Ultimate Streusel Cake...............

Here is a recipe that is going to knock your Christmas socks right off. This recipe is simply amazing. A moist cake that has a streusel filling that is then topped off with streusel topping, brown sugar....lots of it, cinnamon and pecans, yum. Plus it makes your house smell so fragrant during the holidays and it is a nice change from really rich and chocolaty desserts.

I also, however, have a thing for Bundt pans and Bundt cakes, I think what it is, is that you simply pour batter into a mold and voila, it comes out party perfect, ready to be plated on a pretty little cake stand. I also love Bundt pans because when I use to work at Williams Sonoma and had to straighten all the gorgeous Bundt pans, I was taken by all the gorgeous, detailed shapes and sizes of a bundt pan.


Williams Sonoma sells the brand Nordic Ware which is a family owned company that is been known for their amazing bakeware since 1946. There are traditonal Bundt pans, rose shaped Bundt pans, castle Bundt pans, mini Bundt pans and so many more. I love them all and would love to add some more Bundt pans to my bakeware collection (hint hint...Thad).


Pecan Streusel Topping
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Struesel Cake
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream

Icing
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan (or other tube pan with a 3-quart capacity) with cooking spray; set aside.

To make the streusel filling, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl. Stir in granulated sugar, flour, and salt. Then using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until combined and mixture is crumbly, forming into small little peas; lastly stir in the nuts. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the cake, using the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. Next beat in vanilla. Add reserved flour mixture and sour cream in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour; beat the batter until just combined.

Once mixed, using your sprayed Bundt pan, spoon half the batter into the pan. Then cover first layer of batter with two-thirds of the streusel mixture. Next spoon in remaining batter, smoothing top; sprinkle with remaining streusel.

Place the bundt cake in the oven and bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 45 minutes; invert cake onto a wire rack, set over a rimmed baking sheet to help with crumbs and loose streusel.

In a medium bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and milk until combined; set icing aside and cover with plastic wrap, until ready to use. Once cake has cooled to where is is almost room temperature, drizzle the icing over the cooled, inverted cake. To give the icing that dripped look, place the icing on the rim of the Bundt cake and let the icing naturally and slowly fall down the sides.

This Bundt cake is a treat indeed and the cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans will warm your heart and taste buds this holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse..........

I have been horrible at blogging these last few months. Between trying to sell our house, looking for a new house and Thad living in another city during the week and me being all over the place......life has been busy and simply crazy the last little while, so I am sorry. I will endeavor to do better. However, just because I have been busy does not mean I have not been trying new recipes.....

If you love cheesecake and pumpkin pie, then this recipe is for you. Chef Brad Farmerie, who is the executive chef for a popular restaurant Public which is in NYC and who has appeared on iron chef, recently appeared on the Martha Stewart Show sharing his shared his mom signature Thanksgiving dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse. I know I have been smothering you with Martha's recipes but when I saw this recipe being made I knew that not only did I have to try it but after making it, I knew that I had to share it with you all too. I have a weak spot for when people say that this is their mom's recipe and that she makes it every year. That is code for this recipe is dang good.

At a glance it may appear that there are a lot of steps to this recipe, but they are easy steps that equal an amazing dessert, that not only tastes divine but also looks great plated with its three layers. I can honestly say I have found a new family favorite that I will make every year. And honestly I am already craving it.

Click HERE to watch Chef Brad Farmerie and Martha make his mom's famous Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse.

The Crust1/2 cup (1 stick) melted unsalted butter, plus more, unmelted, for pan
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar


The Cheesecake
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar


The Pumpkin Mousse
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope gelatin
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites


Whipping Cream Topping
1 cup very cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar; stir until well combined. Press graham cracker mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish in an even layer; set aside.

For the cheesecake, using the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, and sugar until fluffy. Spread cheesecake mixture over crust in baking dish. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

While cheesecake is cooling start working on the pumpkin mouse. To begin, fill a small bowl or liquid measuring cup with 1/4 cup water; sprinkle gelatin over top and let soften; set aside. In a large heatproof bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Set bowl over (but not touching) simmering water; whisk pumpkin mixture until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in gelatin mixture. Let cool to room temperature.

In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whisking until medium peaks form. Fold into cooled pumpkin mixture. Spread pumpkin mixture over cheesecake; Cover and transfer to refrigerator until set, at least 8 hours and up to overnight

For the whipping cream, using a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread over cake or serve cheesecake with a dollop on the side.

