Twisting Eggless Tiramisu

Normal Eggless Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml; 8 oz) whipping cream
• 1 cup (225 g; 8 oz) Mascarpone cheese
• 2-3 Tbs sugar to taste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbs amaretto or rum
• 2 1/2 cups (591 ml; 20 oz) strong cold coffee
• 200 g (about 7 oz) ladyfingers
• cocoa for dusting

Instructions

1. Whip cream, sugar and vanilla. Add Mascarpone cheese and amaretto or rum.
2. Pour coffee into a shallow dish. Dip enough ladyfingers in coffee to cover the base of a 6×9 inch (15×24 cm; 4 cups volume) square dish. Add a part of the cream mixture and level out. Repeat layers 1 or 2 times, ending with the cream.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Dust with cocoa before serving.

Twisting the recipe:

Option one: Instead of amaretto or rum cut back on the coffee and add more Tbs of Kalhua or Cinnamon Kalhua

Option two: instead of lady fingers use your favorite sponge cake and slice it thin. With that you can leave out the coffee and add strawberries or cherry’s with a cherry liquor.

 

Option Three: Add cinnamon to the cocoa you dust on the top.

Why wait for Christmas for your favorite cookies. Part 1

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies that disappear quickly. Combination of Quaker Oats Recipe and Alton Brown Recipe.
Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup(s) (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

• 1/2 Cup(s) firmly packed brown sugar

• 1/2 Cup(s) granulated sugar

• 2 Eggs

• 1 Teaspoon(s) vanilla

• 1-1/2 Cup(s) Oat Bran

• 1 Teaspoon(s) Baking Soda

• 1 Teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon

• 1/2 Teaspoon(s) salt (optional)

• 2 Cup(s) Quaker^® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

• 1 Cup(s) raisins

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined oat bran, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Crescent Moon Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened

1 Land O Lakes® Egg

1 1/2 teaspoons almond flavoring

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

powdered sugar

Preparation:

Combine powdered sugar, butter, egg and almond flavoring in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, cream of tartar and baking soda; beat at low speed until well mixed.

Divide dough into quarters. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375°F.

Roll each quarter (keeping remaining dough refrigerated) into 4 (10-inch) ropes. Cut each rope into 4 (2 1/2-inch) pieces. Shape each piece into crescent. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. (Cookies do not brown.)
Sprinkle remaining half with powdered sugar. Store between sheets of waxed paper in covered containers.

Hazelnut Ball Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, divided
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup finely chopped hazelnut

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat butter, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Add nuts; mix well.
• Shape dough into 48 (1-inch) balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on baking sheets.
• Bake 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies, 1 at a time, in remaining sugar in small bowl until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely.

ARRRRRRHGH! Or whatever!

Tomorrow is talk like a pirate day.

Rewards your friends and family with these wonderful little cupcakes. Made with Devils Food Cake, Whipped Cream Frosting and the decorations I picked up at the JoAnn’s. The decorations are by Wilton and they make everything from witches to turkeys.

Sand cake, old german style pound cake.

Sand cake, starts by beating together one cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar till well blended. Then add 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Then add 3/4 cup of sifted flour and 3/4 cup of potato starch. Finish off the batter with 1 tsp of vanilla and 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 45 to 60 mins. Test doneness with a toothpick.
Enjoy with strawberries or some fruit and whipped cream. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Apple pancake……hmmmmm.

This recipe requires a 10-inch oven proof pan, I used a cast iron skillet when I made this recipe and it turned out great.
Batter: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces), 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg (using fresh is always better), 2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter (melted), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Apple mixture: Cooking spray, 1/2 cup granulated sugar (divided), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg, 1 cup thinly sliced Granny Smith or other firm tart apple.
Remaining ingredients: 1 tablespoon powdered sugar.
Prepare batter, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Let stand 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Prepare apple mixture, coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch ovenproof skillet with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; sprinkle evenly over bottom and sides of pan. Arrange apple in even spokelike layer in pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Slowly pour batter over apple mixture.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 (do not remove pancake from oven); bake an additional 13 minutes or until center is set. Carefully loosen pancake with spatula. Gently slide pancake onto serving platter. Sift powdered sugar over top.
Great quick and easy warm snack for 6.

Something quick and yummy…with store refrigerated biscuits.

I’ve talked about making things with Pillsbury rolls but now for something else yummy and easy.
Carmel Bubbles
1 can of refrigerated biscuits (small biscuits not the big ones)
1/4 cup and 2 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons water.
Grease a 9″ cake pan set aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt brown sugar, butter and water together till nice and mixed and smooth.
Cut each biscuit into four pieces and roll them in the brown sugar mix with spoon and place in the cake pan.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-15 mins. Remove from oven let rest about a min then flip over onto a plate and hand everyone a fork. be sure to let it cool before you start popping them into your mouth.

