Sugar-Crusted Molten Lava Cake

Earlier this summer I invited my children into the kitchen for a "cooking class." I set up a space at the kitchen island with two electric burners that were leftover from a kitchen remodel a couple years ago.  I also gave them each a cutting board and their own knife to practice with.  Together we brainstormed to come up with things that they would like to cook and that were practical for beginners.  We started with the most obvious choice, pancakes.  Then we moved up towards more complex dishes like stir fry, meatloaf, chicken fingers, and pie.  They enjoyed each session and asked for more.  They also showed quite a bit of interest in plating and photographing their creations, so I guided them through an entire blog post from start to finish.  Tonight they made Pretzel-Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Roast Asparagus, and Sugar-Crusted Molten Lava Cake.  

The kids were engaged throughout the entire process and enjoyed getting a chance to photograph their creations.  My seven year old son really got into setting up the shot and loved taking photos of his creations.  He got pretty crafty and picked out napkins, silverware, and even adjusted the camera angle to get the shot he wanted.  Tonight we are sharing the lava cake recipe and later this week we will be sharing the pork loin recipe.   

Sugar-Crusted Molten Lava Cake

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

10 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar, for dusting custard cups

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Spray 6-6 ounce custard cups with baking spray and then sprinkle in  2 teaspoons granulated sugar, rotate to coat and then tap the excess out.  Cut the butter into pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl.  Add both types of chocolate and microwave for 30 seconds.  Remove and stir.   Heat at 20-second intervals until butter and chocolate chips are melted, the mixture should look like a thick chocolate sauce.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk together until smooth.  Divide equally among custard cups and bake for 14 1/2 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges and invert onto small plates to serve.  Serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Banana Bread

We love this banana bread.   It turns out so moist and stays tasty for days, not that it ever lasts that long. I often make a double batch and place a bunch of muffins in in the freezer for an easy grab and go breakfast.  Another thing I do quite often is bake one tray of mini muffins and add a different mix-in to each row for a fun breakfast. Yesterday I did 2 rows each of of chocolate chip, blueberry, and pecan.  The kids devoured the blueberry and chocolate chip and I preferred the pecan.
I also happen to know that these muffins are very adaptable.  I have substituted yogurt or applesauce for half of the oil, substituted half whole wheat flour for all purpose, used 3 bananas if I didn't have four, and added all sorts of things like flax seed, wheat germ, and  more.  You just can't go wrong since they are a great base muffin...just don't skip the nutmeg!

Banana Muffins

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, mashed

In a stand mixer whisk the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together.  In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients.  Mix until fully incorporated.  Add bananas and mix until just incorporated.  Bake in a 325° oven.  Regular muffins will take about 18-20 minutes, mini muffins will take about 10 minutes and a large loaf or bundt will take over an hour.  I honestly do not ever time my muffins or cakes, I just use my sense of smell and eye ball it or use a toothpick inserted into the middle to test for doneness.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The title should really be Double Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread That Tastes Like Cake, but I thought that was a bit much.  This banana bread had rich Ghirardelli Cocoa as well as chocolate chips in it to make a deliciously flavorful and moist banana bread that is tender and cakey.  This was a great alternative to our regular banana bread recipe and it can double as a dessert.  It also freezes extremely well so you can slice it into single servings and pace yourself!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
adapted from a recipe my sister in law received from a friend

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Ghirardelli cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh nutmeg
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Prepare a bundt pan.  (2 loaf pans or muffin tins work as well)  In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment whip eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla until light yellow.  In a separate bowl whisk dry ingredients together and then add to wet ingredients.  Mix until just incorporated.  Add mashed banana and chocolate chips.  Mix for 30 seconds.  Remove paddle attachment and fold batter with a spatula a few times and then transfer to the pan of your choice.
Bundt pan: start checking at the 45 minute mark by inserting a toothpick, cake is ready when it comes out clean.   Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.

German Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

This German Apple Cake turned out moist and delicious. We ate it plain for breakfast over the weekend and we also served it to friends as a dessert with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and caramel sauce. It was a hit and it will definitely be added to our favorite list of baked goods.