This dessert will wow your holiday guests and will make them wonder how you found the time to make such a yummy, pretty dessert. You will be pleasantly surprised by this recipe.

Enjoy and happy holiday baking!

Everyone's Favorite Birthday Cake..........

Baking for me is a release and a relaxer but it also is a creative outlet for me. I am sort of a nerd....I love cake stands and when I bake a cake I think about the frosting and what cake stand it would look best with. I also have this dream in my head of always having a fresh cake on the counter and my kids coming home from school and having a slice of cake with a small glass of milk.

This cake fits that dream perfectly. It is a recipe from baker Matt Lewis of the Brooklyn based bakery BAKED. This is once again a bakery to add to my ever so long list in New York that I am dying to visit. This recipe is actually a recipe from Matt's grandmother which makes it that much cooler to me and I find family recipes to be the best because they have managed to stick around for a long time. This cake is so easy to make and in the same breath it has such a unique flavor and texture. The subtle hint of cinnamon in the cake itself, couples perfectly with the creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting. This cake is also so easy to handle, assemble and frost.

Cake
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, room temperature, plus more for pans
All-purpose flour, for pans
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans; line with parchment-paper rounds (I just cut my own). Butter parchment paper and lightly dust pans with all-purpose flour, shaking out excess. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low; then add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour mixture, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Each oven bakes differently and over baking can ruin a cake, so for the first time watch the cake closely the last 10-15 minutes to make sure it is not in there too long. Set pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 20 minutes before loosening sides of cake from pan and inverting onto a wire rack. Remove parchment paper and re-invert; let cool completely.


Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
5 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add 2 cups confectioners' sugar and salt; beat until smooth. Add chocolate and mix until well combined. If frosting seems too loose, add additional confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes firm. Do not over-beat. Frosting can be made up to 1 day in advance if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; let soften at room temperature before using.

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make even. Place 1 layer on a cake plate; frost top with 1/2 cup frosting and top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting to cover. Cake can be kept in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days. Let come to almost room temperature before serving.

I love this recipe because it is not just your same old chocolate or vanilla cake. The flavors in this cake will wow and surprise you. You have to try this unique and yummy family recipe, that guarantees you will be going back for seconds.

Enjoy!

Martha's Apple-Pecan Cake..........

What do you think of when you hear nutmeg, apples and roasted pecans? What comes to my mind are the holidays and the word "yummy"and that is exactly what this Apple-Pecan Cake is. This recipe is so moist and full of flavor and honestly is a perfect after school snack or a light, but, packed full of flavor dessert.

Like my last post this was the featured recipe on Martha Stewart's show. I trust Martha and find most of her recipes to be pleasing and very delish and in some ways I hold Martha and my mom on the same pedestal, both are classy ladies, both are very good cooks and every recipe I use of theirs are keepers and crowd pleasers.

So if you love fall like I do, and love when the leaves are changing and there is a briskness in the air, pumpkins and mums are being sold at the grocery stores and you go looking for your favorite recipe for pumpkin cookies then this recipe is for you. The nutmeg, pecans, apples and orange zest gives this recipe a fall flavor that is both comforting and warm.


Apple-Pecan Cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 medium apple, such as Gala or Fuji, peeled and diced small
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon packed finely grated orange zest
3 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Start off by preheating oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or I used a 8-inch pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides, so that it is easier to remove. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the apple (cut up in small but not too small chunk, large enough that they don't dissolve ) and pecans with 2 tablespoons flour to coat, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In addition, using another small bowl, combine applesauce and yogurt and set aside also.

In a large mixing bowl (I use my Kitchen Aide), beat butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest on high until light and fluffy, 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Then turn mixer to low and add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions applesauce mixture, and beat until combined. Fold in apple mixture gently until completely mixed in. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Using parchment, lift cake from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar or top with some whip cream before serving.

This recipe is moist, flavorful and the perfect fall treat for any occasion.

Happy Fall Baking!

Peach (or apple) Cutie Pies

I have not been working for a month now and for that month I have been able to be home to watch the Martha Stewart Show. She has so many informative segments, from how to fold a fitted sheet to how to make a Halloween pinata out of a balloon (who would have thought?). But what I am most inspired by is her cooking segment of the show. She brings in renowned chefs and bakers and they show you right then and there how to make their most fav or popular recipes. It is like getting a fabulous cooking class from a famous pastry chef for free. So I find myself DVR-ing the show.

