Strawberry Napoleans

Strawberry Napoleans

I made this very easy and quick dessert for my monthly gathering with my gal pal cousins...

Recipe

One Package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (Frozen)

One large package of Instant Vanilla Pudding

One Cup of Cold Milk

One cup of Whipping Cream

Fresh Strawberries

Chocolate Morsels or One Block of your favorite (I used Semi-Sweet)

Directions

Thaw one of the two puff pastries per directions on box.  Thaw both if you want to double the recipe.

Bake according to directions on box.

While pastry is baking and cooling, mix the Vanilla Pudding with the one cup of milk and set aside or place in refrigerator if your not planning to prepare immediately. Whip one cup of Heavy Cream (I mixed two cups at one time for extra for the topping and separated after it was whipped)  Take one cup of whipping cream and fold into the Vanilla Pudding. 

I then finished preparing the remainder of the Whipping Cream for the Topping by adding some Pure Vanilla.  You can also add a little sugar to taste. (I did not add sugar)

Cut each of the three pastries into thirds.  Slice each piece in half and add a heaping Tablespoon of the Vanilla Cream on top, place other half of pastry on top of Vanilla Cream. 

Top with your fresh Whipping Cream or your favorite choice of whipped topping.  Add Fresh strawberries on top of cream.

Melt your chocolate in a micro wave prof small dish and drizzle on top of Pastry..

(You can add a very small amount of a solid shortening to the chocolate if the consistency is too thick, I did not) if you add a shortening, make sure you mix the shortening well into the chocolate.

Refrigerate  until serving..

Enjoy

Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

I made this PB Pie for a small gathering at my home with Old and Reacquainted Friends during this Cold January  ...I thought we needed something to help us get through this dreary part of the year.  What's better than Peanut Butter and Chocolate!!??

I took three different recipes for PB Pie and created my own...

Peanut Butter Pie

6 TBsp of Melted Butter

2 Cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs

 12 oz Soft Cream Cheese

1 1/2 Cups of Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar (10X)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

 1 14oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 to 2 Cups of Cool Whip or Fresh Whipping Cream

Bag Of Mini PB Cups

Chocolate Morsels  

Crust

6 TBsp of Melted Butter

2 Cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs

Combine the melted butter and Crumbs and place in a Deep Dish Pie Plate. Firmly pat down crumbs with a fork or spoon. Bake for 10 Mins at 350 degrees.  Cool Completely

Pie Mixture

12 oz Soft Cream Cheese

1 1/2 Cups of Creamy Peanut Butter

Mix together with electric mixer until very smooth and creamy.

Add to mixture

2 Cups of Powdered Sugar (10X)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix with electric mixer until smooth

Add to mixture

1 14oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Mix with electric mixture on low speed

Add to Mixture

1 to 2 Cups of Cool Whip or Fresh Whipping Cream

(I used Cool Whip)

Slowly mix with electric mixer until incorporated...do not over mix

Spread mixture into Pie Plate

Top with Mini PB Cups cut in half

Melt 1/4 Bag of Chocolate Morsels

Drizzle Melted Chocolate on Top

Refrigerate for 3 hours or longer before cutting...

Enjoy!  

Thanksgiving Sweets

If your making Thanksgiving dinner for your family and friends this year and your anything like I am when it comes to preparing a Holiday Meal,  your scanning all dessert recipes trying to decide which one you want to try for this years festivities....

I'll be having 7 or 8 for dinner this Thanksgiving, and even though my dessert is covered by one who is joining us for dinner, I may make "one" dessert also.  Here is a recipe from Paula Deen I thought would be a nice addition to the dessert table.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
Recipe By Paula Deen

Fudgy Chocolate Cream Pie

I'm always looking for a good and easy chocolate cream pie recipe...

Here is a recipe from "Oh So ShSabby" that looks like it meets the requirements.

Fudgy Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 9 inch)pie crust, baked
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
4 egg yolks

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. In a medium bowl, beat milk and egg yolks until smooth. Gradually stir into sugar mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla.
Stir until melted. Pour into pie shell. Place plastic wrap over filling to prevent skin from forming and chill for several hours.
Top with meringue or whipped cream and chocolate curls if so desired

My Grandmother always made a large bowl of homemade Chocolate Pudding for Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners.  She had a mile high of Fresh Whipped Cream on top.  Every year for both dinners, all 6 of us Grandchildren would try to sit beside Grandpa, because he was the one who decided when we attacked the desserts and he had the first helping of the chocolate pudding...so to sit beside him meant only one thing, you had the second helping of the insanely good chocolate pudding.  My cousin and I often reminiscence about Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners on the Farm and how we all waited for Grandpa to have that first helping of chocolate pudding as we anticipated our serving....