German Apple Cake

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13 inch cake pan with cooking spray or by buttering and dusting with sugar. In a mixing bowl; beat oil and eggs with a mixer until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well. Combine the flour salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and following caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup cream

Bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Let cool slightly before serving with warm cake.

Whoppie Pies

I have two different version of the "Whoppie Pie" to share today. The popular chocolate and marshmallow filling variety and a seasonal Pumpkin Pie variety. They are both very good and were definitely a hit in our home. We only made half a batch of each, which honestly is more than we need to have lying around! It is hard to walk past them without taking a nibble! The batter is quite different so we ended up with about 7 huge-yet thin-chocolate whoppie pies and about 20 smaller, more dome-ish pumpkin whoppie pies.

Chocolate Whoppie Pies
adapted from gourmet.com

2 cups flour
1/2 natural cocoa powder (or dutch-process)
1 1/4 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 t vanilla
1 stick butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg

filling
1 stick butter, room temp
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 t vanilla
(Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Alternating between the two, add dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry.
Drop 1/4 cup batter on parchment-lined trays and bake for about 11 minutes or until puffed and springy. Cool on a wire rack and then place filling on bottom of cookie and top with second cookie.
Pumpkin Whoppie Pies
adapted from marthastweart.com

3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 T cinnamon
1 T ground ginger
1 T ground cloves
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups canned pumpkin-chilled
2 large eggs
1 t vanilla

filling
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 stick butter, room temp
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 t vanilla
(Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In a stand mixer, beat brown sugar and oil until combined. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add flour mixer at once and mix until fully incorporated.
Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough (I used a small ice cream scoop) on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are firm to the touch and springy, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Spread filling on bottom on cooled cookie and top with second cookie. Refrigerate cookies to firm up, although I preferred them freshly made.

Candy Bar Trifle

This dessert has been a family favorite for years and years. I've made so many variations of it over the years and it is always a favorite wherever I take it. Really, who wouldn't like all of that chocolate?? It is also the simplest dessert I know of, but it looks party-worthy when you bring it to the table.

Our exchange student enjoyed making these with me.

It makes for the perfect dessert to make with your kids. With simple ingredients like a boxed cake mix, instant pudding, whipped cream, and candy bars the kids can easily assemble everything themselves.
You can let them fancy it up and decorate it with shaved chocolate, fruit, a drizzle of chocolate, or throw on lots and lots of candy bar chunks. They will surely have fun making it and eating it!1 boxed cake mix, baked and cooled
2 boxes instant chocolate pudding, made per box directions
1 large tub cool whip
3-4 large candy bars of your choice (our favorites are reese's peanut butter cups, snickers, heath, and butterfinger)
Cut cake into 1 inch pieces. Layer them in your bowl or cup. Spread enough pudding on to make a thick layer. Spread an equal amount of cool whip on top. Make sure you spread it out carefully so as not to let the pudding show through. Sprinkle with cut-up chunks of candy bar. Put a little more than you might think, it is the best part and adds a lot of texture to an otherwise soft dessert. Repeat as necessary.

American Flag Cake

We hope you had a happy Fourth of July! We had a wonderful holiday with family and friends and were lucky enough to celebrate multiple times over the long weekend. We are currently hosting a foreign exchange student from Spain for the month and we are trying to fit in as much "American" culture as possible. She came just at the right time!We've eaten hot dogs, burgers, fries, potato salad, marshmallows, watermelon and more. We've also attended a birthday party, 2 t-ball games, played beach volleyball, watched fireworks, went to a carnival, sprayed each other with the hose, went to Target, picked raspberries, went to a farm, went fishing, and made a big batch of chocolate chip cookies...all in 6 days. That is a lot of "America." Last week we made this flag cake to take to the exchange student "Welcome Party." I thought this was the perfect occasion for this American-style cake. It is definitely a cake you want to make when serving a crowd since it is about the size of a football field! This is also a project to do with the kids. The 3 kids, ages 3, 5, and 14, loved helping me decorate this monster cake. I thought it turned out pretty good for having so much "help!"Flag Cake
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten


18 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar (I reduced this from the 3 she listed)
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 t salt
1 t baking soda

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a full sheet pan with cooking spray. Cream the butter and sugar in your mixer with a paddle attachment on high speed. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and then the sour cream. Sift the dry ingedients together and add them on low speed. Mix until just incorporated. Spread into prepared pan and bake 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean.

