nothing bundt cake

the kind folks at Nothing Bundt Cakes offered me a free cake! This eclectic storefront offers a big variety in - you guessed it...bundt cakes. From pecan praline to white chocolate raspberry (and of course reliable classics like vanilla and lemon), these cakes are as delectable as they are pretty!

The timing was perfect as we enjoyed some chocolate chip bundt for Vance's birthday.

My Aunt Middy used to make a delicious chocolate cake with vanilla frosting - and this bundt took me back to those days. Paired with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk, the chocolate chip bundt cake with vanilla frosting is a decadent and delicious treat. This spot is now on my short list of favorites for fun desserts!

Yum.

banana ice cream - minus the cream.

Bananas - peel, slice, freeze, whip. I added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to two frozen bananas and whipped it up.

Banana Chocolate Shakes for Two

2 whipped bananas

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 8 ounce container plain greek yogurt

2-4 tablespoons chocolate syrup (or as much as you'd like!)

Whip bananas until smooth, add remaining ingredients and blend. 

Note - I read some reviews online about this banana cream and they were all "it doesn't even taste like banana - it just tastes like ice cream!" Well, that's a lie. You do have to like bananas to enjoy this treat.

fat tuesday

I didn't make donuts or pancakes in honor of Fat Tuesday...I made butter pecan ice cream. And trust me...it's fatty.

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Cook the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until butter turns a deep golden color. Turn off the heat, and add one-cup heavy cream, milk, sugar and salt. Stir. Turn the heat back on medium until the mixture warms back up. Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Slowly spoon the warm butter/milk mixture into the egg yolks (tempering so as not to cook the eggs), whisking the entire time. Transfer the mixture into the saucepan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until it thickens (about 10-15 minutes). The custard will lightly coat the back of the wooden spoon. Pour the remaining cup heavy cream and vanilla into a large glass bowl. Pour the cooked custard into the bowl, stir, and allow to chill completely (about 3 – 4 hours) in the fridge. Transfer chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and mix according to manufacture instructions. Scoop the ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 6 hours to let it firm up a bit more. Stores for up to a few months in the freezer.

and that is why we don't churn our own butter

A few weeks ago, I made mayonnaise  - "may-oh-naize" it sounds more refined than "man-aze." I also roasted my own red peppers - which provides very few photo ops. In keeping with the "do it yourself" theme, I decided to make butter. I like the idea of flavoring homemade butter with honey, orange, or herbs. I think this is a great accompaniment to some delicious toast at brunch.

In the mixer, whip a pint of cold heavy cream on medium-high speed.

It takes about 7 minutes to get to whipped cream and then it starts to get chunky and a bit yellow. Whip for about 11 to 12 minutes and remove to colander. Push out all the butter milk.

Squeeze the butter to remove all liquid, mix in your ingredients. I used about 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage and salt to taste.

 Butter is something interesting to try - but honestly you only end up with a small amount - definitely not more economical to make your own!

I also made an apple skillet cake in my Lodge Cast Iron Skillet.
Apple topping

1-3/4 stick Butter
3/4 cups Sugar
2 whole to 3 large Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, And Cut Into Six Equal Piece
Cake batter
1 stick Butter
2/3 cups Sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Large Eggs
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 whole apple, peeled and cored

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a 9 to 10-inch skillet, melt 1 3/4 sticks butter over low heat. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the pan and stir around, then place apple slices, cut side down, in the pan. Don’t pack them too tightly, but try not to leave overly large gaps. Allow this to cook over low/medium-low heat while you make the cake batter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add sour cream and mix well.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together then gradually add flour mixture into the creamed mixture until just combined. Gently stir in 1 chopped apple.

Remove skillet from heat. Spoon batter over the top, then spread gently so batter is evenly distributed. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Allow cake to sit in skillet for five minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

Bake until golden, allow to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Take a large plate for the flip...

Ta-da! Enjoy with ice cream or a good cup of Joe.

ol'fashion ice cream sandwich

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

1-2 cups mini chocolate chips

vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars until smooth; beat in eggs and vanilla. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon well - slowly mix into creamed mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Spoon small amounts of dough into well greased (or Silpat mat). Bake for about 9 minutes and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes on pan outside the oven. Once the cookies have cooled, place a small scoop of ice on the underside of a cookie and push another on on top. For an extra chocolate kick (which I think this needed), melt some dark chocolate and dip or drizzle on cookies - allow to cool before assembling the sandwiches. Yum!

the trendiest of desserts

..right now - I think - are cake pops. I am having a very trendy week. I was walking to work yesterday, and I caught my reflection and thought, "do I look like I am trying to be 19?" Answer: "yes." I had on a fuchsia dress from Forever 21 with skinny belt and turquoise nail polish. To top it off, I got a bit too much sun this weekend so I have those oh-so-attractive white and pink tan marks on my neck and shoulders. 

