Black-bottom cupcakes

Our friends Megan & Adam brought us dinner after we had Ty & for dessert they brought these cupcakes from a local cafe. I was in heaven after one bite! The only way I can describe them is black-bottom cupcakes on a whole other level! I decided to duplicate them for a book & cook club I just started going to. They turned out super super super close to the original. Close enough for me to say case closed on this duplication & I think these are my new favorite cupcakes!

Black Bottom Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Devil’s Food Cake Mix + ingredients to make cake

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 c sugar

1/8 t salt

¾ c choco chips

Frosting:

4 oz cream cheese

½ c butter

1 c powdered sugar

(Cream cheese & butter together, add sugar and beat until fluffy & light)

Topping:

½ c semi-sweet choco chips

1 t butter

(Melt together on low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time)

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix cupcakes according to package directions.

3. Fill 24 paper lined cupcake pan with cupcake mixture. Fill each one about ½ full.

4. Beat cream cheese. Then add egg, sugar and salt and mix until creamy. Add chocolate chips.

5. Put 1 ½ T of cream cheese mixture over cupcake batter.

6. Bake for about 20-22 mins or until done (test side of cupcake with a fork).

7. Chill until completely cooled.

8. Top with frosting (since there is already cream cheese in the cupcake you don’t need much)

9. Drizzle with chocolate mixture.

Pizza

I decided tonight that I don't make homemade pizza nearly enough! I got 2 pizza stones when I got married & I've only used 1 of them 1 time. I also decided tonight that I need to use more of my kitchen tools (such as my pizza stone) that I don't use very often more often.

I used Tyler Florence's pizza dough & it was awesome & super easy! I topped 1 pizza with regular sauce & cheese & a few roni's (as Maddie calls them) I had left in the fridge. The other pizza I put on some carmelized onions that I just cooked in about a t of butter, & some left over steak we had in the fridge sliced up. For the sauce on that pizza I just made a roux of 1 T butter & 1 T flour, when it was cooked I added 1 c of milk, stirred until thick & added about 1/4 c of parmesan.

Yum pizza! I think this might have to be a family Friday night tradition!

Pizza Dough

Tyler Florence

1 package active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups 0f flour, plus more for dusting

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water; stir gently to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn the mixer on low and add the salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until all the flour has been incorporated. When the dough starts to come together, increase the speed to medium; stop the machine periodically to scrape the dough off the hook. Get a feel for the dough by squeezing a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more water; if it's sticky, add more flour - 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough gathers into a ball, this should take about 5 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a few times; kneading until it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a round and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it over to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm spot (i.e. over a gas pilot light) until doubled in size, about 1 hour. This is a good time to stick a pizza stone in the oven and preheat them to 500 degrees F.

Once the dough is domed and spongy, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter. Roll and stretch the dough into a cylinder and divide into 3 equal pieces. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes so it will be easier to roll out.

Roll or pat out a piece of dough into a 12 inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Dust a pizza paddle with flour and slide it under the pizza dough. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and top with your favorite flavors. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Chicken & Corn Chowder/White Chili

I made this soup about a week ago for dinner & Matt said I should bottle it & sell it! I couldn't figure out what to make for dinner, so I just kind of made it up. Here's what I did:

1. Boil 1 chicken breast in about 8 cups of water along with 1 t onion powder (would probably be better with diced onion) & 4 t chicken boullion (how every much yours needs to produce 8 cups of chicken broth).

2. Once the chicken was cooked I took it out & chopped it into small chunks & returned it to the broth.

3. When it all came back to a boil I added 1 can of rinsed great northern beans, 1 c frozen sweet corn and 4 small new potatoes that I had cooked in the microwave for 5 mins & peeled & diced.

4. I added about 1/2 t cumin (add to taste), about 2 t of crushed green chili peppers (you could just use a couple of teaspoons of canned green chilis if you can't find powder, or more if you like that flavor) & a couple pinches of salt & pepper. Then I turned down to simmer and simmered for about 15 mins.

5. Lastly I added about 3/4 c sour cream and 1/4 c heavy cream and let the mixture simmer for about 10 more mins.

I served it with french bread. It was really good. I think the cumin & green chili added the perfect spice. I will definitely make it again on a cooler night this winter.