Frosting
4 sticks butter, room temperature
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese
1 lb confectioners' sugar, plus more
1 1/2 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting seems too thin.

Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Then use a toothpick to draw a flag design on the cake. Place blueberries in the top corner and then place two rows of raspberries near the top. Pipe two rows of icing, using a large star tip. Repeat for remaining cake. Pipe stars on top of blueberries to finish off the cake.

Watermelon Cake

Super cute and fun watermelon cake!!

I made this watermelon cake for a playgroup that I am hosting today. It turned out so cute...a little different than the cover of Womansday magazine, but cute nontheless. It was fun to make and Gabe even took a shot at decorating his own piece. It would be perfect for a summer get together.

It is pretty simple. You bake two 9-inch round cakes and cute them in half. Then layer three halves to make the big watermelon. Then slice the remaining half into three small pieces. Frost one laying flat, refrigerate until set, then stand on end and frost the last side.

Use the extra pieces to decorate with little ones around the house like I did or eat them up before the party begins!!! Enjoying fun projects with my children can be so fun and rewarding! See his little smile!!!

Birthday Cakes(s)

Gabe had been talking about his birthday party 6 months ahead of time. He knew he wanted all of his friends to come over. He knew he wanted it to be at our house. He knew he wanted to have "lots of things to eat" and he knew exactly what he wanted his cake to look like.

Somehow he came up with the idea of having "5 circle cakes with cherries all around the top." I don't know where he came up with this idea, even though I asked him a hundred times. I tested him every few weeks to see if he had changed his mind. I suggested dinosaurs, polka dots, multiple layers, etc...but he was firm. He wanted what he wanted and I aim to please on his birthday. So, I set out to make 5 circle cakes.
He didn't want big cakes and he didn't want cupcakes, so when he saw me pull out the 6-inch cake pan he said "that is the right one, Mommy." Aha! The only bad part was that I only own 1 6-inch cake pan and he wanted 5 of them! Ugh. I didn't want to spend money on another cake pan so I baked each of the five cakes separately. I figured I had to make an adult cake to serve as well, so at least I was baking two cakes at a time. It still took 3 hours to bake, cool, wash, repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat.

The biggest challenge was finding a way to display and serve all 5 cakes. I thought about going to the home store and purchasing a long piece of wood, but decided on using things I already had. I found a big box leftover from some purchase and cut it into a 9''x36'' rectangle. Then I found two yardsticks which I taped to the bottom. Then I covered the entire thing with foil. It ended up being perfect. It was the right size and it was sturdy enough to move all the cakes at one time. Frosting them was pretty easy with the help of some wax paper underneath the edges of each cake.

Gabe was thrilled with the cakes and the kids attending all seemed delighted with so many cakes! I was just plain relieved that they turned out!!

Once again I turned to Deb at Smitten Kitchen for help. She knows how to make a cake!! If she only knew what a presence she had at this birthday party!!

I used this recipe for the chocolate cake...I liked it even better the second day when it wasn't quite soooo moist!

I used this recipe for the frosting...sooo yummy!! The only drawback was that I had to wait until the morning of the party to frost and decorate...but it was delicious!

The adult cake was a simple 1-2-3-4 cake. Worked like a charm! I made it three tiers and used a raspberry filling for a big "wow" factor when serving.

Grace's First Birthday - Fondant

We celebrated my daughter's first birthday this week.  We did a festive luau theme including leis, tropical flowers, and more.

I did a small smash cake for my daughter to enjoy.  She was a little timid and didn't get into it until later in the day after the party was winding down.

I used a marshmallow fondant recipe to make the decorations for the smash cake and the larger cake for guests.  It was really tasty and easy to mold and work with.  I definitely recommend this recipe!