I have about 4-5 shows recorded, all with recipes that I am dying to try. In fact I got my pancake recipe, that Thad swears is the best he has ever had from the Martha Stewart Show. The other day I was watching and there was a baker on there named Dani Cone and she is the author of a cookbook called "Cutie Pies" and a baker at High 5 Pie in Seattle, WA. She showed how to make pie pops, pie in a mason jar and mini pies in a muffin tin. They are so shabby chic ans soooooo cute. As soon as I saw this segment I knew I had to try one of these recipes. So I chose to make her cutie pies which are mini pies made in a muffin tin and let me tell you....they were literally a mini taste of fall and so yum!!!!

Crust
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
3/4 cup ice water
Nonstick cooking spray

Filling
6 to 8 peaches, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used granny smith apples instead)
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pie Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
1/4 cup rolled oats

Start off by preheating the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in center of the oven. Spray every other cup of a standard-size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. You will need enough muffin tins to spray 16 alternating cups. Alternatively, you can work in batches. Set muffin tins aside.

To make the crust: using a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, salt, and sugar, mixing well. Add butter and mix gently using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands, until butter pieces are well coated. Gradually add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing until pea-size crumbs have formed and the dough somewhat sticks together; Dough should not be smooth and beaten together like cookie dough.
Gather dough together and divide in half. Flatten each into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Transfer dough to refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, lightly dusting with flour, as necessary, to prevent sticking. Cut out sixteen 5 1/2-inch-round circles, gently re-rolling scraps as necessary. Gently but firmly press each dough circle into a prepared muffin cup; crimp edges as desired. I used a glass bowl rim that was roughly 5 inches. I found it does not need to be exact, I would error on the larger size than of a pie circle than smaller (easier to work with).
To make the filling: Place all filling ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine; spoon filling evenly into muffin cups and set aside (I filled each pie to the rim with apples)

To make crumb topping: In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon; mix well. Add butter and mix thoroughly using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingers until small pea-size crumbs form. Add oats and mix until topping has a crumbly consistency. Once mixed, if you are not placing the topping on right away, place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over cutie pies and transfer to oven; bake until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before removing from tins, using a butter knife to loosen sides, if necessary. Cutie pies are best served at room temperature, however warmed up with a little scoop of ice cream has never hurt anyone.
You will love these perfectly portioned pies that are ideal for one and would be great served at a dinner party or even a fall festival. You will love these mini fall delights, guaranteed.
Happy Fall Baking!

Roll Tide Roll........

It has been way to long since I have added something new to Rozlynn's Homemade Goodness. The reason for my absence you ask? I started a new job which required me to work full-time and we are moving.

But with the hint of fall in the air (which is my favorite season) and the beginning of football season, which I love, I felt the need to send each of you a shout out in the form of a sugar cookie, so here you go, Roll Tide Roll. To start off fall and football season right I have also included the official Bama fight song. If this does not get your blood pumping then I don't know what will!

"Yea, Alabama!"

Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you;
Hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For 'Bama's pluck and grit
Have writ her name in crimson flame!
Fight on, fight on, fight on, men!
Remember the Rose Bowl we'll win then!
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!

Also to make these amazing sugar cookies click on this link to see the recipe for Bradford Sugar Cookies.

Enjoy and Roll Tide!

Whipping Cream Cake

We have a friend named Will who is in school here in Tuscaloosa and who we love dearly. I swear since I have lived here in Alabama, even before we were married I would make food for Will and Thad. Will also mows lawns and does a dang good job at it. Life has been crazy for us these last 9 months and doing basic things like mowing the lawn seems to be impossible. So this is the second time Thad has offered my food in exchange for our front and back lawns to be mowed by our friend Will. This last time Thad gave Will the option of money or a meal and he chose.....a meal.

So the pressure was on. I ended up making chicken enchiladas with all the "fixins'" and I wanted something pretty wow for our Will. I had a couple cartons of strawberries and had some blueberries in the refrigerator, so I wanted something yummy to put them on. I came across this Whipping Cream Cake in my mom's book of recipes and had wanted to try it for some time. It was quick and easy to make and I could tell by a quick taste of the batter that it was going to be delightful. My assumptions were correct and it was an amazing cake that really did not need much added to it and could stand alone because of its rich and dense flavor. So good.

Whipping Cream Cake
1 cup butter softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Start off by preheating oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan and set aside.

