Recipe: Almond Milk Chocolate Chippers

These turned out amazing. They weren't too "almond-y", and they had just the right amount of chocolate. They are just like regular chocolate chip cookies except instead of vanilla extract, you use almond (or almond-flavored liqueur), and you put in almonds. I thought they were a great cookie for the holidays, or any time of the year really. They would be great to serve for a party or for kids, and of course, I'm sure Santa wouldn't be able to help himself either.

Taste grade: A+

Baking them was really easy too. Like I said, they were just like chocolate chip cookies, but with minor alterations. Little clean-up and easy to make.

Bake grade: A+

Over all, I highly recommend these cookies. Here is the recipe:

Almond Milk Chocolate Chippers (from Santa's Favorite Cookies: Sweet Treats for the Christmas Season, 1999)

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons almond-flavored liqueur*
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. To toast almonds, spread on baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove almonds from pan and cool; set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 375.

Place flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; stir to combine.

Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well blended. Beat in liqueur. Gradually add flour mixture. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in chips and almonds with mixing spoon.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; cool completely.

Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.


*If you don't want to use the liqueur, use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract for 2 tablespoons of liqueur. I used 1/4 of a teaspoon for a very light taste of almond extract.

New Venture!

I remember when I was younger my mom used to take me to Jo-Ann Fabrics about a month or two before Halloween to pick out a sewing pattern for a Halloween costume. We'd get the fabric and all of the materials and I'd watch her sew my costume. She did this until I was about 9 or so. After that, sewing was pretty much out of my mind and realm of things to do.

Recently, after obsessing over certain clothing sites and not being a huge fan of their prices, I thought it would be a cool idea to learn how to sew myself, especially since it seems to be a dying art. I told my mom that I had an interest, and lo and behold she hooked me up this Christmas with a basic Christmas craft- a holiday stocking! I have to say it was a lot of fun. It got me acquainted with the sewing machine and gave me a basic idea on what it meant to actually sew. I learned that a lot of it (most of it, actually) is cutting and ironing. I'm pretty excited to start a new project soon, maybe a shirt or something.

In any case, I'll be adding sewing to this blog too. For those of you who want to learn or already know what it's about and are good at it, maybe you can follow along, give me pointers, or what have you.

Stay tuned!

Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Parties: Review

Over all, I give this book a B.

It has some interesting recipes, but I'm not sure that the end products were the greatest. I felt like the pictures were more flashy than the taste was in most cases. I do have to say, though, it did give me more experience with new dishes (bread pudding, souffles, etc.), that I wouldn't have normally tried, so for that I'm happy I cooked with it. However, I'm pretty eager to move on, haha. I definitely would have to say that it is not a "must have" for the kitchen.

So, what's the next book? Santa's Favorite Cookies: Sweet Treats for the Christmas Season.

Stay tuned!

Recipe: Hot Crab Souffles

Admittedly, I didn't know what to expect as I made this. I've never eaten or made a souffle before, and I have to say it wasn't as I had imagined. In fact, everyone makes a big deal out of making them, but I thought it was incredibly easy to make. The place I felt it was lacking was the taste. It was a lot fluffier than I thought it was going to be, and I didn't feel as though the curry powder was the best spice to use. The problem with curry powder whenever I use it is that I can never seem to balance it out. It always seems like there is something missing to me, but I can't figure out what. I highly suggest that you have something else to go with this dish, like a salad or something. It's too light to eat on its own, unless you are having it for a light lunch.

Taste grade: C

As for cooking it, I thought it was actually kind of fun. I gathered up all of my materials before I made it and had them measured and at the ready. The eggs were the hardest to separate, but I learned that if you crack them in one bowl and then just take a tablespoon measuring spoon and scoop out the yolk, you can get it done fast. It was really cool watching the stiff egg whites mix with the crab mixture, too, and watching it get all fluffy.

Cook grade: A

Here's the recipe:

Hot Crab Souffles (Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

1/4 cup butter
3 tbsp fine wholemeal (whole-wheat) breadcrumbs
4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 tbsp Malayan or mild Madras curry powder*
2 tbsp plain (all purpose) flour
7 tbsp coconut milk or milk
2/3 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
8 oz white crab meat
mild green tabasco sauce
6 egg whites
salt and ground black pepper

Use some of the butter to grease six ramekins or a 1.75 litre/3 pint/7.5 cup souffle dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs in the dishes or dish and roll them around to coat the base and sides completely, then tip out the excess breadcrumbs. Preheat the oven to 400.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the spring onions and Malayan or mild Madras curry powder and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute, until softened. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.

Gradually add the coconut milk or milk and the cream, stirring constantly. Cook over a low heat, still stirring, until smooth and thick. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the egg yolks, then the crab. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and Tabasco sauce.

In a clean grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Using a metal spoon, stir one third of the whites into the crab mixture to slacken, then fold in the remainder. Spoon into the dishes or dish.

Bake the souffles until well risen, golden brown and just firm to the touch. Individual souffles will take about 8 minutes, while a large, single souffle will take 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

*I used regular curry powder since I couldn't find what they were talking about.

Over all grade: B

Recipe: Polpettes

Over all, I think these were really good. I think they are a good side dish. They are pretty much mashed potato patties with onion and feta cheese. The feta really added to the taste and made them a little bit unique.

Taste grade: B+

Cooking them took a little longer than I would have liked, especially for a side dish. In the recipe it says that you need 1.25 lbs of potatoes. I used about 5 potatoes (4 medium-large and 1 small). At first I thought this was too much, but I don't think it was. I then peeled them, cut them, and put them in the microwave for 20 minutes instead of boiling them over the stove top.

As for frying them, this was trickier than I thought. In the directions it says to fry them until brown. Well, let me tell you that they mean very dark brown. If you only lightly brown them, they fall apart. Also, you'll need more oil than what the recipe requires. This process took me a long time (most certainly longer than I wanted to stand in front of the stove).

This recipe also made a lot more than I anticipated.

Cook grade: B-

Ok, so here's the recipe if you want to try them on your own:

Polpettes (from Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Party Food, 2009)

1 1/4 lb floury (mealy) potatoes
1 cup feta cheese
4 spring onions (scallions), chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp lemon juice
plain (all purpose) flour, for dredging
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
fresh dill sprigs and shredded spring onions (scallions), to garnish
lemon wedges to serve

Cook the potatoes in their skins in lightly salted, boiling water until soft. Drain and cool slightly, then chop them in half and peel while still warm.

