One of my favorite Fall traditions...

http://www.delspopcorn.com/

It's Caramel Apple season at Dell's!! 

A great Sunday dessert...Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple upside down cake has always been one of my favorites.  It was one of the first cakes I made  from scratch many many years ago.  lol  I have no idea where the recipe came from but this is the only one I use now.

Basic Yellow Cake

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sift together into a small bowl.

Cream 1/2 cup butter with 1 1/4 cup sugar
Mix in 2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix all together well.

Add in sifted ingredients and mix well.

Topping

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can pineapple cubes/crushed/rings...I used cubes

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.  Put one stick of unsalted butter in 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet. 
Put skillet in the oven for 2 or 3 minutes to fully melt the butter.
Remove skillet from oven and pour in brown sugar, mixing with the butter to make a 'carmel type' of sauce that coats the bottom of the skillet evenly.
Place pineapple in the pan.
Carefully pour in cake batter.
Bake for 30 minutes.  Cake will be golden.  Let cool about 5  minutes and then flip onto serving plate.

ENJOY!!

Banana Cake

A co worker of mine has brought this cake to us a couple of times and I always LOVE it.  I finally used her recipe and made my own.  It is SO good.  If you're looking for a super moist delicious cake this is the one. 

Banana Cake-Recipe from Betty

2 Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup Butter softened
2 Cups of Sugar
1 Cup of Buttermilk
4 Ripe Bananas cut up
2 Cups of Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Egg Whites beaten

Mix egg yolks, butter and sugar with mixer.  Slowly add buttermilk and then the bananas.  Sift in flour, salt and soda.  Combine well.  Fold in 2 beaten egg whites.

Bake in 13x9 inch buttered and floured pan at 350 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Frosting

8 oz Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup of Milk
1 to 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Combine all ingredients adding milk or sugar depending on desired consistency.  I made it a little on the thin side to smoothly and evenly cover the cake.

ENJOY!!

A cooling dessert for such a HOT day...

Sundays are the one day a week that I almost always make a dessert.  I had originally planned to make a cake but it's so hot out I really didn't want to turn on the oven and also I couldn't find the recipe I wanted.  Organizing my life is a work in progress but that's for another time. 

This dessert is quick, easy and Delicious for a hot August Sunday dinner or probably any time. 

Melt 1 stick of butter in a pie dish.  Add 2 cups of crushed graham crackers.

Spread crushed graham crackers around the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pie dish pressing with the back of a spoon.  Add broken up pieces of a dark chocolate bar.  (or any candy bar that you enjoy)

Make your favorite chocolate pudding recipe and add 1/3 cup of fresh whipping cream.

Pour chocolate pudding mixture over the graham cracker candy crust.  I then topped with homemade whipped cream and sprinkled extra crushed candy bar and graham crackers on the top.  Refrigerate for a couple hours and ENJOY!!

Happy Birthday to The Big Guy and his Lemon Poppy Seed Birthday Cake recipe.

Today's my husbands Birthday and he had no preference for what type of cake I made him this year so I wanted to try something new.  Something light and fresh since it's been so hot here lately.

I took the basic white cake recipe that I normally use and added lemon juice, lemon zest and poppy seeds.  For the icing I used a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Now my cake decorating skills need a LOT of work but the cake turned out delicious.

 Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

1 Cup of Sugar
1/2 Cup of Butter
2 Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups of Cake Flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 teaspoons Lemon Zest

Cream together the sugar and butter.  Add one egg and a time and then the vanilla and continue mixing until creamy.
Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt and slowly add to above mixture.
Slowly add in milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.

Grease and flour a 9x9 cake pan or muffin tins.

For the cake pan bake at 350 degrees for approx. 30 minutes.  The cake will be a golden color and when inserted a toothpick will come out clean when the cake is done.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz Cream Cheese softened
1/4 Cup Butter
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Cups of Confectioners Sugar

Combine all ingredients.  Add more lemon or sugar depending on desired consistency.

Garnish with more Lemon Zest and or fresh Lemon Mint.

ENJOY!!

Hope your 4th of July holiday weekend ends sweetly!!



Graham crackers with strawberry ice cream



Graham crackers with chocolate, cherry, truffle nut icecream.

An AWESOME homemade brownie with peppermint icecream.

The same AWESOME homemade brownie as above but with french vanilla icecream, caramel sauce and pecans.

