuesday, and she jokingly told her to make her a cake. I decided to take her up on the offer after finding some lovely leaf sprinkles at a party store.

I made a pumpkin cake with cinnamon cream cheese filling and white chocolate fondant.

Pumpkin Cake

I found this cake recipe and the cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe here at The Milkman's Wife's blog. The recipe was originally for cupcakes, but I made it an 8-inch round three layered cake instead. This cake was wonderfully autumnal and moist and tasted like pumpkin pie. I loved it, and so did the birthday girl.

Ingredients
-1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
-1/3 cup granulated sugar
-2 cups cake flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground ginger
-1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (I used 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in the place of these ingredients)
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I ommitted)
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
-1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, tossed in 1 tsp. of flour (keeps them from sinking) (I ommitted)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Sift together dry ingredients in another bowl. Set aside.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Add pumpkin and beat until smooth.
5. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting went with the cake wonderfully. It had just enough spice to compliment the cake well.

Ingredients
-2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
-1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
-2 cups powdered sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add sugar and cinnamon and beat until desired consistency.

Great American Taste Test--Arby's Apple Turnovers

2009-09-14T12:03:00.009-04:00

The Great American Taste Test is a blogging event for the new book, America's Most Wanted Recipes by Ron Douglas.

America's Most Wanted Recipes is a book of copycat recipes for some of the most loved dishes from America's restaurants. Every blogger chose a recipe, took friends to try the real thing, and then recreated the dish using the recipe from America's Most Wanted Recipes in their own kitchen. I chose to make Arby's Apple Turnovers.

Arby's Apple Turnovers

Walter, my friend Roger, and I all went to Arby's and sampled turnovers. I must admit, we were not impressed. The pastry dough was thick, dry, and flaky, but not in the delicious way. There was very little apple filling in our turnovers, and I got a couple of cherries in mine as well. They tasted...okay...but they were not the most delicious turnovers we had ever had by any stretch of the imagination.

And then, I made the ones listed in America's Most Wanted Recipes. THESE turnovers were what Arby's turnovers should have been. They were flaky (in the good way), warm, and delicious. The apple filling was absolutely delicious and the dough was perfect. The recipes in the cookbook were supposed to be copycats...and, I think they did a good job, honestly. If the Arby's turnovers had been given a little more love and had been fresh (I assume ours had been there for a while, judging by how hard and dry the dough was), I think they would have tasted the same. The apple filling tasted the same across the board. The only difference between the copycat recipe and the Arby's one is that the copycat one was better. I think improvement is always a good thing. :)

Ingredients
-4 large apples
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 Tablespoon cornstarch
-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples.
3. Cook the apples with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice over low heat, stirring often. Cook until apples are tender, then remove from heat.
4. Unfold the pastry dough on a floured surface. Roll two sheets into 120inch squares, and then cut each sheet into four 6-inch squares.
5. Place 1/4 cup of the apple mixutre in the center of each square. Brush edges with water, then form to fold triangles. Seal edges with fork.
6. Bake on parchment paper lined baking sheets for 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool on a wire rack.
7. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and 1 Tablespoon of water. Drizzle over cooled turnovers and allow to set.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-09T16:18:00.005-04:00

I am starting to struggle to find new cookies every week for the office. Soon I will have to start doing repeats.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were great. Soft and chewy on the inside, like a brownie, but crisp and delicious on the outside. I also think they'd be great for the holidays if you subbed mint chips for white chocolate chips.

I found this recipe here at Allrecipes and made a couple of changes that were suggested in the reviews.

Ingredients
-1 cup unsalted butter
-1 cup white sugar
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
-2 eggs
-1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking soda
-2 cups white chocolate chips
I also added an additional 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Mix in vanilla.
3. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until combined. Fold in white chocolate chips.
5. Drop batter by rounded tablespoon onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until tops begin to crack. Cookies will still be very soft but will firm up after 3 to 5 minutes. Once firm, move to wire rack to cool completely.

Stepford Sweets--Black and White Wedding Cake

2009-09-04T12:44:00.006-04:00

This was the second cake I did for Stepford Sweets, and I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. It got a little warm on the way and melted a small bit, but it's still pretty nice, and the clients were very pleased with it.

It was white cake with vanilla cream filling and white chocolate fondant. It tasted amazing!

White Chocolate Fondant

This recipe was found here at A Year in the Kitchen. It is a little more difficult to make than marshmallow fondant, but I think it tastes even better, and it was actually more manageable for me. I think it is my preferred fondant recipe.

Ingredients
-1 pound white chocolate
-3/4 cup corn syrup
-4 pounds powdered sugar
-8 Tablespoons hot water
-1 cup glucose
-2 teaspoons vanilla
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-4 Tablespoons shortening

Directions
1. Melt the white chocoalte chips in the microwave or over a double boiler, stir in the corn syrup, set aside until cool.
2. Put powdered sugar in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Mix water, glucose, vanilla, salt, and shortening together in a saucepan. Heat until shortening is almost melted.
4. Pour into the well of powdered sugar and mix with a flat spatula until incorporated. Add chocolate mixture and mix well.
5. When mixture is too hard to mix with the spatula, take it out and turn on a powder sugar dusted surface. Knead in the remaining powdered sugar.
6. Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a ziplock bag. It will get somewhat hard, but kneading it will loosen it up. Use within a month. (Do not refrigerate)

Chocolate Vanilla Spirals

2009-09-02T18:29:00.002-04:00

Last week, Walter was in Chicago on business. His office missed my baking, so I am back again!

Chocolate Vanilla Spirals

These are called "Icebox Spirals and Bull's-Eyes" in Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook (which is where I found the recipe, of course). They are delicious. The chocolate is very subtle but definitely there, and they're so fun to make! The recipe also made Bull's-Eyes (vanilla with a chocolate center), but I thought the spirals looked better, so I made all spirals instead.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups butter at room temperature
-1 3/4 cup sugar
-2 eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (white separate from whole eggs)
-1 teaspoon salt
-2/3 cup whole milk
-1 Tablespoon vanilla
-5 cups all-purpose flour
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add whole eggs and salt and mix until combined. Add milk and vanilla.
3. Add flour slowly and mix until a firm dough forms.
4. Separate dough into two equal parts. Add cocoa powder to one part and mix until combined.
5. Roll out doughs. To form bull's-eyes: Roll 1/4 of the chocolate dough to a 12-inch rod about 3/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm. Roll half of vanilla dough to a 12 by 4 inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with egg white and place chocolate rod along length of vanilla dough. Roll dough with your hands and enclose chocolate rod. Trim excess. Refrigerate until firm (I froze mine).
6. To form spirals: Roll out remaining chocolate and vanilla doughs on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into two 9 by six inch rectangles. Brush egg white onto top of each rectangle. Place vanilla dough on top of chocolate dough. Starting on one long side, roll up dough. Gently press and pinch edges to seal. Refrigerate (or freeze) until firm.
7. Cut cookies from logs into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Strawberry Walnut Streusel Cookies

2009-08-21T21:09:00.005-04:00

I must say, sending sweets every week has made me quite popular with Walter's co-workers.

Strawberry Walnut Streusel Cookies

These cookies came from the Reader's Digest 1,001 Cookie Recipes cookbook. I altered the recipe a bit because I found that it didn't quite suit me normally. I had to add about 1/4 cup more flour to the dough to make it stiff enough to roll, and the streusel topping was a bit bland, so I added more cinnamon and some sugar. After my changes, these cookies were quite good.

Ingredients
For the streusel:
-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
-1 Tablespoon finely ground almonds (I used walnuts, hence the name)
-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/3 cup butter, cut up
I also used 1 Tablespoon sugar and an additional 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

For the cookies:
-1 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/4 cup)
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2/3 cup butter, cut up
-2/3 cup ricotta cheese
-1 Tablespoon vanilla sugar (For this, I just used 1 teaspoon vanilla with 1 Tablespoon sugar)
-1/3 cup strawberry preserves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare streusel: Combine flour, walnuts, cinnamon, and sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3. For the cookies, sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Stir in ricotta, vanilla, and sugar to form a stiff dough. Form dough into disc and chill for thiry minutes.
5. Roll dough to thickness of 1/4 inch and cut into 2 1/2 inch shapes. Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart.
6. Heat strawberry preserves over low heat until thin. Spread over each cookie. Top with streusel.
7. Bake cookies for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and the edges are beginning to brown. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar if desired.

Mexican Pasta Bake

2009-08-19T19:23:00.005-04:00

More casseroles!

Mexican Pasta Bake

This casserole, that I found here at cooksrecipes.com, was fantastic. I made a few changes. For example, the pasta I used was a gem I found at Hy-Vee:

I also used ground beef instead of chicken and added crumbled Doritos, among other things. It was FANTASTIC. Walter loved it, and it will definitely be made again. Still not beautiful, but prettier than the last and still delicious. I will post the recipe as I made it, not as it was originally done.

Ingredients
-1 3/4 cups chili pepper linguine
-1 26-ounce jar medium chunky salsa
-1 10.5-ounce can of refried beans
-1/3 cup sliced green onions
-2 1.25-ounce packages Taco Seasoning Mix
-1 cup sour cream
-1.5 pounds ground beef
-1 cup nacho cheese Doritos, broken into crumbs
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish.
2. Brown ground beef and cook pasta.
3. Combine taco seasoning, salsa, refried beans, and green onions in medium bowl.
4. Spread 1 cup salsa mixture on bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with pasta.
5. Spread sour cream over pasta. Top with Doritos.
6. Combine remaining tomato mixture and ground beef and spoon over Doritos. Top with cheese.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Potato Pizza Casserole

2009-08-17T19:28:00.003-04:00

Look, look! An entry that's about cooking rather than baking!

Walter likes to take his lunch to work, so I have been working on trying different recipes that will reheat well. This is my first casserole, but it probably won't be my last (especially now that I am no longer lactose intolerant).

Last week, Hy-Vee had a sale on mozzarella--buy one 8-ounce ball, get one free. I couldn't pass that up.

Potato Pizza Casserole

I found this recipe here at AllRecipes. It was not a pretty dish, but it tasted fine. It was a little bland, but it will definitely be made again.

Ingredients
-1 pound ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-5 cups peeled and thinly sliced potatoes (I used 1 26-ounce bag of shredded hash browns)
-1 3-ounce package chopped pepperoni (I used 1 5-ounce bag of Hormel mini pepperonis)
-1 10.75-ounce can condensed tomato soup
-1 10.75-ounce can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar (I ommitted)
-8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 16 ounces crumbled)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Brown ground beef with onions. Drain grease. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato soup, Cheddar cheese soup, and milk. Season with oregano, Italian seasoning, and brown sugar. Mix well, and cook until heated through.
4. Spread the sliced potatoes (or hash browns) in a layer on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the ground beef and onion over the potatoes. Place slices of pepperoni over the ground beef. Pour sauce over other ingredients. (I mixed ingredients together after this until the sauce was combined over everything. If using sliced potatoes, this would not work as well).
5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Banana Walnut Chocolate-Chunk Cookies

2009-08-06T23:32:00.002-04:00

I bought some walnuts recently, and I don't remember why, so I am using them for things until I remember.

Banana Walnut Chocolate-Chunk Cookies

This recipe was in Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook, which I am loving so far. The cookies were perfect--moist, not too banana-y, not too chocolatey. I loved them and ate four before they got sent to Walter's office.

Ingredients
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used all-purpose flour for both measurements)
-1 teaspoon coarse salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-3/4 cup butter, room temperature
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 banana)
-1 cup rolled oats
-8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks
-1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour(s), salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture and mix until combined. Add banana.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in oats, chocolate chunks, and walnuts.
6. Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets about two inches apart. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes or until golden brown and just set. Cool on wire racks.

Lemon Dinosaur Cookies

2009-07-30T14:32:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow is Walter's birthday. We have guests from out of town staying with us until tomorrow evening, so I did not have time to make the cake I had planned on. However, our guests went into the city for some sight-seeing today, so I whipped up some cookies.

Lemon Dinosaur Cookies

These cookies are Walter's favorites. I used this recipe and substituted lemon extract for the vanilla extract.

Wilton's Fluffy Boiled Icing

It occurred to me while baking the cookies that I had no powdered sugar, so I whipped up this icing instead. It was a little gritty, but for a sugar cookie icing, that is not really an issue. Instead of the 1/2 cup water, I used lemon juice to give it that fantastic lemon flavor.

Ingredients
-3 tablespoons Meringue Powder
-1/2 cup cold water
-2 cups granulated sugar
-1/4 cup light corn syrup
-1/2 cup water (I used lemon juice instead)

Directions
1. Beat meringue powder and 1/2 cup cold water until stiff, about 4 minutes.
2. Mix sugar, corn syrup and water (or lemon juice) in saucepan. Bring to boil and cool slightly.
3. Slowly add corn syrup mixture to meringue, beating until stiff and glossy.

Funfetti Picnic Table Cake

2009-07-27T23:48:00.005-04:00

My family has a lot of July birthdays, so we have a joint party every year. I saw a cake similar to this one in Wilton's Celebrate with Fondant book, and I HAD to try it.

Funfetti Cake

For this cake I used this recipe for white cake and made the following changes:

Ommitted almond extract
Added 1 4-ounce box of French vanilla instant pudding
Added 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

I used Wilton's Classic Buttercream (also in the link above) for the filling and marshmallow fondant and white modeling chocolate for the details.

