Margarita on the Rocks

September 6, 2015

Relax! It’s almost Labor Day! Before the weather starts to cool off, why not enjoy this ice cold margarita! This is the first margarita recipe I have found that isn’t so tart and doesn’t burn my throat while going down. Maybe that has something to do with the brand of tequila used. The guy at Spec’s recommended Toro de Lidia tequila. “It has a mid shelf price with a top shelf flavor”. So he said…..and I have to agree with him. This recipe also uses super fine sugar instead of a simple syrup, which is a plus since it is one less thing I have to do to get my margarita! Just be sure to shake that cocktail shaker well (shake it like a Polaroid picture) to get that sugar mixed in. Enjoy!

Margarita on the Rocks

Yield: 1

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
3/4 ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon super fine sugar
Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

Roll lime on hard surface to break down membranes and yield more juice. Halve lime crosswise. Spread an even layer of kosher salt or fine sea salt on plate. Using a 10 ounce glass, lightly rub lime around outside of rim. Lightly press glass rim into salt, tap off excess. Fill glass with ice and store in freezer to chill while preparing margarita.
Fill cocktail shaker with ice, pour all ingredients in, except for lime garnish and shake vigorously. Strain with cocktail strainer into prepared cocktail glass. Garnish with lime.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

August 15, 2015

Broccoli is not my favorite thing to eat, but slather some cheese on top and it becomes my favorite side dish! Pairs well with meatloaf, or anything else you can think of.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Yield: 6

No Ratings

Ingredients

2 pound broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets with about 2 inches of stem attached
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water
6 ounces sharp or mild white cheddar
Kosher salt

Instructions

In large, deep saucepan bring 1 inch of water to boil. Fill steamer basket with broccoli, add to saucepan, cover, and steam over high heat until broccoli is crisp and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer broccoli to platter.
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, melt butter. Add flour and whisk over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add milk and cream. Cook whisking until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add mustard and cheese and cook over low heat until the cheese is melted. Season sauce with salt and serve with broccoli.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 349Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 320mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 16g

Adapted from Food and Wine

Jamie Eason's Pumped Up Protein Pancakes

August 3, 2015

I am in the process of doing Jamie Eason’s Post Pregnancy Fitness Trainer program. No, I didn't just have a baby, but I thought it would be a good training program to get me back on track with my training since recovering from my myomectomy surgery back in June. The surgery went great! And I had a great doctor and nursing staff to care for me while I was recovering in the hospital for 3 days. And my husband Craig and his mom were by my side taking care of me at home during the 6 weeks of recovery. I am very blessed to have people that care for me so much, it made the recovery process easier to get through I think. Now I am ready to get back to my normal routine, and that means getting back to training and eating right. I am a little more conscious of what I am eating these days since after reading up on fibroids there are some foods that may help keep them away. I have been switching to all organic meats and produce, and trying to incorporate more wild fish and greens into my diet. As well as ditching the coffee, but I couldn’t quit cold turkey. Right now I am doing half-caff in hopes of switching to decaffeinated soon.

One of the recipes I found for Jamie Eason’s Post Pregnancy Workout is these protein pancakes! They make a lot so you can easily save them and reheat them in the toaster for an easy breakfast throughout the week. But being the foodie that I am I had to put my take on it. I used the strawberry filling from my Strawberry Shortcake recipe for the topping on these and just switched out the granulated sugar with coconut sugar. It really takes these pancakes to the next level.

Jamie Eason's Pumped Up Protein Pancakes

Yield: 18

4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)

Ingredients

STRAWBERRY TOPPING

2 1/2 pounds organic strawberries, hulled
6 tablespoons coconut sugar

PANCAKES

3 cups oat flour
3 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites

Instructions

STRAWBERRY TOPPING

In a large bowl, crush 3 cups strawberries in large bowl with potato masher. Slice remaining strawberries. Stir sliced strawberries and coconut sugar into crushed berries. Set aside until sugar has dissolved and berries are juicy, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

PANCAKES

In large bowl mix together oat flour, protein powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, mix almond milk, yogurt, applesauce, vanilla extract and eggs. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Use 1/3 cup measure and scoop out batter and pour onto preheated skillet. Cook about 2 minutes on each side.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 3gSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 10gProtein: 13g

Coca-Cola Sloppy Joes

July 27, 2015

Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links.