Using a medium size bowl (I use my Kitchen Aide), combine the softened butter and sugar. Mix on medium until light, fluffy and creamy. Next add the eggs, one at a time beating for 30 seconds each. Then add the cake flour and cream until mixed well. Lastly, stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts, until combined.

Once mixed well and all ingredients are incorporated, using the previously greased and floured bundt pan, spoon the batter in to the bundt pan, making sure the batter is evenly distributed. Then place in oven. Bake the cake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I start checking the cake about 45 minutes into the baking time by using a butter knife and inserting it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean or has some crumbs on it, then it is down.

Once done baking, take out of oven and let cool for about 10 minutes in bundt pan on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, invert the pan onto a cooling rack and cool completely. For garnish you can use any type of seasonal fruit with a little bit of whipping cream to top it off.

This cake is a delicious summer dessert, rich and light, topped off with some fresh fruit and cream, you seriously can't go wrong. I promise you won't be disappointed with this one.

Bon Appetit!

Banana Whoopie Pies

I am always looking for recipes to make with bananas because I feel like I always have ripened bananas hanging around. I think I have told you before that I always have bananas on hand even when I am not a big banana eater. It just makes me feel healthy and makes my kitchen feel homey to have them sitting there on top of my microwave. Since living in the South I have heard more about whoopie pies and seen them sold more than I have anywhere else. There are red velvet whoopie pies, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, raspberry, peanut butter........any flavor you could ever want.

So as I was browsing through some of Martha Stewart's recipes on her website, I typed in the word banana and it gave me an array of recipes involving bananas and there in front of me was a recipe for Banana Whoopie Pies. Since I was a Whoopie Pie virgin I knew that I had to try them and enter into the world of Whoopie Pies. These cake-like sandwiches were originally made by Pennsylvanian Amish woman, who placed them in farmer's lunches and it is said that when they would find these pies in their lunches they would shout "whoopie". After making these delicious little treats, I was taken with the moistness of the recipe, and how good the banana cake was with a creamy cream cheese frosting.....divine is all I can say about this recipe, divine.

Banana Whoopie Pies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)

1/2 cup sour cream

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture. Mix until well blended.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 9- 12 minutes (mine were done in 9 minutes). Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.) While cookies are cooling make the cream cheese frosting below.........

Cream Cheese Frosting (for filling)

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

16 ounces confectioners sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a stand mixer combine cream cheese, butter and sugar. Mix at high speed for 5-6 minutes. The longer you mix frosting, the smoother the texture will be. Then lastly, add in the vanilla. Mix until completely blended.

Once cookies are cooled, pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.

I have been converted to Whoopie Pies and I am a lover of banana bread, so banana bread with cream cheese frosting is nothing short of heavenly. So easy to make and is a perfect finger food for any gathering. You will not be disappointed by this amazing comfort food!

Enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

The other day I was sitting in a mechanic shop waiting for Thad''s truck to get serviced. I knew that I had about an hour to wait and wondered how I would spend that hour. I looked over and on a magazine rack were Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living and Peoples magazine. Once I saw the magazines, I knew there was going to be plenty to keep me entertained. I started off with the Peoples magazine because, who can resist some salacious gossip? Next I moved on to Better Homes and Gardens and drooled over the gorgeous homes and great recipes. I am sure the receptionist could hear me taring out pages as I found some must try recipes. I then moved onto Southern Living and found some more great recipes. I tore out a page that read "Best-Ever Bar Cookies" and listed on the back side of the page I ripped out, were Mississippi Mud Brownies.

Now I know that it is Spring/Summer and that maybe I should have gone with a fruity treat but these looked too scrumptious to pass up. And after making the beauties I was not disappointed at all. They were amazing. There is something about a dense brownie, topped with marshmallows, toasted pecans and ooey gooey frosting that is hard to resist.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

1 (4 oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking bar
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 cups mini-marshmallows

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 in pan, set aside.

Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, set aside.

Using a microwave-safe bowl microwave chocolate and butter at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Once melted, whisk in sugar and eggs until well blended (I used a large spoon). Lastly stir in flour until completed mixed. Spread batter into greased 13 x 9-inch pan and place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake the brownies until a wooden pick or butter knife inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs

When there is about 5-10 minutes left in the baking of the brownies, start on the frosting.....

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16 oz.) package sifted powdered sugar

Once done baking, remove the brownies from oven and place on a cooling rack. Immediately pour the marshmallows onto the warm brownies. Next place the toasted pecans on the brownies. Once pecans and marshmallows are added, pour the frosting onto the warm brownies, spreading frosting to the edges. Let brownies cool for 1 or more hours on wire rack. I find that if they sit overnight they set better and once cut come out prettier.