Close up of the cake, burgers, hot dogs, and catsup and mustard dispensers. All made from fondant and white modeling chocolate.

Close up of watermelon.

Close up of ants on the picnic table. When I was cutting the cake I thought they were real bugs!

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies

2009-07-22T22:43:00.003-04:00

Once, I mistakenly purchased corn meal instead of cornstarch. And so, I wanted to find a way to use it.

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies

This recipe came from the book "501 Cookies" by Gregg R. Gillespie. These cookies were very chewy, and they didn't have much lemony flavor without the glaze. They were very sweet, though, which was nice. However, I probably wouldn't make them again. Also, they were the first cookies that didn't get completely finished at Walter's office, so that should say something about the recipe.

Ingredients
-2 3/4 cups flour
-1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
-1 cup packed light brown sugar
-2 Tablespoons canola oil
-3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
-1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
-1 large egg white

For glaze:
-3/4 cup powdered sugar
-2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and oil. Beat in the applesauce and lemon juice.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold into applesauce mixture.
5. Gradually blend dry ingredients into applesauce mixture. Chill for up to two hours.
6. Drop dough by spoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly colored. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
7. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice and mix until smooth. Pour over cooled cookies.

Three Little Pigs Cake

2009-07-19T10:58:00.003-04:00

My sister-in-law's baby shower was yesterday. I did a fun Three Little Pigs cake.

Each tier was a different flavor of cake that corresponded with the colors of the tier. The straw tier was a yellow butter cake (recipe below) with Wilton's buttercream with butter flavoring. The stick tier was chocolate cake with chocolate cream filling. The brick tier was strawberry cake with vanilla cream. All of the tiers were covered with marshmallow fondant. For the chocolate tier, I used chocolate marshmallows and a little bit of chocolate syrup instead of regular marshmallows. The three little pigs and big bad wolf were made with white modeling chocolate.

Yellow Butter Cake

This cake was very moist and a fantastic example of what yellow butter cake should be. I found the recipe here at Joy of Baking.

Ingredients
-6 large egg yolks
-1 cup milk
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-3 cups cake flour
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
I also added 1 4-oz package of instant vanilla pudding.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two nine-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 cup milk.
3. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix (if using). Mix until well combined. Add butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk and mix until well-combined.
4. Add egg mixture gradually, beating well.
5. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a pick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Strawberry Cake

2009-07-12T12:25:00.003-04:00

My sister-in-law's birthday is July 1st, and Walter's is July 31st. Because of this, they usually have a joint party in mid-July to celebrate both.

Strawberry Cake

I found the recipe for this cake here at Country Living. It was well-loved, very moist with a great strawberry flavor. I do wish I had added more food coloring than I did, because it was not as pink as I wanted it to be, but that is purely an aesthetic issue that nobody seemed to mind.

I used marshmallow fondant to cover and decorate. I used the star imprint mat from Wilton to get the star design on the cake--it was really easy to work with, but I do suggest spraying the mat with nonstick cooking spray before you use it. It's a silicone mat and very easy to clean. I liked it a lot.

I used vanilla cream for the filling and placed fresh strawberry slices between the layers. It was a perfect summer cake.

Ingredients
-2 1/2 cups cake flour
-1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-1 cup strawberry preserves
-4 eggs
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/8 teaspoon red food coloring
-1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9- or 10-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add strawberry preserves and vanilla and mix well.
4. Add eggs to butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add dry mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating buttermilk between additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture and beating well after each addition. Add food coloring and mix well.
6. Divide batter evenly among cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

2009-07-09T15:36:00.002-04:00

Last week, I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Not a new recipe, but I realized that I have far too many oats that need using up. A coworker of Walter's recommended that I use fruit in the cookies one week, so I decided to give it a try.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

These had a good taste, but I thought they had a sort of strange, gummy texture. Walter said they tasted okay. They were very moist and fell apart easily.

I found the recipe here at Allrecipes. I was originally going to add dried cherries as well, but I did not buy enough of them, and my car is currently non-functioning.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup margarine, softened (I used butter)
-1/2 cup honey
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour (I used all-purpose flour)
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used pumpkin pie spice)
-1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
-1 apple, cored, peeled, and chopped
I also added 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine/butter, brown sugar (if using), honey, egg and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice.
4. Combine dry ingredients with butter mixture and mix well. Stir in oats and chopped apple.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 or until light golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Caramel Apple Banana Cheesecake

2009-06-30T23:52:00.004-04:00

Terry, one of Walter's co-workers had a birthday. I asked him what kind of cake he wanted, and he gave me a recipe for a caramel apple cheesecake. Then, he asked if I could add bananas. As you all probably know, I have a bad track record with cheesecakes. However, I gave it a shot, and it turned out great!

Caramel Apple Banana Cheesecake

Terry found the recipe here at Razzle Dazzle Recipes. It was actually surprisingly easy for a cheesecake, and it was apparently very good. I wanted to get a picture of it cut, but I did not. I was told that it was very sweet, which surprises me absolutely none. I added bananas to the recipe per his request, which I am sure only added to the sweetness.

Ingredients
-24 cinnamon graham crackers
-10 Tablespoons butter, melted
-1 cup sugar, divided
-1 21-ounce can apple fruit filling
-2 bananas, sliced thin
-16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, softened
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup caramel topping
-2 Tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make crust, crush graham crackers and combine with butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until combined and press into 9-inch greased springform pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
3. Measure 1/2 cup of apple pie filling and set aside. Spoon remaining filling into crust. Layer 1/2 of bananas on top of filling
4. Beat together cream cheese, remaining sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add eggs and beat well. Pour over apple filling.
5. Bake 35 minutes or until center is nearly set. Cool.
6. Mix reserved apple filling and caramel topping in a small saucepan. Heat about 1 minute.
7. Arrange apple banana slices and around outside edge of cheesecake. Spoon caramel sauce onto the cheesecake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Banana and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake Bites

2009-06-26T15:49:00.003-04:00

I had leftover cake after Father's Day, as always. I found some peanut butter flavored Wilton candy melts, so I decided to dip the chocolate chip cake in those. I also ground some chocolate chips up and threw them in with the cake and frosting because the cake I had leftover didn't really have any chocolate chips in it.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake Bites

I thought the peanut butter was a great addition to these. They were wonderful.

Ingredients
-1 recipe Chocolate Chip Cake
-1/2 cup vanilla cream
-Witon's Candy Melts, peanut butter flavor
-6 ounces ground chocolate chips

Directions
1. Crumble prepared cake into crumbs. Mix in vanilla cream and chocolate chips until well combined.
2. Roll cake mixture into small balls. Dip in melted peanut butter candy and cool on wax paper. Drizzle with additional chocolate if desired.

Banana Cake Bites

These were my favorite. I considered dipping them in peanut butter as well, but I only bought one bag and used it all on the others.

Ingredients
-1 recipe Banana Cake
-1/2 cup vanilla cream
-Wilton's candy melts light cocoa and white

Directions
1. Crumble prepared cake into crumbs. Mix in vanilla cream until well combined.
2. Roll cake mixture into small balls. Dip in melted chocolate or white chocolate and cool on wax paper. Drizzle with additional chocolate if desired.

WC Nesties Summer Exchange

2009-06-23T14:00:00.003-04:00

My items arrived! My secret Elfster nestie was jennal78, and she did a fantastic job!

She sent me the 2009 Wilton's Cake Decorating Yearbook, three packages of fun cupcake liners, an oven mitt (in my favorite color!), and a mix for a Key Lime Cheese Ball, which sounds delicious!

Thanks, jennal78! I can't wait until the fall exchange!

Tiki Idol Cake

2009-06-20T21:20:00.002-04:00

This cake was for my father. He collects tiki idols, and so this cake was born.

I liked this cake much better, aesthetically. It also tasted fantastic. It was a banana cake with vanilla cream filling, and there were sliced bananas and strawberries between each layer. It was covered and detailed with marshmallow fondant.

Banana Cake

This tasted like banana bread but with the fluffy cake texture. I found the recipe here at Cooks.com. I was very pleased with it. I also altered this one a small bit.

Ingredients
-1 1/4 cups sugar
-1/2 cup butter
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-4 tablespoons sour cream
-1 cup banana puree
-1 1/2 cups cake flour
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 4-ounce package banana cream instant pudding

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8-inch square pan and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs.
3. Dissolve baking soda in sour cream and add to batter. Add remaining ingredients and beat well.
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until pick inserted comes out clean.

Harley Davidson Cake

2009-06-20T21:03:00.007-04:00

I made two cakes today. I think the quality of this one (which I made second) suffered because of it. But it's for my father-in-law, who has never seen one of my decorated cakes, so maybe he won't realize that it's not my best work. ;)

Father-in-law collects Harley Davidson memorabilia, so I decorated the cake accordingly.

I made a chocolate chip cake with a vanilla cream filling. I used marshmallow fondant for all of the details except the writing on the logo, which I did with Wilton's Icing Writers.

Chocolate Chip Cake

This cake tasted like a chocolate chip cookie. It was fabulous and incredibly moist. I did make a few changes, so I will write the recipe as adapted. The original recipe can be found here at Recipezaar.

Ingredients
-2 1/4 cup cake flour
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 1/4 cups sour cream
-3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-3 eggs
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1 12-ounce package chocolate chips
-2 additional teaspoons flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. Combine first nine ingredients in large bowl and mix until smooth and well combined.
3. Combine cinnamon and additional flour in a small bag. Add chocolate chips and shake until they are coated. Fold into batter.
4. Pour batter into pans and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Vanilla Cream

This tasted just like vanilla ice cream! It was fantastic. This recipe makes about twice as much as was needed for this cake.

Ingredients
-2 cups heavy whipping cream
-2 cups powdered sugar
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and mix until thickened.

Spritz Butter Cookies

2009-06-17T21:22:00.002-04:00

I've had a cookie press for nearly a year. This is the first time I used it, but I LOVED it, so I think it will get much more use.

Spritz Butter Cookies

I found this recipe here at Allrecipes. The only real complaint I had is that it was nearly impossible to get the cookies off the sheet without breaking them unless they were actually below room temperature. So I stuck the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 5 minutes before trying to remove them. I thought they were a little dull on their own, so I drizzled the cookies with white and milk chocolate. I also threw some chocolate cake bites in because I know how much Walter's co-workers love them.

Ingredients
-1 cup butter, softened
-3/4 cup white sugar
-3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
-1 teaspoon almond extract
-3 cups cake flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
I also added melted chocolate and white chocolate.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add the beaten egg yolks and almond extract. Mix until well blended.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually sift into the butter mixture and stir until well combined.
4. Chill dough for 1 to 3 hours, or until firm.
5. Using a cookie press, press out cookies onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Cool completely on cookie sheet. Drizzle with chocolate if desired.

Sunflower Cake

2009-06-13T18:57:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday. Her favorite flower is the sunflower, so I used it for inspiration for her cake.

I am getting very comfortable working with fondant. I really enjoy it.

I didn't use any new recipes for this cake. The recipes I used are listed below.

Recipes Used

Easy Chocolate Party Cake--I added a 4-ounce box of instant chocolate pudding to the batter to make it more moist. It worked!
Chocolate Cream Filling--I also used this for the crumb coat.
Chocolate Fondant
Marshmallow Fondant

Stepford Sweets: Half-Life Groom's Cake

2009-06-07T14:30:00.005-04:00

This was the first cake I did for my business, Stepford Sweets. I also included a small batch of chocolate cake bites. The customers loved the look of the cake and the cake bites, as well as the white chocolate details. They did say that the cake was a little dry, which I am taking into account and will remedy in the future. But overall, the bride and groom were both satisfied with the look and taste of the cake, so I definitely consider it a job well done.

Half-Life Groom's Cake

Half-Life is a post-apocalyptic video game. The bride suggested it for the groom's cake because the groom was playing the game in his dorm room the first time they met. Headcrabs are common monsters in the game, and the crowbar is a common weapon used by the main character.

I used this chocolate cake recipe, these recipes for chocolate fondant and chocolate buttercream, this recipe for the modeling chocolate headcrabs and crowbar, and this recipe for the marshmallow fondant (the orange detail on the cake). I used Wilton's Fondant Icing Writers mixed with orange food coloring for the writing on the cake. The filling of the cake was a self-created chocolate cream recipe (see below).

Chocolate Cream Filling

This was delicious and smooth. The recipe makes far more than required for filling the cake, but I definitely didn't complain.

Ingredients
-2 cups heavy whipping cream
-1 bag (about 20 squares) Hershey's Cacao Reserve Milk Chocolate Squares
-1/2 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup

Directions
1. Melt chocolate squares.
2. Combine all three ingredients and whip cream until smooth and fluffy.

Chocolate Amaretto Meringues

2009-06-03T16:16:00.004-04:00

I do not like baked goods. Those of you who read my blog regularly know this by now. The only ones I really like are brownies. Well, I have just discovered another treat I love: Meringues. I had never had one before, but I nearly ate ALL of these. They are so amazing, and I want to try every meringue recipe in existence now. And eat all of them.