Place the potatoes in a bowl and mash until smooth. Crumble the feta cheese into the potatoes and add the spring onions, dill, egg, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. (The cheese is salty, so taste before you add salt.) Stir well, until combined.

Cover and chill until firm. Divide the mixture into walnut size balls, then flatten them slightly. Dredge with flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the polpettes, in batches, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot, garnished with spring onions and sprigs of dill, and serve with lemon wedges.

Over all grade: B

Recipe: Chocolate Truffles

Now these were good, and very easy to make!

Cooking grade: A-

They were very simple to make. However, you do have to leave these in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours at least. I left them in for almost 24. Also, when you are rolling them into balls, they can get a little messy. I had to constantly wash my hands and wash the little scoop I was using since the chocolate was constantly sticking and it would melt easily in my hands so I couldn't form a ball. Other than that, though, I thought they were pretty fun to make. Also, I think they have a lot of potential with the coatings. It just depends on how much time you are willing to put into them.

Taste grade: B+

I give them a B+ because I didn't quite find a coating that I was completely satisfied with. I tried the unsweetened cocoa. Poor choice. The bitterness dries out your mouth. I tried the crushed hazelnuts. This was the best combination, in my opinion. I also tried confectioners' sugar. I haven't quite tried these yet, but I guarantee you I will be.

These are so rich and creamy. The semi-sweet chocolate makes the truffles taste so rich. I think the best part about these is that I actually want to eat these.


I would definitely serve these with coffee and for a dessert at a party. Since they are so easy to make, you can make a bunch of them in no time.

And now for the recipe:

Chocolate Truffles (Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

3/4 cup double (heavy) cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
10 oz plain (semisweet) Belgian chocolate, chopped (I used Ghiradelli's)
2 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter, cut into pieces
2-3 tbsp brandy (optional-I didn't use it)

For the coatings:

(unsweetened) cocoa powder
finely chopped pistachio nuts or hazelnuts
14 oz plain (semisweet), milk, or white chocolate, or a mixture

Bring the cream to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat and beat in the egg yolk. Add the chocolate, then stir until melted and smooth. Stir in the butter and the brandy, if using, then pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.

Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Using a very small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons, form the chocolate mixture into 20-30 balls and place on the parchment. Chill if the mixture becomes too soft.

To coat the truffles with cocoa, sift some powder into a small bowl, drop in the truffles, one at a time, and roll to coat well. To coat them with nuts, roll the truffles in finely chopped pistachio nuts or hazelnuts.

To coat with chocolate, freeze the truffles for at least 1 hour. Ina small bowl, melt the plain, milk, or white chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until melted and smooth, then leave to cool slightly.

Using a fork, dip the frozen truffles into the cooled chocolate, one at a time, tapping the fork on the edge of the bowl to shake off the excess. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and chill. If the melted chocolate thickens, reheat until smooth. All the truffles can be stored, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.


Over all grade: A-

I was very impressed.

Recipe: Greek Chocolate Mousse Tartlets

I was also very disappointed in these. These little buggers were a b*%&# to put together. It was an hour and a half from hell, and quite frankly, for results that were average at best. There was a lot of clean up, a lot of waste, and a lot of work in making these. All I have to say is- lesson learned.

Cook grade: D+

They were horrific to make. The only thing that I can say is that I learned what "baking beans" are and I earned a little bit of experience with pie dough.

Taste grade: C

I thought the taste was average at best. I just was not impressed at all. Even after I had gone through all of the trouble of making them, I had a strong feeling that this was going to be the case. I think I also over worked the pie dough since the crust was pretty hard when I tried them. Also, the yogurt in the filling makes it taste like liquor is in it, which I did think was pretty cool.

My mother suggested these should actually be made into bite-sized tartlets rather than the 4 inch ones that I made/was suggested in the recipe. If that's the case, I would serve these at a party after dinner with coffee. They could be served at a small party even as 4 inch tartlets with coffee, but for all of the trouble, I again stress small party.

If you really want to torture yourself, here's the recipe:

German Chocolate Mousse Tartlets (Appetizers, Finger Foods, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

Crust:

1 1/2 cups (6 oz) plain (all purpose) flour
2 tbsp (unsweetened) cocoa powder
2 tbsp icing (confectioners') sugar
1/2 cup of butter

Filling:

7 oz white chocolate
1/2 cup of milk
2 tsp powdered gelatine
2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
9 0z or generous 1 cup Greek (US strained plain) yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375. Sift the flour, cocoa, and icing sugar into a large bowl.

Place the butter in a pan with 4 tbsp water and heat gently until just melted. Leave to cool, then stir into the flour to make a smooth dough. Cover with clear film (plastic wrap) and chill until firm.*

Roll out the pastry and use to line six deep 4 in loose-based flan tins (tart pans).

Prick the base of each pastry case (pie shell) all over with a fork, cover with greaseproof waxed paper weighed down with baking beans and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper, return to the oven and bake a further 15 minutes, or until the pastry is firm. Leave to cool in the tins.**

Make the filling. Break the chocolate into squares and melt in a heatproof bowl (double boiler) over a pan of barely simmering water. Pour the milk into a pan, sprinkle over the gelatine and heat gently, stirring, until the gelatine has dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate.

Whisk the sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolks in a large bowl, then beat in the chocolate mixture. Beat in the yogurt until evenly mixed.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until stiff, then fold into the mixture. Divide among the pastry cases and leave to set.

Drizzle melted chocolate over the tartlets to decorate. ***


*I left the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour.

**Lentils or dried beans can be used instead of baking beans. I used risotto rice, although, I wouldn't suggest this since a bunch of steam/smoke came flooding out of the oven when I opened it after 10 minutes.

***I used semi-sweet chocolate.

Over all grade: C-

Recipe: Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

I was not impressed. I thought it was extremely quick and simple to make, however, I thought the finished product wasn't all that hot. I mean, it was OK, but I didn't go wild over it. It may have also been better had I not substituted some of the ingredients for others (particularly, I put in onion instead of the shallot that it called for). Over all, I think it needs a bit more to it before it is perfected.

