tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17274381251169594422024-02-19T07:19:59.124-06:00Lick The Spatulamaraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-36244747607802731452009-09-15T09:49:00.009-05:002009-09-15T16:07:15.558-05:00MSC: Zucchini Spice Cupcakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_aLZIwrf8_LITVIVYt-HWDBoidBKcNG3Klu4R2zbhNNfWpfXzI5yJXtXGhsXU2duE47gm3fEcOxOmVeCOTNK8zbUtHrD9dANFVa-MrEWZBybzNwJXqk_f3lrvp3aIlcxFyLI_7-xjw/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+014.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_aLZIwrf8_LITVIVYt-HWDBoidBKcNG3Klu4R2zbhNNfWpfXzI5yJXtXGhsXU2duE47gm3fEcOxOmVeCOTNK8zbUtHrD9dANFVa-MrEWZBybzNwJXqk_f3lrvp3aIlcxFyLI_7-xjw/s320/MSC+Zucchini+014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381794906615066114" /></a><br /><br />Ok so I have to admit, I was not super keen on the idea of zucchini cupcakes. I am not first in line when someone breaks out the zucchini bread nor do I like how sneakily familiar it looks to my old standby favorite, banana bread. Grated veggies don't have much room in my sweet palate. Esp in cupcake form, I tend to think that veggie cupcakes are almost like muffins but with frosting as an extra perk.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBsNdigqkSdt37Gt7X7bgvFqo04tjf6th5z9xo3IsYUOcs1cf9hBhcaHe_XH0iPTabkalwx5xpLq-dNuK2Dj4i7yFkjsd_OGnsNjhXcuhmDbTepeLBB_4NEExab-EAiHJ4FyAEcN81g/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381792071864614642" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBsNdigqkSdt37Gt7X7bgvFqo04tjf6th5z9xo3IsYUOcs1cf9hBhcaHe_XH0iPTabkalwx5xpLq-dNuK2Dj4i7yFkjsd_OGnsNjhXcuhmDbTepeLBB_4NEExab-EAiHJ4FyAEcN81g/s320/MSC+Zucchini+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />However, when I looked at the recipe, I saw that the 'spice' part was actually kind of like a pumpkin cupcake, which is one of my favorite things. Hey I never said I was consistent. So I thought I could play up the spice and lessen the zucchini, just in case.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzdnzcFXNq_17DO_M_mtAGrhgYFBayGaZh8Ec7985jayBPmhJzrm2EWz87lquyXiHcwnhWiproeG_wNe2QdSOBv1e4jcpf7upo6LIPhLlnywGJmZON10iCQcDRrCmdJYnVv_QhqQcEw/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381792082692106226" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 227px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzdnzcFXNq_17DO_M_mtAGrhgYFBayGaZh8Ec7985jayBPmhJzrm2EWz87lquyXiHcwnhWiproeG_wNe2QdSOBv1e4jcpf7upo6LIPhLlnywGJmZON10iCQcDRrCmdJYnVv_QhqQcEw/s320/MSC+Zucchini+003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I liked that Martha's recipe didn't have some amazingly ridiculous amt of sugar in it, veggie cupcake recipes tend to do this so that you don't know you are eating anything resembling an originally healthy vegetable, and it makes it more palatable for sweet tooths like myself. I didn't like that this recipe had no milk or liquid in it. What kind of cupcake doesn't have a liquid? The zucchini did add moisture but I added about 1/3c of milk and the result was a perfectly moist muffin. Not too dense.<br /><br />I ommitted the nuts because our built-in pantry is open to the rest of the house and the moths just love my nuts. Even the sealed, as in haven't even been opened bags. So I had to toss them all just about a week ago and have not restocked. But when I do they are going in a diff area of the kitchen, something with doors. I hate moths.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQysE7-XppxAB3azYrcuSmaTehrAnEdToyHnSF9kz0gNMwHabhXZx-6nBKON3vMt-8Zvs7Ki7gsupo3n0TcxN_R2XZZS3GLTr-sE0j5odLOOrp0aQ9H_EbwV5syDs7vctzXgWbPZeunA/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381792086007884050" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQysE7-XppxAB3azYrcuSmaTehrAnEdToyHnSF9kz0gNMwHabhXZx-6nBKON3vMt-8Zvs7Ki7gsupo3n0TcxN_R2XZZS3GLTr-sE0j5odLOOrp0aQ9H_EbwV5syDs7vctzXgWbPZeunA/s320/MSC+Zucchini+007.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Am I a muffin?????<br /></span></em><br />In leiu of the nuts I added choco chips to some of them, just to see what kind of flavor that added. I also halfded (between half and a third) the recipe and got 8 huge cupcakes. Since I am traveling tomorrow, I took them to work today and let the masses over-consume. The feedback was that the cupcakes were really good, extremely moist and a good texture. Because I went nuts on the spice, people liked that you couldn't taste the zucchini and it was more like a spice cake. That works for me!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifE5Srp3WDSXREarQ0TtkM-aam1GHKvA00vCWY_B8lufrPLbOKp38PBSYHOmpMVaHZATn04RFQLKZdt1AP4WwDYNNCL1XfWUKQfSQJnRzCvTYfc3JZVJadE4iCT0IpCHGoY58dYCO36w/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381792096946941522" style="WIDTH: 210px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifE5Srp3WDSXREarQ0TtkM-aam1GHKvA00vCWY_B8lufrPLbOKp38PBSYHOmpMVaHZATn04RFQLKZdt1AP4WwDYNNCL1XfWUKQfSQJnRzCvTYfc3JZVJadE4iCT0IpCHGoY58dYCO36w/s320/MSC+Zucchini+013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Or a luscious cupcake???? Identity crisis.</em></span><br /><br />Thanks to my sweet baking buddy for some fresh Anderson Valley zucchini hand-delivered to the house so that I could bake these babies. XOXO LUVYA. And check out the other Martha Stewart Cupcake Club blog bakers at the <a href="http://mscclub.blogspot.com/">new site</a>. And if you don't have the book, buy it at Amazon. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF44zdrlmqo6HIeAYG8aBuwpUpquX_PxlQQ6_XgL2UKIHpn1jjKHsrGPyg-ezaPSU_egPOcm3ebijHOWy1pUz10NmmnvyajJsPnQK8p-kh6d1y_zzkhgiuIVgru6RqDdKmMomfd_VxQ/s1600-h/MSC+Zucchini+017.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF44zdrlmqo6HIeAYG8aBuwpUpquX_PxlQQ6_XgL2UKIHpn1jjKHsrGPyg-ezaPSU_egPOcm3ebijHOWy1pUz10NmmnvyajJsPnQK8p-kh6d1y_zzkhgiuIVgru6RqDdKmMomfd_VxQ/s320/MSC+Zucchini+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381794914619374706" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com39tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-1878144114817845352009-08-15T13:02:00.003-05:002009-08-16T00:56:37.479-05:00MSC Cupcake Club: Fleur Del Sel Chocolate Cupcakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFbBauhhrPU0BBVZ2hgYTMzw0m33G1a1vRhIAAMoVcv4yPmlyAIa0GqgV5sUJQZXTKCDFcda-5hjf0J5mwrA5s1v9p5V6PYsqIyGOddvGq86nDU7l_kykhPRGyxqCgAGTNFecVjfvKg/s1600-h/msc+cupcakes+on+plate.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFbBauhhrPU0BBVZ2hgYTMzw0m33G1a1vRhIAAMoVcv4yPmlyAIa0GqgV5sUJQZXTKCDFcda-5hjf0J5mwrA5s1v9p5V6PYsqIyGOddvGq86nDU7l_kykhPRGyxqCgAGTNFecVjfvKg/s320/msc+cupcakes+on+plate.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370293038936047266" /></a><br /><br />My baking pal Betty at <a href="http://www.eatmycupcake.com">Eat My Cupcake</a> decided to launch the Martha Stewart Cupcake Club...where we all bake out of Martha's new cupcake book. Of course I signed up, who doesn't need another club that they have to feel guilty about not participating regularly in??? But since it's Betty, I will try to be (mostly) on time with my baking and posting...even though lately I feel like my camera has gone the way of the dinosaur. Do these things have shelf lives where after a certain # of pics or years the photos just start looking CRAPPY? That's what it feels like anyway. I do want a new camera, but it's on the LIST. So for now, I'll deal.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1n532hiMO-svjeYZurEpH_bktVxu_R01Y1rb6-FG-feEP479lalQ_Htn8qiQFKcCudwapZRT8XP9-ORmUf3-GOdeUofn2sCb17LIoR5BaDqGLsBx2j2p1rwYaSdoftQW3580AJER9g/s1600-h/msc+fleur+bubbles.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1n532hiMO-svjeYZurEpH_bktVxu_R01Y1rb6-FG-feEP479lalQ_Htn8qiQFKcCudwapZRT8XP9-ORmUf3-GOdeUofn2sCb17LIoR5BaDqGLsBx2j2p1rwYaSdoftQW3580AJER9g/s320/msc+fleur+bubbles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370292580463982802" /></a><br /><br />Onto the cupcake. Having perused some of the recipes in the book and watching Martha make a few on her show it seemed like most of her cupcakes had one thing in common. Making everything more difficult than it REALLY needed to be. Either the cake was multiple steps, or you had to make some crazy filling that required carmelization, or the frosting required melting and then cooling and then beating.<br /><br />So when I saw that Betty chose The Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake as her first choice, I thought holy crap I love Fleur Del Sel chocolate cupcakes...and then I thought holy crap this better not be 500 steps.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6C_ewynYEPwA4-WPgzwS8zteGfUmp0xVs1Y5_CofjYFx6QRhhL0mpAI9bbhOjsCguenihFPfMofQJjGJLd-Gr7G-UR5y1i8CRRCsL4XmXLITr_KhUQ6bNQbXqMusLB6IV2q8Gn8Ouw/s1600-h/msc+whisk.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6C_ewynYEPwA4-WPgzwS8zteGfUmp0xVs1Y5_CofjYFx6QRhhL0mpAI9bbhOjsCguenihFPfMofQJjGJLd-Gr7G-UR5y1i8CRRCsL4XmXLITr_KhUQ6bNQbXqMusLB6IV2q8Gn8Ouw/s320/msc+whisk.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370292588665089186" /></a><br /><br />I was pleased to see that the cupcake seemed to be MS's one-bowl chocolate cake recipe, which I have used before with moderate success, but it's not my favorite. It is easy which I love, but this time I added a bit more oil and cocoa to give it more of that dark chocolate kick that last time I felt was lacking. This time I got a MUCH better result than in the past. I halved the recipe and made 10 big cupcakes...in my experience with 'filled' cupcakes is that minis don't really get you the filling bang for your buck that most people tend to want with a filled cupcake.<br /><br />The cucpakes rose nice and high in the oven, my favorite when chocolate cupcakes dome. The caramel I saved til the next day when I had a bit more baking time on my hand... it went as expected, but can you believe I never made caramel from scratch before?? It was quite fun. And ummm I halved the recipe and I have a TON of leftover caramel. As in about 6 ounces. I am pondering what to do with it.<br /><br />I let it cool for a bit so it would not absorb into the cupcake, filled them, and topped them with the fleur del sel and then piped some swirls with the dark chocolate frosting, and a few more sprinkles of salt. BTW...*discard* the tops? I don't think so! With any cone I always put at least the top back on, it makes for a neater look when you cut them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-DkqroMYyTlzEAvUyOhdsFHyFjc5R1r665GiUTckX-zlCQNolrHCcpN2i7M3eyahmMyjhiluTirvC6Df-BZibCZL8IKeMLyW00ySKEXfArseyggfMcgzBykuJInj-LxzaYkh0BrkUw/s1600-h/msc+cupcake+done.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-DkqroMYyTlzEAvUyOhdsFHyFjc5R1r665GiUTckX-zlCQNolrHCcpN2i7M3eyahmMyjhiluTirvC6Df-BZibCZL8IKeMLyW00ySKEXfArseyggfMcgzBykuJInj-LxzaYkh0BrkUw/s320/msc+cupcake+done.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370292606115641234" /></a><br /><br />Tasting each element as I went along was interesting. The cupcakes were moist and very chocolatey and of course the caramel works soooo well with the salt. I ate half today and my husband ate half..we both loved them, but I think that these would be wonderful without the caramel even. <br /><br />I would add more cream to the caramel, as I did this time. It gave it a richer more velvety taste than the small amt the recipe called for. That gave it more of an intense flavor. The frosting was too thin the way the recipe called for it, so I added more conf sugar but then it curdled thanks to the extra sugar. It worked out in the end, but next time I won't add addt'l sugar after the chocolate but before. Also I only used 2/3 of the butter, 2 sticks for 1/2 a recipe? Yikes! I'd rather more chocolate taste than butter.<br /><br />Not off to a bad start MS...!! Just don't make me bake any angel food cupcakes please. Check out the rest of the MSC baking lovelies listed <a href="http://www.eatmycupcake.com">here</a> on Betty's blog. And buy the book at Amazon. Enjoy!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-17987809904033813062009-07-16T22:59:00.007-05:002009-07-16T23:16:31.066-05:00S'mores Cupcakes...Revitalized!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAt_KvGXZArGbK6DXAdCA2IZ8xpGtBZAXXUGS2TjL5xkGW2gFhnr7r-U1aHg3OgzrdWVhKjW95F6-JRxTUO2Ipr9bfCYgQFyrmta7AYzGYhQKznzxXIDGJLv3QFIoZYo0Wfy54jJsKg/s1600-h/smores+2.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAt_KvGXZArGbK6DXAdCA2IZ8xpGtBZAXXUGS2TjL5xkGW2gFhnr7r-U1aHg3OgzrdWVhKjW95F6-JRxTUO2Ipr9bfCYgQFyrmta7AYzGYhQKznzxXIDGJLv3QFIoZYo0Wfy54jJsKg/s320/smores+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359276695391451842" /></a><br /><br />So a few months ago one of my good friends asked me to make her s'mores cupcakes for her birthday. I made an experimental version a few posts below...but I wasn't impressed. Well they tasted like amazing chocolate marshmallow cupcakes, but nothing like s'mores.<br /><br />I noodled on it for a while, but just didn't have the time to try again before the big day. Which turned out to be a 95 degree day, and did I mention our new house doesn't have A/C? Yes, turning on the oven was a decision of madness, but I perservered.<br /><br />I went with a graham cracker cupcake (2cups of graham crackers!) studded with chocolate chips, because I wanted the s'mores experience in every bite. Fluffy boiled icing was the frosting of choice, birthday girl loves it. LOVES IT, and doesn't care a whit that it is the world's most sticky substance ever known in a kitchen. Well not totally, but close.<br /><br />So I whipped up a huge batch of fluffy boiled icing. I coned out the cupcakes and filled them with the frosting. Then I topped them with the frosting and a slice of Hershey's and graham cracker.<br /><br />S'mores in every bite. These things were CRAZY. Absolutely everyone loved them, and birthday girl was in heaven. Sure the house was 88 degrees when I was done and didn't cool down til 10pm, but it was worth it. They looked pretty too.<br /><br />Fluffy Boiled Icing<br />From GigiCakes.blogspot.com<br />3 tablespoons of meringue powder<br />1/2 cup of cold water<br />2 cups of sugar<br />1/4 cup corn syrup<br />1/2 cup of water<br /><br />Beat meringue powder and cold water until stiff, about 4 minutes.<br />In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring to boil and cool slightly.With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the syrup mixture to the meringue.