Holy Cupcakes!

My mom is super sweet.  She was in Barnes & Noble yesterday, and knowing that I've been ogling it - bought me Martha's cupcake book.

Isn't she the best?!?!  Now I just have to wait for a cool enough day to actually make some of these lovely treats.  :-)

My mom is super sweet.  She was in Barnes & Noble yesterday, and knowing that I've been ogling it - bought me Martha's cupcake book.

Isn't she the best?!?!  Now I just have to wait for a cool enough day to actually make some of these lovely treats.  :-)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

One of Mr. E's Favorites : Mocha Toffee-Crunch Terrine

Desserts for Dudes

{We just call this "layered ice cream dessert", because we're fancy like that.}

Mr. E can't decide on his very favorite dessert, but this is one of them.  Frozen and creamy...it's like a combination of cheesecake and ice cream. 

You know what I love about it?  It HAS TO be made ahead of time.  In my book, that makes it perfect for holidays and company! 

Mocha Toffee-Crunch Terrine {or Layered Ice Cream Dessert}
(modified from Everyday Food , issue #2)

19 chocolate wafer cookies
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
11 ounces cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 TBSP vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1 & 1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. toffee bits
1/3 c. chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 TBSP dutch-process (or natural) cocoa powder

Line a 9x5" loaf pan with 2 sheets of plastic wrap, long sides overhanging by about 3". Arrange 3 wafers, flat side up in the bottom of the pan.

Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tsp. water and set aside.

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar several minutes until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla bean paste.  Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.  Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 3 additions until fully combined.

In one bowl, mix 1 and 1/3 cup of the vanilla cream mixture with the toffee bits.  In another bowl, add the cooled chocolate and cocoa with another 1 & 1/3 cup of vanilla cream.  Finally, add the coffee mixture into the remaining cream.

With a rubber spatula, spread the coffee mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Cover with 8 wafers, overlapping if necessary.  Add the chocolate mixture and spread evenly; cover with 8 more wafers.  Add the toffee mixture and spread.

Press the plastic wrap onto the top and freeze at least 4 hours.  Invert onto a serving platter; remove plastic.  Let sit 5 minutes and cut into slices.

 

---

Are you guys feeling lucky?  The dancing queens, Molly & Amanda, from idance ordered cookies, but not for themselves, for YOU!!! They are giving away a half dozen cookies baked by little ol' me!

{Have you been to idance?  It's so fun!  Be sure to read their "revolution" page...I think it's something a lot of us can relate to!}

So, GO!  Go enter!  What are you waiting for?!?

Desserts for Dudes

{We just call this "layered ice cream dessert", because we're fancy like that.}

Mr. E can't decide on his very favorite dessert, but this is one of them.  Frozen and creamy...it's like a combination of cheesecake and ice cream. 

You know what I love about it?  It HAS TO be made ahead of time.  In my book, that makes it perfect for holidays and company! 

Mocha Toffee-Crunch Terrine {or Layered Ice Cream Dessert}
(modified from Everyday Food , issue #2)

19 chocolate wafer cookies
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
11 ounces cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 TBSP vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1 & 1/4 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. toffee bits
1/3 c. chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 TBSP dutch-process (or natural) cocoa powder

Line a 9x5" loaf pan with 2 sheets of plastic wrap, long sides overhanging by about 3". Arrange 3 wafers, flat side up in the bottom of the pan.

Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tsp. water and set aside.

Beat the cream cheese with the sugar several minutes until light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla bean paste.  Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form.  Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 3 additions until fully combined.

In one bowl, mix 1 and 1/3 cup of the vanilla cream mixture with the toffee bits.  In another bowl, add the cooled chocolate and cocoa with another 1 & 1/3 cup of vanilla cream.  Finally, add the coffee mixture into the remaining cream.

With a rubber spatula, spread the coffee mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Cover with 8 wafers, overlapping if necessary.  Add the chocolate mixture and spread evenly; cover with 8 more wafers.  Add the toffee mixture and spread.

