Ravoli in white sauce

I always have white wine in the house. So, I made an assumption that I could add wine to this sauce but I had none in the house. I do vaguely remember drinking it all but I didn't realize I didn't buy more. My husband offered some red wine but no. I didn't think it sounded good. So, I made it with just chicken broth and some cream. I also wanted to add a vegetable so I thought spinach was a good pairing. My daughter told me the spinach was her favorite part.

Ravioli in white sauce
1 cup water
2 tsp olive oil
20 oz. Four cheese Ravioli, fresh
2 clove of garlic
6 oz. baby spinach leaves
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
2 cup milk
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, add the water and olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the raviolis and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. The ravioli should be tender inside with a crisp shell. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the garlic and spinach leaves. Saute until the spinach leaves are wilted. Discard the garlic. 
4. Remove the spinach from the skillet and set aside.
5. To the skillet, add the butter. Allow the butter to melt.
6. Whisk in the flour for one minute.
7. Whisk in the milk and allow to reduce for about 5 minutes.
8. Season with the white pepper and salt. 
9. Add the raviolis to the pan and allow to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
10. Remove and serve with the cooked spinach.
11. Spoon the remaining sauce over the spinach and raviolis before serving.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago........................I made Peanut Butter and Yogurt Dip.

Did you already know..........

-The Italian plural for ravioli is raviolo.

-Ravioli recipes have been around since the 14th century.

-If you order raviolo in Italy, you will receive a pasta casing with a filling even though raviolo literally means little turnip.

Ladybug Cupcakes

Lady bugs remind me of summer along with sunflowers. They are suppose to bring luck. They are one of the few bugs my boy, I mean children aren't afraid to touch. I think the coolest thing about lady bugs are their dots. I have always been crazy about polka dots so I'm glad they are back in season. My sister also has a mutual like for lady bugs so I had to make these cupcakes for her with the sunflowers. They should bring her lots of luck or in the least be fashionable.

Marble Cupcakes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix until incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla and mix well. 
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. Add half of the flour mixture and then the milk. Mix until just combined.
8. Add the remaining flour mixture and then the heavy cream. Mix until just combined.
9. Remove 1 cup of the batter and place into another bowl. 
10. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and the boiling water. Mix well.
11. Stir the cocoa mixture into the 1 cup of batter bowl. Stir until combined.
12. Fill the muffin tin with the batter about 3/4 full.
13. Place a few drops of the cocoa batter on top to make dots. Do not mix.
14. (To make 1/2 batter and 1/2 cocoa batter then spoon both batter into one muffin tin at the same time but make sure the batter meets half way.)
15. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes. 
16. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

Recipe adapted from Tastebook.

One year ago..........................I made Peanut Butter & Yogurt Dip.

Did you already know.............
-Ladybugs are a beetle.
-The North American ladybug have seven spots.
-Young lady bugs are orange and become darker red as they age.

Frosted Sunflowers

My sister's favorite flower is the sunflower. If she is to draw a picture of a flower, it is a sunflower. If you want to get on her good side, give her sunflowers. She is not a carnation type girl. So, I wanted to make her some cupcakes with a sunflower on top. I will admit I am not a pro at frosting. I have never attempted to make a flower out of frosting. I watched a couple of tutorials online. They make it look so easy. I will admit I could have been using the wrong tip but overall I liked the looks of them. The main thing I wanted to show you was how to make the seeds of the sunflower. What do you think? I hope you can tell my flowers are suppose to be sunflowers. I am just glad my sister liked them.

Frosted Sunflowers
Frosting
1/2 cup Sugar
Food dye

Directions:

1. In a plastic bag, add the sugar.
2. Add a couple of drops of the desired food color to the bag.
3. Seal the bag and mix. If a darker color is desired, add a couple more drops of food dye and mix again. Set aside until needed.
4. On a piece of wax paper, pipe the desired flower shape.
5. With a toothpick, gently pick up a little sugar and place in the center of the frosting flower.

One year ago..........I made Stracciatella Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Did you already know...............
-Sunflowers are a native flower to America.
-Kansas state flower is the sunflower.
-Sunflower's color range from yellow to burgundy. 

Fallen Hot Chocolate Cake

Sometimes I change a recipe because I really don't want to run to the store for a minor ingredient. A perfect example is I needed 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder. Now, the last time I looked I thought I had two containers of cocoa powder. Yes, I did just clean out my pantry so shouldn't I remember I needed to pick up more cocoa powder? Shouldn't I have placed something like that on my shopping list? Well, I didn't and I was in the middle of making this recipe when I realized my mistake. I figured I had half an hour before the store closes. Then I realized I had tons of hot chocolate packages. Why not? I will say this flourless dessert came out so good. We caught my son licking his plate. I know manners dictate that you shouldn't lick your plate but there are occasions it happens. This dessert is one of them. My husband said this is probably one of the best desserts I have ever made. It is rich. It is smooth like a souffle or mousse. It is delicate. All I know is it's delicious.

Fallen Hot Chocolate Cake
1 1/8 cup sugar plus more for pan and topping
6 large eggs
1 package hot chocolate mix
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp salt
10 oz. 60% bittersweet chocolate chips 
1/2 cup unsalted butter
 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chilled heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 inch springform pan or eight 4" ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Dust with sugar. Tap out any excess. Set aside.
3. Separate 4 egg whites from the yolks. Placing the egg whites in one medium bowl and the egg yolks into another medium bowl.
4. To the egg yolk bowl, add the hot chocolate mix, vanilla, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until smooth. Set aside the two bowls.
5. In a double boiler, simmer water over medium heat. In the top pan, combine the chocolate chips, vegetable oil, and the butter. 
6. Stir the chocolate often until it is melted. Remove from heat.
7. Allow the chocolate to rest for 1 minute before gradually pour the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Mix well and set aside.
8. With a mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until frothy. Slowly beat in 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until firm peaks form.
9. Gently, fold half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just incorporated. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites and mix until just incorporated. 
10. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared ramekins or gently pour into the prepared springform pan.
11. Carefully place the pans into the oven. 
12. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is puffed and the cake is starting to crack. The cake should be pulling away from the edge.
13. Transfer the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. The cake should collapse in the center.
14. Before serving, whisk the heavy cream with the remaining 1/8 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. 
15. Serve the fallen cake with the whipped cream.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit March 2013 magazine.

One year ago.........................I made Zucchini Fries.

Did you already know...........

-This recipe was inspired by Richard Sax's chocolate cloud cake.

-Richard Sax was author to eight cookbooks plus contributor to several magazines including Bon Appetit.

-He was founding chef-director of Food & Wine magazine.

Taco Quesadillas

I made tacos the other night and had leftovers. Since I had plenty of tortillas left, I asked who wanted taco meat in their quesadillas. I was surprised my family were all for it. I asked what toppings they wanted and they elected onions and salsa. My family has an inclination to onions. I like onions but not to this extreme. While my sister was visiting, she was opposed to onions so I had tried to limit the amount of onions I used. Maybe my family are just trying to make up for the lack of onions in their diet?

Taco Quesadillas per serving
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 8 inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cooked taco meat
optional: salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, tomatoes, onions

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
2. Add one tortilla into the skillet.
3. Carefully, sprinkle the cheese onto the tortilla.
4. Spoon the taco meat onto the cheese.
5. Add any optional topping like onions.
6. Place the second tortilla on top.
7. Once the cheese has melted, carefully flip the tortilla over.
8. Allow the quesadilla to cook for a few more minutes and the bottom of the second tortilla is golden brown.
9. Remove and add any desired topping.
10. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago...............................I made Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.

I'm not eating what you are trying to take a photo of? I don't know what you are talking about.

Did you already know..................
-Queso means cheese in Spanish.
-Quesadilla are made fried flour or corn tortillas with a filling inside.
-There are plethora of recipes for quesadillas including oysters, pumpkin, salmon, lobster, pineapple and turkey.