This is the only Brownie Recipe I'll use now

I am a picky brownie eater.  I don't want it too 'cakey' or dense nor too 'fudgy' or rich. 
I found this recipe in one of my Grandmother's notebooks and decided to give it a try.

All I can say is mmmm. 


Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil or 1/2 cup melted butter (I used butter)
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.

2.In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

3.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan.

ENJOY!!



Brownie with Peppermint IceCream!!



A light dessert for summer!

I just came in from soaking up some Vitamin D outside.  After a week or more of rainy, cloudy days it was needed.  Something about grabbing a book or magazine and sitting outside is SO relaxing to me.  Ever since I can remember being outside doing anything makes me happy.

Today I grabbed my favorite magazine and found a lot of good summer food ideas.

I'll share them with you as I make them.  But for now here's one I'm making ASAP.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING

3 Avocados
4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sea Salt

Puree avocados, cocoa powder, honey and vanilla until smooth.
When smooth divide into four small bowls.
Sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

ENJOY!!!

Recipe from www.wholeliving.com



A picture I took at the Botanical Garden in STL.



Jam Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I tried this recipe today from Martha Stewart.  I used blackberry jam instead of the raspberry.  I'm sure you could substitute any of your favorite jams that go well with chocolate. 
The icing in this recipe is amazing.  You taste the chocolate and then get a hint of the salt.  That combo always has me wanting to do a happy dance.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

12 raspberries, for garnish

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12-cup muffin pan, or use liners. Combine flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in two parts, alternating with 1/2 cup milk.

2.Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3.Meanwhile, whisk together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, gradually add cocoa mixture, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.

4.Using a paring knife, cut a 1-inch-deep piece from the top of each cupcake (do not discard). Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon jam and replace cutout pieces.

Cut a circle out, fill with jam and then put cake back in.

Frost them.

Cut open to reveal the jam center.



ENJOY!



Banana Split 'Cake'

A great dessert for summer.  It's cool, refreshing and you don't have to turn on the oven.
This recipe can easily be halved.  And it can be 'cleaned' up by making your own from scratch pudding and whipped cream. 

9 Graham Crackers
1 Cup sugar, divided
1/3 Cup butter, melted
2 8oz packages of Cream Cheese, softened
20 oz of crushed pineapple
6 Bananas,divided
2 3.4oz packages JELL-O Vanilla Instant Pudding
2 Cups cold milk
2 Cups thawed Cool Whip
1 Cup chopped Pecans

Mix graham crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 13x 9 inch pan.  Freeze for 10  min.

Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar with mixer until well blended.  Spread carefully over crust; top with pineapple.  Slice 4 bananas; arrange over pineapple.

Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for approx. 2 minutes until well blended.  Stir in 1 cup Cool Whip; spread over banana layer in pan.  Top with remaining Cool Whip.  Refrigerate 5 hours.  Slice remaining 2 bananas just before serving; arrange over dessert.  Top with nuts and drizzle with chocolate syrup or chocolate curls.

Graham cracker crust and cream cheese mixture.

Added pineapple and sliced bananas.

Top with pudding mixture, cool whip, nuts, bananas and chocolate.

ENJOY!!

Sopaipillas with Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the Sopaipillas
Vegetable oil for frying
Flour tortillas cut into wedges or strips.

Granulated Sugar and or Powdered Sugar for dusting.

In a sauce pan bring 1/4 cup of water, brown sugar and salt to a boil, stirring until the sugar totally disolves. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla and continue to whisk until well blended.

(Remaining sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Heat oil in pan until approximately 350. In small batches fry the tortillas, turning once. Approximately 2 minutes per side.
Place tortillas on papertowel and sprinkle with sugar and or powdered sugar. Plate and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

"There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate." - Linda Grayson

This recipe was given to me from Miss Vittles Catering over on facebook. It is from the Joy of Baking and it is Amazing!

Cream Cheese Filling
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (we both used cake flour)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup corn or canola oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream Cheese Filling: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, egg and vanilla and beat until creamy and smooth. Set aside while you make the Chocolate Cupcake batter.

Chocolate Cupcakes: First, in a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate blowl mix the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until smooth. Evenly divide the batter amon the 12 muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes until the cream cheese filling is a little brown and the cupcakes feel springy to the touch. Remove and cool.

The cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 or 4 days.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiked Orange Frosting

Hershey's Chocolate Cupcakes

1/2 stick of unsalted butter melted and cooled
6 tablespoons of Hershey's Cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk room temperature
1 egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/ cup boiling water

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Line cupcake tins with papers

In a large bowl, sift together cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Mix ingredients for 2 minutes. Slowly add boiling water and continue to mix. Batter will be thin.
Bake approx. 25 minutes.

