Death by Carrot Cake

My last post was the recipe for this cake, it is an old family recipe that my Aunt Josephine used to make. You can find it here if you want to try your hand at it yourself, it's delicious, and that's coming from someone who isn't especially fond of carrot cake.

Anyway, I had promised my boyfriend that I'd make him whatever cake he wanted (stupidly assuming he'd pick something super easy like chocolate cake) and he told me his favorite cake is carrot cake.  I popped off with "Awesome, I have an old family recipe that's been passed down for years, I haven't made it myself yet, but everyone really seems to like it, I'll make that."  I then went home, looked at the recipe, and panic ensued. I even called my mom so that she could virtually pat my head and tell me everything would be okay, that this cake was well within my skill levels.

Still the following thoughts wouldn't stop racing through my head:

1. While I have baked and decorated dozens of cakes over the years, I've never made one completely from scratch.  I always use a boxed cake mix as a base and doctor the recipe to get a homemade taste/texture.
2. This recipe in INVOLVED and has a TON of ingredients.
3. I would be baking in his kitchen which is known to have a VERY temperamental oven.
4. I have developed a reputation among friends and family of being THE BAKER, and he is well aware of it, he's known about my rep longer than he's known me.
5. Boyfriend is a culinary school graduate chef.

No pressure right?

So I packed up all my gear and took it to his house. Have Kitchen Aid (TM) will travel. Sunday morning dawned and I got up to get my inner kitchen goddess on, and learned right away that the oven did indeed suck balls.

First I couldn't get it to preheat to the temp I needed it to be, so I cranked the dial to 500, and it grudgingly raised to 350 (score, that's just where I wanted it), I flipped the dial to "bake" and the heat element turned off and the temperature dropped to 200 degrees. Fail.

Then while I was mixing all the ingredients, I realized when I got to the end on the instructions I still had a few ingredients that never made it into the bowl... turns out I skipped a couple lines on the recipe... anxiously called my mom, and again she virtually patted me on the head and told me it was fine, just put them in at the end. So if you do make the cake, order of operations isn't super important, it'll still turn out okay.

Back to the oven... I put it back on preheat, and figured that was fine... and popped the cake on the center rack, it wasn't 10 minutes later the kitchen is full of smoke (and only my nose detected it, not the smoke detector) and the top of the cake was black. I was really concerned because the cake was supposed to take 90 minutes to bake.  I rip it out of the oven and start poking around at it, nearly crying, but was hopeful when I discovered only the top 1/4 inch was charred. I started peeling off the blackened portion and sent the BF a frantic text about ruining the cake and hating his oven.  He gave me some pointers and left work to come to my rescue (or maybe his shift was over and he was on his way anyway, I like to think he was concerned for my mental health and raced home).

Meanwhile, I went all Swatter Ninja and started killing the hoard of flies that had infiltrated the house over the weekend. It was a way to be productive and to take out my frustration all at the same time. Plus who likes to be in a house full of flying insects? Not me. I also took a pumice stone to the bathtub and got all the bachelor pad grit off. What? When I'm stressed I obsessively clean things. I blame my mother, she does the same thing.  

Turns out I should have been using the bottom oven, not the top... and once I had the cake in the right place (who knew?) everything turned out fine.  I won't lie and tell you that I didn't at least once or twice fantasize about tossing the entire cake, pan and all out into the street and just watch it roll down the hill... maybe get hit by the neighbor's truck and splat everywhere. There were a few dark moments.

Luckily, once the cake was baked, cooled, and frosted it was DELICIOUS and a big hit with everyone who tried it.  So it was completely worth the struggles I faced making it.  I would definitely make it again, just maybe in someone else's oven, or you know, just use the functional oven now that I know which one it is.

This may not have been the prettiest cake I've ever made, but the fact that I made it from scratch, burned part of it, and that it still came out awesome (tasting)... it really might be the one I'm most proud of.

