4 Layer Checkerboard Cake

It has been forever since I blogged.  I have been cooking - sort of.  My friend talked me into a healthy lifestyles challenge, so for most of this year so far, sugar has been cut down to once a week (yes, torture) and I'm enjoying lots and lots of raw fruits and vegetables - nothing very exciting to blog about. 

Here's my latest culinary experience:  

 (it got a little messy as everyone was clamoring for some - I will use a different vanilla cake recipe next time)

While there are special pans you can buy to do a checkerboard cake, I just made two cakes - my normal chocolate, and a vanilla - making 4 layers (uncut - this could easily be 8, but I wanted the larger definition - but now that I think of it - 8 could really blow your mind!...next time maybe).  

Now, while I could have bought a nifty special cake pan, I went the cheap route - I used the lid to a sour cream carton, and stuck it into the middle of the cake and cut around it with a knife.  

I used a small bowl for the next ring, and then my measuring spoon turned upside down for the final inner ring.  

Then I carefully took each layer apart and replaced the rings with an alternating color etc. etc. like this - and yes, each layer looks like the top, or like and inverted version of the top layer here.  

  

Afterwards, I just frosted the cake as normal.  

Here's the recipe I used for the chocolate cake as well as the frosting - my own adaptation from Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake and Frosting

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
•   "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. 2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.
   
   VARIATIONS:
   ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
   
   CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.
   
   
   "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING - Double this recipe for four layers.
   
   1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
   2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
   3 cups powdered sugar
   1/3 cup milk
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
   Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
   Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Cajun/Creole Chicken Pasta

It is Saturday afternoon.  I spent an hour cruising the web looking for something new and interesting that my family might enjoy for lunch.  I found the following recipe on the Pioneer Woman blog.  Here is her recipe with my adaptations (in bold), as I was missing a few ingredients, and as it didn't seem to want to thicken properly. 

As I haven't done much with the cajun or creole flavor, this recipe caught my eye, and it was quite an enjoyable new taste for us.  This really exceeded my expectations - even my most picky eater told her sister, "it isn't that bad," and then she forgot herself and said, "these noodles are way better than I expected" - me too.  

  

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Yield - 12 Servings

• 6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes (I use Costco frozen, boneless, skinless - 2 minutes in the microwave to start the defrost, and it makes them easy to cut)
• 1-2 Tablespoons Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning or Cajun Spice Mix, +/- To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• ½ whole Large Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced (or 1 can of diced tomatoes - drained) 
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ½ cups White Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
• Water
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!  Set aside.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.        (I used a 12 inch cast iron pan, and got it all in one try, but my chicken didn't cook quite so quickly, and didn't blacken - just make sure it is cooked through even though later on you'll be putting in back on the heat for a few minutes, later on).

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1-3 minutes, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine/vinegar and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

(I could not get my sauce to thicken - it remained a watery consistency, so I added 2 T. corn starch to cold water (1/2 cup or so), and stirred until smooth, and then added the hot sauce to my corn starch mixture and stirred to create a thick paste, then added it all back into the sauce).

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down! 

Approximately 319 calories per serving

Grilled Portabello Caprese and Tangy Coleslaw with a Kick

My friends roped me into an 8 week challenge of no sweets and lots of veggies...so I've been finding some fun new recipes and experimenting with them. Here are two that my family and I really enjoyed - and they still tasted great as left overs as well.

Grilled Portabello Mushroom Caprese

4 large cap Portabello mushrooms

2 cups diced tomatoes

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 crushed clove

1 T. olive oil

Basil to taste (1.5 t. dried, or as much fresh as you like - chopped)

Olive oil for grilling. 

Using paper towel, remove any debris from mushroom, and lightly buff.  

Drizzle olive oil over both sides of mushroom cap and then place over medium grill for 4-6 minutes, then turn and repeat.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, garlic, basil and clove. Add just enough olive oil to lightly moisten ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

After removing Portabellos from the grill, fill the caps with tomato and mozzarella mixture.  Serve immediately as cheese will begin to melt, and the juices begin to flow.   

