Celebrating Three!

My son turned 3 recently, and as soon as I saw this eye-popping cake on Pinterest pinned from Enchanted Mommy's site, I knew it was the perfect one for his birthday celebration!  He fell in love with M&Ms while we were potty-training him this past year (for every successful potty trip, he got 2 M&Ms as reward).  Many thanks to the mommy who originally made this fun and creative cake!

I basically followed the instructions on the site.  They seemed simple enough:  (1) take two bundt cakes, slice and form together to make the number 3, then (2) ice with chocolate frosting, and (3) cover in M&Ms.

I decided to make Martha Stewart's Lemon Ginger Bundt Cake (if you want to keep things really simple, you can purchase two bundt cakes from the bakery or grocery store).  This lemon ginger cake is fabulous!  It has great flavor and texture.  If you're not a fan of ginger, you can leave it out but I love the addition of the flavor (you can find crystallized ginger in the baking section of most grocery stores).

While the two bundt cakes were baking in the oven, I sorted out the M&Ms by color.  This would have been a fun exercise for my boys except I couldn't trust them to leave enough M&Ms for the cake!  I used four 12.6 oz bags of dark chocolate M&Ms to get enough of each color (did you know there are more orange and blue M&Ms than any other color in any given bag?).

When the cake had finished baking and cooled off, it was ready to slice.  Here are the slices I made to form the number 3 (by the way, this would also be a fun 8th birthday cake!).

Once formed, I iced a thin layer of chocolate frosting onto the cake (I used Savory Sweet Life's Dark Chocolate Ganache recipe but canned frosting works perfectly fine!).  The frosting acts as glue for the M&Ms, but beware, too much frosting and your M&Ms will drown in chocolate!

Obviously, the most tedious part was strategically placing each M&M.  It took about an hour to accomplish this.  But the finished product is, oh, so worth it!

This little guy made it worth all the effort.

This cake is perfect for any special 3rd occasion!

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies and a Mother's Prayer

One of my favorite pastimes is baking with my eldest son (and eventually with both sons when the younger one is old enough).  I'd like to think it's one of my son's favorite pastimes, too.  He's always eager to roll up his sleeves, get in the kitchen, make a mess, sample a taste here and another one there, and be a help to mom (even though most times it ends up being more of a mess when he helps!).

As we were baking strawberry lemonade cookies over the weekend (inspired by these lemon cookies), I started to think about what kind of man he would become one day.  Would he be nurturing?  Generous? Kind?  Thoughtful?  Artistic?  Adventurous?  Strong-minded?  Passionate?  Would he even continue to enjoy baking?

God-willing, if he should become a husband one day, I pray he'd be a great blessing to his wife and family, much the way his own father is.  On days when his wife may need an extra dose of encouragement, I picture this . . .

One day when his wife is feeling down and out, upset, or exhausted, he'll go into the kitchen, search the pantry, and open up a couple boxes of cake mix.

He'll mix each of the batter in separate bowls with eggs, vegetable oil, and lemon extract.  He'll lovingly shape the lemon and strawberry dough into balls, roll them in confectioners sugar, and lay them out on the baking sheet, all the while praying for his beloved.

He'll bake the cookies by the batches and minutes later, he'll present them to his wife.  Her tears are no more.

A couple days will pass and when my daughter-in-law is feeling better, she'll call me and tell me about the awful day she had.

"I came home, hid under the covers, and cried my eyes out.  I told CJ [or "Nathan" when his wife calls] all about it.  And you know what?  He baked me a batch of strawberry lemonade cookies, kissed me on the forehead, and said a prayer for me.  And I knew everything would be okay."

And quietly in my heart, I'll give praise to God.

Is it crazy to dream up this scenario and get all emotional at the thought of my sons getting married and becoming loving husbands one day???  They're not even 4 yet!  But I know how quickly time passes and that these years will go by in the blink of an eye.  It is never too early, nor too late as long as we continue to take breath here on earth, to pray for our children and the building of their character.

My prayers for you, my beloved boys, is that you will know the love of Christ deeply in every facet of your being and that His love will overflow from your heart and in all that you (I pray this also for myself).  May you become men who love, serve, and give selflessly to others just as God Himself gave selflessly to us.  May you become husbands your wives will lean on and in whose presence will always feel safe, protected, and cherished; fathers your children will respect and admire; and a peer your friends can reach out to in their time of need.  