Marshmallow Fondant

16 oz bag small plain marshmallows 
2 Tbsp water
vegetable shortening
1 tsp flavoring
2 lb confectioner's sugar
pinch of salt

Grease a microwave safe bowl, a spoon, the dough hook, and the bowl of your stand mixer with vegetable shortening or spray with non stick cooking spray. Dump the marshmallows into the bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Stir marshmallows with the greased spoon. If all the marshmallows have not melted, microwave for 30 seconds more. Stir in flavoring.  Place confectioner's sugar and salt in the stand mixer bowl, reserving 1 cup, and make a well in the center. Pour in the marshmallow mix and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. When it sounds strained, increase the mixer speed up one setting. Turn off the mixer once all sugar has been incorporated. If the fondant is sticky, add the reserved confectioner's sugar 1/4 cup at a time.  Transfer the fondant onto plastic wrap. Rub a bit of shortening on the outside of the ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a ziploc bag, and let rest for at least 2-3 hours. Keep unused portions covered when not using. If the fondant becomes stiff, place in microwave for 20 seconds at a time until pliable.   Roll out on a greased surface or parchment paper to the desired thickness.
To color: Add paste food coloring to a portion of the fondant and knead it until the entire ball turns the desired color.    
Once you have made desired shapes and decorations you can adhere them to the cake by adding a bit of regular frosting to the shape and sticking it to the cake.

Sugar Cookies

It's that time of year...the time when I search for the best sugar cookie recipe I can find. This year I found a keeper. I really love this recipe because you don't have to wait for the butter to come to room temperature. That is key because I never plan ahead enough for that to happen. I always work on the fly...if the kids are happy and my hands are free then I bake. Today my hands were free so I grabbed some butter from the freezer and got to work.

This simple recipe bakes a batch of tender sugar cookies that don't last long around here. We baked a couple dozen and hardly had any left by the time I got around to snapping a few picture. We invited the neighbors over to decorate cookies. The kids ate a bunch while decorating, we gave a few away, we ate some more, we gave some to my guitar teacher, and then we ate a few more. It's a good thing this recipe makes a big batch of dough, because we can cut off a big chunk of dough and have terrific cookies anytime we want them.

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cup butter melted

2 cups white granulated sugar

4 eggs (jumbo)

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 tbs almond extract

5 cups of flour

Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Whisk in the sugar. Beat in the eggs and almond extract once the butter/sugar mixture has cooled enough so that it won't scramble the eggs. Mix the flour and baking soda. Add a bit at a time (I used the paddle attachment on my KitchenAid and just let it whirl around 5 or 6 times before adding another big scoop of flour.) Chill for about 2 hours in the fridge.Roll out about 1/4 inch thick on a floured board, cut, and place on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake at 35o for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be a very light golden at the edges. Let them completely cool and then decorate with icing and sprinkles.

Icing

2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

Food coloring

Whip together with the mixer. Separate and color as desired.

Grilled Herb Shrimp

Tonight we're having company...yay. I love to entertain. Plus I haven't seen my brother and his family in months, so it should be fun catching up and seeing how much my neice has grown. Tonight I'm making grilled shrimp, mushroom pasta, salad, bread, and lots of Prosecco (yummy sparkling wine) with dinner. Dessert is simple, but lovely - Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream.

Grilled Herb Shrimp
Adapted from Food Network's Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa
2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined (see note)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Skewer the shrimp. I use 3 or 4 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill with coals and brush the grill with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for only 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
Note: Ina leaves the tails on when peeling the shrimp.

Raspberry Cream Cupcakes
adapted from Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis
1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 1/3 cups water
3 large eggs whites
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (6-ounce) containers fresh raspberries, cut in half or 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting
Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Using about 1/3 cup of batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.
Using a fork, coarsely mash 1 1/2 containers of raspberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed raspberries into the whipped cream.
Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the raspberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries.