King Ranch Casserole

When I was a kid, I would begin to ask my Dad a question and he would answer no. All I would have to say was Dad and he would say no. So, I learned early to ask him when he was asleep. Dad can I have some money? Yes. Dad can I take the car? Yes. Later, he would tell me not to ask him when he was asleep but it worked. Well, I didn't teach this technique to my children but they decided to try it. While my husband was asleep, my youngest daughter asked him if she could have something. In his sleep, he said, "Does Big Foot exist?" She didn't know how to respond to this question. She decided to come and ask me especially since I was awake. She did confess that he normally does say yes. I guess somethings are passed down through the generations like this recipe.

King Ranch Casserole
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. button mushrooms, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayene pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can of fire roasted green chilies
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
 3 cups cooked chicken
1 cup Monterey Jack with jalapeno cheese, shredded
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
18 corn tortillas

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes.
3. Stir in the chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour is mixed into the vegetables.
5. Whisk in 1 cup of chicken stock until smooth. 
6. Add another cup of chicken stock and whisk until smooth before whisking in one more cup of chicken stock.
7. Whisk in the heavy cream.
8. Stir in the can of green chiles and Rotel. Allow the sauce to thicken.
9. Mix in the cooked chicken and half the cheese.
10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
12. In a medium bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and soak the tortillas in the stock.
13. Line the bottom of the baking dish with six tortillas overlapping. 
14. Cover the tortillas with the chicken mixture. 
15. Sprinkle a little cheese over the chicken mixture.
16. Cover the cheese and chicken mixture with 6 more tortillas.
17. Layer the rest of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas followed by a little cheese.
18. Top the cheese and chicken mixture with the remaining tortillas.
19. Top the tortillas with the remaining cheese.
20. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The hot casserole should be light browned on top.
21. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook by Rebecca Rather. 

One year ago..........................I made Chicken Sandwich.

Did you already know............
-The King Ranch was established in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon Lewis.
 -King Ranch is located in South Texas.
-The ranch is one of the largest ranches in the world. 

Pie Filling

Alright, I know Thanksgiving is months away but I'm already prepping for it. Why? Because the fruit is in peak season now. How many of you have strawberry rhubarb pie at Thanksgiving? Yes, I know pumpkin is popular and so is apple but nothing beats a great berry pie. To be able to have berry pie at Thanksgiving takes months of planning. All I do is prep the filling now. I have tried this technique on strawberry rhubarb and blueberry fillings. I'm not sure about other fruit so if you attempt it then please let me know. This way you can let someone else bring the pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, you have blueberry pie to make.

How to freeze your pie filling:

1. Make your favorite berry pie recipe like blueberry.
2. Line a muffin tin with plastic wrap. (I use muffin tin so I can make individual pies at Thanksgiving since I can vary the number due to how many guests are attending.)
3. Spoon the pie filling into each muffin space.
4. Wrap the top with more plastic wrap.
5. Place in the freezer for a couple of hours or until the next day.
6. Take out each individual frozen pie filling and place into one large freezer bag. You can individual wrap each disk for more protection.
7. Make sure all the air is out of the bag. 
8. Place the freezer bag into another freezer bag to double wrap it and prevent freezer burn.
9. Place the freezer bags with the pie filling back into the freezer and wait.
10. When ready to make your pies, roll out the pie crust.
11. Make individual pie crust the size of each muffin tin space. 
12. Place one of the frozen pie filling disk on top of the pie crust.
13. Top with another piece of pie crust and bake at same temperature as the regular recipe. 

One year ago........................I made Pineapple Kolaches.

Did you already know..........
-Freezer burn is when frozen foods lose moisture.
-Freezer burn can be prevented by proper wrapping.
-Also, freezer should be set at 0 degrees F or below to prevent freezer burn.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

     I was in my early 20s when I remember having my first Snickerdoodle Cookie. I don't remember having them as a kid. We were a sugar cookie or chocolate chip cookie type family which I still love. I have made Snickerdoodle cookies a few times in the past but it has been years. They are the reason why I purchased cream of tartar. Is there any other reason? 
     Well, this week I wanted to make some cookies. I was discussing this dilemma at work when my friend suggested Snickerdoodle cookies. When I tried to find the recipe I used, I couldn't find it. I was thinking about just using a sugar cookie recipe and roll the dough into the cinnamon sugar but thought the cookie needs to be soft. I even googled a few recipes but they didn't look right. They should have cream of tartar in them. What I came up for a recipe was what I wanted in a Snickerdoodle. I think they turned out to be exactly right.

Snickerdoodle Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and oil.
2. Add the sugar and cream until fluffy.
3. Add one egg at a time. Mix well.
4. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix until combined.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. In a small bowl, add the cinnamon sugar.
10. Scoop about 2 inch balls of dough.
11. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar and place onto the baking sheet. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart.
12. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. The middle of the cookies should be soft but set.
13. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago, I made...................Victoria Sandwich Cake.

Did you already know..................
-The  origins for the Snickerdoodle Cookies are speculation. 
-Snickerdoodle cookies are believed to be German origin.
-In U.S, Snickerdoodle cookies began to appear in print in the early 20th century.

Berry Tea

My Dad is from Mississippi and he brought us up drinking sweet tea. Normally, he made sun tea. We loved it. While my sister was visiting, I would make some sweet tea. My nieces and my sister really liked the tea so I wanted to post it for her. This way she can make it any time she wants. Now, I know there are more sweet tea recipes than the alphabet. My Dad always added his sugar after the tea was brewed. I've seen many sweet tea with a simple sugar added. Well, I really just wanted to speed up the process to save time so I melt the sugar in the water before adding the tea bags. (Yes, how dare I use a pot but please forgive me since my teapot broke.) Since it is berry season, I have added berries to my tea many times. Today's berry of choice was blackberries.

Berry Sweet Tea
Sweet Tea:
8 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
3 black tea bags

Directions:

1. In a small pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
2. Add the sugar and stir. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Allow to steep until a dark amber color about 4 minutes.
4. Add the remaining cold water.
5. Serve immediately with ice or refrigerate.

Berry mixture per serving:
1/8 cup berries (4 blackberries)
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Pour one glass of beverage.
2. Sprinkle the berries with the sugar.
3. Mush the berries. 
4. Add the mashed berry sugar mixture to the glass and serve immediately.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago...........................I made Steak and Ale Pie.

Did you already know...............
-Tea bags were invented in America.
-The first tea bag patent was in 1905.
-96% of tea drinks use a tea bag.

Double Roasted Chicken

I decided to make roast chicken this weekend and I thought I should roast two chickens at the same time. Why didn't I think to do this earlier? It saves so much time. Roasting chickens costs a lot less than chicken breast. I decided to use two different types of herbs on the chicken. One chicken had rosemary and another had oregano. My husband loves chicken salad sandwiches for lunch. He also loves buffalo chicken dip. Also, I can use the cooked chicken for supper in the next couple of days. In the future, I am definitely going to always cook two at once. I can also make a casserole and freeze it if I don't use the meat up in a the next couple of days.  For the most part, I kept the recipe simple with only subtle flavor when I decide what to make with it.

Double Roasted Chicken
2 roasting chickens
1 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil 
2 Tbsp herbs
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the roasting chicken in a roasting pan.
3. Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity. 
4. Cut the lemon in half and place one half in each cavity of the birds.
5. Drizzle 1 Tbsp over the skin of each chicken.
6. Rub in the desired herbs over each bird.
7. Season the skin with salt and pepper.
8. Roast the chicken for 1 hour and check the chicken with a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh. The thermometer should register at 190 degrees. The chicken juices should be clear. If not, return the chicken to the oven to continue to cook. Recheck every 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
9. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
10. Serve immediately or remove from the bone and store in a covered container within a couple of days.