Press the plastic wrap onto the top and freeze at least 4 hours.  Invert onto a serving platter; remove plastic.  Let sit 5 minutes and cut into slices.

 

---

Are you guys feeling lucky?  The dancing queens, Molly & Amanda, from idance ordered cookies, but not for themselves, for YOU!!! They are giving away a half dozen cookies baked by little ol' me!

{Have you been to idance?  It's so fun!  Be sure to read their "revolution" page...I think it's something a lot of us can relate to!}

So, GO!  Go enter!  What are you waiting for?!?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Tuesdays At The Table - Frozen Iced Tea

Happy Tuesday, ladies!  Summer has come fast and furious to New England.  Holy *hot* over the past week.  Has it felt like August in other parts of the country too?

Here's a little secret...I HATE hot tea.  Iced tea is completely different story.  LOVE IT!  And even better than that is frozen iced tea.  Great for a hot summer day.  :-)

Frozen Iced Tea

4 cups orange sherbet
2 cups strong black tea, cooled

In blender, combine sorbet and tea and blend until mixture is smooth. Pour into 4 glasses.
*Courtesy of Good Housekeeping*

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Happy Tuesday, ladies!  Summer has come fast and furious to New England.  Holy *hot* over the past week.  Has it felt like August in other parts of the country too?

Here's a little secret...I HATE hot tea.  Iced tea is completely different story.  LOVE IT!  And even better than that is frozen iced tea.  Great for a hot summer day.  :-)

Frozen Iced Tea

4 cups orange sherbet
2 cups strong black tea, cooled

In blender, combine sorbet and tea and blend until mixture is smooth. Pour into 4 glasses.
*Courtesy of Good Housekeeping*

What's cooking in your kitchen?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Kaiserschmarrn - Austrian Pancakes

Kaiserschmarrn is an Austrian dessert - small pieces of pancake, fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, piled high on a plate and dusted generously with icing sugar. Sounds amazing, right? I thought so too, and had been looking for an excuse to make them for the longest time.

That excuse came by this evening, in the form of Thanh. He came over to pick up his new camera lens, I believe there was a brief mention of hunger, and suddenly I was in the kitchen whipping up egg whites and sifting icing sugar.

The batter is like a very eggy, sugarless pancake batter, with the egg whites whipped separately and folded in for lightness.

You fry the batter in butter, but instead of trying to flip the whole thing over at once (which would be a recipe for disaster), you cut them into quarters and flip each quarter over separately.

Once the batter is almost cooked through, you cut it up into smaller pieces (just using an egg-flip) and let them cook and become crispy.

The recipe I used (from Dr. Oetker Schul Koch Buch) includes raisins in the dough, but we preferred them plain.

Well, when I say plain, I mean thickly dusted with icing sugar and with morello cherries on the side. Other traditional accompaniments would be apple sauce or plum sauce. I think maple syrup would go pretty well too!


This was a totally winning recipe. Absolutely delicious, easy to make, all storecupboard ingredients. It went from idea to plate in less than 30 minutes. According to the book, it serves 2, but we found that it served 3 generously. It kinda tasted like poffertjes but without the need for any expensive equipment.

I won't post up the recipe because it's very simple and a simple google search will yield many versions. Enjoy!!

Kaiserschmarrn is an Austrian dessert - small pieces of pancake, fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, piled high on a plate and dusted generously with icing sugar. Sounds amazing, right? I thought so too, and had been looking for an excuse to make them for the longest time.

That excuse came by this evening, in the form of Thanh. He came over to pick up his new camera lens, I believe there was a brief mention of hunger, and suddenly I was in the kitchen whipping up egg whites and sifting icing sugar.

The batter is like a very eggy, sugarless pancake batter, with the egg whites whipped separately and folded in for lightness.

You fry the batter in butter, but instead of trying to flip the whole thing over at once (which would be a recipe for disaster), you cut them into quarters and flip each quarter over separately.

Once the batter is almost cooked through, you cut it up into smaller pieces (just using an egg-flip) and let them cook and become crispy.