<br />Then beat on high for 4 minutes, until stiff and glossy. <br />Store at room temperature.<br />It's super fun to pipe as well and will develop an outer shell, and can be left out overnight with no issues.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-70591068657613151192009-07-16T22:48:00.000-05:002009-07-16T22:58:10.710-05:00Sugar B Bakes from Martha Stewart CupcakesOne of my favorite bloggers and one of my very good real life friends, <a href="http://www.eatmycupake.com">Miss Betty</a>, just got the Martha Stewart Cupcakes book. To help her committment to baking from the book, she decided to scout around for other crazy blogging bakers like herself, to bake with her in another one of those amazing 'community baking groups' that permeate the web. I belong(ed) to a few myself but I obviously cannot commit to much lately, life is too busy. But cupcakes...I could probably get behind. Especially ones with such amazing images to accompany them.<br /><br />It's baking from the book, potentially monthly or weekly (MONTHLY ya'll!). Check out her post <a href="http://bettyheartcupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/07/martha-stewarts-cupcakes-book-and-what.html">here</a> and if you are interested, leave her a comment or send her an email. Cupcake away!<br /><br />PS...I know I have been MIA, but I have been sporadically baking. My latest thing was a s'mores cupcake to beat ALL s'mores cupcakes. I'll post about it next before something distracts me and I wander away from the computer yet again.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-61127779955350818482009-05-17T10:32:00.011-05:002009-05-17T11:33:18.454-05:00Rainbows, Chocolate Marshmallow & THANKS.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxGExaNOQeGgUNkhjWKjyepT0S0k7h4nOSI3YL6-P3JamjPPZHNfh38cFbx0q1IxMMV5WB81_812or1vdYnnNzIQlGNCiHQb4NlPTCa9goMnwdto6LZJvSizTYpSdnzqg1Q96B5gMVg/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+114.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxGExaNOQeGgUNkhjWKjyepT0S0k7h4nOSI3YL6-P3JamjPPZHNfh38cFbx0q1IxMMV5WB81_812or1vdYnnNzIQlGNCiHQb4NlPTCa9goMnwdto6LZJvSizTYpSdnzqg1Q96B5gMVg/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+114.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336828546737269378" /></a><br /><br />First off, I'd like to say a big buttery THANKS to the crazy 24 followers of this blog. I have not been as loyal to updating the Spatula as I would like to be, schedule of life just doesn't quite allow it. But I will be better than I have been previously, since you guys deserve to see all the stuff that comes out of my kitchen, even if I can't make a big post accompanying the images.<br /><br />I went back to my 'roots' this week, ala cupcakes! I had a request for rainbow cupcakes, and honestly I have never been crazy about these things from images I have seen online since it seems like most peeps use cake mix and then the frosting is all haphazard and crazy with rainbow sprinkles. So when a friend asked me to do them for a birthday, I thought REALLY? Are you sure? Yes well..I did it. And ummm, if I do say so myself they came out SUPER CUTE.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-FUsGp_Yb5_dI13K4CTDlWEP5r0puVSStXhOGlHIKxVgFPI29WSa11bzs2BV14n4euQIsqE827RPZvigLDAl67wKj3iMpOCuYkEaSdUSN33FYWN2cpZrwwW0YWWMo9l5BzTCkCi4nQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+106.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-FUsGp_Yb5_dI13K4CTDlWEP5r0puVSStXhOGlHIKxVgFPI29WSa11bzs2BV14n4euQIsqE827RPZvigLDAl67wKj3iMpOCuYkEaSdUSN33FYWN2cpZrwwW0YWWMo9l5BzTCkCi4nQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+106.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336828545160391618" /></a><br /><br />How do you make them? It's pretty easy. Take your favorite vanilla or butter cupcake recipe. Separate it into 3-4 small bowls, try to make them even because if you don't..as I found out, you are left a lot of batter for 2 colors only and then your 'rainbow' looks more like tie-dye. Spoon a bit of each batter into the cupcake liner. I guess some people do it right on top of each other, but I did it kind of side and top on each other and it came out cute. Not quite perfect, but I liked the look.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpLGcQ-mctfg3BWIRdInodPsf09VFBtqxKwDIcOA0SQmSORlTG1j2tkrjUhV2euUJamIe5yhijlil_bgrvybVU83N_FIqi_Eo3fg36mHB0rIYYH82BBQCMly3ZT2pvdNA-XdmnFkuwA/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+111.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqpLGcQ-mctfg3BWIRdInodPsf09VFBtqxKwDIcOA0SQmSORlTG1j2tkrjUhV2euUJamIe5yhijlil_bgrvybVU83N_FIqi_Eo3fg36mHB0rIYYH82BBQCMly3ZT2pvdNA-XdmnFkuwA/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+111.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336828548314630722" /></a><br /><br />The other experiment that I spent a few hours on this week turned out to be Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes. Well to be honest with you, I started out trying to make S'mores Cupcakes since one of my pals has requested it for her bday and I want them to be PERFECT. I have seen a lot of S'mores recipes on the blogs. But I didn't want to do the typical graham crust, choco cake with marshmallow topping. <br /><br />Taste wise they came out amazing...but sorry it wasn't S'mores. They need WAY more graham cracker. So back to the drawing board. However, they were somewhat inspired by Sprinkles Chocolate Marshmallow cuppie...which I had last week while we celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary in Scottsdale, AZ, so it's not a total failure because those were bomb tasting. I definitely plan to make these beauties again and again.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEJwTlRnaxBUxmP7MuXd6cKjfFbTh9C-PX8JJB93Acn5yME_UzwZu3q6u-Dy1nvTK6Anqjr6C_jyyo-BKM9dkmmVZggeRAUvMcS6ZAhj56I8hpREhvC6oHw3JSmNte5esn9TmMKT2aQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+122.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEJwTlRnaxBUxmP7MuXd6cKjfFbTh9C-PX8JJB93Acn5yME_UzwZu3q6u-Dy1nvTK6Anqjr6C_jyyo-BKM9dkmmVZggeRAUvMcS6ZAhj56I8hpREhvC6oHw3JSmNte5esn9TmMKT2aQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+122.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336829231726673602" /></a><br /><br />Use your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe for these, I used the famous Epicurious 'most downloaded recipe' <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Double-Chocolate-Layer-Cake-101275">Chocolate Layer Cake</a>. I filled them with marshmallow cream which is simply a bag of marshmallows, 1/4c milk, and 1/4c heavy cream heated up until it is all melty and warm. Let it cool up to 30 min and thicken, then cut out the tops of the cupcakes and spoon it in. Next time I will top them with marshmallow 7 minute frosting as well as have the cream inside, most people said it still needed more marshmallow, the chocolate was pretty intense. I dipped them in ganache for the tops, just using dark chocolate and heavy cream with some corn syrup. Still wondering about how to get the graham going in correctly.<br /><br />While I noodle over how to make the base cupcakes turn into S'mores, I had to make actual S'mores for my hub and me on Friday night, yanno just to make sure I know what I'm trying to achieve. BTW, they were sinfully good, almost better than any gourmet dessert I have had. What's THAT about???<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dfhK9-iYjfbRjxYvguvxqwVpW2hZ1rfOE1siwDjrhivsIA6DZwLsT8lKD8RKOlk-WZBAWeOQTd6jOYlj831vvK34RsPOEUIxz3_Rxb2X7kf722NCets0RC-Tu2id_THZm3-5eMp5GQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+124.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dfhK9-iYjfbRjxYvguvxqwVpW2hZ1rfOE1siwDjrhivsIA6DZwLsT8lKD8RKOlk-WZBAWeOQTd6jOYlj831vvK34RsPOEUIxz3_Rxb2X7kf722NCets0RC-Tu2id_THZm3-5eMp5GQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+124.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336829237340673506" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-6709451485453996792009-05-08T00:57:00.009-05:002009-05-08T01:35:07.504-05:00Puff Pastry Chocolate Croissants.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioHiZrwnMkk9tEFnyaHA_eYOPRQEKb-8Ciig7owK_j4UEAVhhGC3vuBLau8qHRvKz4tQlTCjbPauNRS8m9M3vyalmdeZUl8PHrzqY_bay8_3DkGRMH1zsHEKBAQzC3SGKA5fOsTy6rw/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+095.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhioHiZrwnMkk9tEFnyaHA_eYOPRQEKb-8Ciig7owK_j4UEAVhhGC3vuBLau8qHRvKz4tQlTCjbPauNRS8m9M3vyalmdeZUl8PHrzqY_bay8_3DkGRMH1zsHEKBAQzC3SGKA5fOsTy6rw/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+095.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333336166323110562" /></a><br /><br />So here's the jist. I love croissants and took the class I wrote about <a href="http://lickthespatula.blogspot.com/2009/05/love-in-roll-croissant-class.html">here</a>. But I didn't love the dough and outcome all that much. Too doughy, too bready, too thick. Still tasty, but I thought it could be much flakier.<br /><br />I discovered according to the King Arthur Baking Cookbook that there were two ways to make croissants. With yeast and without. The former is what we made in the class...but the latter was intriguing.<br /><br />I used the recipe in the book and set out to experiment. I am sure my buttering, folding, and turning methods were not totally spot on...it WAS my first time doing this all on my own. Who knows if I was making letters or orgami with my folds. But I kind of figured that as long as the butter got in, the dough and butter stayed cold, and I folded, turned, and chilled 5-6 times that it would pretty much be ok.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T8_ia7bfyL7-_n3s9cwkhXOWYUA5rM6C5-UODYQt4uaCALTMzzeGOyMS5DCFAskvBQHKSDiBc_xthufjGY_O8ZGkm-rJUCK_4t_lJNW9ZrIzKxucORYPIWO0F5ly2UmSlcxUKPFhmA/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+087.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T8_ia7bfyL7-_n3s9cwkhXOWYUA5rM6C5-UODYQt4uaCALTMzzeGOyMS5DCFAskvBQHKSDiBc_xthufjGY_O8ZGkm-rJUCK_4t_lJNW9ZrIzKxucORYPIWO0F5ly2UmSlcxUKPFhmA/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+087.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333334956831461714" /></a><br /><br />Erueka. I was right! I was worried that because this recipe had no yeast in it, these would turn out to be small croissants with not much lift. Surprise..the idea of keeping them cold in the fridge until baking straight into the hot oven, is so that the fat of the butter in the pockets of the dough can create steam and explode into the flaky layers we all love so much in croissants and other pastries.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9ap9JPqnSgp-xNbHGaaKX-QmelIIu19RuGpYF1z243McloNPEwm4_KifMh9sZpnevnpv5h9eY-TDniPq-7TUKTfz3gYISyl8r7Ev5HQP2oV0c2WdIUw3ByP0tntVBEt7BCwCUcuD5Q/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+090.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9ap9JPqnSgp-xNbHGaaKX-QmelIIu19RuGpYF1z243McloNPEwm4_KifMh9sZpnevnpv5h9eY-TDniPq-7TUKTfz3gYISyl8r7Ev5HQP2oV0c2WdIUw3ByP0tntVBEt7BCwCUcuD5Q/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+090.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333334959197157666" /></a><br /><br />The croissants rose nicely in the oven. So far I love this recipe. No worrying about rising time and puffs like crazy? I made most of them with chocolate, but I did try basting some with almond extract since I did not have time to get almond paste. And of course, I had to attempt Nutella..which was amazing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv99XHhC92ag8E0Cj0VK1VXQiU5KaTknR2V-EHKKad1dRmuS3PDhFDBIMznWV7pIPvg5AjDMDItw1RG2x12lIa_-VTsBndI-AaWXFAXxxxWt7ZYahhpWDYJa8hU2Gp_EOnhs7bKW6FpQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+097.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv99XHhC92ag8E0Cj0VK1VXQiU5KaTknR2V-EHKKad1dRmuS3PDhFDBIMznWV7pIPvg5AjDMDItw1RG2x12lIa_-VTsBndI-AaWXFAXxxxWt7ZYahhpWDYJa8hU2Gp_EOnhs7bKW6FpQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+097.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333334963857751186" /></a><br /><br />Overall, this was a winning recipe BUT next time I will add sugar to the recipe. There was none in this recipe at all and while the fillings are sweet, they don't quite compensate for the lack of sugar in the dough. Also I'd put bit more salt.<br /><br />The funny thing is that this is one of the only books/recipes that talks about making croissants with puff pastry non-yeasted dough. Pretty much every other recipe I found uses yeasted dough. Which leads me to believe that there must be some great flaketastic recipe that uses yeasted that is going to be fluffy and not bready like the ones we made in class.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6s54ZTgyhAoUdHrpewaTYHlrTxCZrdol4z5HJbumIseTBUma6k74nq2jLULTYaa9gF4tp82d6Iqr6yoFw3i55zFdjf-gRvdXRLm1PyWbYPcw6B4B6px1HBdJv4j-wWCC3tdB9oCIzQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+102.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6s54ZTgyhAoUdHrpewaTYHlrTxCZrdol4z5HJbumIseTBUma6k74nq2jLULTYaa9gF4tp82d6Iqr6yoFw3i55zFdjf-gRvdXRLm1PyWbYPcw6B4B6px1HBdJv4j-wWCC3tdB9oCIzQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+102.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333334973820902082" /></a><br /><br />Anyone got some yeasted flakealicious recipes that they want to push my way? I am on a mission now!! I want to make this recipe again with some mods, but then I want to try a few yeasted recipe for comparison's sake. Fatty buttery goodness, here I come!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-56294957135188364572009-05-05T10:16:00.010-05:002009-05-08T01:34:36.567-05:00Love in a Roll... Croissant Class.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu47kITJs5ODAKf3zDjXugMmkuhImpGFNYXc4Q12b9Pc8Rg2hMBqE-StFWDiPk-zt9Oxvf71O9e8QK5wlc44hZYzn9HcgK7Gjb5Az-foiY5KmTnL9vP-CVIRBq6SSbIoauS0WG-J8uQ/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+081.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu47kITJs5ODAKf3zDjXugMmkuhImpGFNYXc4Q12b9Pc8Rg2hMBqE-StFWDiPk-zt9Oxvf71O9e8QK5wlc44hZYzn9HcgK7Gjb5Az-foiY5KmTnL9vP-CVIRBq6SSbIoauS0WG-J8uQ/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+081.