Monster Cookies

I made some monster cookies last night for some Primary kids today that are going into Young Women's. They were delish! I haven't made them in a long long time, & I don't know why. They've got the ingredients for 5 cookies in 1 cookie!

Chinese Dumplings

When Matt lived in China he loved to eat Chinese Dumplings. There he would eat the boiled kind (according to him, the only kind!). When I lived in Japan we ate Gyoza which are basically Chinese dumplings that are pan fried & steamed on the top, which is the way that I prefer them. I've made gyoza many times, but I always use store bought wrappers and pre-cook my filling so I make sure it's not raw. They've always been good, but not great. I was inspired by this posting on a food blog (http://jenyu.net/blog/2007/10/04/chinese-dumplings-and-potstickers/) to make completely homemade dumplings. & wow, I'm a changed person! They were awesome! & surprisingly they were not as difficult as I thought they would be (thanks to my brother coming over to help watch the kids & Heather coming over to help me wrap them). I will include the recipes from Use Real Butter's cooking blog, but I highly encourage you to check out her blog & the pictures she has if you want to attempt them. She did a great, & very detailed job of telling how to make them.

Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers

pork filling
1 lb ground pork
4 large napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced (if dried - rehydrated and rinsed carefully)
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, minced
1/4 cup ginger root, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp corn starch

dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm water
flour for worksurface

dipping sauce
2 parts soy sauce
1 part vinegar (red wine or black)
a few drops of sesame oil
chili garlic paste (optional)
minced ginger (optional)
minced garlic (optional)
minced green onion (optional)
sugar (optional)

*One batch of dough should be sufficient for one of the fillings and will yield approximately 3 dozen medium dumplings.

Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (I mix by clean hand). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).

Make the dough, Method 2 (my mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.

Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide. Shape the strips into rounded long cylinders. On a floured surface, cut the strips into 3/4 inch pieces. Press palm down on each piece to form a flat circle (you can shape the corners in with your fingers). With a rolling pin, roll out a circular wrapper from each flat disc. Take care not to roll out too thin or the dumplings will break during cooking. Leave the centers slightly thicker than the edges. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper and fold the dough in half, pleating the edges along one side (see images above).

To boil: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add dumplings to pot. Boil the dumplings until they float.

To steam: Place dumplings on a single layer of napa cabbage leaves or on a well-greased surface and steam for about 6 minutes.

To pan fry (potstickers): Place dumplings in a frying pan with 2-3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Heat on high and fry for a few minutes until bottoms are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and cover. Cook until the water has boiled away and then uncover and reduce heat to medium or medium low. Let the dumplings cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat and serve.

To freeze: Assemble dumplings on a baking sheet so they are not touching. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until dumplings are no longer soft. Place in ziploc bag and freeze for up to a couple of months. Prepare per the above instructions, but allow extra time to ensure the filling is thoroughly cooked.

To serve: Serve dumplings or potstickers hot with your choice of dipping sauce combinations.

Cinnamon Rolls

I made these about a week ago. I saw the recipe on My Kitchen Cafe & thought they looked delicious. I was also intrigued by the idea that you use vanilla pudding in it's prepared form. It makes the dough really moist. I LOVED the dough & definitely will use it again. The frosting was good. If you love cream cheese frosting on your cinnamon roll then you will love it. I definitely prefer the standard milk, butter, sugar & vanilla or cinnamon on my cinnamon rolls (my mom always replaces the vanilla in her frosting with maple extract & that's super good too).

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
from A. Marilyn (I got from My Kitchen Cafe blog on the right at the top)

Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.

German Pancakes

Matt made these for us for Saturday breakfast a few weeks go. I'm behind on my posting. & yes I realize I'm a super lucky girl!!

German Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet (we use a regular 9 x 13 pan) and heat the skillet in oven.
2.	Beat eggs at high speed with an electric mixer. Slowly add the milk and flour.
3.	Pour batter into hot skillet. Return skillet to oven and bake for 20 minutes. It will rise like a souffle, then fall when taken out of oven. Lightly dust with powdered sugar and serve.

