Peanut Butter Fudge

Adam brought fudge home from work a few days ago and it was so good that it inspired me to make my own. For some reason, I like peanut butter fudge better than chocolate (but of course I'll glady enjoy both!). I am usually nervous about making candy because it needs to be so precise but this turned out well. It's rather firm but that might be because it cooked too long so really don't let it boil over 3 minutes as it says in the directions - if you like your fudge a little soft, boil just under 3 minutes.

cut up and boxed for gift giving!

This recipe was inspired by Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss.

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon butter
7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream
12 oz. creamy peanut butter

Butter a 9 inch x 13 inch dish, line it with parchment paper and butter the parchment. You can really use any size pan - just depends on how thick you want your fudge.

Mix sugar, cream, vanilla and butter in a medium saucepen. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add marshmallow and peanut butter. Stir well and immediately pour into prepared pan. Let cool completely, cut into small pieces and store in the refrigerator.
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Caramel Apple Sundaes

One of my favorite candies are caramels! I just love the super sweet taste and creamy texture. So when I saw a recipe for caramel sauce with apples I knew I had to try to make it to eat on vanilla ice. I was a bit nervous because I do not have much practice with candy making and I think it really takes skill. But I tried this anyway. And I've made it 4 times until it turned out semi-correct. But it was still so delicious! I don't think I let it cook long enough to get the deep caramel color, but it still tasted good! Maybe you can try the recipe and see how it works for you and then let me. I just love caramel apples too much to give up on this!

I am rather ashamed to write about this, especially if a certain Caramal Maker reads the post. It just makes me appreciate her candies more and what talent and precision it takes to make a good caramel.

I got the recipe from the Cookin' Canuck.

2 1/2 medium gala apples

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 quart vanilla ice cream

Core apples and thinly slice, cutting each slice in half (I peeled my apples too but that's up to you).

Spread sugar evenly in a large skillet set over medium heat. Let the sugar sit, untouched, until it begins to melt.

Using a fork stire the sugar until it has completely melted and turned a medium caramel brown.

Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream. Stand back a little because it will foam and may splatter. Return to the heat and whisk until the sauce is smooth - this is where I always have trouble because the sugar solidifies onto my whisk but I found if you keep cooking the sauce. It will all incorporate nicely.

Set over low heat, whisking occasionally, until ready to serve.

In the meantime, melt butter in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook until the apples are beginning to turn brown.

Add the apples to the caramel sauce and stir until they are coated.

Using four bowls or short glasses. layer the ice cream with the caramel apples, drizzling the extra sauce over top. Serve immediately.

If you're not an experienced caramel maker like me, don't worry if you need to try this recipe a couple times - even if you don't get a traditional caramel consistency and color, it will still be tasty with your ice cream. I know from experience.

Banana Bread

On Saturday, I was planning a nice day at my parents house with lots of recipes to try. No other plans for the day but really making treats and eating them. What I did not plan for was a ton of snow that caused the power to go out. So instead of baking (watching tv, doing laundry, etc.) my mom and I enjoyed cold pizza and candlelight.

But the next morning the power was back and I had some very ripe bananas that needed to be used so I found a recipe for banana bread from Simply Recipes and gave it a try. It was super delicious and moist. I left half for my parents and took the other half home and it really only lasted us a few hours. I will be making more very soon!

I usually prefer nuts in my bread but this version doesn't call for any. And I was ok with that! This makes only one loaf and I like to think that's good so I don't consume too much but then I really miss it when it's gone.

Thanks, Simply Recipes!

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed (I used 4)
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat overn to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix butter into the mashed bananas. Then mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Simple Fall Candies

I found this cute idea from this blog.

These are so cute and delicious flavor combos!

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, place desired amount of mini pretzel twists, topped with a Hug.

Put in hot oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press in a candy corn on each hug.

Let cool and place in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Wine Glaze

This recipe is from my Aunt Laurie. She gave me the recipe and a brand new beautiful bundt cake pan as a bridal shower gift. She also made this cake for me at the special garden tea party she threw. This cake is so easy but very decadent! Then my mom recreated it for Bec's Fiesta.

A secret ingredient is actually in the glaze. It is the Chocolate Lab wine from the Pleasant Valley Wine Company in New York. Aunt Laurie gave me a bottle to use for this recipe but take my advice, it's also a delicious dessert drink on it's own!

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 small box chocolate pudding

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup brewed coffee

1/2 vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.

Mix all ingredients well and pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake for 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for about 8 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack until completely cooled.

