Chocolate and Oreo Cake

Did you vote? My husband wore his shirt that said Truth and Justice- Vote for Superman. He wanted to make sure everyone knew who had his vote. We brought our youngest children with us so they can be there. Since I finished first, I had my children stand with me at the exit doors. When someone passed us, my son would tell them he voted for Superman. He does love his Dad. Most people smiled at him but one person asked him why he didn't vote for Batman. My son looked at her like why? So, I replied that he would vote for Spiderman if he had the choice. My seven year old son than says that he would vote for Spiderman and Captain America since he has America in his name. The person told him that he couldn't vote for all those people and he said yes he could. I smiled and said he was voting for Congress too. What super hero would have your vote? Mine would be Wonder Woman!

Whoever wins, I just have hopeful thoughts for our nation. Hopefully the economy will improve in our nation and all nations throughout the world. For my positive thoughts, lets eat cake! How about a cake with chocolate and Oreo. Everyone would have something they liked or at least the pink flowers. This cake was really good and I had lots of great compliments. I made some cupcakes with the left over batter. Share the cupcakes and eat the cake!

Chocolate and Oreo Cake
Oreo Layer:
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup crushed Oreo

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.
4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
5. In another bowl, mix together the egg whites, milk, and vanilla.
6. To the flour bowl, add the butter and mix until it starts to combine.
7. Slowly add the milk mixture and mix until completely combined.
8. Fold in the crushed Oreos.
9. Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until done.

Chocolate Layer:
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup crushed Oreo

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of two 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour.
4. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, and oil. Heat over medium heat.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, and flour.
6. Pour the butter mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
7. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.
8. Whisk in the buttermilk followed by the baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
9. Fold in the 1/4 cup of crushed Oreos.
10. Fill the cake pan 3/4 full with the batter. 
11. Bake the cakes on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
12. Remove the cakes and allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting the cakes onto a baking rack.
13. Allow the cakes to cool at least 2 hours before frosting.

Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups powder sugar
4 tsp milk
food coloring

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and vanilla together.
2. Slowly, add the powder sugar and beat until combined.
3. Add the milk to the butter cream and mix until smooth.
4. Add a few drops of food coloring. Mix well. Set aside until ready to use.

To assemble:

1. Place a chocolate layer on the serving platter.
2. Add a layer of frosting. 
3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup crushed Oreo on top of the frosting. Press down.
4. Place the Oreo cake layer on top of the crushed Oreo.
5. Add a layer of frosting.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup crushed Oreo on top of the frosting. Press down.
7. Place the 2nd layer of chocolate cake on top of the crushed Oreo. Press down.
8. Frost a thin layer of frosting over the whole cake. 
9. Pipe the roses onto the cake. (I used this technique from I am Baker.)
10. Make a border around the top and fill in the center with about 1 cup crushed Oreo.

The Oreo Cake was adapted from this recipe. The Chocolate Cake was adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook for Tuxedo Cake. The frosting recipe was adapted from Bakerella.

Did you already know..... 
- Superman was first published in Action Comics #1 in 1938.
-Originally, Superman was dedicated to Truth and Justice then in the 1940s it was changed to Truth, Justice, and the American Way.
-Since 1945, Superman's S Symbol has been trade marked by DC Comics (known at the time as National Periodical Publications).

Blondie

This past weekend was my birthday! It may have just been a few days since my last blog but I'm a year older. With different schedules, I really do not have a lot of time to spend with my sisters (I have three), so I always ask them not to purchase me a gift for my birthday but to bring me out to eat. This way I get to spend some quality time alone with them which I hardly ever get to do. For their birthdays, I take them out so we have some quality time just the two of us at least twice a year. It is very nice.

 Also, my husband took me out to eat with our family and my favorite person. For my birthday dessert, I ordered the Blondie skillet. Oh, it is so good. Now, I have asked my husband many times if he would like some. He always say no. It has nuts on it. Well, I figured I would make some Blondies at home for everyone since I tried not to share my birthday Blondie. (I gave in to my daughter who thought it was best to share which I never mind unless it is my water. For some strange reason, I never want to share my water.) When I made this recipe to share, my husband loved it-let me stress-loved it. I like this version better than the restaurants. I like walnuts but prefer pecans. Try this recipe with or without a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is very gooey!

Walnut Blondie Skillet:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Maple butter sauce:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a 8x8 baking pan, line with parchment paper and cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pecans. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar.
5. Add the egg and vanilla to the melted butter mixture. Mix well.
6. Add the flour mixture a little at a time to the butter mixture until all combined.
7. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
8. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center is cooked through or a little gooey in the middles. Set aside to combine.
10. To prepare the sauce, add the 1/4 cup of butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and maple syrup until blended smooth.
11. When ready to serve, heat the maple butter sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds before pouring over the warm blondie. 
12. Top with ice cream and toasted pecans if desired. 

Recipe adapted from Tablespoon.

One year ago.............I was making Sausage, Bean, and Vegetable Soup.

Did you already know............. 

-It may take the Earth 24 hours to rotate once but Mercury takes 59 days to turn around just once.

-Venus rotates once every 243 days.

-Some scientist estimated the Earth’s rotation once was about 6 hours long before the Earth had a moon.

Corn Muffins

When my mother was a little girl, her grandmother needed to reupholster a chair. Her grandmother asked my mother, what fabric should she choose. My mother picked a leopard print. To this day, the chair still has that leopard print on it. My daughter loves it. Since it is Halloween, I decided to dress up my corn muffins in a wild cat print. Are you dressing up this year? Maybe in some leopard prints? My youngest daughter is dressing up as a singer. We are trying to get my son to dress up as Sulley from Monster, Inc. but so far he hasn't agreed. Both my daughters wore the costume so lets see if they can convince him.