Cook grade: A-

There weren't too many ingredients, and the cooking instructions were pretty straight forward. There also wasn't a lot of clean-up. It was very quick and easy. Also, it was very therapeutic during the beating of the chicken to make it thinner. I highly suggest it after a stressful week, haha.

Taste grade: C+

I think the taste was very simple and almost bland. However, I think it has a lot of potential to grow into something better.

I think I would serve this for a small meal. The book suggests serving it as tapas. I would tend to agree.

Here's the recipe:

Chicken with Lemon and Garlic (from Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

8 oz skinless chicken breast fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper
fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish
lemon wedges, to serve

Sandwich the chicken breasts fillets between the two sheets of clear film (plastic wrap) or baking parchment. Bat out with a rolling pin or meat mallet until the fillets are about 1/4 in thick.

Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken into strips about 1/2 in wide.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan or wok until it is very hot but not smoking. Add the chicken strips, shallot, garlic, and paprika and stir-fry over a high heat for about 3 minutes, until the chicken is lightly browned and cooked through.

Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a warm platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges, garnished with flat leaf parsley.


Over all grade: B

Recipe: Chocolate Chip and Banana Pudding

I loved this recipe. First of all, this wasn't a regular pudding. It was a bread pudding. The way it was made was soooo cool. It was baked by being steamed in a double boiler for two hours. It was so neat. I loved how moist it was, too. The banana taste wasn't too strong. In fact, I would argue that perhaps it was too light. I think it would've been better, also, with nuts. The glaze that was used for this was...interesting. I think I would've tried a different chocolate glaze. Over all, I thought this recipe was not only awesome to make, but it was really tasty.

Pros: Too cool. It was delicious. There was also very little clean up.

Cons: It took a very long time to make. I suggest making this first before you start on a main dish for dinner. It needs to steam for two hours on the stove top. Also, the glaze I didn't feel was the best.

I would serve this for a girls' night or an intimate dinner setting.

Here's the recipe (from Appetizers, Finger Foods, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

Chocolate Chip and Banana Pudding

1 3/4 cups self-raising (self rising) flour
6 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar
4 tbsp milk
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp plain (semisweet) chocolate chips
glossy chocolate sauce and whipped cream, to serve

Prepare a steamer or half fill a pan with water and bring it to the boil. Grease a 4 cup heatproof bowl. Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Mash the bananas in a bowl. Stir them into the flour mixture, with the caster sugar.

Whisk the milk with the egg in a jug (pitcher) or small bowl, then beat into the pudding mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Spoon the mixture into the heatproof bowl, cover closely with greaseproof (waxed) paper and a double thickness of foil, and steam for 2 hours, topping up the water as required.

Run a knife around the top of the pudding to loosen it, then turn it out on to a warm serving dish. Serve hot, with the chocolate sauce and a spoonful of whipped cream.

Recipe grade: A

Recipe: Risotto Frittata

Technically, a breakfast food, I wound up serving this for dinner as a side dish with chicken. It reminded me of a Southwestern omelet without meat. It was delicious. The egg added a dynamic to the dish that was very complimentary. The risotto was also fantastic. I highly recommend this dish.

Pros: Delicious. The product is amazing (in fact, you can tell by the picture, I didn't actually get a photo before me and my family ate the dish, hahaha). It was also fun to make.

Cons: LOTS of clean up. It also takes a very long time to make too. Also, the egg was a bit of a hassle. The recipe says to just pour the egg on top and let it sit for a couple of minutes. My suggestion is to stir it through the risotto. It took much longer than a couple of minutes to cook the egg on top and as a result the risotto started to burn on the bottom.

I would serve this for a small brunch. I think it would be great for the holidays, as well.

Here's the recipe (from Appetizers, Finger Foods, Buffets, and Parties, 2009)

Risotto Frittata

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large red (bell) pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
3/4 cup risotto rice
1 2/3-2 cups simmering vegetable stock
2-3 tbsp butter
2 1/2 cups button (white) mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 eggs
salt and ground black pepper

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften but does not brown. Add the pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, until softened.

Stir in the rice and cook gently for 2-3 minute, stirring constantly, until the grains are evenly coated with oil.

Add a quarter of the vegetable stock and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir over a low heat until the stock has been completely absorbed. Continue to add more stock, a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid completely before adding more. Continue cooking and adding the stock in this way, stirring constantly, until the rice is al dente. This will take about 20 minutes.

In a separate small pan, heat a little of the remaining oil and some of the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook quickly over a medium heat until golden. Transfer to a plate.

When the rice is tender, remove from the heat and stir in the cooked mushrooms and the Parmesan cheese.

Beat the eggs together with 8 tsp cold water and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil and butter in an omelette pan and add the risotto mixture. Spread the mixture out in the pan, then immediately add the beaten eggs, tilting the pan so that the omelette cooks evenly. Cook over a moderately high heat for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a warmed plate and serve in wedges.

*My tip: When having the rice absorb the stock, you can cover the pan for a minute or so ONLY (less is preferable). Stir frequently. This helps the rice soak in the stock faster in my opinion.

Recipe Grade: B (due to timing inaccuracies)

Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts: Summary

I know that unfortunately, I didn't get to all 10 of the recipes I wanted to make, however, I still have to say that I did like this book. I thought it included cute (and tasty!) recipe ideas for Halloween. I would indeed recommend this book for anyone looking for Halloween themed party ideas or who just is enthusiastic about the holiday. It gives a lot of fun ideas to take "ordinary recipes" and turn them into something special.

My next recipe book? Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffets, and Parties

That Really Burns My Biscuits (Part 2)! Recipe: Abracadabra Hats

Now these were easy to make. Super quick. I liked the taste of them, although I think I liked the Cheesy Bat Biscuits more. The thing I LOVE about these, though, is their flexibility!!! There are SO many options for these. You can make them more pizza-y and put sauce on them. You can put cheese on them. You can put different meats on them. So many different options. That's not to say that the option here is bad...because it's not. This recipe is also really good. It would make a fantastic appetizer at a party. However, it's recipe in which you can't be afraid to expand your horizons.

