Nov 16, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
Recipes and Ruts-
Seems we all seem to get in them, don’t we?
I know I have my favorite recipe for something and don’t vary from it- mainly where baking is concerned. (Honestly I’m not one to actually follow a recipe otherwise- such the rebel, eh?)
For example:
Brownies
I adore chocolate, and brownies… can you get any better than one straight out of the oven with a cool glass of milk? (Chocolate chip cookies come in a close second in my book.) The ultimate comfort food.
I use two recipes for brownies normally. The “Fudge Brownie” recipe that makes a small glass square pan (so I won’t eat more) from BHG’s “New Cook Book” from 1989,
Or
The old time Betty Crocker’s “Cooky Book” recipe from the 1963 edition (mom uses this one.)
It makes a 9×13″ glass pan so I only do that one when I know the kids will devour most of them before I do.
Well…
Last night I had a brownie craving and made the BC recipe in (gasp) my Pampered Chef jelly roll stone pan! And… I iced them! The kids were in shock this morning when I revealed them.
“But these don’t look like brownies, mom.”
“These are different.”
Sometimes change is good I think. The pan is a third gone already!
Oct 30, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
Well, we made our annual Halloween Gingerbread Cookies.
This year I let the kids make them so they don’t look quite like last year’s,
but were much more fun to make!
Kids rolling out the dough
Getting ready to bake
We only had one minor squirmish (is that a word?) over how many cookies could have sprinkles and how many had to be plain. I used store bought Wilton cookie icing this year. I NEVER use store bought icing and now remember one reason why. It didn’t ooze right and the tip on the bottle was way too big. If you make these use the smallest (#1) tip to get the bones just right!
Finished products
Gingerbread just smells like fall! (Tastes pretty great too!)
Em’s skeleton bear
If you’d like to get in on the fun go visit Better in Bulk!
We had a month’s worth of rain YESTERDAY, so not sure how the Halloween plans will go. I am thinking about doing the Booseum Bash downtown this year. The Pharaoh exhibit at the AAC might be especially fun on Halloween! Still haven’t figured out the kids’ costumes. Know what I’ll be doing tonight!
Jul 24, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
“Cinnamon Crispy Hearts”
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c warm water
3/4 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt (I used salted butter and leave this out)
2/3 c butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tblsp. melted butter
2/3 c sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used the fresh, strong stuff so only used 1 tsp.)
Sprinkle yeast over warm water, stir until dissolved and set aside.
In large bowl stir flour and salt. Mix in butter with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
Stir in yeast mixture and egg yolk until well blended. Cover tightly with wrap and
refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth, folding over at each
turn, about ten times or so. Roll out into a 12″ x 10″ rectangle.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Starting with a long side
roll dough up “jelly roll” style to center of the rectangle. Then on other long end roll up that side
to center mark also. Cut into 12 slices.
Sprinkle some of remaining cinnamon sugar on waxed paper and place a slice on the paper.
Flatten slightly with hand, pinching into more of a heart shape as you flatten, then roll with a
rolling pin to 1/8″ thick. (Turn slice as you go to sugar both sides.) Repeat with other slices.
Place hearts on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
*This recipe is not my original (although I made a few minor changes.) It is from “Farm Journal’s- Homemade Breads”
Jun 8, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets
Here is the cake from H & K’s wedding yesterday. I have sugar everywhere, trying to get it out of my pores and off the furniture!
May 24, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets
Patience is a virtue (and not one of my strongest qualities- ask my family) but chocolate helps.
The rain is back. Thank goodness it didn’t rain yesterday while we were at Riverfest. Scott’s cousin, Chris, was playing with Nik and Sam and his family sat with us and watched him play. It was so cute to watch Liam- “That’s my daddy!” he said with a big smile. So cute!
I am so wishing I had rain barrels installed. I think we wouldn’t have had to pay for city water for at least six months if we’d had them. I feel like we are in Seattle or London.
So the kids had become obsessed with clips they saw on KidZui of the newer version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Not my favorite movie. Why would they remake the original? Much better music. I love Johnny Depp most of the time, but let’s be real- he was the absolute freakiest in this movie as Willy Wonka. Ick. So, we had to go get the dumb movie for them last night to pacify the obsession and I think it’s backfired. They LOVE it and have already watched it twice. Great. Thus enter the patience…
So this rainy morning (more patience) I woke up to Jac asking for chocolate for breakfast. Chocolate pudding to be exact. I thought, well it does have eggs in it so it could be a breakfast food. We can’t do mixes here because of the food dyes (yes, almost ALL pudding mixes have yellow and/or red dyes.) But, this is an easy and inexpensive recipe (and tastes better too!)
I use the Gourmet’s Best Desserts cookbook’s recipe:
Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 c milk (I use whole organic)
2 egg yolks, beaten lightly
3 ozs of chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
In saucepan off the heat whisk together first three ingredients. Gradually beat in milk, egg yolks, and chocolate, mixing well. Put over moderate heat and bring to a boil (stirring constantly.) Boil one minute and add butter and vanilla. Pour into buttered ramekins or dishes. Cool and YUM!
Apr 26, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
I’m done with the cakes and they are gone to their new homes! YAY!
The big bridal shower cake wasn’t as pretty as I’d liked it to be, but it is so hard to make a 1/2 sheet look beautiful. Not my favorite shape. I have a bad picture of it, and will try to get another.
There was basketweave along the sides but it doesn’t show here. I went with a cream cheese icing, but cut the cream cheese a bit and added more butter.
The birthday cake for Kennedy was really cute, I don’t have a picture of it put together, and will try to get one of those also. I’d made a banner out of fondant with her name to sit around the bottom layer, and some squiggly things to hang between layers, so they won’t be in these pics.
Top Layer
Bottom Layer
Both of these were buttercream with fondant decorations, and I’d never done that before- but they did work alright. I put them in the fridge and no issues (that have been reported yet!)
Today is mom’s open house too- hope it sells today! 🙂
*Note- Scott raced in a bike ride for diabetes this weekend (50 miles) and made it! He even took the kids to the movies afterwards! I am really impressed!