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333327632112340242" /></a><br /><br />Who doesn't love croissants? I love them in an unhealthy way. As in the last few times I have gone to Paris for work, I end up consuming about 2-3 per day while I am there. I would probably eat more but it's limited purely by the amount of time I have outside of meetings to search down and eat croissants.<br /><br />Paris croissants are all seemingly incredibly flakey..so that when you bite into one, you immediately have a shower of buttery goodness down your front. No time for embarassment. Must eat more croissants.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfxozravmDbkkb2KFenBjCfYPPAfyyBDEY4af8EpWCL3QHeXm-VU4uxwfbbxLJu4-LvAljLNc8jERCkDVKTeCW_yIUEN56-YyvuSUzL0DOYvoIXjTtPq3s8m1E2Wk1RDwsLjTMFN-Pg/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+061.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfxozravmDbkkb2KFenBjCfYPPAfyyBDEY4af8EpWCL3QHeXm-VU4uxwfbbxLJu4-LvAljLNc8jERCkDVKTeCW_yIUEN56-YyvuSUzL0DOYvoIXjTtPq3s8m1E2Wk1RDwsLjTMFN-Pg/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+061.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333324105789350978" /></a><br /><br />So when my baking pal, Betty ala Miss <a href="http://eatmycupcake.com">EatMyCupcake</a>, said let's take a class at Sur La Table, we both said Croissants. Having visited Paris just a week before the class, I had the memory of those flaketastic buttery morsels fresh on my tongue.<br /><br />I love taking classes at Sur La Table. They have a huge kitchen, a fabulous setup, lots of great volunteers surrounding a usually pretty knowledgeable teacher. Cheese n' crackers, fresh water, bathroom breaks. LOVE IT. It makes the $80 you pay for the class for 2.5 hours seem more than worth it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_REXtq62N6ZdC7We_LLb1uMdviOB7DbT19b6oQpYx0NdJSZ7D4oGV59ZBBwTxfJnSz4UqB_SsJUvxP9vR8PzA3-l-1deA9CT0PgcRojZGowQt8L4LqJmThYoEie-fkA7KNF96i0pBA/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+059b.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_REXtq62N6ZdC7We_LLb1uMdviOB7DbT19b6oQpYx0NdJSZ7D4oGV59ZBBwTxfJnSz4UqB_SsJUvxP9vR8PzA3-l-1deA9CT0PgcRojZGowQt8L4LqJmThYoEie-fkA7KNF96i0pBA/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+059b.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333325574998292786" /></a><br /><br />This class was no different than past classes in how much fun I had and how much I learned. We were taught how to make, butter, roll, turn, chill, cut, fill, and bake the croissants. The one thing that I did not love about this class was the croissant recipe. The instructor noted that there were hundreds out there and that they are all different. What she chose WAS a good beginner recipe. And it tasted fine, esp when filled.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sx8t0IilQZEHYWzwBgxAiwi5a_eQtxZbM3soJ0Ogyqb3RThYfdTrhZFxMDNRTjJW-tSgI6kYLZfogGH8FtnrOfXY2OxfDZiSZKiDJR4kihdNE8r2P_FlIwRqqr6j_SpkytCLPehNkw/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+068.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0sx8t0IilQZEHYWzwBgxAiwi5a_eQtxZbM3soJ0Ogyqb3RThYfdTrhZFxMDNRTjJW-tSgI6kYLZfogGH8FtnrOfXY2OxfDZiSZKiDJR4kihdNE8r2P_FlIwRqqr6j_SpkytCLPehNkw/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+068.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333324109453989426" /></a><br /><br />BUT what we made and ate were not the crazy flakey croissants of my most recent memory. A bit more bready, and thick...thesee did not inspire a shower of buttery crumbs but rather the idea that you could easily slather some jam on them, and eat an extremely filling carb-laden breakfast with just one. However, the class itself was great...and I left there thinking about all the ways that I could make a better croissant. I couldn't let it lie...read on!! Next post.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CEBSsN8g1HLXkcj_KcD6iPhUNCDXIKjl1VsNt7ZgKUOjhX7A6Jj3ZLBPvip-bv1Vj780CbqKS7Y9y3FMNX1KljpqVdjiWaSec-CwRawhVIRu70gaCBuBmmqueZqK67DJ6E_tPOzl2w/s1600-h/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+075.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3CEBSsN8g1HLXkcj_KcD6iPhUNCDXIKjl1VsNt7ZgKUOjhX7A6Jj3ZLBPvip-bv1Vj780CbqKS7Y9y3FMNX1KljpqVdjiWaSec-CwRawhVIRu70gaCBuBmmqueZqK67DJ6E_tPOzl2w/s320/Misc+May+Baking+and+Parties+075.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333325582912707746" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-25933707929642893912009-05-02T15:15:00.008-05:002009-05-02T15:50:02.837-05:00Magnolia Banana Pudding.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw3u9w3CDRIFxpsWTBOFrLioCv6oHvSP5J45WUo6sDqAFMs_vNgJgWEQyTm6s4H7c_5POcyIgc7f9Ql_ktcydb3gmipeLc1HMs1rLQaB8IXb5M2xf27QTC8OFQdAsPt8DKSBJOXMwjA/s1600-h/banana+wafer.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyw3u9w3CDRIFxpsWTBOFrLioCv6oHvSP5J45WUo6sDqAFMs_vNgJgWEQyTm6s4H7c_5POcyIgc7f9Ql_ktcydb3gmipeLc1HMs1rLQaB8IXb5M2xf27QTC8OFQdAsPt8DKSBJOXMwjA/s320/banana+wafer.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331330068413881890" /></a><br /><br />One of my pals went to NYC a year ago and came back raving about the banana pudding that a lot of the bakeries there sell. I was happy to find a recipe online, and bookmarked it, yes almost a year ago. Things are busy.<br /><br />We were going to have a big housewarming bash this wkd for our new home. However, it's rained out (unheard of in California, where are we?!?)so we rescheduled it. Instead, we are having a few of our favorite couples for a small dinner instead.<br /><br />Since I want to make the banana pudding in a super-mondo-sized batch for the BBQ..what better way to test it than on 6 of our friends. However, I just made it and honestly, it doesn't need to be tested on anyone, this stuff is bomb. As in really amazing. I am not a big fan of licking the spatula (I know, I know!) but when I was done making the pudding, I was all over the spatula AND bowl.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLwTdkJJJ69KPZdWlRRuDyqDxIu0j2NOUXyKM4rdSyp8_hzt30sNMbBrYKtHzpVfqWcTCpdrj8QO40sO1VbIf_YpfY9vUunnc14GCRmLCgeHlYMSmc-HPzAtxxOP2Ikh4MG3qjFRfpA/s1600-h/pudding+and+cream.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLwTdkJJJ69KPZdWlRRuDyqDxIu0j2NOUXyKM4rdSyp8_hzt30sNMbBrYKtHzpVfqWcTCpdrj8QO40sO1VbIf_YpfY9vUunnc14GCRmLCgeHlYMSmc-HPzAtxxOP2Ikh4MG3qjFRfpA/s320/pudding+and+cream.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331330071617412306" /></a><br /><br />The recipe itself is easy...it just takes a bit to assemble. I used instant pudding because I can never really find the regular stuff, and it tasted good to me. Also who has the time to wait for pudding to set 4 hours in the fridge nowadays?<br /><br />Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding<br />From 'More From Magnolia' Cookbook<br />Serves 12<br /><br />Ingredients<br />1 1/2 cups water <br />2/3 cup vanilla pudding mix <br />1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk <br />3 cups cold heavy cream <br />1 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers <br />4 ripe bananas, sliced <br /><br />Directions<br />Whisk together the water, pudding mix and sweetened condensed milk until will mixed. If not using instant, refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. If using instant, it will be ready to go within 15 min.<br /><br />When pudding is ready, whip the heavy cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well incorporated.<br /><br />In a deep glass bowl (or pie pans or whatever you want to use to layer...but honestly the deeper the bowl the more it will all 'mish mash' together), layer the pudding, wafers, bananas and pudding again. Continue until all the mixture is used up, ending with either wafers or pudding. Don't end with bananas because they will just turn brown and end up looking unappealing. I sprinkled crushed wafers on top of mine.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJDErmx3NWY3-9IYEQXnr_SwoWCLm9CP5TuYlh9FuWfI6-NXrd2a9Zx2bKg-IzSMvaPeQNNOKwzlFxSYwjIQm7XHhiFgsbLROd_B_VMTI5FpcA6FBL0-cMR2WrW4RPUkzNPSb1LptfA/s1600-h/bananas.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiJDErmx3NWY3-9IYEQXnr_SwoWCLm9CP5TuYlh9FuWfI6-NXrd2a9Zx2bKg-IzSMvaPeQNNOKwzlFxSYwjIQm7XHhiFgsbLROd_B_VMTI5FpcA6FBL0-cMR2WrW4RPUkzNPSb1LptfA/s320/bananas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331330067778898258" /></a><br /><br />Refrigerate for 1-8 hours, but many blogs say the longer that you have it in the fridge sitting all together, the better it seems to taste. This dessert also looks amazing layered in an ice cream sundae glass.<br /><br />Mods I made include adding a bit of banana cream pudding mix with the vanilla, using instant, using more bananas and nilla wafers than it called for. I also sprinkled a bit of rum on one of the layers of wafers, why not??? Next time I might experiment with adding coconut cream pudding into the mix as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpSUjkW7MnTOD9VFMxjuJ3-Zg5bkGp1ie4dppZP5TYvQK_Ark6gQqAx-mnzAJeVS72LlLlslnRKe5KBPRwuQXoUxuYvL-RxLOY_qyU3tCtAfQq3zUzr0piFWQ1NhUcxcy1l8HD2TMlg/s1600-h/layers+banana.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpSUjkW7MnTOD9VFMxjuJ3-Zg5bkGp1ie4dppZP5TYvQK_Ark6gQqAx-mnzAJeVS72LlLlslnRKe5KBPRwuQXoUxuYvL-RxLOY_qyU3tCtAfQq3zUzr0piFWQ1NhUcxcy1l8HD2TMlg/s320/layers+banana.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331330447038862882" /></a><br /><br />Quite honestly, originally reading the recipe I thought...this sounds like a cheat. Pudding mix? Nilla wafers? It probably won't be very good. How does Magnolia sell this stuff? But, oh no. As I assembled this stuff I kept right on snitching some of the cream pudding. If you can't wait the 1-8 hours to taste this all together, take a wafer, scoop some pudding onto it and put a banana slice on top. Heaven in an instant.<br /><br />Don't wait a year to make this like I did. Enjoy!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLqFAIj6UOMrWQqK2cTpmniYZrM62J6g3RtuEEhcCSQuZHvJp_HcOl_gVAJCZB3MX4dWKnL7AlORJ2OYi2fXy6Ssm81qomU1qqVtOcVKjB3Oq5xX0pUrPHUI-BdR-izVla13g5alYvQ/s1600-h/banana+pudding.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLqFAIj6UOMrWQqK2cTpmniYZrM62J6g3RtuEEhcCSQuZHvJp_HcOl_gVAJCZB3MX4dWKnL7AlORJ2OYi2fXy6Ssm81qomU1qqVtOcVKjB3Oq5xX0pUrPHUI-BdR-izVla13g5alYvQ/s320/banana+pudding.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331330078183242098" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-41006689625516577052009-04-12T01:27:00.007-05:002009-04-12T01:40:49.885-05:00Happy Easter!! Carrot n' Hummingbird Cupcakes.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu036Otqtke6OEo7I_g13CrUc9wiqmQ18RXjjxUi2RgNIRHveEkiAO0iBtpsPo_9t12B73kmynIGJtiFtQT9PclezPfWzZgbklBSwDuuJVGrE4NaYCb7q36ygkbeMdPBE5V3FWZl9izQ/s1600-h/mara+easter+cuppie+09.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 248px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu036Otqtke6OEo7I_g13CrUc9wiqmQ18RXjjxUi2RgNIRHveEkiAO0iBtpsPo_9t12B73kmynIGJtiFtQT9PclezPfWzZgbklBSwDuuJVGrE4NaYCb7q36ygkbeMdPBE5V3FWZl9izQ/s320/mara+easter+cuppie+09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323689409254212114" /></a><br /><br />OMG ... yes I am still alive! I know it's been forever since I have posted anything on my blog, but I have been existing and baking. Moving in Jan was brutal on us...but then I was also very sick most of Feb with two colds and a flu. Yes, it was nasty times. I spent most of March getting back into the saddle and we have been very busy working to make sure we can continue to pay both our mortgages while our old home went up on the market.<br /><br />I have made a fair amount of cupcakes in March, I'll try to post those pictures in the next post. But for now this is about Easter! We are hosting a BBQ tomorrow for my family in our new place, and I spent about 2 hours today making these super fun cupcakes. They turned out SO cute I thought. Because I typically tend to 'over-schedule' myself as my husband likes to say, I don't normally have the kind of time it takes to decorate things like this the way I'd REALLY like to. So I really enjoyed doing it today.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-gIPoq7WqPv9-SaRllpzr0ByqS0SC8ThWRJtMQad9urD1K1X82vEWwFHhcjmfhlpQvutvQjbLUq9F0Czx-H2aP5jm22Hjs8J3eJIrP-1h8uJ1XU196tyA98OXPkq-w9bhVyBRFX-pg/s1600-h/side+view+easter.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-gIPoq7WqPv9-SaRllpzr0ByqS0SC8ThWRJtMQad9urD1K1X82vEWwFHhcjmfhlpQvutvQjbLUq9F0Czx-H2aP5jm22Hjs8J3eJIrP-1h8uJ1XU196tyA98OXPkq-w9bhVyBRFX-pg/s320/side+view+easter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323689402820840706" /></a><br /><br />I made Hummingbird cupcakes, a recipe I have been wanting to try for over a year now. It has walnuts, coconut, banana, and pineapple in it. Sounds funny? It's GOOD. I got it from the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/hummingbird-cupcakes">Martha Stewart </a>website, and it turned out VERY yummy. My adaptations included adding a tablespoon of sour cream and tablespoon of milk, along with omitting the vanilla, and adding a bit of the pineapple juice. Excellent cupcake. I also made carrot cake cupcakes, using a new recipe on MSNBC from <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23796073/">Epicurious</a>, which I guess is one of the most used recipes ever on their site. It reminds me a lot of Dorie's Bill's Carrot Cake recipe, but the cake is far more substantial which I like. I also added 1 tblsp of milk and sour cream to this one as well as my favorite RUM SOAKED RAISINS.<br /><br />One of our fav couples came for dinner...and Betty brought her own Easter cupcakes as well, of course it was time for a Peep Photo Shoot. So, Happy Easter all and I hope to be posting more often now that we are settled in!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OnZEwgsaLBaya0n6fKHwZW0O9BOB7v_C5_G___3j9E3QGlJpZm9mifEqMYZOiBTC7IF_PGa4SZSsfZ_n1-EafV4PhhuavtoqSzlSnhzviHId6-v7O_bHKPMwbLbOMfsRsefblBjiAw/s1600-h/peeps+cupcakes+buddies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OnZEwgsaLBaya0n6fKHwZW0O9BOB7v_C5_G___3j9E3QGlJpZm9mifEqMYZOiBTC7IF_PGa4SZSsfZ_n1-EafV4PhhuavtoqSzlSnhzviHId6-v7O_bHKPMwbLbOMfsRsefblBjiAw/s320/peeps+cupcakes+buddies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323689403478653586" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-13137780918780309602009-01-27T00:10:00.001-06:002009-01-27T00:27:19.804-06:00TWD: Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP8yG3U0HZozrFiOHxu1FOmUd4Xua2rL_wwou-dPCxrVR3qZYe-9peFZyzHkfuFX_YvY2XWXncOLjgsVaQFSv_jJAi7fNCpXrlKtvfIH4puTHKt-dsJoXgCpjjHRiMJQx-4qyB0gSMQ/s1600-h/choco+vanity.