__________ Cake

So I found this recipe for a cake online called Idiot Cake by Dave Lebovitz. I was intrigued by the name so I checked it out. A 4 ingredient cake? Sounds like it must be so easy even an Id... could make it right? I think that's why it's named that, but I don't think you can say even an id... could make it when you have to use a double boiler, spring form pan & cook it in a steam bath. So until I find a better name for it I think I will just call it The Cake Without A Name. Matt thinks I should name it a school he doesn't like or a sports team he doesn't like. I won't name them because you know what they say if you don't have anything nice to say. My friend Heather thinks maybe the name means you're an id... if you take the time required & steps required to make it. Any other thoughts?

I will tell you it was pretty easy to make & it only has 4 ingredients which is nice & if you're craving something rich & chocolately this will hit the spot! It's super super creamy & decadent. It's like a super super moist brownie/cake-like fudge/mousse. It's hard to describe other than just saying yum yum!

Chocolate idiot cake

David Lebovitz

10 ounces (290 gr) ScharffenBerger bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

7 ounces (200 gr) butter, salted or unsalted, cut into pieces

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (200 gr) sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F (175 C).

1. Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan* and dust it with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. If you suspect your springform pan isn't 100% water-tight, wrap the outside with aluminum foil, making sure it goes all the way up to the outer rim.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or microwave), stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and cover the top of the pan snugly with a sheet of foil. Put the springform pan into a larger baking pan, such as a roasting pan, and add enough hot water to the baking pan to come about halfway up to the outside of the cake pan.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
You'll know the cake is done when it feels just set, like quivering chocolate pudding. If you gently touch the center, your finger should come away clean.
5. Lift the cake pan from the water bath and remove the foil. Let cake cool completely on a cooling rack.

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

I had a piece of butter cake at a local bakery a few weeks ago & it was really tasty, so when I saw this recipe from Paula Dean I wanted to try it. I made it for dessert last night & it was delicious! I served it with sliced strawberries & blueberries. It's really rich. It kind of tastes like a really moist blonde brownie.

Gooey Butter Cakes
Recipe from: The Lady & Sons Just Desserts
by Paula H. Deen

Butter Gooey Cakes. Ooey Gooey Butter Cakes. Ooey Booey Gooey Cakes. These are just a few of the names I've heard our guests at The Lady & Sons call 'em. But to quote Shakespeare:

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

This is exactly how I feel about our Gooey Butter Cakes. No matter what you call them, they're like that sweet rose that Shakespeare wrote about. These delectable cakes were an instant hit the first day they showed up in The Bag Lady basket and they immediately became one of my most requested items. These little sweeties actually resemble a bar-type dessert instead of what we know as a traditional cake. Over the years, I have made every flavor imaginable, using this basic recipe. I'll give you some of my recommendations but by all means experiment and have fun creating your very own version of our signature Gooey Butter Cakes.

• Cake

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

• Filling

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

3. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.

4. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful little cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way-even for piggies like me!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Chocolate Cake with peanut butter frosting topped with chocolate ganache! Can you handle it? I saw this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen website & it looked amazing, so I decided to make it for Sunday dinner tomorrow...wanna come? ;)

I decided to use a box chocolate cake instead of making the cake in the recipe. I just wanted to make it a little easier.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes

Smitten Kitchen

This cake is INTENSE. Serve it in the thinnest slices possible, and keep a glass of milk handy.

Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16 (the book says, I say a heck of a lot more)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanut brittle (I skipped this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)

4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Crash Potatoes

I've been meaning to post this recipe for about a week now. We love potatoes in our house. A few weeks ago I was doing my weekly check of all the cooking blogs I like & I saw this recipe on Home Based Mom's blog (see top right where my favorite links are). These potatoes were super delicious. They had just the right amount of crunch & softness.

You really don't need a recipe for them, I will just tell you the steps (Home Based Mom has a TON of pics & great in depth directions on her site if you're interested):

1. Wash as many small red potatoes as you want to use.

2. Boil the potatoes until fork tender.

3. Put the potatoes on a 9"x13" pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray (the actual directions say to put olive oil on the pan liberally, but I wanted to cut a little fat & they still tasted awesome)

4. Mash the potatoes on the pan with an avocado masher one way then the other, like you would with peanut butter cookies.

5. Brush the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like on potatoes.

6. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.

I ended up broiling them for about 5 minutes to get more of a crunch on them.

