Tag: Desserts

Daily Thoughts · Uncategorized

Little Debbie Intervention

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OK, I admit, I am now addicted to Little Debbie Snowballs, Peanut Butter Creams, Gingerbread Cookies & last, because I just haven’t had the chance to try any of the others, the Oatmeal Cream Sandwiches Cookies. Honestly, you would think that any lady who always keeps a minimum of 6 lbs of butter in the fridge just in case she wakes up with a goal to bake  chocolate chip cookies before 8 a.m., would have a little higher standards than to pop open a box of cellophane wrapped baked goods that have enough preservatives in them to keep them fresh for 3 months. But no, I am totally addicted to the Peanut Butter Creams and the Gingerbread cookies. Since the gingerbread cookies aren’t available again until next Christmas I am resorting to making my own. Two days ago, I woke up determined to bake some gingerbread cookies to have with my morning Dr Pepper. When I went to the fridge to take out butter to allow it to soften to room temperature, I just stood there in totally disbelief. There was no butter in the house. I ran to the fridge in the garage, thinking that surely I just had not brought in another lb of the butter I had just bough at Costco. After all, could I have really gone through 8 lbs of butter in the last month? But as I opened the garage, my heart sank. It too, was void of any cholesterol laden butter that flows through our veins.

When Randy woke up that same morning and walked through the kitchen, with his hand held out for his morning cup of melted butter (just to be sure he gets his daily quota), I had to tell him that he was just going to have to get dressed and head to the store because our home was in a state of crisis. No butter anywhere to be found. It is now clear to me how coffee drinkers feel when they wake up and discover that there is no coffee in the house. Just to calm our nerves we both went to the pantry and grabbed the first box of Little Debbie cookies we could get our hands on.

Randy just informed me that since we now have butter in the house, I have to go back to cooking dinner as he is finally getting tired of having Snowballs for dinner. So if the dinner I cook tonight turns out half as good as a LD, I will post my recipe for it tomorrow, in between bites of Peanut Butter Creams!

Little Debbie cookies are the best that can be found, our pantry is loaded with them from the ceiling to the ground.

The variety is amazing and the cream filled are so grand, it seems that every few hours, we have one in our hand.

So grab a box and get your coffee brewing, you’ll be addicted before you know what your doing! So start your day with a cream filled delight, but be oh so careful to save some for watching tv at night.

I’m a writer, not a poet!

 

Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Almond Bars

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3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

3 egg whites

6 tables sugar

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Additional powdered sugar

In a large bowl, cream the butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13×9″ baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 16-18 min. or until lightly browned.

Spread jam over crust. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar 1 table at  time, on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in coconut and 1/2 cup almonds. Spread over jam. Sprinkle with remaining almonds and bake at 350 for about 18 to 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Coconut Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

What a gorgeous cake to complete your dessert buffet this Christmas Season.  Red and White in color and coconut and raspberry in flavor.

1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla or White Cake mix

3 cups flaked coconut, divided

6 ssquares (1 oz ea) white baking chocolate

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 cup (2 sticks ) butter, unsalted and softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Prepare cake batter according to package directions; fold in 2/3 cup coconut. Pour into two greased 9″ round baking pans. Bake at 350 for about 25 to 29 min or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 min before removing from an to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and cream. Microwave uncoveed on high for 1 min or until chocolate is almost melted. stir until smooth. Cool to room temp. In a small bowl, combine jam and 1 cup coconut. Spread over one cake layer; top with second layer.

In small mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate mixture. When frosting is completely smooth, spread over cooled cake sides and top. Toast remaining coconut and sprinkle over top of cake.

 

Cookies · Desserts · Pies · Uncategorized

Pecan Pie Cookies

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Perfect for the cookie exchanges which we all love to attend.

*Am using a mini cupcake pan for these

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 tables light corn syrup

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

2 cups flour

1 teas baking powder

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4  cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teas vanilla

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in saucepan, and stir in powdered sugar and corn syrup until sugar isi dissolved.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often and stir in the peans utill well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 min to chill.