Recipe adapted from this recipe.

One year ago.......................I made Peacharine Cream Cheese Tart.

My helper

Did you already know.........
-According to the FDA, cooked chicken pieces should be eaten within 3-4 days or frozen up to 4 months.
-Fried chicken should be eaten within 3-4 days.
-Cooked chicken pieces covered in broth or gravy should be eaten within 1 to 2 days.

Italian Omelet

Are you a stick by your menu household? Do you even make a menu? What to have for supper is sometimes a challenging question at my house? Since I know things come up, I try to keep my menu planning simple for the weekdays. I already plan a day with leftovers since I know there will be an extra flexible day to catch up on the menu when we didn't eat according to the menu. Every week, I take a poll of what to have for supper. A lot of times I receive the standard answer I don't care. Well, the night we are to have spaghetti then all of a sudden someone cares and wants something else. Well, I didn't have omelets on our menu.  I will admit my youngest daughter has been asking for omelets so I figured why not. The kids loved it. They added onions to their omelets. If you have picky people in your house, this is the perfect meal to adapt. I really like the flavors plus it's a quick meal.

Italian Omelets per one serving
3 cherry tomatoes, chopped
3 mushrooms chopped
10 spinach leaves, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded plus a little more for the topping
2 eggs 
1 egg white
1 tsp milk
1/8 tsp oregano
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp butter

Directions

1. In a small skillet, heat 1/2 tsp oil and 1/2 tsp butter over medium heat. 
2. Saute the vegetables over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add more oil and butter if needed.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg white, and milk.
5. Add the whisked egg mixture to the large skillet.
6. Very gently, push up a corner of the egg and tilt the pan slight so the raw egg run into the corner of the pan.
7. Once the majority of the egg has set, add the vegetables down the middle of the omelet.
8. Sprinkle the 
9. Gently, fold up one side of the omelet into the middle. Tilting the pan slightly. 
10. Fold the other side of the omelet into the middle. Tilting the pan again will help.
11. Carefully, tilt the pan and slide the omelet to the bottom of the pan.
12. Gently turn the omelet over into the middle of the pan so it is flipped over.
13. Allow to cook for one more minute before carefully sliding the omelet onto a plate.
14. Sprinkle with additional cheese and the oregano.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago.....................I made Shortbread Cookies.

Did you already know.......
-In Ancient Greek, oregano means Joy of the Mountain.
-Oregano belongs to the genus of the mint family.
-Mexican oregano is stronger in flavor than Mediterranean oregano.
(Oregano is my favorite herb.)

Lots of Chocolate Chips Cookies

I love chocolate chip cookies but sometimes there isn't enough chips. I wanted to make the chocolate chip cookies with a lot of chips in each bite like when you eat chocolate chip ice cream. So, I took a cup of semi sweet mini chocolate chips and chopped them. Then I chopped them some more. I didn't want to shred the chocolate since I still wanted chips just a lot smaller chips. I made this recipe and my husband family ate the whole batch. Since I wasn't able to take any photos, I made the recipe again and hid a couple of cookies. My youngest daughter still found them but she had to wait until I had taken my photos. She did not want to wait. I think her strategy was she was hoping I would make them a third time within a week. Yes, she liked them that much.

Lots of Chocolate Chips Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips, chopped several times

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar and sugar.
4. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix until incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla and mix well.
6. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until incorporated.
7. Fold in the chopped chocolate chips.
8. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
9. Scoop the chilled dough into about 2 Tbsp balls onto the cookie sheet spaced about 3 inches apart.
10. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

One year ago........................I made Bangers and Mash.

 Did you already know..........

-Ruth Wakefield owned a tourist lodge named The Tollhouse Inn.

-She was making cookies when she realized she was missing an ingredient so she chopped a chocolate bar and created chocolate chip cookies.

-The chocolate bar that was used had been given to Ruth Wakefield by Andrew Nestle of the Nestle Chocolate Company.

Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies

I debated about these cookies. Should they stay as cookies or be made into whoopie pies. My sister and a friend said they should be a whoopie pie. They are a soft cookie and would work but the kids voted for cookies. I realized during this debate that the kids ate the majority of the cookies. Why make a whoopie pie with only three cookies left? The kids won this debate this time.

Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 egg 
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raspberries

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the butter with the cream cheese.
2. Add the oil and mix well.
3. Add the sugar and incorporate.
4. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.
5. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined.
6. Fold in the raspberries.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
10. Scoop the chilled dough onto the baking sheet with a standard size ice cream scoop.
11. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart.
12. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
13. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from this recipe.

One year ago.........................Dulce de Leche Macaroons. 

Did you already know..........
-Raspberries aren't just red. There are black, purple, and golden raspberries too.
-Loganberries are a hybrid of raspberries and blackberries.
-Boysenberry are a hybrid of raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I love to use pretty cupcake liners. Now, I make sure I don't use them for my son but he was alright with the Spider-man liners I picked out for him. Well, I decided to try these fancy kind of liners. They are very pretty but a little more challenging to use. If I use them again, I will pipe the batter in the center of the liners. The kids don't mind if some of the batter ran down the sides of the liners but I would rather they look a little pretty if I give them away. Also, I would double line the cupcake holder or use a lighter batter next time. The last thing is the cupcakes are a little harder to frost. In the end, all the cupcakes were eaten so that is the best sign of all. No matter what liners you use these are good cupcakes but they taste even better the next day.

Chocolate Cupcakes makes about 16 cupcakes
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup brewed hot coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a cupcake liner in a muffin tin.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined. 
4. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
5. Slowly, add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. 
6. Add the coffee and mix until just combined. 
7. Evenly fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full with the batter.
8. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa.

 

One year ago...........................I made Raspberry Cheesecake.

Did you already know.............

-Cupcakes in England are known as fairy cakes.

-Fairy cakes are baked in bun tins which are muffin tins.

-Fairy cakes are smaller versions with icing instead of American cupcakes with frosting.

Nutella Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Since the royal baby has arrived, I thought it would only be fitting to make a chocolate biscuit cake like Prince William had for his groom's cake. I did make this cake last year and it was well received in my house (which translates the cake was gone within the day). To celebrate the new addition, I decided to make a new version of this recipe. I was leaning towards peanut butter for my husband but peanut butter is not European at all. I figured Nutella was the perfect addition. Oh, this cake is so delicious. I really like the Nutella in it. This version of the recipe did not last long either. It really is such an easy recipe but so rich. I used a heart shape mold for this dessert. The digestive biscuits were found in a local Maine supermarket in the International aisle so if we have them then you really should be able to find them. I also found them at a British goods store but they are cheaper at the supermarket. (To me and my sister, they taste similar to a graham cracker.) The best part of this cake is it doesn't require a oven which is best during these summer days.

Nutella Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Cake:
1 (8.8 oz.) package of digestive biscuits (I used McVities) crush
1 1/3 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup Nutella

Frosting:
1 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp agave syrup
1/4 cup Nutella for drizzle

Directions:

1. Spray a spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray. (I used a heart shape mold in the pan.) Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, place the 1 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. In a medium pot, heat the 2/3 cups of heavy cream with the 3 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Stir until the mixture begins to boil.
4. Pour the hot cream carefully over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
5. Stir in the 1 cup of Nutella. Mix well.
6. Fold in the crushed digestive biscuits into the melted chocolate.
7. Spoon the mixture into the spring form pan.
8. Gently, press the chocolate mixture into the pan.
9. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (I refrigerated overnight.)
10. Remove the pan form the refrigerator and carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Set aside.
11. In a small bowl, place the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Set aside.
12. In a medium pot, heat the 1/3 cups of heavy cream with the 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Stir until the mixture begins to boil.
13. Remove from heat and stir in the agave syrup.
14. Pour the hot cream carefully over the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
15. Evenly, pour the melted chocolate over the inverted cake. Gently, coat the top and sides of the cake. 
16. In a small bowl, microwave about 1/4 cup of Nutella for 20 seconds.
17. Drizzle the heated Nutella over the top of the cake. 

