Tessa's 5th Birthday Cake!

Five years ago today my family became complete when we welcomed our sweet sweet Tessa into it. I remember the morning she was born. . .they had accidentally double booked the doctor who was performing my c-section, and informed me, once I

was prepped that it would be an hour late. I was totally fine with that. I sat there in the dark room, eyes closed, savoring all those last fetal kicks and movements I felt, knowing this would be the last time I felt them. I enjoyed that last hour of my pregnancy so much. She captured my heart the moment she took her first breath, and changed our lives forever. She has brought us much joy, and MANY laughs over the last five years. Words cannot express the joy I have simply from being her mom. There is not a day that goes by that she doesn't put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. I can't believe that it's been five years already. I want to hold on to those younger years forever, but no matter how hard I try, I can't stop this little girl from growing up. Happy Birthday Tessa Joyce! We love you forever and ever!  

When I asked Tessa what she wanted for cake, all she told me was "PINK!!!!  Pink PINK PinK PiNk!!!!!  So this is what she got!

This cake is my go-to white cake recipe. . .with Vanilla Almond Buttercream. (Next time I would do a whipped cream filling and only buttercream for frosting to cut the richness a bit.)

Let's just say when it comes to the design. . .I needed a little "pinsperation!"

Reese's Peanut Butter Silk Pie

It was Dave's birthday on Thanksgiving this year so he didn't really get a cake, or a day all about him, so today I decided to make him a dessert featuring his two favorite things: Peanut Butter & Chocolate. 

This was SO good! So rich, so creamy, so tasty! You only need a small slice to feel satisfied, but I guarantee. . .you'll wake up and have leftovers for breakfast! 

I found it in a Hershey's Cookbook and made just a few changes. I'm sure we will make this many more times! 

Reese's Peanut Butter Silk Pie  

CRUST:

1 Shortbread Pie Crust (In the baking aisle.)

FUDGE LAYER:

1 cup Hershey's Mini Kisses

3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

PEANUT BUTTER LAYER:

1 8oz brick of cream cheese

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 cup Cool Whip 

TOPPING: 

Cool Whip

Chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt together the Hershey Kisses and Whipping Cream.

2. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate until set.

3. In the meantime, mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter.

4. Fold in Cool Whip.

5. Spread over Fudge Layer.

6. Top with Cool Whip and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups! 

7. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Butterfinger Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

I LOVE Cheesecake!   I also NEVER make Cheesecake!  Well, I take that back, it's not never, it's rarely.  I usually make a cheesecake once a year, and it's always for Valentine's Day.  

I look forward to that day every year, and then I have one piece, and I'm done for a while.  It's just such a rich, decadent, heavy, dessert that one piece is all you need!   I have never made this recipe before, but WOW, it's amazing!  

I actually did the baking portion of this recipe last night, knowing I'd need it to be perfectly set and chilled for tonight.  And because I also knew that I'd have a hard time waiting till tonight to try it, I used a few spoonfuls of the brownie batter and cheesecake batter to make a "cupcake" version for my husband and I to try first!   It was just the right amount of peanut butter, with just the right amount of chocolate!  

This isn't your every-day kind of treat, but it's definitely a delicious dessert to make on a special occasion.  My occasion is Wednesday Night Church Small Groups!  It's not really a "special" night, or a night any different than any other Wednesday night, but it's an excuse to try a new recipe! 

Butterfinger Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Brownie Bottom:
1 package Brownie Mix, any variety

Filling:
3 8oz packages of cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1 bag of crushed Butterfingers (Set aside 6 for the topping.)

1.  Prepare brownie batter as directed on box.  Pour into a 9" springform pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Bake at 350 until set.  (About 30 minutes.)

3.  In a mixing bowl, blend together cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter.

4.  Add in eggs one at a time.

5.  Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

6.   Fold in the crushed Butterfinger Bars.

7.  Pour over the brownie crust, and bake at 300 for about 1 hour.   (Middle of cheesecake should be slightly set, but not firm.)

8.  Cool in refrigerator overnight!!!!!  This is the key to getting the right texture/consistency in cheesecake! 

9.  Top with Peanut Butter Buttercream and Crushed Butterfingers! (Recipe for Buttercream is below.)


PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 or 3 Tbsp milk


1. Prepare cupcakes and let cool completely.

2. Mix together butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Whip frosting till it's light and fluffy.

Works in "cupcake" form as well!

Vanilla Puffed Pancake!

There are not many things that I think taste better than vanilla.  I love vanilla in everything!  I'd take a vanilla cake over chocolate any day, vanilla frosting over chocolate as well!  This recipe is Oh So Vanilla!   (Which may be why I love it so much!)  It's super easy to make, and something that looks so much more special than just your plain old pancakes.

It's only a handful of ingredients, all mixed together, and baked!  I always dust it with powdered sugar. . . and then I top it with fresh sliced strawberries!  In the wintertime, when strawberries are super expensive, I buy a great big bag of frozen berries at Costco or Sam's Club, thaw them, and mix with a few spoonfuls of sugar.  I never serve this sweet Vanilla Pancake with Syrup, always fresh berries.  The Pancake in it self is sweet enough, and to add syrup would be overkill for me, but if you've got a sweet tooth, and think no pancake would be complete without a little Maple, then go for it!

Vanilla Puffed Pancake

3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk, heated 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Put the butter in a large, ovenproof, nonstick saute pan and place in the oven. (I just used a pie plate.)