And if the occasion should call for it, that you'll bake a batch of cookies and bless those around you.  :)

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
{Makes about 40 cookies; Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes per batch}

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix
4 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil (for each batter)
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 
2. Pour lemon cake mix into a large bowl and the strawberry cake mix in another bowl. Stir in 2 eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, and 1 tsp lemon extract to each flavored cake mix until well blended. 
3. Take 2 rounded teaspoons of lemon batter and roll into a ball. Do the same with the strawberry batter. Combine the lemon and strawberry dough to make one large ball.  
4. Drop the dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottoms are light brown and the insides are chewy. Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving. 

P.S. They're even better the day after they're baked.

Macaron Madness

My very near and dear friend from college was in town from California this week, and she suggested I make macarons for her after seeing the macaron tower I had pinned on Pinterest.  Seeing as it's been on my list of "to-dos", I figured this was a good reason to give macarons a try!  So we put on our aprons (well, at least I did), grabbed our spatulas, and made an evening out of it.

My friend would like me to clarify she is not being fobby in the photo.  She's giving the sign for number two - our second try after a botched first attempt (we made three in one night).

We had a blast, even though the macarons were a bust for the most part.

Now I understand what they mean by "macaron madness".  It's not that you're mad about macarons,  but rather they'll make you mad trying to get them to be perfect!  Where did we go wrong?  Well, some of the factors included not reading instructions carefully, skipping a vital step (mixing the ground almond with the powdered sugar in a food processor), and laughing too much when we should've probably been watching the oven (it baked quicker than the recommended 10 minutes in my oven).

Out of 50-some shells, only two turned out somewhat decently.  Just enough to make one lovely, first-time effort macaron filled with dark chocolate ganache.

Regardless of pretty or not, I have to say they still taste amazing!  The crumbs on my boys' shirts can attest to that.

I will try again (probably using the instructions from this video and helpful tips from this blog).  In the meantime, we're enjoying eating the "mistakes".

We hope everyone has a blessed Easter!

Roasted Parsnip Chips

Who knew that parsnips could be so pretty or taste so good?  I surely didn't until I picked up Annabel Karmel's book, My Favorite Recipes, from the library.

As soon as I saw the beautiful bloom of parsnip chips, I knew I wanted to try the recipe even though I've never cooked with parsnips before.  So I went to the local grocery store and picked up 4 parsnips, located right next to the carrots in the produce section.

This recipe is so simple.  It requires two steps and then you've got a beautiful presentation of healthy snacks for you and the kids.  The flavor is very similar to taro chips.

Once baked, assemble in a bowl or jar and snack away.  Enjoy!

Roasted Parsnip Chips
Adapted from My Favorite Recipes

Ingredients:
2 parsnips
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Peel the parsnips and cut off the ends.  Cut into thin, long slices (much easier to do with a mandolin slicer).
2. Lay the parsnip slices on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes or until golden, turning every 10 minutes.

Chocolate-Pistachio Trees

I know it's been a while since the last entry on this blog.  Thanks to all those who've continued to visit, comment, and like on Facebook.  I really appreciate the support and encouragement.  I haven't been able to devote as much time to the blog as I'd like, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share these delightful cookies with you.

I participated in a cookie exchange with 9 other moms at my son's preschool.  Had I known I had to make 5 dozen cookies beforehand, I may not have participated!  But it was well worth the effort and the cookies were fairly easy to make.  The hardest part was shelling the pistachios!  I should've bought the package of shelled pistachios but they cost more and I was trying to save money instead of time (which is often a huge mistake and something I have yet to learn).

The initial product went from looking like crap (quite literally):

Though not appetizing to look at, it smells delightful.

To a beautiful presentation of lovely chocolate trees:

Now that's more like it.  :)

I was actually disappointed the cookie didn't come out crispy or crunchy as I had expected.  It was a softer cookie, but my husband and boys loved it.  The cookie itself also wasn't very sweet, but the melted chocolate added just the right amount of sweetness along with a nice added crunch from the pistachios.

Hope you enjoy, too!  I'd love to hear what some of your favorite holiday cookies are.  Maybe I'll try those out for next year's cookie exchange.