Picnic Lunches and Cake

Today was my day to host the playgroup that Gabe and I are a part of and I wanted to do something different. I normally like to make a big spread...it always varies and I try to make it fun. I've done a taco bar, make you own pizza day, pasta day, soup and sandwiches, etc.
I decided on a picnic theme today since the weather is getting warmer and it seemed fitting to have one in the living room followed by some outdoor fun for the kids. I can't wait for even warmer days when we can actually take the picnic outside.
I had 6 moms and 8 kids to prepare lunch for so I decided to designate a brown gift bag for each family. I decorated the bags with a nametag and then filled each with enough food and supplies so that everyone had some options to choose from. There was nothing earth shattering in the bags, but everyone devoured their goodies and seemed to love the idea of eating on blankets...which is quite a feet. It isn't easy to please 8 children between the ages of 1 and 3.
I liked the idea mainly because I was able to prep most of the lunches last night and finish off the sandwiches and pasta this morning before our guests arrived. There was nearly no clean up afterwards since empty bags were tossed and leftover food was easily packed away or taken home. Being nearly 8 months pregnant, I can't help but try to make things a little easier on myself, so I don't feel too bad about trying to avoid mess and clean-up.
Each bag contained the following: 1 apple, 1 mini-water per person, 1 ham and cheese on pretzel bread, 1 container basil pesto pasta with pine nuts, 1 snack bag of cheese and 1 with crackers, 1 applesauce per child, and 1 granola bar per person. Extras included forks, spoons, straws, and plenty of napkins.
Gabe and I will be recreating these picnic lunches often this summer since we both love getting out and spending the day at the park. I can hardly wait for that warm weather!

The other yummy creation I made recently was this layer cake. I am not a member of the Daring Bakers, but I do love to see what they create each month. This month's Perfect Party Cake looked completely irresistable, so I gave it a try...twice. I made it at the beginning of last week for my mom who flew in for a visit, and then again on the weekend for a get together with the neighbors. I altered the shape by baking a half recipe in a small cookie sheet and then slicing that into thirds. The first time I layered it with raspberries and raspberry jam, the second time I layered it with fresh strawberries and strawberry jam. Both were extremely delicious and got rave reviews. You can find the recipe all over the blogosphere...but here are the two sites that my cakes were based upon.
Cookbook Catchall
Foodbeam

Leftover Raspberry Sauce

We used up half of the leftover raspberry sauce on pancakes this weekend and the other half was used to top these lovely key lime cheesecakes that Gabe and I made. I'll have to wait awhile before I make another batch of that raspberry sauce because I like it so much that I can't bear to see it go to waste. So after finding ways of using it up this weekend we need to take a break from the sweet stuff.
Key Lime Pie happens to be one of my top favorites so this cheesecake was right up my alley. It's a pretty basic recipe and the crust was just a combination of graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter...no measuring was done, and never is, so you may want to play around with it to find what you like.

Key Lime Cheesecake - This made 3 medium and 3 small individual cheesecakes
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons key lime juice
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar, beatthe two until smooth. Add vanilla and key lime juice and beat well. Add egg, beating until just combined.
I used ring molds for mine and put a strip of parchment paper inside first. Then I layered the crumbs and then cheesecake filling. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your cheesecakes(the cheesecake should still jiggle a little in center).
Turn off oven and leave cheesecake undisturbed for 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and cool to room temperature on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Enjoy with raspberry sauce or whipped cream.

Filled Pancakes

These filled pancakes are definitely a fun and easy twist on the normal pancake. The pan is the key to the round shape and can be found here. The filling is up to you, so far I've tried blackberry jam, strawberry jam, peanut butter, and chocolate chips...nutella will be next. Our family favorite would have to be the chocolate chips, although the strawberry ones were a close second with me.
The cuteness factor alone is definitely worth spending the extra dough for this specialty pan. I know I enjoy eating these little beauties much more than a normal flapjack...which actually might not be a good thing, come to think of it!

Buttermilk Pancakes
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 T sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 T vegetable oil

Fill each depression with 1 T batter. Sprinkle 4-5 chocolate chips or 1 heaping tsp of filling onto batter. Push filling into batter slightly. Cover with up to 1 T more batter. Cook unil edges appear bubbly and slightly dry and then flip over. I use a small offset spatula to help flip them. Cook an additional minute or two until both sides are golden and then remove with a spoon. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and enjoy. Makes about 18 filled pancakes.

A New Pan and Madeleines

Since starting this food endeavor of mine I have found so many interesting food blogs (not to mention the actual bloggers) that I am constantly being inspired by all of the goodies that I see out there each day. I drool over the wonderful pictures, bookmark more recipes than I can ever get to, and dream about the tastes of those things that are foreign to me. Sometimes I'll see a post on another blog and I won't be able to get it out of my head for months.