Chocolate Amaretto Meringues

Hey, look at that, a cookie recipe from Reader's Digest's Cookies: 1,001 Mouthwatering Recipes from around the World that actually worked out the way it was supposed to! These were originally called cinnamon meringues, but while the cinnamon definitely comes through, I think the almond extract comes through much more, as does the chocolate, so I changed the name. I like changing names of recipes. Walter likes for the name of the treat to very much describe how it tastes so people will know what they are getting at the office.

These are perfect. They were easy, delicious, and pretty. And delicious. I recommend them 1000% to anyone. I did have one problem: The recipe said to cook them for 50 to 60 minutes, but mine were done after about 30. I don't know if my sizing was off or what. Maybe my oven temperature is off--need to get an oven thermometer and check. However, it has never been off before, so I am not sure. The other meringue recipes in the book say 20-30 minutes, so I am not sure. I would say to check them after about 20 minutes, and if they are not done, leave them in there.

This recipe makes about 30 cookies.

Ingredients
-2 large egg whites
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2/3 cup sugar
-1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy.
3. Switch mixer to high speed and gradually add sugar to egg whites, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
4. Fold in remaining three ingredients (I gave it a quick beating with the mixer to help combine the cocoa powder). Fit a pastry bag with a 1 1/2 inch star tip and fill pasty bag with batter.
5. Squeeze generous rosettes of batter about 1 inch apart on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 50-60 minutes (Like I said, it only took 20-30 minutes for me) or until crisp and dry to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking. Cool completely on baking sheets.

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Cake Bites

2009-05-26T18:52:00.004-04:00

New neighbors moved in next door. To make them feel welcomed, I made some cake bites for them.

Chocolate Cake Balls

Nothing new here, except my local Michael's has started carrying Colorburst melting chocolate. See below:

When I saw it, I knew I had to buy it. I think it would be especially fun with some "funfetti" cake bites. Because of my failure at taking a decent picture of the cake bites, it is impossible to see, but the white bites are flaked with red, green, and blue spots.

Ingredients
-1 recipe Martha Stewart's Chocolate Cake (see below)
-1 can milk chocolate frosting
-Melting candies/chocolate in desired colors

Directions
1. Crumble prepared cake into crumbs. Mix in frosting until well combined.
2. Roll cake mixture into small balls. Dip in melted chocolate and cool on wax paper. Drizzle with additional chocolate if desired.

Martha Stewart's Chocolate Cake

This recipe came from the May 2009 issue of Everyday Food from Martha Stewart. It is the chocolate variation of the Versatile Vanilla Cake. I think it is my favorite chocolate cake so far...it is incredibly silky and moist, and I was quite pleased with it.

Ingredients
-1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
-2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 2 cups plus 4 Tablespoons cake flour)
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-2 larg eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two eight inch cake pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
4. Alternately beat flour mixture and buttermilk into butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
5. Divide batter between pans and smooth tops. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until pick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean.
6. Cool cakes in pans for ten minutes, then invert to wire racks until cooled completely.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2009-05-20T15:40:00.006-04:00

My goodness, what a name. And the name Martha gave it wasn't any shorter...geez.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These were originally called Chunky Peanut, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Cookies. See? Still long. I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook. Overall, it was a good cookie, but I found that if I chilled the cookies and rolled them as small as she said to, they came out TINY. They hardly spread at all, and I do not want cookies that small. Still, they tasted good. After the first two batches I got the size thing down.

And then...after looking at the recipe, I don't know what I was thinking, but I know why they did not turn out like she said they would. There is no baking powder in her recipe, and there is light brown sugar. I put baking powder in and forgot the brown sugar. So, I guess that's why they aren't at all like the picture. My goodness, I am embarrassed. But not really, because they still taste fine.

I guess I will post MY recipe, as opposed to the one it was supposed to be.

Ingredients
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-2 eggs
-1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
-2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Combine butter and peanut buter. Add sugar and mix until combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix until combined.
6. Fold in chocolate chunks. Refrigerate dough for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Roll dough into 2-inch balls and flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden in color. Cool on wire racks.

Five Pepper and Garlic Chicken

2009-05-18T18:52:00.005-04:00

Hy-Vee is a beautiful place. It has so many amazing oils and seasonings that I cannot leave the store without purchasing. I also purchased some pasta this week that I plan on using in future recipes.

Five Pepper and Garlic Chicken

This recipe has two major ingredients. This, Loriva's 5-Pepper Oil:

And this, Loriva's Garlic Oil:

I found both of them at Hy-Vee, and they are fantastic. This chicken was very good. I also roasted some potatoes that were tossed in the garlic oil.

Ingredients
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 cup oil
-1 teaspoon oregan
-1/2 teaspoon sage
-1 Tablespoon paprika
-1 Tablespoon bacon salt
-2 teaspoons soul food seasoning
-1/2 Tablespoon garlic salt
-1 teaspoon 5-Pepper Oil
-1/2 teaspoon garlic oil

Directions
1. Combine first 9 ingredients and keep refrigerated for 1-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place chicken in 9 by 13 inch baking pan lined with foil. Drizzle with garlic oil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until centers read 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Graduation Cupcakes

2009-05-16T19:57:00.005-04:00

Walter's cousin is graduating from high school on Sunday. Naturally, I had to bake for the party after. So, I made some chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and peanut butter cup graduation caps.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I got this recipe here from Ina Garten at The Food Network. I ended up with 18 cupcakes instead of the 14-15 she said I'd get, but I am not too concerned by it. These cupcakes were pretty delicious. Moist and chocolatey. Walter said you could taste the coffee and wasn't thoroughly impressed with that, but I couldn't taste it at all. Although afterwards, he said that perhaps he was just tasting the peanut butter icing, so I am not sure. Regardless, I rather enjoyed them.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-2/3 cup granulated sugar
-2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
-2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (I used 2 large eggs)
-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
-1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
-1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
-2 tablespoons brewed coffee
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-1 cup good cocoa powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I used table salt)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add the vanilla and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the butter mixture, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture and mixing well after each addition. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.
6. Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting

This also came from Ina Garten (same link as above). I was worried it would be too sweet, but it was very good and complimented the cupcakes well.

Ingredients
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 cup creamy peanut butter
-5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
-3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used table salt)
-1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Combine first five ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix until smooth. Add cream and mix on high speed until combined and smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Cup Graduation Caps

This idea originally came from Bakerella, but I found it here at A Year in the Kitchen. I thought it was an adorable idea, so I had to do it!

Ingredients
-Reese's mini Peanut Butter Cups (the same number as you have cupcakes)
-An equal amount of chocolate squares (I used Hershey's Cacao Reserve milk chocolate squares)
-Fruit-by-the-Foot candies (Bakerella used Airheads Sours. I was going to use those, but I ate them all before I got to it and then couldn't find more. Ashlee used Twizzlers Pull N Peels. Basically, anything you think will work is great. Be creative!)
-Colored icing (I used Wilton's Icing Writers in blue for this. Ashlee used
-Peanut butter

Directions
1. Unwrap peanut butter cups and chocolate squares. Place a small dab of peanut butter on the underside of the chocolate square and attach it to the small end of the peanut butter cup (so that the cup is resting upside-down).
2. Cut a small strip from the Fruit-by-the-Foot and attach it to the top of the cap with some of the colored icing. Place a small dab of the icing in the center of the square to make it look like a cap top.
3. Place graduation craps on cupcakes and serve.

Rocky Road Brownies

2009-05-13T14:06:00.005-04:00

I do not like baked goods, and I only like chocolate sometimes. However, I LOVE brownies. I always have, and I do not know what makes them different from everything else, but they are fantastic.

Rocky Road Brownies

These are so ooey gooey fantastic that I wanted to eat them all. Luckily for Walter's co-workers, my lactose intolerance and allergy to walnuts prevented me from doing so.

These are a messy, messy treat. But so good. I made the recipe six times. Each recipe yields about 16 brownies (but I admit that I cut some of them bigger than directed). I got the recipe from Christmas Cookies, a cookbook my mother gave me that is brought to us by Duncan Hines, Quaker, Borden, and Hershey's companies, among others.

You could also substitute graham cracker crumbs for the walnuts and make s'mores brownies.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1/2 cup flour
-1/4 cup buttermilk
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 cup miniature marshmallows
-1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
-1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks, and I added another 1/2 cup to the batter)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan and set aside (I lined the pan with aluminum foil and greased the foil so it would be easier to remove the brownies).
2. Combine butter and cocoa powder in medium-sized saucepan over medium low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in sugar, egg, flour, buttermilk, and vanilla (And, if using, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks). Mix until smooth.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean.
5. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle top of brownies with walnuts, chocolate chunks, and marshmallows. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, just until marshmallows are puffed and topping has combined. Cool in pan. Cut into squares when cool.

Meatball Soup (and gamer cookies)

2009-05-04T18:54:00.006-04:00

I am a bit of a worrier. I am only 20, and Walter is only 23, but I worry constantly about heart attacks, diabetes, and high cholesterol. But I don't worry enough to eat food I don't like.

Meatball Soup

This recipe came from Jessica Seinfeld's book, Deceptively Delicious. I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this book right now (something about a lawsuit from the author of The Sneaky Chef, things I don't keep up with), but my sister got it for me for Christmas last year, and I have never read the book she supposedly plagiarized. And so, here we are. I was very tentative about this recipe, due to the vegetable purees, but it turned out pretty good. However, even with my additions, it was a bit bland. I will probably add a few more spices next time.

In addition to my spice changes, I didn't use the homemade purees that Mrs. Seinfeld suggests. Instead, I bought some baby food. I am lazy and cheap, and it worked just as well. :) I also used more meat and more pasta to make it less of a soup and more of a stew, as Walter is not a fan of incredibly thin soups.

Ingredients
-3 ounces whole-wheat pasta shapes (I used 12 ounces veggie pasta--semolina pasta shapes with carrot, spinach, and beet powders)
-1 Tablespoon olive oil (We were out of olive oil, so I used vegetable oil)
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice (I used 1 29-ounce can of tomato puree, since the tomatoes were pureed in the recipe anyway)
-1/4 cup carrot puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of carrot baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-3 cups beef or chicken broth (I used 3 cups beef broth made from beef bouillon cubes flavored with garlic and onions)
-3 slices bread, cubed
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup sweet potato puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of sweet potato baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-1/4 cup milk
-2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (I ommitted)
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used 1 pound extra lean ground beef)
I also added 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, a dash cayenne pepper, and 2 Tablespoons garlic salt.

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, and onions and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened.
3. Puree the tomatoes (if using whole) and add carrot puree. Add to the onions and garlic along with the beef broth and 1 Tablespoon garlic salt (if using). Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Combine cubed bread, egg, sweet potato puree, milk, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic salt, and Parmesan (if using) in large bowl. Let soak until bread is very soft, and then stir to break bread into crumbs.
5. Add ground beef to bread mixture and mix until smooth. Roll into meatballs, 1/2-inch in diameter, and add meatballs to the simmering pot.
6. Simmer meatballs and sauce, covered, until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Add pasta and serve.

Gamer Cookies

We had a LAN party this weekend, and I made sugar cookies. I didn't use a new recipe, as Walter requested the cookie and icing recipes from thisentry, but I thought I'd show the final results. I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter for the headshot cookies, and an octopus cookie cutter for the Cthulhu cookies. They were a big hit with the guys. :)

Strawberry Cake Bites

2009-04-27T14:59:00.006-04:00

Final shower upload! These were made from leftover cake, and they went fast. I ended up making something like 170 of them, so I sent some to the office with Walter today as well.

Strawberry Cake Bites

Nothing new here. My mother loves these and was very "helpful" when I was making them. She kept deciding one looked "messed up," meaning she had to take care of it for me. She probably ate ten of them. ;)

Ingredients
-1 recipe 1-2-3-4 Cake
-1 recipe Strawberry Cream
-Light cocoa melting discs

Directions
1. Crumble prepared cake into crumbs. Mix in strawberry cream until well combined.
2. Roll cake mixture into small balls. Dip in melted chocolate and cool on wax paper. Drizzle with additional chocolate if desired.

Winnie the Pooh Cake

2009-04-26T21:09:00.008-04:00

I am so glad the shower is over. It took me a week to complete this cake, and then it melted on the way to my mother's house. It looked perfect and fantastic when I left the house, but in 80 degree Missouri weather with no air conditioning, it was droopy by the time I got there, and the fondant was tearing a bit on the top tier, causing the strawberry cream to leak out...everyone said it looked good and that it tasted fantastic, so I guess I am being too hard on myself. But I was nearly in tears at the fact that it melted so much, and I am almost embarrassed to post it on here given how horrible I think it turned out. Regardless, I have a number of pictures of it and its details. I will go ahead and post the pictures first, and then I will post the recipes for the fondant and strawberry cream.

EDIT: I am much more impressed with myself and this cake than I was last night. I have decided that if everyone else in the world thinks it turned out okay, I must be the one in the wrong. :) Thank you so much to everyone for your support.

Winnie the Pooh Cake

This cake was a white cake that was filled and frosted with a strawberry whipped cream and covered in marshmallow fondant. The cake and modeling chocolate recipes I used can be found here. All of the detailing (except the clouds, which were fondant) was done in white chocolate. I used food coloring to color the layers of the cake different colors:

Front of the cake:

Side of the cake:

Back of the cake. Pooh is caught in Rabbit's door...I foolishly put him on the cake before I left home, so he sagged quite a bit:

Winnie the Pooh:

The door to Pooh's house:

Winnie the Pooh, stuck in Rabbit's door. As you can see, he melted and got somewhat squished on the ride there:

Rabbit:

My sister:

The sign for Rabbit's House:

Tigger:

Eeyore:

Close up of Eeyore's tail:

Piglet:

Strawberry Cream Filling

This recipe is an adaptation of the Cookies and Cream Filling I used here, which I found at Annie's Eats.