Spiked Orange Frosting (from the book Crazy about Cupcakes by Krystina castella)

3 tablespoons of orange juice
3 tablespoons of Triple Sec
3 tablespoons of room temperature unsalted butter
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of orange zest
pinch of salt

In a small bowl mix the orange juice and Triple Sec.
In a medium bowl cream the butter. Add the sugar to the butter, alternating with orange juice mixture until desired consistency is reached.
Stir in 1/2 of zest and the salt. Beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamy.

Frost and put a pinch of leftover zest on top of cupcakes.

ENJOY!

Orange Kiss Me Cake

My Mom used to make this cake all the time through my childhood and it was my absolute favorite.

3/4 Cup Orange Juice-(I use the juice and zest of one orange)
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shortening or butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp Triple-Sec Liqueur
2 Eggs
1 Cup Raisins
1/3 Cup chopped Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and Flour pans

Mix orange juice with flour, sugar, soda and salt. Add butter, milk, eggs and triple sec. Mix approximately 2 minutes on medium speed. Fold in raisins and nuts.

Nut Topping
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup chopped Walnuts
1 tsp Cinnamon

1/3 cup orange juice-(I use the juice and a little of the zest from another orange)

Bake about 40 minutes for a 13x9 glass baking dish.

Drizzle the warm cake with the orange juice and sprinkle on the Nut Topping.

**This recipe originally called for 1 can of thawed orange juice concentrate. I modified that with the oranges and liqueur. Both ways are delicious!

These are AWESOME!!

Next month I'm making these for the Heart Associations Bake Sale at work. This was the practice run and all I can say is they are AWESOME!

For the cupcake I used some of my own variations.
2 Cups Sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
about 30 maraschino cherries

Heat oven to 350F
Get your pans ready.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, butter, mayonnaise and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for two minutes. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Once poured insert 1 maraschino cherry into the cupcake.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for cupcakes.

Maraschino Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese softened
2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 Cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla, lemon juice and cherry juice and beat well. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy.

Raisin Crunch Cookies

1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 stick (1/2 cup)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup raisin bran cereal
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup raisins

Pre heat oven 350*
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and oats in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl. Add in egg and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.

Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well between each addition.

Mix in cereal, coconut and raisins.

Bake 12-14 minutes until golden brown.

Quick, delish and somewhat healthy. Enjoy!

A Wonderful cake recipe

http://parispastry.blogspot.com/2010/06/le-cake-orange.html

I was surfing around this blog last week and came across a recipe for Le Cake Orange. I made it today and all I can say is it is heavenly.
Be sure and check out her blog for the recipe and give it a try. You will not be sorry.

A great Cookie Recipe

I have to take 40 cookies to work tomorrow for a cookie exchange, plus I wanted a few for here to freeze for Christmas Eve. Most of the recipes I wanted to do only made 3 or 4 dozen so I pulled out my Grandmothers 1953 copy of Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and found this recipe.
It's a simple recipe, made 75 cookies and they are really tasty.

SOUTHERN CREAM COOKIES
1 CUP SHORTENING
2 CUPS SUGAR
3 WELL BEATEN EGGS
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1 CUP SOUR CREAM
5 CUPS FLOUR
3 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
1 TEASPOON SALT
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 1/2 CUPS CHOPPED WALNUTS
3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 TEASPOON CINNAMON

Cream shortening and sugar; add eggs, vanilla and sour cream; mix well. Sift flour with baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. Add nuts.
Drop from teaspoon onto baking sheet. Grease the bottom of a small glass; dip into cinnamon sugar mixture; lightly press cookie flat.
Bake in 350 oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges turn a golden brown.
Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Lasagna and Apple Pie

Today with a scary movie marathon going on in the back ground, I made lasagna in the crock pot for the first time. I was a little skeptical at first but it really turned out good. The cheese was melted perfectly and it came out of the crock without sticking.
Just follow your favorite recipe for lasagna. Pour a thin layer of sauce and a touch of olive oil to the bottom of the crock and start your layers with UNCOOKED lasagna noodles. Layer up and cook on high for 3 to 3 and a half hours.

I made an apple pie also but instead of a 'traditional' top crust, I used an apple shaped cookie cutter and layered them on top. Haven't tasted it yet, but it smells wonderful.

The weather here is really cooling off and fall is in full swing. I LOVE it.