And just in case I don't get around to another post this year,

*
Merry 
Christmas and 
Happy New Year to all!  
Hope this holiday season is filled 
and brimming with life's greatest joys.
 From family to friends and loved ones far and
near.  From feasts to sweets and everything delightful
in between.   From angels singing to wise men bowing and
all of earth rejoicing.  May the Lord bless you & your loved
ones this
holiday.

Chocolate-Pistachio Trees
From Better Homes & Gardens

{Prep time: 60 minutes, Chill time:  30 minutes, Bake:  9 minutes per batch, Makes:  about 48 cookies}

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon shortening
½ cup ground pistachio nuts


Tip
To prepare the pistachios for this recipe, place 2 cups whole shelled pistachios in a food processor.  Pulse several times until the nuts are finely chopped.  Remove the ¾ cup to be used in the dough.  Continue pulsing the remaining nuts until finely grounded to use for garnish.

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar; heat and stir over low heat until butter is melted.  Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla.  Cool mixture for 15 minutes.  Stir in egg, flour, and cocoa powder until mixture is combined.  Stir in the 3/4 cup pistachio nuts.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough, half at a time, to a 1/4-inch thickness.  Using a tree-shape cookie cutter, cut out cookies.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven about 9 minutes or until edges are firm. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.
4. In a heavy small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and shortening; heat and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat.  Dip one-third of each cookie into chocolate mixture; roll edges of cookie in ground pistachio nuts.   Makes about 48 cookies.

StorageLayer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Made With Love and Prayers for Japan

Like so many others, my heart goes out to the people of Japan.  Tomorrow's Bake Sale for Japan happening all across the nation is just a small and simple way for me and others to help in some way.  And as the quote at the top of the bake sale site says, "Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world."  I believe that.

As I thought about what I wanted to contribute, I had a desire to make something symbolic of new life and new hope.  The butterfly seemed perfect.

There are many wonderful bloggers (New York ones listed here), homemade bakers, and incredible local bakeries donating goods to tomorrow's New York bake sale.  Thank you to the organizers and all those contributing goods and donating funds toward Peace Winds Japan!

And a personal gratitude with much love to my sister-in-law for watching the boys and allowing me to get these ready for tomorrow!  And also a huge thank you to Alice of Savory Sweet Life for saving the chocolate cupcakes with her killer recipe.

I know folks are curious, so I'll post a 3-part series next week on how these cupcakes came together.

In the meantime, they're packed and ready to go.  If you're in the New York area, please come out to Brooklyn Flea tomorrow and support this wonderful cause.

To the people of Japan and all those affected by the recent disaster, may God heal your land, your hearts, and fill you with great Hope in the midst of great tragedy.  Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.

When Life Throws You Lemons

When life throws you lemons, well, you have yourself a good cry and then you bake some cookies as consolation.

The past couple weeks have been such a whirlwind of emotions flying in every direction.  Life has been complicated.  And many days have been spent wondering when things might get a little easier.

Then I visited my best friend while I was in Virginia, and as we talked, she offered me a fresh batch of lemon cookies.  I devoured one chewy, lemony goodness after another and couldn't stop myself.  And when I found out how easy they were to make, I thanked God for simple joys and pleasures in life.  Like these cookies.  And 20 year friendships that withstand the test of time, offensive amount of Rave hairspray, acid wash jeans, stupid boy crushes, and five pregnancies between us.

It took a simple afternoon with a dear friend and some cookies to remind me there is much to celebrate and take delight in, even when life is anything but easy.  But this is what I hope I'll be able to do every day:  find joy in life's simple pleasures.  I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

Lastly, I am participating in the NYC Bake Sale for Japan.  It's a simple means to help in a big way.  Sometimes we don't think our simple acts amount to much.  But I love this quote on the bakesaleforjapan.com site:  Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. - Howard Zinne

Additional bakers and volunteers are still needed for the New York bake sale.  If you'd like to contribute in any way, please contact Lillian of Sweets by Sillianah at NYCBakesale@gmail.com.  And if you'd like to get involved in your own area, check out bakesaleforjapan.com for more information and to see participating locations.

Blissfully Simple Lemon Cookies
{Makes 24 cookies; Prep-time: 10 minutes; Bake time: 10 minutes}
Adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, and lemon extract until well blended. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving. 
   
   P.S.  They're even better the day after they're baked.