Oreo Buttercream Frosting

My grandmother's 81st birthday was this weekend, and my mom wanted it to be potluck style.  I was assigned to bring the birthday cake, which is awesome, because if I'm bringing anything to a potluck type party I want to bring desserts or an appetizer, I'm not usually too stoked on bringing a main course if I don't have to.  Grandma requested a chocolate cake, and the rest was left to my imagination.  I used a Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake box mix, but instead of using oil, I used butter, and instead of water, I used milk, and added a packet of chocolate instant pudding mix. These substitutions help the box cakes taste more homemade.  I wanted to do something different with the frosting than chocolate or vanilla, and I remembered the MOST AMAZING cupcake I had in Los Angeles, at a cupcakery called Crumbs, a few years back and it had a cookies and cream frosting.  I wanted to see if I could do something similar, so off to Google my fingers ran, until  I found the recipe that I was able to slightly modify to make the best frosting I've had in my whole life.  The original can be found here. 

This is the recipe I used (nearly identical to the link)

• 1 cup softened butter
• 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup finely crushed/packed Oreo pieces (I ground them up in the food processor, about a sleeve and a half of the regular Oreos )

·         Cream the butter for a few minutes until it is light (I had to stop the mixer a couple of times to clear the whisk beater)

·         Sift in the powdered sugar (I just dumped it in, couldn’t find the sifter, didn’t seem to make a difference)

·         Beat until entirely combined with the butter

·         Add vanilla and milk, beat for 3 minutes

·         Add crushed Oreos and mix well to combine

**add more milk to gain a thinner consistency, more sugar and/or Oreos to thicken

It was a complete hit... however, if I were to make it again I'd want to double the recipe. This was just enough to cover the cake, and I didn't have enough ingredients to make more to pipe on decorations to have a more finished look.

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes

Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey Ice Cream inspired this cupcake recipe (with the help of some Duncan Hines cake mix).  I made it a few years ago for a super bowl party and even though they were a hit, I haven't made them since.

The occasion for these tasty treats is my best friend's baby shower this weekend, and I've been salivating since I decided these would be the cupcake for the event.

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Duncan Hines Banana Cake Mix
• 1 Package Banana flavored Instant Pudding
• 1 Cup Milk
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1/3 Cup Butter
• 3/4 Cup Walnuts
• 3/4 
• Chocolate Chips (I prefer milk chocolate, but if you're planning on being true to the B&J's flavor, dark or semi sweet chips are more accurate)
• Vanilla or Butter-cream Frosting
• Banana Chips (for decoration)

Directions:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees for a metal pan, 325 for a dark or coated pan, grease sides with shortening or oil spray, or use baking cups for cupcakes
• blend cake mix, instant pudding, chocolate chips, walnuts (so that the nuts and chips are coated in the dry mix, they won't sink as much while baking if this is done first).
• add milk, eggs, and melted butter until all ingredients are well mixed, about 2 minutes.
• pour batter into pan/baking cups
• bake 15-18 minutes
• cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes
• cool completely before frosting.
• melt some chocolate chips and then dip the banana chips in melted chocolate, set aside on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper until chocolate sets

Butter-Cream Frosting

Store-bought frosting is quick and easy if you don't have time to make your own, but if you do, you won't regret it, this frosting is delicious, I've used it on cakes, cupcakes, cut out cookies... you name it... if it is something to be frosted, this one will not disappoint. 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soft butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Food coloring of choice

Directions:

• Blend butter and sugar
• Stir in vanilla and milk
• Beat until frosting is smooth and spreadable

Trade Secrets:

Brown or Black Icing?

For brown icing melt unsweetened chocolate and mix into white icing

For black icing, add black gel coloring to brown icing, you’ll use less black coloring and the frosting will taste like chocolate

Dark Red Icing?

Make the icing a day ahead of time, the dark pink will darken over time and turn red if you give it 24 hours, also can use maraschino cherry juice as a liquid, will turn the icing pink and you can use less red food coloring.

Martha Stewart's Chewy Cherry Chunk Cookies

a few years back my mom found this recipe on www.marthastewart.com and they've been a hit ever since, I logged onto her site today and saw that the recipe has slightly changed from the one I'm about to post.  I'm sure the new version is delicious but this is the one I made.







