S'more Bars

Last Friday I had some friends over for a back yard campout in our tent. But then the forecast predicted rain, so that cancelled a campfire and worse, no s’mores!!! Instead I made s’more bars :-) Good thing to because it did rain. In case you are curious, we did sleep outside, in our pop-up camper. And instead of night games and campfire, we ran around my neighborhood jumping in puddles. All in all it was a great night with an amazing gooey treat.

Ingredients        

·         ½ cup butter, softened

·         ¾ cup of sugar

·         1 egg

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         1-1/3 cups all purpose flour

·         ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

·         1 tsp baking powder

·         1/8 tsp salt

·         5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 oz each)

§  I used two 5.5 and one 1.55

·         1 cup marshmallow crème

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt;

gradually add to creamed mixture Set aside ½ cup for topping.

Press remaining mixture in to greased 9*9 or 8*11 pan.

Place candy bars over crust;

 Spread with marshmallow crème. Crumble remaining gram cracker mixture over top.

Bake at 350° for t5- 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

êêCritic Reviewsêê (in alphabetic order)

Meêêêêê Kate êêêêê Marielêêêêê Rachael êêêêZoeêêêêê
Would I make them again…
 Y.E.S they tasted just like the real deal and I didn’t have to worry about starting my marshmallows on fire or getting really sticky fingers. However, even with how delicious they were, they can’t replace the experiences and memories of making s’mores.

Cornbread

I know not many people like corn bread, but I love it. I could sit and eat the whole loaf at one time. At camp a few years ago when we were out on trail (Camping away from the main camp and cabins) we made corn bread and then put little bits on the ends of sticks and roasted them over the fire. It was so good. When my dad told me he was going to make chilly I decided to make cornbread. My mom, who doesn’t like cornbread really enjoyed it, if that makes you want to make it… probably not, but then you are just missing out.

History

Native Americans were using ground corn (maize) for food thousands of years before European explorers arrived in the Americas. European settlers, especially those who resided in the southern English colonies, learned from natives (such as Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek) the original recipes and processes for corn dishes, and soon they created recipes for using cornmeal in breads similar to those made of grains available in Europe. Cornbread has been called a "cornerstone" of Southern United States cuisine. Cornmeal is produced by grinding dry raw corn grains. A coarser meal made from corn is grits. Grits are produced by soaking raw corn grains in hot water containing lime (the alkaline salt), which loosens the grain hulls (bran). These are separated by washing and flotation in water, and the now softened slightly swelled grains are called hominy. Hominy, also is ground into masa harina for tamales and tortillas. This ancient Native American technology has been named nixtamalization. Cornbread was popular during the American Civil War because it was very cheap and could be made in many different forms including: high-rising, fluffy loaves or simply fried and as unleavened pone, corn fritters, and hoecakes

Lets Get Cookin'

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.

 In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.

    Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. .

Pour batter into prepared pan

    Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

êêCritics reviewsêê

Meêêêêê Momêêêê Dadêêêê Paulêêêêê 

Would I make it again…

            Yes, I will surely be making it again:-) 

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan.

2.      In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3.      Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Happy Mothers Day Cinnamon Waffles

My wonderful Mom and I<3

I hope you all had a wonderful mother’s day! For my mom I woke up at 6:10 to make her breakfast in bed. This year’s choice was cinnamon waffles. It was super easy to make and the taste was well worth waking up so early. I served them with strawberries, apple juice and cinnamon syrup (put plain syrup into a microwavable dish and add desired amount of cinnamon, than zap in the microwave for 10- 15 seconds) . I also went out and cut fresh daffodils and placed my homemade card on the tray. My mom loved it, but not as much as I love her<3

Lets get Cookin’

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour shopping list

1 tablespoon baking powder shopping list

1 teaspoon salt shopping list

3 tablespoons white sugar shopping list

1 1/2  teaspoon cinnamon shopping list

4 eggsshopping list

1 1/4 cups milk shopping list

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract shopping list

1/2 cup vegetable oil shopping list

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla and oil. Pour into well of flour mixture and stir just until ingredients are moistened.

     Cook batter in waffle iron. Makes 6 waffles on a regular iron or 4 very filling waffles on a Belgium (that’s what I used)

êêCritics Reviewêê

Me: êêêêê  Mom: êêêêê Dad: êêêêê Paul: êêêê

Would I make them again…

            YES I am going to use this recipe almost every time I make waffles from now on:-)

 

Chocolate Nest Cake

For Easter I made a chocolate nest cake. My mom’s family are huge chocolate lovers, so what better dessert to bring than a chocolate cake? It definitely took some time to complete, but it was worth it. The nest is made out of cut up chocolate bars. The robins’ eggs, in the middle, are truffles with a white chocolate shell. Surprisingly, they were super easy to make, but patience is key. The cake was very moist and chocolaty, but not over baring. I wrote this post in groups, starting with truffles, than cake, than the ganache (icing which is made out of chocolate and cream) and lastly assembly. For the recipe in one piece go to the bottom of the post and click read more.

EGG TRUFFLES

Note: You will want to make the eggs a day in advance because it involves a lot of refrigeration time in between steps (you can make them up to two weeks in advance).

Ingredients

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate 
• 3 to 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• ¼  cup butter, room temperature
• 1 bag white chocolate chips
• Sky-blue gel-paste food coloring 
• Make sure gel-past. If you use liquid food coloring it will not allow the chocolate to stay at a melted consistency.

Simmer water in a pan. Place a heatproof bowl over the water.

Put bittersweet chocolate and cream into. Stir until smooth; remove from heat.

Stir in butter

      Pour into a loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until very cold and set but still pliable, about 2 hours.

Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of ganache.

Transferring them to baking sheets lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

      Using your hands, roll each ball into an egg shape. Place in freezer until very firm, about 1 hour.

Place white chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Stir until smooth; remove from heat.

       Divide between 2 medium bowls. Add food coloring to 1 bowl until desired blue shade. Add a few drops of food coloring to other bowl, and swirl lightly with a toothpick.

 Working with one at a time, dip half of the eggs in blue chocolate, then dip remaining eggs in swirled chocolate, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. As you work, transfer eggs to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Truffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

       Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

GANACHE

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

          Put chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the consistency of stiff cream cheese, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk until fluffy and smooth

I used a 1 container of vanilla frosting from the store, for in between the two cakes. By using store bought frosting it helped hold the cake together and vanilla cut down on the chocolate taste just a bit. Also there was not enough Ganache for the center.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Take the bottom cake and ice the top with store bought frosting. Place the other cake on top

Frost the whole cake in the chocolate ganache.

A tip for frosting: before you set your cake down one the serving plate, take pieces of wax paper or parchment paper and set around the outside of the cake. This way you can frost the cake without getting your frosting on the plate. Once you are done frosting pull the pieces out from under the cake

To make the nest take 2 chocolate bars and cut thin strips the long way.

    Place chocolate in a nest formation on the top of your cake.

    Add three of the egg truffles in to the nest.

   Enjoy, refrigerate leftovers.

êêCritics Reviews êê

Meêêêê Paul êêêê momêêêêê dad êêêêê the rest of the fam’ êêêê1/2

Would I make it again…

          Yes, but the real question is; am I going to make it again, probably not. At least not looking like this. This was the best chocolate frosting I have ever had, so that is a for sure keeper. The truffles were really good and so was the cake. I am just not sure if I would ever make it all and put it all together again like this. There is only one Easter a year and I like to try new things, so maybe in a couple years. However I HIGHLY recommend this recipe for anyone who wants an amazing cake the looks just as good as it tastes!