Brownies lovers, this recipe is for you, a chocolaty brownie with marshmallows, pecans and chocolate frosting, you can't go wrong, so give these try, you will not be disappointed.

Enjoy!

Happy 30th Birthday Mark!

Today is my brother-in-law's Mark's 30th birthday and although he is not here, we still are able to celebrate him and the man that he was and is. We have our happy birthday sign hanging on the mantle and cupcakes ready to eat.

Yesterday, Thad and many of Mark's family, friends and comrades walked 30 miles in honor of his birthday. It was so neat to see these men walking together, the whole way taking each step in honor of Mark. There were 5 rest stops and one of the stops was at the Forester residence. In honor of Mark's birthday I was in charge of making cupcakes for the walkers to eat. What a sight to see, all of the 35 walkers holding cupcakes and singing happy birthday to Mark.

I wanted to make the best cupcakes I could for Mark and I have found that the best yellow cake cupcake I can find is a dressed up yellow cake mix. Now I am not one for cake mixes and was raised to believe that in some way I was committing a sin using a boxed anything but in this case I feel that it is okay to do so. What dresses up this cake mix you ask? Yogurt/sour cream and pudding mix. Take my word on this one, I have looked long and hard for the most moist and light yellow cupcake recipe and this one is it. So give these a try and take my word for it.

Dressed Up Yellow Cake Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)
1 package (3.4 oz) Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (I used yogurt)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon rum extract

Begin by setting the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" cake rounds and set aside. Combine the cake mix, jello, eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil, water and rum extract. For mixing instructions follow the back of the cake box. Once completely mixed, I like to use an ice cream scooper to dish my batter into the cupcake pan to make a uniform cupcakes. I Fill the cupcakes about three-fourths full. Place cupcakes in the oven, letting them bake for about 13-20 minutes. Mine are usually perfect at 15 minutes.

Once done baking, take out of oven, remove from cupcake pan and cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling, start making this delicious buttermilk frosting....

Peggle's Buttermilk Frosting
1/3 cup butter (I usually overshoot on this measurement, more butter never hurts)
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
*I add 1-2 tablespoons more of milk to give it a creamier consistency.

This frosting is the best. So easy. Just mix all ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.

Once frosting is made and cupcakes are cooled, frost cupcakes with Peggle's Buttermilk frosting and then voila, you have the most moist and delicate cupcake in town.

Mark today we are missing you more than ever but we also know that you are not far from us. Love you Markie Mark and happy 30th birthday.

Cheers!

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies at the Farmer's Market.....

It feels like forever since I have last posted. It has been a crazy month and I just got home from visiting my family in Utah yesterday. It is great to be home but also had a great time in Utah. One of the reason I went home to Utah for a few weeks was to help my mom. She was recently accepted into the Salt Lake City Farmer's Market. The Salt Lake City Farmer's Market is well known and hard to get into, so this is an amazing opportunity but also a lot of pressure to make sure she sells the best products.

What is she selling at the Salt Lake City Farmer's Market? Well my mom has over 1,000

lavender plants on a 5 acre farm in Millville, UT. She grows and harvests all her own lavender. With her lavender she makes field bundles, which are bundles that are put together when harvested (this bundle looks more rustic). She sales cleaned bundles which are neater in appearance, lavender infused apricot jelly, lavender infused honey, Herbs de Provence, culinary lavender, oatmeal lavender sea salt, lavender sachets made out of vintage hanker chiefs and napkins and lavender soap.

So this past Saturday we went and set up a table at the Logan Farmer's Market. She has sold there before and we wanted to see how well her lavender bouquets and products would sell. To our delight they were all a complete success. Since I was visiting, I thought I would use my baking skills and make some chocolate chip cookies using her culinary lavender and also sell them at the farmer's market.

I took a recipe that I love and is one of my very favorites for chocolate chip cookies called New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies (for the recipe click HERE) and incorporated lavender. The end results was nothing but a culinary delight. We packaged them pretty and sold them for $1 a piece. My nephew and the love of my life Max, was my main salesman and he sold them hard by offering every person who passed by a sample of a Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookie and they sold out.

Many people are surprised by the idea of using lavender in food but the lavender adds a neat flavor that is unlike any other herb in its taste, color and texture. The lavender adds a unique taste that is distinct and delicious.

Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies

To make Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies, follow the New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe and after adding the chocolate chips, add just under a 1/8 cup of ground culinary lavender into your cookies. To grind lavender I use a mortar and pestle and grind up the lavender until it is as fine as possible, almost a powdery substance. Then add the lavender to the dough, mix until just blended and then you are ready to bake.

You will love this lavender treat, that will make you go back for seconds.

To learn more about lavender and to purchase lavender please visit The Purple Apple

Bon Appetit!

Vintage Cake Stands...................

Do you have something that you always search for on-line when you are bored or just dreaming? Well I do. Cake stands! I love old and vintage anything. I have always loved collecting "things" since I was young. I always loved rocks and collected them when we would travel. I also collected Barbies of all sorts and was known as the Barbie Queen. I would and still get them for birthdays and Christmas because I loved loved loved playing Barbies growing up, now I leave them unopened but still love receiving them. I also collected Madame Alexander Dolls, my grandma would give us one each year for our birthdays. As I got older I started collecting cute tea pots.

As of late, since I love to bake I love old vintage cake stands, to hold not only cakes but cupcakes, chocolates, cookies or lemon squares. So here is to dreaming and wishing. Check back with me in ten years and hopefully I will have an extensive collections of vintage cake stands.

Easter and Sugar Cookies........

For every holiday and time of year I love, I make sugar cookies and decorate them according to that season. I love spring time and I love Easter. I love everything about Easter....Easter egg hunts, dying eggs and spring dishes. I love it all. For the famous Bradford Sugar Cookie Recipe, click here. Here is to a beautiful spring and Easter. Enjoy!

Caroline's Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies......

About once a week I go and visit all my favorite food blogs. I see what new recipes they have posted and usually print out a stack of "new" recipes I want to try. Truly surfing my food blogs brings me happiness and gives me a sense a peace, I can't explain it, maybe its because I love to see other bloggers who have a passion for cooking and also love to see how creative other people are.

One of the blogs that I visit often is Caroline's Bake Shop. I love her blog and am always so impressed with the recipes she posts. I also love Caroline because we grew up together in Walnut Creek, CA and went to the same church. Her older sister Kristin was our favorite babysitter ever and honestly we loved her. I remember one year Caroline, her sisters Courtney and Kristin and brother Justin came to my birthday party. I thought I was so cool because they were so much older than me, and they had taken the time to come.

So anyways, I was doing my weekly perusing of my blogs and clicked on Caroline's blog. She had posted a recipe for Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies. I instantly thought of my husband and how this sounded like the perfect cookie for him, mainly because he loves chocolate chip cookies and coconut. So I decided to make them that night for the hubs. He loved them and they were even better the next day.

These cookies are soft and chewy and have made the perfect partnership of coconut and chocolate. If you are a coconut lover then these cookies are so for you....

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 2/3 cup coconut (yes,you read that correctly)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. I then place a sheet of parchment paper on top of my cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Once combined, at the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix each one completely. Then add the vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mix well. Then add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until it is barely combined. Then add the coconut, milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter. Mix until just combined. Place the dough into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Then scoop out a tablespoon of dough, shaping into a round ball and place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes (my cookies took 11 minutes). Once baked to perfection allow to sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to allow to cool completely.

These are easy to make cookies that will send your taste buds reallying with the combo of butter, coconut and chocolate chips. These cookies are worth every calorie.

Carrot Cake Cookies

Ok so I love cookbooks. I feel like there are not enough hours in the day to make all the recipes that I find. I also have a huge stack of recipes that I have printed off, that I have had every intention of trying. I have cookbooks that I have tried about 1-5 recipes in them, knowing that they hold countless undiscovered yummy recipes that could become family favorites. Unfortunately I try about 1 % of the recipes I find and the list just gets bigger and bigger. But I am here to say that I finally tried a recipe that I have eyed for a while.

When spring comes around I start getting the Easter itch. I love Easter, I love dying Easter eggs, love Easter egg hunts and jelly beans. I also think of springy desserts. One dessert that is so appropriate for spring is Carrot Cake, so when I was looking through my "Martha Stewart's Cookies" cookbook and found a recipe for Carrot Cake Cookies, I knew that I had to try these because I love carrot cake and cookies.