Makes between 10 large or 36 small cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup dried cherries (I cut them in half)
1 stick unsalted softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional... I chose not to use them)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with one rack in top third and bottom rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine:
• butter
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (roughly 2 minutes)
• Scrape down sides of the bowl, add
• egg
• vanilla extract
• Beat to combine, add
• flour
• baking soda
• salt
• Once combined, add
• cherries
• white chocolate
• milk chocolate
• pecans
• Batter should be stiff
• Use large (2 1/2 ounce) or small ( 1 1/4 ounce) ice cream scoop (I used the medium sized Pampered Chef batter scoop) to form balls of dough about 4 inches apart on a baking sheet (I was able to fit nine per sheet).
• Bake until golden and just set, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even browning (I found 7 minutes on each rack was perfect), the recipe itself says 12 minutes for small cookies, 15 for large.
• Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring cookies to rack.
• Store in an airtight container, recipe says they'll last a week... but I think they'll be long gone before the week is up.
• Transfer sheets

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Last year I had this dip at a football party I had attended and I fell in love.  Shortly after the recipe popped up in a blog I follow and I saved it for future reference.  I just copied and pasted the instructions from the blog, and my notes are in the parenthesis.

It's safe to say that this dish is not diet friendly, but I guarantee that it will make your taste buds dance (that is if you're a fan of hot wings). 

I made it myself for the first time yesterday for a Christmas Party I attended last night and it was a huge hit, it filled a 9x13 pyrex pan, and by the end of the evening only a small portion remained.

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless cooked chicken breasts shredded or diced (I used Swanson's canned chicken, it's like tuna, and it worked out great, 2 large cans, 1 small)
• 2/3 bottle of FRANK’S BUFFALO WING SAUCE
• 2 bars of cream cheese (softened)
• 1 16 oz. bottle of blue cheese dressing (I used Bob's Big Boy bottled dressing, it was delicious)
• 3-4 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used a mixed bag of cheddar/monterey jack because I couldn't find pre-shredded Monterey Jack at the store I was at and didn't want to go to another store)
• Tortilla Chips for dipping (Tostitos Cantina Chips are my favorite dipping choice)

Directions:

• First, layer the chicken and Franks Buffalo Wing sauce in the bottom of a 13″ by 9″ pan.  
• Mix together the cream cheese, blue cheese dressing and 2-3 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese. (SAVE THE REST OF THE SHREDDED CHEESE FOR THE TOP) 
• Spread over the chicken.  
• Put remaining shredded cheese on the top.
• Bake at 350 for approx. 1/2 hour. It is good hot ,or warm!

Another awesome dinner in the books

This was Pampered Chef inspired, but I'm not sure that I stuck to the recipe. I didn't have it handy and didn't want to look it up.

Ingredients:

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (I had some cutlets leftover from the last time I cooked chicken so they were perfect)
• Olive Oil
• Pampered Chef Sweet Basil Rub (this stuff is amazing)
• Tomatoes (I sliced up about a dozen cherry tomatoes)
• Garlic (I used 5 cloves)
• Fresh Basil
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Box of Penne Pasta (it was way too much for the amount of chicken/tomatoes I had 1/2 a box would have been better)

Directions:

While a large pot of water was heating up to boil I seasoned the chicken with the rub and olive oil, then set it aside to mini marinate while I chopped up the garlic and tomatoes. 

Sprayed my frying pan down with a light coating of Pam then tossed in the seasoned cutlets. 

Once the chicken was about halfway cooked I put the pasta in the pot of water and also added a little garlic to cook with the noodles. 

Back to the chicken. When it was mostly cooked I added in the tomatoes and garlic and stirred in the pan frequently. As the meat was starting to brown I tore strips of the basil leaves and cooked along with the other ingredients. 

By the time the pasta was cooked (al dente) the chicken mixture was ready to be added in. 

Sprinkle Parmesan to taste and serve up.

Chicken & Veggies

I'd like to think of a fancy name for this eventually, maybe you know one if you look at the ingredients, but for now I'm going with Chicken & Veggies.  I don't really measure with this, so go with your gut and taste buds


• Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
• Olive Oil
• Fresh Garlic
• Zucchini
• Yellow Squash
• Yellow Onion
• Roma Tomatoes (seeded)
• Sun dried Tomato Pesto
• Pampered Chef Sweet Basil Rub
• Salt (optional)
• Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (optional)

I started by heating up my frying pan with olive oil and a chopped clove of garlic.

I coated the top side of the chicken with the basil rub then chopped it into slightly larger than bite-sized pieces so that they would cook faster than if I left it intact and tossed it in the frying pan with 1/2 of the onion I chopped.