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdP8yG3U0HZozrFiOHxu1FOmUd4Xua2rL_wwou-dPCxrVR3qZYe-9peFZyzHkfuFX_YvY2XWXncOLjgsVaQFSv_jJAi7fNCpXrlKtvfIH4puTHKt-dsJoXgCpjjHRiMJQx-4qyB0gSMQ/s320/choco+vanity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295849558435410786" /></a><br /><br />So yeah, I am on baking hiatus. Thank the move, thank my shattered kitchen, thank my tired nerves. We're 2/3 there...and I really miss baking. After seeing Martha Stewart's Cupcake show caught on TiVo this weekend, I was itching to be back in the kitchen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp1OIPAYl8zmyHA42KuluPjHNjNWV6gKXvj8zwwivs72JdSpYmSwGdTinqlGhuCRGYEGM6rimNbqWX0vrfLqbRdSmqtzB_DiYd5_J0nTDsVyo8ulWPciuoh9WddBGK1iE90P6oo4USQ/s1600-h/molasses.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNp1OIPAYl8zmyHA42KuluPjHNjNWV6gKXvj8zwwivs72JdSpYmSwGdTinqlGhuCRGYEGM6rimNbqWX0vrfLqbRdSmqtzB_DiYd5_J0nTDsVyo8ulWPciuoh9WddBGK1iE90P6oo4USQ/s320/molasses.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295849561137341506" /></a><br /><br />Therefore this TWD came in right at the perfect time. It's a cake, which typically means 'easy' for me, and meant to be made in a 9x9 pan with a thin layer of frosting. However, since I moved most of my kitchen already, I only had cupcake tins sitting in the oven. Perfect. I was in the mood for a rich cupcake anyway.<br /><br />So I made chocolate gingerbread cupcakes. Slathered with a spicy gingerbread chocolate coffee frosting. I ate more than my share, I am happy to report.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_bTsrva8usd5S8YL70BY3mPk2sbw0B7Utbiw7nH9MM5VgwU9pqzaJ4LSJT1hPj1XeFBxv7WtMuLTMJlK1nP2kFMOdf0dshiRW1hKlCY4n04X3enRIrzbRB2POFe8ZreREvyXuEd7Xg/s1600-h/twd+choco+ginger+muffin+top.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_bTsrva8usd5S8YL70BY3mPk2sbw0B7Utbiw7nH9MM5VgwU9pqzaJ4LSJT1hPj1XeFBxv7WtMuLTMJlK1nP2kFMOdf0dshiRW1hKlCY4n04X3enRIrzbRB2POFe8ZreREvyXuEd7Xg/s320/twd+choco+ginger+muffin+top.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295849567400146482" /></a><br /><br />Since I am partially moved, I did a one bowl routine on the cupcakes, and did not have fresh ginger so I used pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, and vanilla instead. The cupcakes baked up nice and large. <br /><br />Overall, the recipe is very good... quite moist and delicious. I think I used a bit less chocolate than required, so it was more of a 'hint' of chocolate in the cake than anything else. Next time I will double it...but given that these are cupcakes, the frosting more than makes up for it in this particular shape and form!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxNhyw8U0b7Pa8qUn04YIoIuyXUzgv-00VWHqXwE-EUzqueDL43pQ4blcReqaAEssxKveufG_hAEJMx-EhePcyTm9zoU_QFgD4ToqtCn6kwTm0FDpDIxUe2UDM8Ybr-T_C66MwN77PQ/s1600-h/twd+choco+ginger+frost.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxNhyw8U0b7Pa8qUn04YIoIuyXUzgv-00VWHqXwE-EUzqueDL43pQ4blcReqaAEssxKveufG_hAEJMx-EhePcyTm9zoU_QFgD4ToqtCn6kwTm0FDpDIxUe2UDM8Ybr-T_C66MwN77PQ/s320/twd+choco+ginger+frost.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295850529094393794" /></a><br /><br />This is probably the last time I will bake in my old kitchen... it's a little nostalgic and sad as we spent 5 years here, and it was our first house together..and we have experienced a lot of firsts here.<br /><br />But we move onto better things I suppose. I can't wait to play with the oven in the new house. Until then...here's my TWD. Check out the rest of the TWD bakers here. I won't be around next week as I am traveling for work but hopefully back the week after AND testing out the oven in the new house. XOXO.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou8IGiNu-jEq-QFrNhSD3aPbmG_tyNr5lo2gjKvQml0LFMBT52BUKh5ojPT6RPut8dCmaV9EP37lW1l1MLETpDI6o2tRj52tcUarEjXXCzxSq5lnJPG3UQhT5dIgrDqT55pZvj9NJLw/s1600-h/twd+choco+cut+open.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhou8IGiNu-jEq-QFrNhSD3aPbmG_tyNr5lo2gjKvQml0LFMBT52BUKh5ojPT6RPut8dCmaV9EP37lW1l1MLETpDI6o2tRj52tcUarEjXXCzxSq5lnJPG3UQhT5dIgrDqT55pZvj9NJLw/s320/twd+choco+cut+open.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295849571975790258" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-57881781921448672482009-01-22T17:58:00.005-06:002009-01-22T18:11:17.176-06:00Blog Slack BUT... Big News!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UjHwVjQ26pmYRdbolcvgJYs5fm7rata3l1BevXNm0VRxyKiS3ddP0-w6AZnsbi8fBb-SJ0YV-u9zXi9bmthBkue_ECMeSYzFWZbkhuSASLdYdxQsCxApNt0QLdXEER-4H5vfY_yFsA/s1600-h/Marques+2009+New+House+034.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UjHwVjQ26pmYRdbolcvgJYs5fm7rata3l1BevXNm0VRxyKiS3ddP0-w6AZnsbi8fBb-SJ0YV-u9zXi9bmthBkue_ECMeSYzFWZbkhuSASLdYdxQsCxApNt0QLdXEER-4H5vfY_yFsA/s320/Marques+2009+New+House+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294274054855013970" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So yeah..I haven't posted on my blog in about a month, just shy. I think about baking, and I get out the cookbook, usually my TWD book and then I look at the recipe, and then I look at the couch ...and then I want to sleep.<br /><br />Here's why. We're moving! We bought a new house and we have been 'moving' all month long. The process is pretty long and complicated because the new house has to have the 2nd family room modified back into a garage (someone's bright idea 20 years ago)....so the construction has hindered us from moving in entirely.<br /><br />So we've been taking our town since we still have our existing place, and have been slowly moving things in and organizing as we go. 5 years in our place has turned us into CRAZY packrats. The new house, while way more expensive thanks to this ridiculous area where we live...is smaller sq ftage but has a very big front and back yard and an excellent elementary school for the child we don't have yet. So we have less space for more money, but actual dirt. Awesome!<br /><br />No but really we are excited. But busy ... esp since how can I have SO MUCH STUFF I have to go through...and I haven't been baking hardly at all. It's so depressing. I even started craving cupcakes from OTHER places today, sacrilege. Desperate times.<br /><br />Anyway, I just wanted to post and let you all know that I am still here and reading blogs, but just without time of my own (and within a few days without a kitchen as we are moving it this wkd)... to do anything. I am hoping to be BACK in the baking saddle come first or second week of Feb. Woop!!!!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-63120377936687001342008-12-28T13:47:00.006-06:002008-12-28T14:20:51.945-06:00TWD: Rich n'Creamy Eggnog Cheesecake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OzNluU1g6AylymruKYR8ssnwk7uBzt1W1-eKSPlpeg3CoUtfx_nwIt1GZiQtcLb2OAICWX1UnZq1k78TghEk7engylOJtzVptw7J8fAgctUw1X_zOA-VecqMJuE9OTFe7vt3H2Ck6A/s1600-h/flor+cheesecake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284935176062354738" style="WIDTH: 317px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OzNluU1g6AylymruKYR8ssnwk7uBzt1W1-eKSPlpeg3CoUtfx_nwIt1GZiQtcLb2OAICWX1UnZq1k78TghEk7engylOJtzVptw7J8fAgctUw1X_zOA-VecqMJuE9OTFe7vt3H2Ck6A/s320/flor+cheesecake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So, I skipped Butterscotch pudding last week in favor of making the last <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/">TWD</a> of the year...the Tall and Creamy Cheesecake, for our Xmas family dinner. Taking a cue from another TWD'er... I replaced 1/2 of the cream with eggnog and still added some sour cream. I also added some Rum and a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg. Taste? This cheesecake was divine! I swear I ate half of it myself.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VwhblQyjZp441-0SieADh7Vgst1XEIhBGEFkjSnBDx-pVAquCzCy6kDZJDthqa6aXyyW6JsSIZRf6OE1sqG-TabGRuHXdg8AJFPDi8lvF_f2Br8IK6vyXSN6R8or-7bzFjxImhk05w/s1600-h/sugar+on+mixer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284935182224324690" style="WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VwhblQyjZp441-0SieADh7Vgst1XEIhBGEFkjSnBDx-pVAquCzCy6kDZJDthqa6aXyyW6JsSIZRf6OE1sqG-TabGRuHXdg8AJFPDi8lvF_f2Br8IK6vyXSN6R8or-7bzFjxImhk05w/s320/sugar+on+mixer.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I made the full recipe and filled a tall 7" with still leftover batter...so you could easily half the recipe for a 6" cake I think. I wasn't sure about the water bath but it worked well AND you really do need to leave this cheesecake in the oven for the 45 min or so after it's done baking to cool slowly because I made other little tester cheeseckes without water bath and without cooling and they had a different texture and sunk in the middle (nothing berries or choco covered marshmallows can't cover!). Also mine cracked a fair amount but it was kind of a cool look...it did not burn or get too dark.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhnQJEGwEcBMpn6Tr1flTu9tQhnKFU2M6ZFTml8bchqVUXQTuwG1UBO0vz3ih6dJEBPYKWthVGzn6zBSuhAllJV_1Y0SqkuLI9JssHr_M0P2KST8P-CIYCePbj8yMoJPRgGbLwTEYoA/s1600-h/creamy+in+pan.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284935180838037570" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbhnQJEGwEcBMpn6Tr1flTu9tQhnKFU2M6ZFTml8bchqVUXQTuwG1UBO0vz3ih6dJEBPYKWthVGzn6zBSuhAllJV_1Y0SqkuLI9JssHr_M0P2KST8P-CIYCePbj8yMoJPRgGbLwTEYoA/s320/creamy+in+pan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Overall, this is one of my favorite Dorie recipes. Many times I don't love how her flavorings come out or things are too bland..but with the eggnog and rum and extra spices, this cheesecake was a huge hit at the party and surprisingly easy to make! The flavoring was so rich and light at the same time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwYDhhNZkPe6z7JrQ41uJYPEYDh3EjmHujiEtVTYAwJQODNgqRcgWvr2aS8T3xi5wF0O49zpdhoIYHM4c7LZ1CcPqacDgxJShObGVF7ZS6l8l8VfQqfuZbmJzRel00SyV5agNkG4ZQA/s1600-h/half+cut+cheesecakde.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284935185156009570" style="WIDTH: 282px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwYDhhNZkPe6z7JrQ41uJYPEYDh3EjmHujiEtVTYAwJQODNgqRcgWvr2aS8T3xi5wF0O49zpdhoIYHM4c7LZ1CcPqacDgxJShObGVF7ZS6l8l8VfQqfuZbmJzRel00SyV5agNkG4ZQA/s320/half+cut+cheesecakde.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />See the other TWD baking goodness <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/">here</a>...we are all posting throughout Dec with the recipes which I actually loved because then if one recipe fit the timing better I wasn't pidgeonholed into making it in a certain week. Loved the flexibility this month, thanks TWD.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-11294216385588902582008-12-17T00:45:00.007-06:002008-12-17T10:47:36.486-06:00Yule Tide Treasures....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhx7cBVe493jyWJ3UZgNXXGE2fqwCiTo5sY3IB012mamuEHNwxM_HG5Cc-SzL5jwhStKFvb-_OdiiYBTKntFGPXFmAvG6s7_GRy69ztuQPiv9N-YsWGFxLsayqI8e_UOlFMQaQDs1iuQ/s1600-h/naughty.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhx7cBVe493jyWJ3UZgNXXGE2fqwCiTo5sY3IB012mamuEHNwxM_HG5Cc-SzL5jwhStKFvb-_OdiiYBTKntFGPXFmAvG6s7_GRy69ztuQPiv9N-YsWGFxLsayqI8e_UOlFMQaQDs1iuQ/s320/naughty.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280648904923499090" /></a><br /><br />Tonite, <a href="http://eatmycupcake.com">Miss Betty </a>ala EatMyCupcake and I were lucky enough to take a baking class where we got to roll and decorate Yule Logs aka Buche Noel...and watch how to easily make a red velvet roll cake and an ice cream cake. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOpjt_XGA3PAW0kSTMKV6S8Kgbk3xvibYT8X2-JxgIBG9R9TMr_GFz5K-G9xhkoEajTBpivdZdofEmShJh0uYPtcGk-dyTRXRtmm2rRtSstB2v0XDW2kQR2FiMDq9dexGoLH8YqHGXA/s1600-h/Yule+Log+Class+08+001.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOpjt_XGA3PAW0kSTMKV6S8Kgbk3xvibYT8X2-JxgIBG9R9TMr_GFz5K-G9xhkoEajTBpivdZdofEmShJh0uYPtcGk-dyTRXRtmm2rRtSstB2v0XDW2kQR2FiMDq9dexGoLH8YqHGXA/s320/Yule+Log+Class+08+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280648917886014642" /></a><br /><br />The Yule Log portion thankfully took up 4/5 of the class, which is why we went in the first place. It was hands on and we made it REALLY hands on. As in finger-lickin-good hands-on!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mqFntn5RsF_RaCBbR_eBAmTj3DKmul1vpPfMYAuBlGRbBGW8SSy3OtfHi0Lrye9DIsWH_tjCLGr8ou2TLw1lvI3C6XOqOVT8Jo1gVlLrFJjm6p3zi8A1CQAphy_2fe_FUX4eZqskuQ/s1600-h/Yule+Log+Class+08+021.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mqFntn5RsF_RaCBbR_eBAmTj3DKmul1vpPfMYAuBlGRbBGW8SSy3OtfHi0Lrye9DIsWH_tjCLGr8ou2TLw1lvI3C6XOqOVT8Jo1gVlLrFJjm6p3zi8A1CQAphy_2fe_FUX4eZqskuQ/s320/Yule+Log+Class+08+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280648928689278146" /></a><br /><br />Our logs were pretty darn cute if I do say so myself...and we had a fabulous time asking ridiculous questions of the instructor such as 'why do you use a mix' and 'what makes this cake moist' (answer...the POWDERED EGGS...yes you read that one right).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEJeJGiCL_3l_QVDryrHFz1z65pi2DwD2sDC6wFZKdM3vJg4-sezNC0Hrym_NlLgQP_BkVpbvr8iY0zOTG27P3KdJrtNp8r871tUU_PSgLarCeT1toP23AKQXjyiW7qJulT6r7sPOBw/s1600-h/Yule+Log+Class+08+023.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEJeJGiCL_3l_QVDryrHFz1z65pi2DwD2sDC6wFZKdM3vJg4-sezNC0Hrym_NlLgQP_BkVpbvr8iY0zOTG27P3KdJrtNp8r871tUU_PSgLarCeT1toP23AKQXjyiW7qJulT6r7sPOBw/s320/Yule+Log+Class+08+023.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280648936630502338" /></a><br /><br />On a sappy note...I am so happy that Betty and I connected during the forlorn 'first and last' South Bay Cupcake Meetup so many months ago. It is a ton of fun to have a local baker pal who you also have a lot in common with, other than just baking. Plus our hubs actually like each other too. LUVSYA Betty and Papa Bear! HOHOHO.<br /><br /><strong>Want to make your own Yule Log? </strong><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_10052_make-yule-log.html">Here</a> is a link.