Month: June 2014

Daily Thoughts

Taking Back My Kitchen

Chocolate Castles5 Comments

I remember it like it was yesterday, the day Randy retired. Sure it sounded like a great idea at the time. We had plans to take cooking classes together, drive in to Sonic every afternoon at 3 to get a buy one-get one free-cherry cola, watch movies until midnight, all cuddled up eating popcorn and feasting on the homemade brownies that we would bake together in the early evenings, right before our stroll, hand in hand through the neighborhood.

Those were the plans 6 months ago. Today, well, let’s just say that plans have changed.  By early afternoons, we are barely speaking. Driving to Sonic would actually make us ride closed up in the same car, which is not going to happen any time soon. I made sure that the guns we had in the house have been sold on Craig’s Lists. Just didn’t want to take any chances.

One day last week, while I am in the kitchen making frosting for a cake, unbeknownst to me, as I am scraping the cream cheese just to be sure I got every last drop of it (as I am constantly reminded that we are now on a retirement budget), he comes right beside me and proceeds to unwrap the butter and ask me if it goes in the same bowl as the cream cheese. Really? I can no longer make frosting by myself? What has happened to our glorious plans of how retirement was suppose to go? I have forgotten the way to WallMart because I never get to drive there myself. Shopping at Macy’s? Not anymore. I am told that with us being “retired”, how many blouses do I really need anyway? He even watches Ellen with me. Last week, he told me that he had been thinking that maybe he should get a pedicure just to see what they are like so would I make “us” an appointment for next week. He is now clipping Hobby Lobby coupons for me and has rearranged the garage so many times that my car doesn’t know which side to park when the garage door goes up.

He has shown me a much cleaver way to fold clothes. I never knew that how I folded them wasn’t “cleaver”.

We now make shopping lists since we don’t want to waste gas having to go back and forth to the store. That was my only way to get out of the house. Using the excuse that I had forgot to buy bread and cocoa. I am having to become a little more creative of why I need to leave the house. Please don’t tell him that 64 year old women don’t just, poof, start having periods again, since I used that excuse to have to run to the store the other day.

I now tell him that I didn’t have a check with me when I had a manicure so I need to run a check up to the salon. It is my little secret that I have started adding just a little “Benedryl” to his afternoon coffee so that  his normal 15 minute nap that he likes to take now, lasts an hour. Ah…an hour to myself. What do I want to do with my hour? Read, bake? The  excitement of all the possibilities of  the things I could do while he is asleep, wears me out and I usually end up falling asleep, only to wake up to him standing over me telling me that it’s time for us to watch Ellen and boy, wouldn’t a bowl of fresh popped popcorn taste good. It is so great that he doesn’t like to visit people in the hospital so that has become my new hobby. I visit people I don’t even know.

The golden years, isn’t that what they call this season of life? I guess that’s because the tape that is used to mark off our own territory in our homes is yellow,  Next time you are invited to a retirement party, forget the gift cards or the travel brochures to give the couple. Give them a roll of Yellow Duct tape. It might just save their marriage.

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Cinnamon Roll Cake

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This recipe was on Face Book the other day and just had to try it.  Tastes just like cinnamon rolls.

3 cups flour

1/4 teas salt

1 cup sugar

4 teas baking powder

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teas vanilla

1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 tables flour

1 tables cinnamon

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

5 tables milk

1 teas milk

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with cookie spray. Set aside.

In a bowl, add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into prepared pan.

For Topping:

In large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon together. until well combined and creamy. Drop evenly over the

batter by tablespoons and use a knife to marble through the batter.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until cake tests done.

Glaze

In a bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over the warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Chocolate Tart With Glazed Berries

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Recipe is in this issue of Paula Deen Magazine. It would be so easy to just open the pages and take a recipe from each page. This makes a beautiful July 4th dish. I truly love her recipes and they have never disappointed me.

1 pie crust (if using refrigerated pie crusts, you will only use 1 from the package of 2) At this season of life, when I get lazy I am hooked on the box mix of Betty Crocker pie crusts mix. Just adding water, it is flakier than the refrigerated and doesn’t taste as salty. Use half of the box mix if using box mix.

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (12 oz) package semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 teas vanilla

1/2 teas orange zest

1/8 teas kosher salt

3 tables raspberry preserves

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll pie crust and fit into a 10″ removable bottom tart pan, trimming off any excess dough from sides.

Prick crust with fork if you do not use pie crusts weights.

Bake for 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool completely. If you used the weights, you remove them and then bake crusts for about 5 more min to lightly brown the crusts.

Reduce oven temperature to 250.

In a medium saucepan, cook cream and chocolate over medium heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and next 4 ingredients. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture in a slow steady stream whisking constantly to avoid the egg cooking. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust.

Bake for 40-50 min at 250 or until center is set.(You might need to cover the top of the sides of the crust with foil to avoid over browning at this point.  Let cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled. In a microwave safe bowl, heat preserves until melted. Gently stir berries into preserves until coated. Spoon berries over tart just before serving. Top with additional whipped cream if desired.