This is exactly what happened with the madeleines. I hadn't ever seen, much less tasted one before discovering the world of food blogging and then at one point there seem to be an explosion of posts on them. Since then I have been so curious to try one that I couldn't shake the thought. So, when I happened to be in Williams Sonoma getting another specialty pan (one that you will no doubt be seeing shortly) I decided to finally break down and buy a pan that is specific to this one type of cake.

I can not believe I waited so long. They are wonderful. Wonderful! They are my new favorite thing. I baked up a batch tonight and we scarfed down 8 of them in mere minutes. Gabe nearly had 3 by himself. I made a plain batch, nothing other than a little vanilla for flavoring, mainly so we could get the base taste sensation. We loved the crisp seashell side coupled with the light cakiness. I saved some for breakfast...but I'm almost certain that I will be making another batch this week. Yum Yum!

Madeleines

adapted from Bea of La Tartine Gourmande

160 g flour
100 g soft butter
100 g sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
2 pinch of salt

Preheat your oven temp. 300 F .
Cream the butter, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add one egg at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add in vanilla.
Add the flour and the baking powder.
Place in buttered madeleine molds and bake for about 20 mns.
Take out and let cool.

Super Cupcakes

A few months ago when my young son developed his own sign for wanting things my husband and I were thrilled. Gabe took one hand and pointed out something that he wanted and then he took his little hand and pointed into his opposing palm repeatedly. He would look up with his big beautiful brown eyes as if saying "Please, Mommy." This method has been a wonderful tool to both Gabriel and us and I believe it actually saves us all from a lot of whining and crying.
Today I made each of us our own little cupcake treat but I allowed Gabe to start eating before either of us started. I figured that putting the filling on the side would slow him down as he dipped before each bite. Just as I sat down to enjoy my dessert I looked over to see those little hands working hard to sign and point at my cupcake. I just had to laugh as I relinquished nearly half of my sweet treat over. Needless to say, this was a winner with the little one.

Strawberry Cream Cupcakes
adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

1 box white cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe)
1 1/3 cups water
3 large eggs whites
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces fresh strawberries, crushed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting
Line 18 muffin cups with muffin papers. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, water, egg whites, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a large bowl for 2 minutes, or until the batter is well blended. Using about 1/3 cup of batter for each cupcake, spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake the cupcakes until they are very pale golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely on a cooling rack.
Using a fork, coarsely mash strawberries in a medium bowl. Beat the cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in a large bowl until firm peaks form. Fold the mashed berries into the whipped cream.
Remove the muffin papers from the cupcakes and cut the tops off of each cupcake. Spoon the strawberry whipped cream atop the cupcake bottoms. Place the cupcake tops on the cupcakes. Dust with more powdered sugar and serve with the remaining berries.

These are delicious with either strawberries or raspberries...I did find that the strawberries are much juicier which makes the cream a little droopy. I suppose leaving them a bit chunkier would help but I actually preferred the berries crushed.

Strawberry Shortcake Baskets

We had weather in the fifties today which made us giddy for spring. We went to the park and played for most of the afternoon. After hours of swinging, sliding, and running we started our walk back home. As we made our way through the neighborhood the local grilling bug bit us as it flew through on the tail of a delicious smelling smoke cloud. We hurried out and picked up some steaks and veggies for the grill. Joseph fired up the grill for the first time this year and got to work. While he was grilling I decided to try out a baking pan I recently received from my aunt and my grandmother.
It bakes cakes in the shape of little baskets and makes the perfect little shortcake bottoms. This pan worked perfectly for individual-sized portions - and we already know everyone loves that. They were as fun to bake as they were to eat and they were so easy to assemble. I'll be anxious to try this out again so that I can decorate them and use them as Easter Baskets.

I used this recipe for the spongecake - which made exactly one pan of cakes - how perfect!

