Blog Posts

Summer Refresher

7/5/2013

We are camp hosting at Millerton Lake for the Summer and it's so hot I saw two trees fightin' over a dog. It's 112 degrees outside and humid as well. This is my go to summer mix to keep everyone cool. It's a few simple things to keep on hand and mix whatever you like. Here's the basics you need and the recipe for this yummy blend pictured above.

Simple Syrup
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Water
* Bring this mixture to a boil and shut it off as soon as it does start to boil. Let it cool and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Strawberry Lime and Basil Refresher
16 Ounce Glass
2 Sliced Strawberries
3 Fresh Basil Leaves Torn (releases flavor)
3 Lime Slices
1/4 Cup of Simple Syrup
Club Soda to Finish Filling The Glass

In the glass place the strawberries, lime slices, basil and simple syrup. Use a spoon and mash it around a bit in the glass. Fill the remaining space in the glass with ice and pour club soda over the top. Give it a stir and serve. I guarantee you will make bunches of these. You can make it with any combination of fruit and herbs. Get creative and share a few Mason Jars full of these with friends. My loved ones always smile when they see me bringing them one.

Enjoy!

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Peach Crumble Dessert Cups

4/15/2013

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      These Dessert Cups are fantastic! The granola is homemade (don't run away, it's easy) and the combination of the peaches, whipped cream and the added pie crust topper seal the deal for greatness. I make dozens of different dessert cups but this one is a favorite. Let me know what you think.

The Granola

* 2 Cups of Oalmeal
* 1/4 Cup of Honey (use sugar or whatever liquid sweetener you want)
* 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
* 1/8 Teaspoon of Nutmeg
* 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar

   Mix this all together in a bowl and bake it on a baking sheet for 30 minutes on 325 and let it cool. Break it up.

The Peach Filling

* 6 Cups of Canned Peaches in Heavy Syrup, drained (2 big cans)
* 1/2 Cup of Granulated Sugar
* 1 Teaspoon of vanilla
* 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Chop Peaches into smaller pieces. I cut them with scissors in the bowl, it's quick and easy. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cool completely.

Pie Crust

I keep frozen crust around but store bought it fine too for this. Cut in the shape of leaves or use a press. I use freehand but a fondant press can be picked up at any baking store. Once you have as many leaves as you want ups just sprinkle them with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes on 350.

The Build

   Okay, here is the fun part. You can use cool whip or whip up your own whipped cream but get it ready.

* Layer of Granola
* Layer of Peach Filling
* Layer of Whipped Cream
* Top with a leaf

Devour!

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Cherry Peach Crostata

7/17/2012

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What is a crostata you ask? It's nothing fancy, just a pie without a pan and it's delicious! I make these when I have extra fruit around or vegetables with a little change to a couple of ingredients in the dough. You can make several batches of the dough and freeze them. This makes it easy to whip one up any time you want. I'll add a picture below of a little variation using a jar rather than the traditional way.

The Crust

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated or superfine sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/4 pound lard, diced(1 stick of butter will do if you like)
8 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor or bowl and mix a bit to combine.
Add butter and lard a bit at a time and pulse to mix until it becomes pea size in the mix.
Add ice water a bit at a time until it forms a dough.
Cut in half, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Freeze what you don't want to use for the next time.

The Filling

Ingredients

5 peaches
1/2 cup of cherries
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
A dash of nutmeg

Directions

Heat over to 400 degrees.
Peel and slice peaches. Quick way to peel these is to place in boiling water to 30 seconds, dip in ice water and rub the skin of with a paper towel. Works like a charm!
Pit cherries and leave in half slices.
Place fruit in a large bowl and mix all other filling ingredients in.
Roll our a dough half in a well floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick.
Place rolled dough on a parchment or nonstick surface on a baking sheet.
Fill with a layer of fruit filling leave a 2 inch border to fold up around the fruit.
Fold the remaining dough border up around the fruit.
Repeat with the second half of dough.
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not over bake! Trust me, when the crust is brown, the fruit is softened.
Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a plate.

Enjoy!

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Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

6/25/2012

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This is a very simple recipe that my mom Carla used to make for our family growing up and so did many other moms. We would just stand over the kitchen waiting for it to be done only to be told every time that it had to cool off. We'd sulk off or mumble about how we didn't see why it made any darn difference since. I don't ever remember ever having leftovers in the house! I have also been making this since I became a wife and mom on days when I want to show my family some love. They love this dish, mostly rushing through dinner making sure to save room for their banana pudding. This is easy to make, only takes about twenty minutes or so to make and will be a staple in your recipe book the first time you make it. Don't let that meringue make you nervous, it's so easy.

Banana Pudding

Ingredients

2 Large boxes of cook and serve Jello banana pudding. The instant stuff just doesn't taste the same!
5 Bananas. Make sure they are not under or overripe.
1 Box of vanilla wafers
6 Cups of milk

Directions

Make banana pudding according to directions for making pudding.
Line a large casserole dish with vanilla wafers
Slice bananas and place a layer over the vanilla wafers
Pour half of the pudding over the bananas and repeat the vanilla wafer and banana step. Finish this by pouring the remaining pudding over the top.
Now slip vanilla wafers in a ring around the edge of the casserole dish. I'll post a picture below for this part.

The Meringue

Ingredients

6 Eggs Whites
2 dashes Cream of tartar
1 teaspoon of Vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Separate the eggs and whip them a bit, add those dashed of cream of tartar and then add sugar slowly about 30 seconds after you start to whip. Whip until firm peaks for. To check this simply make sure that when you pull the beater up that it looks like a little mountain peak. Picture below. You did it!
Spread your beautiful meringue over the pudding and pop it in the oven until it turns light brown.
Take it out, fight off the family fiends with their spoons and lock it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Enjoy and make sure you get some!

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream

6/20/2012

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Chocolate, stout, baileys and sprinkles. What's not to love? This recipe was the hit of our St. Patrick's Day celebration this year. Yes, the guys loved the idea of a booze cupcake but they were also delicious and devoured quickly. I adapted my cupcake recipe from here, one of the best sites I know of if you are a cake addict. She got the recipe from here. The recipes are all about a large community of baker's who have a passion for food and recipes that we have found to work and we share it with gusto! We have some of our own originals but we also know what works and give credit where it's due. Now onto this recipe!

I start with a good chocolate stout instead of Guinness, this one is outstanding for recipes and as an ice cold sippy.

The Cupcake

Ingredients:

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa (plus more for dusting finished cupcakes if so desired)
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch fine salt
1 bottle stout beer (recommended: Guinness)
1 stick butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
¾ cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
In another medium mixing bowl, combine the stout, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at time. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
Lightly grease 24 muffin tins. Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each ¾ full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 12 to 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out.

The Buttercream

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

7 cups confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
3 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

Whip that butter into submission and light in color.
Add Half of the powdered sugar and whip until it's fully mixed in.
Add the Bailey's Irish Cream and half of the heavy cream. Mix a few seconds until it is mixed in.
Add the other half of the powdered sugar and the remaining cream. Whip it until it is mixed and fluffed into a beautiful buttercream.

Frost, decorate, devour!

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Forward>>

My Kitchen

Summer Refresher

Peach Crumble Dessert Cups

Cherry Peach Crostata

The Crust

The Filling

Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

The Meringue

Enjoy!

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream

The Cupcake

The Buttercream

Frost, decorate, devour!

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