This is one of those meals that takes me back to my childhood. My mom would always make sloppy joes because they were easy and affordable. For mine, I use organic ground beef or grass-fed beef and use organic ketchup as well as organic veggies just to keep out any unnecessary additives. I usually try to make my recipes with as little processed ingredients possible, but I have a special place in my heart for Coca-Cola!

Growing up this was my soda of choice, and now that I am all grown up I seldom drink it, but I do collect all things Coca-Cola!!! From the tin signs, the Christmas polar bear, Coca-Cola dishes (pictured here), Coca-Cola town square to my Coca-Cola Christmas tree that I put up every year.

And any time I do use or drink Coca-Cola I go for the Mexican coke from Mexico. It's made with real sugar and not high fructose corn syrup and in my opinion tastes exceptionally better. Mexican coke can usually be found in the international foods aisle in your grocery store if you want to give it a try.

Adapted from Coca-Cola Refreshing Recipes Cookbook

Coca-Cola Sloppy Joes

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A comfort food favorite made with ground beef, vegetables and Coca Cola!

5.0 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

1 pound organic ground beef
1 organic onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup organic green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Mexican Coca-Cola
1/2 cup organic ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon organic Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons organic dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 Hamburger buns, toasted

Instructions

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove cooked beef and drain excess fat. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet and cook until onions are translucent. Add cooked beef back into skillet.
Add remaining ingredients, (except buns) and stir until combined. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve meat mixture on hamburger buns.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 535Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 912mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 37g

*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*

Strawberry Shortcakes

July 12, 2015

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sure, it's so easy to buy the premade shortcakes at the grocery store bakery, but trust me, these Strawberry Shortcakes are with the effort of making them homemade!

And they're not as hard to make as you might think. Just mix up the biscuit dough and make the strawberry topping and whip up the cream and that's it! You can even make these a few hours in advance before guest arrive to create an impressive dessert for friends.

Check out these biscuits! I love that they have that sugary crust on top to give these strawberry shortcakes a bit of texture.

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Did you make this recipe? I’d love to see it! Tag The Cake Chica on Instagram @thecakechica1 #thecakechica1

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Strawberry Shortcakes

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 47 minutes

Homemade biscuits with a sugary sweet crust, filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

No Ratings

Ingredients

SPECIAL TOOLS

STRAWBERRIES

2 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

BISCUITS

2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

STRAWBERRIES

In a large bowl, with a potato masher, mash about 3 cups of the strawberries. Slice the remaining 5 cups strawberries and stir into the crushed berries and add sugar. Stir to combine and set aside until sugar has dissolved and berries are juicy, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

BISCUITS

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, process 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Sprinkle butter over top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 15 pulses. Pour mixture into a large bowl.
In another bowl whisk together the half and half, and whole egg until combined. Stir into the flour mixture until large clumps form. Invert dough onto a light flowered counter and knead lightly until the dough comes together, being sure not to overwork the dough.
Form a 9 by 6 inch rectangle with ¾ inch thickness and with a 2 ¾ inch biscuit cutter, cut out 6 dough rounds. Place dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 ½ inch space around the dough rounds. Brush top of each dough round with egg white and sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over the tops.
Bake the biscuits until they are golden brown, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotation the pan halfway through baking. Let biscuits cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

WHIPPED CREAM

In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment attached, beat whip cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip for about 1 to 3 minutes until soft peaks form. Don’t over mix or the whipped cream will start to lose its smooth and creamy texture.

ASSEMBLE

Split each biscuit in half and place bottoms on individual plates. Spoon portion of strawberries over each bottom half, dollop with whipped cream and place other half of biscuit on top. Top with more whipped cream and strawberries and serve immediately.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: Unbaked biscuits can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap for up to 2 hours.