The recipe I used (from Dr. Oetker Schul Koch Buch) includes raisins in the dough, but we preferred them plain.

Well, when I say plain, I mean thickly dusted with icing sugar and with morello cherries on the side. Other traditional accompaniments would be apple sauce or plum sauce. I think maple syrup would go pretty well too!


This was a totally winning recipe. Absolutely delicious, easy to make, all storecupboard ingredients. It went from idea to plate in less than 30 minutes. According to the book, it serves 2, but we found that it served 3 generously. It kinda tasted like poffertjes but without the need for any expensive equipment.

I won't post up the recipe because it's very simple and a simple google search will yield many versions. Enjoy!!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Father's Day Savory Gouda Biscotti

 

Thank you, Dad...

Thank you for instilling in us the love of old cars, cold beer, the jalapeno and stove-popped popcorn.

Thank you for...

• making pancakes for breakfast,
• climbing the stairs to wake me for school in the mornings, even climbing them twice most mornings when I asked for "5 more minutes,"
• leaving the light on in the hall.

 

Thanks for forgiving me when...

• I backed the car into the side of the house,
• I rear-ended your car with mine when following you home from the mall,
• I "cleaned" your entire car with Windex....paint and all.

 

{I have no idea why Texas women have a reputation for BIG hair.} 

I love that you...

• will hop in the car and drive 10 hours spur of the moment,
• accompanied us to every concert we attended in high school {and I'm sorry about all of my screaming at Rick Springfield},
• are always the life of the party and ready for a laugh.

 

Thanks Dad, for...

• being at every swim meet, not just to watch, but to set-up, tear-down and time every race,
• coaching Molly's soccer team,
• chaperoning all those choir trips...

...and looking like you were having fun doing it all. :)

Thanks for getting us through when Mom died.

So much more to thank you for, but you get the idea.  We love you.  Happy Father's Day.  These biscotti are for you.

When I saw this recipe in Food & Wine, I immediately thought of my dad who loves Gouda cheese...although, normally on a Ritz cracker. :)

Gouda Biscotti (ie: cookies for beer)
{adapted from Food & Wine magazine}

2 & 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (active dry is what the original recipe calls for. Click here for more info/instructions.)
3/4 c. plus 2 TBSP warm water, divided
1 TBSP sugar
2 & 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
8 oz. Gouda , grated
1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened

In a medium bowl, combine the instant yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water, sugar and 3/4 cup of the flour. Cover and let stand about 30 minutes; it will rise and be spongy.  (If using regular yeast packets, please refer to the original recipe.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of flour with the Gouda, walnuts and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture with the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.  Stir in the softened butter until a dough is formed.
 
Dump the dough  and any loose bits onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Divide into thirds (a bench scraper is great for this). Using your hands and a rolling pin, form each piece into a log, about 8-9" long and about 1" high.

Place on the parchment lined sheet.  Cover with lightly damp paper towels and then plastic wrap.  Let rise 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Remove the plastic wrap and paper towels and bake the logs for about 35 minutes, until they are golden and puffed. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes.

{You could stop here and call this Gouda cheese bread.  How do I know? Because the 3 of us ate the ends off of all three pieces.}

Meanwhile, reduce the oven temp. to 300 and put racks on the lower and upper thirds of the oven (use your oven mitts!). Line another baking sheet with parchment.

Using a serrated knife, slice the logs on a diagonal 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Place cut pieces on 2 baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and crisp.  Flip the biscotti halfway through and shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack and let cool completely before serving.  Serve with an ice cold beer....iced tea is ok, too. Heck, I even ate 2 of these for breakfast with orange juice.

{Printable labels from Martha Stewart.}

What would you thank your dad for?

 

Thank you, Dad...

Thank you for instilling in us the love of old cars, cold beer, the jalapeno and stove-popped popcorn.

Thank you for...

• making pancakes for breakfast,
• climbing the stairs to wake me for school in the mornings, even climbing them twice most mornings when I asked for "5 more minutes,"
• leaving the light on in the hall.