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

One year ago.............................I made Raspberry Cream Sandwiches.

Did you already know...............
-Prince William is the 3rd grandson of Queen Elizabeth.
-The royal baby boy is the 3rd great grandson of Queen Elizabeth.
-As a member of the English Royal Family, His Royal Highness Prince of Cambridge will not commonly use a last name but will be known by the countries names in which he rules over.

Raspberry Ginger Ale

I saw this great recipe for a Raspberry Ginger Bellini. It was something I would definitely try but the children were home. Instead, I figured I would try making raspberry ginger ale. The kids loved it. They thought it was the best thing ever especially when I poured the ginger ale and it fuzzed up. They also could have been excited about having soda since they don't have it often.

Raspberry Ginger Ale   Makes 2 serving sizes

1/2 cup raspberries
2 Tbsp simple syrup, if needed for sweetness
2 cups ginger ale

Directions:

1. In a small bowl (or measuring cup if you hate dishes), smash the raspberries.*
2. Place 1/2 the smashed raspberries in a bottom of one glass and the rest in another glass.
3. Add 1 Tbsp of simple syrup to each glass, if desired.
4. Top with 1 cup of ginger ale in each glass.
5. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.
*Tip: I recommend you straining it if your were going to serve it to guest but the kids do not mind the seeds.

One year ago.........................I made Chock Full of Nuts Cookies.

Did you already know...........
-A typical Bellini is cocktail made with sparkling wine and peach puree.
-The Bellini was invented in Italy by Giuseppe Cipriani.
-Another popular version of the Bellini uses champagne.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars

In this household, anything containing peanut butter is popular. Since my niece is staying with us, peanut butter is even a bigger hit. Even though my husband tried, I think my niece ate the majority of this dessert. Now, I can't be certain since I did see him eating some for breakfast. If I had told on him, then my niece would have joined him and then I would have been in trouble with my sister. I think its funny how as adults we can break certain rules but only as long as we aren't caught by the children. These would be great for breakfast too but don't tell the children I said so. (I did learn my niece did sneak one for breakfast too.)

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars
24 Oreo cookies
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 bag (10 oz) peanut butter chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
10 miniature Snickers bars, chopped roughly
1/2 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 13x9 baking pan with wax paper.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cookies until finely chopped.
3. In a large saucepan, cook the marshmallows and butter over low heat. Stir constantly until melted.
4. Stir in the crushed cookies into the melted marshmallow mixture.
5. Press the marshmallow cookie mixture into the baking dish.
6. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the condensed milk with the peanut butter chips for 30 seconds. 
7. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds.
8. Stir until smooth. If needed, microwave for another 15 second increments until the mixture is smooth. Don't overcook.
9. Stir in the peanut butter and Snickers. Mix well.
10. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the marshmallow cookie mixture.
11. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir well.
12. Spread the chocolate over the peanut butter layer.
13. Refrigerate for 1 hour or over night.
14. Once chilled, lift the wax paper with the dessert from the pan and cut into bars.*

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.
*Tip: The marshmallow cookie layer is hard to cut so use a sharp knife.

One year ago..............................I made

Did you already know................
-Betty Crocker was created as a way for Washburn Crosby Company (later known as General Mills) to respond in a friendly manner to customer's inquires. 
-The Surname Crocker was chosen since it was the surname of William G. Crocker, a recently retired director of the company.
-A voice and a portrait of her was created by the company.

Tied Dyed Cookies

This month, my children are attending a summer camp. The summer camp takes them swimming weekly and on field trips. Plus the camp have the children participate in crafts if they want. My children were able to make tied dyed shirts. My daughter decided she didn't want to participate so my son was so nice to make an extra one for her. He did a great job and I was really impressed. When I was making cookies, I decided to attempt to make a tied dyed cookie. The kids thought this was an awesome idea. It was a big hit. The kids even made several of their own. Here is the link for the cookies I used here.

