Raspberry Bread Pudding

I have made this recipe multiple times (after pinning it on Pinterest) and the original recipe is for an army of people - like 20. So I am FINALLY writing down the pared-down recipe I use that serves my family with yummy leftovers for second helpings after the kids go to bed!

Raspberry Bread Pudding

Yield: Serves 6

ingredients:

Cream Mixture:

3/4 loaves aged, white bread, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes (I used french bread)
2 cups heavy cream (or 1 cup cream, 1 cup milk worked great for me!)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Filling:

2 1/2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup apple juice

Vanilla Sauce:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoons vanilla
3 T. granulated sugar

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Add bread cubes to the cream mixture. Mix until all of the bread cubes are well coated. Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the cream mixture. Stir every five minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the raspberries, sugar, and apple juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Layer an 8x8 baking dish 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour raspberry filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until bread turns a golden brown.

4. While the bread pudding is baking, make the vanilla sauce. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and add flour. Stir for about 10 minutes or until the sauce has a nutty aroma, do not brown. Add cream and sugar and boil until mixture is thick, remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

5. Remove bread pudding from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm and top with vanilla sauce.

Adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com, who adapted it from Kneaders!

Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberry Frosting

My baby turned one this week. I wanted something fun, flavorful and colorful to help introduce her to the magical world of desserts. This did just the trick.


Chocolate Cake

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Set oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x9 cake pan.

Combine eggs, sugar and oil until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to egg mixture while alternating with boiling water. Stir in vanilla extract.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Completely cool before frosting.

Fresh Strawberry Frosting

1 cup strawberries, finely chopped
about 1 lb of powdered sugar
4 T. butter, softened

In a large bowl, combine butter and (2 cups) powdered sugar. With a hand mixer on medium speed, mix the butter and powdered sugar. Add the strawberries and mix on low for about 2 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth. Continue to add powdered sugar until it is the desired consistency.


{recipes modified from Rookie Cookie}

Flag Cake

My mom's bday is the 24th of July...which is super fun. This year I wanted to try something special for her cake and found this divine recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. It was so patriotic and really really yummy.

Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:

(I totally didn't want to use 4 sticks of butter or that much cream cheese. I used maybe a 1/2 stick of butter and half a stick of cream cheese. Do what you want...)

• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:

• 2 half-pints blueberries
• 3 half-pints raspberries

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.

{From Ina Garten}

Homemade Mint Oreo Ice Cream

Get excited everyone, this one was fabulous!!! Can I just have a proud moment and let you all know that I am the one that came up with this recipe? I mean, obviously, I started somewhere...but with about six different recipes. Needless to say, after tasting this, (and sharing it with a few friends who have all said it was the BEST homemade ice cream they have ever tasted) I am a bit proud of myself.


Sorry, no picture...but don't let that hinder your desires to make this beauty. Just know that the ice cream didn't last long enough to get a picture!



Mint Oreo Ice Cream
3 C. whole milk
3 C. skim milk
6 C. heavy whipping cream
3 C. sugar
1.5 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp. peppermint extract
Oreo Cookies - I just estimated, but I would say I probably used between 30-40 cookies


**Note: I'm sure you could probably just use 6 cups of 2% milk. I don't buy 2% milk and so I used the combination of the milk that I do buy. It was wonderful, but I'm sure 2% would be wonderful too!


On stovetop, heat up the milk until it is warm (do not boil). Add sugar, salt, vanilla and peppermint and stir until the sugar has dissolved.


Pour into a bigger bowl and add the whipping cream. (You don't have to cook all the milk if you don't have a pot big enough. Just heat up enough that you can dissolve the sugar and then put it all in a bigger bowl and add the rest of the milk and whipping cream)


Put this in the fridge to cool. This makes quite a bit of ice cream (probably about 6 qts.) so if you need to make less, go ahead and split the recipe. If you have a small 1.5 qt. ice cream maker, you can just make it in batches as well and keep the rest in the fridge.


Mash oreo cookies with a potato masher in a bowl to the consistency you like and set aside until the VERY end of the ice cream making process.