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc5yUA4oBx5TeWo3xKJsRIMEotVPyAHaJoR8O92XesH7Gk0bYTx3ZniC3pK5ros0_TEltyStAR1j76t9CfAk9Ich6qsKC_MsPfl3WWjld_wCpIcXUq_Y6qexdHYTWWliv9BeeTUAYRQ/s1600-h/m+and+b+baking.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc5yUA4oBx5TeWo3xKJsRIMEotVPyAHaJoR8O92XesH7Gk0bYTx3ZniC3pK5ros0_TEltyStAR1j76t9CfAk9Ich6qsKC_MsPfl3WWjld_wCpIcXUq_Y6qexdHYTWWliv9BeeTUAYRQ/s320/m+and+b+baking.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280648909337550642" /></a><br /><em>Yule Log Kisses!! XOXO.</em>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-16277565802239514762008-12-13T10:34:00.008-06:002008-12-13T11:02:30.320-06:00TWD: Raspberry Linzers and Shu-Shu-Shugar Cookies.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQOHb7W7ttsRu946OFhgNwkG-5DA6vIE_ABLN74mXYOTmADy-Nw1I2pEIVG8mYUne38XavQIWPnb23R6H4s0Xhj3uqhHRIgc4r05tXOJB9d3KocYfyqERPAhYXEehYmQVwjYNIVqHkg/s1600-h/cookies+all+together+twd.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQOHb7W7ttsRu946OFhgNwkG-5DA6vIE_ABLN74mXYOTmADy-Nw1I2pEIVG8mYUne38XavQIWPnb23R6H4s0Xhj3uqhHRIgc4r05tXOJB9d3KocYfyqERPAhYXEehYmQVwjYNIVqHkg/s320/cookies+all+together+twd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279318950852602354" /></a><br /><br />My first blog post in a while, yes yes I know, blog is neglected. I can't even tell you guys how busy we are at home right now. The holidays just drain every ounce of energy from you, and we also in the midst of trying to buy a new house...which the bank is delighting in making pretty painful thanks to the economy right now. Please send well-house-wishes our way.<br /><br />So again, I have been baking, almost more than ever due to the holiday season, but my poor blog languishes untouched since it takes too much time to get it written and upload pictures. Which is why I pounced on the opportunity of a FREE NIGHT last night and after the better half and I had some pho for dinner along with some crazy ass movie called 88 minutes, I made some cookie dough for two of the December <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD's</a> and chilled it.<br /><br />I made about 2 full recipes so I should have enough to do more with it, which is great, since I hate having to make recipes that call for hours of chilled dough since typically when I have the time or inclination to bake I want instant results. This way I'll have dough ready to go all season!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Mp7UemNr_l1e5LiocAb2KHSYQVhKfcCKBs8ZGSEysLldeqSWK455Hb6oqmLEQbvK5h2DbTsgZu9fJzYBl8Ls_eWPz5V_CV1PirvThwmc-a8qVECGsbJ983FdXXMH34An_lpL-7aHA/s1600-h/linzer+cutouts.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5Mp7UemNr_l1e5LiocAb2KHSYQVhKfcCKBs8ZGSEysLldeqSWK455Hb6oqmLEQbvK5h2DbTsgZu9fJzYBl8Ls_eWPz5V_CV1PirvThwmc-a8qVECGsbJ983FdXXMH34An_lpL-7aHA/s320/linzer+cutouts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279318949273786914" /></a><br /><br />I read the P&Q's on the Linzers and Sugar cookies and also noticed that the recipes were very close to each other in Dorie's book. Then I googled to find 'best sugar cookie' recipes and was surprised to find an <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/09/FD5114F6QO.DTL">SF Gate article</a> that talked about using one dough for multiple cookies.<br /><br />The jist of the article is that people are so busy during holidays that most of us dread the thought of making 4-5 cookie doughs during this ridiculously festive time. So this gal posted one that she uses for 4-5 cookies and wow it sounded good. Like a basic butter or sugar cookie with multiple uses and add-ins.<br /><br />So I used part of her recipe and some of Dorie's to get a good hybrid going for my Linzer and Sugar cookies. Pretty successful experiment though I forgot to put the ground almonds into the linzer dough so I ended up with plain linzers. Paired with tart raspberry preserves from my fall trip to Paris, they were divine though. I will try almond next time. I absolutely love Linzers and these were not that hard to make though I had to add a lot more flour to get rollable dough than I thought.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKnpTERiSnpJa-1s2hiZKzath5SKCtjJIUwHhuEQy-CqixVWuECwy_Un3KrWxoDlUXnE8tPhfj7F3z5ijbGk4fT743O3uzZiK85OH8Q7wvcFBQEaIfai1jXqkXrSIvnSBjZh4Im-h9Q/s1600-h/linzer+and+cookies+08+pile.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKnpTERiSnpJa-1s2hiZKzath5SKCtjJIUwHhuEQy-CqixVWuECwy_Un3KrWxoDlUXnE8tPhfj7F3z5ijbGk4fT743O3uzZiK85OH8Q7wvcFBQEaIfai1jXqkXrSIvnSBjZh4Im-h9Q/s320/linzer+and+cookies+08+pile.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279318965018411026" /></a><br /><br />Sugar cookies needed more flavor, when I unearth the fridged dough to make more I might add more to them...either in the way of peppermint or almond, not sure.<br /><br />And big props to anyone who manages to make the royal icing recipe and actually decorate their sugars. I always WANT to do this, I really do, but by the time I am typically done baking, I just want to rest and eat the spoils. I am doomed to forever never have royal iced cookies I guess (well unless I go to my baking pal Mira's house again because she knows how to produce both the cookies and icing in record time!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXbCTYgodyCFXWMuExBQDRQcEhl4ELx1F0a6GouG45SGrjTMcRM8cgMBUdtSk9RbP86q8ngkDD1F6vezMCjkle-C4MFwpOLnH5GXAQWZLcLoJnWNphPitBP8SWc1jUFTKvk6s2F-WUQ/s1600-h/sugar+cookies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZXbCTYgodyCFXWMuExBQDRQcEhl4ELx1F0a6GouG45SGrjTMcRM8cgMBUdtSk9RbP86q8ngkDD1F6vezMCjkle-C4MFwpOLnH5GXAQWZLcLoJnWNphPitBP8SWc1jUFTKvk6s2F-WUQ/s320/sugar+cookies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279318977253678450" /></a><br /><br />Thankfully to the TWD powers-that-be..we have all of December to do our weekly baking..so I am happy that I am 'kinda caught up' thus far since the rest of Dec won't be any less crazy than the first half. Check out the TWD crew and their baking goodness <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">here</a>.<br /><br />I plan to also make those Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped cookies from the SF Article as well hopefully this month. I also have a crazy amount of cupcakes to produce this holiday season...it will surely be a fun challenge.<br /><br />Happy Holidays all, enjoy the time with your families and friends!! Remember, baking means love. Well until the pants don't fit come Jan!! XO.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-8231130499003151942008-11-30T14:09:00.002-06:002008-12-28T14:20:08.050-06:00Cake Slice: Sweet Potato Layer Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvNnglMNXsI0S3dQF65IQA4q9sDIeCI5TfZoESPakAhSQfbGBvxyvyz8yUi-55X4BRnSc4eFIT-q1f3ytGpD8CVWFFli9zNwCw_qPmd0o-8E4Nory6iigrRHTvQ2WbYxrHgtkSmUSHw/s1600-h/potato+cake+slice+vanity.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284937097343839746" style="WIDTH: 223px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQvNnglMNXsI0S3dQF65IQA4q9sDIeCI5TfZoESPakAhSQfbGBvxyvyz8yUi-55X4BRnSc4eFIT-q1f3ytGpD8CVWFFli9zNwCw_qPmd0o-8E4Nory6iigrRHTvQ2WbYxrHgtkSmUSHw/s320/potato+cake+slice+vanity.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So this one is late in coming, but better late than never!! November's <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">Cake Slice</a> layer cake was a Sweet Potato Cake layered with chocolate frosting and orange filling.<br /><br />I made a few small mods, and used Grand Marnier in the filling and did more of a whipped cream filling; and a cream cheese chocolate frosting. The cake itself was very yummy...a lot of gals said it tasted like carrot but to me it was more like a 'spice' cake. The orange and chocolate worked well together.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWJswcyfciESH3Qoo2gMTHex4fUO2L1g1Wjjnu4686UpQim2d32aMDOHurn49QEZNLGpQuGqmL_vMsB_7ljDu2zyryJ7y3sX1IGMAnFzPzBJ7s9tQI7c_kI4zYxq-hj2SDvuwWilBSA/s1600-h/cake+slice+potato+cut.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284937097730662322" style="WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWJswcyfciESH3Qoo2gMTHex4fUO2L1g1Wjjnu4686UpQim2d32aMDOHurn49QEZNLGpQuGqmL_vMsB_7ljDu2zyryJ7y3sX1IGMAnFzPzBJ7s9tQI7c_kI4zYxq-hj2SDvuwWilBSA/s320/cake+slice+potato+cut.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />December's Cake is a Hazelnut Nutcracker cake...stay tuned and in the meantime check ou the other Cake Slice Bakers <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">here</a>.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-55233362766508505302008-11-27T17:31:00.010-06:002008-11-27T22:31:05.882-06:00Happy Thanksgiving 'Better Together' Pie (kinda TWD)...!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhND_viDU_CsPxng-U2BXbmGf0s7bak4SBhQNnY2PnswKp-xzsjEQmsiuauXM02HyaAO5D34R-MTwubsoLWG0Ob1WMlHRQlON4dAHhTz0nsnHdAgfJn_i3_28F8RQUvuUt7vvO0587Ig/s1600-h/Thanksgiving+2008+003.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhND_viDU_CsPxng-U2BXbmGf0s7bak4SBhQNnY2PnswKp-xzsjEQmsiuauXM02HyaAO5D34R-MTwubsoLWG0Ob1WMlHRQlON4dAHhTz0nsnHdAgfJn_i3_28F8RQUvuUt7vvO0587Ig/s320/Thanksgiving+2008+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273487971587883698" /></a><br /><br />Yes, I know, my blog has been neglected. It's been a ridiculously busy few weeks. Between 2 colds, mounds of cupcakes, and all sorts of obligations... I just could not seem to dig myself out of it long enough to post some of the tons of pictures I have been taking lately.<br /><br />I missed the Kugelwhatever <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD</a> and also didn't do the rice pudding because I didn't have any arborio rice and honestly, I had made so many cupcakes that weekend, the thought of the kitchen was extremely unappealing. <br /><br />I had grand plans for this week's <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD Twofer Pie</a>, but then hearing about how it mixed pecan pie and pumpkin together, I really didn't think it was that appealing. I love love pumpkin pie. And love love pecan. But the two? I'm a weirdo purist. <br /><br />And frankly, the work that it takes to put a pie together in my busy schedule, it had to be something I knew I'd LOVE or else I'd just be bitter. So I procrastinated. And got sick again. And then baked more cupcakes. And then a turkey. And then wimped out and bought a pie at the store.<br /><br />But I didn't open it. I kept thinking...geez I can make pumpkin pie. Why don't I just get a ready-made crust and do it. But I recuperated on the couch instead, watching soaps and making turkey soup. Then my eye lit on <a href="http://howtoeatacupcake.blogspot.com">HowToEatACupcake</a>, Miss Cassie's blog where she made a delicious looking cheesecake layered pumpkin pie with pecan streusel.<br /><br />And it made me think of TWD. And then I saw where <a href="http://engineerbaker.blogspot.com">Miss Engineer Baker </a>said...don't bother with a cold pie crust, make this <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Water-Pie-Crust-I/Detail.aspx">Hot Water one</a>. So I clicked, saw that everyone loved it. No pastry cutting cold butter into the flour? SIGN ME UP.<br /><br />I couldn't find my shortening in the newly reorganized pantry, so I used butter. It was SO EASY. I put the dough in the freezer for 20 min then rolled it between wax. It rolled like a dream. It went into the pie pan like a dream. It partially baked like a dream. I love this crust. And I really HATE making pie crust, with a passion, esp the ones in Dorie's book, which I just cannot seem to get.<br /><br />I wish that my combining the cheesecake and pumpkin layers were more like a dream, but instead my cream cheese mixture was too thin, and so the putting of the pumpkin filling on top was more like mixing it in, so I just made the best of it and swirled it in and around, figured pumpkin cheesecake with an emphasis on the pumpkin couldn't be bad. Like I told my hub, if they are good separately they are probably better together right??<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizm0aa16Q-40wK6zrpAtoD591ZwM7mZBTw-GQwo_7KfAWeirni-MlZYlVRxjabxth5gblB_51ExPPiQcC4GEq_lJeWezNKNLOnzfXF42_AaT9wX6CfyW1x4Y55RKOJUrKJTsocP8sbMA/s1600-h/Thanksgiving+2008+001.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizm0aa16Q-40wK6zrpAtoD591ZwM7mZBTw-GQwo_7KfAWeirni-MlZYlVRxjabxth5gblB_51ExPPiQcC4GEq_lJeWezNKNLOnzfXF42_AaT9wX6CfyW1x4Y55RKOJUrKJTsocP8sbMA/s320/Thanksgiving+2008+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273487967484402658" /></a><br /><br />It baked like a dream. It's cooling on the counter like a dream. It looks delish. My turkey soup is done. Now I have to go finish my mashed potatoes for the bigger family dinner...and take some more Echinacea and Zinc for this cold. And it's back to baking cupcakes tomorrow. But it's been fun...it's kinda a TWD but I didn't quite get to the pecan streusel part, sure sounded good though. So in this instance the 'better together' is not the pecan and punkie but rather cheesecake and pumpkin. Still in the spirit of combining...HA!<br /><br />XOXO to all and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! Hopefully next week I will be out of cupcake and cold land and firmly back into <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD</a>. Oh and I have lots of cupcake pictures, which I will post soon.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-13011422921989827402008-11-11T00:07:00.001-06:002008-11-11T00:07:35.912-06:00No TWD ... Cupcakes Galore!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JAVDJ7F5GpbqFAMOSdqvAC3Pwn123zJtrD5LKFHkYTwqw6ff3oTp1QjXHvW-hgIHnCUv2E3QhiTweRBLQEQ0DDG1nf2QQ4rrVAKs6cUYh6K7nHGSCR066fnPV2hAzwkySQvVoAXuqA/s1600-h/red+velvet+spikey+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JAVDJ7F5GpbqFAMOSdqvAC3Pwn123zJtrD5LKFHkYTwqw6ff3oTp1QjXHvW-hgIHnCUv2E3QhiTweRBLQEQ0DDG1nf2QQ4rrVAKs6cUYh6K7nHGSCR066fnPV2hAzwkySQvVoAXuqA/s320/red+velvet+spikey+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267271035739035986" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So yeah...I could not get behind the TWD choice this week, something called Kugelhopf... which seemed like a brioche bundt cake thing. Since brioche killed my KA mixer last time, and I just got my new one this wkd, I was banned from making anything that might shove my brand new baby into a premature death. Reading about the comments from the ladies in the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com/">TWD</a> forum, seemed like I probably wasn't missing too much.