Bite-sized Decadent Brownies

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for spring!  In early anticipation, I decided to bake a treat fit for Easter.  I used a Wilton mini-cupcake silicone mold in adorable daisy shapes and created these decadent brownies.  They're not decadent because they're difficult to make; they're decadent because it's difficult to not overindulge bite after bite.  Before you know it, you've consumed 20 of these little suckers without even realizing it (not that I'm speaking from personal experience or anything like that).  :)

I found the Wilton mini-cupcake daisy mold at the local Christmas Tree Shop and got it for less than $8.  What a great buy!  I know I'm going to be using this often. 

{ Love this mold! }

Ok, so here's why I love these brownie bites!  My favorite part of brownies are the chewy edges.  Yum!  Because these molds create small, individual brownies, they each turn out chewy and delicious.  Almost like chewy chocolate cookies.   And it couldn't get any simpler with a little help from Duncan Hines.  :)  My favorite brownie mix though, if you must know, is Betty Crocker's Triple Chunk Brownies.  That's one serious box of chocolate chewy, gooey goodness.

These brownie bites are scrumptious and addictive just by themselves.  But you can doll them up with a simple swirl of frosting or get really festive with sprinkles and your favorite Easter candy.  I chose to make them more decadent with hazelnut flavored cream cheese frosting, sugar sprinkles, and peanut M&Ms.

One word of caution:  Lightly coat the mini-cupcake pan with cooking spray prior to pouring the batter in.  This will keep it from sticking.  Another tip:  after baking, be sure to let the brownies cool completely in the mold before removing them.  Otherwise, they'll break apart. 

By the way, please don't let my hand in the photos detract you from the treat.  I was obviously not meant to be a hand model like Joey from "Friends" (love that episode!).

Enjoy and cheers to warmer days!

Bite-sized Decadent Brownies
{Prep time: 10 minutes; Bake time: 25 minutes; Makes approx. 32 bite-sized brownies}

1 19-oz package brownie mix
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Cooking spray to coat mini-cupcake pan
1 recipe hazelnut cream cheese frosting (see below)
Sprinkles and candy for topping

Heat oven to 350 degrees for shiny metal pan (325 for nonstick or glass pan).   Lightly coat mini-cupcake pan with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, stir brownie mix, egg, oil, and water until well blended.  Pour batter by rounded teaspoon (approx. 2) into each mold, filling it about 2/3 full.  Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan on wire rack completely before removing brownies from the mold.  Once cooled, gently remove the brownies, frost and decorate.

Hazelnut Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and hazelnut extract. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

{ made with love for my love }

This was the special treat made for my husband's birthday this past Friday (recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart).  I also made extra to contribute to a fundraising bake sale with the proceeds going toward a wonderful New York-based, non-profit organization called Bread and Water (they help provide relief across the world). 

It's a wonderful dessert to share with loved ones on Valentine's Day or any day for that matter.  I love the light fluffiness and sweet strawberry flavor of the buttercream frosting, but the cake itself is also delicious and moist (with the help of a little milk). 

Though the recipe can seem intimidating, it's really not.  The cupcake is simple to make (the most time-consuming part was chopping the strawberries).  The swiss meringue buttercream frosting can be made in advance or while the cupcakes are baking.  Here's a basic tutorial on how to make swiss meringue buttercream frosting.  If you refrigerate the cupcakes, just be sure to let them defrost at room temperature for a couple hours before serving.

To make it more festive, I transformed strawberry gummy candy and strawberry slices into heart shapes as garnish.

I've made a handful of different cupcakes now, and I have to say these are definitely among the top fave. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Recipe from Martha Stewart

{ Makes 34 cupcakes }

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus small strawberries for garnish (or use gummy strawberry candy for garnish)
Strawberry Buttercream (recipe below)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
2. Reduce speed to low. Mix in the vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with the flour.  Scrape sides of bowl.  Stir in chopped strawberries.  Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
3. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.  Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with strawberry buttercream.  Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with a strawberry just before serving.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Recipe from Martha Stewart

{Makes about 5 cups}

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, pureed

Directions:

1. Place whites and sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking well after each addition.
3. Switch to a paddle attachment. With mixer on low, add strawberry puree, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Almond Drop Cookies with Almond Glaze

{ almond drops glazed in almond sweetness }

The family went over to a friend's for dinner for some amazing Chinese hot pot (fondue-style Asian stew)!   It was delicious and totally hit the spot.  I'll have to endeavor to make some and host a hot pot party at our home this winter. 