Chopped the rest of the garlic (I used like 5-6 cloves, but I love garlic, so use as much as you're comfortable with), the zucchini, squash, and put a heaping amount of the sun dried tomato pesto in a large bowl and mixed them all together with a little (very little) salt then tossed everything in the pan. I stirred fairly frequently, and when I noticed that stuff was starting to stick a little I added more olive oil. Just before it was finished cooking, I added in the tomatoes, then turned down the heat and let everything simmer for a few minutes.

Once it was all cooked I put in a large serving dish and sprinkled the top with cheddar and let it sit 2-3 minutes to let the cheese melt a bit and for it to set up.

I've made this before without the chicken and it was just as delicious, but it wasn't filling, so without the protein, it would be an excellent side dish, but didn't work (for me) as a meal.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. milk

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. double acting baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup Coach's Oats

1 cup shredded coconut (I toasted mine, 10 min, 350 degree oven, stirring frequently, until golden brown)

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugars for about 30 seconds.

Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk.

Mix just until smooth

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry with the wet ingredients and beat, be careful not to overmix.

Add oats, coconut, and white chocolate chips.

Beat until combined.

Drop by rounded teaspoon (or medium sized cookie scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheet (I always prepare my cookie sheets by putting parchment paper on them, and dropping the dough onto the paper, less mess and no sticking).

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

The recipe I used/modified (from the container of Coach's Oats) said that it would make about 3 dozen cookies, with the cookie scoop I used, it made about 2 dozen.  The original recipe did not call for white chocolate or macadamia nuts, and did not toast the coconut.

Grandma Lillian's Pea Soup

Okay, now personally, I'm not a fan of this soup, I don't like peas, but I'm pretty much the only one I know who doesn't like it... and I have a lot of friends who are into peas and other veggies, so I thought I'd share. My grandma has been making this soup forever, the recipe card at her house was written in my mom's elementary school handwriting, so it's not something new to the family. It's not quite a vegetarian meal as it's cooked with a ham bone, but it's something good for the winter, and is best served with crusty bread and extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Better Than Andersen’s Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds split peas
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 2 bunches water cress
• 3 carrots
• 1 small bunch celery
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 pound asparagus
• 1 ham bone
• 1 large zucchini
• 6 quarts water 

 

Directions:

 

• Wash all vegetables
• Chop vegetables and place in food processor
• Mix/Chop to the size of large confetti
• Place vegetables in large pot
• Wash peas and add to veggies
• Add Water
• Add ham bone
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently
• Simmer 90-120 minutes
• Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Lo's Mojitos and Tangerine Dreams

Mojitos are one of my favorite summertime cocktail, they're refreshing, sweet, and oh so satisfying. My version is slightly different than what you would find in a typical bar setting as I use diet 7up instead of club soda, but my friends, the difference is in the details. You'll be a believer after one sip.  The Tangerine Dream is very similar except instead of Key Limes I use tangerines and leave out the simple syrup, I'd say they're equally delicious. Cheers!

 

Mojito

 

Ingredients:  

• 3 Limes (key limes taste best)
• 4 Mint Leaves
• 1.5 Ounces Light Rum
• Ice
• Diet Lemon/Lime Soda
• Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar/water boiled together until they thicken into a syrup)

 

Directions:

 

• Muddle mint leaves in the bottom of glass
• Juice the limes and pour into glass
• Pour in Rum
• Fill glass with Soda
• Add Simple Syrup to taste
• Add ice
• Serve

Lo’s Tangerine Dream

Substitute limes for tangerines and follow Mojito recipe, depending on sweetness of tangerines, syrup may not be needed.

Life Changing Cranberry Salsa

After eating this cranberry salsa you'll never go back to that canned stuff you slice into rounds at Thanksgiving. It's great on sandwiches, as a dip like regular salsa, or as a spread on your turkey dinner. Seriously, give it a try, you'll never look back. You're welcome.