I'm not sure why I prefer the Pie over a large bowl of pudding...maybe because my Grandmother was the best darn pie maker...ever!  And it brings me back to my childhood and all those wonderful memories made sitting at my Grandparents large oak table. 

What Comes To Mind When The Calendar Turns To October...?!

I made this "New" Gingerbread Recipe and it is a Winner..!

The topping is fresh heavy cream I had on hand and needed to use, so I whipped it up to top the Gingerbread while it was still warm from the oven.  Yummmmmo!

Below the Gingerbread recipe is a recipe for Lemon Sauce that was shared from a Lady from my church.  Her daughter requests Gingerbread for her birthday cake every year topped with the Lemon Sauce.

Gingerbread

2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, well beaten

Preheat oven to 325F

Butter a 9x13 cake pan or two loaf pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment.

Combine flour, baking powder, and ginger together and set aside.

Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy, then add molasses, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add baking soda to boiling water and mix into molasses mixture. Fold in reserved flour mixture and combine. Add beaten eggs and mix well.

Pour into pan(s) and bake about 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Lemon Sauce

Old-Fashioned Lemon Sauce. Combine in saucepan 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. water, 1 egg, well beaten, 3 T. lemon juice (1 lemon) and grated rind of 1 lemon. Cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture comes to a boil. Makes 1 1/3 cups

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...!

As always, have a fantastic week my friends....

K

 Here is a sneak peek of the cakes I made for my very dear friend's wedding this weekend..

They both are very big Steeler's Fans and the one must have for the cake was an emblem of the Steeler's be placed on the cake.  The other must have requests, Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing!

Their requests and 'must have's' were granted:)

The cakes are both my signature chocolate cake recipe with PB icing and decorating.

I tried to make the colors close to the colors on the Emblem and keeping with a nice Fall Color....

The small cake will be placed in the freezer for their first anniversary and the larger one will be taken to the restaurant they're having a small dinner after their nuptials...

I'm so happy for my friend, Linda and her soon to be husband, Tom!

And honored they asked me to make their cakes and be apart of their special day:))

 With the month of July comes another year older....the best part is I get to share with my Bestie, Kathy:))  If your a frequent follower, you have read my mentioning Kathy is my Best friend.  We have so much in common it's almost freighting sometimes...

Here is a  picture of Kathy and I exchanging our gifts the day of my birthday, to which was also a large gathering at my home for a clam bake later that day.  The clam bake just happened to be on my bday.  When planning a bake such as a clam bake, you have to have it when the clams are plentiful and at a good price.  This seems to be the week around our birthdays.  Kathy and her family actually were at a clam bake the night before ours, there is a short window of time when planning to have a bake during the summer months.  The early weeks of Fall is also a good time for clam bakes and fresh steamed crabs....gotta get em when the price is right!

It's no secret how much I love chocolate!  I just love these prim boxes I was given as a gift....now I have an excuse to find a new prim shelf to purchase and display them on;))

 My good friend, Linda arrived later in the day with a HUGE Wilbur Dark Chocolate Bar for me.  Wilbur is the local chocolate factory in my hometown of Lititz, Pa and known for it's Wilbur Buds, in my opinion the chocolate is much richer than Hershey's and much more delectable..! I only eat a small block per day of the candy bar, due to it's rich flavor...

I gifted Kathy a Gift Set I hand chose from Olio,  a new business that recently opened in Lititz. I loved this shop of different Olive Oils for bread dipping and cooking with...I also gave her all the fixings for Baking Fresh Bread and serving it....I Even had 5 loafs of pre- made frozen bread for her to bake in a whim...

Disregard the stuff in my garage behind Kathy;)

Kathy and I have much of the same taste in decorating and just about everything, to which it makes life so easy when it comes to finding the right gift...

As the rest of the gang showed up later in the day, I was over whelmed with the thoughtfulness others showed me with Bday gifts.  My friends, Judy and Carrie gave me a basket of homemade Christmas and Easter Ornaments.  Shown above, Mamma Karen (Carrie's mother) gave me the beautiful Prim Fresh Flower Arrangement she made and my Cousin Linda surprised me with a bottle of White Wine and a ceramic crock for salsa or cheese.  

 Whats a Birthday and Gathering without a cake...!!?