Beef · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Meats

Bacon-Cheddar-Ranch Meat Loaf

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What a great morning. My new Paula Deen magazine just arrived and thumbing through it, I immediately spotted a recipe that I am making for dinner this week. Last night, we had family over for pork roast with mashed potatoes and carrots, gravy, salad and green beans. It was a late invite so when I went to Trader Joes to pick up the roast, I looked through the desserts there and found a frozen box of miniature little pies which we had. They are Trader Jo’s Brand and the box simply says, Mini Pie Medley! Oh my gosh, we all just sat there and wished we had about 6 each. They come in a box of 6 and there are 2 strawberry, 2 peach and 2 blueberry. Bake at 325 for 8 minutes and you have a fantastic little pie which of course, we topped with Blue Bell..so when you are looking for something quick and delicious but do not have energy or time to whip up something, you can serve these little pies with great confidence. 

Back to the meat loaf. I love having individual loaf pans to serve company. If they have any left over, I simply wrap them up and send it home with them. You can buy the paper individual loaf pans now at several places, Michales, Hobby Lobby and Container Store for example.

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

2 cups crushed French-fried onions

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

3/4 cup barbeque sauce, divided

2 large eggs, beaten

1 ( 3 oz) package real bacon pieces

1 (1 oz) package ranch dressing (dry) mix

2 tables Worcestershire sauce

1 teas ground pepper

1/2 teas salt

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tables Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 5 (5×3″) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray

In a large bowl, stir together both meats, onions, cheese, 1/4 cup barbeque sauce and next 6 ingredients. Spoon mixture into prepared pans, packing down lightly.

Bake for 30 minutes. in a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, mustard and remaining 1/2 cup barbeque sauce and spread over the meat loaves. Bake an addition 10-15 mins or until meat is done in center (about 165 degrees in center). Let stand for 10 min before serving.

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Me

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I had said a couple of weeks ago that I would be posting a poem taken from a book of poems by my daughter, Jodi Dupree. Because we were out of town on Fri and I hadn’t thought to take the poem book with me, I failed to post one. So a few days late, here is the 2nd poem in the series.

Me….by Jodi Dupree

Sing to me…write to me

Let me lead you home

Leave your lie in My Hands

You are not alone.

Hold my Hand-Walk in Faith

Trust in me every day.

I have a plan, I love you dearly.

Continue to obey.

I gave you gifts, just right for you.

Don’t try to be someone else, I want you to be you.

As you are, as I’ve made you.

As I would have you be.

Oh ,my precious one

You were made to glorify Me.

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Monkey Bread

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I guess you can tell from the latest posts that I am in a chocolate mode. We are just getting back from Corpus Christi where we go a few times a year to see my mom, who is 91. One of the first things I pack is the bag of peanut M&M’s, the bag of Hershey almond chocolate bars, Dove Chocolate with Toffee Chips and of course to wash the chocolate all down, my diet Dr Pepper. It is always good to be prepared in case we get stuck someplace and I want to always have plenty of chocolate. We got home Friday night and first thing Saturday after unpacking I went to the kitchen to make the caramel filled chocolate cupcakes that I posted last week. We had friends over Saturday night which enjoyed them. Last night we took them for dessert to our friends’ house where we dined on lobster and finished the evening with the cupcakes, They truly are divine. But today, this recipe caught my eye. Will be heading to the store to buy the biscuits.

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 tables unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teas cinnamon

1 cup butter, melted

2 (12 oz) cans refrigerated biscuits, cut into fourths

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 10-cup Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cocoa and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, place melted butter. Dip each  cut biscuit in butter; dredge in sugar-cocoa mixture and layer biscuits in prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, covering pan with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan 10 min. Invert pan onto serving platter.

*If desired, drizzle cream cheese frosting over inverted bread before serving.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Texas Style Chocolate Sheet Cake (More Chocolatey than Original One)

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Sunday evening we had some couples over to just visit and have cake. Going through a few of my cookbooks, I found this new version of the Texas Sheet Cake and decided to make it. I will never go back to the original recipe. The brown sugar and the chocolate squares make such a difference. Out of 9 people here, I think I was the only one that didn’t go cut a 2 or 3rd piece and that was simply because I had had one even before company arrived.

1 cup butter

5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teas vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

Poured Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350. spray a 13×9″ baking pan with baking spray and flour.

In a small small saucepan combine butter, chocolate and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium-low heat until chocolate and butter are melted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for 15-20 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat sugars, eggs and vanilla with mixer on medium until mixture is fluffy.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done in center. Pour over warm Chocolate Frosting while cake is still warm. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cover and store in fridge up to 3 days.

*I ended up making the homemade caramel sauce from the chocolate-caramel filled cupcakes recipe and poured it over the cake, topped with vanilla ice cream then drizzling the caramel sauce over all. Was delish….

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup buttermilk

4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (opt)

IN a medium saucepan, combine butter, chocolate and buttermilk. Cook over medium low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and pour over powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the 1 teas vanilla and stir in pecans if desired. Pour over warm cake.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts · Fruit

Chocolate Cherry Creme Cake

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Last weekend had me making several cherry pies to help celebrate our son, Cameron’s 30th. He is a cherry pie addict. I guess I had really never noticed recipes on the backs of Oregon Fruit Product Pitted dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup but for some reason, last Saturday I did. This recipe was written on the back of the label. I never thought I would be able to say that I didn’t have cream cheese in my fridge, ready to bake in an instant, but today, I have no cream cheese. As soon as I can get to the store, I am making this cake. I might even add a little hot fudge to the individual pieces when serving.

1 Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake Mix, baked according to directions on box for 9×13 using the eggs, oil and water.

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teas vanilla or almond extract

2 cans Oregon Dark Sweet Pitted Cherries, drained, reserve syrup

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake according to directions on box and pour into prepared and greased 9×13″ pan. Bake as directed on box. Let cake cool completely. Make cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

In small bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in Eagle Brand milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and extract. Spread on cooled cake, leaving an edge of the dark cake showing all around for a nice presentation. Refrigerate until set.

Topping:

Drain cherries, reserving syrup. In small saucepan, combine syrup from cherries, cornstarch and sugar. Mix until smooth. Heat and stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the cherries. Let cool. with a small spoon, arrange the cherries only on top of the cake. Do not use the thickened syrup, only what stays on the cherries. Keep cake in fridge. When serving, use syrup to spoon over individual pieces and top with whipped whipping cream if desired.

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Your Will Be Done

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This morning as we were having a quiet moment before jumping up and making breakfast, I glanced over the coffee table and the book of poetry that Jodi, my daughter wrote, just seemed to be saying, “pick me up”. So I did and leafing through I began to really take to heart some of the words that she had written many years ago. Some of the poetry was written when she was going through a really rough time but this poem was one that, no matter the season we are going through, is applicable at anytime. It dawned on me that many of these well written poems should be shared with others so I called Jodi and told her that each Friday, I will be posting a poem from her book, “Cries of My Heart”

Your Will Be Done by Jodi K Dupree

I usually desire immediate gratification.

But, often Your timing is different than mine.

Please help me to remember in my struggle for pleasure, That Your will be done, not mine.

Everything done my way is done in vain, Everything done You way is for Your glory and my gain.

So, rain down Your will on me today.

I bow on my knees and slowly surrender my life to You.

One detailed area at a time.

I lift up my hands and offer my thanks to You.

For being so patient when I am so stubborn and blind. Please help me everyday to ask…

Your will be done, not mine.

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts

Sweet & Salty Caramel-Chocolate Cupcakes

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On our last trip out to California a couple of weeks ago, some friends and I celebrated a good friend’s birthday at a well-known restaurant in downtown Pasadena called, La Orange, where they have platters of the best(and free, which I know you are suppose to only take one, but since I don’t live there anymore and if they kick me out, well,) chocolate chip cookies that have sea salt sprinkled on top. So I candidly kept making excuses to pass the front door and took a cookie each trip I made. I told the hostess I was just going to go look outside to see if any more of our party had arrived., I wonder if she noticed that as soon as the platter was empty, I didn’t come to see If any more friends would be arriving? All that to say that I have come to love the flavor of salt on desserts. When I saw these cupcakes, I knew that they would be awesome. When my son comes over and teaches me how to download pics from my new Note 3 to my computer will post a picture. These cupcakes have a simple homemade caramel sauce that can ben made up to 2 weeks before so when you have a minute, whip the filling up so when you are ready to make the cupcakes, the filling will be ready for you to use.

*If you are in a time crunch make a box of Duncan Hines Fudge cupcakes because with the homemade filling and frosting, no one will guess the cupcakes are from a box. I do this sometimes and just substitute milk for the water the directions call for, and add about 1/4 cup sugar to the boxed mix before mixing.

Cupcakes

1 cup butter

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa

3 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tables vanilla

2 3/4 cup flour

2 teas baking soda

1 teas salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 cups boiling water

Salted Caramel Filling:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

2 tables light corn syrup

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 tables sea salt

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

3 (4 oz) boxes semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

6 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 (12 cup) muffin pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla with mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in butter mixture.

In a medium bowl, c.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beating until just combined after each addition.

Spoon Salted Caramel filling into a squeeze bottle with a long narrow tip. Insert tip of squeeze bottle into center of each cupcake and allow about 1 teas caramel to fill center of each cupcake.

Spread or pipe frosting over cooled filled cupcakes.

Frosting:

In a small saucepan cook chocolate and cream over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium speed with the chocolate mixture until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined and smooth. Frost cupcakes immediately.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake for about 15 minutes or until cupcakes tests done in center. Remove from pans and cool completely