16 Aralık 2012 Pazar

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

To contact us Click HERE



  On my birthday last Sunday, I got to lounge around in my pajamas all day, and hang with my cute lil' family. It was so peaceful and relaxing, and I could not have been happier. Since my work days and home life keep getting busier, I feel I hardly have time to cook and bake anymore. I hardly even have time to blog (as I'm sure you've noticed).

  So with all the chaos lately, I decided my lazy birthday day would be perfect timing to bake a cake. I decided on a Red Velvet. I'm a big lover of Red Velvet anything, especially the Red Velvet Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory! It is TO. DIE. FOR. It has layers of red velvet cake, and cheesecake, topped off with vanilla buttercream. I order it every single time we eat there, and always wish I could re-create it. Until now...

  When my good friend Brandie, at The Country Cook, posted this recipe, I was so excited to try it! It was exactly what I was looking for. A short-cut, semi-homemade version of my beloved Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake.

 It turned out AMAZING!


Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
Serves 12

1 box Red Velvet Cake mix
( including ingredients to make cake; eggs, oil, water)
1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg white

FOR THE FROSTING:
1/2 block ( 4 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 1/2 Tablespoons milk

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

Prepare the Red Velvet cake batter, according to package directions. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix together the (8 ounce) block of cream cheese, sugar and egg white. Beat together with an electric hand mixer, on medium speed, for 1-2 minutes or until combined and smooth.

Pour half of the red velvet cake batter into the prepared 9x13 pan. Spread out evenly. Then take the cream cheese mixture and drop spoonfuls all over the batter in the pan. Take the back of the spoon and swirl the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the cake batter.

Pour the remaining red velvet batter all over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Carefully, spread the cake batter over the top evenly. Covering all of the cream cheese.

Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a tooth-pick inserted in center of cake, comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before frosting.

FOR FROSTING: In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add in powdered sugar, then beat in vanilla and milk, until smooth. Spread frosting on cooled cake. Slice, serve and enjoy!

(Store covered cake in refrigerator)











12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba

Spicy Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

To contact us Click HERE

Normally, if I told you I took my 2 year old out of the house without a coat on in December you would probably call me a bad parent. But as it just so happens, its not only been raining like crazy for the last week, but it has also been 65 degrees! I am starting to seriously doubt the possibility of us having a white Christmas this year. Especially because I still have a yard full of gorgeous green grass. But no matter what it looks like outside, we have been busy getting the house ready for Christmas - the tree is up, a few presents are wrapped, and Christmas music is on repeat. We started a fun new tradition this year - 24 wrapped books about Christmas, Winter, and Snow. Each night Ladybug gets to pick out a book and we read it by the tree. She loves it. It is adorable. 
I thought I would try my luck with another spicy sweet potato dish. Different from what we normally do, I liked the fun combination of flavors! The peanut  butter in the sauce shines through (I scaled back on the siracha for Ladybug, but both Joel and I agreed that is was better with more kick to it). Joel didn't even attempt to eat the sweet potatoes (the punk) and Ladybug decided she didn't care for it at all.  I however, really enjoyed this unusual dish. It is thick and creamy, with a great combination of flavors. So if you are in the mood for something spicy and different, this is a fun pick. And pile on as much Sriracha sauce as you can take. 

Spicy Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes (slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sugar
8 ounces rigatoni pasta
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tsp Sriracha Sauce
1 TBSP soy sauce
6 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450F.
Oil a rimmed baking sheet.
Place sweet potatoes, olive oil, sugar, chili powder, and cinnamon in a bowl and mix until combined.
Spread the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, cream cheese, soy sauce, and sriracha.
Whisk until smooth, adding 3/4 of the pasta water, until heated through and smooth.
If the mixture is too thick, stir in additional water.
Stir in most of the green onions.
Top the pasta with the sweet potatoes, sauce, and remaining green onions.
Enjoy!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

To contact us Click HERE

Last year I was totally late to the party. I didn't hear about the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap until it was all over. Over 600 food bloggers from around the world played secret Santa with each other and did one of the biggest, coolest, yummiest cookie swap ever. And I missed it!! However, I signed up for the notification email for this year so I wouldn't be the un-cool kid again. And I am so excited that I got to participate!


I received cookies from Teacher by Day, Chef by Night, who sent me some really delicious Molasses Snickerdoodles! Two awesome cookies combined into one, these cookies had all the awesome molasses flavor you expect plus rolled in cinnamon and sugar! I was really excited to get these, because my husband hates molasses cookies. That means I got this entire dozen all to myself, Muahahahaha!