Chocolate Cobbler

Chocolate what? That was my immediate reaction when I saw this recipe on the Bake or Break cooking blog (link is in my favorite links on the right side). I had never heard of chocolate cobbler before. It looked like a Mississippi mud pie my mom use to make growing up. So today when I wanted a dessert that would go well with ice cream I decided to try this out. I'm sure glad I did. It was decadent & delicious. It's like a chocolate cake that makes it's own chocolate sauce. & the best thing about was how easy it was!

Chocolate Cobbler

Bake or Break

1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided into 3/4 cup and 1/2 cup 1 cup all-purpose flour 7 tablespoons cocoa, divided into 3 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 & 1/2 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk, butter, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 8-inch square glass baking pan. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Pour hot water over the top. Do not stir. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Let stand for 15 minutes, then serve. Use the chocolate sauce in the bottom of the pan to spoon over servings. Garnish, if desired, with ice cream or whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

I had a bunch of blueberries in my freezer that I needed to use, so when I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitten (look at sidebar for Smitten Kitten site) I knew I had a winner. They're like shortbread blueberry bars. Delicious!

Blueberry Crumb Bars
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown.

Rudy's-like Cream Corn

Last night we had a birthday party for some of our friends. We had bbq pulled pork & tons of sides. I really wanted to try to make Rudy's cream corn for it so I searched online & found a recipe on www.allrecipes.com that looked like it might be a winner & it ended up getting rave reviews! I thought it tasted great. A few of the party goers thought it tasted better than Rudy's, that is the ultimate compliment!! The only change I made to the recipe is that I didn't add the Parmesan cheese.

Cream Corn Like No Other

Submitted by: DIANA YOCKEY Rated: 5 out of 5 by 260 members

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 15 Minutes Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.

In a skillet over medium heat, combine the corn, cream, salt, sugar, pepper and butter. Whisk together the milk and flour, and stir into the corn mixture. Cook stirring over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, and corn is cooked through. Remove from heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Serve hot.

Shrimp Tacos

I decided to make shrimp tacos tonight for the first time. They were really good. Almost perfect, but not completely perfect. I will have to work on it more. I breaded the shrimp in 1 c flour mixed with 1 t chili powder & 1 t old bay, then put it in milk & finally panko bread crumbs before cooking it in a skillet with a little olive oil. Then for the cabbage slaw I chopped about 1/2 head of red cabbage & mixed it with half a red onion, & then added a dressing made of 1/4 c olive oil, 2 T rice vinegar, 2 T lime juice, 2 T sugar, dash salt, dash pepper. I put the shrimp in a warm corn tortilla, topped it with some cabbage & then topped that with a mixture of 2 avocados mashed, 1/4 t garlic powder, 1/4 t fajita seasoning & 2 T sour cream. I served the tacos with rice mixed with black beans, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder to taste.

Omlet in a bag

A friend of mine sent me an email with directions for how to boil an omlet in a a bag. I thought...genius! We tried it last Saturday. I think it's a great idea, but it didn't turn out as delicious as I had hoped. It was super easy though! You just put 2 eggs in a ziplock & mush them around. Then add whatever you like in your omlet, peppers, cheese, ham, etc. Then you get all the air out & seal it. Put a pot of water on the stove & when it's at a roaring boil you put the bags in & boil them for 13 minutes. The eggs were slightly undercooked in the middle, so I put them in the microwave for 30 seconds. The taste was great, the texture was just a little spongy. I think it's definitely worth another try & would be nice when family is in town so everyone can make their own & then they're all done at the same time. Has anyone else tried this?

Maddie's birthday - Cupcake pops

We had a blast today for Madeline's birthday. I had a great time planning the menu. I made mini pizzas shaped like flowers, mini corndogs, mini grilled cheese shaped like little m's & cupcake lolli-pops. Most of the things are pretty self explanatory, but the lolli-pops were quite an ordeal let me tell you! I saw them on a blog called Bakerella & she made them on Martha Stewart. Although they were a hit they were a little too much work to do while wrangling 2 kids, so I don't think I will be making them again for awhile! They were a really fun addition to the party though.

The recipe is super long, so if you click on the heading for this post it will take you to the recipe on Martha Stewarts website. You can also click on the Bakerella site on the right side of the top of my blog to see it. It's awesome!