I made this Chocolate Cake I Labeled, "Death By Chocolate"

I was planning to give myself a break from baking and purchase a similar cake from a very High End Bakery which sells their awesome sweets to Restaurants.  When I found out the cake was 70.00, I put baking a cake back on to the "to do list"... 

 I made a Chocolate Cake with Ganache in the middle, Chocolate Icing with another layer of Ganache on top and finished off with mini semi sweet morsels...! There was not a crumb left.  I didn't think I was going to have enough cake to go around...;)

We had such a fun time with the clam bake another gathering is already planned in August...this one will be a covered dish with lounging around and in the pool..

When your invited to my home, you make yourself at home!   

Thanks for stopping by...

K

Summer Time Fun

July has been eventful on the home front.  And that is why I love the summer months!  

Here is a Trifle I made with homemade Pound Cake along with layers of freshly whipped cream, fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries for a gathering pool side during the July 4th Holiday.   The Pound Cake was a big winner!  

 

Pound Cake Recipe:

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sifted cake flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

13 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup) (185 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

**To make Cake Flour: For every one cup of AP flour, remove 2 Tbsp of flour and replace with 2 Tbsp of Cornstarch and sift flour, sift again...and again.....

Pound Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.  

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

The Pound Cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Makes one 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf.

Everyone Loved this dessert....!!!  I hope you do also if you get a chance to make it, its worth the little extra work involved for a fresh yummmy tasting dessert....

Have a safe and fun week, my friends...

much love,

K

 

 

 I made this cake this past weekend for a dear lady I've know for over 20 years.  Her birthday was on Saturday and she was coming to the Salon that day for a service.  I surprised her with a cake I knew she would like...

I took a Pineapple Cake Recipe and added a few ingredients of my own...

I added 4 large containers of Stage 2 Baby Food Carrots

1 tsp of Cinnamon

1/2 tsp of Nutmeg

along with the original ingredients....

Since this was a new recipe for me, I did not have a chance to taste test before I gifted the cake.  I received a call on Sunday saying her and her family LOVED the cake..

Later in the day she brought me several pieces for me to try and share.

The cake is DELICIOUS..! 

It is so moist in texture with the spices being just the right amount,

I'm calling it my own version of a..

"Carrot Cake"

I actually got the idea to use baby food from a

 nursing colleague who is a client at the Salon,

she shared her Carrot Cake recipe with me which calls for the carrot baby food.

When I came across the Pineapple Cake Recipe, I liked that the recipe did not have alot of ingredients and thought I'll give it try  and add a few more ingredients of my own.

This cake is a winner and very easy to prepare...

You can prepare this cake in any pan or form.  

I opted to make a double layer since it was a birthday gift.

 2 cups AP flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 eggs

4 large containers of stage 2 baby food carrots

YES YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY
20 ounce can (about 2 cups) crushed pineapple, in juice, do not drain
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts- Optional 

Mix all together until smooth. Pour into greased 9×13 inch baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Icing
8 ounces cream cheese
4 T. butter
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup nuts- optional

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add Vanilla. Slowly add sugar and blend after each addition. Fold in nuts if desired. Ice cake while still a bit warm. Serves many as this cake is rich and sweet, so cut the pieces small as you can always have seconds.

Bon Appetit

K 

Double Chocolate Chip Bars

 Here is a very Easy Peasy Recipe for Double Chocolate Chip Bars...

 I first lined a square baking pan with Parchment Paper and spray the top and sides of the paper with cooking spray.  Make sure you leave paper hanging over the sides for easy "lift out" after baking...

 I always have pre-made cookie mix on hand.  I never know when the mood or taste buds will be screaming for some gooey goodness..!

I followed the directions on the package of the cookie mix and placed 3/4 of the mix on the bottom of the cake pan. Then I Generously layered the chocolate chips on top of the first layer of mix and topped with the remaining of the cookie mix...as you can see I did not skimp on the chocolate chips:)

After baking for approx 25 mins on 375 degrees...I let the baked bars cool slightly and then lifted them carefully out of the pan with the parchment paper.  After they set for a few more minutes I cut them into small bars.  You can see how nice the sides baked with the pan lined with the parchment paper.  No hard or over baked sides.  Just Lovely..!!

 I had to try a piece...!  Every good baker tastes their food, right!!?

It was so easy to cut into bars. I lined the pan with plastic wrap, gently placing each bar back into the clean pan.  I was able to get two rows of bars, placing another piece of plastic wrap on the top of the first row and then placed the second row on top of the bottom row.
Securely wrapped the top row and placed the lid on the pan. 