Jill  from Goodbye Fat, Hello Jill sent some amazing vegan oatmeal nut thumbprints with blackberry jam! They were soo delicious - I loved the healthy oat and nut "cookie part", and the dollop of blackberry jam on top was pretty much perfect. They didn't taste healthy at all, even though there was no butter in there (how scandalous!),


And Shelby from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch sent me some delicious cranberry orange white chocolate cookies! Probably one of my all time favorite flavor combinations, these went straight into my nightstand drawer. Ok, they didn't really. Ok, fine, they did.

I, of course, could not make things simple. Or read directions. Instead of making one kind of cookie to send to three people (apparently like the direction state...), I became massively over-zealous and made three different kinds of cookies to mail out. I sent out Citrus Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles, and Kitchen Sink Cookies. I spent a lot of time trying to decide which cookies to send to my three bloggers (  ) but in the end, I ran out of packing tape and the labels fell off the boxes in route to the post office, so I just randomly taped the address labels back on. Hey, the post office with a toddler and boxes is complicated enough! Hehe! So, I hope you ladies like the cookies I sent you!

"You aren't eating cookie dough, are you?"
"No Ma'am!" 

I think I've been baking too many cookies lately. I heard rustles and banging coming from the pantry, and when I went to investigate Ladybug was in there with a bowl, dumping all kinds of ingredients in there - brown sugar, chocolate chips, baking soda... When I asked her what she was doing she sweetly replied "Makin' Cookie Mama! Wanna help?' How can you say no to that? Even if it happens to be 4:45 and you need to start making dinner soon, when

These are addictive. I've actually made them the last three Christmas's in a row, but they have all been eaten before being photographed. I was finally determined to get you this recipe, so I hope you will love them as much as we do!

Citrus Butter Cookies (Pioneer Woman)
4 sticks salted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, separated
4 cups flour
the zest and juice from 2 oranges, 2 lemons and 2 limes, divided (some goes into the icing, too)

Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
dash of salt
some of the zest and juice from above oranges, lemons and limes

Preheat oven to 350F.
Zest all the oranges, lemons, and limes and combine the zest in a small bowl. Set aside.
In another small bowl, combine the juice of the oranges, lemons, and limes. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks (set the whites aside for the icing).
Add 3 TBSP of the zest to the dough, along with the flour and mix until just combined.
Add 2 TBSP of the juice to the dough and mix until combined.
Scoop out teaspoons of the dough and roll into balls.
Bake for 13 minutes.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the cookie to cool on the pan for 3 minutes.
Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, whisk together 1 egg white with the powdered sugar, milk, 2 TBSP of the zest, and 2-3 TBSP of the juice (depending on the consistency you want). If you need to thin the icing out, add more juice. If you want to thicken it up a bit, add more powdered sugar.
Either drizzle the juice on top of the cookies or dunk the cookies into the icing.
Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the remaining zest.


These cookies are crunchy and sandy, and the chocolate is perfectly paired with typical chai flavors!
A definite fun cookie

Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles (adapted slightly from Baked Bree)

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

rolling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp ginger
sprinkle of cloves

Preheat oven to 400F.
In a small bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and cloves. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add in the cocoa powder and eggs and mix until combined.
Mix in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Roll the dough into balls.
Roll each ball into the spiced sugar mix and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Cool cookies on a wire rack.
Enjoy!

These cookies are fun to make - soft and round, almost cake-like.
Plus you can throw pretty much anything you want into them!

Kitchen Sink Cookies (slightly adapted from Martha Stewart)
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped dates (or raisins)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup old fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 375F.
Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
Gradually mix in the flour until just combined.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, dates, coconut, pecans and oats.
Roll the dough into balls about 2" in size and place on a baking sheet 2" apart.
Bake 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!

I'm Back with a Schnitzel Recipe

To contact us Click HERE
I'm back---FINALLY!  Sorry about the really long silence, just a lot going on and I was having a hard time keeping up.

We are in the middle of birthday month (four birthdays in our house in a month) and one of our traditions is the birthday person gets their favorite dinner.  Our youngest just turned 15 and he asked for schnitzel and mashed potatoes.  This is more of a how to than a recipe as there are no exact measurements.



For the schnitzel you will need:

Thinly sliced eye of round or similar meat (you can also use pork or veal)*
Flour
Eggs whisked with a little water
Italian style bread crumbs (we use homemade from the Shortcut Cooking Cookbook)
Lemon Wedges

Dredge the meat in flour to coat.
Dip meat in eggs and then in the bread crumbs, coating completely.
Fry in a pan with about a 1/2" of oil. Turn after 1-2 minutes. 
To keep warm, place on a rack in a warm oven while you finish cooking all the meat.

Serve with lemon wedges.

*You can have the butcher thinly slice your meat, or to do it yourself: place roast in freezer for about one hour, then slice thinly with a knife or meat slicer.  Freezing the meat for a bit makes it much easier to slice.

