Squirrel Bakes

Espresso Macarons with Mocha Filling

2011-06-24T13:11:00.000-05:00

So I have some exciting news to share with all of you...I am moving!

My husband and I are relocating to Denver, Colorado and we couldn't be more excited! We have lived in Houston for almost exactly 5 years and next week we will be packing a truck and driving the 18 hours to our new home in Denver!!

I know you all understand how busy moving can be and I haven't gotten much baking in lately, but the last thing we decided to pack up was the kitchen. How could I go without baking for that long!? Also, Wednesday was my birthday and for the first time (after many years of protest) I got to make my own cake! I will share this divine chocolate cake with you later, but today I will share the other item I had been itching to try again. Espresso Macarons!

My lovely sister-in-law bought me a huge bag of almond flour to make more macarons with so I aim to please :-) Before you begin please go read my tips from my first macaron post here...it will help, I promise!

Espresso Macaroons with Mocha Filling

Cookies:

300 grams ground almonds or almond flour

300 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted

110 grams egg whites, room temperature

2 tablespoons instant espresso

15 grams water

300 grams granulated sugar

75 grams water

110 grams egg whites, room temperature

Filling:

1 cup butter, softened

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 tablespoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons of milk

To prepare cookies, preheat oven to 330 degrees F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats, set aside. In a small dish combine 2 tablespoons instant espresso with 15 grams of water, set aside. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, confectioners sugar, first set of egg whites, and prepared instant espresso, set aside. In a separate mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment pour remaining egg whites, do not starting mixing yet. In a medium saucepan combine water and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Using a candy thermometer, once the sugar-water mixture reaches 110 degrees C, begin whisking the egg whites at a high speed. Once the sugar-water mixture reaches 118 degrees C remove from heat and slowly pour into beating egg whites, do not stop the mixer to do this. Continue whisking till the volume has almost tripled in size and you have a shiny, smooth, white meringue. If you remove the whisk from the bowl you should have stiff peaks.

In small amounts fold the meringue into the almond flour mixture, blend only till all white streaks have disappeared. Be sure to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incorporate all of the mixture, anything not incorporated may cause cracking. Fit a pastry bag with a 10mm tip and fill with macaron batter. Pour small (about 1-inch diameter), even circles of batter on prepared pans, make sure to leave room for spreading. Once each pan is filled with circles, give it a few taps on the counter and let rest for 15-30 minutes. Bake each pan for 13-17 minutes. Cookies will be done when you touch the top and it wiggles, if top breaks off it is not done and if bottom comes off the silicone sheet, it is overdone. Let cookies cool on sheet completely, then remove gently.

To prepare the filling, melt the unsweetened chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or the quick and easy way, microwave it, let cool slightly to room temperature. In a large bowl beat butter on high till light and fluffy, scraping sides as needed. Add in melted chocolate, coffee, and vanilla and mix till incorporated. Sift in confectioners' sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Once all the sugar has been incorporated add in milk and beat till light and fluffy.

Pair up your macaron cookies with a dollop of filling in the middle. Taste will appreciate after a few days.

If you hadn't noticed, I did not use any coloring in the cookie this time, I wanted to see the macaron au naturel!

Hope you enjoy, I am off to pack away my kitchen!

Happy Baking y'all!

Chocolate Waffles

2011-05-29T12:23:00.000-05:00

Chocolate for breakfast, YUM!

I woke up this morning at 5AM not able to fall back asleep, I decided to get up and make PW's famous Cinnamon Rolls....two hours later and still no cinnamon roll progress I knew it wasn't going to happen. I needed a quick breakfast kind of morning. The hubbie mentioned waffles and I was off, I had been eyeing this chocolate waffle recipe from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook for a few weeks.

At first you might think who can eat a chocolate waffle for breakfast, or like me you might think chocolate is OK anytime of the day! Well this recipe could be used for both a dessert waffle or a breakfast waffle! It uses unsweetened cocoa and only two tablespoons of sugar, so the sweetness really comes from whatever toppings you decide to use!

Chocolate Waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk

4 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat waffle iron according to directions on box, I heat mine to the highest setting. In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Whisk in the sugar and salt and set aside. In a medium bowl separate 4 egg yolks and whisk together with the milk and oil. Slowly add in the milk mixture to the flour mixture, mix only till combined, set aside. In a clean, dry, medium bowl beat the 4 egg whites till soft peaks have formed. Gently fold the egg whites into the flour and milk mixture.

Once waffle iron is preheated, pour 1/3 cup of mixture into waffle iron and cook for the time suggested by your waffle iron directions. Note that the amount of mixture may vary based on the size of you waffle iron. Serve hot waffles immediately and enjoy!

I used the typical butter and syrup toppings for breakfast, but confectioners sugar, chocolate chips, chopped fruit, whipped cream or even ice cream are all good topping ideas!

This recipe makes about 8 medium sized waffles. I keep the waffles warm by placing on a pan in the oven set to 200 degrees.

Don't forget to enter my World of Cakes cookbook giveaway until Monday, May 30th HERE!

Happy Baking!

Puerto Rican Chocolate Rum Cake and My First Giveaway!

2011-05-25T22:50:00.003-05:00

Can you believe, it has been over a year since I started this blog and I have yet to do a giveaway?!

When I was asked if I would like to review and giveaway the new cookbook World of Cakes by non-other than Krystina Castella , you know her from the famous Booze Cakes cookbook, I was excited to accept!

My only problem was trying to decide which cake to make for y'all!

This book goes way beyond just recipes for yummy sounding cakes, Krystina shares all her knowledge of cakes from around the world and each cake recipe comes with a complete history. For those of us with a sweet tooth all year-around, she gives a list of every cake holiday throughout the year and from which country the cake or tradition originated.

In the spirit of the approaching summer and dreams of sipping a sweet rum punch on the beach, I decided to make a rum cake! And what is the only way to make a rum cake better?

Adding chocolate!

Puerto Rican Chocolate Rum Cake

Cake:
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon Puerto Rican rum
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Rum Sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup Puerto Rican rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt cake pan or five individual bundt pans, set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter till creamy, then add sugar and beat till fluffy. Add in sweetened condensed milk and rum, mix till incorporated scraping sides and bottom when needed. Slowly add in flour mixture, just until blended. Add in the eggs, one at a time and mixing after each addition. Add in chocolate chunks and mix with a spatula. Pour cake batter into prepared pan/s and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour for large pan or 35 to 45 minutes for small pans. Cake is done when a toothpick entered in center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and begin to cool.

To prepare rum sauce, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, while stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove sugar water from stove and let cool for a few minutes. Add in rum and use immediately.

The only thing I changed from her recipe, is my secret trick to rum cakes: pouring the rum sauce over the top of the cake while it is still hot in the bundt pan. Let the rum sauce soak slowly into the cake and by the time the cake is cooled, all the rum sauce is gone! If you prefer to stick to the original recipe, once the cake has cooled remove from pan and pour the rum sauce over the cake, let it sit for at least 6 hours before you serve it.

This cake did not disappoint! It contains all the moistness that you would expect from a rum soaked cake, but also nice richness from the cocoa and added chocolate chunks.

So for those interested in getting your hands on a copy of Krystina's World of Cakes...

leave a comment and don't forget to include your email!

To get receive additional entries you can do any of the following and leave a comment letting me know:

follow the blog
follow me on twitter @squirrelbakes
tweet about the giveaway

Deadline to enter is Monday, May 30th at 11:59pm CDT. A winner will be chosen at random and has 48 hours to respond with a US shipping address.

UPDATE: Congrats to Kelly @ KraftedbyKelly

Good Luck and Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Truffles

2011-05-17T21:14:00.000-05:00

These are more like peanut butter and graham cracker balls covered in chocolate, but that was a bit long for a title!

(please ignore my drier than ever hands)

I found this recipe for Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs right around everyone's favorite candy holiday, they were immediately put on the top of my to-make list. I love Kristan over at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, her recipes are always tempting and her pictures only make things look better than they sound!

Peanut Butter Truffles

18 sheets of graham crackers, very finely crushed

2 cups creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
chocolate candy melts or bark
sprinkles or decorations

Line a baking sheet with wax paper, place in freezer for later use. In a large bowl, combine graham crackers, peanut butter, butter, and confectioners sugar. Mix at medium speed till all ingredients are incorporated. I ended up using my hands to get everything combined. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Place baking sheet back in the freezer for 45 minutes or until peanut butter balls are firm.

In a small bowl melt chocolate candy melts or bark according to package. Using a spoon cover peanut butter balls with chocolate one at a time. Tap the spoon on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate and place balls back on frozen baking sheet. Decorate with sprinkles, chocolate chips, or leftover graham cracker crumbles and refrigerate till chocolate is set. Devour.

I used my food processor to crush the graham crackers. I used spring colored sprinkles, but I was thinking white chocolate coating with red, white, and blue sprinkles would be super cute for the upcoming holidays. Let me know if anyone tries this, I would love to see pictures!

Happy Baking!

Online Bake Sale

2011-05-02T11:14:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard through the foodie blogosphere yet, today is Becky's bake sale at Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves!

This gives you a chance to bid on getting some goodies delivered to your home from your favorite bloggers! All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society, a charity close to Becky's heart and part of her fundraising for Relay for Life.

I will be making my favorite cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip!

Good Luck!

Macarons and my French Baking Class

2011-04-29T12:02:00.000-05:00

As I told y'all my husband and I went to Europe last month, while in Paris I talked him into taking a French Macaron Class. It was amazing, we went through the company La Cuisine, which is located right near Notre Dame and the classes are in French or English! Next time we are back in Paris, I absolutely plan to take another class here.

I had been wanting to make French macarons since I first spotted them on Tartelette, but was of course intimidated by the precise measurements and perfection that the little cookie called for. After taking this class, I feel like a pro already and my first batch at home came out amazing, all thanks to the wonderful tips from the class!

In the class we made chocolate and pistachio macarons, each have their own cookie recipe and garnish recipe. At home, I made a plain cookie with a chocolate ganache center.

So first off I want to share the recipe, then I'll go over all the tips needed throughout the recipe to make that perfect French macaron!

French Macarons

Cookies:

300 grams ground almonds or almond flour, sifted

300 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted

110 grams egg whites, few days old and room temperature

food coloring

300 grams granulated sugar

75 grams water

110 grams egg whites, few days old and room temperature

Ganache:

150 grams heavy whipping cream

150 grams bittersweet chocolate (64% cocoa), chopped

53 grams butter, cubed and at room temperature

Preheat oven to 330 degrees F (between 160 and 170 degrees C). Line a few baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sifted ground almonds and confectioners sugar. Add in 110 grams of egg whites and food coloring, mixture will be paste-like, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment pour the remaining 110 grams of egg whites, do not mix yet, but set aside. In a medium saucepan combine water and granulated sugar over medium heat. You will want to bring the sugar-water mixture to boiling, but when the mixture reaches 110 degrees C, start whisking the eggs whites you set aside earlier. Once the mixture reaches 118 degrees C slowly pour the mixture into the bowl of whisking egg whites, do not stop whisking during this time. Continue whisking the meringue till the mixture is no longer hot, about 50 degrees C, and forms a shiny white stiff peak. Begin folding a small amount of the meringue mixture into the almond-sugar mixture set aside previously. Blend only until all white streaks have disappeared. Pour the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a 10mm tip, I used a Wilton 1A tip.

Using the filled pastry bag, form 3 cm diameter circles ( a little larger than an inch) on the prepared pans. Do not make too large, as the mixture will spread. Once each pan is filled with cookies, let rest for at least 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake each tray for 12-15 minutes, rotating in the oven half way through if baking multiple trays at a time. The cookies will be done if you touch the top of the cookie and it gentles wiggles. Let cookies cool completely on sheet and remove, cookies will come off easily if they have been cooked long enough.

For the ganache, in a medium bowl pour chopped chocolate and set aside. Bring the whipping cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once whipping cream is boiling, in a small amount pour over chopped chocolate. After each addition, whisk the chocolate starting in the center of the bowl until completely incorporated. Once all whipping cream is incorporated into the mixture, add in the chopped butter and whisk till smooth. Let ganache cool and pour into pastry bag fitted with a 10mm tip. Set bag aside or chill until the ganache is workable.

Pair cookies based on size and squeeze a good amount of ganache onto one cookie. Gently press cookies together till ganache moves to the edge of the cookie, do not twist.

For the food coloring addition, you can use either dry or liquid. I used 10 drops of red liquid food coloring to obtain this pastel pink color. You do not want to use more than one tablespoon of coloring total.

An absolute must to make this cookie, is a food scale. There is no way around getting the precise measurements without it.

Sifting is key, you want to make sure and sift the confectioners' sugar AND the almond flour. Our instructor told us that some double or triple sift their sugar.

The egg whites can go either way, extremely fresh (like you live on a farm) or a few days old. As most of you probably don't live on a farm, crack your eggs a few days in advance and chill the egg whites together. When you are ready to make your macarons, bring the egg whites to room temperature before using. It is estimated that a large egg white is equal to 30 grams. So for 220 grams of egg whites, I separated eight eggs earlier in the week, which was a good estimate as I only had a little leftover after measuring. Think that's a lot of yolks to waste? Nope, I used the yolks to make a custard!

In this recipe you prepare what is called an Italian meringue, made by boiling sugar water and whipping it into egg whites. Although this cookie is french, the Italian meringue is preferred over the French version, simply whisking sugar into egg whites, as it can often leave a grainy sugar taste in the cookie.

If you live in a humid location, as I do in Houston, you can remove a small amount of water from the sugar water mixture. I removed one tablespoon prior to boiling.

For the ganache, you want to use a heavy cream that is at least 30% milk fat, the higher the better. When pouring the simmering heavy cream into chopped bittersweet chocolate, you want to use a fast whisking motion in the center of bowl. As you pour more heavy cream in, continue stirring in the center of the bowl, slowly working your way out and scrapping the sides of the bowl. This motion of stirring in the center of the bowl gives your ganache that beautiful shine.

Here is a picture of two cookies, the one of the right was baked on a silicone mat, while the left cookie was baked on parchment paper. The cookies taste the exact same, but if you want to make it easy to get the cookies off the pan and if you are a slight perfectionist... then use a silicone mat!

Also, if you haven't checked out Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves I will be participating in her online Bake Sale on May 2nd benefiting the American Cancer Society, so go make a bid!

Crab Cake Sliders

2011-04-17T10:40:00.000-05:00

I know by now everyone is done with the fish frys...here is something to spruce up your next Friday night...or any night!

Crab cakes have been on my kitchen to-do list for quite some time and I finally made it happen and these were delicious! I paired them with a lemon-dill mayonnaise sauce and some sweet Hawaiian rolls and it was a delicious dinner.

Crab Cake Sliders

Crab Cakes:

1 pound crab meat, free of shells
2/3 cup crushed ritz crackers
3 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
flour for coating
extra-virgin olive oil for frying

Lemon-Dill Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp dill leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Lettuce, Tomato, Onion...

To prepare the crab cakes, line a flat surface (baking sheet) with paper towels and set aside. in a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the crab meat, flour, and olive oil. Gently mix in the crab meat and form mixture into small patties. Place formed patties onto prepared surface and chill for one hour. In a large saucepan over medium heat, line the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of olive oil. Once patties have been chilled, coat both sides of patty with flour and place into hot oil. Cook crab cake for 4 minutes on each side or until slightly browned.

To prepare the sauce, combine all ingredients and chill for one hour or until serving. Sauce will thicken as it chills.

Cut Hawaiian sweet rolls and fill with warm crab cake, lemon-dill sauce, and any additional toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion).

This recipe was adapted from the queen of butter, Ms Paula Deen.

If you are wondering what type of crab meat to buy, I read this great article that explained the grades of crab meats. For crab cakes, it is recommended to buy Special or Super Lump, which is the white meat of the crab's body. Another helpful hint, always add you crab meat last in a recipe as it is rather fragile.

Just to share, my puppy was being extra cute during my photo shoot...how can you resist those beautiful brown eyes?!

Happy Baking!

Boston Irish Cream Pie

2011-04-14T21:14:00.000-05:00

Inspired by Bobby Flay's recent Boston Cream Pie Throwdown I decided to make a Boston "Irish Cream" Pie for my hubby's birthday this weekend.

He asked for the same thing that I made last year, Chocolate Stout and Irish Cream Cupcakes, but how could I do the SAME thing again?!

Now, if you are wondering why the cake is all lumpy...well the inspiration was from Bobby Flay's competitor, Eunice Feller of Bread and Chocolate in Boston, MA. Instead of layering her Boston Cream Pie, she carves out the center of the cake and fills it with pastry cream, then tops it with the squared pieces of the hollowed out portion of cake. Pic here.

So, this was my attempt and it was most successful until the ganache set too much and it didn't exactly flow over the cake pieces, but more globbed everywhere.

Well they can't all look perfect, but they sure can taste like it!

Boston "Irish Cream" Pie

Cake:

1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp whole milk
2 tbsp butter, softened
5 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Pastry Cream:
1 and 1/4 cup half and half
3/4 cup irish cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp butter, cold and cut into pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup irish cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x3 inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper. In a small bowl sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the butter and milk. Stir occasionally till the butter is melted and set aside. Separate three egg whites into a large mixing bowl and combine the three egg yolks with the remaining two eggs in a separate small bowl, set aside. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add 6 tablespoons of sugar, one at a time. Continue mixing till shiny, soft peaks form. Move the egg white/sugar mixture to a new bowl. Now beat the egg yolks using the whisk attachment on medium speed adding the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar, one at a time. Beat until the egg yolk mixture is very thick and a pale yellow color, about five minutes.

Combine the beaten egg whites with the beaten egg yolks, gently fold in the flour mixture. Once flour is no longer visible, pour melted butter mixture down one side of the bowl. Gently mix the batter till all butter is incorporated. Pour batter into prepared 8x3 pan and bake till cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Immediately upon removing pan from oven, run a knife along the sides to loosen the cake. Let cool in pan for five minutes, then flip cake rounded side up onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.

To prepare the pastry cream, combine the half and half with the irish cream, 6 tablespoons of sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Over medium heat bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. In the mean time, combine egg yolks with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk till sugar has dissolved, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch, just until incorporated and mixture is a pale yellow, about 30 seconds. Return to cream mixture, once it has reached a simmer, slowly add to the prepared egg yolk mixture while whisking. Return entire mixture to saucepan over medium heat, while constantly whisking until it begins to simmer and mixture is thick and glossy. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve, pushing with a spatula moves it along faster, into a medium bowl. Cover pastry cream on surface and the bowl rim with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of three hours, preferable overnight.

To prepare the ganache, combine heavy cream, irish cream, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, stirring occasionally, bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour the cream mixture over a bowl of the chopped chocolate, whisking constantly until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream mixture. Let ganache cool slightly, stirring occasionally.

To prepare the cake, using a small knife, hollow out the top of the cake leaving a one-inch thick rim. Cut the trimmed cake into big chunks and set aside. Spoon the prepared pastry cream into the hollowed out cake and pile the chunked pieces on top. While the ganache is still warm, pour over the top of the cake and let pour down the sides. Let the cake rest for a few hours prior to serving.

As you can see, this cake is not a one day event. I split my preparations over three days not to overload myself and it worked out great. I was so excited when the pastry cream set properly! The first time I tried to make it, I wasn't watching the stove properly and my irish cream boiled over the top making a mess all over the kitchen. A trip to the liquor store later, I tried again following BrownEyedBaker's tutorial on how to make pastry cream and it worked!

I adapted the recipe from Annie's version of the Boston Creme Pie.

Also, I don't know how many urban adventure racers are out there, but for my hubbie's birthday we participated in the Great Urban Race in Houston and it was a total blast. The race goes to cities all across the US and offers some friendly family competition, so if you haven't heard about it yet, check it out! You can read all about it on my family blog: meetthekadlecs.blogspot.com.

Happy Baking!

Where have I been?!

2011-04-05T13:56:00.000-05:00

I feel like I need to completely re-introduce myself I have been gone so long!

So what's been keeping me so busy?

If you all remember the last Shuttle flight I told you about, well it is finally over and I got my real life back! It was such an amazing experience to be a lead planner for the flight, but I am so glad to move onto the next big project at work...and home.

I made some treats for my busy co-workers, including these super-cute mini Fluffernutter cupcakes...

I also made the hubbie some of Julia Child's famous Beef Bourguignon, he love love loved it!

After I got my life back from work, the hubby and I went to Europe for a few weeks on vacation! We had an amazing time eating and drinking all over Belgium, Germany, and France.

I also talked the hubbie into taking a macaron class with me in Paris, it was one of the best experiences on the entire trip and I cannot wait to share my real french pastry chef tips!

Right after I got back from Europe I headed home to St. Louis for a much needed visit with my mom and grandma!

While I was gone I missed my blog anniversary :-( We will just have to celebrate later! I also received a few awards from some of my favorite fellow bloggers. The Stylish Blogger Award from Becky at Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves who will be holding an online Bake Sale for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, go check her out!

The One Lovely Blog Award and Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award from Toni at Boulder Locavore, who just posted on how to bake and assemble a real smoking volcano cake, go Toni!

Now I am back and in action. Lots of stuff going on at home this week...the Astros home opener AND my hubbie's birthday this weekend!

I also have my very first giveaway coming soon, something I cannot wait to share with you!

Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnuts

2011-02-14T22:56:00.000-06:00

I think I have been craving donuts since I saw the movie No Strings Attached, which was almost a month ago. If you haven't seen the movie there is a section where Natalie Portman eats a huge box of donut holes. This scene was not a dainty one-donut hole at a time kind of meal. I am talking about a down-in-the-dumps, eating by yourself, powdered sugar on your shirt kind of chow session. Now you want donuts too, don't you?

So this morning I decided to just do it, I figure if I bake donuts I will feel a little better about eating one...or two!

If your looking at this picture thinking its too much work for the early morning, its not. I promise its a quick prep, short bake time, and a great reward in the end.

Chocolate Glazed Baked Doughnuts

Donuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter, chilled
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten

Glaze:
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp whole milk
2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease donut pan, if you don't have one use a muffin pan or mini-bundt pan. In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar; whisk till completely mixed. Using a pastry cutter or two forks cut the butter into the dry mixture till a course texture is formed. In a small saucepan heat milk till simmering, set aside. In a medium bowl combine egg, yogurt (I used sour cream because I didn't have any plain yogurt), vanilla, and warmed milk; mix till incorporated. All at once add wet mixture into the dry ingredients and blend just until incorporated, do not over mix. Spoon mixture into donut pan and bake for 8-10 minutes or until a toothpick entered in center of a donut comes out clean. Remove and let cool in pan for 5 minutes; flip pan over and let donuts cool completely on metal rack.

For the glaze, in a medium saucepan combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla. Heat over medium until butter is melted, remove and add chopped chocolate. Whisk mixture till chocolate has melted, if it starts to separate (it did for me) add the confectioners' sugar and keep on whisking! While glaze is still hot, dunk the tops of donuts into the glaze and let cool till dry to the touch. This recipe makes ~8-10 full-size donuts. Enjoy!

I adapted this recipe from the yummy JoytheBaker!

When I made the batter, I thought it looked a bit too thick and when the donuts baked I thought they looked all ugly and bumpy, so if yours looks like this, don't worry! In the end they were springy and moist, just like a good cake donut should taste like! The chocolate glaze was delicious and for lack of a better phrase, the true icing on the cake!

I am super excited about my next post, lets just say I was channeling my inner Julia Child for Valentine's Day!

Happy Baking!

Wordless Wednesday...Peanut Butter and Cinnamon Waffles

2011-02-09T10:27:00.000-06:00

I love Wordless Wednesdays, it is perfect timing because I am getting super busy at work with the upcoming launch (attempt) of my Shuttle mission.

If you remember I talked about the Shuttle launch that was supposed to happen in October which got delayed to November...then December...and here we are in February. Launch of STS-133 is set for February 24, mark it in your calendars and tune in to NASA TV to watch one of the last Space Shuttle missions ever!

I made these waffles over the weekend and I can't recommend them enough! They have a wonderfully sweet cinnamon taste mixed with the addition of the salty peanut butter, this waffle is a winner! Check out Steph's Bite by Bite for the recipe.

Not so "wordless", sorry!

Happy Baking!

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-06T13:52:00.000-06:00

Need a last minute recipe for the Big Game?

Well this cookie is perfect for the guys on game day with your classic chocolate chip cookie combined with everyone's favorite...BACON!

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 pieces of cooked bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl beat butter on medium speed till creamy. Add in sugars and vanilla and beat till fully incorporated, scraping sides and bottom as necessary. Add in eggs one at a time just til incorporated in mixture. Slowly add in flour mixture to wet mixture, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Toss in chocolate chips and bacon, mix by hand with a spatula until batter is even.

To make large cookies, roll into 1.5 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. This yields 3 dozen cookies. For small cookies, drop by tablespoon-full onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, this yields 5 dozen cookies. Cool cookies for 2 minutes on pan, then cool completely on metal rack.

I like my cookies on the larger size which gives a slightly crunchy outside, but gooey-chewy inside!

This recipe is an adaption of my favorite chocolate chip cookie, which has changed so much over time I can't tell you where it really started!

Happy Baking!

Valentine Brownie Pops

2011-02-05T00:03:00.000-06:00

I love making baked goods for Valentine's Day, everything is so fun and super cute! I don't know when chocolate and this holiday started their relationship, but I am glad they did!

Yes, I am one of those lovey-dovey people at Valentine's Day. Since I warned you, no getting angry at me!

Now, to me nothing says love like a big box of chocolates. (insert subtle hint to hubbie here) OR a bunch of these super cute brownie heart pops!

Although, I don't know if these pops are going to make it to Valentine's Day...much less past this three-day weekend! Yep that's right, Houston had a "snow" day! With the threat of 1-3 inches of snow and below freezing temperatures, the Space Center closed. Woohoo!

Valentine Brownie Pops

9x13 pan of brownies, cooled

1/2 cup frosting, if necessary

heart shaped cookie cutter

chocolate bark or candy melts

decorative sprinkles

craft or popsicle sticks

styrofoam blocks

Once prepared pan of brownies has cooled, crumble into a large bowl using hands. If using cake-like brownies, add the frosting of your choice. If using fudgy brownies no frosting is necessary. Shape crumbled brownies into the heart shaped cookie cutter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, set aside.

Melt a small amount of chocolate bark or candy melts according to package directions. Dip the tips of the craft sticks into the melted chocolate, then gently insert one stick into each heart shaped brownie. Place the baking sheet with the brownies and sticks into the freezer for a few minutes to harden. Meanwhile prepare a large amount of chocolate bark or candy melts in a narrow bowl or cup (I used my glass measuring cup). Dip brownie pops into melted chocolate and gently tap on the side to remove excess chocolate. Place pops standing upright onto styrofoam blocks and let dry completely. If using sprinkles, decorate while chocolate is still wet. If you want to write on the pops pour melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (I used Wilton #2).

If you are looking to decorate a bouquet of these babies, check out the cake pop tag templates that Bakerella has been working on, they are super cute! OR If you are out of popsicle sticks, check out Confessions of a Cookbook Queen she made these adorable candy melt stands for her brownie hearts!

Happy Baking!

Avocado Wheat Bread

2011-02-01T12:24:00.001-06:00

This morning I woke up to no electricity due to some terrible thunderstorms in Houston.

First thing I thought of...how am I supposed to upload my pictures so I can blog today? How long can my iPhone battery last to give that lifeline to Twitter updates and my morning blog readings?

I think you all understand since the whole country is having some kind of weather issues today. My mom in St. Louis had her work close for only the second time since opening in 1955! I wish I could see the blizzard, you know from the inside of a warm and toasty house though.

So, if you are stuck inside today, that is the best time to turn on the oven and start baking! This quick bread is super easy and provides a hearty breakfast option!

Avocado Wheat Bread

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute (splenda)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium ripe avocados, pitted and mashed

2/3 cup plain greek yogurt

2 eggs

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9x5 loaf pan. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; whisk till combined. In a large mixing bowl, combine avocados, yogurt, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla; beat on low till well combined. Slowly add-in dry ingredients to avocado mixture beating only till combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan and even out the top. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick entered in center of bread comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 5 minutes, then cool completely on metal rack.

Now if you don't like talking about improper things at the dinner table, then close your eyes...this bread batter looks like a disgusting color of baby poo! I was pretty turned off thinking, "how could this taste good?", but after slicing it open it looked and smelled way more appetizing. After I slathered on a ~~Paula Deen serving~~ healthy amount of butter onto this toasted bread it was delicious. It has the texture of a wheat banana bread, but the flavoring of creamy avocados. If you have never had avocado in bread, you definitely need to try this. If you are turned off by sugar substitute, it is exactly that a substitute for the real thing, so feel free to use that good 'ole granulated cane sugar!

Besides the butter on top, this was a great way to start out my day, that is after the power came back on!

Happy Baking!

P.S. I was just kidding about the Twitter lifeline thing...I'm just new...not addicted...you know...right?

The Healthy Brownie

2011-01-28T15:29:00.000-06:00

Yes you read that correctly. A Healthy Brownie!

The hubbie and I have been trying to cut back on our carbs this month and all has been going well, until it hit me. A craving like no other for a big, giant, fudgy brownie...sigh.

Your craving one now too, aren't you?

I thought there has to be a way to make a carb-friendly brownie, and there is indeed. I had no idea how it would taste, but it was worth a shot at staying on track with my diet and fulfilling my craving!

I have to say after trying it, it was not too bad and definitely fulfilled my craving. It was more of a cake-like brownie than fudgy, but it had a surprisingly good chocolate taste. I was pretty nervous that I would taste the black beans, but I didn't, not one bit! I added peanut butter, who wouldn't, but you could trade it out for chopped nuts or even a few mini-chocolate chips if you want.

The Healthy Brownie

1 15-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 large eggs
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup granular sugar substitute (splenda)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp natural low-sugar peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan with extra-virgin olive oil spray and set aside. In a large food processor puree rinsed black beans. Add in eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar substitute, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and peanut butter. Process ingredients till combined and smooth. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick entered in center of pan comes out clean. Cool brownies completely on wire rack, then cut into 36 squares.

Each square contains 2g carbohydrates and 1g of protein. A serving is listed as 3 squares for a total of 3 net carbs, which I think is pretty amazing for a dessert! I sprinkled mine with confectioners' sugar, but you could also top with a sugar-free whipped topping.

The recipe calls for a sugar substitute, I typically use Splenda which I find great for baking, but I usually cut it down a bit because it is too sweet for me. So the original recipe called for 1-cup of Splenda if you are wanting a sweeter brownie. I also use a high-quality dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder, I think its worth the flavor to spend a little extra!

Recipe was adapted from SouthBeachDiet.com

Wordless Wednesday...PW's Cinnamon Rolls

2011-01-26T12:29:00.000-06:00

In an attempt to stay wordless on my first "Wordless Wednesday" post I will just say a few things...

These are the best cinnamon rolls ever!

Pioneer Woman sure knows how to win a girl over.

I am warning you...this makes a lot of cinnamon rolls, but don't worry you will want to devour them by the pan full! Or freeze them as I did.

Happy Baking!

Birthday Cake and Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

2011-01-24T13:42:00.000-06:00

It was my sister's birthday this weekend, I won't mention her age, but it was a big one!

Happy Birthday Teeny!

Oh...but you might see it on some of the cookies, sorry sis!

Like I told you in the last post, she does not like chocolate, but she loves white cake. Yes, like wedding cake. So I made her a cake and brushed up on my cake stacking/icing/piping skills a bit as well.

I used the white cake recipe from the Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook I got for Christmas. I am not giving the recipe, because honestly it wasn't my favorite. It was a little dry for my taste and they actually leave out a step in the directions, luckily I have made a few cakes in my days to know better! I want to say that I have eaten there many times in the past and have loved it, just not this recipe. If anyone has a favorite white cake recipe, let me know!

I will tell you that I thought the Vanilla-Bean icing I used was awesome, you can find that over at BrownEyedBaker. I was a little worried because it is such a fluffy frosting, I added an extra 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Also, unless you have clear vanilla flavoring I would add some Americolor White coloring if you want the frosting a bright white instead of an off-white color. I didn't have any on hand, but will in the future!

I also made cookies, you know in case the cake fell apart on the drive to her house (I worry too much), and also as a little party favor for her friends! I love curly ribbon. I secretly think working in the gift wrapping department at Macy's would be awesome!!

I used the same recipe as I did when making the Halloween Cookies and learned my lesson on thinning out the flood icing too much. This time I think I got it juuuust right. Now if I could stop shaking when I need to draw a straight line and write letters, we'll be in business!

If you were curious, the cake and cookies made the drive from Houston to Dallas with no breaks, cracks, or bumps. I was thrilled!

Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Blondies

2011-01-21T12:25:00.000-06:00

Can I just say that I am so super excited!!

Nope nothing to do with these blondies, they are great, but I got to place my order for Girl Scout Cookies today! No matter what I can bake, nothing will replace a bite of frozen Thin Mint or the creamy peanut butter filling inside a Tagalong! Did y'all get to order some?

So about these blondies... My mom and sister came to Houston to celebrate a late Christmas since I was in Florida with my husband's family. Yeah that's right, my Christmas tree is still up and yes, we are the hobos with the wreath still on the door. I'll take it down...later. Since they were in town, I made these blondies for my sister. She does not like chocolate. I know, it's crazy to me too!

These blondies had a little bit of surprise inside though...peanut butter chips! She may not like chocolate, but since we are related and all she must love peanut butter!

Peanut Butter Blondies

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 and 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. In a large bowl cream butter on medium speed till smooth. Add in sugars and beat till fluffy or about 3 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time till incorporated. Add in vanilla and mix till incorporated. Add flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture a small amount at a time, which beating on low till completely incorporated. Add in peanut butter chips and mix by hand with spatula. Spread batter evenly into prepared 9x13 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely before cutting into bars (unless you can't wait no one will notice the little corner missing).

If you want to chocolate them up, just substitute out 1 cup peanut butter chips for chocolate chips. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

2011-01-19T13:27:00.000-06:00

I believe I owe my followers an apology. It has been 2 weeks since my last post and I know that is ages in the blogging world. With no better excuse than I have been super busy, I'm sorry! I have been getting my food blog fix by reading on the go, (what did we ever do without smart phones!) but I feel awful for not getting this post out sooner.

These cupcakes were for a friend's birthday, she asked for the best frosting I could think of. All I could think of was this jar of Dulce de Leche in my pantry. I dragged my husband to the fancy grocery store, oooh about 2 months ago, because I HAD to have Dulce de Leche. It has been sitting in the pantry since. I kept waiting for the right time, the right recipe, the right occasion. Well now is as good a time as any and what better way to use it than for a birthday!

Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1 and 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs

Frosting:
1 and 1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup dulce de leche

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners, set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and baking powder, set aside. In a large bowl beat butter on medium till creamy. Add in sugar and blend till fluffy or about two minutes. Add in vanilla and blend, scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Add in eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Alternate adding water and flour mixture to butter mixture. Beat mixture till completely blended. Pour 1/4 cup batter into each cupcake liner and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let sit in pan for 5 minutes, then let cool completely on metal rack.
To prepare the frosting, in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed till creamy. Slowly sift in confectioners' sugar and mix on low till completely incorporated. Add in heavy cream and vanilla, mix till incorporated. Add in dulce de leche and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is smooth and fluffy, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as needed. Fill a pastry bag fitted with your favorite decorating tip and frost cooled cupcakes.

Dulce de Leche recipe was adapted from JoytheBaker.com

This pic was just for me to compare my old way (left) of frosting a cupcake versus the new way (right). Which is your favorite? Or does it not matter since the moment you get the cupcake you want to eat it anyways?

A tip I read about recently for cupcakes, if you only have one cupcake pan, cover the batter and place in fridge till the first batch has completed baking. Add 2-3 minutes of baking time for the second batch. I own two cupcake pans so I don't need to do this, but it is good to know! If you do own two cupcake pans, something that I do is rotate the pans halfway through the baking time. This ensures an even bake on all the cupcakes as the middle of the oven is always warmer than the sides.

Happy Baking!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

2011-01-03T10:58:00.000-06:00

I know its a little late to make these for New Year's, BUT they are totally worth trying!

Although I think I have to apologize to all your diet resolutions, as much as I wish these were zero cal, no carb, lettuce-like cupcakes, they are not. They are delicious and sugary, so sorry! You can look forward to some more diet friendly recipes in the future, but for now enjoy!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

3 cups cake flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup butter, softened

1 and 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup pink champagne

6 egg whites

4-5 drops red food coloring

additional pink champagne for glazing

Frosting:

3 and 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter, softened

3 tbsp pink champagne

4-5 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or line two cupcake pans and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl beat egg whites till stiff peaks form and set aside. In a second large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Alternate adding flour mixture and champagne to butter mixture till well combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl as necessary. Add in red food coloring till pink color is attained. Fold in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites and mix thoroughly. Add in remaining egg white mixture till combined. Fill cupcake liners with 1/4 cup of batter and bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on wire rack. Once cupcakes have cooled, gently poke 8-10 holes in cupcake using a toothpick. Using a pastry brush, glaze the cupcakes with extra champagne.

For frosting, beat butter till creamy. With mixer on low, slowly add in sifted confectioners' sugar. Once all sugar is incorporated beat on high for 3-5 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. Add in champagne and mix till incorporated. Fill a pastry bag with frosting and decorate cooled and champagne glazed cupcakes.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

To achieve the rose look, I used a Wilton 1M decorating tip. With pastry bag at a 90 degree angle to cupcake surface, start in center of cupcake and swirl outward.

I chose to glaze the cupcakes with champagne to make sure they contained a vibrant champagne flavor and it worked! I did find that the cupcakes tasted best on the same day that I made them, after two days passed, they lost the champagne flavor a bit. So make 'em fresh!

Lastly, I found these super cute cupcake holders from Wilton and just knew they would be perfect for these champagne cakes ... but the liners started peeling off after a few hours! Not sure if it was the moisture from the champagne or if they always do that. I am curious as to where everyone buys their cupcake liners, I'd really like to get some nice quality ones to try out!

Happy Baking!

My Best of 2010

2011-01-01T20:43:00.000-06:00

To start out the year I thought it would be fun to go through my top 10 posts of last year. I have never done a post like this, but I think it would be a great way to remember your favorite dishes.

I also find that I rely on posts like this from other bloggers to get a quick list of their top recipes, so here goes from the bottom!

#10 Double Chocolate Cupcakes

#9 Mom's Famous Ham, Scallion, and Pecan Cheeseball

#8 Banana Chocolate Chip Biscotti

#7 Apple Picking and Baked Apple Cider Donuts

#6 The Hubbie's Texas Chili

#5 Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

#4 Butterbeer Cupcakes

#3 Strawberries and Cream Muffins

#2 Pumpkin Cake Pops

and finally...

#1 No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Lots of cupcake love in 2010! I have to say of the 65 recipes I have posted since starting this blog in February, my all time favorite is my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. It is probably the simpliest thing to make when I have a peanut butter craving!

What is your favorite post of 2010? I would love to start out the year with some new favorites!

Happy Baking!

Christmas Mint Oreo Truffles

2010-12-22T11:15:00.000-06:00

So there is one bad thing about baking Christmas cookies and sending them to all your friends. You are left with an empty fridge and one heck of a sweet tooth!

I have one tin of cookies left, but I have sealed it with ribbon so I can't sneak any cookies since they have to make it to my in-laws house in Florida. My only option is to make something new!

Rewind to yesterday...the hubbie asked me why I didn't make any rum balls this year. I told him that "I've never made rum balls in my life!" He said then "What are those cake things you decorate?", ahhh he meant cake balls! Silly hubbie, although they are addictive they don't have rum in them. He was right though, I hadn't made any this year. I decided to try something new, since I have been addicted to mint oreos ever since I put them in homemade ice cream, I made mint oreo truffles.

These are super easy, hardest part is waiting to eat them. Believe me not all of the truffles made it to the candy coating step!

Christmas Mint Oreo Truffles

1 package Mint Oreo Cookies
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
white chocolate bark
red and green candy melts

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat, set aside. Remove 6 oreo cookies from package, crush, and set aside for later use (or eating). Finely crush remaining cookies in a food processor or in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin (more therapeutic). In a large bowl combine cookie crumbs and cream cheese. Mix till completely combined and shape into 1-inch balls on prepared pan. Chill for 30 minutes.

In a deep dipping bowl, melt chocolate bark or candy coating according to package directions. Dip each oreo ball into chocolate using a small spoon, gently shake to remove excess chocolate and place back onto prepared pan. Repeat with remaining oreo balls and chill till coating has hardened.

To decorate, place remaining chocolate bark or candy coating in a pastry bag fitted with a small tip or use a small ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Once oreo truffles have hardened, use pastry bag to decorate with Christmas shapes or drizzle. If you would rather decorate with remaining crushed oreos, while chocolate bark or candy coating is still wet sprinkle crushed oreos over the top.

I used white chocolate bark, my preference, and red and green Wilton candy melts. If using white, I like to double-dip my truffles to ensure there are no dark oreo colors seeping through.

These guys are one of the easiest things I made all season, so no worries you still have time before the family comes over to make them. If you can't find mint oreos, this recipe would still work for regular oreos!

Happy Baking!

Peppermint Marshmallows and Rocky Road Fudge

2010-12-21T14:07:00.000-06:00

This is a bonus post today as I am going to present two recipes! Hopefully the second recipe will cover up for my slight fail on the first one, please?

This homemade marshmallow post by The Cilantropist had me excited from the first time I read it, thanks to Project Food Blog there were so many good posts and this was by far one of my favorites, mostly since I have a weak spot for s'mores. I decided to change it up a little for the season by adding some peppermint extract. Well, not thinking about how much stronger peppermint extract is than vanilla extract, I used WAY TOO MUCH peppermint extract. As perfectly fluffy and cute the marshmallows turned out, they were potent! They tasted like you just swallowed a bottle of Scope! I know the picture is deceiving, they look innocent!

So with some reading around and slight adjustments, here is the recipe with the correct amount of peppermint extract!

Peppermint Marshmallows

~1 cup confectioners sugar

3 and 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp salt

2 egg whites

1 tsp peppermint extract

Grease the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 pan with butter, sift confectioners' sugar over the butter till the pan is completely covered in sugar, chill in refrigerator. In a large mixing bowl pour 1/2 cup cold water and sprinkle gelatin packets over, mix slightly and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the egg whites and beat till stiff peaks, chill in refrigerator till later.

In a large saucepan combine remaining 1/2 cup cold water, sugar, salt, and corn syrup over low heat. Stir mixture till the sugar is dissolved, then increase heat to medium-high. Do not stir the mixture any longer, you will have to fight the urge to scrape the sides of the pan, just don't do it! Heat the mixture till a candy thermometer measures 240 degrees. This will take 10-15 minutes, depending on the heat and pan.

Once the sugar mixture has reached 240 degrees, remove from heat and pour over the gelatin mixture from earlier. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat on low till gelatin has dissolved into sugar mixture. Then beat mixture till it has tripled in volume and is a creamy white texture, about 6 minutes. Add the peppermint extract and chilled egg whites and mix just until incorporated. Pour the mixture into prepared chilled pan and sift confectioners' sugar over the top till covered. Let marshmallows chill for 2-3 hours or let stand at room temperature overnight.

Prepare a cutting surface with sifted confectioners' sugar. Once marshmallows have set, run a thin knife, or in my case with a non-stick pan I used nylon pan scraper, around the edges of the pan. Using gravity's assistance, turn the pan upside down and loosen the marshmallow from the bottom of the pan till it drops to the cutting surface. Using a greased knife, scraper, or pizza wheel cut the marshmallows into 1-inch cubes. Throw cut marshmallows back into prepared pan and sift confectioners' sugar over cubes till they are completely coated on all sides. Store in airtight container till ready to use.