Pros: Flexibility, taste, easy clean up and easy prep. The pepperoni and salami add a really great taste to the biscuit.

Cons: I couldn't find the salami sticks they referred to here, so I had to buy a large roll (?) of salami, and then cut it when I went to put the hats together.

Like I said before, these would make a great appetizer at a party.

Ok, so here's the recipe:

Abracadabra Hats (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

1 package (8 ounces) crescent dinner roll dough
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 turkey pepperoni slices
3 to 4 salami sticks, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups pizza or marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Separate dough and place individual pieces on work surface. Gently shape each piece into long triangle. Sprinkle triangles evenly with basil. Cut pepperoni slices into crescent shapes using small cookie cutter or knife. (Each slice will make 2 crescents) Place 1 salami stick piece along base of each dough triangle. Partially roll up dough to cover salami and create brim of hat. Place 2 pepperoni crescents on top part of each hat; place on ungreased nonstick baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown at edges. Meanwhile, warm sauce in small saucepan over low heat. Serve hats with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Makes 8 servings.

If you come across the same problem I did with the salami, just take some salami and cut it into thin, long pieces. That's what I did and it worked out great.

Summary:

Grade: A (because of salami)

Cost: Minimal

Prep: Minimal

Clean up: Minimal

That Really Burns My Biscuits (part 1)! Recipe: Cheesy Bat Biscuits

Ok, so they aren't actually bats...they're ghosts, but the outcome (taste-wise) was still the same, I'm sure. I did enjoy these. For how simple they were, I thought they were creative. The taste was different. They were a great substitute or replacement for garlic bread. I found the parsley and basil combination particularly grand. They complemented more than they were overbearing. If you have a pasta dish, these would be fantastic to go on the side.

Pros: Delicious and easy to make. The clean up was easy too. The taste was different (in a really good way!).

Cons: A lot of waste with the biscuits. In fact, I think I threw more dough away than I baked. I really was not happy about that. However, you could get around that by making the entire biscuit (without shaping them with a cookie cutter), or you could reuse the dough. I chose not to, though. I didn't realize I would be throwing so much out.

Things this recipe would be good for? Honestly, it doesn't make that much and you'd be probably spending a lot of time if you made them for a party. I'd say this recipe is great for a family meal. If you have small kids (or you are 5 at heart, like me), the cookie cutter effect is really neat. You could probably double the recipe of you have a large family or want to make it for a guest without too much trouble.

Annnnddddd here's the recipe:

Cheesy Bat Biscuits (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

1 can (16 ounces) jumbo buttermilk biscuits
3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 35o. Flatten each biscuit into shape just large enough to fit 3-inch bat cookie cutter. Cut out bat shape; discard scraps. Place biscuits on baking sheet. Lightly score biscuits to outline bat wings; poke holes with toothpick for eyes. Brush biscuits with 1 tablespoon butter. Bake 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and basil in small bowl. Turn biscuits on end and split into halves with forks. Spread 1 teaspoon cheese mixture on bottom half of each biscuit; replace biscuit top. Bake 3 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Makes 8 servings.

That's all!

Grade: A- (because of waste)

Cost: cheap

Prep time: Minimal

Clean up: Minimal

Recipe: Night Crawler Veggie Rolls

I was very excited for this recipe. I've had spring rolls in other restaurants, so I was very excited to try and make my own. I have to admit, I was quite impressed with myself. I didn't bother with the garnish for this recipe, though, since I thought the recipe itself would be enough of a challenge for me. A quick note, though: it is a little spicy. I'm not sure if it's the cabbage (although, I assume that's what it is), but something in it is a little spicy. The peanut sauce I bought was also a little spicy. The recipe suggests that you use either sweet and sour or a peanut sauce. I've previously had a peanut sauce served with it, so that's what I bought. If I did this again, I'd probably go for the gold and just make my own.

So, pros: The outcome is great! It's super healthy, and I LOVE the taste of the sesame oil. Also, all of the ingredients were easy to find (except the bean sprouts were sold out almost everywhere I went...).

Cons: There was a long prep time. Also, the instructions in the recipe on how to roll these aren't very good. After messing up three of them, I came up with my own way to roll them (I'll provide that after the recipe), which gave me far more success. I have to warn you, though, these do get a little messy when you eat them. The skins tend to fall apart easily. Lastly, I suggest salting to taste when doing this. I thought it asked for less salt than what I like, but that's just me.

These are great for a party as an appetizer. They are also great as a healthy snack or just as a side dish for dinner.

Ok, so here's the recipe:

Night Crawler Veggie Rolls (from: Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts 2008)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups snow peas, cut into matchstick-size pieces
2 large carrots, shredded
1 onion, cut into matchstick-size pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick size pieces
2 to 3 cups shredded Nappa cabbage
2 cups bean sprouts
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package (12 ounces) spring roll wrappers (can be found in Asian food sections of most supermarkets)
Sweet and sour sauce (optional)
Peanut sauce (optional)

Directions:

Heat oil, ginger, and garlic in wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add peas, carrots, onion, and bell pepper; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add cabbage, bean sprouts, salt and black pepper; stir fry 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Dip spring roll wrappers in hot water until soft. Position wrapper with one point facing down. Place about 2 tablespoons vegetable mixture in narrow strip across lower half of wrapper. Fold bottom point up and over vegetables and tuck under filling. Roll packet up once to enclose filling securely. Fold sides in tightly, forming an envelope. Brush edges with additional hot water to seal; finish rolling.

For creature features, cut tiny eyes and mouths in wrappers and add additional vegetable strips for antennae. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve chilled with sweet and sour sauce and peanut sauce, if desired.

Makes 18 to 20 rolls.


Ok, so here's my tip for the rolling. First of all, when I tried it their way, I found that the wrappers were WAY too wet to stick together. Once I rolled them and picked them up, they fell apart instantly. So here's what I did- after dipping them in hot water, I laid the shell on a paper towel and took another paper towel and very lightly dabbed any extremely wet spots on the top of the shell. This made the shell sticky instead of wet. Warning, though: Don't make them too sticky/dry or else it'll stick to the paper towel. After this, I put my filling at the bottom of the wrapper (my wrappers were circular). I tucked the bottom end (littlest end) over the filling and under, like the recipe says. Then, I folded both sides over, so the filling didn't spill out the ends. Then I took the long end and folded it over and continued rolling until it was done. Voila! Hope that helps...