This recipe was a delight. After making the dough I sampled it and I remember telling Thad that the dough tasted like carrot cake in a cookie form. I didn't think it could be done but some how they did it! And what cookie does not taste fantastic sandwiched between cream cheese frosting. After a careful taste testing session by Thad, he gave them a strong thumbs up. His only want was for some more cream cheese frosting in the carrot cake cookies and some milk.

Carrot Cake Cookies

1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, (about 3 large carrots)
1 cup raisins

Start off by preheating oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugars and butter; beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well combined.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; stir to combine. Gradually add flour to butter mixture; mix on a low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.

Once dough has chilled and is firm, shape tablespoons of dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Transfer to oven, and bake until browned and crisped, rotating pan halfway through baking to ensure even color, 12 to 15 minutes (my cookies were perfect just at 11 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat baking process with remaining dough.

While cookies are cooling start on the cream cheese frosting (below). Once cookies are completely cooled, use an offset spatula to spread the cream-cheese filling onto a cookie (they say to use 2 teaspoons but I used twice that amount on mine). Sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

*This recipe makes 2 cups but I liked more cream cheese on my cookies, so I doubled the recipe and this recipe doubled was just enough.

Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

These cookies are, as Martha says "tiny inside-out carrot cakes, with the signature cream cheese frosting on the inside and spiced cake on the outside". They are guaranteed to win over any carrot cake lover, so enjoy!

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes w/ Strawberry Frosting.....

There are many places that I day dream about visiting, sadly it is the not the historical monuments or incredible shopping I dream about......its the food. I am a self proclaimed foodie who grew up in a house where food was good and always made from scratch. We traveled a lot and tried some amazing food and I feel like that is where I developed my love for all things delicious. I still think about the Patisserie in the little quaint downtown of St. Cloud, France in which we lived. You could get every beautiful french pastry you could have dreamed of there and the care in which was put into each baked good was exquisite. Since then I love little quaint bakeries. There are so many bakeries that I want to visit someday. To name a few Magnolia Bakery in NYC, Miette in San Francisco, Georgetown Cupcake in DC and Baked in Brooklyn...and many many more.

So to add to my dream bakeries to visit is Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills, California. I remember hearing about them for the first time from my mom. She told me how good they were and that people order them from all over the world. It is rumored that they were one of the very first Cupcake bakeries.

On Oprah's official website she featured Candace Nelson, the owner and founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes, showing how to make their famous Strawberry Cupcakes. I was instantly intrigued and had recently told Thad that in my food daydreams I envision a strawberry cupcake with strawberry icing, since whenever spring starts to creep up I want to bake with berries and a strawberry cupcake sounded so light, fresh and spring-y. So all the stars aligned and it was just meant to be that I came across this recipe, plus felt pretty cool having the recipe for a Sprinkles Cupcake.


Sprinkles Cupcakes' Strawberry Cupcake
2/3 cup fresh or frozen whole strawberries (thawed if frozen)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk , room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg whites , room temperature

Start off by preheating the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree. Add a few more strawberries if necessary, or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the milk, vanilla and strawberry puree; set aside.

In the bowl of an stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

Turning the mixer to low, slowly add half the flour mixture, mixing until just blended. Add the milk mixture, also mixing until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended. You want to be sure to not over mix because if you mix it too much it will be a dry, harder cupcake. So be sure to not over mix.

Using an ice cream scooper or a spoon, evenly divide batter among prepared muffin cups (they should be about 2/3 full). Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes (my cupcakes took 15 minutes due to a fast oven, but be sure to watch them closely). Once done baking, transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.


Sprinkles Cupcakes' Strawberry Frosting
1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not over mix, or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

These cupcakes were a treat. They were moist, light and the flavor was subtle but just enough to give you a little taste of strawberry. A spring time recipe that I will be making again soon. Until we meet in person Sprinkles Cupcakes, these will have to do.

Bon Appetit!

Yummiest Chocolate Cupcake Ever..........

We all know that cupcakes are all the craze right now. There are cupcake shops popping up all over the place and something so classic as a cupcake has become the newest coolest baked good. I think that everyone needs in their recipe arsenal a good chocolate cupcake recipe and a good vanilla cupcake recipe. I have been looking for both for some time now and my chocolate cupcakes I just stumbled upon.

I am not sure if you remember when I had my first official catering job. It was for Thad's work and they wanted me to make alabama cupcakes (here is the link). For the chocolate cupcakes I made Surprised Filled Cupcakes. For this cupcake there is a cream cheese filling that goes in them and they are very good. When I was making these cupcakes for the catering job, I ran out of the filling and had some chocolate batter left over and so I made some plain chcoclate cupcakes with the extra batter. Thad had one of the plain chocolate cupcakes and raved about how moist and good they were. I had a taste and agreed. And in that moment, our favorite chocolate cupcake was discovered.