<br /><br />I do however have lots of eye-candy for you, in the form of...surprise, CUPCAKES. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Miss Clara</span>...ask and you SHALL receive! :D<br /><br />These are all the beauties I have been working on for the last few weeks. I have a huge batch this weekend I will be working on and a <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">Cake Slice</a> cake to make by the 20th, so not sure about next week's TWD. But anyway, Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MyfEpGVV678ARfLzqyR5bGrHN3sGaPF8yOFJ9WzkdFM6RiuSrEsvDnExtht-ZlPNDV_TA1vMVuDJFXxmJ_t5CG8U9meUsrRRUELRQCHiK_MRf9INOi6Emp61dVc_OFxzmNiq7cNz7g/s1600-h/pumpkin+spice+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MyfEpGVV678ARfLzqyR5bGrHN3sGaPF8yOFJ9WzkdFM6RiuSrEsvDnExtht-ZlPNDV_TA1vMVuDJFXxmJ_t5CG8U9meUsrRRUELRQCHiK_MRf9INOi6Emp61dVc_OFxzmNiq7cNz7g/s320/pumpkin+spice+cupcakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267271045636895730" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes w/Mallow Punkies!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnKkTiOlnXyz3XNNnyOeOzgOQjnNJkO_dh8OUW18b_k1XVwvoQgknCvqLW-vcI7ezikpEYrPzeP-MCjD59HZNRO4f-Z96zZgwjyRPbwQoDMvyezei0vhENlOx3fCfAJuJJRssNXGhNA/s1600-h/vanilla+beautiful+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRnKkTiOlnXyz3XNNnyOeOzgOQjnNJkO_dh8OUW18b_k1XVwvoQgknCvqLW-vcI7ezikpEYrPzeP-MCjD59HZNRO4f-Z96zZgwjyRPbwQoDMvyezei0vhENlOx3fCfAJuJJRssNXGhNA/s320/vanilla+beautiful+closeup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267271045901195714" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Vanilla Bean Cupcakes w/Fondant Flowers</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOrYYksj_RCv6WwvfiWAK67lYN3rKrUNM8VOjkSt962qNhyq-HGNTveszbFrPy-8zntxd41xZzeJQxKYULPv8OJBiq7_WKnKTuVh4Qze43WmLQXMR3O_uDNrSnwDdidOOsmS5uagvpw/s1600-h/lots+of+chocolate+halloween+cupcakes+bld.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOrYYksj_RCv6WwvfiWAK67lYN3rKrUNM8VOjkSt962qNhyq-HGNTveszbFrPy-8zntxd41xZzeJQxKYULPv8OJBiq7_WKnKTuVh4Qze43WmLQXMR3O_uDNrSnwDdidOOsmS5uagvpw/s320/lots+of+chocolate+halloween+cupcakes+bld.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267271038019744194" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lots of Chocolate Cupcakes for an Event!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYK9IQyF4iAWom-GK-VtBytPVaBQkC0IZpD6X4k0AfbYGdCyjvGRHnSkvlr4L0eUBixoXsnoiwXw0N9iRVKdFkGoYbiiVDruZMrEydnWRIlRY-xnmsxdMR1fiOy_6D8NsBC4QTcivTw/s1600-h/chocolate+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYK9IQyF4iAWom-GK-VtBytPVaBQkC0IZpD6X4k0AfbYGdCyjvGRHnSkvlr4L0eUBixoXsnoiwXw0N9iRVKdFkGoYbiiVDruZMrEydnWRIlRY-xnmsxdMR1fiOy_6D8NsBC4QTcivTw/s320/chocolate+cupcakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267271039984124466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chocolate Cupcakes w/Fondant Flowers<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTZ_vCFkZsw-8x9gYnepAlkVzdfqlxxAZL_kmA5yxkkQ1His4YLNI1Qg0u1ENNaZ_5R_4BWMKPfIovJWMNmW4oER1TdSiXKLlhgWBro_p8VJZyyPsxaoBY92SQxN-BwPVIIs6QGamdQ/s1600-h/lots+of+halloween+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTZ_vCFkZsw-8x9gYnepAlkVzdfqlxxAZL_kmA5yxkkQ1His4YLNI1Qg0u1ENNaZ_5R_4BWMKPfIovJWMNmW4oER1TdSiXKLlhgWBro_p8VJZyyPsxaoBY92SQxN-BwPVIIs6QGamdQ/s320/lots+of+halloween+cupcakes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267276664549506178" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Halloween Cupcakes (sorry the image is so grainy, too dark so had to lighten!)</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuK3Y5giih__6Jj0LtYCah2-6XWc5phn5KaS8U9DEz-47hz4rTHN8aBiTQTM4AphJ5Jsm7QdoiW9dhwYa6jxi5aEAHXUCXPVo_P12CNRKcl31CLN2xJf7HZyCSvWG2-Ydq058orK99nQ/s1600-h/heart+cupcake.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuK3Y5giih__6Jj0LtYCah2-6XWc5phn5KaS8U9DEz-47hz4rTHN8aBiTQTM4AphJ5Jsm7QdoiW9dhwYa6jxi5aEAHXUCXPVo_P12CNRKcl31CLN2xJf7HZyCSvWG2-Ydq058orK99nQ/s320/heart+cupcake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267274721486579906" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pumpkin Spice again...Special Heart Style.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8T7n5UivDDL-mJQ3ts3DrO3w7NqIS4n5tTx_BwOdPRusvC8-BgA8Bk5PP5WPyc7kCVhvJOIftg5ZiWKlMukfod6KjVVBRutWmWHr-OrZ8uksIlys-MJtpizXS9aO7cwDq70yQQEKQg/s1600-h/blend+of+cupcakes.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8T7n5UivDDL-mJQ3ts3DrO3w7NqIS4n5tTx_BwOdPRusvC8-BgA8Bk5PP5WPyc7kCVhvJOIftg5ZiWKlMukfod6KjVVBRutWmWHr-OrZ8uksIlys-MJtpizXS9aO7cwDq70yQQEKQg/s320/blend+of+cupcakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267274717653188466" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Butter Cakes & Maple Pecan ... YUM!</span><br /><br />Along with lots of cupcakes, I have been making banana cake, peanut butter cookies, and tonite...mint brownies! I only have a photo of the cookies...the rest was quickly consumed...mmmmm so much for keeping 'cupcake top' under control!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVDKo3vrSix47sYbkRo-l2KN4McDdy3h31wRIb1z692Md4CGNfWVpWLPb8djZGz5Z3wFm06bIjUHcOb9fzXp0HHGD4svlcLbsGi0PFjMMJu5n0yZ2DAOkirGst78YnNkO5cH8MtPZnw/s1600-h/pb+cookies.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVDKo3vrSix47sYbkRo-l2KN4McDdy3h31wRIb1z692Md4CGNfWVpWLPb8djZGz5Z3wFm06bIjUHcOb9fzXp0HHGD4svlcLbsGi0PFjMMJu5n0yZ2DAOkirGst78YnNkO5cH8MtPZnw/s320/pb+cookies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267274711475118098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Check out the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD's</a> for this week...enjoy!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-28182666833908805382008-11-09T23:58:00.006-06:002008-11-10T00:17:51.865-06:00New Toy...KA Artisan 'Green Grass'...!So in a previous post I asked about the KA Artisan vs the Professional and got some great feedback. Thanks ya'll!<br /><br />I had the best of intentions on getting a refurb'd Professional from Amazon for $179...all about the 425w of power.. woot. Colors, who cares about those? Not me..nope. Well, until I laid virtual eyes on the Green Grass version at Williams Sonoma. Of course it was Exclusive, but thankfully it was not online only. Since it seemed that Artisan owners were just as happy with 5qt Prof owners, I figured why not?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmBaY7RSZ5YQhcKXgu849YhPe8zSgG_bCO7ffeUsmRfVV4tvHNFn43f9x54jxGvYMA1QHGOTQHeS-hlKdhtYZrwzz56Ljtjyl49mNLihpvhiO4bmhdc_N4zu3EzKNcQ_ijpMLYlqwRg/s1600-h/ka+mixer+closeup.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmBaY7RSZ5YQhcKXgu849YhPe8zSgG_bCO7ffeUsmRfVV4tvHNFn43f9x54jxGvYMA1QHGOTQHeS-hlKdhtYZrwzz56Ljtjyl49mNLihpvhiO4bmhdc_N4zu3EzKNcQ_ijpMLYlqwRg/s320/ka+mixer+closeup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266907798525648866" /></a><br /><br />My darling pal, Sugar Betty, was going to be doing a heckuva lot of shopping at WS this weekend and offered to pick up my mixer at a discount thanks to a special offer she had. So I cashed in some AMEX rewards points (we always forget we have these, bonus!!) and sent the gift cards off to the store with her.<br /><br />A few hours later, she and her hub stopped back in with..TA DA...my fab new mixer!Plus she managed to wrangle even a little bit more of a discount with some sugar-talking, YOU GO GIRL!<br /><br />Sweet and all setup in the kitchen, the mixer is amazingly lovely...I almost don't want to use it. Staring at it this morning, I thought ... what is so fun about these KA mixers that people get so jazzed when they get new ones??? Because I know it's not just me!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfUfg14UUTZbNpEIivT9HAOYIkJRi6X87_ivAr_YB_GLG1OZ5Oy9c0jgmVI3jvvnyBr1pnkADZ6XeJd0vIP3oHleeZWaoZFuLKopoIrkGyuK4KFnv8XUjmx1erSlxrDQSHtjQvf3I2A/s1600-h/kitchen+with+artisan.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfUfg14UUTZbNpEIivT9HAOYIkJRi6X87_ivAr_YB_GLG1OZ5Oy9c0jgmVI3jvvnyBr1pnkADZ6XeJd0vIP3oHleeZWaoZFuLKopoIrkGyuK4KFnv8XUjmx1erSlxrDQSHtjQvf3I2A/s320/kitchen+with+artisan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266907800364192098" /></a><br /><br />I thought about it and it struck me. It's like the promise of what can come from that shiny appliance in the corner of the kitchen. The fluffy cakes you'll make, the crunchy cookies, the tender bread. The sky is the limit with your new KA...at least in your mind.<br /><br />So, thanks Betty doll and AMEX for my new Kermit-green darling. No more brioche for me sadly enough, so instead of the brioche-similar TWD this week, I'll be doing something else. Anything crazy like that is OFF LIMITS to me now, so sad!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I2ud_gF5ZP6TGzvv-BEc7PrL8iwLgKvX59EhriNp9BVKyf-Gq2wSNLX1O7HbVZdlYZuuwaXI9G9N_Yd3cvhNGBILmzx11b_P5xZwU2R6ZK9Y8dMCOK2jfWEj2j6yw6wj3wy-ErNgCw/s1600-h/fondant+leaves.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3I2ud_gF5ZP6TGzvv-BEc7PrL8iwLgKvX59EhriNp9BVKyf-Gq2wSNLX1O7HbVZdlYZuuwaXI9G9N_Yd3cvhNGBILmzx11b_P5xZwU2R6ZK9Y8dMCOK2jfWEj2j6yw6wj3wy-ErNgCw/s320/fondant+leaves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266907799664639714" /></a><br /><br />I also got the fab new leaf pie cutters at WS, because I thought they seemed perfect for some fondant cutting for cupcake toppers. And I was right, super cute and love the cutouts.maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-78265054578548396332008-11-04T00:02:00.002-06:002008-11-04T11:52:33.673-06:00TWD: Rugelach Pinwheels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYBWmBeKoQGxgkAq4Xju9WfyB172aW1ZrTB1RLy_naqd4XXN78QTzPiYe52Izu3CpVhfymZV3NwBkHWwTAGXPaLVTzvyyKf_AkMHSj0rKQitjYP0oWPaLqvWP5ePhqOZPnZfJmg_Rsw/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+stacked.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYBWmBeKoQGxgkAq4Xju9WfyB172aW1ZrTB1RLy_naqd4XXN78QTzPiYe52Izu3CpVhfymZV3NwBkHWwTAGXPaLVTzvyyKf_AkMHSj0rKQitjYP0oWPaLqvWP5ePhqOZPnZfJmg_Rsw/s320/twd+rugelach+stacked.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264667848351909746" /></a><br /><br />I am familiar with Rugelach. I made it last year for the holiday and I ate probably half of what I made all by my lonesome, it was that good. So when Piggy from <a href="http://www.piggyscookingjournal.blogspot.com/">Piggy's Cooking Journal</a> chose Rugelach for our <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD</a> pick this week, I was thinking...well been there done that, and man can't wait to do it again!!<br /><br />I don't have a FP and I hate using my small little chop n' grind sub one for stuff like this, so I looked up the other recipe I used last year from one of my fave blogs, <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com">Smitten Kitchen</a>, and since it said FP...and I made it last year...I figured I had used a hand mixer, so I did that for this batch as well, mixing by hand in the end so as not to overmix the dough.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAi5hNfGD5nOIPPjM_ShmjGhhi52sb9ZqzKfyDmGYpqnWlzD5QkbzrQ14Dqc2ZiAlCZ5oI0a7HAzey1GQv61jg59DuR1bqndNkyiN58eABXbun_KFVh3FiT8tN0UkGqls1wq7oiHXDQ/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+dough.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAi5hNfGD5nOIPPjM_ShmjGhhi52sb9ZqzKfyDmGYpqnWlzD5QkbzrQ14Dqc2ZiAlCZ5oI0a7HAzey1GQv61jg59DuR1bqndNkyiN58eABXbun_KFVh3FiT8tN0UkGqls1wq7oiHXDQ/s320/twd+rugelach+dough.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264667852169008562" /></a><br /><br />Chilled it for a few hours, rolled it out between wax paper and flour, brushed on some apricot preserves, brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans and rum-soaked raisins, rolled it into a long log and chilled it. I made another log with raspberry preserves I picked up in Paris, brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6_dXbaAl0LF40xNT78XxvGdoDqIsCcu_kLKzm50DGzoMfY4IyoCya7elgmZ0NtbIMXJqqPF-64Dc5ISoAgN3vOGYOicmfPiTGGIsDK7Sn4sclq8JWOVcAYGQHXTXajbgBo0BTJIRZg/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+dough+packets.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6_dXbaAl0LF40xNT78XxvGdoDqIsCcu_kLKzm50DGzoMfY4IyoCya7elgmZ0NtbIMXJqqPF-64Dc5ISoAgN3vOGYOicmfPiTGGIsDK7Sn4sclq8JWOVcAYGQHXTXajbgBo0BTJIRZg/s320/twd+rugelach+dough+packets.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264667849677832754" /></a><br /><br />Then I cut slices off of the log, and made <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/rugelach-pinwheels/">Rugelach Pinwheels</a>. This is a far easier way than cutting triangles and rolling little croissants, esp when your skills at cutting croissant triangles is pretty darn crappy like mine. I do like the original rugelach method though so I might give it a try when I have more time, but today was not the day to spend an hour fixing misshapen rugelach croissants!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBw79-2DClY7bOp2Kcd4LlBQxdZzK23gP82wmoXLx-_XMFif7RvqVvuIyyb4413TvZ-umEzp6fz36ZPppmWMZws4_7x7JuJFOh6LqP7UYfYCeeY9AJw5UDbxIQpgLBaebJGwQ3n4oyA/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+jam+apricot.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBw79-2DClY7bOp2Kcd4LlBQxdZzK23gP82wmoXLx-_XMFif7RvqVvuIyyb4413TvZ-umEzp6fz36ZPppmWMZws4_7x7JuJFOh6LqP7UYfYCeeY9AJw5UDbxIQpgLBaebJGwQ3n4oyA/s320/twd+rugelach+jam+apricot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264667854177665650" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu88oeggQ07xCKMkQVcGjSWiEr3eoRPOildbDk5PMKLtgYWzyb8QJN4WeXZf2U4ZU8Vm1F51R5rxB-MMTMoZqGAFGD8-I63rFo0WiBVMp-nrBpYtMG6w1dSdu3Q6kt03SpMphnOQUsw/s1600-h/rugelach+jam+rasbperry.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgu88oeggQ07xCKMkQVcGjSWiEr3eoRPOildbDk5PMKLtgYWzyb8QJN4WeXZf2U4ZU8Vm1F51R5rxB-MMTMoZqGAFGD8-I63rFo0WiBVMp-nrBpYtMG6w1dSdu3Q6kt03SpMphnOQUsw/s320/rugelach+jam+rasbperry.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264668380298832354" /></a><br /><br />The pinwheels baked up beautifully, sometimes they lose their shape which I like because then you can see the lovely carmelized brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins peeking out. YUM.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15CX-LXp0iy5ivdiLQulEmk-WknjzfTBAAKfJLc6NFVCjDBMjzelIH_IOEUi-rSkR2wWASOzLO6tM_IPm3CxoTZhptW0jJ0PWgq-JN13XVW51p7BIpY5FlNtalmwtJ4YoRnYKOyTAhA/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+done.