EASY PEASY..!!!
And so good!

Enjoy your week-end, friends!
K

 Dried Apricots....Are so Yummmy!

And add a little chocolate...Spectacular!!

I purchased these Apricots for a family member who is recovering from surgery.  Her recovery is a very slow process and her appetite has been greatly diminished.  Between her daughter and myself, we are trying to provide her with the foods she may be craving in order to keep her body nourished and get stronger.  Her recent requests were some Dried Apricots and my Lemon Cookies...

I was able to get the Apricots to her this past weekend, however when she tasted one her response was,

"they taste like cardboard"...with that said, I suggested I take them home and coat with Chocolate.  The suggestion was well received:) 

I have to admit, they are very tasty with a bit of Chocolate!!

 I took a half bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, placed them in a 2 cup glass measuring cup.  Placed in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes.  Individually dip each Apricot in the chocolate and placed on wax paper for the chocolate to set. 

 While the chocolate set on the Apricots, I mixed a batch of Lemon Cookies....!

Someone is going to have some good treats tomorrow..!

Have a good week, my Friends!

K

The Refreshing Side of Things...

To know me, I Love Chocolate!  I have a very good friend who tells others frequently, "If one wants to give K something she really likes, give her Chocolate!".   Well, I must confess...for as much as I love the Chocolate, I equally Love Orange, Cranberry and Nuts all mixed together in any form of Cake..!

I crave it....frequently

It's my weakness to all sweets!

It has Orange and Cranberry and Walnuts...that makes it healthy, RIGHT!!?

Here is what I mixed together and placed in a Bunt Cake Pan

 I started with a Yellow Cake Box Mix...

Added:

 Rind from a large Orange

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice from the same Orange

Three eggs

1/3 cup of oil

Water combined with Orange Juice to make 1 cup

After mixed well, Add your Dried Cranberries and Walnuts... 
I usually just "dump" an unmeasured amount of the
Cranberries and Walnuts...which would properly measure
1/2 cup of Cranberries
1 Cup of Walnuts

I

 Spray pan with Cooking Spray

 Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins...

 After the cake cooled for a few mins I inverted onto a plate 

and added an Orange Glaze on top.

Glaze

Orange Rind from Large Orange

Orange Juice from Large Orange

One cup of Powdered Sugar

 The picture shows the cake much darker than it really is...

If you look very close, you can see the Orange Rind with the Cranberries and Walnuts...

You can make your Glaze thicker,

I wanted the glaze thin so it would seep into the cake giving even more of an Orange Flavor.

Tomorrow I will cut the cake into separate individual pieces, wrap in freezer wrap and freeze them for an easy grab on the go with my coffee:)

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic week-end!

Final Hershey Cake Contest

And The Winner Is...

There were 75 cakes to be judged...

That's a lotta chocolate cake!

Listed below are the top 5 winning cakes at the PA State Farm Show...

My cake was tasted twice by the judges, however did not make the final cut. My thoughts are, I lost points on presentation.  When I decided to enter this at the Local Level, It really was on a whim and I learned more complete protocol after the fact.  Next year if I decide to enter, (I'm already brain storming presentation) I will be more prepared. 

First place winner

2nd Place

3rd Place

4th Place

5th place

My cake

 YES...My name is spelled incorrectly!

Not sure how that happened, all was correct on my submitted forms.

My cake being judged

This truly has been a great experience..!

Congratulations to the Final Winners...!!

Round Two with the Hershey Cake...

 Today was registration from 3-5pm at the Harrisburg Farm Show Complex for the Hershey Cake Competition.  Tomorrow is the official start of the Farm Show with additional registration starting at 8am to 11am.  Judging starts at 2:30pm for the chocolate cake lasting approximately two hours.  I was hoping I would be able to register today and not have to worry about being there on time with the traffic and rush of people.  Fortunately it worked out and I was able to accomplish registration this afternoon. 

My cake number is 7.   

After registration was complete I was handed the bag below filled with some Goodies from Hershey Corporation.  Inside was a White Apron, a very nice set of metal measuring spoons, a small cake spatula, Hershey's Cocoa and Hershey's Semi-Sweet Morsels...

I'm really lovin this Apron...! 

Measuring Spoons and Cake Spatula

The set of Measuring Spoons are very good quality as well as the Cake Spatula..!!

This has been such a great experience! And I am anxious to see all the cakes tomorrow that are already WINNERS..!

THANKS HERSHEY..!!