This recipe does not have eggs in it so it is a denser more moist cupcake. It is the perfect consistency for a perfect chocolate cupcake and a must make.

Chocolate Cupcake
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups water

Start off by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees. Get out a 12 cup cupcake pan and place 12 cupcake liners in the pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix. Then add the next 4 liquid ingredients....vinegar, vanilla, oil and water, mixing until barely combined. Once all ingredients are added, mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Once completely mixed, I like to use an ice cream scooper to dish my batter into the cupcake pan to make a uniform cupcakes. I Fill the cupcakes about three-fourths full. Place cupcakes in the oven, letting them bake for about 13-20 minutes. Mine are usually perfect at 15 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, place on cooling rack and let cool completely. These cupcakes can stand alone in taste without frosting but if you want to dress them up, you can top them off with a delish chocolate frosting. Click here for chocolate frosting recipe

These cupcakes are always a crowd pleaser and oh so good.

Enjoy!

Heavenly Hash Fudge

I love Valentines Day. Really, I have always loved V-day. I loved V-day when I was a kid and got to make Valentines for everyone in my class or those Valentines when I felt everyone in the world had a Valentine but me...even then, I still loved the holiday.

Since I do love Valentines, I have been making my favorite sweets and trying to experiment with others. Living in France I loved Mousse au Chocolat and so I found a recipe and made it. The mousse was good but not great and not worth sharing. And of course the plan was to make my the beloved Bradford Sugar Cookies for friends and although the weekend got away from me, still hope to do so this evening. Along with my pre-Valentines day baking I came across this recipe for Heavenly Hash Fudge. I am a sucker for anything fudgie.

David Gaus, a Pastry chef shares this recipe as his favorite Valentines Day treat. He says that growing up in New Orleans "the candy box of choice was Elmer’s Heavenly Hash. The local department stores – Maison Blanche and Krauss’ – were piled high with them during the season, in all their gleaming cellophane glory. Coming out of a sweet-deprived Lent, it really did seem like a little slice of heaven".

You would think that David, a pastry chef, would choose as a his fav Valentine's Day dessert something other than fudge but he says "there’s still nothing more appealing to me than a perfect morsel of fudge, preferably studded with pecans, thanks to my Southern bias. The smooth, soft chocolate with the crunch of a fresh roasted nut is an ideally balanced texture. The richness is decadent. I’m talking about Heavenly Hash."

With that said, after making it I too was taken by it. It was rich, smooth and those toasted pecans and soft marshmallows put it over the top. Warning: It is rich, so too much will result in a tummy ache (this may or may not be due to personal experience).

Heavenly Hash Fudge
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3⁄4 pound semisweet chocolate (preferably 58%–61% cacao), finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 cups toasted pecan pieces
1 1⁄2 cups mini marshmallows

Lightly coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place a 10-inch-square piece of parchment paper in the baking dish, coat with nonstick cooking spray, and set the dish aside.

Bring the sugar, evaporated milk, and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the syrup reaches 220°F (it will have a foam of finely textured bubbles on top like the foam on a beer), about 8 minutes.

Turn off the heat and whisk in the chocolate, vanilla, and salt until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool for 3 minutes (you shouldn't’t feel any heat if you touch a dab to the bottom of your lip) and then stir in the pecans and marshmallows until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into a somewhat even layer using a rubber spatula (it’s okay if it’s a little bumpy and rustic). Tap the pan on your work surface a couple of times to compact, and then cover flush with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hour or overnight. David says in his recipe to let it sit for 1 hour or over night but my fudge took several hours to set and was even better the next day.

Place a deep bowl or pitcher of hot water next to your work surface. Invert the chocolate onto a cutting board and carefully remove the parchment paper. Dip a chef’s knife or pizza wheel into the hot water and cut the bar into 2-inch squares (I cut my pieces into 1 inch squares because of its richness). Place the heavenly hash in paper candy cups, wrap in decorative foil, or arrange on a serving platter and refrigerate. Let the candies sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

*Note: It you are not a bittersweet fan, I would use a semi-sweet or milk chocolate for this recipe which I think would taste divine too.

These are the perfect chocolaty Valentines Day treat and so easy to make!

Happy Valentines Day!

XOX