STORAGE: Cooled biscuits can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day. Before assembling, reheat in 350 degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 610Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 461mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 5gSugar: 36gProtein: 9g

*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

July 5, 2015

This Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting doesn't look too fancy but one bite and you'll see why it's a family favorite. The texture of this cake is soft and fluffy. Then it's covered with an incredibly rich and smooth chocolate frosting. Simple yet delicious!!!

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Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Yield: 12 servings

No Ratings

Ingredients

CAKE

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, separated, plus 3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

FROSTING

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or chocolate of your choice, melted and cooled

Instructions

CAKE

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch sides with non-stick baking spray. In a large bowl, add flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks (6 total), oil and vanilla.
Fit a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip until whites are fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and whip until glossy and stiff peaks form about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer egg whites to a bowl and set aside.
In the now empty mixer bowl, add flour and mix on low speed, slowly pour buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture while the mixer is running. Whip batter for about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl and continue to whip on medium-low speed until smooth and completely combined about 10 to 15 seconds.
Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of egg whites into batter, then add remaining egg whites and gently fold together until no whites remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans and smooth tops with a rubber spatula and lightly tap pans on counter to release air bubbles.
Bake until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans their pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from their pans and let cool at least 2 hours before frosting.

FROSTING

While cakes cool prepare frosting. In a food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until combined about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary and continue to process until smooth, about 10 to 15 seconds.

ASSEMBLE

Place 1 cake layer on the cake platter or pedestal and place about 1 cup of frosting in the center of cake, using a large cake spatula, spread in an even layer right to the edge of the cake. Place second layer of cake on top making sure the cake layers are lined up. Then add remaining frosting on top, and spread frosting to the edges and onto the sides of the cake. Create billows by pressing the back of a spoon into the frosting and twirl spoon as you lift away.

Notes

Cooled cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Wrapped tightly in plastic, then aluminum foil, cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw cakes at room temperature before unwrapping and frosting.

Frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours before frosting cake or refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Beef, Vegetable and Barley Soup

June 28, 2015

This is a perfect family meal to make on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s super easy. Once all the veggies are chopped it all goes into the pot and simmers for 1 hour. Add the beans last and simmer for another 30 minutes and you are ready to eat. This makes a large batch of soup so invite your friends and family over to enjoy it with you.

Beef, Vegetable and Barley Soup

Yield: 8

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 2 3/4 pounds flat cut brisket, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 cups beef stock
3 8-ounce canned tomato sauce
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 1-ounce package dried stemmed shiitake mushrooms, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
3 15-ounce canned kidney beans, not drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except beans in a heavy large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally about 2-3 times. Add beans with their liquid to pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Season salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 565Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 880mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 13gSugar: 8gProtein: 67g

Adapted from Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

May 26, 2015

So I don’t know if you have heard but Texas is getting pounded with rain right now. Here in the Houston area we had a storm come through last night and it took its sweet time blowing through as well. Thunder… lightning… hail… wind, we had it all! Thankfully I live in a suburb of Houston and didn’t experience much of the flooding that the city did. I turned on the TV this morning to hear people were stranded on freeways all night due to flooding. It’s just a little crazy right now. But in the short time it wasn’t raining this weekend I had the chance to make this amazing beef stew. It’s a pretty easy process just takes a little time to slow cook that beef to make it nice and tender. Craig said this was the best beef stew he has ever had! Give this one a try and I think you will agree!

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

Yield: 6

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 3 pound boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled apart at the silver skin, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other full bodied red wine
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound small red potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Brown meat on all sides in 2 batches , about 5 minutes per batch, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil if necessary. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now-empty pot and cook until almost softened about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium heat and add garlic, cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until lightly colored, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pot. Add broth, bay leaves, and thyme and bring to simmer. Add meat and return to a simmer. Cover and place in preheated oven and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove pot from oven. Add potatoes and carrots, cover pot and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven.
Stir in peas and let stand about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 535Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 735mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 52g

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Cookbook

Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

May 3, 2015

Hi guys, it feels like it has been awhile since I posted but it’s only been about 2 weeks. In any case I missed blogging, and baking! I’ve had a busy last two weeks so that’s why I have been away for a couple of weeks. But I am back at it again! I mentioned to Craig this week how I missed baking and I need to get back to it this weekend! So this weekend I picked my favorite oatmeal raisin cookie. I love that this cookie stays soft and chewy on the inside once completely cooled, and develops a nice sugary-like crust on the outside. Just perfect! Try them, I think you’ll agree.

Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Yield: 30 cookies

No Ratings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a full sized baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg together and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
With mixer on low speed slowly add dry ingredients until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in oats and raisins until combined. Give dough a final stir to make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Chill dough in refrigerator for 10 minutes to make dough easier to work with.
Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake until cookies turn golden brown around edges, about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

New England Clam Chowder

April 12, 2015

The year was 1994, I was 13 years old and on my summer vacation. My grandparents would always travel so they took me on one of their vacations that summer to San Francisco. Our means of travel was a van with a bed in the back, and we slept at rest stops and showered at camp sites. I went along on trips with my grandparents like this several times. At one time we even had about 10 people in that one van traveling the U.S. that was an experience but this trip was probably my favorite because it was just me and my grandparents and I could go anywhere I wanted to go all I had to do was ask. And well I asked to go to Hollywood LOL. But before we went there we went to San Francisco and I am glad we did. It was there that I had my first bowl of clam chowder. I had always been scared of it. Anything creamy and white I wouldn’t eat as a kid. My mom would always have cans of New England clam chowder in the pantry and I just thought it was gross looking. Well, I still think canned soup is pretty gross, but thanks to San Francisco’s Fishermans Warf I tried some clam chowder for the first time that year.

Some people were even getting some in these bread bowl things. I had never seen that before. It was a pretty awesome experience happening right there by the water. Ever since then I have been eating clam chowder and loving it. I couldn’t wait to find a great homemade recipe to add to my recipe repertoire and this is what I found!

New England Clam Chowder

Yield: 4

No Ratings

Ingredients

3 cups water
6 pounds medium hard-shell clams, scrubbed
4 slices bacon, chopped fine
2 onions, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 8-ounce bottles clam juice
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add clams, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir clams, cover and continue to cook until they just begin to open, about 2 to 5 minutes. Once clams begin to open, transfer them to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Discard any unopened clams.
Measure out 2 cups clam steaming liquid, (avoiding any gritty sediment) and set aside. Using a paring knife, remove clam meat from shells and coarsely chop.
In a clean Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in onions and celery and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in bottled clam juice and clam steaming liquid, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in potatoes and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Stir in cream and return to a simmer. Off heat, remove bay leaf and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in clams, cover and let stand until clams are warmed, about 1 minute and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 489Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 446mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 21g

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook

Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake

April 5, 2015

***Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links.***

Today I am revising an old favorite. Chocolate and raspberry is probably my favorite cake combination. And for my birthday I chose to update this cake favorite of mine. Chocolate and raspberry is good all on its own, but add some luxurious chocolate ganache and raspberry filling and I am in cake heaven!

Cake Tips:

I've recently switched to using non-stick baking spray for prepping my cake pans. It's quick and easy and has never let me down. Prefer the old-fashioned way? Trace the bottom of your cake pan on parchment paper and cut out. Rub a light coating of shortening inside the cake pan. Place parchment circle on the bottom and press. Rub the bottom of the parchment paper with shortening. Lightly coat the cake pan with flour or cocoa powder. You're all set!
To get your cake layers as even as possible I've started weighing the cake pans after filling them with cake batter. No need to get the exact number (you could be there awhile) just as long as you get it fairly close. This will get your cake layers close to the same size and bake for the same time.