 

Thanks for forgiving me when...

• I backed the car into the side of the house,
• I rear-ended your car with mine when following you home from the mall,
• I "cleaned" your entire car with Windex....paint and all.

 

{I have no idea why Texas women have a reputation for BIG hair.} 

I love that you...

• will hop in the car and drive 10 hours spur of the moment,
• accompanied us to every concert we attended in high school {and I'm sorry about all of my screaming at Rick Springfield},
• are always the life of the party and ready for a laugh.

 

Thanks Dad, for...

• being at every swim meet, not just to watch, but to set-up, tear-down and time every race,
• coaching Molly's soccer team,
• chaperoning all those choir trips...

...and looking like you were having fun doing it all. :)

Thanks for getting us through when Mom died.

So much more to thank you for, but you get the idea.  We love you.  Happy Father's Day.  These biscotti are for you.

When I saw this recipe in Food & Wine, I immediately thought of my dad who loves Gouda cheese...although, normally on a Ritz cracker. :)

Gouda Biscotti (ie: cookies for beer)
{adapted from Food & Wine magazine}

2 & 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (active dry is what the original recipe calls for. Click here for more info/instructions.)
3/4 c. plus 2 TBSP warm water, divided
1 TBSP sugar
2 & 3/4 c. all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
8 oz. Gouda , grated
1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter, softened

In a medium bowl, combine the instant yeast with 1/2 cup of the warm water, sugar and 3/4 cup of the flour. Cover and let stand about 30 minutes; it will rise and be spongy.  (If using regular yeast packets, please refer to the original recipe.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of flour with the Gouda, walnuts and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture with the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.  Stir in the softened butter until a dough is formed.
 
Dump the dough  and any loose bits onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Divide into thirds (a bench scraper is great for this). Using your hands and a rolling pin, form each piece into a log, about 8-9" long and about 1" high.

Place on the parchment lined sheet.  Cover with lightly damp paper towels and then plastic wrap.  Let rise 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Remove the plastic wrap and paper towels and bake the logs for about 35 minutes, until they are golden and puffed. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes.

{You could stop here and call this Gouda cheese bread.  How do I know? Because the 3 of us ate the ends off of all three pieces.}

Meanwhile, reduce the oven temp. to 300 and put racks on the lower and upper thirds of the oven (use your oven mitts!). Line another baking sheet with parchment.

Using a serrated knife, slice the logs on a diagonal 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Place cut pieces on 2 baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden and crisp.  Flip the biscotti halfway through and shift the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back.

Transfer the biscotti to a rack and let cool completely before serving.  Serve with an ice cold beer....iced tea is ok, too. Heck, I even ate 2 of these for breakfast with orange juice.

{Printable labels from Martha Stewart.}

What would you thank your dad for?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

I ♥ True Blood

True Blood is back.  HURRAY!!!  I've been anxiously awaiting it's return for months now...OK, fine.  I admit it, I've been counting down since January December November.

Now it's back and all is right with the world my summer viewing schedule.

Have you seen the Snoop Dogg video "Oh Sookie"?!?!  You have to watch it!

Snoop Dogg - "Oh Sookie"

Did you know that Twitter will be hosting a "Drop of Blood" on Thursday nights?  A quick clip that didn't make it into an episode and HBO is kind enough to share!  Check it out here.
Did you watch last Sunday and really appreciate some of the lines or um...Eric's "scenery"?  Have any predictions you'd like to discuss?  I'm all ears!!  Discuss.  :-)

True Blood is back.  HURRAY!!!  I've been anxiously awaiting it's return for months now...OK, fine.  I admit it, I've been counting down since January December November.

Now it's back and all is right with the world my summer viewing schedule.

Have you seen the Snoop Dogg video "Oh Sookie"?!?!  You have to watch it!

