Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce

Um….WOW.  

It really is that good. 

This was my husband's Father's Day treat.  He's a lucky beast.

This dessert is now in our top 1% of all-time faves.  We originally got hooked on bread pudding at our favorite BBQ joint, Famous Dave's.  I'm sure you've heard of them.  I did NOT think that "bread pudding" sounded very appetizing until I tried it…and then couldn't imagine my life without it!!!  

My  husband and I agree--if we could pick ONE DESSERT favorite ever, we would pick this one.  {crazy, I know…being that I'm a worshiper of chocolate…}

From then on, I've been on the hunt for a good bread pudding recipe that is perfect, you know, for those occasions when I desperately need unhealthy amounts of carbs and can't get to Famous Dave's.

BREAD PUDDING with PECAN PRALINE SAUCE
original recipe found at Deals to Meals

For the bread, I used my BFF Kadie's No-Fail French Bread.  I always have some on hand.  Otherwise, any loaf of French bread or white bread like Texas toast will work.

**ALSO** this recipe is even better the 2nd day, so you could make this a day ahead and reheat and serve.

1 loaf French Bread, cut into 1" cubes (about 1 ½ lbs.)
⅔ c. golden raisins (I don't add the raisins…but most people like them.)
1 ½ c. sugar
4 c. milk
1 c. heavy cream
⅛ c. vanilla
⅛ c. rum
(little secret:  I keep a bottle of half vanilla/half rum to use for occasions like this.  Vanilla and rum are basically the same thing, complementing each other.)
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Whipped cream for garnish (not in photo)
French Vanilla Bean ice cream.  (not optional - a MUST)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat bottom and sides of 13 x 9" baking pan heavily with butter.  Mix bread & raisins together, spread evenly in the pan.  Make sure crusts are turned over so they don't brown too quickly.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar, milk, cream, vanilla, rum, eggs, and cinnamon until well blended.  Pour evenly over bread mixture.  Press down & make sure all of the bread is soaked.  Lay a piece of foil over the top of the mixture, pressing down.  Bake for about 1 hour, possibly longer,  until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Remove foil for the last15-20 minutes so the top can brown up a little.  Allow to cool for a little bit.

Serve with warm Pecan Praline Sauce, a scoop of ice cream, and whipped cream. (not pictured)

PRALINE SAUCE:  (makes about 4 cups)
1 c. butter, cut into pieces
¾ c. chopped nuts
3 ¼ c. brown sugar
¾ c. heavy cream
½ t. cinnamon
1 ¼ c. sour cream (and don't get the light stuff…you're going all-out here)
1 t. vanilla

In a large saucepan, heat ½ c. of the butter until melted.  Add pecans and mix well.  Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes, until pecans begin to brown slightly and become fragrant.  Remove from heat and add remaining ½ c. butter and mix well.  Add brown sugar, heavy cream, and cinnamon to the pan; mix well.  Cook over medium-high heat until blended, stirring constantly.  When mixture starts to boil vigorously, turn the heat down a little and boil rapidly for 2 minutes - keep stirring.  Remove from heat and add sour cream and vanilla.

**{Seriously…the sour cream MAKES this sauce!!}**

Enjoy yourself a little piece of heaven!!  ahhhhhh….

Bye for now!

-Abby

Cooking 101 - German Chocolate Cake from Scratch

It's BIRTHDAY WEEK!  Woohoo!  

My oldest boy is the 4th, my younger boy is the 6th, and I am the 8th.  We celebrate "Birthday Week" and usually nosh on the same cake all week long!  Parrrtay.

**Nostalgic Back Story** 

{cue the beautiful orchestra music}

Ever since I was a kid, I absolutely HAD to have German Chocolate cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting.  I would look forward to it as much as, if not more so, than birthday gifts!  { my foodie nerdiness started early!}  My mom would ask what kind of cake I would want each year, knowing what the answer would be, but she would ask just in case.  And for whatever reason, she would only make this cake one time per year - ONLY on my birthday - and I literally tried to savor every. bite. of my birthday cake.  I would wonder with amazement how something so delicious could be made with human hands.  (My mom wasn't human, though, she was an angelic SuperMom!)

And then my amazing BFF Kadie improved upon the German Chocolate Cake.  {gasp!!}  I know…I know what you're thinking…."you can't mess with the purity and perfection of the German Chocolate Cake thing"…however, with her love and reverence for all things dessert, she did it and it's now the ultimate beloved favorite in my house.  

The secret?  Kadie's chocolate buttercream frosting (recipe below or link to her blog).  It ups the richness factor and adds some serious depth to this already-perfect pairing.  You absolutely HAVE to try it!   {{Thanks, Kadie!!!}}

Kadie's German Chocolate Cupcakes link

{aren't they GORGEOUS?!}

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE {from scratch}
with CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM & COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

{that, my friend, is a mouthful…and so is the cake…}

CAKE:

1 pkg. (4 oz) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate

½ c. water

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease & cover bottoms of two  8" or  9" cake pans with parchment paper.  Butter the sides of the pans, as well.  Microwave chocolate and water in large microwavable bowl until melted, stirring every 30 seconds or so.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one-at-a-time, beating well after each one.  Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla.  Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go along.  

Beat egg whites in a small bowl until stiff peaks form; gently fold into cake mixture.  Pour evenly into cake pans.  Bake 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Immediately run small metal spatula around cake.  Let cool for a few minutes and remove cake from pans and let cool on a wire rack until completely cooled off before frosting.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

1 stick (1/ 2 c.) butter

3 c. powdered sugar

4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

2 heaping Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

3-4 T. of milk or heavy cream

Melt chocolate chips in microwave or in a double-broiler on the stove until melted.  If using a microwave, stir every 15-30 seconds to avoid scorching.  Let completely cool.

Beat together all ingredients until frosting is smooth and whipped.  Start with the least amount of milk/cream and add more as needed to desired consistancy. (I usually use milk, but sometimes heavy cream adds more richness)

COCONUT PECAN FROSTING:

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 c. sugar

3 egg yolks

1 stick (½ c.) butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ⅓ c. shredded, sweetened coconut flakes

1 c. (or more) chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, yolks, butter, and vanilla.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  DO NOT BOIL.  It should coat the back of a spoon.  Set aside; add coconut and pecans and let cool for about 20-30 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE LAYER CAKE:

First, scoop out some chocolate buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with whatever frosting tip you want.   You only need about ½ c. - ¾ c. of frosting in your bag, depending on how much buttercream you want to pipe onto the cake.  

Place one layer of cake on your cake plate and spread a layer of chocolate buttercream on top, make sure it's not too thick. Then carefully spread a thick layer of coconut pecan frosting on top of that.  Place 2nd layer on top of cake; repeat with a layer of buttercream and coconut pecan frosting, coating the cake all the way around the sides, as well.  

Pipe your buttercream frosting designs around the cake - have fun with it! And enjoy.  I am positive that you are going to LOVE this.

Pure.  Heaven.  

Bye for now!!

Cooking 101 - Lemon Cheesecake Morning Rolls

First:  I can't tell you how great it is to hear from you!!  Really.  It's AWESOME!!  Thanks for your posts!!  I love you all!!!  

To help kick off your New Year...you know...goals, fitness, healthy living, blah-blah-blah...I'm just going to help END the goals early and post this amazing recipe!!!  If loving these are wrong, I don't wanna be right.  Or skinny.  Okay, maybe I want to lose some weight...and these won't help...but don't deprive yourself, people.  Just end the guilt trip now and enjoy these morsels straight from heaven. You can work it off later.  They're worth it.

(don't hate me....and.....YOU'RE WELCOME!!)

Doesn't the title just make you feel giddy inside?  "Lemon Cheesecake Morning Rolls"...bright, lemony, cheesecakey, morning goodness?  Does life get any better when lemons and mornings are involved?!  No.  No, it doesn't.  Especially in winter - for me, anyway.  It all just sounds happy, which means that it can't help but kick off a brand new day with a great vibe, right?!  Nevermind the "roll" part... you don't need negativity in your life.  And because these are so evil & sinful, you don't have to feel self-conscious about being happy in the morning.  It's really a win-win.

LEMON CHEESECAKE MORNING ROLLS  OR ANYTIME ROLLS. WHATEVER.

MAKES 12 ROLLS

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (or 1/4 oz. pkg)
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. + 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
3 1/2 - 4 c. all purpose flour
16 oz. cream cheese, softened (2 of the 8oz. pkgs)
zest of 1 lemon, reserve a little for topping (or zest some more lemon if you like more flavor)
2 T. + 1 T. lemon juice
1 egg
1 stick salted butter, melted
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
about 1/4 c. canned milk

DOUGH:
In a small bowl, combine yeast and warm water, let it dissolve, set aside.  In a large electric mixing bowl, combine milk, 1/4 c. sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.  Add 2 c. flour amd mix until smooth.  Add yeast mixture.  Mix in remaining flour until dough is easy to handle.  Allow electric mixer to knead, or hand-knead on a floured surface for 5-10 minutes.  Place in a well-greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

FILLING:
(make this just before the dough is done rising)
Cream softened cream cheese in a medium bowl until fluffy before adding lemon zest, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 T. lemon juice, and egg.  Mix together until well combined.

ROLLS:
When dough is doubled in size, punch down and roll out onto a flat surface into a 15 x 9" rectangle. (doesn't have to be perfect.)  Brush melted butter all over surface.  Dollop the filling all over, spread evenly.  Gently roll the dough into a spiral, using a scraper if you need.  Slice into 2" rounds and place close together in greased baking dish.  Brush 2 T. melted butter on top.
**at this point, you could wrap and freeze for later**
Cover and let dough rise for about 20-30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked in the middle.  Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before adding the glaze.

GLAZE:
Whisk together 1 stick melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, remaining 1 T. lemon juice, and canned milk.  Add the milk gradually to prevent making the glaze too runny.  Drizzle evenly over warm rolls.  Sprinkle with remaining lemon zest.

These taste the best when they've sat & cooled for a little bit, but they're incredibly delicious warm, as well.  You just can't go wrong here!!!   Enjoy!!