Strawberry Pizza

I had a bunch of strawberries in my freezer that I needed to use, so I've been looking for a good recipe to use them in. Yesterday I was looking at some food blogs & I came across a new one that is a new favorite. (It's the new Home Based Mom one on the front of my blog page). She had a strawberry pizza recipe that looked awesome. The crust was WAY easier than the fruit pizza I usually make & it was so much easier to just use one kind of fruit. It was super easy & a delicious Summer dessert.

Strawberry Pizza
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
Filling:
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Topping;
1 cup fresh strawberries, mashed
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
8 - 10 strawberries sliced.
Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter. Form into a ball with hands and press into a 14 inch ungreased pizza pan (I used my Pampered Chef pizza stone)
Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool.
Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, vanilla, sugar and lemon juice. Spread on cooled crust.
Topping:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Simmer until thick and glossy. Cool. Spread on top of cream cheese filling.
Cut fresh strawberries crosswise to make rounds that resemble pepperoni, place on pizza and serve

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Aioli

Tonight for dinner I tried a new recipe from a really cool cooking blog I just found called Sister's Cafe http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/search/label/salmon . It was delicious & super easy. It's Salmon Cakes with Lemon Aioli (actually I didn't have lemon, so I used lime & it was still great). I served it with wheat tabouli salad with cucumbers and feta cheese.

Salmon Cakes with Lemon Aioli

Adapted from Marguerite Henderson

Submitted by Melanie

2 cups cooked salmon, flaked (1-1 1/2 pounds)*

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use light)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

2 T. butter

1 T. vegetable or olive oil

*Poach salmon in a slow simmer of water, or broth for 8 minutes.

Lemon Aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise ( I use light)

2 T. cream ( I use milk)

Zest and juice of lemon ( I did not use the whole amount)

1/2 T. prepared horseradish

1/2 T. dijon mustard

1 tsp chopped garlic ( I use bottled)

1 tsp dried thyme

*Mix and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 3/4 cup

In a bowl, combine the salmon, crumbs, green onions, celery, mayo, cayenne, dill, thyme, worcestiershire sauce, egg and salt. Shape into 8 salmon cakes.

Melt butter and oil in heavy skillet. Brown salmon cakes on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Place on serving platter lined with mixed greens. Garnish cakes with fresh dill sprigs, or chopped parsely or green onions. Top each with a dollop of aioli. Makes 8 cakes. These can be make ahead and refrigerated. Place on a baking sheet and warm at 400.

Oatmeal Cream Pies

Maddie & I had fun making oatmeal cream pies today for a lunch with our friends. I think they're better than the real thing.

Oatmeal Cream Pie Recipe

32 min | 20 min prep

SERVES 12 , 2 dozen

• 1 cup margarine
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats

Cream Filling

• 2 teaspoons very hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. In large bowl, cream margarine, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs.
2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. Add to the creamed mixture; mix in the oats.
4. Drop dough by TBS on ungreased sheets.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes,or until just starting to brown around the edges.
7. They will look moist; don't overcook.
8. While the cookies bake prepare the filling.
9. In small bowl, disolve the salt in the hot water.
10. Allow this to cool.
11. Combine marshmallow cream, shortning, powdered sugar, and vanilla in med bowl; mix on hi until fluffy.
12. Add the cooled salt water and mix well.
13. Spread filling on flat side of one cookie, press 2nd cookie on top.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting!

Need I say more than the title??

I saw Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) make this on the Food Network a couple of weeks ago & have been waiting for a reason to make them. So when Matt said it was his co-workers birthday yesterday I knew I had the perfect cupcake to make. They are UNBELIEVABLE. I seriously could have eaten the whole bowl of frosting myself. The frosting is super creamy & the peanut butter has a light creamy taste, it's not too overpowering. They're seriously awesome cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Icing

Barefoot Contessa

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 tablespoons brewed coffee (I didn't use obviously)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup good cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended. Divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost each cupcake with Peanut Butter Icing and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired (I didn't add chopped peanuts, I wanted it to just be creamy).

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I only used 4 T because that's what I had left from the stick & a half from the cupcakes & I didn't want to open another stick of butter. Believe me, I didn't miss the 1 T in the taste)

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Another thing to do with Rhodes Rolls!!