Ingredients
-1 1/4 cup heavy cream
-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1 cup strawberry puree

Directions
1. Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix until all sugar is incorporated. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Mix in strawberry puree until well combined.

Marshmallow Fondant

This is a delicious and easy recipe that I found here at Skinny Food by Amy. I think I will be using it for all fondant cakes from now on.

Ingredients
-1 cup mini marshmallows
-1 Tablespoon water I replaced 1/8 teaspoon water with 1/8 teaspoon strawberry oil in one batch of fondant--I made about 6 batches)
-1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Place marshmallows in microwave safe bowl and add water and candy oil (if using). Microwave for about 20 seconds, just long enough for marshmallows to puff up.
2. Stir marshmallows until liquified and soupy. Add powdered sugar and mix until well-incorporated and no longer sticky.

Cream Cheese Mints

2009-04-24T19:06:00.003-04:00

I am finally done with baby shower preparations, or at least most of them. I still have to decorate the cake and make cake balls, but that should be easy as...well...cake.

Cream Cheese Mints

This recipe has been in my family for a while. I don't know where it came from orginially. It was given to me by my aunt. I doubled it...each recipe makes about 40 mints.

Ingredients
-3 ounces cream cheese
-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
-1/2 teaspoon mint extract
-food coloring

Directions
1. Combine ingredients and knead with hands until a smooth dough forms.
2. Shape into small balls (about the size of marbles) or use molds to create desired shapes. Chill on wax paper for 1 to 2 hours or until set.

"The Chewy" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-04-22T14:32:00.003-04:00

Taking a break from the grueling task of the Winnie the Pooh shower cake (it will be beautiful when I finish, at least, but woooow am I tired of working on it) to make Walter's office its weekly snack.

The Chewy

This is Alton Brown's recipe, and a quite popular one. It'd be even better if it made any sense. Everyone I know that has tried it has had different results. Me? I doubled the recipe. The second time I made the recipe, the cookies turned out like the ones above. The first time, they looked like this:

All of them tasted good, so Walter's office is not shorted, but it confuses me that they did not all turn out the same. I DID chill the second batch, but not the first. That could have something to do with it. Regardless, this was an okay recipe, but I don't think it will replace my Better Homes and Gardens one.

Ingredients
-2 sticks unsalted butter
-2 1/4 cups bread flour
-1 teaspoon kosher salt (I used table salt)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 1/4 cups brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 egg yolk
-2 tablespoons milk
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt the butter. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
3. Add the sugar and brown sugar to melted butter. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed with an electric mixer. Add the egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the sheet halfway through and checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Italian Seasoned Chicken

2009-04-21T22:47:00.005-04:00

Time for another "let's throw random spices together" marinade!

Italian Seasoned Chicken

This doesn't taste Italian. In fact, it tastes kind of like KFC, but not fried. Pretty decent, overall. I roasted some potatoes with it (just some garlic salt and pepper, some butter, and some chopped potatoes...baked at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes), and it was a great meal.

Ingredients
-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 cup oil
-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-1 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
-1/2 teaspoon oregano
-1/2 teaspoon sage
-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients. Let set in refrigerator for 1-24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place chicken breasts in 9 by 13 baking pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until center of each breast registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers and Bacon Barbecue Burgers

2009-04-16T19:19:00.006-04:00

I LOVE warm weather. Love love love. It is the most fantastic weather for grilling. Spring is great because it's warm enough to grill but not so humid that I can't go outside. Fantastic.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

I got the inspiration for this recipe here at allrecipes. However, I changed it so heavily that it is hardly the same recipe. I really enjoyed them, but could only eat one because of my lactose intolerance and because they were SPICY. Of course. Because they were jalapenos. But grilled bacon is fantastic.

Ingredients
-1 cup sour cream
-2 teaspoons ranch dressing
-1 teaspoon bacon salt
-1 teaspoon garlic salt
-1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
-10 jalapenos
-10 slices bacon

Directions
1. Combine first five ingredients.
2. Cut jalapenos in half, but keep sides attached. Remove seeds.
3. Fill jalapenos with sour cream mixture and close jalapenos. Wrap each with one slice of bacon and slide onto skewers.
4. Grill until bacon is crispy, about 30 minutes. Remove from skewers and serve warm.

Bacon Barbecue Burgers

These are the best barbecued burgers I have made thus far. The bacon salt is nice but not overpowering.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 1/2 teaspoons bacon salt
-1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
-2 teaspoons McCormick grilling mates hamburger seasoning
-Hickory barbecue sauce for coating

Directions
1. Mix bacon and garlic salts and hamburger seasoning into ground beef. Separate and form into patties.
2. Grill patties, flipping halfway through, brushing with barbecue sauce after each flip, until they are 160 degrees in their centers. Brush with additional barbecue sauce and serve.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake Bites

2009-04-15T22:53:00.005-04:00

Friday, I started my cake for Easter. It stuck to the pan, so I made it into cake balls. Walter's office loves cake bites.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake Bites

I love cake bites because they are easy to make, easy to ship, and they are heavenly. I used some of the cookies and cream filling from the cake in them, but it didn't really come through. Regardless, delicious.

Ingredients
-1 recipe Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake (see below)
-Leftover chocolate buttercream icing and cookies and cream filling, or 1 can of chocolate frosting
-Wilton chocolate melting wafers for dipping (I used about two 14-oz bags for dipping and 1/2 14-oz bag for drizzling)

Directions
1. Crumble cake into fine crumbs. Add frosting and mix well.
2. Roll cake mixture into small balls.
3. Melt chocolate and dip cake balls into it. Let dry, then drizzle with additional chocolate.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

This recipe, of course, comes from Hershey's, but I got it from Annie's Eats. It is so moist and delicious.

Ingredients
-2 cups sugar
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 3/4 cups plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons cake flour)
-3/4 cup cocoa powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs
-1 cup milk
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pans (I used 3 8 inch pans) and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
3. Stir in boiling water. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on wire racks.

Chocolate Easter Cake

2009-04-11T18:08:00.003-04:00

This cake was a disaster up until the very end. All of my cakes seem to be. I get so nervous about 3/4 of the way through that I nearly give up, and then they turn out lovely.

Easter Cake

I did some mixing and matching for this cake. I was going to make everything from this entry in Annie's Eats. Well, I made the cake yesterday, but I did not grease the pans well enough, so the layers did not come out intact. Frustrated, I decided to try another recipe for the cake. I used Annie's recipe for the filling and chocolate buttercream, though...and Walter's office will get more cake balls next week!

The handle (which is held firm with a wire inside the fondant) and top of the basket are made with chocolate fondant. The other decorations are edible Easter grass, Peeps, and Zachary's chocolate marshmallow eggs.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

I found this recipe here at The Way the Cookie Crumbles. It is officially my new favorite chocolate cake recipe. It is easy, moist, and delicious, and it did not crumb nearly as badly as the last recipe I used. It held up nicely for the cake decorating, which I much appreciated.

Ingredients
-12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (by now, you know my obsession with cake flour. I used 1 3/4 cup plus 3 1/2 Tablespoons cake flour)
-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
-1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
-1/2 cup hot water
-1 1/4 cups and 1/2 cup sugar, divided
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 teaspoon table salt
-1 cup buttermilk
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-4 large eggs
-2 large egg yolks

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pans (I used 3 8-inch pans) and set aside.

2. Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in a double boiler or a glass bowl over a simmering pot of water and heat until chocolate is melted. Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks until combined. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
5. Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition. Add about one-third of flour mixture followed by half of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition. Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
6. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula.
7. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 45 to 60 minutes.

Cookies and Cream Filling

This...oh my goodness, this is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. If I weren't lactose intolerant, it wouldn't have made it onto the cake. I got it here at Annie's Eats, and it is amazing. I had some left over, so I added it to the leftover chocolate buttercream I had and plan to use it for the cake balls.

Ingredients
-1 1/4 cups heavy cream
-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-10 chocolate Oreos, finely chopped

Directions
1. Combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix until all sugar is incorporated. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in chopped cookie pieces with a rubber spatula. Spread between layers of cake or eat it all because it is wonderful.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This was pretty run-of-the-mill chocolate buttercream. Tasty and smooth, and worked well for piping.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
-2/3 cup cocoa powder
-3 cups powdered sugar
-1/3 cup milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk until the icing reaches a spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla and spread over cake.

Toffee-Topped Brownie Bites

2009-04-08T18:59:00.005-04:00

One of these weeks, I am not going to have time to bake for Walter's office. What will they do then?

Toffee-Topped Brownie Bites

I was going to make traditional brownies this week, but I saw this recipe and thought they would be fun. I needed to use a muffin pan for Joelen's Tasty Tools blogging event, so here we are.

I found this recipe here at Annie's Eats. It was fantastic! I did do one thing different: In addition to icing the tops of the bites with the ganache, I filled each with a little of it. It made them even more moist and chocolatey:

I found that the recipe says it makes about 24 bites, but I could only get about 18 out of each batch. Maybe I made my spoonfuls of batter a bit too big.

Ingredients
-3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
-5 1/3 Tablespoons butter
-1 cup granulated sugar
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
-1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
-Toffee pieces (I found that one 8-ounce bag of Heath toffee bits covered all of my brownies--I made the recipe four times)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the unsweetened chocolate and butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, just until melted. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt, and whisk until combined. Stir in the flour until combined. Using a small cookie scoop, spoon batter into muffin pan.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until completely set. Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove brownies from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To make the ganache, bring whipping cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; remove from the heat. Add the bittersweet chocolate to the heated cream, let stand for 30 seconds, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well blended.
6. Using a flavor injector, fill each brownie with a bit of chocolate ganache. Dip the top of each brownie in the ganache and then sprinkle with toffee bits. Allow the glaze to set completely before serving.

Easter Sugar Cookies

2009-04-04T15:46:00.005-04:00

Easter is next weekend, but my sister and her boyfriend only have his daughter this weekend, so my parents are having an Easter egg hunt for her. I thought some Easter cookies would be a fun treat.

Easter Sugar Cookies

These are delicious and buttery and fantastic. I got the recipe here from Dinner and Dessert. I did not use the royal icing. Instead, I used a modified version of this icing. Instead of mint extract, I used vanilla and colored some pink and some blue. I used Wilton's Icing Writers and some spring sprinkles for details.

Ingredients
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 cup sugar
-1 large egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups AP flour and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons cake flour)
-2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a small bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In separate bowl beat butter until soft and smooth. Add in sugar and combine.
4. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add dry ingredients. Beat until just combined.
5. Roll to 1/3 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes.
6. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 6 to 9 minutes until edges are lightly browned.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

2009-04-03T19:19:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I crave the Mongolian restaurant, but if we ate there every time I did, we'd be broke. To remedy, I make my own Asian cuisine.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Usually I use a store bought marinade for teriyaki chicken. This week, I decided to make my own. It did not taste the same as the store bought, but it was still delicious. I served it with fried rice, which is Walter's favorite.

Ingredients
-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 10-ounce bottle of teriyaki sauce
-5 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
-1 Tablespoon honey
-1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
-1 teaspoon curry powder
-1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil

Directions
1. Combine teriyaki, Hoisin, honey, lemon juice, sesame seed oil, and curry powder and mix well. Add chicken and marinate for 1 to 24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake chicken in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the middle of the breast reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Orange-Glazed Honey Crisps

2009-04-01T16:21:00.008-04:00

Since the last cookies turned out to be biscuits, these were a backup. I cooked the second two batches a little darker than I meant to, but they are certainly still edible. Ugh. What a day for baking.

Honey Crisps

I got this recipe from Reader's Digest's Cookies: 1,001 Mouthwatering Recipes from around the World. They are sweet, but they are not as crisp as perhaps the recipe wanted them to be. Maybe I did not roll thin enough. Regardless, they tasted good, although they did not taste much different to me from regular sugar cookies (however, I was apparently incorrect...see below).

Ingredients
-2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 2 cups plus 4 Tablespoons cake flour and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour)
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1/3 cup butter, softened
-2 Tablespoons water
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 teaspoons honey
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2 Tablespoons milk

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients except milk in a bowl and mix until dough is formed. If necessary, chill dough for 30 minutes.
3. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into squares and reroll scraps until dough is all used.
4. Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart and brush with milk. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Orange-Honey Glaze

When Walter got home and tested them for me (my cookie palate is pretty pathetic...all cookies taste the same to me, and I do not like them), he told me that they do not, in fact, taste like sugar cookies. They taste like "nothing," he says. Well, they certainly don't taste like nothing, but this caused me to think that they are not good enough for the office. And so, I decided to whip up a quick and easy orange-honey glaze with which to ice them.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
-1/2 Tablespoon hot water
-1 Tablespoon orange juice
-1 Tablespoon honey
-1 teaspoon orange extract

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and whisk until combined. Pour over cookies.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2009-04-01T16:07:00.006-04:00

These were supposed to be cookies. This recipe makes me very frustrated. What am I supposed to do with 30 or so biscuits (I doubled the recipe)? Luckily, a friend of mine will take many of them.

Buttermilk Biscuits

I got this recipe from Reader's Digest's Cookies: 1,001 Mouthwatering Recipes from around the World. That's right, they came from a cookie cookbook. The recipe was called "buttermilk cookies." They were cutouts, and I had some buttermilk to use, so I thought it'd be good for Walter's office.

Well, first off, I had to add another half cup of flour just to get the dough even close to thick enough to roll. Then, when I took them out of the oven, they had puffed up quite a bit, which surprised me. I tasted one, and it tasted like a biscuit. Not a cookie. So while the recipe was delicious, it was not a cookie at all.

This also explains why I made heart-shaped biscuits.

However, after looking over the recipe again, it occurs to me that I added 1/3 cup buttermilk instead of the 3/4 cup they called for. Could that have made the difference? Would they hav been cookies instead if I hadn't goofed that? I think the extra liquid would have meant that I needed even MORE flour to get them to cooperate. Ugh.

Ingredients
-1 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cake flour and had to add another 1/2 cup cake flour)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1/3 cup butter, cut up
-2 Tablespoons sugar
-3/4 cup buttermilk (I used 1/3 cup)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar.
3. Cut butter into dry mixture until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Roll out on a a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness(Since they are more biscuits than cookies, rolling it to about an inch thickness is what I recommend)
5. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut cookies from dough, rolling scraps and repeating until all dough is used.
6. Place on baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Red Velvet Daisy Cake

2009-03-28T13:36:00.004-04:00

My sister was supposed to visit this Saturday, and this was to be a reconciliation cake. However, she couldn't make it, so I gave it to my cousin instead.

This is the first cake I have made with fondant, and I am so thrilled with how it turned out. There will be three recipes here. The Red Velvet cake, found here on The Nest, the cream cheese filling, chocolate buttercream frosting, and the chocolate fondant, which were all found here at A Year in the Kitchen. The daisies on the cake were made from white modeling chocolate, which I blogged about originally here. I planned on doing them in white chocolate fondant, but I ran out of powdered sugar.

Red Velvet Cake

This cake is moist and fluffy, and the color is fantastic. Once again, I found this here.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-2 1/4 cups sugar
-3 eggs
-6 Tablespoons red food coloring
-3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-1 1/2 cups buttermilk
-3 1/3 cups cake flour, sifted
-1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease three 9 inch round cake pans and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. In a small bowl, whisk food coloring, cocoa and vanilla. Add to batter and beat well.
5. Stir salt into buttermilk. Add to batter in three parts, alternating with flour.
6. In a small bowl, stir together cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to batter and mix well.
7. Divide batter among 3 pans. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool for 1 hour. Remove from pans and frost.

Cream Cheese Filling

This is a fantastic filling for this cake. I love cream cheese and nearly ate this filling alone (if only I weren't lactose intolerant). Again, I found this and the following recipes here.

Ingredients
-1 8-ounce brick of cream cheese
-1 cup powdered sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/4 cup milk

Directions
1. Cream together all ingredients, beat until smooth.
2. Use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. Spread filling between layers.

Chocolate buttercream frosting

This is another thing I just wanted to eat straight. It was so smooth and creamy.

Ingredients
-1 cup butter
-3/4 cup cocoa powder
-6 cups powdered sugar
-1/4 cup milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Direction
1. Cream butter. add in cocoa powder and mix together on low. Add vanilla.
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
3. Keep refrigerated until use.

Chocolate Fondant

The reason I never used fondant before was I had never had fondant that tasted good. I had also never made my own. But when I found this recipe, I was overjoyed. This tastes fantastic! The original recipe called for a stand mixer, but I did it all by hand because my stand mixer does not have a dough hook attachment.

Ingredients
-1 pound dark chocolate candy coating (I used semi-sweet chocolate)
-3/4 cup corn syrup
-1 cup Cocoa Powder
-3.5 pounds powdered sugar
-8 Tablespoons hot water
-1 cup glucose (this is a liquid measurement)
-2 teaspoon vanilla
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-4 Tablespoon shortening

1. Melt the chocoalte chips in the microwave or over a double boiler, stir in the corn syrup, set aside until cool.
2. Put 3/4 of powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Mix water, glucose, vanilla, salt, and shortening together in a saucepan. Heat until shortening is almost melted.
4. Pour into the well of powdered sugar and mix with a flat spatula until incorporated. Add chocolate mixture and mix well.
5. When mixture is too hard to mix with the spatula, take it out and turn on a powder sugar dusted surface. Knead in the remaining powdered sugar.
6. Wrap very tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a ziplock bag. It will get somewhat hard, but kneading it will loosen it up. Use within a month. (Do not refrigerate)

Cinnamon Graham Cookies

2009-03-25T15:27:00.005-04:00

I wonder if Walter's co-workers love me yet. This is week four of sending tasty baked goods to the office. So far, I have heard no complaints.

Cinnamon Graham Cookies

This week, I may hear a few complaints. These cookies are good, but I overbeat the first batch, leaving some of them a little flat. Not so flat that they are not delicious, but not the best I have ever done. Still...they are good. They taste almost identical to snickerdoodles to me, but I can taste a hint of the graham cracker, which sets them apart. I found this recipe here at Allrecipes.

Ingredients
-2 cups graham cracker crumbs
-1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tablespoons cake flour)
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 2 teaspoons)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 cup butter
-1/4 cup white sugar
-1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine first five ingredients and set aside.
3. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until combined. Drop dough two inches apart by rounded spoonful (I used a 1 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon) on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are brown.

The Nest WC Spring Exchange Items!

2009-03-23T17:29:00.003-04:00

I received my spring exchange items a while ago (last week?) but I forgot to blog them until now...oops. Here they are!

A silicone cupcake pan, a curved spatula, some Easter cupcake liners, some Easter sprinkles, and a lovely spring notepad (that I have been using for my many, many obsessive-compulsive lists).

Fantastic! I sent my Elfster an Easter cookie pan, some Easter sprinkles, a monkey vegetable peeler (from Boston Warehouse Animal House--such cute little things!), and some spring cupcake liners. This was my first WC Exchange, and I was totally thrilled with the results. :)

Caramel Krispie Treats

2009-03-21T22:53:00.004-04:00

Rice Krispies are a staple of childhood. Believe it or not, this was my first time making them in my adult life.

Caramel Krispie Treats

This recipe is pretty standard, as far as I can tell. I used the recipe on the side of the Rice Krispies box, and I doubled it for good measure (any leftovers can be sent to the office). Of course, I am sharing the standard recipe, not the doubled. These only exist because of an impulse buy I made a couple of weeks ago. I was in the grocery store and saw these:

And I picked them up, knowing that I could make SOMETHING with them that would be delicious. They also had a chocolate variety, but I was not as excited about those, so I did not grab any. I apologize that the picture is just of the empty bag--I forgot to photograph them until I had already melted the mallows.

These tasted like caramel corn--but better, in my opinion (and Walter's). I am going to be bringing them to my father-in-law's 50th birthday party tomorrow.

Ingredients
-3 Tablespoons butter (I used 4 Tablespoons)
-6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
-1 10-ounce bag marshmallows or 4 cups mini-marshmallows (I, of course, used 1 10-ounce bag of caramel swirl marshmallows)

Directions
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in marshmallows and melt, stirring often, until completely smooth. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in Rice Krispies. Stir mixture until fully combined.
4. Press Rice Krispie treats into a foil-lined, greased 9 x 13 pan.
5. When cool, cut treats into squares and serve.

Chicken Salad

2009-03-20T14:00:00.004-04:00

Chicken salad is my fall-back lunch. If we have no leftovers, I make a batch and eat on it for a couple of days. I like to experiment with it, and this is my best recipe so far, hands down.

Chicken Salad

I have a secret ingredient that makes this the best chicken salad ever. That ingredient is bacon. Not real bacon, but this:

It makes it fantastic, especially with the tomato. And the jalapeno adds just a little kick to it. Oh, I could eat this for every meal.

Ingredients
-1 9-ounce can white meat chicken
-1 medium onion
-8 dill pickle hamburger-cut slices
-5 slices of jarred jalapeno
-1 small vine tomato
-1 small red bell pepper
-3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
-1/8 teaspoon bacon salt
-Dash of cinnamon
-Curry powder, salt, and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Chop all vegetables.
2. Combine all ingredients. Stir until thoroughly moistened. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 3 sandwiches.

Donna-FFW's Giveaway

2009-03-20T12:44:00.002-04:00

I am just writing this entry to let you know that Donna-FFW at My Tasty Treasures is doing a giveaway. Three winners will receive a spring-related cookbook or magazine. Head over there and sign up!

Chili Barbecue Burgers

2009-03-17T18:39:00.006-04:00

It is eighty degrees outside, with low humidity (something that does not happen often in Missouri). Grilling season has begun! I do not have a fantastic grill, but I have a grill. My parents gave it two Walter and me as a housewarming gift when we moved to this duplex last summer. It came late, so we did not use it nearly as often as we would have liked. However, I am definitely going to try to get much more use out of it this year.

Chili Barbecue Burgers

Walter loves burgers more than any food in the entire world. He eats them at every restaurant we go to, no matter the menu (except the Mongolian place). If it was all I cooked for the rest of his life, I think he would be okay with that. Of course, I also like to play around with the seasonings more than he does. He just wants a burger--I want a super awesome recipe. ;)

Ingredients
This is for one burger
-1/3 pound lean ground beef
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 teaspoon Southwestern Chipotle Mrs. Dash seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon seasoned meat tenderizer
-2 Tablespoons Hickory BBQ Sauce

Directions
1. Combine all seasonings with meat. Mix well.
2. On a heated grill (mine is charcoal-burning), cook burgers until done to your liking (about 30-45 minutes), flipping halfway through. After flipping, brush with
barbecue sauce. Flip again about 5 minutes before done, and brush with barbecue sauce again.

Chocolate Cake Bites

2009-03-11T23:49:00.005-04:00

I had so much leftover cake from the castle cake that I thought I would put it to good use!

Chocolate Cake Bites

Walter prefers these to be called "Chocolate Cake Bites" when he brings them to the office...of course. So, instead of "cake balls," they have now been renamed. Cake Bites sounds cuter anyway. ;)

Ingredients
-1 recipe Easy Chocolate Party Cake
-1 jar Pilsbury Milk Chocolate icing
-12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
-12 ounces white chocolate
-1 bag each desired color Wilton colored melting discs

Directions
1. Prepare cake according to recipe. Cool. Crumble cake into a large bowl.
2. Stir in jar of icing. Mix until combined and all cake is moistened.
3. Roll cake into small balls, about 1/2 an inch in diameter.
4. Melt chocolate (keep colors separate), stirring often, until smooth. Dip balls in desired color/flavor and cool on wax paper (if desired, cool in refrigerator to harden more quickly).
5. Once cooled, use colored chocolate melting discs to drizzle each bite with color, if desired.

Curry Chipotle Chicken and Lemon Chipotle Potatoes

2009-03-11T23:37:00.004-04:00

I love seasonings. I want them all.

Curry Chipotle Chicken

This recipe is my own. I think it could have used a bit more kick, so I may change it a bit next time, but it was still very good.

Ingredients
-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1 cup vegetable oil
-2 Tablespoons Southwestern Chipotle Mrs. Dash seasoning
-1 teaspoon curry powder
-1/4 teaspoon sage
-1/2 teaspoon cumin

Directions
1. Combine oil and seasonings and marinate chicken for 2 to 24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degree.
3. Place chicken and potatoes (recipe to follow) in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Lemon Chipotle Potatoes

I wanted the side to be a bit lighter than the main course, and I think I achieved that with the lemon pepper seasoning. All in all, it was a pretty decent dish.

Ingredients
-3 medium red potatoes, chopped
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-2 Tablespoons Southwestern Chipotle Mrs. Dash seasoning
-1 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning

Directions
1. Combine oil and seasonings. Toss potatoes in mixture. Drain off excess.
2. Place potatoes with chicken in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Princess Castle Cake: Kamryn

2009-03-07T18:31:00.005-05:00

I was unsure about this cake all the way up to the end, when I added the green grass, vines, and writing. And even then I was not completely sure about it until it turned out much better in pictures than in real life. :P Overall, I am much happier with this cake than I was with my last, but I still have lots of room for improvement. Oh well...practice makes perfect!

The recipes for the icing and modeling chocolate are the same as the ones I used here, but I used butter flavoring in the icing instead of vanilla (and recommend that. It tasted much better this time). The cake recipe was from Country Living. The only requests I had from the girl receiving this cake were to make it chocolate and pink. I think I succeeded at both of those things.

My favorite parts of the cake are the path leading to the castle and the princess:

I used Wilton sparkling gel icing for the vines and flower shaped sprinkles for the flours (obviously). All of the other details were made from modeling chocolate.

Next, I am making an Easter basket cake. Hopefully it is even better!

Easy Chocolate Party Cake

This cake was incredibly moist and delicious...a little too moist, as it crumbed HORRIBLY when I frosted it, but it was still fantastic. I would recommend it with a chocolate frosting instead, to hide some of the crumbs, but it was still great. In order to make my cake, I made the recipe about four times--each recipe will fill one 8 by 8 square pan.