Jam filled Biscuits
Oven preheated to 350 degrees. Put parchment paper on a backing sheet.
1 can of Big refrigerated biscuits
Your flavor of jam and/or chocolate morsels
Separate the biscuits and place a few morsels and say about 1/2 tsp, jam in the center and then press the edges shut. Sprinkle top with little sugar.
Then back about 12-14 min. Serve warm.
Not much work but they are yummy.

Cookies….Cookies!

Here are a few from this fun plate.
Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies (Crisco Recipe)
3/4 cup Crisco Butter Flavor Shortening or 1 Butter flavored Baking Stick
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
Makes 3 dozen.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. coat baking sheets with no-stick spray. Beat shortening, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Beat into shortening mixture until smooth. Stir in oats, dried cranberries and walnuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Almond Lace Wafers (can’t remember where my mom found this recipe, it’s really old.)
3/4 cup ground unblanched almonds
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon milk
Ground almonds until mealy. Combine nuts with all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low stirring constantly until butter melts. Then remove from heat. Drop by teaspoonfuls on non-stick cookie sheets about 3 inches apart, they will spread. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 6 mins or until they turn a light caramel color with bubbly enter. Let stand on sheet for about 1/2 minute then transfer to paper towel to cool. They will be very fragile but very delicious.

Chocolate Scotcheroos (very old recipe too)
Bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan. Remove from heat. add in 1 cup peanut butter, mix well. then add 6 cups Rice Krispies. Press into buttered 13″ X 9″ pan. Melt in another pan a 6 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate morsels and 6 oz package of butterscotch morsels. Spread over krispies and chill till firm.

Rum Balls (although this year I also used Kahlua)
1 cup vanilla wafers crushed
1 cup chopped nuts, I’ve used everything from walnuts to pecans, even almonds.
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp. rum
2 tbsp. brandy
2 1/2 tbsp. Karo syrup
2 tbsp. chocolate powder

Mix it all together and roll into balls. Then roll in extra powdered sugar.
You can substitute whiskey or other alcohol for the rum and brandy.
We tried the new Cinnamon Spice Kahlua for one batch, it was great.

Cooking with beer, Grimm Brothers Beer!

Well Grimm Brothers Brewhouse is doing another event, this time to benefit House of Neighborly Service. What makes this event fun is they will be having 5 courses using 5 different Grimm Brothers Brew. You will learn how to create each course. Hear the Grimm Brothers beer story and take home two recipes from the evening. They also plan on having door prizes. It cost $30 per person and the reservations have been limited to 97.

At the time writing this I was told they only have 20 spaces left. To make reservations call 970.635.1985 Wapiti Colorado Pub, located at the Mariana Butte Golf Course. It takes place Weds Nov. 9 from 6 to 10 pm.

Just to get that appetite moving here is a Chocolate Stout cake recipe.

For the Cake, 2 cups stout, 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 cups all purpose flour, 4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 4 large eggs, 1 1/3 cups sour cream
For Icing, 2 cups whipping cream, 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter the  paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

For icing:
Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

This recipe can also be found at Epicurious.com

Fall party food.

If your having close to 12 people over and want to be somewhat easy on yourself my I suggest.

Choucroute Garni

1 medium onion sliced or diced, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 pounds slow cooked baby-back ribs cut into 3 rib potions, 1 lb smoked pork chops,  1lb bratwurst, 32oz of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained, 2 cooking apples peeled cored and cut into wedges, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 4 whole cloves, 3 juniper berries crushed, 2 small cloves garlic minced, 1 bay leaf, 1/8 tsp pepper 1 1/2 cup Rhine wine, boiled potatoes.

Cook onion in sauce pan till wilted in olive oil. Place in large crock pot. add ribs, chops. Mix sauerkraut and next 7 ingredients spoon over top of meat, pour the wine over all. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Before time to serve, get potatoes and cook bratwurst and add to serving dish. This can also be prepared in a dutch oven.

We served this the other night with a Pineapple cheesecake

Make in a 9-inch springform pan, with graham cracker crust. 1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, 1 pound cream cheese, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 large eggs, lightly beaten.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drain the pineapple thoroughly, pressing to remove as much liquid as possible. Reserve the juice for the topping. In large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until very smooth. Add the pineapple and stir to blend. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hour. While the cake is baking, prepare the topping. 2 cups sour cream, 2 tbsp pineapple juice, 3 tbsp sugar, gently mix together. When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and increase the oven temp to 450 degrees. Pour the topping mixture over the cake and place the cake back int he oven. Bake for 5 mins, then allow to cool in oven with the door open slightly for 1 hour. Chill. ( found this one in The joy of Cheesecake).

 

Surpise them and still use a Store cake mix.

Take a Devils food or Dark Chocolate cake mix and add, mini morsels or a couple squirts of Raspberry agave to it.
French Vanilla or regular white cake, take some chopped pineapple and sprinkle it on top and then let them find the surprising fresh taste inside.