Make ice cream according to the directions on your home made ice cream maker. When the ice cream is very close to being done, stop it and put the oreo cookies in. You want the ice cream to be quite thick at this point. If you do it too early, the cookies will just become mushy because the ice cream isn't frozen enough yet.


I really like to eat home made ice cream when it is soft and just finished in the maker. But if you like it harder, take it out when it is done and put it in smaller containers and freeze it for at least another couple hours to harden.


Yummers!


Another option instead of oreo is to use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Probably about 3 cups. And if you want to make it green, add 9 drops of green food coloring.

Baked Apple Dumplings

Half an apple, stuffed with raisins, sealed in dough, smothered in cinnamon and sugar served with ice cream and cider sauce. Sound yummy? It is.

These took a little time to put together. I made the dough and the cider sauce early in the day and it made it a little faster to assemble. Just pretend you are Snow White while you work away in the kitchen...you know, the seven dwarfs start salivating when she says she will make them apple dumplings??

Never mind. You obviously don't have 3 small children like I do :)


Baked Apple Dumplings

{serves 8}

Dough
2 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled
3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Apples
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons raisins, chopped
4 Golden Delicious apples (you can also use Braeburns or Galas)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1. For the Dough: Process the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter and shortening over the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the buttermilk until a dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly until the dough is cohesive. Press into an 8x4 rectangle. Cut in half crosswise, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm {1 hour}.

2. For the Apples: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a second bowl, combine the butter, raisins, and 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Peel the apples and halve them through the equator. Remove the core of the apple with a spoon or melon baller. Pack the butter mixture into each apple half.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough half into a 12-inch square (my dough was quite sticky so I had to use quite a bit of flour on this step). Cut each 12-inch square into four 6-inch squares. Working 1 at a time, lightly brush the edges of each dough square with the egg white and place an apple half, cut side up, in the center of each square. Gather the dough 1 corner at a time on top of the apple, crimping the edges to seal. Using a paring knife cut a vent hole in the top of each dumpling.

4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the dumplings on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with egg white, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes or so and serve with cider sauce and ice cream.

Cider Sauce

To make the sauce in advance, reduce the cider mixture until it measures 1 1/2 cups, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, return the mixture to a simmer and whisk in the butter and lemon juice off the heat.

1 cup apple cider (I used apple juice with good results)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring the cider, water, sugar, and cinnamon to a simmer in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and reduce to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Drizzle the sauce over the dumplings and ice cream and serve.

{Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011 Cookbook}

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes, or the perfect Valentine's Dessert

I got this amazing recipe book for Christmas called "The Best of America's Test Kitchen: 2011." Every recipe we have tried has been delicious.

But this is the crowning jewel. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved these. We made these last week and I am already craving them again.

They are just like Molten Lava cakes, if you have ever had those. If you haven't, they are amazing little cakes where the outside is like a brownie and the inside is underbaked and saucy. I have wanted to try making them for awhile but I was intimidated. They seem sensitive and hard to get just right. But these were really easy and there are not many ingredients! They are so light and fluffy and are paired perfectly with a scoop of ice cream and berries. And with only 2 tablespoons of sugar, go ahead and help yourself to two!!

Trust me, your Valentine will love this dessert.

Individual Fallen Chocolate Cakes for Two

Cocoa powder, for the ramekins

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter two 6-ounce ramekins and dust with cocoa powder.

2. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until melted, 1 to 3 minutes stirring often. Stir in the vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, whip the egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy (about 1 minute). Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until soft, billowy mounds form (about 1 minute). Gradually whip in the granulated sugar and salt; continue to whip the egg until very thick and pale yellow, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

4. Scrape the egg mixture onto the chocolate mixture, then sift the flour over the top. Gently fold the mixtures together with a rubber spatula until just incorporated and no streaks remain.

5. Divide the batter between the ramekins, smooth the tops, and wipe any drops of batter off the sides. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake the cakes until they have puffed about 1/2 inch above the rims of the ramekins and jiggle slightly in the center when shaken very gently (about 10-13 minutes).

6. Run a small knife around the edges of the cakes. Gently invert each ramekin onto an individual serving plate and let sit until the cakes release themselves from the ramekin (about 1 minute). Remove the ramekins, dust with confectioners' sugar (if using), and serve immediately.