Even if these corn muffins weren't made in a cool wrapper, they are delicious. They are a little sweet but not overbearing. They are the perfect accompaniment to a chili or soup. They are quick to make which is always the best when there is trick or treating that needs to be done.

Rather Rich Corn Muffins (24 muffins)
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal plus extra for top
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line 24 muffin cups in a cupcake tin.
3. In a large bowl, add the butter, cream, and eggs.
4. Add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until the ingredients are just combined and not lumpy.
5. Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full.
6. Sprinkle a little cornmeal on top of each muffin.
7. Bake the muffins for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly brown.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook by Rebecca Rather.

Did you already know...
-Monsters, Inc was released in 2001 by Disney Pixar.
-Sulley's full name is James P. Sullivan. 
-The movie grossed over $62 million opening weekend in the U.S. and grossed over $255 million in the U.S.

Happy Halloween! 

Lobstah Chowdah

Are you ready for Halloween? Have you been watching some scary movies? Has anyone tried to scare you yet? When I made the stock for this soup, I think it looked pretty scary. My oldest suggested I should take a photo of the stock and show you. Don't worry-I decided not to try to scare you until the end of this post. Just remember, I tried to warn you. You may not want to scroll past the third photo.

I will admit the soup is delicious. It isn't overbearing with a strong lobster taste. It is creamy with potatoes and lobster meat. My husband had ordered it at a restaurant once and came home to tell me all about it. Yes, he liked it that much. Then he asked me if I could try making it for him. After I made it for him, he told me that my "chowdah" was better than the one he had at the restaurant. He knows how to say the sweetest things. I have made this for him several times now and wanted to share it with you.

Lobster Chowder
2 whole lobsters, cooked with shell
Stock:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup leeks, chopped
1/4 cups cream sherry
2 tsp paprika
3 cups skim milk
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup white wine
Soup:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 lb. bacon, large diced
2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, large diced
1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
2 cups celery, diced
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh chives, chopped
1/4 cup cream sherry

Directions:

1. Remove the meat from the shells of the lobster in a large bowl. Reserve the meat and the shells with the juices in the bowl. (Keep everything except for the tomalley.)
2. Cut the meat into large cubes and place them in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter.
4. Add the onion to the melted butter and cook over medium low heat for 7 minutes until translucent. Stir occasionally.
5. Add the sherry and paprika to the pot. Cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the milk, cream, wine, lobster shells, and the lobster juices to the pot.
7. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once, it reaches a simmer cover the pot partially and lower the heat to low for 30 minutes.
8. Allow the mixture to cool before pouring the liquid through a strainer into a large bowl. Discard the lobster shell. (At this time, the stock liquid can be cooled and placed in the refrigerator overnight to make the chowder the next day.)
9. To make the soup, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. 
10. Add the bacon to the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp.
11. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
12. Add the potatoes, onions, celery, salt, and pepper to the pot. Saute for 5 minutes.
13. Add the lobster stock to the potato mixture. Simmer the chowder over 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. (Add about 15 minutes more if the stock had been stored overnight.)
14. Add the cooked lobster, chives, and sherry to the chowder. Heat gently and season to taste.
15. Serve the chowder hot garnished with the crisp bacon and chives.

Recipe adapted from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa.

Did you already know.....
-The green stuff in the raw lobster is the tomalley.
-The tomalley is the lobster's liver, pancreas and intestines.
-In 2008, the U.S. FDA recommended not to eat the tomalley since it may have accumulate contaminants from the environment.

Lobster Stock simmering

Chocolate Brownie Cookies

My youngest daughter is normally pretty good at being on time. She is ready with time to spare. With my son, I don't know what he does with time. It doesn't matter if he is up early or late. He will still be late. Well, my daughter's last soccer game was moved up a day due to conflicting schedules. This would normally not be a problem except we were suppose to bring a snack to the last game. Since I worked that day, I really needed something quick. While the cookies were baking, my daughter realized that we would be a little late to the game. She was a little upset about it until my youngest son looked at her and announced, "Welcome to my life!" My husband and I just started laughing which made my daughter feel better. I did tell my son the difference was that he did it to himself. My husband and oldest daughter agreed.

In the end, my daughter was rewarded when her friends on her soccer team really liked her dessert. One friend told her that these cookies taste just like brownies and were great. I did hide a few for my grateful husband. If you like brownies from a box, you will love these cookies. If you don't have a lot of time but need a dessert for last minute, you will love these cookies. Oh, how I love brownies anyways but now in a cookie form just make them wonderful! I was in such a hurry that I forgot to add 1 Tbsp of water in the recipe but I was lucky and they still came out great. Welcome to my life!

Chocolate Brownie Cookies (roughly 36 cookies)
1 package of chocolate brownie mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, oil, and eggs until well blended.
4. Drop the dough onto the parchment paper by a tablespoonful.
5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is still soft.
6. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. 

Adapted from Hershey's Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix box recipe. 

One year ago..................I made Mummy Cake Pops. 

Even if I'm late, I have great hair!

Did you already know...
-According to the Palmer Hotel, they were the first to create the brownie.
-In 1893, the chefs at the hotel created the dessert at the request of the owner Bertha Palmer.
-Mrs. Palmer asked for a dessert that would not be as messy as a cake that would fit inside a box lunch for the Women's Pavilion at the the World’s Columbian Exposition.