For glaze:

Mix 3-4 tablespoons of chocolate wine and 1 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Also for dessert at the party, we had a pinata! Here it is after Bec worked so hard to break it. Her little pup Rocko was checkin' out the loot!

Party Girls: Miriam, Bec & me

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Cupcakes from Fancy Cake Shop

For all of you cupcake lovers out there, there is a wonderful cake shop in Carlisle, PA called Fancy Cake Shop. I have been lucky to have their cupcakes on 3 different occasions this summer. Their lovely creations are very creative and always tasty. If you're ever in Carlisle, if you live there or if you're just looking for a special treat, you must check them out. They even make gorgeous wedding cakes.

First I had the lemon cupcakes and the raspberry cupcakes (yes, I ate one of each!) at Katie's Bridal Shower. They will even coordinate the cupcake frosting color to your party color scheme!

Then I had pink champagne cream filled cupcakes at my bridal shower! So delectable!

And just last weekend I had the cheesecake filled cupcakes at Bec's Fiesta. I even had one the next morning for breakfast because I'm pretty sure I dreamt about them!

I cannot wait until another special occasion arises so I can get more of these wonderful cupcakes!

**And these are my own opinions of Fancy Cake Shop. They have no idea who I am. But I sure do know who they are! Yum!

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Chocolate Honey Almond Tart

Well I must be on a Giada kick! I can't help it though! This is a decadently wonderful recipe. And it's especially good because I had all the ingredients except heavy cream on hand! I bought chocolate graham crackers weeks ago and little did I know I could use them for a dessert crust.

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

9 chocolate graham crackers

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup honey

12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springfoam pan.

Place the graham crackers and almonds in the bowl of a food processor and process until they turn into find crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Press mixture into the bottom of the springfoam pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk the cream and honey together. Heat until the honey melts stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium until the mixture is just below a boil. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour chocolate over prepared crust. Refrigerate overnight. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to help loosen the chocolate from the pan before removing.

From the Food Network

A 70's Party & Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Saturday was Jesse's 26th birthday! In celebration, Bec planned a surprise 70's party for him. With our costumes on and the fondue warm, the birthday boy walked into a groovy evening!

The Birthday Boy and his pup, Rocko

Me & Adam

Me & Bec

Bec & Jesse

The Girls

Fondue

On a quest to find a unique and delcious cupcake recipe for Jesse, I came across this blog and found the following recipe. These were sooooo good!!!! I highly recommend you try them! They were a hit at the party. You'd never know boxed cake mix is involved...



Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

Pretzel Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 2/3 cups crushed pretzels
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Batter:

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 small box Jell-O instant devil's food pudding mix
8 oz sour cream
1 cup applesauce
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag peanut butter chips
36 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:

2 sticks butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Prepare muffin tin/tins with cupcake liners and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Crush pretzels in a food processor (or put in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush with a mallot). You want them fine so they go in the cupcake liners in an even layer. In a medium bowl, mix together the crust ingredients.
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Drop a small scoop of the crust mix into the bottom of each cup. Use a small shot glass to pack them down to a firm crust.
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Bake for 5-8 minutes until very slightly brown. Let cool for a couple of minutes before you add the batter.
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In a large bowl combine all the batter ingredients except the PB chips and PB cups. Mix until well combined and all the lumps are gone. Stir in the PB chips.
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Drop a small spoonful of batter onto each pretzel crust. Then press a PB cup into the batter. The batter will be a barrier so when the PB cup melts it won't leak through the crust.
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Cover the PB cups with batter. Bake at 350 degress for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (make sure you don't hit a PB cup or chip while performing this test).
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To make the frosting, cream the softened butter with a mixer. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency. (You can play around with the amounts of ingredients. I started off with less sugar and cocoa than what it calls for and just kept adding until it got to the taste I like.)
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When the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost liberally and sprinkle with some sea salt.
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Thanks to Bec for the photos and I got the cupcake toppers at TJ Maxx!

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Guylian Chocolates & Giveaway

Giveaway is closed and a winner has been chosen!

Congratulations Amy & Brian! A representative of Guylian will be contacting you soon about shipping the chocolates to you.

I would like to introduce to you some very delectable Belgian chocolates! Guylian has been producing beautiful artisan chocolates for over 50 years and this week I've had the distinct pleasure of sampling an array of their products.

These are great little chocolates! There are the dark chocolate truffles - my favorite! - and the truffle pralines which are milk, dark and white chocolate swirled together with a slight hazelnut flavor. They come packaged in a variety of sizes, as well as individually wrapped.

Here is a picture of a dark chocolate truffle:

For those out there who have to watch their sugar intake, Guylian makes sugar free milk and dark chocolate bars.