{The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011}

Carrot Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

I halved this recipe and it still made a lot. So beware.

And this frosting? Amazing. Light, fluffy, like-your-fingers delicious.


Carrot Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

4 large eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 pounds carrots, washed and ends trimmed (they don’t need to be peeled)

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3-4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with liners. Shred the carrots, finely, on a box grater or food processor. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, oil, applesauce, water and vanilla. Whisk in the sugar to combine until evenly mixed.

In a second bowl mix flour, spices, salt, soda and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until moistened. Gently fold the carrots into the batter until evenly distributed. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.

For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, vanilla and butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the frosting and whip to combine (don’t overmix or the frosting will become too stiff). The frosting should be smooth and creamy.

{Modified from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Lemon Pound Cake...to die for

On Wednesday night I volunteered to take dinner to a few families in the neighborhood freshly home from the hospital. And I feel that dinner is not complete without a dessert, so the dilemma of what to make began.

Of COURSE I opted for this recipe (I can't believe I haven't shared it with you yet). Lemon is my favorite and this pound cake melts in your mouth it is so delicious. It was gobbled up so fast I forgot to take a picture.

I think it is best still warm from the oven, but don't take my word for it.

Lemon-Glazed Pound Cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

6 large eggs

2 tsp pure lemon extract

1 T. grated lemon zest (2 medium lemons)

Glaze

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, blend flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add butter, buttermilk and 3 eggs. Beat on low until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add lemon extract and lemon zest and blend at medium speed. Add the remaining 3 eggs one at a time, beating at high speed for 30 seconds after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While pound cake is baking, prepare lemon glaze. In a small pan heat lemon juice and sugar over low heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves.

When cake is done, remove from oven and leave in pan. With a toothpick poke holes in the surface of the cake and pour half the glaze over it.

Cool in pan 15 minutes then invert on cooling rack. Brush top of pound cake with remaining lemon glaze. Cool to room temperature, and dust with confectioners' sugar if you want.

{Modified from Mrs Field's Cookie Book}

Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce

Does anyone else out there love rhubarb? I love it, but have a hard time thinking of anything better to do with it than throw it in a cobbler/crisp. I found this recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe and it was delicious. Because I love Rhubarb, I would recommend adding more than she suggests...but maybe you aren't as big a fan as me.

Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce

*Serves 6

Cake:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for the cake. Beat in the egg. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating just until moistened. Fold in the chopped rhubarb. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the batter to the edges.

In a medium bowl, combine the streusel topping ingredients, mixing them together until the mixture is coarse and combined. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top of the cake is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

For the sauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened (it will thicken more as it cools slightly). Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm with the cake.'

{from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake (or BTS Cake)

For my husband's birthday he requested this delicious cake that his aunt makes which I had never made before. But, being the loving wife that I am, I did a little research and found some recipes online...categorized as the "Better than Sex Chocolate Cake." Every single recipe I found used a cake mix and cool whip. I couldn't bring myself to use either, so I did my own thing. And I'm sorry, but the name...has got to go. So here is the Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake. Delicious.

Chocolate Toffee Crumble Cake

(double this recipe for a double layer cake)

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

6 ounces caramel sauce (I used squirt-on ice cream topping kind)

3-4 Chocolate covered toffee candy bars

Whipped Cream

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil and beat with a hand mixer. Alternating with boiling water, add flour mixture in 3 additions. Stir in vanilla.

Pour into a prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is cooling, heat sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce until warm.

(For making my double layer cake, I used whipped cream between the cake and sprinkled with crumbled candy bar)

While cake is still warm, poke random holes into the cake with chopstick/end of spoon/whatever you want. Poor the milk and caramel sauce mixture into the holes.

Whip your own whipped cream to your desired taste. Use this as frosting on the cake. Sprinkle the whipped cream with crumbled candy bars.

(the Chocolate Cake recipe is from Rookie Cookie).

Texas Whopper Cake

This is my favorite chocolate cake. Maybe because it is my mom's recipe. I don't know. But every time I make it, I fall in love all over again. And guess what? I'm not that big of a chocolate fan! I know. Crazy, but true.

Texas Whopper Cake

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 cup water

4 T. cocoa

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp soda

In large bowl, put sugar, flour, and salt. In heavy pan bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Take cocoa mixture from heat as soon as it boils. Add immediately to dry ingredients and stir well. Add sour cream, eggs, and soda, mixing in one at a time until well blended (batter will be very thin.) Bake in a greased pan at 375 for 25 minutes (I usually bake it in a 9x13 pan. This time I tried two 8" pans and the cook time was about the same). Make frosting while cake is baking and frost immediately after cake is removed from oven.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

6 T. canned milk (evaporated)

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

4 T. cocoa

Boil milk, butter, and cocoa in heavy pan until bubbly. Stir in sugar and vanilla one at a time until well blended and smooth. Spread over hot cake.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Confession: I made these cinnamon rolls way back in...November. And I'm just now getting around to posting it. I don't want to lose this recipe because, believe me when Fall rolls around again I WILL be making more. Many more.

My friend Jessica entered this delicious recipe in a contest for Utah Valley Magazine and won. Try them and you will see why.




Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
original recipe by Jessica CrApo


DOUGH:
1/4 c. warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/3 c. margarine, melted
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
5-6 c. flour

FILLING:
1/2 c - 2/3 c. canned pumpkin puree (to your preference)
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 T cinnamon
*optional: 3/4 c. raisins, 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3 T butter

1/2 tsp vanilla
2 - 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine warm water, yeast, and teaspoon of sugar in small bowl. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until froth doubles.
2. In mixer fitted with dough hook, combine milk, eggs, pumpkin, margarine, the 1/2 c. sugar, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Mix until smooth.
3. Add 4 cups flour to mixing bowl. Pour frothed yeast mixture on top of flour. Knead about 5 minutes, adding flour 1/2 c. at a time until dough barely begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. Dough should be smooth and moist, but not sticky.
4. Spray a bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover with wet towel, or plastic wrap sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Allow to raise until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. While dough is raising, prepare filling. Place room temperature butter and pumpkin puree in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth. In another small bowl combine brown sugar and cinnamon, set both bowls aside.
6. Pour dough out on slightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle 16x21 inches, dough should be about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the pumpkin/butter mixture over rectangle. Next, evenly spread the sugar/cinnamon mixture on top, slightly pressing it into the dough.
7. Roll up long side of dough, forming long tube. Cut tube with sharp knife about every 2 inches, making 12 rolls. Place rolls in lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

9. Bake rolls in oven until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to make frosting. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Apple Crepe Filling

I love crepes, and now that it isn't fresh fruit season any longer it can be hard to think of yummy dessert fillings. Last time I made them I made this and it was delish.

Apple Crepe Filling

1 apple (I used a granny smith, but any apple that is good for cooking will be great.)
cinnamon
sugar


Slice up the apple and put in a frying pan on medium heat. Sprinkle the apple with cinnamon and sugar, to your preference. Put inside a crepe and top with whipped cream.

Also delicious on ice cream

Apple Raspberry Pie, or: melt-in-your mouth pie goodness

So I just loaded ALL my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. I had to share. But mostly, so when next year rolls around I will already have all the recipes together.

I'm not a huge pie person. But you guys. Seriously? This was amazing. I loved the tangy, sweet flavor. And paired with vanilla ice cream? Just deathrow dinner good. Don't wait until next Thanksgiving to break this baby out.

The insides, before covered. So lovely.

APPLE-RASPBERRY PIE
{from the crafty of all crafties, Martha Stewart herself}

• 2 3/4 pounds assorted baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 6 ounces fresh or partially thawed frozen raspberries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• Pate Brisee
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• Cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir apples, raspberries, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with apple mixture. Dot with butter.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining disk of dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 12-inch round. Drape over filling. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Press edges to seal. Fold overhang under, and crimp as desired. Make five 3-inch slits in top crust. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
4. Whisk egg yolk and cream in a bowl; brush over top crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Place foil on rack below to catch juices. Tent pie with foil if browning too quickly. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 4 hours (up to overnight).