Snoop Dogg - "Oh Sookie"

Did you know that Twitter will be hosting a "Drop of Blood" on Thursday nights?  A quick clip that didn't make it into an episode and HBO is kind enough to share!  Check it out here.
Did you watch last Sunday and really appreciate some of the lines or um...Eric's "scenery"?  Have any predictions you'd like to discuss?  I'm all ears!!  Discuss.  :-)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Deep *DARTH* Chocolate Cookies

Desserts for Dudes

{Darth Vader Cookies}

Insert Imperial March here:

dum, dum, dum,

da, da, dum,

da, da, dum

Have you seen these cookie cutters from Williams-Sonoma?

 

These cutters make embossed cookies...they practically decorate themselves!

Kiddo had a friend coming over for the day, so I whipped up a few Darth Vader cookies.  I used this recipe (oh, and it is SO SO GOOD!), omitting the espresso powder because:
     a. I was out, and
     b. do 11-year-old boys really need espresso powder?

Now, these cookies are made with Dutch-process cocoa powder which makes them really dark, but I also added in some AmeriColor Super Black food coloring.  When tinting dough, just knead in the food coloring with your hands.  If the dough gets warm when you do this, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before rolling.

I rolled these out on a surface dusted with a combination of flour and cocoa powder.  Don't worry, if you see some on your cookies...it will bake right in.

One more tip....once cut, pop these in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.


Here's what they looked like just out of the oven....

...perfectly cute!  You really don't need to do anything else to them.

But, of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I tried Amanda's (from i am baker) cookie decorating icing.  I need some more practice with it....mine was a little bumpy and Amanda's never is, but I really liked it.

 

It was shiny, and easy to adjust, and perfect for those times when you don't want to make a big batch of royal icing.

{There is a wonderful video of Amanda making her icing, here, on University of Cookie.}

Now that your cookies are made, it's time to break out your kid's Star Wars Legos and have some fun.  Yes, we're dorks.

 

{I was just informed that the Tie Fighter is backwards. Oops.}

{PS....if you want to see some great ideas for these cutters, visit Jenn and Bento for Kidlet! She is one cool mom!}

Who is your favorite Star Wars character?  

Me, I can't decide. I'm torn between C3PO, Yoda and Princess Leia's hair.

Come see all the goodies people are loving at TidyMom!

Desserts for Dudes

{Darth Vader Cookies}

Insert Imperial March here:

dum, dum, dum,

da, da, dum,

da, da, dum

Have you seen these cookie cutters from Williams-Sonoma?

 

These cutters make embossed cookies...they practically decorate themselves!

Kiddo had a friend coming over for the day, so I whipped up a few Darth Vader cookies.  I used this recipe (oh, and it is SO SO GOOD!), omitting the espresso powder because:
     a. I was out, and
     b. do 11-year-old boys really need espresso powder?

Now, these cookies are made with Dutch-process cocoa powder which makes them really dark, but I also added in some AmeriColor Super Black food coloring.  When tinting dough, just knead in the food coloring with your hands.  If the dough gets warm when you do this, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so before rolling.

I rolled these out on a surface dusted with a combination of flour and cocoa powder.  Don't worry, if you see some on your cookies...it will bake right in.

One more tip....once cut, pop these in the freezer for 5-10 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.


Here's what they looked like just out of the oven....

...perfectly cute!  You really don't need to do anything else to them.

But, of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I tried Amanda's (from i am baker) cookie decorating icing.  I need some more practice with it....mine was a little bumpy and Amanda's never is, but I really liked it.

 

It was shiny, and easy to adjust, and perfect for those times when you don't want to make a big batch of royal icing.

{There is a wonderful video of Amanda making her icing, here, on University of Cookie.}

Now that your cookies are made, it's time to break out your kid's Star Wars Legos and have some fun.  Yes, we're dorks.

 

{I was just informed that the Tie Fighter is backwards. Oops.}

{PS....if you want to see some great ideas for these cutters, visit Jenn and Bento for Kidlet! She is one cool mom!}

Who is your favorite Star Wars character?  

Me, I can't decide. I'm torn between C3PO, Yoda and Princess Leia's hair.

Come see all the goodies people are loving at TidyMom!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad