Happy Birthday Korra! March 30, 2008

My niece turned 12 (yep, counting the seconds until teenagerhood) on March 21. We had a brunchfest for her celebration this morning, which was spontaneous…but it turned out super yummy!

The Ultimate Chef (my bro) made a carnivore’s feast – bacon AND sausage, with crazy-good eggs and the best coffee known to man (D&D, none other). Mom brought hashbrown casserole which had sour cream I believe…it too was marvelous. I think my dad actually had to help because as it turns out, my mom may have broken her arm – again. What did I make? Well, biscuits of course! With Jelly, Jam and BUTTER!

I got to meat (I mean meet) some of my peachy sister-in-law’s family whom I’d never seen. Nice, energetic brothers who were taking my brother for golf (yawn).

All in all, GREAT party. Thanks for having a birthday, Korra!!! Love you!

Cheese March 17, 2008

If you know me at all, my second favorite food behind baked goods is cheese. I do love me some cheese – and I’m not too picky. Well, as long as it’s not a processed cheese product. Gross.

Anywho, a friend lent a book to me that is all about cheese. And yes, it does say “cut the cheese” in the section on choosing a correct knife. Well, after reading the book, I was inspired to make a Caprese Salad. Traditionally, it has mozzarella, plum tomatoes, basil leaves and olive oil. I make one similar, but employ the unorthodox recipe which removes the oil and adds balsamic vinegar. My brother will not like that part, but I think it brings out the twang in the tomatoes, and enhances the basil.

The salad I made last night had one roma tomato cut in half and sliced, thin slices of fresh mozzarella, basil to taste and a sprinkling of vinegar. For fun, I added cucumbers which gave it an early summery feel. I casually threw this into a bowl, tossed and enjoyed completely!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! March 17, 2008

Did anyone say GREEN? In celebration of this fine O’Holiday, I made my famous Lemon Shortbread (see recipe previous), but used a LIME instead. I also tinted them greenish and dressed them with powdered sugar. Very tangy with a huge burst of limey (wait isn’t that a UK word) flavor and a sweet kick at the end. Yum.

Ooey Gooey Peanut Butter Cake March 9, 2008

A very nice lady I work with gave me a book by an author named Joanne Fluke, saying it had recipes in every chapter. I didn’t realize it was a murder mystery book! I guess main character has a cookie shop and ends up accidentally solving murders. I do plan on reading the books, but for now, the recipes will do! For more, see www.murdershebaked.com.

Tonight, my hon went to REI to replace the $200 sleeping bag she kindly allowed the precious puppy to rearrange (we came home one afternoon to see the backyard snowed with feathers). While left alone, I did the one thing that never fails to relax me – BAKE! And since Margaret gave me recipes, I had new things to try. This turned out moist, yummy, and a perfect snack after walking said precious pup.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients
2 cups white sugar
2 cups flour leveled
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup water
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour 9×13 pan.
Mix sugar and flour in large bowl.
In medium sauce pan, heat butter, peanut butter and water.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Whisk cream, vanilla, soda and eggs.
VERY slowly add this to the peanut butter mixture.
Pour into pan.
Bake 45-50 minutes
Leave in pan and poke holes all over it.
Pour on the below icing.

Fudge Icing
NeverFail Fudge Frosting

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
In medium saucepan, melt butter, sugar and cream.
Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.
Add chocolate chips and stir, remove from heat.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour on cake and spread quickly with spatula.
Let cool at least an hour before cutting.

Oatmeal Goodness! March 5, 2008

My honey has been asking for some oatmeal raisin cookies, which, next to the famous Chocolate Chip Cookie, is the utmost comfy cookie ever. She loves them with nuts too, so on the way home, I made a special trip for extra raisins, fresh nuts and unsalted butter. After dinner of grilled buffalo burgers (for her of course) sauteéd broccoli & squash, edamame and green beans, I made cookies – oh JOY!

I whipped up the usual recipe (see below) but then divided it before adding the fruit and nuts. In the other bowl, I added 1/4 cup cocoa to make a new recipe. They both turned out YUMMY!

Remember – natural, organic, fresh ingredients make everything better!

Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
+++++++++++++++
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oatmeal
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
++++++++++++++++
1/4 cup cocoa (for second mixture)

Preaheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Separately, blend flour, soda, cinnamon and salt.
Add to creamed mixture slowly until combined.
Put 1/2 of mix in another bowl and add cocoa (careful!).
Add fruit and nuts to first mix.

Drop by tablespoon full onto ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. I like to pull out on the short side of time for chewier cookies.

Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Sicky February 29, 2008

Not much baking these days. Why you ask? Basically because no one wants Sniffling, Sneezing, Coughing, Aching, or a Stuffy Head via biscuits baked by me! The aforementioned is an egregious plageristic attempt at humor at the expense of a well-known sleep-aid marketed as a cold remedy.

Yes, folks, it’s been a long snot-filled week (should I even say that on a BAKING BLOG?). At times it flowed, at times it just hung in there like the profanity tapestry in “A Christmas Story”. But more often than not, I was just wishing for either my bed or death…or both.

I think I’m nearing the end (maybe just wishful thinking) but I’ve been a good girlfriend and shared it with Ethel. I know she’s very thankful! I’ll be baking this weekend hopefully, and will be posting real messages again shortly!

Happy Birthday Amber!! February 20, 2008

For my peachy sister-in-law’s birthday / tornado drill, I made more cupcakes. I like cupcakes because they are really just a fancy holder for icing. They were yellow cupcakes with chocolate fudgy yumminess on the top, which I piped on with several different tips for lovely designs.

After they cooled, I piped thin designs in pink chocolate which mimiced the JOY I felt baking them.

I think they went over well!

Oh So Much! February 12, 2008

Lots has happened since my last blog…but not much of it has been baking.

I did attempt a red velvet cake for Valentine’s Day. I actually made 6 tiny loaves and one pink pancake.

Upside:
They were yummy

Downside:
They took 3 hours and LOTS of patience!

I’ve also made some brownie cookies with piped pink-chocolate hearts and other decorations. What fun!

Cupcakes February 3, 2008

The girls made some awesome Football Cupcakes. See below for the Master Creation!

Sweet Football February 2, 2008

For the Aforementioned Mother of All Football Games, I decided to be as festive with my baking as the event is.

I made my brownie cookies (see below for recipe) and piped on some white chocolate laces.

I also melted semi-sweet chocolate and piped football shapes onto waxed paper. After it cooled, I piped on some white chocolate laces. Can’t wait to EAT THIS STUFF!