Cranberry Salsa

 

• 1 Bag Fresh Cranberries
• 1 Jalapeño, seeded
• ¾ Cup Sugar
• 1 Green Onion
• 1/3 Bunch Cilantro
• ¼ Teaspoon Cumin
• 1/8 Teaspoon Salt

Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until fully chopped and blended

 

Favorite Cobbler Ever

I love love love berry cobblers, apple cobblers, peach cobblers, shoe cobblers, sensing a pattern yet? Anyway, this is another one of my mom's famous dessert recipes that never fails to please a crowd of sweet tooths. Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cobbler
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar *
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups fruit (your choice)
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

• Melt butter in 10 inch baking dish
• Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and milk
• Spoon over melted butter
• Heat fresh or canned fruit with sugar adjusting less sugar if fruit is canned
• Pour over dough

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown

Crust will rise to top

Serve warm or cold 

* use ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup sugar if using apples

Lucious Lemon Cake

 

This recipe has been in the family for years, a neighbor of my grandparents used to make it when I was little and then my grandmother and other relatives started making it too. It's pretty much a staple to most family celebrations on my dad's side of the family. When in doubt? Lemon cake wins the bout. Or something like that.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow cake mix or lemon cake mix
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup oil
• ¾ cup water
• 1 3-ounce package lemon Jell-O 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease and flour 9x13” pan
• Combine above ingredients; mix well
• Bake according to package instructions

Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• ¾ cup lemon juice 

Directions:

• Combine ingredients and mix until smooth
• Pour glaze onto cake while cake is still hot
• Poke holes in cake after glaze is on.

Mama Maltagliati's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite chocolate chip cookies. EVER. I have so many great memories of making these with my mom, and finally being old enough to be left alone in the kitchen and making them myself. I won't lie there have been many occasions where I've made them just to eat the dough (I'm a rebel like that) and then only bake what's left out of guilt.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter softened (do not substitute)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 12-ounce package milk chocolate chocolate chips (my favorite are Nestle, I haven't liked how they've turned out as much with other brands).
• 1 6-ounce package mini chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt… set aside
• In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, and vanilla; beat until creamy
• Beat in eggs
• Gradually add flour mixture; mix well
• Stir in chips and nuts
• Drop rounded level measuring tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (I usually line my cookie sheets with parchment paper, no stick and super easy clean up)
• Bake 9 minutes

Tips of Beef

Another old family recipe to share with the masses. I had forgotten about it for awhile and one day my mom whipped it out of one of my great aunt's cookbooks and it was an instant hit.

Tips of Beef (Stew Meat)

 

Flour Mixture Ingredients:

§  Celery Salt

§  Flour

§  Pepper

§  Savory Salt

§  Garlic Salt

§  Meat Tenderizer

Other Ingredients:

§  1 Cup minced onion

§  Butter

§  Stew Meat

§  Water

§  1 Teaspoon Vinegar

§  3 Tablespoons Ketchup

§  2 – 3 Cans, cream of mushroom soup

 

1.                 Preheat oven 350 degrees

2.                 Roll tips in flour mixture, brown in butter along with 1 cup minced onion

3.                 Once meat is browned put in baking pan and pour in a little water (enough to ½ fill pan, but not enough to cover meat)

4.                 Add 1 teaspoon vinegar and 3 tablespoons of ketchup

5.                 Bake until meat is tender

6.                 Pour in cream of mushroom soup or beef gravy, bake until thickens

Beef Cassarole Supreme

This is one of my absolute favorite family recipes, it's like fancy hamburger helper. I've requested it for many birthdays and other special dinners. It's one of those things from your childhood that if you're lucky you never outgrow it. This meal holds so many great family memories, and it always brings a smile to my face.

Beef Casserole Supreme

 

Ingredients:

§  1 Pound Ground Beef

§  ¼ Cup Onions, chopped

§  8 Ounces Stewed Tomatoes, canned

§  1 (10 ¾ ounce) condensed Tomato Soup

§  2 Teaspoons Salt

§  1 Cup Sour Cream

§  1 (3 ounce) Package Cream Cheese, Softened

§  5 ounces Medium Noodles, cooked and drained

§  Fresh Tomatoes to Garnish

 

1.              Preheat oven 350 degrees

2.              In skillet, cook ground beef and chopped onion until lightly browned.

3.              Drain off fat

4.              Stir in stewed tomatoes, tomato soup, salt, and garlic.

5.              Simmer 5 – 10 minutes.

6.              Blend in sour cream and cream cheese

7.              Stir in Noodles

8.              Turn into a 2 quart casserole

9.              Bake covered in oven 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

10.         Garnish with fresh tomatoes.

 

Makes 4 – 6 servings.