Tangy Coleslaw with a kick

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 bunch cilantro - chopped

1 onion - very thinly sliced

3 T. mayonnaise

1 T. olive oil

3 T. fresh key lime juice

3 garlic cloves

1 t. cumin

2-3 t. Frank's hot sauce

crushed red pepper seeds (optional)

pinch of sugar (optional)

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, cilantro and onion. 

Using a food processor or blender, combine remaining ingredients, and mix until mostly smooth.  

Pour over cabbage mixture and thoroughly mix. 

 

THE BEST FLAN EVER!! "El imposible"

Flan is a traditional Mexican custard - somewhat akin to a creme bruleé.  In Mexico, it is called "el imposible" which translates as 'the impossible', because it is SO hard to get it right.  

My family, well, we REALLY like flan, and for years I've used a fussy and very elaborate recipe.  The draw back was that it used a ton of cream, and took a lot of time, and sometimes the texture was just a bit off.  Yesterday however, - New Year's day no less, I found THE FLAN recipe.  I'll never look back.  

It is the HOLY GRAIL of flan.  Flavor, creaminess, TEXTURE..., and ease, oh my - this is it. 

We invited some friends from Mexico join us for dinner (I'm always nervous serving my Mexican cooking to natives since I know so many great Mexican cooks), and served carne asada (marinated in mojo), black beans and rice, with pico de gallo, along with the tortilla land tortillas from Costco that you have to cook yourself (if you  haven't tried them yet, you really should).  

 One of our guests, Ben said this, "you know when you go to an opera and the whole thing is exquisite, but then there are those few super high notes that you savor and they take you to a whole new level, and you go home completely content - especially because of those few exceptionally amazing notes?  That's what the carne asada and flan were for me tonight".  High praise indeed.   

Really - the picture above was taken by one of our guests - he couldn't cut into it until he took a photo.   

I think my guests might be embarrassed if they knew that I told everyone that they each ate 3-4 servings of the flan.  So, I won't tell you - I'll just let you wonder how much they really did eat.  

Did I mention the ease of this recipe?  

If not - here it is.  This is a non-fussy very easy 5 ingredient flan recipe.  And I had everything on hand - and chances are, you do to. 

Here we go

1.5 c. white sugar

2 cans evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

6 eggs

2 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 325*

Place sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Begin to heat on low and allow sugar to melt. This is a slow process, and you must tilt and turn the pan swirling the sugar back and forth to help the melting process. Continue until syrup turns a deep amber. Quickly pour into an 8 x 8 glass pan or ramekins. Tilt and coat the bottom and sides before it hardens. 

Place the milks, eggs, and vanilla into a blender.  Blend until well mixed. 

Pour into prepared (with sugar coating) pan (or ramekins). 

Place 8x8 pan (or ramekins) into a 9x13 glass pyrex or similar type pan and place in oven.  Carefully  add approx. 3 cups of water to the 9x13 pan to create a water bath - water should surround and nearly reach the top of the sides of the 8x8 baking dish.  

Bake for 60 minutes. 

Remove from oven (carefully) and gently remove flan baking dish from water bath.  Flan may still seem jiggly.  Allow to cool on wire rack for approx. 30 minutes, then cover gently with plastic wrap (lightly sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking), and place on wire rack in refrigerator for an additional 2-3 hours or more so that it can completely set.  

To serve, run small sharp knife around flan to loosen. Set in hot water for a few minutes, or gently heat bottom of baking dish on the stove for a few seconds to thin the syrup. Invert onto a serving dish, allowing syrup to run over flan.  Spoon syrup onto each serving.  

Pumpkin, Cranberry and Pecan Strata

Pumpkin, Cranberry & Pecan Strata

One of the things I love about stratas is that they can be made the night before.  And, since they take a while to bake, I can pop one into the oven and go out for a morning walk, and find breakfast ready when I get back, tasting like I’ve slaved away for hours, while the house smells amazing to everyone else just waking up. 

This is a great Christmas morning, or brunch solution as it can be made in advance and requires minimal fuss.  I initially came across this recipe on the Betty Crocker website.    

Here’s my version:

7 c. bread – cut or broken into 1 inch cubes (day old french bread is ideal)

½ c. craisins OR 1 ¼ c. frozen whole cranberries

½ c. toasted chopped pecans**

3 eggs

3 c. milk

2 c. cooked and pureed pumpkin OR 1 can pumpkin (15 oz. not pumpkin pie mix)

2 T. orange peel (peel of two oranges grated)

1 T. grated or finely chopped fresh ginger

½ t. ground ginger

¼ t. ground nutmeg

½ c. brown sugar

2 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

¾ t. salt

Maple syrup or vanilla yogurt for serving

Spray a 9” square baking dish with cooking spray and spread with half of the bread.

Sprinkle half of the cranberries, nuts, and ginger (fresh) over the bread, and repeat.

In a large bowl beat eggs, milk, pumpkin, orange peel, sugar, salt, spices and vanilla together. 

Pour over bread and cover with plastic or a piece of foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and refrigerate for 4 – 24 hours. (No longer than 24)

Heat over to 325* and bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 – 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm topped with whipping cream, yogurt, and/or maple syrup.

8 generous servings

**Toast pecans in the microwave for 2.5 +/- minutes.  Allow to cool slightly, then place in paper or plastic baggie and beat with a rolling pin.

Latkes - Potato Pancakes

Happy Hanukkah!

My family loves these, and while we aren't Jewish, since the calendar has lots of Jewish holidays, we use these holidays as excuses to enjoy these delicious potato pancakes.  

In essence, these are similar to large hash browns, except - tastier.  Especially when topped with sour cream and applesauce - the traditional way to eat them.  

5 lbs. russet potatoes (approx. 8) peeled, and grated - (cover with water while grating to slow down oxidation)

2 medium onions, grated

4 beaten eggs

1/4 - 1/2 c. flour

2 t. salt

Oil for frying

Remove potatoes from water and squeeze them to remove as much water as possible.  If desired, place between paper towels and squeeze to remove water.  

In a large bowl, mix potatoes and onions. 

Heat oil in a frying pan or electric frying pan.

Add eggs, flour, and salt to the potato mixture, and mix thoroughly with hands. 

When oil is hot enough for frying, place 1/3 c. mixture into hot oil.  Spread potatoes out so that it has a uniform thickness. 

Fry for approx. 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy, then flip and repeat.  

Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. 

These are traditionally served with sour cream and applesauce.   

Turtle brownies

Oh My Goodness!
I saw a recipe on a Betty Crocker pop-up a couple of weeks ago and it looked pretty amazing.  While I was at the store today, I saw some of the ingredients that it needed, and picked them up.  However, when I got home, I realized that I needed to make a few alterations as I'd bought a brownie mix instead of a cookie dough mix.  (Yes, gasp - that's the first brownie mix I've bought in probably 12 years).

Full of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and pecans, and smothered in caramel sauce, these are rich and oh, so delectable.  

I started out unwrapping 1 bag of caramels - approx. 50 caramels.

Following the directions on the brownie mix, assemble the brownies, and spread the batter into a greased 9x13" pan.  

Sprinkle batter with 1/2 c. chocolate chips, 1/2 c. butterscotch chips, and 1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans.

Bake at 350* as directed. 

Meanwhile, place caramels in a pan, along with 1/4 c. whipping cream, and 4 T. butter, and melt on low - stirring frequently.

Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool.  

Pour caramel sauce over brownies and top with additional chopped pecans and allow to cool.  

Good luck letting these cool before someone breaks into them!

My soon to be New kitchen

You may be wondering where I disappeared to since my last posting in August.
The truth is, I've been shopping for a new kitchen.  And, after contracts for 5 different houses (4 of which fell through), if all goes as planned, in 34 hours, this will be my new kitchen!
The rest of the house is nice too, but let's face it - it is all about the kitchen for me, and I'm excited to start having some fun in this one!

So, now that I've got that off of my chest, once I finish getting those boxes moved, I'll be back with lots of amazing new recipes.
Happy cooking.

Luscious Lemon Bars

These are rich with the perfect blend of sweet and tang with lemon on top of a shortbread crust.
 I hope your family enjoys these as much as ours does.




Crust:
1.5 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered (confectioners) sugar
3/4 c. cold butter

Place ingredients in a medium bowl, and cut in butter until crumbly (use a pastry blender or two knives).
Press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13" pan.
(It will be very floury (is that a word?) but the little pockets of butter will melt while baking to form a fantastic shortbread crust.)
Bake at 350* for 15 minutes.
When it is done, it should look something like this:

Filling:
4 eggs slightly beaten
1.5 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. lemon juice

Place eggs in a medium bowl and slightly beat.
Add sugar, baking powder, and lemon juice.
Mix thoroughly.
(After doing this several ways, I recommend doing this by hand rather than by mixer - it doesn't need to be super frothy or bubbly)

Pour over baked crust.
Bake at 350* for 20 -25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool, then cut into bars and sprinkle with powdered (confectioners) sugar.
Cover and refrigerate to store, but serve at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Muffins

I hit the $1 section at our local Target the other evening - just browsing around.  There I found a couple of simple cookbooks, and as I thumbed through them, this recipe for Sweet Potato Muffins caught my eye.
(It could have been because I'd roasted some sweet potatoes just the day before, but they weren't as sweet as usual, and I was trying to think of some way to use them). 
These came out very moist and flavorful, with a nice crunch due to the advent of pecans.

3 C. flour
1 T. baking powder
1.5 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground nutmeg
1.5 - 2 c. cooked mashed sweet potatoes or yams
1.5 C. sugar
3/4 C. milk
3 eggs
1/2 C. butter (melted) (or 1/4 c. chia)
1/2 C. chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl combine sweet potatoes or yams, sugar, milk, and eggs. 
Add dry ingredients, then butter or chia. 
Mix until well blended.
Stir in pecan.

Fill greased muffin cups half full.
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.
Yield - approx. 4 dozen

Hershey's Chocolate Cake - made with Chia

As I've been experimenting with chia - I decided to try it out in a chocolate cake earlier this week.
Here's what I found -
1.  No one could tell
2. The cake was very moist
3. The chia was a WAY better substitute for the fat - MUCH better than the applesauce substitute
4. No one had any idea that 1/2 of the fat had been substituted
5. Everyone loved it

                                

Here's a link to my Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake with chia recipe

Chia

I don't have a new recipe for you.  But I've been busy experimenting this week and will have something soon. 

We discovered chia this week (yes, like your old crazy chia pet thing).  

These seeds are crunchy, mostly tasteless, and said to be the latest and greatest in health.  Trippy though, because once you add them to water, they create a gelatinous substance around them - kind of like a tapioca, and they can be substituted in recipes for 1/3 of the fat (so I've read), or for an egg (so I've read), or to extend dressings and almost anything else you could dream of (cutting down fats and oils).  They purport to have better/or rival the omega oils and nutrient levels of salmon, flax, spinach, and even broccoli.  

  I read a book about a tribe of indians in Norther Mexico who use these seeds as a staple for their 100+ ultra marathons, and have been intrigued ever since.  Lots of research, and we are trying them in lots of different things, trying to figure out (if) and how we like using them.  

So stay tuned for nifty and tasty chia recipes!

After shopping around, while not cheap, I found some good prices on Amazon.com

Cooking with wheat - Tips

                         

Tips for cooking with wheat

• Wheat flour is heavier than white flour, so try using only 7/8 cup wheat flour for every 1 cup of white flour.  Keep in mind that it will need more leavening as it is heavier. 
• In yeast breads, use more yeast and/or let it rise longer.
• In baking powder leavened products, increase baking powder by 1 t. for every 3 cups of whole wheat flour. 
• Recipes using baking soda need not be adjusted
• In baked products using eggs, separate the eggs and beat the whites until stiff.  Then fold in the whites just before baking. 
• For extra lightness, an extra egg may be added - especially for waffles and cakes
• Try substituting whole wheat flour into familiar recipes you know your family already likes.  Don't feel like you must use 100% whole wheat flour...mix half wheat and half white flour.  

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Looking for a healthier alternative, or someway to use that wheat food storage?
I love that these cookies don't taste (or look) like they are made from whole wheat.
I got this recipe from a church class on cooking with whole wheat several years ago.  I took them to my book club last night and they disappeared, but the best part was that no one could tell that they were whole wheat!

1 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. white sugar

2 beaten eggs

2 T. hot water
1 t. vanilla


1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda
2.5 c. whole wheat flour

6 oz chocolate chips (minimum - add as desired)
1 c. chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts - optional)
1/2 c. coconut (optional)

Cream shortening and sugars.
Add eggs, water and vanilla.
Sift flour, soda, and salt together and add to the creamed mixture.
Add chocolate chips and nuts, then mix.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350* for 15 minutes.

Okay - so I stole the photo while mine are still setting, but what a perfect treat to take to that 4th of July gathering - and the kids (and adults) can't get enough of this new twist on jello squares. 

1 large package raspberry jello (or your preference)
1 large package very berry blue jello (or your preference)
1 small package lemon jello
8 oz cream cheese - softened
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 t. salt
1 c. whipped topping (like cool whip)
1/2 bag miniature marshmallows (regular is fine too, mini just melt more quickly)

Place blue jello powder in bowl, and add 1 3/4 c. boiling water.  Mix until dissolved and pour into a 9 x 13" pan.  Place in refrigerator to set.

Place lemon jello powder in a bowl and add 1 c. boiling water.  Dissolve, then add miniature marshmallows- stir until melted/dissolved.
In a separate bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and salt.  Once combined, add to marshmallow/lemon jello mixture.
Place in refrigerator until slightly set. 


Remove from refrigerator, add whipped topping, then pour over bottom layer once it has set. 
Refrigerate until set.


Place red jello powder in a bowl and add 1 3/4 c. boiling water.  Mix until dissolved, then pour over white/lemon layer, and refrigerate to set. 


Once set, cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.  


Note - these can be made with any colors.  19 oz. crushed and drained pineapple can be added along with the whipping cream to the lemon mixture if desired.  

Healthy Father's Day breakfast - Crunchy Oat & Wheat Waffles with Homemade Blueberry Syrup

Looking for a healthy Father's Day breakfast that's filling and tasty?

My in-laws make these waffles for us each time we come into town.  While these waffles are filling and ever so tasty, they are deliciously light and fluffy, and you'd never guess they were made from oats and wheat flour!  


Waffles
1 c. boiling water
3/4 c. regular rolled oats
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1.5 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3 T. vegetable oil
2 T. sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/4 c. nonfat butter milk OR 1 1/4 c. lowfat milk with 2 t. lemon juice added


In microwaveable bowl, boil water, then add oats and set aside for 3 minutes. 
In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. 
Whisk oil into the oats then add egg and white, then add buttermilk and mix. 
Add dry ingredients and gently mix. 


Cook in waffle maker - use vegetable cooking spray if needed. 
These work especially well in Belgian waffle maker.


Homemade Blueberry Syrup
1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 c. water
1 c. blueberries
1 T. butter
1/2 t. vanilla
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon


Place sugar and cornstarch in a medium sized saucepan, and mix using a whisk. 
Add water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 
Add blueberries and bring back to a boil.
Add butter, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and serve.
 

Cinnamon Rolls

I found this recipe on Rachel Berry's blog and they turned out really great.  Other than my pumpkin spice rolls, every cinnamon roll recipe I've tried has been somewhat disappointing.  Happy to finally have a staple cinnamon roll recipe - thanks Rachel!

While I've kept the ingredients the same, I made a few alterations to the combination and mixture process to  speed up the process (since I'm such a patient girl).
My daughter (and toughest critic) couldn't believe that I didn't buy the pastry part - and she recommended that I open up a cafe to serve these (even though cinnamon rolls aren't her favorite - love that kid!)