So, what did I learn out of this recipe?? Well, I learned what a "matchstick-size" cut is. It's when you cut something into long narrow strips. I also knew what "shredded" was, but somehow, I got a better understanding of it. Lastly, I learned how to roll and I dealt with the wrappers for the first time. Over all, I think it was pretty awesome.

Summary:

Over all grade of recipe: B+

Cost of ingredients: $20-$30

Prep time: Long

Recipe: Monster Mash Spread

I was very enthused to start my new cookbook yesterday, so I started off with this cheese spread.

My general take? Unlike the cheesecake, I actually tried it, hahaha. I LOVED it. It was very simple to make, easy cleanup, and it tasted great. The only downfall was that I wish it had been a little creamier. Other than that, I thought it was very catchy and it would be perfect dip for a Halloween party...or any party really.

Pros: Easy cleanup, quick to make, tasted great! Few ingredients and you didn't have to cook anything.

Cons: You have to wait for at least 1 to 2 hours before you can serve it.

Like I said, I would highly recommend this for a party, either at the office or for the holiday.

Ok, so here is the recipe:

Monster Mash Spread (from Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts (2008))

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey jack cheese with Jalapeno peppers (Pepperjack cheese)
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 to 4 green onions, tops only (optional)
Assorted crackers

Line 8 or 9 inch round cake pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray (Pam); set aside. Combine cream cheese, pepperjack cheese, bell pepper and chopped green onions in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon into prepared pan; press mixture evenly into pan. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Using scissors or small knife, cut each green onion top lengthwise into long, narrow strips; place in bowl of ice water. Refrigerate until strips are curled, about 2 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, invert pan onto large platter or serving tray; remove pan. Discard foil. Garnish with green onion curls, if desired. Serve with crackers. Makes 2 cups spread. Tip: Substitute shredded Cheddar cheese for pepperjack. Drain 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles and stir into cheese mixture before spreading into prepared pan.

That's it!

When I made this I tried to keep in mind that people would be dipping crackers into this, so I tried to make the chopped bell pepper small so that it would fit on the cracker.

I just have to say that I'm very enthused for this cookbook since I'll be doing a couple of things to take me out of my comfort zone of what I can do now. Very excited!

Until next time...

Hershey's Fabulous Desserts: Exit Summary

Before I give my thoughts on this book, I'd like to note that I only made 9 of the 10 recipes that I promised. Reason? For the 10th recipe, I couldn't find some of the ingredients (specifically nut quick bread mix). So between that and I wanted to move on to a different cook book, I decided 9 was enough. Besides, I foresee more desserts in the future!

Ok, that being said, here's my take on this cookbook:

Pros: Most of the desserts are quick and easy. Most of them require cake mixes or bread mixes, which saves a lot of steps when you bake. Also for the most part the clean up was quick and easy. Most of the desserts turned out great. It also didn't make an overabundance of stuff, but just enough for a family.

Cons: Some of the ingredients were difficult to find or they aren't made any more (Cherry cake mix....). Sometimes quality was forfeited for easiness and convenience (in the case of the fudge).

Over all, I thought it was a good, easy mode cook book, especially for someone who is just starting to bake. It's also great for someone who is trying to throw something together at the last minute or who doesn't want to invest a lot of money into something they are making. Most of this stuff came pretty cheap.

The biggest disappointment out of what I made was the Mint and Chocolate Fudge.

The biggest success out of what I made were the cream filled cupcakes.

I think that about wraps this one up! The next cookbook is Halloween Food, Fun, and Crafts (2008).

Recipe: Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Well admittedly, I am cheating a little by writing this post...I didn't exactly taste the pie. The truth is I don't like cheesecake (gasp!), however, I did get some testimony on how the pie/cheesecake turned out.

According to guinea pigs/taste testers/parents...it turned out delicious! Very smooth...which was actually a concern for me considering how the batter turned out before I put it in the oven to bake.

*Last night I actually tried it (female testimonial aka mom told me I should always try my own cooking), and I have to say it was quite good (for me not liking cheesecake). It was smooth and creamy. The strawberries were a PERFECT complement to the pie. However, I'm not sure if I was a fan of the semi-sweet chocolate swirl. I thought it was too much...especially without the strawberry. With the strawberry, everything went great together. Without it, the chocolate overpowered the vanilla cheesecake, and I wasn't a fan. I would say definitely garnish the top with a fruit topping. It adds to the flavor and breaks up the chocolate a little bit. (10/11/10)

Pros: It turned out tasting great. *The fruit was an excellent addition. (10/11/10)

Cons: I found myself very skeptical of this recipe. First of all, I couldn't find a 6 oz crust that was 8 inches at the store. All of them were 9 inches. Secondly, my batter turned out lumpy. This could've been because of the mixer I used (I'm still trying to get used to the new one we just got), or it could've been because of the batter itself. Lastly, I pride the fact that the oven I use is ALWAYS on the dot with every recipe I've used (except for cookies). On this one? Not so much. The recipe claimed that you only bake it for 25-30 minutes. I had to bake it for 35. Also, I learned the key here is that you have to take it out when the middle is almost set. Not runny but not completely solid either. Just almost. This is indicated in the recipe, though. Clean up was average-not too much, not too little. Also, the garnish. It doesn't suggest a garnish for you at the end of the recipe. I did the whipped cream and strawberries, but word to the wise- don't use Reddi Whip or any kind of spray can whipped cream ahead of time. It goes flat quickly (whoopssss....). Use Miracle Whip or wait until you are just about to serve it to garnish it.

(Picture to the right is my lumpy batter)

Overall, I'd recommend it for a small get together. The prep was a little bit of a hassle to this one, but I heard the final product is great, so I can't argue with that. Over all I'll rate this as an indifferent/neutral rather than a like or dislike since I feel as though the cons and outcome cancelled each other out.

Here's the recipe if you want to try it out for yourself:

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake (from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989)

4 packages (3 ozs each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or Mini Chips Semi Sweet Chocolate
1 teaspoon shortening
8 inch (6 ounces) packaged graham cracker crumb crust

Heat oven to 325. In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In small bowl reserve 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture. Melt chocolate chips with shortening in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water; stir into reserved 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture. Pour vanilla mixture into crust. Spoon chocolate mixture by dollops onto vanilla mixture. Using tip of knife swirl for marbled effect. Place filled crust on cookie sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack. Cover; chill several hours or until firm. Garnish as desired.

For the garnish I just used strawberries and Reddi-whip, but like I said, the latter was a poor choice and I'd go with Miracle Whip.

This was the last recipe of this cookbook that I'm going to make! Read the next post for the "exit entry".

Recipe: Cream-Filled Banana Cupcakes

Ok, so once again, I kind of improvised since I couldn't find the proper ingredients for this recipe. Instead of using banana cake mix, I just used yellow cake mix. Also, the recipe originally doesn't call for icing on the top (just sugar and walnuts), but I'm a huge sucker for icing, so I cheated and got the store icing (I know, I know...sorry). Also, instead of putting the walnuts on the top of the cup cake, I mixed them around in the batter.

Ok, so pros: OMG THESE ARE AMAZING. Like, my parents and I ate 2 dozen of these things. They are SOOOO good. Also, pretty quick and easy to make. They are extremely moist. I was skeptical when I put the cream cheese filling on top of the batter before putting them in the oven, however, I thought it was awesome that as they baked, the batter rose above the cream cheese filling and the filling fell into the middle of the cupcake.

Cons: They didn't make as many as the recipe originally anticipated. In fact, it made a dozen less. Also, there was TONS of cream cheese filling left over. I felt like it was a giant waste. I wouldn't call this an easy clean up (although it wasn't the worst, either).

These are great for a party, especially a birthday or graduation party. They would also be great at a bake sale.

Here's the recipe:

Cream-Filled Banana Cupcakes (taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989):

Cream Cheese Filling (recipe follows)
1 package (18.5 ounces) banana cake mix (with pudding in the mix) *Note: I used yellow cake mix, 18.25 ounces, no pudding.
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
2 tablespoons sugar *Note: I used icing instead.

Prepare Cream Cheese Filling; set aside. Heat oven to 350. Prepare cake batter according to package directions. Fill paper lined muffin cups 1/2 full with batter. Spoon about 1 teaspoonful filling into center of each cupcake. Combine nuts and sugar; sprinkle about 1 teaspoonful over top of each cupcake. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake portion comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese; softened
1/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 cup Hershey's Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate

In small mixer bowl combine cream cheese, sugar and egg; beat until smooth. Stir in Mini Chips Chocolate.


Enjoy!!

Recipe: Cherry Cordial Cookies

Ok, so I guess the real name of this recipe for me should be "Strawberry Cordial Cookies" instead of cherry. I couldn't find cherry cake mix, so I just went with the strawberry (Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Supreme to be exact). As it turned out, they were amazing.

Pros: They tasted great. My parents and even my boyfriend, who typically doesn't like fruity things, like them a lot.

Cons: The batter turned out really gooey, so I had to refrigerate it a little bit. Also, the icing was a little difficult to get on the cookie. Furthermore, I wasn't sure how to put them in the cookie jar because it would wind up extremely messy.

Other than that, though, they were your typical cookie to make, and the outcome was great.

This cookie would be great in the spring, especially around Easter (if you use the strawberry). If you use the cherry, I'm sure they would be great around the holidays.

Ok, so behold the recipe:

Cherry Cordial Cookies (from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989)

1 package (18.25 ounces) cherry cake mix
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 cup Hershey's Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Mini Chips Glaze

Heat oven to 350. In large mixer bowl combine cake mix, butter, and eggs; mix well. Stir in Mini Chiips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle Mini Chips Glaze onto cooled cookies; allow to set.

Mini Chips Glaze

In small microwave-safe bowl place 1 cup Hershey's Mini chips Semi Sweet Chocolate and 3 tablespoons shortening (not butter, margarine, or oil). Microwave at high 45 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at high an additional 15 seconds or until melted and smooth when stirred. Use immediately.


That's it! Enjoy, and stay tuned for the next recipe: Cream Filled Banana Cupcakes.

Recipe: Chocolate Upside-Down Coffeecake

This was tonight's creation. Please excuse the middle of the cake- part of it wound up sticking to the pan and it was a little messy getting it out.

Over all, I think I liked this cake. I have to admit that the jury is still out on the apple jelly on top. I thought it was a little weird with the chocolate. Other than that, though, I liked the cake. Luckily, the apple didn't have a strong taste and the chocolate chips were more prominent.

The upside to this cake was that it was very simple to make and there was easy clean up.

The downside (get it? Upside/downside- it's an upside-down cake...ah, never mind) was the apple jelly. It was just too weird for me to be mixed with chocolate. I had the reservation going into it and I still have it even after tasting it. It won't stop me from trying it again, but still, I thought it was weird. Also, some might think it's a downside that the cake had to cook for about 50 minutes. Other than that, there wasn't a downside. You can always change the jelly to strawberry or raspberry or something if you don't like it.

I would probably serve this at a small get together or party. I wouldn't serve it at a big event.

Ok, so here's the recipe (taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989):

Chocolate Upside-Down Coffeecake

3/4 cup apple jelly (I used more than this- I used however much it took to cover the bottom of the pan)
1 package (16 ounces) pound cake mix
1 cup Hershey's milk chocolate chips, divided into two 1/2 cups

Heat oven to 325. Grease and flour 9 inch square baking pan. Spread jelly evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Prepare cake batter according to package directions (you'll need water, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, and 2 eggs). Stir in 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips. Pour batter over jelly layer, spreading gently and evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chips over top. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes in pan; invert onto serving plate. Cool at least 15 minutes; serve warm.

That's all! Stay tuned for the next recipe Strawberry Cordial Cookies!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip 'N Oatmeal Cookies

Last weekend, I decided to make cookies, and I stumbled upon this recipe while looking through the ol' Hershey's cookbook. I was pretty excited, especially since oatmeal and chocolate are my favorite cookie ingredients. I have to say that this recipe was pretty neat since it showed me that cake mixes (yes, cake mixes) can be used for other things than just cakes.

Ok, so the pros to this recipe: They were extremely quick to make and there was little mess/cleanup. They were also really, really good.

Cons to this recipe? It's more of a personal thing to me- I like chewy, gooey cookies. The next day after I baked these, they were crunchy. I wasn't a fan of that, but that's just my own personal preference. Also, the batter turns out extremely gooey when you mix it because of all of the buttter that's required. I wound up having to put the batter in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes before baking, which wasn't something that was mentioned in the recipe.

I think that's about the rundown of these. I would highly recommend them. They are a fun cookie and the recipe doesn't make too much. The cake mix I felt improved the taste of them over all.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip 'N Oatmeal Cookies (taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989):

1 package (18.25 or 18.5 ounces) yellow cake mix

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (one minute cook quaker oats is what I used)

3/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 cup Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Heat oven to 350. In large mixer bowl combine cake mix, oats, butter, and eggs; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

That's it! Enjoy and stay tuned for the next recipe-Chocolate Upside Down Coffee Cake.

Recipe: Mint 'N Chocolate Fudge

Out of the things I've made thus far, I think I've liked this one the least. It looks pretty and sounds awesome to make, but I thought the taste and process weren't up to par. I can't say that it tasted horrible because it definitely didn't. It was nice and chocolatey, and definitely tasty, but at the same time not the best fudge I've ever tasted.

So, here are the pros to this recipe. First of all, it was pretty easy and quick to make as far as fudge goes. It was a microwave-only recipe, and didn't require the stove top at all. I like that in the end, since I had to layer the pan with tin foil, all I had to do after cutting the fudge was throw away the tin foil and there was no mess. The chocolate flavor was strong, and it was really good. I thought the fudge set pretty quick too in the fridge.

Cons? The whole process was very messy. There was a lot of confectioners sugar and cocoa everywhere and I had to use a lot of bowls and spoons and what not, so definitely not an easy clean-up. I also did not like the texture of it in the end. I'm not sure if perhaps I didn't blend the mixture enough or what, but I thought the texture of the fudge was very coarse. I wasn't a fan. Also, my mom said that the fudge was extremely sweet (although good!).

When would I serve this? Well, it would be good for after dinner or at a buffet party. The mint also makes it great for the holiday season. Don't get me wrong- although I don't think that this is the greatest fudge recipe, I think I would definitely still serve it as something that people could pick at. I would just have other desserts there too just in case.

Ok, so recipe (taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts-1989):

Mint 'n Chocolate Fudge

1/2 cup of butter or margarine
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Pastel Mint Topping (recipe follows)

Line 8-inch square pan with foil. In medium microwave-safe bowl place butter. Microwave at high 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Add cocoa; stir until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla; blend well (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Stir in evaporated milk. Microwave at high 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is hot. Beat with whisk until smooth. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cover; chill until firm. Spread Pastel Mint Topping evenly over fudge; chill until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares. Cover; store in the refrigerator.

Just to note: when I put the fudge in the microwave until the mixture became hot, I put it in for a total of 2 minutes and 30 seconds.



Pastel Mint Topping

In small mixer bowl beat 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine, 1 tablespoon water and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon mint extract until blended. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar and 2 drops green or red food color. Beat until smooth.


That's all for this one! Stay tuned for 6 more recipes from this particular book. I determined that I'm going to pick 10 recipes out of a book and do them before I move on to another., so be sure to check in!

Recipe: Individual Chocolate Cream Pies

I have to say that so far this recipe has been the most photogenic, hahaha.

So, what do I have to say about this creation? Well, I definitely liked it. Although, I think I enjoyed making it more than eating it (I don't really like graham cracker crust), however, that's not to say that these little guys aren't delicious because they are! The chocolate filling is amazing...light, fluffy, and a perfect dessert after a heavy meal (mom made lasagna for labor day!). A strong cup of coffee is the perfect complement.

The pros to making this are the following: they are extremely fast to make (10-15 minutes max- truly!), no actual cooking (it's just a bunch of blending and whipping), EXTREMELY easy clean-up, and it has the potential for A LOT of variation.

The cons? It's not really a con so much as just something to keep in mind- you have to refrigerate them for a bit before serving so the mousse sets. Otherwise, the filling gets a little runny. Other than that, though, no complaints from me!!

Occasion? If you're truly ambitious, you can prepare these for a small party. Warning though- the recipe only makes 6 at a time, so if you're going to make them for a lot of people, prepare to be by the mixer for awhile. As I stated before, they would be great after a large meal. They also have the potential to be the dessert for a couples dinner. If you garnish them right (strawberries/raspberries on top with whipped cream maybe?) they can be kind of romantic.

And now for the recipe (from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts-1989):

Individual Chocolate Cream Pies

1 1/2 ounces (1/2 of 3-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 tablespoons Hershey's Cocoa
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chilled whipping cream (also called heavy cream)
6 (4-ounce package) single serve graham crusts
Whipped Topping (optional)
Hershey's mini chips semi-sweet chocolate (optional)

In small mixer bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add cocoa alternately with milk, beating until smooth. In separate bowl beat whipping cream until stiff; fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon into crusts. Cover; chill until set. Garnish with whipped topping and mini chips.


That's everything!

A couple of things I did differently here though: I didn't include the mini chips in my garnish, and instead of using a small bowl to beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, I used a large bowl. It was a little difficult, but it still got the job done. Also, when you buy the cream cheese, they do have 3-ounce cream cheese blocks. They are considerably smaller than the regular rectangle that you get. These are shaped in a square. Just make sure you look at the package to see what you're getting.

Stay tuned for the next recipe- Mint 'n chocolate fudge.

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Fudge Marble Cake

So, again I embarked on a baking quest this weekend and made a Peanut Butter-Fudge Marble Cake. Like the Devil's Delight Cake, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was cheating by using the cake mix that the recipe wanted me to use, but oh well. The end product was spectacular.

I was skeptical of this cake at first because I was afraid that it would be overloaded with peanut butter flavor, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The peanut butter flavor was not overpowering and blended in extremely well. It was delicious. I actually like this cake better than the Devil's Delight Cake; however, they are both two completely different flavors, so I guess it's to your taste preference.