I was looking at the Food Network website a few days ago & they have a special section titled Paula Dean's 50 favorite recipes. I was browsing & trying to think of something to make for Sunday dinner dessert, then bam! I saw a picture that looks much better than my pic, but you get the idea. She calls it a coffee cake, but I think it's more like a cinnamon roll casserole or monkey bread. It got rave reviews & was all gone by the end of the night & we only had 5 people eating & one was Madeline! I can't stress enough how easy this recipe was to make.

Notes: I didn't add pecans because we think Maddie's allergic to them. It really does need at least 8 hours to rise.

Ultimate Coffee Cake

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen


16 to 18 unbaked frozen dinner rolls

1 (3-ounce) package regular butterscotch pudding mix, not instant

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

The night before place frozen rolls in well greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over rolls. Sprinkle brown sugar over pudding mix. Sprinkle chopped pecans over brown sugar. Pour melted butter over all. To prevent the dough from forming a hard crust while its rising overnight, cover with a damp towel or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto a serving platter to remove. Serve by pulling apart chunks with forks.

French Chocolate Granola

I saw this recipe on another cooking blog & thought healthy granola with a little chocolate? That's my idea of health food! ;)

French Chocolate Granola
(from The Picky Apple food blog)

3 cups rolled oats

½ cup raw almonds, chopped

½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

6 Tbsp. mild honey

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used olive)

½ cup, or more, finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (I used the Giradelli bittersweet chips in the baking aisle)

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, sugar, and salt. Stir well to blend.
In a small saucepan, warm the honey and oil over low heat, whisking occasionally until the honey is loose. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine well.
Spread the mixture evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Set a timer to go off halfway through the baking time, so that you can give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it’s ready, remove the pan from the oven, stir well – this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet – and cool completely.
When cool, transfer the granola to a large bowl, storage jar, or zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the chocolate, and stir or shake to mix.

Bread Pudding

I had a bunch of croissants sitting in my refrigerator & I've been trying to figure out what to do with them. I've never made bread pudding so I decided to try it for the first time with the croissants. I adapted a recipe from allrecipes.com by using the croissants instead of bread. I haven't tried it yet, but my taste tester (Matt) said it was delicious.

Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups bread cubes (sub: croissants)
4 cups scalded milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.
Butter an 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Soak bread in hot milk for five minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, salt, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into the baking dish.
3.
Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place baking dish on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
4.
While pudding cools, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large saucepan. While stirring, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and stir 3 minutes more. Spoon over warm bread pudding.

Father's Day Recipes

For Father's Day yesterday I made an awesome egg casserole in the morning & then slow cooker (thanks to a 1 pm church time! :)) bbq ribs with twice baked potatoes, salad & banana cream pie for dinner. Everything turned out great & I got the casserole recipe @ my favorite website allrecipes.com.


Country Breakfast Casserole
Submitted by: Kristin
Prep Time: 15 MinutesCook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 15 MinutesYields: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package
breakfast sausage
1 chopped green onion
2 cups shredded Cheddar
cheese
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 (2.64 ounce) package
country gravy mix
6 slices bread, cut into 1 inch
cubes
2 tablespoons melted butter
(optional)
paprika to taste (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease an 11x8 inch baking dish.
2.
Brown sausage in a large skillet; drain fat.
3.
Combine sausage with green onion and spread evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. Top with shredded cheese. Whisk together eggs, water, milk, and gravy mix; add mixture to baking dish. Arrange bread squares evenly on top. If desired, drizzle melted butter over bread, and sprinkle with paprika.
4.
Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

4 pounds pork spare ribs
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Catlemans BBQ sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS:Put all ingredients in slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Mother's Day Dinner

My very sweet husband & awesome brother Shaman made mother's day dinner tonight & it was awesome! They made some of my favorite recipes, quiche & homemade lemon bars! It was awesome & so thoughtful.

Quiche Lorraine

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

12 slices bacon

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/3 cup minced onion

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups light cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white sugar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:: 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2 Place bacon in a large skillet, and fry over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then chop coarsely. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion into pastry shell.

3 In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, salt, sugar and cayenne pepper. Pour mixture into pastry shell.

4 Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Allow quiche to sit 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Then he used the same recipe except substituted broccoli & cheddar for the bacon, onions & swiss.

Lemon Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1

/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2.Combine the flour, 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan.

3.Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until slightly golden. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust.

4.Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares.