tasty tuesday... its back!

well i have been seriously slacking in the tasty tuesday posts.
hopefully the dry spell is over.

i'm going to start with a classic.

buttercream icing.

this is what you'll need:
2 cups butter. (the whole block)
4-6 cups icing sugar (depends on how stiff you need your icing to be)
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp heavy cream (you can use milk)
pinch of salt

toss your softened butter in the mixing bowl and whip until fluffy. i like to leave the butter out overnight so its nice and soft.
add 4 cups icing sugar, 2 tbsp cream, and vanilla and incorporate on LOW. if you go any faster than that you will have a dust storm of icing sugar to deal with.
once thats incorporated see how the consistency is and add more icing sugar/cream as needed to reach desired thickness.

here is the cake i did on last weekend with this recipe.

tasty tuesday - red velvet bundt with cream cheese frosting

i LOVE bundt cakes.

this cake is next on my radar.
OMG it looks delicious!!

click here for the red velvet bundt recipe

i found it on pinterest (if you're not on pinterest you totally should be!) and one day when hugo is cooperative i will definitely be making this!!

tasty tuesday - Whoopie Pies - an easy recipe.

i have seen a lot of recipes for these guys but they are REALLY complicated and call for ingredients that i don't keep on hand. these ones are pretty darn tasty and a lot easier than most of the recipes i see for them.

this is not a picture of my whoopie pies (thank you google images) but i haven't made them for a few months and didn't regularly take pictures of my food prior to stepping up to the plate and maintaining my blog. next time i make them i will take some pictures for an update post.

what you'll need...

Cookie Dough:2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) sugar
3/4 cup(s) milk
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
6 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 large egg

Marshmallow Creme Filling:

6 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, slightly softened
1 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
1 jar(s) (7- to 7 1/2-ounce) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets.

2.Prepare Cookie Dough: In large bowl, with spoon, mix all dough ingredients until smooth.

3.Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on each prepared cookie sheet. (There will be 12 rounds per sheet.)

4.Bake 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking, until puffy and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. With wide spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

5.Prepare Marshmallow Creme Filling: In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter until smooth. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat in marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth.

6.Spread 1 rounded tablespoon filling on flat side of 12 cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

tasty tuesday

well today's post is not something difficult, and not even really a recipe.
if you can follow the 3 step directions on the box of cake mix then you will do very well at this.

i haven't made these yet this summer (for some reason i only ever make them in the summer) but once i manage to scarf down all the goodies i baked this past weekend i will get right on it.

the hardest thing about this is choosing the flavor of cake mix to use.

what could possibly be so awesome that involves a cake mix? well other than these freakin awesome cookies here?

i'll tell you.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes!!

how can you not fall in love with these??

they're really easy. they don't keep for long because the cones get soggy, but i never had them last that long to find out.

here's what you'll need to do:

pre-heat the oven to 350
make the cake mix according to the directions
fill the cones 3/4 full
bake for 15-20 minutes

if you have to do 2 batches like i do because they can't all fit in the oven at once, make sure you don't fill the second tray of cones until you're going to put them in the oven. they get soggy and are not as good.

makes 18-24 (depending on how big the cones are)
sometimes i make a pan of normal cupcakes and 12 cones... depending on what i'm making them for. i don't want to have too many extra cones because they'll get soggy.

decorating... once they're COMPLETELY cooled and not a moment sooner...
the sky is the limit! a fun thing i like to do is ice them and then gently roll them in sprinkles or chopped peanuts.
when i've been feeling really ambitious i have tossed them in the freezer for a bit, and then dipped them in chocolate and then rolled them in sprinkles/nuts like a fancy ice cream cone. that time i made banana cake and with the chocolate and peanuts they were SO tasty.

here's my secret... because i am totally klutzy and am almost positive there is NO possible way i could get these into the oven or back out again without knocking at least half of them over i have a little trick. buy a couple of big foil roasting pans (they were 2 for $1 last time i bought them at the dollar store) and flip them upside down on jellyroll pans (i like the sides because then i can't push the roaster off the cookie sheet and dump them all)
then comes the fun stabbing part.
take a knife and cut an X for each cone. put the cone in and you can fill them, bake them, decorate them and transport them without casualties!

as requested...

it is not tuesday therefore i am messing up my schedule... i'm walking on the wild side today. posting a recipe on a day other than tasty tuesday... OH MY!

Rhubarb Cake

what you'll need:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup margerine
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 stp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup scalded milk
2 cups rhubarb


what you'll need to do:

cream together brown sugar, eggs, margerine and vanilla
add dry ingredients alternately with milk (i dump everything together at the same time... i'm impatient. you get a bit of a cloud when you start mixing but it has never made the cake turn out differently)
add 2 cups rhubarb to batter
pour onto jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides)
sprinkle with 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon (yes this cake needed more sugar) its delicious. don't skip this in an attempt to make the cake healthier. its cake. its not supposed to be healthy. there is fruit in it. that is enough healthy.
it should make you feel guilty when you sit and eat half of it because you just can't stop. might i remind you...its cake!!
bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

ENJOY!

PS. this cake is also very delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.



tasty tuesday

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

this recipe is one i've made for so many potlucks i can't even keep track. BIG HIT every time.

here's what you'll need...

2 pkg. (250 g each) Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

12 Oreo Cookies

3 squares Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate

 

here's what you'll need to do...

 

Heat oven to 350°F.
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended.
Place 1 cookie in bottom of each of 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Fill with batter.
Bake 20 min. or until centres are almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Melt chocolate as directed on package; drizzle over cheesecakes. Top with whipped cream if you want to... or chunks of broken oreos... or whatever you like!
enjoy

i should learn to keep my mouth shut.

yesterday i announced that i haven't been wanting anything sweet.
BAD IDEA!
about halfway through the afternoon yesterday i started fixating on cheesecake.
last night i almost went out in my ugly plaid pants to get some.
i'm not joking about the ugliness of these pants.
let me paint you a picture here...
i got them from Santa in about grade 8. they are small men's flannel PJ pants. probably purchased at costco made by elves at the north pole. navy blue and jade green plaid (i know... you all must be jealous). they are too short by a couple inches if i wear them really low. they seem to be indestructible... these things are a good 15 years old and not even getting close to being threadbare. they are comfortable though so i just keep wearing them.

i still want cheesecake.
i may have to stop and get one on my way home. this will prevent me from considering going out in public in the ugly pants.

tasty tuesday

Pink Lemon Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

3/4 cups (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- You will need confectioner’s sugar for dusting, later in the assembly

Pink Lemon frosting:
4 cupc confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter – softened
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice.
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons milk
pink gel tint

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and prep a cupcake pan with liners. I prefer using fresh lemon juice in all my baking. The best way to get juice from a lemon is to press and roll it on a counter. Then the pulp is all mushy and you have plenty of juice. Two lemons oughta do you.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar til light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one, beating after each one.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Here’s a tip, always end with the milk. It makes for a smoother batter.Now mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest.

Fill the cupcake liners TO THE TOP. This will insure that your cup runneth over, with is what you want so that you can cut off the tops!!! (You should have filled about 20 cups.) Bake for 17-20 minutes depending on your oven, test with a toothpick, and cool on a wire rack.


While the cupcakes are cooling – make the frosting:


With an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter. Add the lemon juice, and the zest until combined. THen add the milk – speed it way up until it becomes light and fluffy, then add two squeezes of the tint and mix til the color settles in.

Now with the cupcakes cooled, take a serrated knife and gently cut off the fluffy tops, right at the paper. Using a small heart, or any tiny shaped cookie cutter, cut out the center of the tops. Put them aside or put them in your mouth. Dust the tops with confectioner’s sugar.


Take your pink frosting and frost the top of the now flat cupcake that you just cut. Then place the nicely dusted open top, right on the top of the frosting. There you go. A simple yet pretty cupcake. And oh so lemon-y too.

found this great recipe here
more step by step pictures there if you need them.

tasty tuesday

this is the easiest cookie recipe ever.
it is easier than scheduling my tuesday blog post apparently. i wrote it up and didn't actually post it. just saved it as a draft. oops!

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.

2.In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix, eggs and oil until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.


**my modifications**
of course i never follow recipes word for word... so here's what i changed.
1/2 cup is waaaaay too much oil. i use 1/4 cup.
i use mint chocolate chips.
i do not roll the dough. i just drop it onto the pan with a spoon.
any chocolate cake mix is fine. it doesn't have to be devil's food.
 
i am interested to try different cake mix flavors... i think i might try lemon cake mix with white chocolate chips.

tasty tuesday

ok... this one's kinda healthy.  but so tasty!

Almond Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp almonds, finely ground

Directions:
1. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.
3. In a medium mixing bowl combine egg whites, almond extract, and salt. Beat with a whisk or electric mixer until soft peaks form. When you lift the beater out of the whites the peak will curl.
4. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Beat the egg whites until the peaks stand up straight.
5. Gently fold in the ground almonds.
6. Using a tablespoon, drop well-rounded spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the baking sheets, 1” apart.
7. Bake at 250F for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cookies to dry in the closed oven for 40 minutes.
8. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and gently peel the cookies off the cookie sheets and store in air tight containers.

mmmmmm....
if i'm feeling fancy sometimes i will pipe them out onto the pan... or decorate them with almond slices or sprinkles... that's all up to you!

tasty tuesday

one of my recent discoveries is that i love pecans if they are candied, in pie, or butter tarts.

i have bookmarked this recipe to try

http://visualrecipes.com/recipe-details/recipe_id/301/Pecan-Pie---The-Most-Delicious-on-Earth/

it was suggested to me by someone online and it looks delicious!

lots of step by step pictures for anyone who needs too.

enjoy!

tasty tuesday

from now on i'm going to try and post a new recipe i've found and want to try every tuesday. i LOVE the internet for recipes.
there are soooooo many to choose from!

first one had to be really good!

here goes...

S'MORE BROWNIES

Crust:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch fine salt

Brownie:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 large cold eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:
4 cups large marshmallows

Directions
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.