This key lime cupcake recipe makes not only remarkable, standard size cakes, but amazing mini- and micro- cupcakes for single or two bite desserts. Simply reduce the baking time, removing the cupcakes when they are just beginning to become golden and a testing toothpick comes out clean.
What is a micro-cupcake?
Continue reading "Key Lime Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream Frosting" »
In honor of the first Packers game of the NFL season, I’m sending Packers cupcakes to UTPA with Ken tomorrow. One of the other guys in his department is from Wisconsin and is also a diehard fan. Together they can celebrate with these Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with a Dark Chocolate Ganache filling. The “grass” frosting is vanilla butter cream.
Go Packers!
This is one of the ugliest pieces of tiramisu I’ve seen in a while, but it was one of the few
pieces left because it was light and delicious!
Last night we had dinner with the other faculty that went to Florence summer 2011. We, of course, ate an Italian dinner and I brought a Tiramisu for dessert which I came to realize that I have never blogged.
I plan to make tiramisu in Florence during summer 2012 since last year we were able to buy the most delicious Lady Finger cookies that had a hint of citrus. They were amazing! Plus, the moka coffee is a delight and will add depth to the flavor that even Italian roast cannot match.
These are Madeleine’s requested Minion Cupcakes that I made for her third grade class birthday celebration.
When I think of cardamom, my waters for a Christmas time favorite cardamom bread. But Gregory, hungry for cookies and eager to bake, discovered this recipe in the always faithful Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook. He’s a fan of the savory cardamom spice and decided to give these a try.
It’s also worth noting that this is a cookie with nuts for kids who don’t like nuts in their cookies.
main table, right view
My husband and I enjoy entertaining: dinner, desserts and coffee, Sunday dinner or birthday celebrations, and at least one annual holiday party during Advent. While I have a few recipes that I’ve come to be known for (cheesecake) and could serve at every party and no one would complain, I do like to mix things up a little.
Question: How can I remember what was served and who attended?
Continue reading "Party Planning Hints – Party/Event Debriefing Cards" »
I wasn’t a cupcake fan until I discovered these ... Guinness and Bailey’s Cupcakes.
Chewy edge or moist center? That’s the dilemma.
Do you realize that it is now possible to purchase a baking pan where every piece has an edge. Really! There’s no endorsement here, just a certain curiosity… though while I’m mentioning it, the website is hilarious.
These chewy and moist brownies tickle the taste buds in every bite.
Continue reading "Fudgy Brownies: Chewy Edge VS. Moist Center" »
Creamy peanut butter fudge that is sure to delight any sweet tooth.
Ken was a little skeptical at first since it’s made in the microwave and not on the stove top. Would there be enough control of temperature and checking for the consistency of the candy? Yes. The recipe appears to be fool proof as peanut butter is much less temperamental than chocolate.
Having grown up in the heart of dairyland one of Ken’s favorite desserts at any time of year is cream puffs.
On Friday of this week we are having a small party – desserts and coffee (though actually we’ve more red wine drinkers than coffee drinkers). I finalized the menu and shopped on Monday and then began the baking. Yesterday was peanut butter chocolate kiss cookies and simple sugar cookies (Alton Brown) that will be filled with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar (a multi step cookie creation based on what I have in mind). Today… mini pecan tarts and peanut butter fudge (also Alton Brown).
Continue reading "Mini Pecan Tarts (with tips for preparation)" »
Each year we try to find some sort of cute and edible table decoration for Thanksgiving. Here’s a Thanksgiving tasty turkey table top treasure made with Oreo cookies, malted milk balls and candy corn.
These were a hit!
Continue reading "Thanksgiving Table Decoration (Oreo Cookie Turkey)" »
Today I made dozens upon dozens of molasses cookies from the family recipe that has come down through the generations. I remember these being made at my Grandma Garland’s house and I’ve come to learn that they were my grandpa’s number one choice of cookie. He especially liked them when they were seasoned with a heavy hand on the cloves.
As it turns out not only was this my grandpa’s favorite, but it is now the hands down favorite in my own house. Gregory will request these if he knows that I’m about to bake and Ken chooses them over even Congo Squares. Even Madeleine eats and enjoys them.
Flipping again through my favorite UK food magazines, I spied an advertisement which I cannot tell you what the product was, but what I can tell you is that it had a slice of marbled ice cream that appeared to have been prepared in a loaf pan. There was no accompanying recipe, no source of information, yet suddenly an idea was born. I pondered.
Now I’m certain that this is not a new fangled dessert, it’s too easy to be such, but it was the first time that it had occurred to me to put ice cream into a shape other than a) cone 2) dish or 3) Baked Alaska. How ‘cool’ is that?
These are some of the most delicious chocolate cupcakes ever. There’s Guinness in the chocolate cupcake batter, a ganache of dark, bittersweet chocolate and Bailey’s that lies in wait in the midst of the cake like a hidden treasure, and the whole thing is topped with butter cream frosting laced with more Bailey’s. Mmmm….mmm…mmmm! These could be a new go to dessert for a less formal meal.
How beautiful this looked on the cover … impressive .. fit for company.. a splendid dessert sure to please. In planning the menu (desserts and wine) for an annual leadership thank you party I saw the cover photo and then the recipe (not difficult to follow) and thought it would be a nice change from my usual “mocha cream roll” (a yule log of sorts that has been a party staple for years). I even showed a friend the magazine and she remarked how wonderful it would be to try it. Sadly, I was disappointed; and though my guests were very complimentary, it did not live up to the standards that I set for the party.
Continue reading "bon appetit’s Peppermint Meringue Cake with Chocolate Buttercream" »
This evening we’re hosting our annual Advent – Christmas Party to thank the leadership that work with me throughout the year. This year’s menu of desserts and red wine includes a new Peppermint Yule Log and of course, the annually requested New York Style Cheesecake with cherries.
This cheesecake is a long time staple in our family; it’s been in my recipe box for nearly 20 years and in my mother’s long before that.
A traditional recipe from our family heritage and an opportunity to pass along a lesson in baking from grandmother to granddaughter.
When we lived in North Dakota a woman named Betty Lou made the hands down, best, (should be) award winning rhubarb dessert ever. It was tart, yet sweet and the shortbread cookie style crust was buttery and flaky. We enjoyed it several times at her home and at potluck dinners -- she always took home a clean dish as there was never a single bite left. When I asked her about the recipe, she handed me a yellowed newspaper clipping that had been hand edited to double the recipe. I asked for a pen and paper to write down the information. "No, no. Just take it. I know how it's done," she replied. Once home I immediately attached it to a recipe card and covered it in plastic, knowing that this would be a family heirloom. It is!
As I was walking through the produce department while picking up a few items for dinner, a couple boxes of beautiful figs caught my eye. They were perfectly ripe.
Dessert!
Now you have to understand that dessert is not a regular occurrence at our table, not because we don't like it ... trust me, my kids would have dessert after every meal, including breakfast if I'd let them ... but because most of the desserts that we yearn for are rich, creamy, high calorie, high fat, decadent plates that delight all the senses.