Tomorrow I will share the recipe for our dairy free roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Alton Brown's #10

To contact us Click HERE

Everyone has their favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies. Me, I have recipes I like for certain reasons. Yes, I have a couple that I go-to most often, but I can't say that I have the *one*.  My friend Julie says her chocolate chip cookie recipe is the best.   Now, I have not seen the recipe or tried a cookie (let me give the caveat right now that Julie is an excellent cookie baker. Every cookie I have had of hers, is excellent), but I know if it is cakey, I won't think it is the best. I like a chewy, chocolate chip cookie. I like it soft, not crunchy when I bite into it.  
Most often, I go back and forth between this cookie, Alton Brown's #10 and Alton Brown's The Chewy.  While the cookies are similar, they are a little different too. In the directions for this cookie, there is no chilling time. I always add chilling time.  Then again, I usually chill the cookie dough before baking regardless.  I have friends who chill the dough 48-72 hours before baking, after making these cookies from Jacques Torres that was published in the New York Times. I have made them, and they were very good, but when I get a craving for chocolate chip cookies, I don't want to wait 2 or 3 days. 
Back to the cookies at hand. These are rich, chewy, chocolatey. Alton Brown's #10 uses ingredients everyone has in their pantry. This recipe is from his  book I'm Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking. This recipe uses the muffin method, so you combine the dry, add them to the mixed wet, then stir in your add-ins. The cookies come together quickly. 
I also take my cookies out on the earlier side so I can ensure they are chewy.



Chocolate Chip Cookie #10 from I'm Just Here for More Food - Alton BrownMix and set aside:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt
Now mix together the wet ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar3/4 cup brown sugar1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 2 large egg yolks1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Now add the dry to the wet and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Do not over mix!!  While there is still some flour showing, add 2 cups chocolate chips and mix the rest of the way.Bake 10-11 minutes or until golden at 375º. 

Stroganoff-Style Spaghetti 'n' Meatballs

To contact us Click HERE
This is a true 30-Minute Meal. I had to work late, yada, yada, yada, you know the story. I needed to get something on the table, and fast. Luckily, I remembered this recipe that I saw in a Taste of Home magazine while at my parents. I pulled it up on the computer and had dinner in about 20 minutes. We keep meatballs, turkey and/or beef, in the freezer for times like this. Since the meatballs are pre-cooked, this dish takes as long as it takes for water to boil and spaghetti to cook.
This recipe is great just because we keep these ingredients in the pantry/freezer and it was seriously quick.
The boys really liked this. C requested it be on the "Make Forever" list. It was also a nice change from red sauce spaghetti.
This dish isn't the most photogenic. I will add, there was a nice green veggie on the plate but that got eaten before I remembered to take a picture of the plate.



Stroganoff-Style Spaghetti 'n' Meatballs Recipe
Adapted from Taste of Home


1/2 pound uncooked spaghetti
1 package (12 ounces) frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used less)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup 2% milk
1teaspoon beef base
1/8 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream



Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the meatballs, onion and garlic in oil for 4-5 minutes or until meatballs are browned. Stir in the soup, milk, beef base and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.


Gradually stir in sour cream; heat through (do not boil). Drain spaghetti. Serve immediately with meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.

11 Aralık 2012 Salı

#2603 - Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

To contact us Click HERE
(by Shirley McNevich)
Crust: 2 cups crushed Nilla wafers; 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut (toasted); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1/4 cup white sugar; 3 TBSP Hershey's cocoa; 1/3 cup butter (melted)

Batter: 4 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 cup white sugar; 4 tsp. cornstarch; 4 eggs; 1/3 cup whipping cream; 3 tsp. vanilla; 1 1/2 cups Nestle's mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping: 3 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate; 1 TBSP butter (melted); 1 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 1/4 cup whipping cream; extra coconut and chopped walnuts if you wish

Crust: toast 1 cup of the coconut according to bag directions--cool. In a bowl add crushed Nilla wafers, toasted coconut, chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup white sugar, cocoa and 1/3 cup butter (melted)--stir until mixed. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1" up the sides of a greased 10" springform cheesecake pan. Refrigerate the crust for 20 minutes. Batter: in a mixer add cream cheese--beat. In a small bowl add 1 cup white sugar and the cornstarch--stir until mixed. Add cornstarch mixture to the cream cheese--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream and vanilla--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add mini chocolate bits--stir until mixed. Pour batter into the chilled crust. Place the cheesecake pan on to a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely. Topping: melt the Baker's chocolate according to box directions. In a mixer add melted chocolate, 1 TBSP butter (melted) and powdered sugar--beat. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream--beat until spreadable. Spread the mixture over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Sprinkle extra coconut and chopped walnuts over the top if you wish. Refrigerate overnight.