Most impressive to me are the adorable sea creature shapes these chocolates are made into! These are a must have for any party or wedding with a sea/ocean/luau theme.

Quotes from my friends about the chocolate:

"Velvety smooth dark chocolate truffle"

"My daughter has loved Guylian for years! I am so excited to see the individually wrapped praline chocolates!"

"Delicious!"

"The seahorse is just so fun!"

"Just what I needed for an afternoon pick-me-up!"

Visit the Guylian website to learn where to buy the chocolates and to find out more about the company. I do know you can find Guylian at Wegmans, Wal-Mart & Giant. Every once in awhile they are at Marshalls, TJMaxx and Ross. These chocolates are well-priced for their gourmet quality - you can get a large box for around $10.00.

Additionally, Guylian wants to give one of my readers some of their famous chocolates! If chosen as the giveaway winner, you will receive Guylian Original Seashells, 4.4 oz. & Guylian Original Praline Tempations, 4.4 oz. - a $14 value.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below about chocolate! Any comment will do! Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

On Friday, February 11 at 12:00 am, I will randomly chose a winner, contact you for your mailing address and then Guylian will send you your goodies! Good luck!

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Caramel Fruit Dip

I made the best fruit dip for a New Years party we went to on Friday. And it's soo easy to whip together! On mini skewers, I put a piece of pineapple, a strawberry and, on some, a piece of mango. I figured the skewers would make the fruit pieces easier to eat at a party.

The recipe:

1 8 oz. block Neufchatel cheese - the low fat version of cream cheese - or you can use cream cheese - room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

With a mixer, beat until smooth. The mixture will be grainy at first but keep beating until it's smooth.

I found this recipe on Our Best Bites. They additionally add toffee chips right before serving, so that is an option too. I bought the toffee chips but just didn't add them because I thought it was good as is. Plus now I can make some toffee chip cookies later!

Christmas Eve Dessert - Phyllo Triangles and Pie

After church on Christmas Eve evening, my family enjoyed some dessert while we opened our presents. We had a cheese plate created by Salt & Peppa (my bro & fiance), a coconut cream pie (keep reading to learn about the pie) and berries & cream phyllo triangles.

I had some Alouette Berries & Cream Spreadable Cheese and have been thinking about how I wanted to use it. I really enjoyed just eating it with graham crackers. But for Christmas I figured I'd make something fun with it. Somehow my mom accumulated 3 boxes of phyllo sheets in her freezer so we had all the ingredients on hand.

These are so easy and seem so fancy!

The recipe is from the Alouette Cheese website.

Berries and Cream Chocolate Phyllo Triangles

1 pkg. (6.5 oz.) Alouette Berries & Cream Spreadable Cheese
18 sheets phyllo dough, defrosted
12 oz. unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Lay out 3 sheets of phyllo dough. Brush 1 sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Place second sheet on top. Brush top of second sheet with ½ tbsp. melted butter. Repeat with third sheet.
Cut stacked dough into 5 equal strips (approx. 2.25 inches wide).

Place ½ tbsp. Alouette Berries & Cream in center of each strip at the end closest to you. Begin folding in a triangle (in the style we fold our flag). Fold triangle over until the end of the strip. Place triangle on sheet tray end side down. Brush with melted butter.

Repeat preceding steps with remaining sheets of phyllo dough.

Place the 30 bundles on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes.
Meanwhile, place chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on HIGH, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer bundles to waxed paper and drizzle with melted chocolate. It was hard for me to "drizzle" so I just put a little spoonful on each which worked well too.

Let rest for 5 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm.

As for the coconut cream pie, it is a family favorite. And no one can make them like the The County Seat Restaurant in New Bloomfield - where this pie came from. Every time we go there for a meal, we always hope there is a slice left. The meringue is so high and delicious - my mom and I can only hope that one day our pies will look and taste this perfect!

Thank you, Sue!

Praline Blondies

Last week I was on the hunt for unique recipes to make for the cookie reception after our church choir concerts on Sunday (yesterday). And since the treats were going to be on a cookie buffet, I wanted them to be just small little bites.

This recipe is from Real Simple's 50 Best Holiday Cookie Recipes. I love blondies and praline so I was really hoping it would be a winner. Turns out it was and each little square was gobbled down quickly.

These turned out so well I just might make them again. Afterall, I only got one small piece from this batch and that just wasn't enough for me!

Blondies:

nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Topping:
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

a few tablespoons of milk, if needed

Heat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with the cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; spray the parchment with the cooking spray.

Make the blondie: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar and vanilla. One at a time, mix in the eggs; mix in the flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix).