The marshmallows were fun to make, that is if you think making a mess is fun! You will go through what feels like a bag of confectioners' sugar and it will end up everywhere! The end result is so worth it though, if you have never had homemade marshmallows they are these delicious, spongy, cloud-like little squares of joy.

Since I had a whole batch of fluffy marshmallows and didn't want to waste them I racked my brain for recipes with marshmallows, what could I make with these so mask the potent taste?

Besides putting them in hot chocolate, I can only drink so much, I decided to dice em up and throw them into a super easy batch of Peppermint Rocky Road Fudge. This was YUMMY! The potent marshmallows gave the fudge a slight peppermint taste, perfect for the season and just in time to send out to friends and family!

Peppermint Rocky Road Fudge

3 cups mini-peppermint marshmallows

1 and 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper, then grease lightly and set aside. In a medium saucepan over low heat combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Stir till chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, walnuts, and marshmallows. Using greased hands, press the mixture into the prepared pan. Chill the fudge till hardened or ready to serve. Cut into 48 small pieces.

Hope you enjoy both recipes, I would love to hear some other marshmallow variations!

Also some exciting news, I'm now on Twitter! Bare with me as it is like learning a whole new language!

Happy Baking!

Mint Chocolate Delights and an Award

2010-12-17T13:18:00.000-06:00

I know everyone has their favorite cookies they make each year for the holiday season. Mine are these Mint Chocolate Chip delights. I actually found the recipe on the back of the Mint Chocolate Chip bag a few years ago and have been making them ever since!

Mint Chocolate Delights:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 10-ounce bag dark chocolate and mint chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, then set aside. In a large bowl combine butter, vanilla, and sugars and mix till creamy. Add in eggs one at a time until thoroughly combined. Slowly add in flour-cocoa mixture till incorporated. Gently stir in chocolate and mint chips. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on wire cooling rack.

I learned a great tip recently about re-using the same baking sheet. I had always used two baking sheets when making cookies, this allowed the first baking sheet to cool so all the cookies baked evenly. That was until recently I read to simply rinse the back of the hot baking sheet with cool water, wipe it down and voila the same baking sheet is cooled to room temperature and you can use it right away!

Besides the recipe being on the back of the bag, it is online as well: verybestbaking.com.

I am also behind on getting my award posted and I really can't wait to pass it along to other bloggers. Kitchen Morph, KonstantKraver, and Gingerbread Bagels have given me the One Lovely Blog Award. I am truly honored by these bloggers, they have an intense amount of creativity and really show it in the kitchen and through their blogs. So thank you and please go check them out!!

So the rules of the award state that:

1. You accept the award and thank the person that gave it to you.

2. Pay it forward to 15 bloggers, whose blogs you admire.

3. Contact those bloggers to let them know they have been given the "One Lovely Blog" Award.

It was so easy to decide who to pass the award on to, I have some definite favorites and have also started reading a lot of great new blogs.

1. Comfort of Cooking: Georgia is one of my go-to blogs for recipes and she has just re-designed her blog, so what better time to give this award!

2. Cooking with Sugar: Sugar is truly inspiring, she has a passion to encourage woman to cook again and it really shows in her blog.

3. The Mom Chef: Mom Chef devours magazines for recipes and brings us the good and the bad of all her favorite finds, I love her honesty!

4. Bakergirl: She has made quite possibly the cutest Christmas cookies I have seen all season, you must take a look!

5. Sweet SugarBelle: I recently found her blog via University of Cookie and fell in love. I am obsessed with her beautiful sugar cookies and find her hints extremely helpful!

6. Patty's Food: This girl has delicious recipes for things I haven't dared to try yet, like these chocolate fig bars that I wish I had right now!

7. Meet the Shannons: Annie and her husband are working their way through the Betty Crocker cookbook vegan style! I am no vegan, but love the way she makes veggies look delicious!

8. swEEts by e: Evan, a fellow Texan, makes my dreams come true with her Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares!

9. Krafted by Kelly: I love love love her blog. Not only is she a baker like me, but she doodles. These are not your ordinary heart and flower doodles, she write comics from people's tweets! You MUST check her out!

10. The Pink Apron: She has some cute Christmas baking going on that I think you all need to check out, plus she gives the secret to making better chocolate chip cookies!

11. Chicago Cuisine Critique: I am not from Chicago, but love reading her stories and yummy recipes. If you live in Chicago or plan to visit, reading her Chicago dining reviews is a must!

12. Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker: Her family history in the culinary arts is inspiring, you will love her series of posts "Make your own Monday", I can't wait to try her cake donut recipe!

13. Momma Hen's Kitchen: Her Christmas baking ideas had me drooling all over my keyboard!

14. Fragrant Vanilla Cake: Amy has taken her love of baking and put a healthy spin on it, I love her creative substitutions in recipes.

15. Sinful Southern Sweets: Not only does she make some of the cutest desserts, but she creates gift tags for them, some of which you can download from her site!

Thank you to everyone!

Happy Baking!

Chocolate topped Coconut Macaroons

2010-12-10T15:53:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not I have never tried a coconut macaroon! I semi-like coconut so I was a little nervous to make a whole batch of these without ever trying them before. Then again, anything dipped in chocolate is good right?

Well I finally tried them and I love em! These cookies are so moist and sweet each one tastes like they just came out of the oven.

These cookies are often confused with the french macaron cookie. Similar in origin both cookies are meringue-like made with egg whites and ground nuts or coconuts. The french macaron is made with ground almond flour and egg whites. The american macaroon is made with coconut and is typically much denser. I have yet to make the french macaron cookie, I'm still too chicken! So for now, hope you enjoy!

Chocolate topped Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

14 ounce bag sweetened shredded coconut

4 ounces chocolate candy coating

sprinkles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. In a large bowl combine together the condensed milk, egg white, vanilla, and salt. Add in flaked coconut until thoroughly combined. Drop coconut mix by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet and form into tiny mountains using fingertips. Wet fingertips with water as needed to prevent sticking to the cookie dough. Bake cookies for 18-20 minutes or until slightly browned. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on wire rack. Once cookies have cooled, melt chocolate per package directions and dip macaroons halfway into chocolate. Immediately decorate with sprinkles or crushed candy.

This recipe was adapted from FoodNetwork.com. If you cannot find chocolate candy coating simply melt together 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips with 1 tbsp shortening. If you really want to get creative, you could mold the macaroon into Christmas shapes using cookie cutters as I did with the no-bake cookies a while back. I think they would be super cute so let me know if anyone tries that method!

Happy Baking!