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15CX-LXp0iy5ivdiLQulEmk-WknjzfTBAAKfJLc6NFVCjDBMjzelIH_IOEUi-rSkR2wWASOzLO6tM_IPm3CxoTZhptW0jJ0PWgq-JN13XVW51p7BIpY5FlNtalmwtJ4YoRnYKOyTAhA/s320/twd+rugelach+done.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264668379000004514" /></a><br /><br />Oh and the dough from the hand mixer? Beautiful...it is light and flakey, absolutely buttery perfection!!! Def doing these again for holiday..just like I did last year. Find the recipe at Piggy's site up above, and check out all the TWD fabulousness that is Rugelach over at the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD</a> site.<br /><br />Oh and I made a random loner Rugelach croissant style, and you see how horrible I am at rolling it...yep better stick with the pinwheels. The good thing about Rugelach is that even when stuff oozes out and/or your cookies don't have much shape, they still taste really amazing!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBD0JU_uBjf4qF3VDOCPMCz8txsNb1b9lar7gLweJMhAnv3GVAZESTNwxkBQ_AlVACYaT-Bf3GOIlDRccW-9tK2d0St6XdR2ZxAIoj3JUeLfqwzv1oQFtVZBIrXZ2j8RAcae5tQym0-w/s1600-h/twd+rugelach+croissant.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBD0JU_uBjf4qF3VDOCPMCz8txsNb1b9lar7gLweJMhAnv3GVAZESTNwxkBQ_AlVACYaT-Bf3GOIlDRccW-9tK2d0St6XdR2ZxAIoj3JUeLfqwzv1oQFtVZBIrXZ2j8RAcae5tQym0-w/s320/twd+rugelach+croissant.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264668370412356914" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-9888665896516126172008-11-03T06:33:00.003-06:002008-11-03T09:44:46.623-06:00Better-For-You Banana Bread<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-PupAZHmnx-jskn6VP7w-5yCic7oH5SYJuuJacdBTzMfZpsHQw0kQXb31lfBh8EFs7FQtDvLG_AcTHFUSCdU7UXtFXgBzXfcV9c4iRA7_shTP0YdxOeFeJwFleS0Iv5TgmDQs-YMUQ/s1600-h/banana+loaf.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-PupAZHmnx-jskn6VP7w-5yCic7oH5SYJuuJacdBTzMfZpsHQw0kQXb31lfBh8EFs7FQtDvLG_AcTHFUSCdU7UXtFXgBzXfcV9c4iRA7_shTP0YdxOeFeJwFleS0Iv5TgmDQs-YMUQ/s320/banana+loaf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264456462631128418" /></a><br /><br />Looking for something that won't make your cupcake top burst outta your jeans? Me too, esp come around the holidays...when I already will be eating up a storm. So when I saw a recipe for Healthy Banana Bread in the latest Oxygen mag, I thought why not. I used to bake healthy a lot, now I am way more 'original recipe' than modification...but this was tempting. Esp since I had 2 ripe bananas ready to go.<br /><br />I made adaptations that I think are wonderful and add to the flavor without really making this any more 'bad' for you. This would be a great pick-me-up as a snack before a long cardio workout! I topped with pecans for a little extra visual fun.<br /><br /><strong>Better-For-You Banana Bread</strong><br />Makes 2 mini loaves<br /><br />2 ripe medium bananas, mashed<br />3 tsp sugar (or brown sugar)<br />1 egg white<br />1/4c unsweetened applesauce<br />1/4c nonfat greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)<br />1/4c soy milk (or almond milk or nonfat milk but the latter has more sugars)<br />1 1/3c white whole wheat flour<br />1 tsp baking soda<br />1/4 tsp salt<br />2 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice or however you'd like to flavor<br /><br />6 servings (cut each mini loaf into 3 pieces)<br />Per serving: 145 calories; 0.6g fat; 223mg sodium, 204mg potassium; 32g carbs; 2.3g fiber; 4g sugar; 4g protein<br />High in: Viamin B6 (12%); Folate (11%); Iron (9%), Magnanese (19%), Riboflavin (9%); Thiamin (13.7%)<br /><br />The texture on this is great, but it def could use a little more 'sweet'... I know that's not the point of a HEALTHY banana bread, and I can eat it as is, but you could easily add some honey or brown sugar to the above and only up the sugar count slightly but make it taste better. Or slather some jam on it, does the same thing. But overall I was pretty happy with how these loaves came out. BTW the portions are pretty darn big!<br /><br /><strong>Kitchen Aid UPDATE!!</strong><br />Sorry, I did not mean to leave you lovely contributors hanging but you must be wondering what I decided on the <a href="http://lickthespatula.blogspot.com/2008/10/its-time-help-me-decide-new-ka-mixer.html">KA mixer post</a>. Well, I was all set to buy the 5qt prof on Amazon last week...secure in the knowledge that I don't need no fancy colors in my kitchen to make it fun..who puts out like 30 colors of mixers anyway?!?! <br /><br />Then I made the mistake of moseying onto the <a href="http://www.williamssonoma.com">William Sonoma</a> website and caught sight of their fabulous Grass Green 5qt Artisan. Suddenly all my 'I don't want a fancy color' notions went out the window and I was placing an order for an AMEX rewards card redemption to purchase that puppy.<br /><br />So now I am just waiting for my $300 gift card to come so I can head into the store and nab one. Funny thing is that it's my fave color of green, and would look fab in our kitchen now which is maples and brown granites...but we MAY be considering moving; we saw a wonderful house this wkd and the kitchen is done in dark greens and whites which makes me think, will my beautiful new KA be a too-bright eyesore in the new place?? Guess we'll find out when I head into the store this week! The house may end up being a 'no' for us anyway..we are still contemplating.<br /><br />So...THANK YOU for all the input...my bottom line from all the wonderful posts was that both the Artisan and Prof 5qt would work fine for what I typically try to accomplish...and knowing also that one of my best baking buddies uses an Artisan 3-4x a week with no hassles at all kind of clinched it for me when I saw that purty green calling my name. For those considering a KA, def check out the 5qt prof models that <a href="http://www.amazon.com">Amazon</a> has right now, refurb'd for $179, what a steal!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-36276356401667154552008-10-28T00:03:00.001-05:002008-10-28T00:03:00.264-05:00TWD: Choco Choco Cupcakes.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfM1MNb-Bu_kUedc2t0GXJF3kEgvlwew3AEDWdrFuPbT2iXMl11OpdmOMgwSp2RUZhbmlksXYJ-Y9DyFVoE8CzixtNzBgIB0O5MlbspSKWCnr2IhfpU8EnGZxbr-LfDSwvlvj9Q4Fiw/s1600-h/twd+choco+cupcake+vanity.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 308px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfM1MNb-Bu_kUedc2t0GXJF3kEgvlwew3AEDWdrFuPbT2iXMl11OpdmOMgwSp2RUZhbmlksXYJ-Y9DyFVoE8CzixtNzBgIB0O5MlbspSKWCnr2IhfpU8EnGZxbr-LfDSwvlvj9Q4Fiw/s320/twd+choco+cupcake+vanity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262055710450373266" /></a><br /><br />Cupcakes are a subject near and dear to my heart. So, because of that I was very happy to see Miss Clara of <a href="http://iheartfood4thought.wordpress.com/">I Heart Food for Thought</a> (and I Heart Cuppycakes) choose Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes for TWD this week.<br /><br />This recipe uses a pretty basic yet yummy chocolate cupcake recipe, and a ganache for the topping. Since I am a piping lover rather than a dippy ganachey kind of gal, I whipped the ganache in order to pipe it on the cupcakes instead.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmEqLoW9GAz_gJuY1q0zqcOCEspkVUrLKk0Q-npRpuNcwrIfbkVieLEcLkqTOhGaW_HBLhinPgiyyjo4pdEjVJDa1Wc57Xokvge89gxi_UzQjghwo8IF8vhYv8YuJZ33o4drC__NeJw/s1600-h/twd+choco+cupcakes+in+pan.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 275px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmEqLoW9GAz_gJuY1q0zqcOCEspkVUrLKk0Q-npRpuNcwrIfbkVieLEcLkqTOhGaW_HBLhinPgiyyjo4pdEjVJDa1Wc57Xokvge89gxi_UzQjghwo8IF8vhYv8YuJZ33o4drC__NeJw/s320/twd+choco+cupcakes+in+pan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262055685679120242" /></a><br /><br />I seem to have some sort of 'overwhipping' issue when it comes to heavy cream and ganache...I can't seem to stop right at the correct time. Someday I'll get it right. Luckily, even when cream is a bit overwhipped, it still tastes amazing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVuZ-L2Kdnbf1hAUWcyYFKPUwNKLV7AK2XjVvBoFzAVqon9hYB1NYX_9cjHcZFQ57rSDYVshJZWUPcBPLgk4OYI2ma66zYfAADE5Ji7arb1aN0uYJupUZEsmZjqVCwy-ScSANTY-3oQ/s1600-h/twd+choco+cupcakes+ganache.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVuZ-L2Kdnbf1hAUWcyYFKPUwNKLV7AK2XjVvBoFzAVqon9hYB1NYX_9cjHcZFQ57rSDYVshJZWUPcBPLgk4OYI2ma66zYfAADE5Ji7arb1aN0uYJupUZEsmZjqVCwy-ScSANTY-3oQ/s320/twd+choco+cupcakes+ganache.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262055689638614370" /></a><br /><br />It seems some of the TWD gals had a problem with dry cake. For me in a chocolate cupcake, that is not unusual and the culprit is usually overbaking. Chocolate cupcakes go from being just right to overdone in like a split second it seems. I tend to slightly underbake my choco cupcakes now, and they cool perfectly. This recipe was wonderfully chocolatey and not dry at all for me.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJORUPn_22PwQ8ELAgr8f6mWSwE2wLhRzIFJiPmawW7B7HV1daPq5pFuyB0eW3hnai1mi3MbHspf9NGEPBUSMudnhp5w16QZIhD5FUj6bTwx3NWENxWHspGtPeXZMwNoxuBUeIJ5UIQ/s1600-h/twd+choco+cupcake+open.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 217px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJORUPn_22PwQ8ELAgr8f6mWSwE2wLhRzIFJiPmawW7B7HV1daPq5pFuyB0eW3hnai1mi3MbHspf9NGEPBUSMudnhp5w16QZIhD5FUj6bTwx3NWENxWHspGtPeXZMwNoxuBUeIJ5UIQ/s320/twd+choco+cupcake+open.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262055716630264226" /></a><br /><br />I followed the recipe pretty closely for once, just to see what another choco recipe is like, because I am testing out a bunch. This one was pretty close to what I would consider 'perfect'. With a few tweaks of course! For the ganache and cupcakes, I used a mix of milk and bittersweet chocolates and in the ganache, added heavy cream to it instead of conf sugar.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VA1eE8IIGWiCSyuwCltyprxg9jiEFJYBP1NJ-QHSZ1ZvP4u1V-6kiStModEOZh49v5K24w2up8Kd_jMR5AuKFrVvaVhw1pYfka2QLf5aIerwo5z1nj_Osxq8TKt7R584qgHiVTL2UQ/s1600-h/choco+cupcake+twd.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 272px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VA1eE8IIGWiCSyuwCltyprxg9jiEFJYBP1NJ-QHSZ1ZvP4u1V-6kiStModEOZh49v5K24w2up8Kd_jMR5AuKFrVvaVhw1pYfka2QLf5aIerwo5z1nj_Osxq8TKt7R584qgHiVTL2UQ/s320/choco+cupcake+twd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262055728336206482" /></a><br /><br />I had to decorate them the way Dorie did, simple and fun. Don't forget to check out the other <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD chocolate cupcakes</a> to get your sweet tooth fix for Tuesday...yum!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-41164312239778867902008-10-26T10:19:00.002-05:002008-10-26T10:29:53.384-05:00It's Time. Help me Decide... New KA Mixer.Okay so many of you super loyal followers might recall when the TWD Brioche bread blew up my loyal KA mixer of 11 years. Well it was a combo of the brioche and my complete ignorance since I had it on medium-high speed for like 10 minutes which apparently is a BIG NO NO.<br /><br />Now I know. The local KA guy said $240 to fix. I said I can get a new one for that price, my hub said I can fix it for 1/2 that...so it came back home with me and bits and pieces and has sat in our garage for 3 months since then.<br /><br />It's birthday this week and my better half asked what I wanted. Barring a few really ridiculous gifts... I thought a KA mixer. But he still wants to fix mine. Someday soon. However, I am not a patient girl and holiday baking is around the corner. I need a KA to do some of the things my hand mixer is pretty sucky about, like making fluffy boiled icing and SMBC to the correct consistency.<br /><br />So here is where, lovely blogging followers come in. I know that many of you have a KA and I would like to know what kind. More specifically I am debating between the Artisan and the Professional HD, both 5qt bowl. My old one is a professional 6qt and it was always a little bit too big for regular baking. Even though I make a lot of cupcakes... I typically do not make 100 of the same flavor. And mixing up smaller batches of batter or frosting in the 6qt was really never a good thing.<br /><br />I am leaning towards the Pro HD 5qt because of the more powerful motor and the all-steel gears... the Artisan seems like it's more a hobby cook kind of mixer, though I have read people saying they have done bread and the like in there though I guess it's not really recommended.<br /><br />My main concern with the Pro HD 5qt is that I have read on various blogs here and there that sometimes KA mixers can easily overmix delicate batters such as for cakes and cupcakes. Since this is mainly what I do, I wonder if the Artisan's lesser motor is better for that. But I'd like to get a truly flexible mixer that can easily do doughs even though I make bread oh 2x a year.<br /><br />I have also read that the Artisans' have lower bowl heights so that making 'double' batches of some recipes doesn't work super well, and that the tilt-back head can be a pain if you don't have a lot of cupboard clearing. I know the pro-bracket lift works because that is what I had for my old mixer...but not sure about the tilt in our kitchen.<br /><br />I can get the Artisan refurb'd for about $200 (or new for like $240) and the Pro 5qt HD model refurb'd for $180. My old one was refurb'd and it lasted me 11 years and I got it for $200 on Amazon. So I am a fan of the refurb'd by manuf for these types of things UNLESS I can get a stellar deal on new for a few bucks more...so I would probably get a new Artisan but a refurb'd Pro HD.<br /><br />Any thoughts??? I'd love to hear from you all in comments, what do you use and if you have either the Artisan or the Pro 5qt HD please chime in. <em>I am going to hopefully make a decision by tomorrow.</em><br /><br />I am really interested in hearing about the overmixing of batter with the more powerful motor. I don't have this issue with the hand mixer but the lower speeds on it are far less than the KA's lower speeds so that is where the concerns come in. And just so I'm clear, I want something I can use mostly for cake and cookie batters...but I'd *like* it to be versatile enough to handle other things too like the random dough.