The only thing about this recipe is that it was a bit more complicated than the first one and it did take a bit more time. However, there were two layers, so I guess that would do it. I definitely wouldn't classify this cake as quick and easy, however, I know from experience that it was easier to make than most. Also, the recipe doesn't tell you that when you melt the peanut butter morsels, you have to make sure that the water underneath (if you use a double boiler) doesn't get too hot or the steam will burn the peanut butter.

The cake itself would serve as a fantastic company cake or a great cake for a football party or summer party.

Here's the recipe from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts (1989):

1 package (18.25 or 19.75 ounces- I used 18.25) fudge marble cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Water
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8- or 9- inch round baking pans. Prepare cake batters according to package directions using eggs, 1/3 cup of oil and water. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water melt peanut butter chips with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly OR in small microwave safe bowl place chips and oil. Microwave at HIGH 45 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH additional 15 seconds or until melted and smooth when stirred. Gradually add peanut butter mixture to vanilla batter, blending well. Pour peanut butter batter into prepared pans. Randomly place spoonfuls of chocolate batter on top; swirl as directed on package. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely; frost as desired.


For the icing I used the following (Warning: You will need to double this recipe to cover the whole cake):

Easy Cocoa Frosting

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cups Hershey's cocoa
1 and 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl combine all ingredients; beat to spreading consistency.


That's everything! Until the next recipe (Mint chocolate fudge, perhaps???), enjoy!

Recipe: Devil's Delight Cake

Recently, I've decided to embark on a cooking/baking expedition and make cooking/baking my hobby. I've decided to start with baking since I love it more than cooking and am more comfortable with it. The first book I enthusiastically pulled from my mom's cookbook bookshelf was "Hershey's Fabulous Desserts", and the first recipe in the book was the Devil's Delight Cake.

Admittedly, upon looking at it, I felt like the cake would be kind of crappy since it uses a cake mix, and generally I'm all about making things from scratch rather than with a cake mix, but I have to say- this cake turned out AMAZING. It was very moist, very chocolate-y (if you couldn't get that from the picture), and it was simply delicious. It was also extremely fast and simple to make. In fact, at the end I was saying to myself, "That's it? What else can I make?" This would be a perfect cake for a party.

Here is the recipe, again taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts (1989):

1 package (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup raisins

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan. In large mixer bowl combine cake mix, eggs, water and oil; beat on low speed just until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Stir in nuts, marshmallows, chocolate chips and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle Chocolate Chip Glaze over top or sprinkle confectioners' sugar over top.

(Note: I didn't put raisins in mine since I'm not a raisin fan.)


Chocolate Chip Glaze

In small saucepan combine
2 tablespoons butter or margarine,
2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat; add 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Continue stirring until glaze is desired consistency.


Voila! An easy, quick, delicious cake. Enjoy!

Shopping Obsession

Lately, I've been wild about online clothes shopping. My favorite site? Ideeli.com. It has a bunch of discounts on clothes- 40-70% off! They are designer clothes, too (Calvin Klein is today's special).

How does it work? Everyday they release certain sales that only last a couple of days and they only have a certain stock on the clothes, so it's first come first serve. They have two types of memberships-1st row member (you get the deal an hour before the regular members do), and then the regular members. The regular membership is free, while the 1st row you have to pay, although they give you a complimentary first month when you sign up, and if you buy stuff during that time, it could be more. I love it because it is constantly changing and it's nice and organized by designer so you know what they have and what they don't. I also love them because a lot of the clothes you don't see anywhere else.

My impression? Love it.

A Taste of Italy

Italia, Italia! My new favorite restaurant is Gabriella's off of Jonestown road. The first time I went there was at the beginning of June and let me tell you...I was amazed. It was like heaven in my mouth. The recipes are so simple, which makes it all the more elegant. I had the Shrimp Asparagus. It was absolutely delicious. The Clam Linguine is also to die for. You can choose between red or white sauce. I usually get the white, which is like a garlic butter. It is amazing. Their red sauce is also delicious. It tastes so fresh! Everything there--even dessert-- is so simple, it's just divine. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant.

Bonsai!!!

While I was at King of Prussia, I wound up buying a bonsai plant. Odd, I know, but I'm a sucker for rescuing plants. I was pretty skeptical that I could take care of the plant when I first got it since my dad had them before and always killed them (plant murderer!). However, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

My take so far? It's been fun. I love to garden, so loving it hasn't been hard. However, it is a bit on the picky side, which I knew going into it. I put it in my room away from the air conditioner and in the back of my room where when I open the blinds it still get sunlight, but not a ton of it (the flyer that I was given when I bought it said it survives best in indirect light). Also, I "mist" it every day- once in the morning and once at night, and I have soaked it in water for 5 minutes once this week. So far so good! It makes for a great decoration in my room too.

All in all, I absolutely love it, I just hope it lives!

King of Prussia

Last weekend my boyfriend and I decided to take a first time venture to K.O.P. My first take? It is HUGE. Any mall that has its own parking garage absolutely has to be a big deal. Parking wasn't too hard, although there were tons of people there (no surprise). We parked by the Lord and Taylor.

I was absolutely amazed when I got in. It was so not disappointing. I must confess, though, that I did get tired of walking. I loved how the different cafeterias had themes (Asian, Italian, etc.) and the places were actually set up like restaurants. I thought it was really cool. I loved the Coach store (surprise, surprise). I do have to warn you- be prepared to spend A LOT of money there, and not necessarily because you want to buy a lot, but because the stuff there is pretty pricey, but then again it is high-end, high-quality items, so you get good stuff for what you pay for.

I did have one bad experience while I was there. At the Lord and Taylor I saw these fab boots on our way out. I decided I wanted to try them on. Unfortunately, the only size 6 they had in that shoe was the display and one shoe was missing. The sales rep who was helping me had me and everyone else hunting around the shoe department searching for the shoe. She had a bit of an attitude while doing it, and while helping me in general, which I didn't particularly appreciate. When it was to no avail, she went to get me 6.5 size shoes after the original 6.5's she brought out were the wrong type of shoe all together. Then, she wound up not even serving me and instead gave the shoes to another sales rep to give to me while she just stood at the counter and watched. I thought it was really rude.

Other than that, my experience at the mall was great and I would DEFINITELY go again!