 Ah well - what's a mid-to-late 20 something to do? So in keeping with my trendy Monday at work, I made a trendy dessert at night. Taking advice from my friend, Sarah, who said cake pops are a breeze to make, I whipped up a batch last night. If you are trendy, you will like these. If you like little cute things, you will like these. If you like chocolate, you will love these.

-Bake cake as directed in a 9 x 13 pan and let cool completely.

-Crumble cake up into a large bowl. 

-Soften frosting for 10 seconds in microwave. Add frosting to crumbled cake and stir with a fork until frosting disappears and is completely incorporated into the cake crumbs. Test your mixture by picking up a handful and squeezing it together. It should hold together without breaking apart.If mixture is too dry, add more frosting.

-Roll mixture into walnut-sized cake balls and transfer to a wax paper lined baking cookie sheet. Make sure balls are tightly packed and look smooth with no cracks. If they appear cracked, you may need to add more frosting.    

-Transfer cookie sheet with cake balls to freezer or refrigerator for about 30 to 60 minutes.
-Place chocolate chips (or melting chocolate) in a small, deep microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring each time until completely melted. The melted coating should coat a spoon but still be able to slowly drip off. If coating is too thick, add shortening or vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Do not exceed 2 teaspoons per 16 ounces of candy coating or the cake pops will crack. 

-Remove cake balls from freezer. Dip tips of lollipop sticks into candy coating and insert sticks no more than halfway into center of your cake balls. Let them set for 1 to 2 minutes, resting on the cake ball, sticks in the air.

-Pick up cake pop by the stick and dip into candy coating. Gently tap stick against side of bowl and rotate cake pop to help excess coating fall back into bowl. (Reheat and/or melt more candy coating as needed.)

If decorating your cake pop, add your sprinkles, nuts or candy right after dipping, before coating dries.
-Poke stick of cake pop into Styrofoam block to stand up straight and dry completely, about 5 minutes. I didn't have a Styrofoam block so I put a pizza pan with holes in it over a baking dish and strategically balanced the pops.

I dipped my pops in white or semi-sweet chocolate and topped with crushed nuts, sprinkles,
and crushed cookie.

 

.

keep calm and carry on...

This past Saturday was a day full of holiday preparation and excitement. I was going to own my (ever growing) to-do list and accomplish some serious Christmas food shopping, prepping & baking. Well - I did accomplish a lot, but in my hustle and bustle, I got too busy and made multiple blunders. Saturday taught me I need to slow down - and take things one step at a time. Whatever gets done - gets done.
First blunder - while cleaning our beautiful stemware in preparation for the holiday, I ever so slightly tapped one of the lovely after-dinner drink glasses that my mom and dad gave us, breaking off the delicate glass base. This, of course, sent me into a spiral of anxiety and tears. This is my first Christmas as a married woman (gulp), first Christmas away from home (tear), and obviously, my first Christmas entertaining my family (sugar!).

After the glass broke and I had a good cry (not just for the glass but all the change and endings that are happening this season), I made Blonde Bombers. If a chocolate chip cookie and a blonde brownie made love they would give birth to a Blonde Bomber. In one word - heavenly. UNLESS you forget to put the eggs in until the very last second. In this, as I experienced on Saturday, the delicious baked treat turns into cement on the outside and a brown sugary goo inside. Fail #2.
Lastly, I made baked brie. One for my Vanderbilt holiday party and one for the Clark's on Christmas Eve. Well one of them exploded and brie ran all over the cookie sheet. Fail #3.
The saving grace? Coconut macaroons by Ina. I love you Ina Garten.

This recipe is super fast and gives you about 25 macaroons.

• 14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture. Folding is different from stirring!

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using a small scoop or tablespoon. Cook for about 25 minutes or until golden. Melt chocolate with a little Crisco shortening (just about a teaspoon) in the microwave for about 2 minutes and drizzle over the macaroons. Cool and enjoy!

Remember to take a breath this holiday season, have a cup of tea, watch a 90210 re-run - if you don't take care of you, who will?