My photo is the naked/unfrosted version.  Once I got them frosted, they flew off the plate! 

Cinnamon Rolls

2 C. boiling Water

1/2 C. brown Sugar

1 C. butter or margarine

1/4 C. white sugar

2 Tbsp yeast

1/2 c. warm water

pinch of sugar

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

7 C. flour 

Boil water.  Add butter to boiling water and let sit to melt for a few minutes.  

While butter melts, in a small bowl bowl mix yeast, water, and a pinch of sugar and allow to proof for 5-10 minutes. 

Add sugars to butter/water and mix, then add 2 c. flour, one cup at a time to cool down mixture. Once mixture has cooled down (should be warm, but not hot), add eggs, baking powder, and salt. Add 5 more cups of flour, mix thoroughly, cover and set aside to rise. 

  Carefully put raised dough on Oiled or floured surface and using rolling pin, roll out to 1/4" thick.  Brush dough with melted butter, and liberally sprinkle with brown sugar, making sure to cover the entire surface.Sprinkle cinnamon over entire surface. 

Roll tightly, and cut into 2" rolls. (I use dental floss for a clean cut) 

Place on a greased cookie sheet. 

 Cover with saran wrap that's been sprayed with cooking spray, and let rise.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes.

Makes 24-30 rolls

Optional - nuts and raisins can be added to the cinnamon and sugar layer if desired.

Frosting:

3/4 C. Soft butter

3 C. Powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

1-2 Tbsp. Milk

Mix well with electric mixer - it should be thick and creamy.

*Rachel noted that refrigerating this dough beforehand (ie overnight) isn't as effective. 

 

Crustless Coconut Cream Pie

I found this recipe on Cooks.com this week as I was searching for a coconut pie recipe.  I didn't want to bother with a crust so this was definitely experimental.  
I added a bit of extra flour and more coconut (2 c.) than the original recipe called for as it seemed a little too thin.
As I waited for it to cool, I initially thought that it was maybe too soft of a set, but my loyal eaters loved that half of the pie was chewy coconutty, and the other half was sweet custard goodness.  

3/4 stick butter, melted
1.5 cup sugar
2.5 T. flour
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla
1 - 2 cups shredded coconut

Mix butter, sugar and flour in a large bowl.
Add eggs and mix, then add remaining ingredients.
Mix well.
Pour into well greased, well floured 9" pie pan.
Bake at 375* for 45 minutes.
Cool for 3 hours, then serve.

Buffalo Wings Pizza

While visiting SLC, we recently had buffalo hot wings pizza. We had some fun experimenting and came up with this tasty rendition.  Hot wing sauce and all...yum  Can't wait to make it again!


Pizza crust
1 Tbs. dry yeast 
1 c. warm water
1 t. sugar
2 T. oil
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt

Mix all ingredients and set aside for 5 minutes. Oil pan or pizza stone, then sprinkle with corn meal (if desired), and push dough out out onto pan/stone (or cookie sheet.) Bake crust for 20 minutes at 400*. 
Remove from oven and cover with sauce and toppings (below) 

Toppings and Sauce

1-2 c. chopped or shredded cooked chicken

8 oz. cream cheese

1 c. Frank's hot wing sauce

Shredded cheese (whichever you prefer on pizza or have on hand excepting goat, feta etc)

Any desired additional toppings (olives, mushrooms, onions) chopped

Place cream cheese in microwave safe bowl and soften (30 - 60 seconds) 

Add 1/4-1/2 c. Frank's hot sauce (to taste) to the cream cheese, and mix

Spread cream cheese/hot sauce mixture over crust with a spoon or spatula.

Add chicken and any desired toppings

Apply thin layer of shredded cheese

Drizzle remaining Frank's Hot sauce over entire pizza - more or less depending on your heat thresh hold. 

Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

**Variation: Blue cheese dressing (not mixed with hot sauce) can be substituted for the cream cheese sauce, and blue cheese crumbles can be sprinkled over the pizza after the hot sauce.