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour and baking powder togetehr in a bowl and set aside.

Beat brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter, egg and vanilla in large bowl with mixer. until creamy, about 2 min.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. Pinch off about 1 tables of dough and roll it into a ball. Press the dough into the bottom of an ungreased cupcake pan cup and use your thumb (or Thumbie if youhave one) to cuper the bottom and up the sides about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Fill each little crust with about 1 teas of the prepared pecan filling.

Bake in preheated oven untilthe cookie shells are lightly browned about 10 to 13 minutes. Let the cookie cool in the cupcake pan for 5 min and then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

 

Cakes · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Cranberry Apple Cake

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Last evening we were invited to some friends for dinner. These sweet people reached out to us when we moved to California back in 2010 to invite us for Thanksgiving so we didnt spend the holiday alone. They have become like family to us. When we were through with dinner Louise and I went over and sat down to look through some recipes that she had been collecting. This cake sounded so great that she gave me a copy of it. Can`t wait until I get back to my kithen to make this.

12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 tables grated orange zest (2 oranges)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 1/8th teas cinnamon, divided

2 extra large eggs at room temp

1 cup plus 1 tables sugar

1/4 lb (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teas vanilla

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup flour

1/4 teas salt

Preheat oven to 325. Combine cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and 1 teas of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the eggs on medium high speed for 2 minutes with electric mixer. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the sugar, the butter, vanilla and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10 inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tables of sugar and 1/8 teas cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for about 55 minutes until cake tests done and fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Taken from Barefoot Contessa.

Desserts · Holiday Fare

Pie From Paula… Salted Caramel Pecan Pie

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Is it any wonder why one item on my bucket lists is to meet Paula Deen? She continues to give out these great recipes that just make you drool when you read the ingredients. I don’t know if I will ever get to meet her, but will continue to make her recipes, just in case I do, I want to be able to tell her how many of her recipes became some of my favorites. This one is at the top of the list. Taken from my new Cooking with Paula magazine*

*2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teas sea salt

1 pie crust (I have to deviate just a bit on this item) She calls for refrigerated pie crusts. If you don’t make your own, buy the box of Betty Crocker pie crust mix. It is $2.09 and makes two crusts. All you do is add water to the mix and roll out. It is really so simple and they are so much better than refrigerated. Trust me on this!

3 large eggs

2 cups pecan halves

In a large skillet, stir together sugar, 1/2 cup water and corn syrup. Cook, without stirring, over medium-high heat for 8 minutes.or until mixture turns a deep honey color. Immediately remove from heat, and stir in butter until melted. Gradually stir in cream and salt until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into a medium bowl and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

On a lightly floured surface, roll crust to a 14: circle. Transfer crust to a 9″ pie place, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under and crimp as desired. Whisk eggs into cooled sugar mixture until well combined and stir in pecans. Pour pecan mixture into crust.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until center is set. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

German Chocolate Cheesecake

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This is a one-pan dessert that takes one of the best known desserts…cheesecakes, and makes in a simple, quick & great tasting dessert that you can add to any dessert table for the holidays!

Great made the night before for best flavor!

1 box (18 1/2 oz) Duncan Hines German Chocolate cake mix

2/3 cup shredded coconut

2/3 cup butter, softened

3 eggs, divided use

2 packages ( 8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

2 teas vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

Sour Cream Frosting

2 cups sour cream

1 tables vanilla

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix all 3 ingredients together before spreading over the cheesecake

Cheesecake:

Blend the cake mix, coconut, butter and 1 egg. Spread into bottom of an ungreased 9×13 baking pan. (I did lightly spray mine with Pam, just in case).