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Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake

Yield: 12 servings

No Ratings

Ingredients

CAKE

2 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large organic eggs
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

GANACHE AND RASPBERRY TOPPING

18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon Chambord or other raspberry liqueur
6 tablespoons organic seedless raspberry jam, stirred to loosen, divided
2 6-ounces containers fresh organic raspberries
Powdered sugar

Instructions

CAKE

Position an oven rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat two 8-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl whisk water, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Divide cake batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pans on cooling racks.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. In a heavy medium saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Stir ganache until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in Chambord. Transfer 1 1/4 cups ganache to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ganache is thick enough to spread, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let remaining ganache sit at room temperature to cool until lukewarm.
Place rack inside rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean up. Carefully run knife around cake pan edges to release cakes. Place cakes on flat surface and level cakes by cutting off domes that may have formed. Invert 1 cake layer onto a 6-inch cardboard cake round. Peel off parchment paper and place cake layer on prepared baking rack. Spread 3 tablespoons jam over top. Spoon dollops of chilled ganache over and spread evenly. Place second cake layer on top of first cake layer and spread remaining jam on top of second cake layer. Spoon remaining chilled ganache on top and spread over jam. Pour half of lukewarm ganache over cake, spreading over top and sides to cover. Freeze until ganache sets, about 30 minutes. Pour remaining ganache of cake and spread ganache to cover cake. Freeze to set ganache, about 30 minutes. Let cake stand at room temperature for 2 hours before continuing.

RASPBERRY GARNISH

Arrange raspberries in concentric circles on top of cake. Sift powdered sugar on top just before serving.

Adapted from Bon Appetit June 2010

German Chocolate Cake

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Hot Cocoa Cake

Peanut Butter Cookies

March 28, 2015

Peanut Butter Cookies

These Peanut Butter Cookies have slightly crisp edges with chewy centers and are full of peanut flavor! Made with a mix of extra crunchy peanut butter and ground peanuts which not only help pack in the peanut flavor but also help create a nice rise.

Be prepared, this recipe makes a lot of cookies, about 50. So if you don't need that many, or your mixer bowl isn't large enough, you can half the recipe.

Sugars

This recipe has a blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar. The granulated sugar helps achieve crisp edges and chewy centers, and the brown sugar helps bring the peanut flavor to life. You can use either dark or light brown sugar for this recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookie Tips

I store the cookie dough in the refrigerator while each batch bakes. This will help the dough become more easy to work with when rolling into balls.
Use a small measuring cup, small ice cream scoop or scale to help get the same amount of dough each time.
If your fork starts to stick when making your crosshatching, set aside about 2 tablespoons flour in a small shallow plate, and dip the fork in the flour to keep the dough from sticking.

Make Ahead and Storage

Raw cookies can be made up to 1 month in advance, and baked in a 300 degree oven for 17 to 22 minutes.

Baked cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or stored at room temperature for 1 week. Bring cookies to room temperature before serving.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 50

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Peanut Butter Cookies made with ground peanuts and chunky peanut butter that have slightly crisp edges with chewy centers.

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Ingredients

SPECIAL TOOLS

COOKIES

2 cups salted dry roasted peanuts
5 cups (25 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
32 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, about 65 to 67 degrees
2 cups (14 ounces) packed light brown sugar
2 cups (14 ounces) granulated sugar
2 cups extra crunchy peanut butter, such as Skippy
4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Instructions

COOKIES

Adjust an oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. If you’re using 2 half sized cookie sheets, place on rack on the upper-middle and the lower-middle positions. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a food processor, pulse peanuts to fine crumbs, about 14 pulses. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda until combined and set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until fluffy and pale in color, about 3 minutes. Add peanut butter and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and the eggs one at a time and beat until combined, about 30 seconds scraping down the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add in
the ground peanuts and mix until combined. Give the dough a final stir by hand to ensure all the ingredients are blended, and no flour remains.
Grab 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Place balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet(s). Using the tines of a fork, create a crosshatch pattern in each cookie dough ball. If your fork sticks to the cookie dough, dip the fork in a bit of flour.
Bake cookies until the edges are golden and the centers are puffy, about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pan(s)(and switching pans if using half sized cookie sheets)halfway through baking. Let cookie cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks completely.

Notes

Raw cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month and baked in a 300 degree oven for 17 to 22 minutes.

Baked cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or stored at room temperature for 1 week. Serve cookies at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 193Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 186mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 5g

*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*

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