La Bella Cook

One of my favorite blogs is having a giveaway! Bridgett at La Bella Cook is giving away this fabulous Cuisinart hand mixer through CNN Stores

If you would like a chance to win, go visit La Bella Cook for details, and she is also sharing a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pear Cake recipe today that looks delicious, can't wait to make it.

Mile High Lemon Meringue... Cake

My favorite pie is Lemon Meringue, my favorite cake is a Lemon Jello Cake that my mom used to make for my birthday every year. So...what could be better than to put the two together? Plus it gives me another reason to use this meringue from BAKED: NEW FRONTIERS IN BAKING that I am now addicted to.

Mile High Lemon Meringue Cake

For the cake:

1 package boxed yellow cake mix

1 package (3 oz.) Lemon Jello

4 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

Beat all ingredients together for 10 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a greased 13x9 inch pan. When done immediately punch full of holes with a large serving fork (I used a meat fork) all the way to the bottom of pan. Pour icing over immediately.

For the Icing:

Make ahead while cake is baking

1 cup fresh lemon juice

5 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan over medium-low heat mix together the lemon juice and powdered sugar until melted and warm. Pour icing over hot cake immediately and broil until icing bubbles, watch carefully, you just want it bubbly, not browned too much.

For the Meringue:

recipe from: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

7 large egg whites

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur

Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a nonreactive metal bowl until combined. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture registers to 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the pan and, with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form, adding the cream of tartar when the mixture begins to thicken or after 3 minutes. When the mixture almost holds stiff peaks, after about 6 minutes, add the liqueur and beat to incorporate it. Spread meringue on top of cake and form peaks with spatula. Place under broiler for a few minutes. Watch carefully, browns quickly.

Martha Stewart's Snickerdoodle Cookies

It seems like it's a toss up between Snickerdoodle Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies in my house. There are so many recipes floating around out there of both... and I have yet to find the perfect one. I have found pretty good recipes, but I'm in search of the best, the one where you don't even want to look any further. Today I tried Martha Stewart's Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe. They are very good, and I certainly didn't get any complaints, but still searching...

Snickerdoodle Cookies

recipe: Martha Stewart

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment paper.

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and shortening. Add the 1 1/2 cups sugar and mix until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in two batches just until combined. Do not over mix cookie dough. In a separate bowl mix together the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Roll dough in balls and then roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake approximately 10 minutes.

Raw Apple Cake

This is a cake that my mom used to make when I was growing up. It is so easy, a one bowl recipe. And really good topped with vanilla ice cream. I had a few extra apples left, so made an apple cinnamon topping to go with.

RAW APPLE CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup walnuts (I used pecans)

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups sliced apples (I used granny smith)

Mix all ingredients in bowl, batter will be thick. May need to to mix with clean hands.

Bake at 350 degrees in a buttered and floured 9x13 inch baking pan, 45 to 50 minutes.

Serve warm.

Kitchen Pictures

After being here about 7 months, I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of the kitchen. Not a lot of space...and a lot of my stuff is still in boxes in the garage, but a least it's close by :)

I do like the bar on the other side of the sink so my friends can visit with me while I'm working in the kitchen.

I had to share a picture of the olive oil bottle...my friend Charlotte's son in law designed the label, pretty cool! And thanks for the olive oil Charlotte :)

Roxey and Rosie... how did you two get in here???

My bulletin board and magazine holder, finally a kitchen with a little wall space.

Too bad it's definitely lacking in the storage/cabinet department.

I got these bottle dispensers at Target.

More wall space, yay! My treasured signed Barefoot Contessa book. And since I didn't have one cupboard or drawer that is big enough for my rolling pin, I had to get a little creative.

That's pretty much it, not huge, but at least enough counter space to work on.

Baked

If I had to pick just one Baking Cookbook right now, Baked: New Frontiers In Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito would hands down be it. I think they must have written this book specifically for me because every recipe sounds delicious! The Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake, and the Lemon Drop Cake brings back memories of two favorite candies from my childhood. These cakes are definitely on my list. I have made the Lemon-Almond Meringue Tarts several times now, I have to say the lemon curd is to die for...and I am now addicted to the Amaretto meringue!
So my plan is to bake my way through Baked, and I was lucky enough to have permission from Matt Lewis to share a few of their recipes on my blog, Thank you!!
I have made many Banana Breads, muffins etc... over the years, never really finding one that was it. The one that would always be my go to recipe...until now. This muffin is so moist, and the addition of chocolate and espresso powder just add to the banana flavor. This is a great combination!

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Baked: New frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4 medium bananas)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup whole milk

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. ( I used liners, they came out perfectly)

In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Fill each cup about three-quarters full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack.

Muffins can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 days.

Yield 12 muffins

Baking Marathon

I had a baking marathon last night. I made 3 dozen lemon meringue tarts for a friend, and thought while I was at it, wouldn't it be fun to also make mini chocolate cream pies??


I went back to Barefoot Contessa's pie dough recipe (it really is the best) and cut the crusts out with fluted round cutters, and placed the cut dough into a muffin tin. Pre-baked in a 400 degree oven for about 11 minutes.

Once cooled I filled the mini crusts with lemon curd. I used the lemon curd and meringue recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Baked. Who knew egg whites could taste so good ;)

This is my third attempt at these Cinnamon rolls. They are always delicious, my son thinks they should be kept in the house at all times. They just don't photograph that well. I did double the recipe for the frosting to be add extra when served.


Mini Chocolate Pudding Pie

For the Filling:

2 1/2 cups whole milk

5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a saucepan, over low heat, warm the milk and chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted. In a medium sized bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch, salt and vanilla, whisk until well blended. Slowly add the warm chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture to temper the eggs, whisking constantly until well blended. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickens and begins to bubble, about 6 to 8 minutes. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressing directly onto pudding. Let cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Crust: adapted from Ina Garten

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening

6 to 8 Tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. roll each piece on a well-floured board, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Cut dough with fluted rounds in desired size. Press into muffin tins and return to refrigerator for 15 minutes. When dough is chilled, carefully poke bottom and sides of dough with the tines of a fork to prevent dough from puffing when baking. Bake approximately 11 minutes, or until lightly golden in a 400 degree oven. When cool enough to handle remove from muffin tins and let cool on a wire rack.

To assemble mini pies:

Spoon desired amount of cold chocolate pudding into mini pie shells.

Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate curls if desired.


Cinnamon Rolls

For the Dough:

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided

1 cup warm milk

2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons salt

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

7 to8 cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:

1 cup unsalted melted unsalted butter, divided (2 sticks)

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

3 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the dough: In a small bowl, mix together warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside. In a large bowl mix the milk, remaining 2/3 cup sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs; stir well and add yeast mixture. Add half of the flour and beat until smooth Stir in enough of the remaining flour until the dough is slightly stiff (will be sticky). Turn out onto a well floured board. Knead 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a well buttered glass or plastic bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk., about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When doubled punch down dough and let rest 5 minutes. Roll out on floured surface into a 15x20 inch rectangle.

For the filling: Spread dough with 1/2 cup of melted butter. In a bowl mix 1 1/2 cups sugar and the cinnamon until well blended. Sprinkle over buttered dough. Roll up jelly roll fashion. Pinch edges together to seal. Cut 12 to 15 slices. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan and an 8 inch square baking pan with the remaining 1/2 cup of melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of the pans with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place cinnamon rolls slices close together in pans. Let rise in a warm place until dough is doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25 minutes or until rolls are nicely browned. Cool slightly and frost with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Frosting:

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Frosting

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a small bowl mix cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth. Spread on warm rolls and serve. (I doubled this recipe)