Beat softened cream cheese with remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and sugar until creamy and smooth. Spread over the cake mixture in pan and bake at 350 for about 30-35 min, or until middle is almost done, with a slight jiggle. Let cool for about 30 minutes and spread Sour Cream frosting over top of cake. Allow cake to cool further and place in refrigerator at least 8 hours before serving.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Strawberry Pound Cake

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Isn’t it such a blessing that we never have to wait for summer for strawberries? Aren’t freezers just the best invention ever?

Because this recipe calls for frozen strawberries, you can make this gorgeous and delicious cake in the dead of winter, when you have reached your pumpkin and gingerbread limit.

2 packages (10 oz eac) frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teas baking soda

1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

1/4 teas strawberry extract (if you do not have this, you can use vanilla)

Strawberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (you can use frozen if unable to find fresh)

1/2 teas vanilla

1/4 teas strawberry extract (if you do not have this, just add another 1/4 teas vanilla)

1/2 cup butter

Drain strawberries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Chop the berries; set juice and berries aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and mix well. Stir in pecans, chopped berries and extract.

Pour into a greased and floured 10″ fluted tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 1/4 hours or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan to a wire rack. (Mine only took a little over the hour)

Sauce:

In a small saucepan, combine the butter and reserved strawberry juice. Add the fresh sliced or frozen berries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in extracts and powdered sugar and mix until no lumps remain from the sugar. Pour glaze over warm cake. 2015-09-23 14.31.48

*Taken from FaceBook

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt Cake

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Last night I wanted to do some baking before beginning an exercise class today, so when I saw this in a magazine, I knew that it was calling my name. So I made it. It is so light and refreshing that Randy and I both just kept going back for “just one more bite.”

Cake

2 sticks butter, at room temp

3 cups flour (plus 2 tables to sprinkle over the blueberries before adding them to the batter)

2 1/2 teas baking powder

1 1/4 teas salt

1 3/4 cup sugar

*2 tables lemon zest (optional)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs, at room temp

1 teas vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pint)

*I added 2 tables fresh lemon zest to the batter before baking

For the Glaze

Whisk 1 table softened butter with 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tables corn syrup and 2 teas fresh squeezed lemon juice. Add milk, 1 table at a time until it is of spreading consistency. I added 1 table fresh lemon zest. When cake is cooled, drizzle glaze over cake allowing to run down the sides of cake.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan.

Whisk the 3 cups of flour with the salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat 2 sticks butter with the sugar and oil with mixer on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Turn mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla.

Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk. Beat, scraping sides down as necessary. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Mix just until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture by stirring it in. You do not want to overmix.

Toss the blueberries with the 2 tables of flour in  a bowl. By hand, stir in the blueberries into mixture, just until incorporated. I used a spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 1 hour, or until cake tests done. When cake is done, allow to sit in pan about 10 minutes and then turn out onto serving platter. Allow to sit about 30 minutes then drizzle glaze over the top.

Garnish with fresh berries if desired.2015-09-08 08.20.24

Cakes · Desserts

Southern Pecan Praline Cake

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Taken from Southern Living Magazine:

Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar,firmly packed

4 large eggs, room temp

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1/4 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1 cup milk

2 teas vanilla

Praline Frosting

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

4 large egg yolks

1 large can (12 oz) evaporated milk

2 teas vanilla

2 cups chopped pecans

Cake

Grease and flour 3 (9″) cake pans and preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter with both the granulated sugar and brown sugar until very light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the sugar batter alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake in the center of your preheated oven about 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool layers in their pans for 10 min, then loosen and turn out layers directly onto racks for cooling. Cool layers thoroughly before frosting.

For the frosting:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in both sugars. Sugars will NOT dissolve. (they will dissolve in the final cooking stage)

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the evaporated milk until smooth, then whisk this mixture into the saucepan with the sugar mixture. Return saucepan to a medium heat setting and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick, shiny and caramel-like, about 15-20 minutes. This is when the sugars will dissolve.  Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Cool frosting to a good spreading consistency which will be about 30 minutes. Spread evenly between cooled cake layers and over top and sides of cake.