Ingredients
-2 cup(s) all-purpose flour (I used 2 cups and 4 Tablespoons of cake flour)
-1 1/2 cup(s) whole milk
-2/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
-2/3 cup(s) dark brown sugar
-1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
-3/4 cup(s) butter
-3 large eggs
-2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
-1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
-1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients and mix on medium speed until smooth. Pour into greased cake pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until middle springs back lightly when touched.

Butter Pecan Cookies

2009-03-03T16:42:00.004-05:00

I love to bake, as you probably know by now. However, I do not eat many baked goods, as I do not like sweets much, and Walter does not believe that cookies are great for his waistline (he is probably correct). To remedy this without wasting food or stopping baking, I have started sending baked goods to work with Walter. This works fantastically--I still get to bake, but I don't have to worry about the food being wasted!

Butter Pecan Cookies

I got this recipe from Martha Stewart. The cookies were crunchy and crumbly in just the right way, and had just enough pecan taste without overpowering. The recipe makes twelve cookies, so I tripled it (but will post the measurements for just the single recipe).

Ingredients
-3/4 cup pecans
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
-1/3 cup sugar, plus more for coating
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toast pecans until aromatic, about six minutes. Let cool and chop finely (I put them in the blender until they were nearly a dust).
3. Cream butter and sugar until light, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla, salt, and flour just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
4. Separate dough and roll into twelve balls. Roll balls in sugar. Place on a baking sheet about three inches apart. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle with sugar.
5. Bake until golden brown, about fifteen minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cool on sheet for about two minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers

2009-02-27T22:27:00.003-05:00

I love spinach. This is a fairly recent discovery, so I am still experimenting with recipes that use it. But I do love it, especially with pasta.

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers

I got this recipe from All*You magazine's February 2009 issue. It was good, but not the greatest thing ever. I do love the texture, and with my additions it was okay, but it was still a bit bland. Regardless, I will probably make it again. It was a great side dish (we had it with lemon cilantro chicken), and perfect for when I have vegetarian friends over.

Ingredients
-1 pound orzo
-2 Tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
-1 clove garlic, chopped (I used 3 cloves)
-1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I omitted)
I also added 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon garlic and pepper seasoning.

Directions
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring often, until done.
2. While cooking orzo, cook onion and bell pepper in 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until tender, about eight minutes. Stir in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.
3. Drain orzo and return to pot. Add remaining olive oil, vegetable mixture, butter, and garlic and pepper seasoning. Stir to combine.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-02-25T22:47:00.002-05:00

My cousin requested cookies. I asked him what kind, and he asked for the traditional favorite. And so, here they are.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got this recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Ingredients
-1/2 cup shortening
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces (I used milk chocolate chips)
-1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts (filberts) (optional) I ommitted.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
3. Add the brown sugar, sugar, and baking soda and beat until combined.
4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
5. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces and, if desired, nuts.
6. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

In-a-Bind Taco Seasoning

2009-02-24T19:58:00.004-05:00

Tonight, I wanted to make tacos. I was sure we had taco seasoning in the house, because we always have taco seasoning in the house. We did not, in fact, have taco seasoning in the house. So, I improvised.

In-a-Bind Taco Seasoning

Due to one particular ingredient, this is not particuarly a recipe for ANYONE in a bind. And it is not, in our opinions, as good as the taco seasoning we usually use. However, the meat tastes like taco meat, and that is what I was going for.

The particular ingredient is pictured above: A Tastefully Simple Rockin' Chipotle Dip Mix sample pack that my aunt gave me (among other things, of course) for Christmas. I knew I would never use it for dip, anyway, and it worked quite well here. Its ingredients included chopped onions, red bell peppers, chipotle peppers, garlic, and salt. So, it worked fairly well for tacos.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
-1/8 teaspoon paprika
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1 sample package Tastefully Simple Rockin' Chipotle Dip Mix
-1/4 teaspoon cumin
-5 Tablespoons taco sauce
-1/4 cup pizza sauce
-1/2 cup water

Directions
1. Combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Brown ground beef or cook chicken. Drain if necessary.
3. Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated and meat is fully coated.

Honey Mustard Chicken

2009-02-19T19:35:00.006-05:00

I love honey mustard on chicken. It is one of my favorite condiment-food combinations. And while this is the first time I cooked with Panko, I found that I love it, too.

Honey Mustard Chicken

I LOVE this recipe. It came from Joelen's blog. All of her food is just so fantastic. I cannot wait to try more of her recipes!

Ingredients
-2 chicken breasts
-2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
-2 tablespoons honey
-garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper to taste (I, of course, used lots)
-1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine honey and mustard. In a separate dish, place panko.
3. Season chicken to your liking. Dip and coat in honey mustard mixture. Coat chicken in panko.
4. Place chicken on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 when placed in center of each breast.

Be My Valentine Blueberry Pancakes

2009-02-14T14:40:00.005-05:00

Walter and I had our first date on Valentine's Day five years ago. Naturally, it is very special to us. :)

Blueberry Pancakes

My heart pancakes are not as creative and lovely as Erin's, but Walter did enjoy them quite a bit. The mould I used was a silicone one that came with a large spatula (great for flipping pancakes) from Michaels. I got the recipe from the same page I got the baking mix recipe. I used the last two cups of my baking mix today!

Ingredients
-2 cups baking mix
-1 1/3 cup milk
-1 egg
-Blueberries to your liking
I also added one teaspoon vanilla.

Directions
1. Preheat griddle to 375 degrees.
2. Combine baking mix, milk, egg, and vanilla (if using) and mix until smooth.
3. Pour batter onto griddle. Sprinkle blueberries on top of batter. Cook for about two minutes, until the top begins to bubble and the sides are beginning to stiffen. Flip and cook for another two minutes.

Princess Birthday Cake--Maddie

2009-02-09T12:26:00.006-05:00

This is the first cake I've decorated. It did not turn out as beautiful as I would have liked because the crown was hard to frost. In hindsight, I should have used royal icing to make the crown instead of cake, but it still turned out okay. And the recipient was two years old, so she did not particularly care what the cake looked like.

It was a white cake with vanilla icing. The butterflies and hearts were made from white modeling chocolate. I also used Wilton's edible glitter.

1-2-3-4 Cake
This recipe came from the back of the Swan's Down Cake Flour box. I used one and a half recipes for two 9-inch cakes and two 6-inch cakes (which I cut the centers out of with a circle cookie-cutter for the crown).

Ingredients
-1 cup butter, softened
-2 cups sugar
-3 cups sifted cake flour
-3 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-4 eggs
-1 cup milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cake pans and set aside.
2. Cream butter, gradually adding sugar, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder and salt.
3. Add flour mixture alternately with milk and flavorings to creamed butter, beating after each addition until smooth.
4. Pour batter into cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on wire rack.

Wilton's Classic Buttercream Icing
I got this recipe from the Course Book for the first Wilton cake decorating class (which I have yet to take, but I bought the book separately).

Ingredients
-1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
-1 teaspoon flavoring (Vanilla, Almond, or Butter) (I used vanilla)
-2 Tablespoons milk or water (I used milk)
-4 cups powdered sugar
-1 Tablespoon meringue powder
-Pinch of salt (optional) (I ommitted)

Directions
1. Cream shortening, flavoring, and milk. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until thoroughly mixed. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy.
2. This recipe is for stiff consistency. To make thinner, add one teaspoon of milk per cup of icing until desired consistency.

Modeling Chocolate
I found this recipe in a cake decorating book I checked out at the library months ago. If anyone knows where it came from, please let me know.

Ingredients
-12-ounces chocolate (your choice of flavor)
-5 Tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions
1. Chop chocolate and combine in bowl with corn syrup.
2. In a double boiler (or a bowl over a pot of boiling water), melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and continue stirring until it cools enough to handle.
3. Knead chocolate continuously until it feels plasticine, or similar to modeling clay. This is very oily work, so wipe your hands occasionally if you feel the need.
4. Once chocolate is of desired texture, use as you would desire. White chocolate colors well, but as you knead the color in it will bleed on your hands.
5. Store at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap tightly. Keeps for up to two months.

Spaghetti Pie

2009-01-21T22:23:00.006-05:00

Spaghetti and pie. Best combination ever.

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Potluck Favorites cookbook. It was originally a pizza pie thing (It is titled "Pizza in a Bowl"), but I do not like pepperoni mixed with pasta very well. So, I adapted it to what you see below.

Ingredients
-2 cups thin spaghetti
-1 pound ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 14-ounce jar pizza sauce
-1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
-1 6-ounce can tomato paste
-1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook spaghetti and drain. Brown ground beef with onions until onions are tender. Drain fat if necessary. Stir in next six ingredients and warm. Stir in cooked spaghetti.
3. Spoon one third of the mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with one third of the mozarella cheese. Repeat with remaining thirds, alternating spaghetti mixture and cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and noodles on top are slightly crunchy.

Blueberry and Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

2009-01-15T14:24:00.005-05:00

The high today was supposed to be roughly eleven. So far, it has not gotten beyond eight. It's a great day to stay inside and bake.

Blueberry and Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

I still had ten cups of baking mix after the waffles, so I thought I'd make some muffins. Today I made two kinds: Blueberry and Cherry Chocolate Chip. I am going to send most of them with Walter to his co-worker's house. The original muffin recipe came from the same site linked above with the baking mix.

Ingredients
-2 cups baking mix
-2 Tablespoons sugar
-1 egg
-2/3 cup milk (I used liquid non-dairy creamers instead. For the blueberry, I used French Vanilla. For the cherry chocolate chip, I used CoffeeMate's Black Cherry Struedel)
-1 cup blueberries/1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin or mini-muffin pans and set aside.
2. Combine first four ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in blueberries or chocolate chips. Fill muffin pans 3/4 full of batter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool 1-2 minutes in pan, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Hot Sauce Burgers

2009-01-12T16:31:00.006-05:00

I had no idea what I wanted for dinner today. I looked in the freezer and saw french fries, so burgers and fries won out. However, I wanted to do something a little different.

Hot Sauce Burgers

These are my own creation, one of those "what do I have in the fridge that would taste good?" kind of dishes. As I have said before, if I can make something spicy, I do it.

Ingredients
-1 pound ground beef
-1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce
-2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
-2 Tablespoons seasoned meat tenderizer
-1 Tablespoon garlic and pepper
-1 Tablespoon onion powder
-1/2 Tablespoon paprika

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and knead beef until thoroughly mixed. Make into patties of desired size.
2. Cook burgers to your liking (I cook them medium well to well done on a griddle). If desired, place cheese slice on each burger about one minute before removing from griddle. Top with desired condiments and vegetables (I recommend sour cream for this recipe).

Waffles!

2009-01-08T20:30:00.005-05:00

I received a waffle iron for Christmas. It is just a cheap 10 dollar one from Wal-Mart, but it does indeed make waffles.

Waffles

It did take a bit of getting used to the iron, knowing what amount of batter to put in and whatnot, but I eventually figured it out. The iron did not cook completely evenly, the center getting hotter than the edges, so they were a bit dark in the middle, but they tasted great. This recipe made about eight waffles.

I got the recipe from Joelen, and the baking mix recipe (which she also used) came from this site. I really liked Joelen's idea of using the French Vanilla creamer...it made it a lot sweeter, and I think that other flavors of creamer would be great too (and the creamers are non-dairy. The baking mix has dry milk in it, but the less lactose, the better). They would also be great with other fruits added, but Walter wanted regular waffles.

Ingredients
-2 cups baking mix
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons canola oil
-1 1/2 cup liquid French vanilla creamer

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into waffle iron and cook according to your iron's instructions.

Baking Mix
(Makes 12 cups)

Ingredients
-8 cups all-purpose flour
-2 Tablespoons baking powder
-1 Tablespoon salt
-2 teaspoons cream of tartar
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 cups dry nonfat milk
-2 cups shortening

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except shortening and stir together. Combine shortening to the mixture half a cup at a time. The mixture should be mealy when completed.
2. Store in airtight containers either in the fridge or at room temperature for up to three months.

Banana Bread Revisited

2008-12-30T14:40:00.005-05:00

My aunt gave us some homemade pear butter for Christmas. I wasn't sure how to use it, but I got an idea to put it in my banana bread. So, I altered the recipe.

Pear Banana Bread

The only difference between my original recipe and this one is that instead of four bananas, I used three bananas and 1/3 cup of pear butter, and instead of nutmeg, I used pumpkin pie spice. I also omitted the vanilla, but that was purely by accident (it tastes just as good without it). You can find my original banana bread recipe here.

WC Recipe Exchange: Stuffed Pepper Soup

2008-12-29T17:47:00.005-05:00

This is the recipe I got for the winter WC Nesties exchange. The theme was slow cooker recipes.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I loved this recipe. My mother made a dish similar to this when I was growing up. Walter is not a fan of tomatoes or green peppers, but my mother is visiting and enjoyed it as well.

My WCer found the recipe at cre8tivequilter's blog.

Ingredients
-2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey; brown and drain (I use 1 pound)
-1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes; undrained
-2 cups white rice (uncooked Minute Rice)
-2 quarts water
-2-8 ounce cans tomato sauce, plain
-2 cups chopped green pepper
-1 teaspoon black pepper

Optional:
-Brown sugar to cut the bite of the pepper (I did not use)
-2 beef bouillon cubes (Mine were flavored with onion and garlic)

Directions
In a slowcooker, combine ingredients & simmer 4 or 5 hours. ENJOY.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

2008-12-26T19:07:00.003-05:00

Now that Christmas is over, I have some time for real cooking again. Thank goodness.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts

I adapted this recipe from the one I found here at Elly Says Opa. I added some seasoning to mine and used the remaining seasoning on the baked potatoes I made with the chicken. I also didn't use smoked mozzarella, as the fake mozzarella I have to use does not come in the smoked variety.

Ingredients
-Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-Bacon
-1/4 teaspoon curry powder
-1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
-1/4 teaspoon garlic and pepper
-1 teaspoon dried cilantro
-1/2 teaspoon paprika
-Mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Cut a slit in each chicken breast, making a pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with mozarella cheese.
3. Rub each breast with the dry seasoning and wrap two to three pieces of bacon around it. Place each breast on a baking pan (place another pan under it, if necessary, to catch drippings).
4. Bake breasts at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

Peppermint Cake

2008-12-23T17:25:00.008-05:00

I LOVE this recipe. I sent it in for the WC Nesties holiday sweets exchange. Can't wait until the other Nestie tries it...and I hope she likes it!

Peppermint Cake

This recipe comes from my favorite Food Networker, Paula Deen. It can be found in the November/December 2008 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen.

Ingredients

-1 cup butter, softened
-2 cups sugar
-4 large eggs, separated
-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
-1/3 cup sour cream
-1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
-1 recipe White Chocolate Frosting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour (I used three cake pans instead of two this time).
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream and crushed peppermints, just until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peak forms. Gently fold into batter.
5. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap cake layers in heavy-duty plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
6. Using a serrated knife, cut each layer in half horizontally to make 4 layers (I did not do this since I had three layers already). Place 1 layer, cut side down, on a cake plate; spread with 1/2 cup White Chocolate frosting. Repeat procedure with remaining three layers. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.
I also garnished the top of the cake with more crushed peppermint pieces.

White Chocolate Frosting

This is the best frosting I have ever tasted.

Ingredients
-8 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate
-3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-9 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine white chocolate and cream. Microwave on High in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1 1/2 minutes total). Let cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine chocolate mixture and butter. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla, beating until combine. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

2008-12-23T16:22:00.003-05:00

The WC Nesties are on truffle overload right now, and I didn't think I would be participating. But when my chocolate cheesecake failed (again), I needed something quick that I had all of the ingredients for, and lo and behold, truffles were it.

Chocolate Oreo Truffles

This recipe comes from the Taste of Home Simple and Delicious magazine, December 2008 issue. They made them into cute little mice, but I didn't have the extra ingredients for that (black licorice tails, almond slice ears, and red nonpareils for eyes), so I just made them regular truffles. The recipe below is written with my adaptations.

Ingredients
-2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs, divided (I used Oreos, cream included)
-1/3 cup sour cream
-Dusting of powdered sugar

Directions
1. Melt chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the Oreo crumbs and the sour cream. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle.
2. Roll about one tablespoon of the chocolate chip mixture into a ball. Coat with additional Oreo crumbs and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chocolate Mint Cremes

2008-12-23T14:00:00.004-05:00

Holiday baking has begun! I must say, cookies are probably my favorite things to make.

Chocolate Mint Cremes

I got this recipe from the Taste of Home Christmas Cookies and Candies booklet. It's a great little booklet because each recipe is on a pullout card. Makes things very easy for me!

Ingredients

-1 cup butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
-2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I used bittersweet chocolate)
-1 egg
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 teaspoon cream of tartar
-1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR FROSTING:
-1/4 cup butter, softened
-2 cups powdered sugar
-2 tablespoons milk
-1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used 1 teaspoon)
-Green and red food coloring

Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar. Add the chocolate, eggs, and vanilla and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well. Shape dough into a 2-inch diameter roll. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until firm.
2. Unwrap dough adn cut into 1/8-inch discs (Instead, I rolled the dough out and cut it with a bell-shaped cookie cutter). Bake at 400 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine frosting ingredients other than food coloring. Divide frosting in half and color one half with the red and one with the green. Frost cookies. Store in airtight containers.

WC Holiday Sweets Exchange--Chocolate Dipped Orange Butter Cookies

2008-12-18T14:34:00.004-05:00

This is my first year as a WC Nestie, and I was VERY excited to participate in the recipe exchanges. When I got this recipe, I was thrilled, because it seemed easy and fun--and it was.

I made these for a dinner at Walter's office. Hopefully they will be a big hit. Walter stole a couple today when he came home from lunch and loved them.

Chocolate Dipped Orange Butter Cookies

Before I begin, I have to gush. This dough was the BEST cookie dough I have ever worked with. It was so easy to handle and work with, it smelled wonderful, it cooked easily--I was absolutely thrilled with it all around. The cookies themselves were also great--fluffy, with just the right amount of orange without being overpowering. I will definitely be making these (and non-orange variations) often.

I did make one change to the recipe, but it was more presentation than anything. Instead of rolling the dough into tubes and cutting circles for the cookies, I rolled out the dough and used a star-shaped cookie cutter. I also found that I needed about 1 ounce more of each of the chocolates, but I think that is because the star-shapes took a little more coverage than the regular circles would have. I cannot stress how much I LOVE this recipe.

Ingredients
-1 cup butter
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp pure orange extract
-2 1/3 cups flour
-3 tbsp coarse sugar
-2 oz bittersweet chocolate
-2 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
1. Cream butter. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla and orange extracts. Gradually beat in flour.
2. Roll the dough into logs about 2 inches in diameter, wrap them in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. When thoroughly chilled, slice the dough with a sharp knife into 1/4″-thick discs. (I only chilled it for about two hours, and then I rolled it out and cut it with the star cutter. Then I chilled the cutouts overnight)
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. (I used red and green sugars for this, but I think orange would look nice since they are orange cookies)
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove pans immediately and place on wire rack to cool. After a few minutes, take the cookies off the pan and move them to wire racks to cool completely.
5. While cookies cool, heat chocolate in a double boiler. After cookies are cooled, dip them halfway into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool.

Peppery Cheesy Garlic Bread

2008-12-16T18:07:00.005-05:00

Tonight, I am making pasta for dinner. Penne with sausage and Prego. Not exactly a culinary masterpiece, but it tastes good. I found this recipe on my bedside table (I don't even remember writing it down) and thought it would be a good touch. So, here we go.

Peppery Cheesy Garlic Bread

I got this recipe from the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. I added garlic powder and took out the green onions (as I had none), and I used sour cream instead of yogurt, but I don't think it would be bad at all without my modifications, either.

Ingredients
-2 1/2 cups flour
-1 Tablespoon sugar
-2 teaspoons pepper
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-2/3 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
-1 8-oz container of plain yogurt (I used sour cream instead)
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup milk
-1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
-1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced (I ommitted).
I also added 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and an additional dash of garlic powder to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the first six ingredients (and, if using, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder). Make a well in the center of the mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together eggs and the next six ingredients. Add this mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until moistened.
4. Pour batter into greased loaf pan (If desired, sprinkle the top of the batter with additional garlic powder once it has been formed into the loaf pan)and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a pick stuck into the middle of the bread comes out clean.

Inside-Out Cheesy Cheeseburgers

2008-12-15T19:20:00.006-05:00

Inside AND outside, for mine. Walter would have had extra, but we ran out of cheese.

Inside-Out Cheesy Cheeseburgers

There is the outside, piled high with deliciousness.

And the inside, with lovely cheese oozing about. Mmm.

I, of course, did not invent the inside-out burger. However, the one I make is my own recipe.

Ingredients (for one burger)
-1/2 pound ground beef
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 teaspoon seasoned meat tenderizer
-1/3 teaspoon chili powder
-2 slices of cheese

Directions
1. Season raw meat with onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned meat tenderizer, and chili powder. Separate the meat into two equal parts and make into patties.
2. Make a well in the center of one patty and tear one slice of cheese into eight pieces. Pile pieces of cheese into the well.
3. Fit other patty over the cheese patty and shape the patties together.
4. Cook burger until done, when the center registers 160 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

2008-12-09T18:20:00.005-05:00

Today is not my day to cook. While cooking the chicken, I set off the fire alarm. Then, while cutting onion for my sandwich, I sliced my thumb. However, the food, somehow, turned out delicious. Amazing and maybe a little lucky. We also had no buns, only bread, which caused the sandwiches to be pretty messy, but it worked out.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray. I can't stand to watch her show, but I love her food.

Ingredients
-Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-Salt
-Pepper (I used garlic pepper)
-1 teaspoon sweet paprika
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-Olive Oil
-2 Tablespoons butter
-1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce
-2 cups sour cream
-4 scallions, thinly sliced
-1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled
I ommitted the last three ingredients, although Walter did use sour cream on his sandwich. I also added 1 teaspoon of barbecue sauce.

Directions
1. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder in a bowl, and coat chicken in mixture. Toss seasoned chicken in olive oil and cook in a skillet over medium heat for five minutes on each side until done.
2. Melt butter. Mix butter, cayenne pepper sauce, and barbecue sauce (if using). Toss cooked chicken, coating each breast evenly.
3. If using, combine sour cream, scallions, and blue cheese. Spread on bun or bread. Top sandwich with preferred vegetables.

Spicy Sloppy Joes

2008-12-04T18:32:00.006-05:00

I adore slow cooker recipes. They are done when Walter gets home from work, and I don't have to worry about wearing myself down by the end of the day and still having to cook.

Spicy Sloppy Joes

These are very spicy and very sloppy. I cannot say if they are very Joey, but now things are borderline inappropriate. ;) They were a bit too liquidy, so I added a couple of handfuls of flour. I also used tomato sauce instead of juice because I misread the recipe whilst shopping...

I got this recipe here at Recipezaar.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, minced (I used 5 cloves. Yes, 5. We really like garlic)
-1 6-ounce can hot-style tomato juice (I used 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce)
-1/2 cup catsup
-1/2 cup water
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-2 tablespoons chopped canned jalapeno peppers
-1 tablespoon prepared mustard
-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-Shredded cheese (optional)
I also added 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped.

Directions
1. Brown ground beef with onions and garlic. Drain fat if necessary.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir in meat, onions, and garlic when prepared.
3. Cook, covered, for 6 to 8 hours on low heat or 3 to 4 hours on high heat.
4. Spoon mixture onto buns or bread. Top with shredded cheese if desired.

Lemon Cilantro Chicken

2008-12-03T15:44:00.008-05:00

Tonight, I was going to make garlic chicken with a bottle of marinade, but I was cleaning up the kitchen and found this recipe on the back of my jar of cilantro.

Lemon Cilantro Chicken

I found this recipe on the back of my jar of McCormick cilantro leaves. It was originally cilantro-lime chicken, but I had no lime juice, only lemon juice, so I modified it a bit. Walter got ahold of the better-looking breast before I could snap a picture, so ignore his gigantic baked potato.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
-1/3 cup oil (I used Olive Oil)
-1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 teaspoon cilantro leaves
-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
-1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used poultry seasoning here)

Directions
1. Combine ingredients and toss chicken in mixture. Refrigerate for thirty minutes.
2. Grill or bake (400 degrees) chicken for ten minutes or until the center of each breast is 165 to 170 degrees.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

2008-11-28T16:29:00.006-05:00

I have two more Thanksgiving dinners to attend. This one is for my father's side.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

I got this recipe from a friend and modified it a bit. I'll just post my final recipe.

Ingredients
-2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (about 2 sleeves)
-1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of sugar, divided
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softended
-3/4 cup pumpkin puree
-3/4 cup white chocolate, melted
-3 eggs
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 Tablespoons caramel sauce for topping

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. For crust, combine graham cracker crumbs (I used a blender to crush them quickly) with melted butter and 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Mix together and press into a lightly greased 9-in. springform pan. Set aside.
3. For filling, mix cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin, white chocolate, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix until combined. Pour into springform pan and place pan on in a shallow baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and drizzle caramel topping over the cake. Chill until ready to serve.

Cranberry Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2008-11-27T15:06:00.006-05:00

These were a lifesaver today. My pumpkin fudge didn't set, so I needed something to take to dinner tonight. I just added some Craisins to some oatmeal raisin cookies, and viola.

Cranberry Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I got this recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Really, anyone who doesn't have the checkered cookbook needs to get it NOW.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
-1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional) (Instead of cinnamon and cloves, I used 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)
-2 eggs
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-2 cups rolled oats
-1 cup raisins
-1 cup Craisins sweetened dried cranberries

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high for 30 seconds.
2. Add brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice (if using). Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
4. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
5. Stir in oats, raisins, and Craisins.
6. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungerased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Volcano Chili

2008-11-24T18:26:00.007-05:00

I do not like chili. Walter loves chili. I do, however, like this chili (my own recipe). However, I have a sensitivity to tomatoes that poses a problem: If I eat anything spicy that is in a tomato sauce, my throat swells, and I cannot breathe. So, grilled cheese for me tonight. But Walter is quite pleased.

Volcano Chili

Walter likes to load his with shredded cheese and saltines. If I could eat it, I think it would be great with the grilled cheese I am having.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
-1/2 medium onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
-5 jalapeno pepper slices (roughly one whole jalapeno), minced
-1 can chili beans, undrained
-1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
-3 Tablespoons chili powder
-1 Tablespoon Cumin
-2 Tablespoons crushed red pepper
-1 Tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
-1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
-1 Tablespoon onion powder
-3 Tablespoons Garlic and pepper seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-1 1/2 teaspoon barbecue sauce

Directions
1. Brown grown beef. Drain off fat if necessary.
2. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, stirring halfway through and before serving.

Spicy Penne with Sausage

2008-11-21T16:46:00.004-05:00

There is entertaining tonight, so I thought I'd make something spicy and fun!

Spicy Penne with Sausage

This recipe...I got it from Guy's Big Bite on the Food Network. I changed it quite a bit, or at least enough that it has a different title in our home than on his website. Regardless, it is adapted from his. His idea of "spicy" is much different from ours...But I am going to write the recipe how I have it written on my recipe card (ie, the way I make it), not so much the way he does it. The link above will show you what it was originally.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
-3/4 cup canola oil
-1/3 cup lemon juice
-1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
-2 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I generally use 3)
-1 1/2 Tablespoons red pepper flakes
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 teaspoon Garlic and Pepper
-1 teaspoon Cajun Spices
-2 Tablespoons Thai Garlic Chili sauce
-1 Tablespoon dried cilantro leaves
-Olive Oil
-Smoked sausage, sliced thinly
-2 cups cream
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-1 pound cooked penne
-Shredded cheese (Walter likes cheddar jack)

Directions
1. Combine first eleven ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook sausage in olive oil on high heat until brown on both sides. Lower heat to medium and add cream, 3/4 of the Chipotle sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Add cooked penne and toss together. Top with remaining sauce and shredded cheese if desired.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

2008-11-20T19:33:00.004-05:00

Last time I attempted this, I forgot to add the marshmallow creme. This time, I nearly forgot the butter (I added it in at the wromg time, after I had removed the mixture from heat), and I ended up adding more pumpkin pie spice than they called for, but it turned out okay. Maybe a little too sweet, but it is still delicious, and I am sure that Walter's co-workers won't care.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

I got this recipe from Annie's Eats, who found it at Confections of a Foodie Bride (what a clever blog title!). I had never made fudge or any sort of candy, but it was incredibly simple to make (and would have been even easier if I had remembered to add all of the ingredients). It's a great fall/Thanksgiving treat!

Ingredients
-3 cups sugar
-3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
-2/3 cup evaporated milk
-1 cup canned pumpkin puree
-2 tbsp. corn syrup
-2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
-9 oz. white chocolate, chopped
-7 oz. jar marshmallow crème
-1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted (I ommitted, as I am allergic)
-1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions
1. Stir together the first six ingredients in a over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly a candy thermometer registers 234 degrees.
2. Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.
3. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined pan. Let stand (I refrigerated it) for 2 hours or until firm. Cut into squares and serve.

Sweet-Hot Asian Noodle Bowl

2008-11-14T18:22:00.003-05:00

Before I begin, I must apologize. I don't know where I got this recipe. When I first started cooking, I checked a lot of cookbooks out at the local library and wrote down the recipes I wanted to try. So, if anyone knows where this recipe comes from, or has seen a similar one elsewhere, let me know.

Sweet-Hot Asian Noodle Bowl

This is a fantastic, colorful, flavorful dish. It reheats well (or is great cold!) and is very versatile. It works well as a vegetarian dish (just remove the chicken) and goes well at parties. It is a little spicy (if you do it right, according to Walter), but as you have probably noticed, most foods I make are.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup vinegar
-1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
-2 Tablespoons minced ginger
-2 Tablespoons dark sesame oil
-1 Tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
-1/4 cup dried chopped cilantro
-16-ounce package of Spaghetti or any long noodle (Asian noodles work great!)
-1 large red bell pepper, sliced or chopped
-1 large red onion, sliced
-1 Tbsp. sesame seeds (I omitted)
-2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
I also used an additional 4 Tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce, 1 Tablespoon garlic Hoisin sauce, and 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice.

Directions
1. Whisk together the first seven ingredients (And, if using, the hoisin and lemon juice). Set aside.
2. Cook chicken, onion, and bell pepper together until chicken is cooked thoroughly and onion and pepper are soft (but still retain their color). I cooked the chicken, onion, and pepper in the additional 4 Tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce for more flavor. Boil pasta until soft.
3. Combine sauce, pasta, chicken, and vegetables. Toss to coat.

Mini Meat Turnovers

2008-11-10T17:49:00.008-05:00

These are cute, easy, and fun. I did find that there were A LOT of them, but as they were small and reheated well, it was not much of an issue. They also make great appetizers.

Mini Meat Turnovers

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Potluck Favorites cookbook.

Ingredients
-12 oz. lean ground beef
-1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1 1/2 tsp. snipped fresh cilantro
-1 10- to 12-oz. pkg. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10)
-Milk
-Salsa (optional)
I also added shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1 teaspoon of onion powder.

Directions
1. Brown ground beef; drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.
2. Grease a large baking sheet; set aside. Separate biscuits; cut each biscuit in half horizontally. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of biscuit dough into a 4-inch circle. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling (and, if using, cheese) onto half of each circle. Fold opposite side of circle up and over filling. Brush edges with a little milk; seal edges with a fork.
3. Place filled turnovers 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet; brush with milk. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm. If desired, serve with salsa for dipping.

Fried Rice

2008-11-06T19:08:00.005-05:00

Walter loves fried rice, quite possibly more than anything else. He orders it at the Mongolian restaurant every time we go. So, when I started making it at home, he was pretty pleased.

The chicken is very simple and lacks a recipe. I just take two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and drop them in a KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki marinade (and a tablespoon of hoisen sauce) a few hours before (it's a 30-minute marinade, but the longer you do it, the more flavorful they are). Bake them in an oven preheated to 425 for 15-20 minutes or until the middle of the breast is 170 degrees or higher, and you have some chicken.

Fried Rice

I got my original recipe here at allrecipes.com (I get so much from that site). I did alter it a bit, though, as I alter everything.

Ingredients
-2 cups enriched white rice
-4 cups water
-2/3 cup chopped baby carrots (I tend to use shredded carrots)
-1/2 cup frozen green peas
-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
-2 eggs (Tonight, I used no eggs because we had none)
-soy sauce to taste
-sesame oil, to taste
I also use 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

Directions
1. In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. If using chopped carrots, boil for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Thaw peas and corn thoroughly. Heat wok (or frying pan) over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots, peas, and corn; cook for about thirty seconds. Crack in eggs and scramble them with the vegetables. Stir in the cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce and sesame oil (I always use a LOT of these) and toss rice to coat. Cook until browned to your liking.

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

2008-11-04T19:41:00.005-05:00

I almost feel silly posting something so simple in my blog, but why not? It is delicious and fantastic.

Growing up, the only time my father cooked was when we had breakfast for dinner. This was not incredibly often, but it was not uncommon, either (probably once every two weeks). Walter's family had "brinner" on a fairly regular basis as well. After we got married, we met a number of people who were not familiar with the concept, and it was so mind-boggling to us. Are we the only "brinner" fans out there?

Anyway, I love this French toast. It's sweet and fantastic, and so simple!

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

I have also made other variations of this--chocolate and strawberry (by adding chocolate or strawberry syrup to the milk), brown sugar and cinnamon (by using different bread), etc. It is so fun and easy to switch things up.

Ingredients
-1 egg
-1 cup milk (I use vanilla soy milk because of my lactose intolerance)
-1 teaspoon sugar
-1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
-8 slices Pepperidge Farms Raisin Cinnamon bread (or any bread you prefer, but this is where you get the raisin)

Directions
1. Preheat griddle to 300 degrees. Combine egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.
2. Coat each slice of bread in egg and milk mixture. Place each slice on the griddle.
3. Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes, or until browned. Serve with syrup, powdered sugar, fresh fruit, butter, or whatever you prefer to have with your French toast.

Halloween Festivities

2008-11-02T13:10:00.008-05:00

Our party turned out great! I cooked for eight hours that day, and almost everything turned out. The pumpkin fudge failed because I forgot to put in the marshmallow creme, and the cheese fountain became a cheese bowl because the fountain idea just didn't fly. Alas...

Halloweenie Mummies
These were the hit of the party! I got them from Pillsbury's Halloween magazine.

Ingredients
-1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated flaky dough sheet
-44 cocktail-size smoked link sausages (from a 1-lb package)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two 15x10x1-inch pans with cooking parchment paper.
2. On work surface, roll dough sheet out to 14x11-inch rectangle. Cut vertically to make two 11x7-inch rectangles. Cut crosswise for a total of 44 (7x1.5-inch) strips. Pat sausages dry with paper towels.
3. Wrap 1 strip of dough around each sausage to look like a little mummy; press firmly at each end to secure. Place on cookie sheet 2 inches apart for even browning.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Eyeball Cupcakes

These cupcakes were sort of overlooked. I think everyone thought they were decorations! I sent them home with people, but we still have way too many.

There's not much of a recipe for these. I used white cake mix and white premade icing because they were both non-dairy. For the eyeball look, I frosted the cupcakes with white icing and used gummi Lifesavers for the irises and chocolate chips for the pupils (you could also use M&Ms or jellybeans). I used red decorating icing to make them look bloodshot. Easy and fun!

Slime Punch

Again, pretty simple. One container of lime sherbet and a 2-liter bottle of Sprite. Combine and serve.

Jalapeno Hummus with Flatbread Chips
I had never had hummus before, and neither had Walter. I knew he'd like it better with some spice, so I made the jalapeno recipe. It was good, but my kitchen smelled like garlic and tahini for the rest of the day and made me feel really ill.

The flatbread chips were simple. I bought some Italian seasoned flatbread and cut it into ghost, cat, and bat shapes with small cookie cutters. Then I brushed each piece with olive oil and ground black pepper and baked them for about 5 minutes until they were crunchy.

I found the recipe for the hummus here at allrecipes.com

Ingredients
-1 cup garbanzo beans
-1/3 cup canned jalapeno pepper slices, juice reserved
-3 tablespoons tahini
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tablespoons lemon juice
-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon curry powder
-crushed red pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a blender or food processor, mix the garbanzo beans, jalapeno peppers and reserved juice, tahini, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with cumin, curry powder, and crushed red pepper. Blend until smooth.

Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

I love these. I eventually ran out of orange sugar, so some of them aren't candy corn-esque... Oh well. The recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. It is probably my favorite cookbook ever.

Ingredients
-2/3 cup butter, softened
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1 egg
-1 Tablespoon milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (optional) I did not use this. I used Wilton's white microwaveable cookie icing and yellow and orange decorating sugars

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time until 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut dough into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, frost with Powdered Sugar Icing.

Spicy Swiss Steak

2008-10-30T17:27:00.007-04:00

As I believe I have mentioned before, I cannot for the life of me follow a cooking recipe exactly (baking is usually a different story since things need to be more exact). I add garlic and onion powder to pretty much everything, and if there's a way to make it spicy, I do that, too. Walter loves flavorful, spicy food, as do I (although, his spice threshold is much higher than mine).

So, this is the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens plaid cookbook. It's a classic recipe, but I thought it was a little boring, so I kicked it up a bit.

There are both skillet instructions and oven instructions. I love my skillet, so I have never made it in the oven, but I am sure it is just as good.

Spicy Swiss Steak

Ingredients
-1 pound boneless beef round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
-2 tablespoons flour
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used EVOO)
-1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained
-1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings (I diced mine)
-1/2 cup sliced celery Omitted
-1/2 cup sliced carrot Omitted
-2 cups hot cooked noodles or mashed potatoes
I added 1 tablespoon garlic powder, one tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon seasoned meat tenderizer, a handful of jalapeno slices (about 6), and 1/4 cup jalapeno juice.

Directions
1. Trim fat from meat. Cut into 4 serving-size pieces. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper (I added the garlic and onion powders and seasoned meat tenderizer to this mixture). With the notched side of a meat mallet, pound flour mixture into meat.
2. In a large skillet brown meat on both sides in hot oil. Drain off fat. Add undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrot (and jalapenos and juice, if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 1 1/4 hours or until meat is tender. Skim off fat. Serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.

Oven Directions: Prepare and brown meat in skillet as above. Transfer meat to a 2-quart square baking dish. In the same skillet combine undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, and carrot (and jalapenos/juice). Bring to boiling, scraping up any browned bits. Pour over meat. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven about 1 hour or until tender. Serve as above.

Spicy Cajun Chicken Breasts

2008-10-28T18:10:00.007-04:00

This recipe came from me staring at the food we had in the kitchen and saying, "How can I make this a meal?" I've seen similar recipes around since then, so apparently it's good for others, too. I usually dip mine in dijon honey mustard, but I do that with many kinds of chicken. It's a very simple, easy, and cheap recipe, and it's great if you like a little spice.

Spicy Cajun Chicken Breasts

Ingredients
-2/3 cup flour
-1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
-1/2 Tablespoon ground red pepper
-1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-1/4 teaspoon paprika
-1/4 teaspoon seasoned meat tenderizer
-2 to 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine first eight ingredients in a bowl.
3. Bread chicken breasts in dry mixture, making sure each breast is thoroughly covered.
4. Cook at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until center of each breast reaches 170 degrees or higher.