3.  Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the eggs, flour, warm milk, sugar, vanilla extract and pinch of salt, and   blend on medium-high speed until uniform. (If mixing by hand, combine the eggs with the milk until the mixture is light yellow and no longer stringy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt, and whisk vigorously to remove the lumps, about 30 seconds.)

4.  Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. The butter should be melted. Swirl the butter around the pan to coat completely, and then pour the remaining butter into the batter and pulse to blend. Pour the batter into the hot pan and return the pan to the oven. Cook until the pancake is puffed in the center and golden brown along the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

5.  Using a spatula, remove the entire Dutch baby from the pan and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes to allow the steam to escape without condensing along the bottom and rendering the pancake soggy. Dust with confectioners' sugar when cooled slightly. Slice the pancake into 8 wedges on a serving platter or cutting board.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries

Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries for the 4th Of July!

2 Lbs large Strawberries, washed, and hollowed
8 oz pkg. of cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Blue Berries
Sprinkles

1.  Combine Cream Cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together.  Mix until creamy.

2.  Put cream cheese mix into a piping bag.

3.  Pip mixture into strawberries.

4.  Top cream cheese with a blue berry and then dip in sprinkles!

Birthday Pancakes!

 

Light and Fluffy Pancake Batter

+

Food Coloring

+

Whipped Cream & Sprinkles

=

One Happy Birthday Girl!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Daughter Ava who turns 8 today!

I love you more than you'll ever know!

 

Fresh Strawberry Muffins!

Went Strawberry Picking today at Dew Fresh in Cambridge and picked two big buckets full of berries!  Wasn't sure what to do with the berries, went more for the experience with the kids than the berries them self.  HOWEVER by the time we got home about 1/3 of the berries were gone.  Kids ate themselves sick in the car on the way home!  I made strawberry shortcake for dessert. . .and here are the Light and Fluffy Fresh Strawberry Muffins we'll be enjoying for breakfast!  These are just the right amount of sweet, super tender, and very light!  Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
Additional Sugar


1.  Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well.

2.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture. Add vanilla. Gently stir in strawberries.

3.  Spoon batter into muffin pans.

4.  Sprinkle additional sugar over muffins.

5.  Bake at 475º for 20-25 minutes.

Pecan Praline Baked French Toast

When Dave and I were in Door County we ate at a Restaurant called Julie's Park Cafe for breakfast. Dave ordered this Pecan Praline French Toast and LOVED IT! So for Father's Day I decided to attempt to re-create it for him. He said this was right on! The kids LOVED it too! Which why wouldn't they . . .it's like eating dessert for dinner. Not so much healthy, but it's Father's Day!

Pecan Praline Baked French Toast

1 French bread loaf 
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted 
2 tablespoons maple syrup
3/4 cup chopped pecans
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Cut 10 (1-inch-thick) slices of bread. Reserve remaining bread for another use.

2. Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

3. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Arrange bread slices over pecans; pour egg mixture over
bread. Cover and chill 8 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake bread 35 to 37 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

 

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

TOPPING
3 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted
 
BATTER
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
Sweetened whipped cream, optional

Directions

• Place rhubarb in a greased 10-in. heavy oven-proof skillet. Combine sugar, flour and nutmeg; sprinkle over rhubarb. Drizzle with butter; set aside. For batter, in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until blended. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Gradually add to egg mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
• Spread over rhubarb mixture. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Loosen edges immediately and invert onto a serving dish.

Swedish "Sweetheart" Kringler

Swedish "Sweetheart" Kringler

FIRST LAYER:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp cold water

1. Mix together all ingredients to form dough.

2. Form dough into heart shape on baking stone.

SECOND LAYER:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
3 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract

1. In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Remove from heat.

2. Mix in flour.

3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

4. Add in almond extract.

5. Spread over the first pastry layer.

6. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

FROSTING:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp softened butter
1 tsp almond extract

1. Mix together all ingredients and spread over cooled pastry.

2. If you'd like, you can top with toasted almonds.

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

My husband LOVES Chili Cheese Dogs. . .but not me. He thinks there's nothing better than cranking open a can of fake chili, and smothering a hot dog in it. Top that with a slice of American Cheese. . .and it's heaven for him! I however, am not a fan of American Cheese either. But I found a meal idea online for a baked chili cheese dog and it actually looked good. Again. . .they were using canned chili and American Cheese.

This version of a Chili Cheese Dog, however, is doable for me! More than that, it's delicious! The first thing I had to do away with was the American Cheese. . .I traded that for a nice, sharp, Cheddar. Second thing that had to go was the canned Chili. I mean really, a meaty stew in a can? C'mon. I made a nice sweet/hot chili for dinner two days ago. . .and this is my leftovers! My pot of chili made just enough for dinner one night, lunch for Dave the next day, and these babies right here!

I bought some really good buns, slathered them lightly with a mayo/mustard mix, and then topped them with the dogs, chili, and cheese. I know the mayo/mustard combo may sounds weird, but trust me on this.

The fact that they're baked makes a "hot dog" actually feel like a special meal. The buns get just the right amount of toasty crunchiness to them. They're hit.

Baked Chili Cheese Dogs

8 hot dog buns
8 hot dogs ( I LOVE Nathans!)
2 cups of chili
1 1/2 cups of cheese
mayo/mustard mix

1. Split open buns, and spread the mayo/mustard mix on each one.

2. Top each bun with a hot dog, and place in a baking dish.

3. Top each hot dog with 1/4 cup of chili, and a heavy sprinkle of cheese.

4. Top with foil, and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.