We were in charge of dessert.  I wasn't sure what to make to complement hot pot, but I was in the mood for something with almonds.  Inspired by the vanilla cookie sandwiches, I played around with the recipe and made almond drop cookies drizzled with almond glaze.  They were a hit.

What I love about this cookie is that it's soft, chewy, and has just a touch of sweetness, which is perfect for the kids.  And if you want something a little extra sweet, just drizzle it with some almond glaze goodness. 

I think these could easily become a household favorite.

Almond Drop Cookies with Almond Glaze
{ Prep time: 30 min Bake: 15 min per batch Makes: about 36 cookies }

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 4-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar (or reduce to 3/4 cup)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup coursely chopped almonds

1 recipe Almond Glaze (see below)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, the baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Mix in chopped almonds.
2. Drop dough by placing rounded balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake about 13 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
3. Once the cookies are cool, drizzle icing on top.

Almond Glaze

In a small bowl stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and enough milk (3 to 4 teaspoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. [Tip:  Prepare the almond glaze while the cookies are baking.]

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

{ cranberry almond biscotti with citrus zest.
perfect in the morning with fresh, hot coffee. }

Cheers and happy 2011, everyone!

Hubby and I actually made it to the strike of midnight (and then passed out shortly thereafter).  We rang in the new year by enjoying a glass of white wine and a plate of homemade biscotti right out of the oven.   I know what you're thinking.  We are such exciting people, and you can hardly contain your excitement at the mere thought of ours!   :)

Okay, so what you're probably really thinking is biscotti?  Why biscotti?  Because I was in the mood.  A friend shared homemade pistachio and almond biscotti with me over the holidays and it was fabulous!  I never thought to make my own, but I figured I'd give it a try.  I was amazed it turned out quite nicely.  The proof is in the empty bowl by noon today. 

I got the recipe for almond biscotti from Better Homes and Gardens but modified it a bit by adding cranberries, almond extract, and using less sugar.

Hubby is already requesting another batch.  Something tells me I'll be making a lot of biscotti in 2011.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti
{Prep: 25 min  Bake: 25 min/20 min  Stand: 15 min.  Oven: 325 degree  Makes: About 24 large cookies}

Ingredients 

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
• 1 cup coursely chopped almonds
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  Place eggs and egg yolks in the well and stir into the flour mixture.  Add butter, almond extract, and orange peel. Stir until dough starts to form a ball.  Stir in almonds and dried cranberries.
2. Divide dough into two equal portions.  On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion of dough into a 12-inch-long loaf.  Place the loaves about 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.  Flatten the loaves until about 1 1/2 inches wide (from top to bottom).  Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until firm and light brown.  Let stand on cookie sheets on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
3. Transfer logs to a cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, cut loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.  Place slices, cut sides down, on cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Turn cookies over; bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until crisp and golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 

Moist Banana Bread

There is truly nothing better than fresh-baked bread right out of the oven (well, actually fresh-baked cookies could give it a run for its money). 

This holiday, I was on a banana bread fix and made 6 loaves over a 3-day span.   I made it Christmas eve morning for the boys and my in-laws, made it for my extended family gathering on Christmas day, and then made another batch for my college holiday gathering on the 26th.  And amazingly enough, I'm still not banana-ed out!

Here's the recipe I use for a moist great-plain-for-breakfast or even-better-when-paired-with-vanilla-ice-cream banana bread.

MOIST BANANA BREAD
{ Prep time: 15 minutes; Bake time: 1 hour }

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (you can reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons applesauce (this is key to making the bread moist)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Place bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash with a potato masher.  Mix the melted butter into the mashed bananas.  Then mix in the sugar, egg, applesauce, and vanilla.  Mix in the baking soda and salt.  Add the flour last and mix.  Pour the mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch bread loaf pan.  Bake for 1 hour (if your oven tends to heat faster, you should check it at 45 minutes and see if it's cooked - overcooking will dry out the bread).  Keeping the bread in the pan, cool it on a rack.  Remove from pan and slice to serve.

The slice of bread goes perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  You could easily add chopped walnuts or raisins.  But if you're making it for an event or gathering, I'd suggest keeping it simple because (1) you never know if someone has nut allergies and (2) you just can't go wrong with plain banana bread.