Punkin' Pie

My husband is a huge fan of pumpkin pie. Obsessed, you may say. So every Thanksgiving without fail I make pumpkin pie. I've been searching and searching for "that" recipe and have combined a few to make..."THE ONE." And it is good.

PUMPKIN PIE

{mostly from Martha Stewart.com}

Makes one 9-inch pie

• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree, or canned
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
• crumbled gingersnap cookies
• chopped pecans
  
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
2. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. Push gingersnap cookie and pecan pieces into the crust in the bottom and along sides of the crust. So it looks like this:
   

1. Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
2. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 minutes more (or until it is set - I cooked mine for more like 45 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.

Pie Crust

I like this Pate Brisee Dough recipe from Martha Stewart.com

Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
2. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

I am a complete sucker for lemon anything. So when it came time to make my birthday cake, of course I went lemon. I tried this new recipe and it was delicious. I loved the lemon-coconut combination and the pudding in between the layers was so flavorful and divine.

I didn't have 3 cake pans, so I just did two layers. I think it would be even better with 3 layers because there would be more of the pudding filling. But either way...delicious.

Lemon Coconut Layer Cake


CAKE

1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
3/4 cups granulated sugar
grated rind of 1 lemons
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (save the rest of the juice for the filling)
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line three 8 or 9-inch cake pans with wax paper and grease. In a bowl, sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

Place 6 of the eggs in a large heatproof bowl set over hot water. With an electric mixer, beat until frothy. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, about 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the hot water. Fold in half the grated lemon rind and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice until blended. Fold in the coconut.

Sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 batches, folding in thoroughly after each addition.

Divide the mixture between the prepared pans.

Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes then unmold and transfer to a cooling rack.

FILLING

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon (I just used the remaining juice of the lemon I squeezed for the cake)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

In a bowl, blend the cornstarch with a little cold water to dissolve. Whisk in the eggs just until blended. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the lemon rind and juice, water, sugar, and butter.

Over a moderate heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the eggs and cornstarch, and return to a boil. Whisk continuously until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cover with wax paper so a skin won't form.

FROSTING

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
6-8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the lemon rind and enough lemon juice to obtain a thick, spreadable consistency.

To assemble:

Sandwich the 3 cake layers with the lemon filling mixture. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Cover the cake with the coconut, pressing it in gently.

{Adapted from Complete Baking, by Martha Day}

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've been in a recipe slump lately...trying lots of new things, but nothing good enough to share.

Finally I went back to a tried-and-true recipe. This recipe makes a yummy cookie. I love the blended chocolate chips and oatmeal because it disperses them equally through the cookie. They are melt-in-your-mouth good.

They make a lot, so I bake some and roll some of the dough into tubes, syran-wrap them, and stick them in the freezer. When I need a little treat I pull out the dough, slice it up, and throw them in the oven. When frozen they might need to cook a tad longer..but not much.



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 12 oz. pkg chocolate chips

Cream together sugars and butter. Add eggs. Mix in salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and flour. Blend together (in blender) oatmeal and chocolate chips. Once blended, add to other mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Mold dough to golf-ball size and flatten down. Bake for 6-8 minutes at 400.

Lemon Muffins

I just noticed my last three posts have all had a citrus-y ingredient. So I'm a bit obsessed...

This one is a favorite of mine. My mom made these growing up and they would be inhaled before they had even cooled down. They are best hot out of the oven.

Lemon Muffins

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon rind (optional)
additional sugar for topping

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in egg yolks and beat until light.

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with lemon juice.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into muffin mixture along with lemon rind, mixing just until ingredients are blended.

Fill greased muffin tins about 3/4 full. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of sugar if desired. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Snickers Cookies

I tried this recipe from HERE and they were FABULOUS! So, I'm posting them here for you all to crave and enjoy. You really should consider making these beauties.

Snickers Cookies
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, room temperature
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
30 mini sized Snickers candy bars. (one bag)


In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter. Add vanilla and egg. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and add to peanut mixture. Shape dough smoothly around each candy bar, making sure the bar is completely covered, without haveing a lot of excess dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bakt at 350 and check at 12 minutes, and take out when they are slightly golden. Cool a minute or so and remove from cookie sheets. They are FABULOUS when they are warm and just as good after they've cooled.