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. You can put the pan in the fridge to hurry the cooling process along.

Make the praline topping: In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of water, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. If mixture is clumpy that means you cooked the sugar too long (what happened to me) so add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk really well until smooth. Spread over the cooled blondies and sprinkle with the pecans. Let the topping set, 10 to 15 minutes.

Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into squares. Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

I saw this easy recipe on a blog I read, Kelly's Korner, and added it to my list of quick and delicious snack/party recipes. I made it last night to take to a party tonight.

As Kelly does, I just scooped the mixture into a bowl and refrigerated it overnight. I didn't go to the trouble of shaping it into a ball and rolling it in pecans, as the original recipe calls for. So it's more of a cheese spread than a ball! I am serving it with graham crackers but animal crackers & Nilla wafer - regular or chocolate - would be good too!

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of real unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners sugar (you may want to add more to your liking)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
chopped pecans, optional

Beat cream cheese and butter until very well blended. Mix in sugars and vanilla. Then mix in chips.

Now you can either form the mixture into a ball and coat with chopped pecans or spoon it into a little serving bowl. Refrigerate several hours before serving, ideally overnight.

This is a fun, sweet appetizer!

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Mudslide Milkshake

This sinful after dinner treat is from Claire Robinson. She has a fun show on the Food Network called 5 Ingredient Fix. It's worth checking out!

I am always looking for uses for frozen bananas because every time I have a banana that is too ripe to eat, I peel it, slice it and put it in the freezer for opportunities like this!

1/2 cup Irish cream (like Bailey's)

1/4 cup chocolate vodka - you can use regular vodka

1 pint coffee ice cream

1 banana, sliced and frozen

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

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Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

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Warning: This is very strong!!! You can add some milk and more ice cream if you think it's going to kick your butt after the first sip.

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Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

I just love pumpkin so much! Pumpkin anything really. Pie, ice cream, cake, coffee, pasta sauce. But when I saw the pumpkin pie milkshake recipe on Our Best Bites, I started foaming at the mouth! I found this recipe quite a few weeks ago. I went to 2 different stores and they were both sold out of pumpkin - maybe a sign that I should be making my own pumpkin. But last week I finally got my hands on some and we made these shakes twice in one week! They are creamy and crunchy; sweet and spicy!

Recipe from the Our Best Bites website:

1/3 cup (or 2 heaping spoonfuls) pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 or 2 graham crackers, crushed

Put everything except the ice cream and crackers in a blender and blend until well mixed. Then, by hand, mash in the ice cream and stir until incorporated. You may need to let the ice cream sit out for a while to let it soften. I find this method the best because my blender won't blend a thick milkshake. You can add more milk if you want it to be less thick.

Pour into a glass or two and top with graham crackers. I then like to stir my graham crackers in because I like to eat the shake with a spoon and get some crackers in each bite!

Next pumpkin recipe will either be whoopie pies from Brown Eyed Baker or sausage pasta from The Culinary Couple.
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Peach Triffle with Lemon Mousse

This dessert is featured on the last page of the Martha Stewart Living magazine for August 2010. I usually don't like the way triffles look - usually messy and unappetizing but the photo of this triffle looked so good! And because I love lemon curd and whipped cream, the two together with warm peaches sounded perfect!

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1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plust 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)

Salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces

3 1/2 pounds stone fruit, such as peaches, nectarines or plums (about 8), halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges - I used white peaches. I peeled most of the skin off because I don't like fuzzy peach skin.

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 loaf homemade or store bought pound or sponge cake, sliced 1/2 inch thick - I used a bakery-bought shortcake

Whisk together 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, the yolks, wine, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring until thick, 3-5 minutes.

Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl (I did not do this because I don't have a sieve but it really is needed). Stir in grated zest. Gradually whisk in butter until smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Preheat overn to 425 degrees. Toss fruit with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Roast fruit on a rimmed baking sheet (may need 2 sheets), rotating their positions halfway through, until caramelized and juicy, 15-17 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, with juices. Let cool slightly.

Whisk (I used an electric hand mixer) cream until soft peaks form. Whisk curd to loosen. Working in 3 additions, fold whipped cream into curd.

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Layer a third of the cake in the bottom of a 12-cup bowl, or a footed triffle bowl. Cover with a third of the lemon mousse. Spoon a third of the roasted fruit over lemon mousse. Repeat twice. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 1 day.

I did not assemble the entire dessert. I just made two individual servings and then saved the rest to assemble single servings later. This works well too if you're not feeding a crowd!