Vanilla Cookie Sandwiches with Buttercream Frosting

{ cookie sandwiches with peppermint and toffee }

 Although it's hard to find the time with two little ones, I love baking and trying new recipes when I can.  And I love baking even more when my son lends a hand!  Today CJ and I made these delights.  I got the recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Ultimate Cookie Book (one of my favorite cookie recipe books).

I love that the cookie itself is soft, chewy, and has just a hint of sweetness (which is perfect for the kids!).  When paired with the buttercream frosting, it gives it that perfect sweet guilty pleasure (perfect for the grown ups!).  The crushed candy adds a nice crunch.  I used peppermint candy canes and Heath toffee bars.

Vanilla Cookie Sandwiches with Buttercream Frosting
(from Better Homes and Gardens Ultimate Cookie Book)

FOR COOKIES
{ Prep time:  30 min  Chill:  2 hr  Bake:  6 min per batch
Makes:  about 30 sandwich cookies }

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Sugar (optional)
1 recipe Buttercream frosting (below)
Crushed candy of choice

Directions
1.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add the 1 cup sugar, the baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Divide dough in half.  Cover and chill dough about 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/8 inch thck.  Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out dough.  Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  If desired, sprinkle cutouts lightly with additional sugar.  Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or until bottoms are light brown.  Transfer to a wire rack; cool.
3.  Spread buttercream frosting onto the bottom halfs of the cooled cookies.  Top with the remaining cookies.  Roll edges in the crushed candy.


FOR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
{ Start to finish: 10 min  Makes:  about 2 1/2 cups }

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Directions
In a bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Add vanilla.  Beat in half of the powdered sugar.  Beat in 2 tablespoons of the milk.  Beat in the remaining powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in enough of the remaining milk to make a frosting of spreading consistency.

FOR THE CANDY COATING
Crush candy of choice (candy canes, peppermint candies, Heath toffee bars).  Easiest way to do this is to put the candy in a ziploc bag and crush with hammer.  Once the cookie is assembled, roll the edges in the crushed candy.

The end result?

An enthusiastic thumbs up from my taste testers!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

{ pumpkin + maple + heath toffee bits = perfect combination for the holidays! }

A few of my favorite things about Thanksgiving involve pumpkin pies, pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin bread . . . anything and everything pumpkin!

So why not pumpkin cupcakes?  I found the perfect recipe from Ina Garten.

But I'll let you in on a little secret.  I cheated and used this:

And it turned out moist and delicious.  So if you're short on time or just like shortcuts, here's the modified and simpler recipe (yields 12 cupcakes):

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Mix
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix the ingredients.  Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter into a muffin tin with cupcake liners (I fill the cup 2/3 full).  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely.  Spread the cupcakes with maple frosting and sprinkle with chopped Heath bits.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I normally use a little less so the frosting isn't too sweet)

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Then you can decorate with these.  Enjoy!

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

We celebrated a very dear friend's 40th birthday this past weekend.  We hosted a quaint and intimate dinner at our home.  My sister-in-law, Jane (her pseudonym), cooked up an amazing Korean beef and potato dish.  Everyone inhaled it.  We had other traditional Korean fare, as well, which was ordered from a caterer.

Instead of buying a cake, I decided to make coconut cupcakes.  Another friend of ours made these for CJ's 2nd birthday party, and they were amazing! 

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe from Ina Garten)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (don't make the mistake I have and get low-fat; it'll change the texture of the cupcake)
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
(I used a different recipe to get a thicker frosting which is better for decorating)

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (I always cut the sugar in half, so I only used 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

I decided to add the pink flowers to add a decorative touch and make the cupcakes prettier!  They're easy to make with a Wilton Large Star Decorating Tip 1-M.  I'm hoping to post up a step-by-step how-to in the coming weeks.  But this week will be devoted to another big project I'm working on (stay tuned for that).
 

And what's a party without some good wine?  As a complement to the cupcakes, I purchased what else, but Cupcake wines.  These are a recent new fave (and they're only $8.99/bottle).  I particularly enjoy the Cabernet Sauvignon.

We had such a fabulous time!  And we loved celebrating the life of a sister and friend we dearly treasure! S, you are an amazing blessing to us all!