Tie Dyed Cookies
Cookie
Frosting
Food Dye

Directions:

1. Divide the frosting in half. Set aside half of the frosting.
2. Frost a cookie with white frosting. Set aside to set for a few minutes.
3. In four containers, evenly divide the remaining half of the frosting.
4. Add a few drops of different colors of the food dye to the containers.
5. Mix well.
6. Using the lightest color first, make several lines in the same direction across the cookie.
7. Then repeat with a darker color across the cookie or in a different direction of the lighter color.
8. Continue using the desired colored frosting with a lighter color first.
9. Then carefully take a toothpick, make swirling motions into the frosting to blend the colors lightly together. Don't over swirl or the colors will blend together.

Enjoy!
One year ago........................I made Blueberry Muffins.

Did you already know.........
-In Japan, tie-dyed is known as shibori.
-In India,tie-dyed is known as bandhani.   
-Even though tie dyed clothes have been around since around 600 A.D., tie-dyed clothes became popular in the 60s and 70s in the U.S.

Cherry Muffins

We went camping this past weekend. We cooked supper over the camp fire and swam in a lake. We even took the kids kayaking. Most of us slept in a tent with sleeping bags. My husband gave up in the middle night and slept in the truck. He said it was more comfortable. Don't worry about the children since my sister and I were the children's pillow. We both woke up a little sore. To make breakfast easy, I made cherry muffins. They were easy to transport and the kids liked them. Since cherries are in season, I thought this would perfect for our trip.

Cherry Muffins
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar plus additional for the top
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, gently toss the cherries with 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add the milk and butter to the flour mixture. Stir until just incorporated.
6. Add the two eggs and mix until just incorporated.
7. Gently fold in the cherries.
8. Evenly fill the 12 muffin tins about 3/4 full.
9. Sprinkle a little sugar over the tops of the batter. 
10. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago...........................I made Blueberry Pie Bars.

Did you already know.............
-The first known kayaks were built over 2,000 years ago by North American Indians and Eskimos.
-If kayaking in navigating waters, the U.S. Coast Guard requires life preservers and noise making devices like a whistle.
-There are tandem kayaks. (It doesn't guarantee both kayakers will paddle.)

Kohlrobi Spring Rolls

Have you ever heard of kohlrobi? It is a vegetable. I think it taste like cabbage and a turnip. I added it to my coleslaw recipe without cooking it. My husband ate it and didn't realize I had added another vegetable. My children think it looks like an alien creature or creepy claws. Since I have received several in my weekly produce, I have been trying to make new things. It does give a nice crunch to our meals. My son loved these spring rolls.

Kohlrobi Spring Rolls
1 Kohlrabi, peeled and shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
2 cup mixed salad greens with spinach
2 cup cooked rice
8 Spring Roll Wrappers

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, place about 5 pieces of the shredded kohlabi and carrots.
2. Add 1/8 cup of the cooked chicken and 1/8 cup of the salad greens.
3. Place a plate on the counter next to the small bowl.
4. While working with only one spring roll at a time, run 1 spring roll under warm water quickly and flip it over and wet the other side.*
5. Place the spring roll onto the plate and scope 1/4 cup of rice into the middle of the wrap.
6. Place the vegetables from the bowl with the chicken on top of the rice.
7. Working quickly, fold over the top over then both sides towards the middle like an envelope. Then roll the folded sides towards you to wrap the rest of the fillings.
8. Serve immediately with a dip like this one here.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.
*Tip: Don't over saturate or the roll will become unmanageable or tear.

One year ago........................I made Blueberry Coffee Cake.

My Supergirl capturing the alien creatures.

Did you already know..........
-Kohlrabi has a tough outer skin which needs to be peeled.
-Kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked just like cabbage.
-Kohlrabi comes in light green or purple but the inside of both are white.