<br /><br />Thanks in advance, lovely readers!!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-58228807880812494332008-10-21T00:02:00.005-05:002008-10-21T00:02:00.714-05:00TWD: Filled Pumpkin Streusel Muffins<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfDw00J85fW47ujgwVGrgzNuXlc2_qDmLrg9fPl4vrPT0X3P_nqlj7JYtPerXA4TOYHevZ1gcbFeJvN9EMZSe5leKVcfO7VSiO34c49SpLeW4yM_Fu2PXjCZV3mGW7BfyRtErQ6FTwA/s1600-h/twd+pumpkin+vanity.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfDw00J85fW47ujgwVGrgzNuXlc2_qDmLrg9fPl4vrPT0X3P_nqlj7JYtPerXA4TOYHevZ1gcbFeJvN9EMZSe5leKVcfO7VSiO34c49SpLeW4yM_Fu2PXjCZV3mGW7BfyRtErQ6FTwA/s320/twd+pumpkin+vanity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259087761990674562" /></a><br /><br />Sorry my TWD's have been nonexistent the last few weeks, life has been very busy in October and as such my baking life is not quite my own! <br /><br />However, I was really excited about this week's TWD, chosen by Kelly of <a href="http://www.barbaricgulp.com/">Sounding My Barbaric Gulp</a>, which were the autumn-appropriate Pumpkin Muffins. For once, Dorie does not get overly creative with the name of what we are baking, because these are simply, Pumpkin Muffins.<br /><br />But wait, they aren't. They are Pumpkin Muffins on steroids. They have nuts, raisins, and seeds. My kinda baked good! Of course I wanted to make them my way, so I used chopped pecans, topped them with a cinnamon sugar streusel, and then filled the baked & cooled muffins with a maple cream cheese frosting. I also ommitted the seeds on top to make room for the streusel, and plumped the raisins with my ab-fab fave raisin pairing, dark RUM!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iakhXPMG-jxh7UewVgMQVot_B6B6H86OZlQRVo3TiFbOIIbVVcPs496_Hx-sjPSd5BiAbmvcm6M_VoYo80ZRBkhYpoFf_iHlUXp5_E1V7U-7LayF9y6ZlLodJTRl9O9lMV7dEYUsgw/s1600-h/twd+pumpkin+raisins.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iakhXPMG-jxh7UewVgMQVot_B6B6H86OZlQRVo3TiFbOIIbVVcPs496_Hx-sjPSd5BiAbmvcm6M_VoYo80ZRBkhYpoFf_iHlUXp5_E1V7U-7LayF9y6ZlLodJTRl9O9lMV7dEYUsgw/s320/twd+pumpkin+raisins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259087222202449394" /></a><br /><br />I am heading off to Vegas for 4 days for work on Monday, and writing this post on Sunday so that my viewers will have something to look at come Tues morning, and I wanted to take these with me as a bday gift for a coworker. The filled 'muffin' (more cupcake style this way) is a perfect way to transport something soft and sweet, great timing!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5s9QwLsce8pZhQfm2NCEVYCE7wou3yBhqYL5BsmikE17R2xEMhXvwRF7I-HX3jzr72CH3VWCOdzFInV7w5JilYNX_q7daWqRLeka3QicE2jADmc_WvGWcLirabEqI7L6KV_bOnO02w/s1600-h/twd+pumpkin+streusel.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5s9QwLsce8pZhQfm2NCEVYCE7wou3yBhqYL5BsmikE17R2xEMhXvwRF7I-HX3jzr72CH3VWCOdzFInV7w5JilYNX_q7daWqRLeka3QicE2jADmc_WvGWcLirabEqI7L6KV_bOnO02w/s320/twd+pumpkin+streusel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259087237724261122" /></a><br /><br />These muffins are the bomb!! Seriously... I loved them. My husband ate 4 unfilled miniatures as soon as they were cool enough to the touch. I ate 2 miniatures as well. The consistency is wonderfully fluffy, and the pecans and soft rummy raisins really give them a flavor boost. You don't even need to fill them, but when you do, the maple and cream cheese makes them all the more decadent! Or go cupcake style and put it on TOP.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdhkXT6LRPQgcaULBJV4BSrpox7FAnFb7ggMEUgTjotXOGamwFGg3hp5QnB57DgQz3_tDeUNInPEk94dqr6Mhk8KneUs_CM7O-07BUXm-q72IiYY9WcLfs-ZH8eU3T81s2tUZ-WYGVg/s1600-h/twd+pumpkin+cc.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdhkXT6LRPQgcaULBJV4BSrpox7FAnFb7ggMEUgTjotXOGamwFGg3hp5QnB57DgQz3_tDeUNInPEk94dqr6Mhk8KneUs_CM7O-07BUXm-q72IiYY9WcLfs-ZH8eU3T81s2tUZ-WYGVg/s320/twd+pumpkin+cc.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259087218612227266" /></a><br /><br />Maple Cream Cheese Frosting<br />4 tbls softened butter<br />1 package cream cheese<br />3-4c confectioners sugar<br />2 tblsp real maple syrup<br /><br />Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add syrup and sugar to consistency desired. Will easily frost 12-15 cupcakes or fill a whole lotta muffins (I used a tiny bit from an already made batch and just added the syrup in!).<br /><br />Thanks for a fab pick this week, Miss Kelly. I am really excited about next week's Choco Cupcakes chosen by one of my fave lady bloggers out there, Clara of <a href="http://iheartcuppycakes.wordpress.com">IHeartCuppycakes</a>! <br /><br />Don't forget to check out all the <a href="http://tuesdayswithdorie.wordpress.com">TWD pumpkinny lovelies</a> this week...there are 250+ peeps now so I will forgive you if you don't get to them all. See ya next week for cupcake time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkvQHBkSFp4wlwI5nDElIovxdcCGPSBN2pdf8OqUHHFeoGi7y2SxUhkFwFF5kMiebieShFqC_5qcrLkZ0TjRJUNQ1q6Ay-6uzx_xltpylf6GVQhV4M-sk1Vu83hd8dTXGcTBbTF-Hwg/s1600-h/twd+pumpkin+done+napkin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkvQHBkSFp4wlwI5nDElIovxdcCGPSBN2pdf8OqUHHFeoGi7y2SxUhkFwFF5kMiebieShFqC_5qcrLkZ0TjRJUNQ1q6Ay-6uzx_xltpylf6GVQhV4M-sk1Vu83hd8dTXGcTBbTF-Hwg/s320/twd+pumpkin+done+napkin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259087223958177826" /></a>maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-38101664174612618572008-10-20T00:02:00.007-05:002008-10-20T00:02:00.443-05:00the cake slice: Cappucino Chiffon Layer Cake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlCnXbOsm8HVbM53UZfoX52Ekx8nT0-Xuu9HePUMnInaeuz9RPKKrFnBtxpL1r4yL9kJWrKf_24-RF5Btr7oRdCkiplGdnHvJizi6GCblJv3Qgd8Zb7ve49q-S1v5MdS40yOQBR88tA/s1600-h/chiffon+cake+vanity.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlCnXbOsm8HVbM53UZfoX52Ekx8nT0-Xuu9HePUMnInaeuz9RPKKrFnBtxpL1r4yL9kJWrKf_24-RF5Btr7oRdCkiplGdnHvJizi6GCblJv3Qgd8Zb7ve49q-S1v5MdS40yOQBR88tA/s320/chiffon+cake+vanity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258628434796897106" /></a><br /><br />One fun thing about the bloging community is that you always have people who come up with fab new ideas. One of my fave bloggers, Gigi from <a href="http://www.gigicakes.net">GigiCakes</a> paired up with one of her best blogging pals and created a new monthly blogging event called <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">The Cake Slice</a>.<br /><br />I'm a Cupcake Maven, and I make a mean cupcake swirl, but I am a horrible cake maker. Actually let's rephrase that. My cakes taste darn good, but I am not so good at the cake assembling/frosting/decorating part, so I don't think they look very good. But it's also well known I am a crazy perfectionist, so who knows how skewed my reality is.<br /><br />The purpose of The Cake Slice is to work on layer cakes. And since I love eating them, but need more practice making them, I was excited to join. We bake solely from one book, Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes, which is another good thing, because sometimes too much choice is NOT positive. I actually admit to needing some sort of structure when it comes to my baking. Left to my own devices and thinking about baking a layer cake, I will get easily distracted while researching online, and end up in the kitchen making brownies or cookies, and ... no layer cake.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fX9Fr9nR3EURpR9zrkKgIEsSrgErtJLqy1xfZDweXe6Bmc7gObySlTpo4CyvdJtzmijRq3rfIYhjVgw9LwY3njG5qJ3ZtQ4zLDTZ1fWuQnPeA_wizhdJPQ5mWlqvNQ32aoGpH58BOg/s1600-h/chiffon+cakes+baked.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-fX9Fr9nR3EURpR9zrkKgIEsSrgErtJLqy1xfZDweXe6Bmc7gObySlTpo4CyvdJtzmijRq3rfIYhjVgw9LwY3njG5qJ3ZtQ4zLDTZ1fWuQnPeA_wizhdJPQ5mWlqvNQ32aoGpH58BOg/s320/chiffon+cakes+baked.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259090495314586674" /></a><br /><br />So anyway, <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">The Cake Slice</a>. Our first cake was called <strong>Cappucino Chiffon Layer Cake</strong> and it combines all sorts of fun things like multiple steps, soaking the layers, liquor and whipped cream frosting...the latter of which many times for me is iffy at best. I have never frosted a cake with whipped cream frosting nor made a chiffon cake before.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D6bUW4c3x8fv5V6n3oknTrpagtqNPvFkb8gOBGhm9RDDaX2GKx7iB60b-PyzyKxwJgCDdNzOQvoq7m5_C3m476FaFRdZs7crVuCSO2_6aevB0iHtHIxY1TLcS8u6M2P1Xvu8WvjcaA/s1600-h/chiffon+assembly.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D6bUW4c3x8fv5V6n3oknTrpagtqNPvFkb8gOBGhm9RDDaX2GKx7iB60b-PyzyKxwJgCDdNzOQvoq7m5_C3m476FaFRdZs7crVuCSO2_6aevB0iHtHIxY1TLcS8u6M2P1Xvu8WvjcaA/s320/chiffon+assembly.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259090501771925778" /></a><br /><br />Now I have. And I learned that little bit more from this experience so I am that much better of a baker and decorator now. I have a hard time getting sides straight when frosting, but the whipped cream was surprisingly easy to work with. I am really excited about this new event and cant wait to see what it brings us. This book has a lot of amazing sounding cakes..and I like unusual stuff, so onwards we go.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBOJI0iZ0bqZFYi69LZ_ptzJcCxH5fM66opbRiNiTTylMrcZPnrKLGFpNCPJI1kCAQqonswmfZpBpjYVI4bH33O2wLo6_n2zU5jkSSONnXVCZ-OFygu9qqqQNFCLbXC4UWzPi1lpXww/s1600-h/chiffon+cake+done+side.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBOJI0iZ0bqZFYi69LZ_ptzJcCxH5fM66opbRiNiTTylMrcZPnrKLGFpNCPJI1kCAQqonswmfZpBpjYVI4bH33O2wLo6_n2zU5jkSSONnXVCZ-OFygu9qqqQNFCLbXC4UWzPi1lpXww/s320/chiffon+cake+done+side.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258628445131402946" /></a><br /><br />This recipe called for an espresso flavored chiffon layer cake, soaked with an espresso liquor mixture, then layered and coated in vanilla whipped cream. My only variations were using Vanilla Kahlua instead of Rum for my liquor; and in the whipped cream topping I put a little of regular Kahlua and 2 tsp of unsweetened Scharffen Berger cocoa for a little extra flavor.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkB0anmGNyRs4ka2MXrYCbHEfI6VsJzYXjKuV8Cl6ZUApn_rVH2q9y5UpIAOj1q3VIKvjsbrY0YGYFJeDtauabe6RZPhzOwmsw4GtR6lF82fS_N7WpAlXiBn_pgmuFWcDNPXgrFC8eQ/s1600-h/chiffon+done+cut+open.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkB0anmGNyRs4ka2MXrYCbHEfI6VsJzYXjKuV8Cl6ZUApn_rVH2q9y5UpIAOj1q3VIKvjsbrY0YGYFJeDtauabe6RZPhzOwmsw4GtR6lF82fS_N7WpAlXiBn_pgmuFWcDNPXgrFC8eQ/s320/chiffon+done+cut+open.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259090504874698146" /></a><br /><br />It was fun to see everyone's variations on the cakes, and to see how the cut-up inside shot looked so similar on our cakes. So fun. Be sure to check out the other event bakers <strong>Cappucino Chiffon Layer Cakes</strong> over at the <a href="http://thecakeslicebakers.blogspot.com/">Cake Slice</a>, enjoy!! Interested in the book? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sky-High-Irresistible-Triple-Layer-Cakes/dp/0811854485/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224370158&sr=1-1">Amazon</a> has it for a pretty good deal...buy it!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1727438125116959442.post-19455991607677996732008-10-19T07:20:00.001-05:002008-10-19T13:57:45.977-05:00Doubletree Cookies Revisited!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNdgrKgVMd58PPLExw1J7ENzfBMIZzZxeJWfSt4KzFNF1GId31L8LI_-OCdhkIZs_Cp4agpoz6jIFuYJLGHZpXF3-t-VkAFcbX0ONbSsk6eEzEyW96IqCSxdjukb99jz-MNBBxoYagg/s1600-h/doubletree+cookie+a.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNdgrKgVMd58PPLExw1J7ENzfBMIZzZxeJWfSt4KzFNF1GId31L8LI_-OCdhkIZs_Cp4agpoz6jIFuYJLGHZpXF3-t-VkAFcbX0ONbSsk6eEzEyW96IqCSxdjukb99jz-MNBBxoYagg/s320/doubletree+cookie+a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258940098524718530" /></a><br /><br />A few weeks ago I made the famous Doubletree cookies and <a href="http://lickthespatula.blogspot.com/2008/09/doubletree-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">posted</a> about them. Then I went on vacation and when I came back, I had all these wonderful comments about people who love the originals or never even knew about them!! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHHIXa8QYXTNpUksqcMzG7SX5d09V6EQ4QTh7WbXjaRp1d8MnP8Lj8KkXCGBK9r_iKPf-oVTYHj89rm5Jp0PfsA5V1yUWXTNQvYmxGZHlwKjDtyQEj5BswLRCC1PmmaRDvasw6Ud1sg/s1600-h/doubletree+chips.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHHIXa8QYXTNpUksqcMzG7SX5d09V6EQ4QTh7WbXjaRp1d8MnP8Lj8KkXCGBK9r_iKPf-oVTYHj89rm5Jp0PfsA5V1yUWXTNQvYmxGZHlwKjDtyQEj5BswLRCC1PmmaRDvasw6Ud1sg/s320/doubletree+chips.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258940097256374338" /></a><br /><br />Reading the comments after a week in Mexico made me crave some filled-with-chocolatey-goodness traditional down-home cookies. So I made them again...and managed to remember to snap some photos!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8NO48hU-x-tmfTxd53vpEvrMF6WsipoBmIk6newz5acBs6fhyfqiIQBj7J-nPOTkNXiNUnVKOw6wyLYdXmHDs5-tKbATZzyV8IqRBrkXn7mnPyZn-E_cPa93ILFKVRlZE1Anvt0KNg/s1600-h/doubletree+stack+cookies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8NO48hU-x-tmfTxd53vpEvrMF6WsipoBmIk6newz5acBs6fhyfqiIQBj7J-nPOTkNXiNUnVKOw6wyLYdXmHDs5-tKbATZzyV8IqRBrkXn7mnPyZn-E_cPa93ILFKVRlZE1Anvt0KNg/s320/doubletree+stack+cookies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258940104187367314" /></a><br /><br />Random note..they are better if you slightly underbake them or take them out 1-2 minutes before you might typically. They are not as good if you even slightly overcook them...WAY better as softer cookies. And use Ghiradelli chips, they make the difference! Previous post with recipe <a href="http://lickthespatula.blogspot.com/2008/09/doubletree-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">here</a>. ENJOY!!!<br /><br />Oh, I should also mention that I will finally have a TWD up this week, YAY! I am going to be traveling this week, but I made my TWD and setup my post so you will have some eye-candy on Tues!maraehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04868922646609376868noreply@blogger.com2