I used shortcake from the PA Bakery. I am having some cake by itself right now for breakfast and it's very tasty alone!

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Best and Most Chocolately Brownies Ever

This is the second time I've made these. They are perfectly good and I need to make them more often! I need to learn to always keep a stash of chocolate in my pantry!

This recipe is from Cooks Illustrated:

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture; then stir in flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan, spread into corners, and level surface with rubber spatula. Bake until slightly puffed and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, about 32 minutes. Cool pan on wire rack.




I baked the brownies in my new white enamelware pan with royal blue edging. I got it at an auction - with 2 other pans - and love them! They remind me of the French blue and white kitchen I hope to have someday.


Here are the other two pans. The top one is also in good condition but the larger on the bottom has to large chips in it so it can't be used for too many food-related projects. But I really love the vintage feel of them!

Blueberry Cobbler

I have been on a blueberry kick lately and mostly because they were on special at Karns for $1 a pint which is amazing! I am sure the sale is over now so I'm regretting that I didn't fill my cart with them. They were delicious! I made a blueberry cobbler to take to my friend's house on Saturday and was craving even more yesterday so I used a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman (thank you, Rebecca for the cookbook!). I liked it better than the one I made a few days ago. This recipe is more like a gooey cake with a sugary, crispy top.

The recipe is originally for a blackberry cobbler but I just used blueberries instead. And the original recipe called for self rising flour but I changed it because I only had all purpose. But if you have self rising, use it and omit the baking powder and salt.

1 stick butter
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 cups blueberries (1 pint - a little more wouldn't hurt either!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a microwavable dish. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk. Pour in the melted butter and continue to whisk until combined.

Butter a 2 or 3 quart baking dish.

Pour batter into baking dish. Rinse and pat dry the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over top of the batter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 2 more tablespoons of sugar (it can be less if you want). Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes.



Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. I had neither so I ate mine plain.

This is a different take on a cobbler but I really liked the gooey and crispy textures!

Key Lime Pie

Yesterday I made a key lime pie for our new Pastor's Installation reception. Why key lime pie? Well because I came across a bag of key limes for 99 cents at the Green Dragon market and I just had to buy them and then figure out what to make. So it came down to the pie or Lime Macadamia Cookies. The cookies will be made later - maybe not with key limes - but definitely will be made. Plus I had never made a key lime pie before.

This was the first time I worked with key limes. And I emphasize work. It took quite a lot of time and squeezing energy to juice these little guys. But I think the effort paid off with a sweet and tangy pie.


Recipe from Emril Lagasse, with my moderations.


1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup key lime or regular lime juice - I used 3/4 key lime juice and 1/4 cup regular juice from a bottle
2 whole eggs
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
Lime zest


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie plate, and bake until brown, about 15-20 minutes. If you have a pie curst shield, use for baking the crust. Remove crust from oven and allow to cool to room temp before filling.

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.

In a seperate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake, using the pie sheild again, for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once pie is thoroughly chilled, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Before the reception:

After the reception:

It was goood!

I was nervous about the sour cream topping not being sweet enough but it was a nice mix with the tangy filling and sweet crust!

Madeleines

After we ate our Special Chicken, Adam asked what the funny red silicone pan sitting on the counter was for. I told him it's my madeleine pan and that I want to make some in the near future. Well since he put the idea in my head which caused and instant sweet tooth, I found a recipe and got to it right then.

I know I say a lot of the recipes I try are easy but this one is truly so easy! I guess the most difficult part to overcome is having a madeleine pan. I was out shopping one day and saw the silicone one I have on big-time sale and just bought it on a whim. I'm very happy I did! I need another one now...

While studying in Paris, I remember buying these little cake-cookies in large packages in the grocery store and by the piece at corner bakeries.

There are several madeleine recipes out there. The basic recipe I use is from Cookies Unlimited by Nick Malgieri.

2 large eggs
pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
finely grated zest of a medium orange
1 cup flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick butter), melted
confectioners sugar for finishing
two madeleine pans, buttered and floured

Set rack in the middle level of the oven and reheat to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, by hand, whisk together the eggs and salt until frothy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the sugar in a stream, then the orange zest. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour, then the melted butter. Use a large soup spoon to fill the cavities in the molds about 2/3 full.

Bake the madelines for about 20 minutes, until they are well risen, firm and a golden color.

Remove the pans from the oven and unmold the madeleines immediately onto racks to cool. If you reuse the pan like I did, wash it and butter and flour it again.

Dust the madeleines with powdered sugar before serving.


Next time I want to make chocolate madeleines: Substitute 2/3 cup flour and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted after measuring, for the flour. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.