Baby Shower Brunch - Berry Trifle and Homemade Marshmallows

The collection of sweets during January's Sugar High Friday Competition centered around chocolate was astounding. While perusing the entries I came across one from Bea of La Tartine Gourmande and was awestruck and inspired. I have found myself going back to her original post time after time to look at her beautiful creation and I had to hold back from making it until the right occasion came up. So, when it was decided that I would be hosting a baby shower this weekend I just knew that I finally had a reason to give it my best shot.
I ran out last night to collect the ring molds and gelatin and then spent the better part of the night getting all of the components together. I did alter the original recipe by substituting semi-sweet for the dark chocolate but I stayed true to the recipe besides that. I am very glad that I received a scale for Christmas though, since it made the whole process easier...not to mention more fun. I don't know why I enjoy weighing little bits of chocolate and powdered sugar so much but I do. It reminds me of when I was in school and that makes me happy.
Anyway, I was so pleased with the way they came out on my first attempt that I am anxious to try another version. This process could work with so many flavors and fruit combinations that it is exciting just to think about. I can't wait for another occasion to come my way.

Another first time recipe that I tried was this trifle that I saw on Everyday Foods. This was so simple to make and such a hit with all of the ladies. I used an all butter pound cake...pre-made for this one. I made it the night before and let the flavors meld in the fridge overnight as was suggested and I think it truly made a difference. The cake wasn't dry at all and the cream cheese in the filling was extremely luscious. I used my grandmother's silver iced tea spoons alongside and that made it even more fun to eat. I felt like it was something special since we weren't using our everyday spoons.


These marshmallows that I made to go along with the hot chocolate were the most interesting thing that I made for the shower. The thick meringue-like batter was easy to make and I was surprised at how simple they were...but the actual cutting and tossing in powdered sugar was very tedious. Also, a full recipe yields a ridiculous amount of marshmallows. I'm not exactly sure what I am going to do with the huge container that I have leftover so if anyone has an idea for them I'd love the input.
The taste and texture of these marshmallows are far superior to the little spongy store-bought variety and I can see myself making them in the future for a herd of cold sledders...but it would have to be a herd of 12 or more.

We had two fun drinks: baby bellinis and hot chocolate. The bellinis were "baby" because I used sparkling white grape juice in place of champagne since we had three expecting mothers attending. The hot chocolate was simply in place of coffee since nobody seems to be a big coffee drinker. I thought the marshmallows were quite yummy slightly melted in the hot chocolate. The only thing better would have been if the hot chocolate was whipped like Ina Garten suggested...but I could only do so much.

Overall the party was a success. We enjoyed manicures and pedicures while eating, chatting, and reminiscing about the deliveries of our own children. It was an enjoyable morning for me as well as everyone attending. Now we just have to face the big clean-up. Ugh!

Red, White, and Blue Trifles
adapted from Everyday Foods
1 8oz package cream cheese at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 pound cake
blueberries
raspberries
strawberries (optional)
mint for garnish (optional)

In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined and smooth. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Layer cubed pound cake, cream cheese mixture, and fruit. Repeat to form a second layer and garnish with mint. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.


Homemade Marshmallows
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 T pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
With the mixzer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on low speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
With a sieve, generously dust an 8 x 12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners' sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.
Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. Dust them with more confectioners' sugar.

In a mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined and smooth. Add heavy cream and beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Layer cubed pound cake, cream cheese mixture, and fruit. Repeat to form a second layer and garnish with mint. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Join the baby/bridal shower fun at Dispensing Happiness as she hosts the next Blog Party.


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Happy 1st Birthday, Baby!

My son, Gabriel, turns one tomorrow!!!! Here is a sneak peek at his cake. I'm making another one for the big party on Saturday. This one is a super mini-version since I'm going to let him eat it all by himself...it should be interesting.

Baking and Decorating the Monkey Cake:
For the monkey cake I used a boxed cake mix and baked it in an oven-safe glass bowl. (That took about half of the mix.) The rest of the batter was poured into a cupcake tin. I'm not sure about times...I just kept testing with toothpicks until they came out clean. Obviously, the cupcakes took much less time than the bowl did, so I had to be careful.
I used one cupcake split down the middle for the ears. It worked out perfectly...plus we had extra cupcakes to munch on during the day. Oh, and the chocolate coloring was just cocoa added to the frosting.