Key Lime Coconut Bars

Key limes are tiny.  Like, walnut sized tiny.  Aren't they preshessss?!

If you take this whole batch of limes, and hopefully a really good juicer (not like the manual one I have that will give you hand cramps for a week), you can DO this!  It's beyond easy. 

Except the jucing limes part.  I never want to do that again.

Yes.

It tastes as good as it looks.  Even better.

Stop licking the screen.

KEY LIME COCONUT BARS

Original source found here

The original recipe calls for an 8 x 8 square baking pan.  Heaven knows that an 8x8 bunch-of-nothing is going to be enough for my key-lime-lovin' family.  I increased the recipe by half, so I upped the amounts and fit it into my 8 x 12 pan (or something like that - it's smaller than a 9 x 13).

However, here is the original recipe and you can do with it what you want!  

Crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (I just buy a container of crumbs so I don't have to bash crackers)

2 T. sugar

1/2 c. sweetened, flaked coconut

1/3 c. melted butter, melted

Filling:

3 cans sweetened, condensed milk (the smaller 14 oz. cans)

1/2 c. sour cream

3/4 c. key lime juice

1 Tbsp. grated lime zest

Topping:

Whipped cream and toasted coconut for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8 x 8 square baking pan with parchment paper, overlapping the paper over the sides to create handles for later.  Mix crumbs, sugar, coconut, and butter in a bowl and press into the pan; bake for 8-10 minutes.  Remove and cool slightly.

While crust is cooling, make the filling.  (the FUN part!)  In a bowl, add the remaining ingredients: sweetened, condenced milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime zest.  Whisk to combine until smooth and creamy.  Pour on top of crust; bake for 8-10 minutes until firm to the touch but not browned at all.   Cool at room temperature, then chill completely.

Top with some homemade whipped cream and toasted coconut.

(to toast the coconut, line a baking sheet with parchment paper; spread a thin layer of sweetened, shredded coconut on top, and bake at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes until it's lightly golden brown)

Coconut-Lime Tropical Smoothie

Since Mother Nature is loving me, and wanting to help me through my stress, we were granted a full week of 70-ish degree (give or take) weather.  Pure. Heaven.  I wore skirts, flip flops, and the weather was warm on my skin.  Whatta sensation!  I'm definitely not used to that.

So what you do when there's a house full of kids, it's toasty outside, and everyone is tearing off clothing?!  (well, maybe it was just me tearing off clothing... kids were begging me to stop...I can't remember now...)  

We make smoothies!!

This was one of those things where I was craving something and I happened to have some key things in the pantry/fridge.  So I started playing!  Food is play for me.

Here's the gist of what we put in this triumph:

A blender 2/3 full of ice to start with..then...
3/4 can of coconut milk (or the whole thing depending on how much liquid you need)
1 can crushed pineapple, juice included
Juice of 1 lime (no zest, though--makes it too zesty)
2 bananas
about 1/2 c. sweetened, shredded coconut
1 T. sugar (or you could use honey) to taste.  Add more if it's not sweet enough.
1/4 c. wheat germ
Handful of chia seeds
(you could even put spinach in this and tell the kids that it's lime!  haha.  How sneaky of you!)

Blend and serve.  As it is with all smoothie recipes---if it's too thick, add milk or liquid as you go.  You could also add some yogurt - I'd suggest something mild like vanilla. 

Cooking 101 - Favorite Jam Bars

Happy Valentine's Day! 

or Single Awareness Day...

...or whatever you choose to call this day...

I always try to do a fun Valentine breakfast for the kids,  you know, because I don't show them enough love during the rest of the year.  I kind of save it all up for Valentine's Day.  Don't we all?  Especially for my 12-year-old boy--I hug and snuggle, kiss his face, and hug and snuggle him all morning long and I am 99.9% positive that the pre-adolecent boy enjoys this.  Especiallly if he has a friend over.

Anyhooo--this morning's breakfast came straight from our dearly, dearly beloved Pioneer Woman sister, whom I do believe is another soul sister of mine.  Someday, we're going to get together, my soul sisters and I - BFF Kadie, Paula Deen, The Pioneer Woman, Betty White, Madonna - no, wait, not her - definitely Cheri Oteri, though - and she'll be wearing the Spartan Cheerleader suit. Oh, and Jim Gaffigan.  He will be there, too.  

These were incredibly good.  I served them with some cheesy scrambled eggs for a little protein to go with their dessert/breakfast.  Delish!

FAVORITE JAM BARS

original recipe from The Pioneer Woman

(I say 'favorite jam' because you can use ANY flavor of jam you want, as long as it's seedless.)

1 1/2 c. Flour
1 1/2 c. Oats
1 c. Brown sugar, packed
1 t. Baking powder
1/2 t. Salt
1 3/4 stick salted butter, cut into pieces
1 jar (10-12 oz) Preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except preserves.  Press half of the mixture into a buttered 8" square (or small rectangular) pan.  Spread preserves.  Sprinkle second half of mixture over the top and press down lightly.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until lightly golden.  Let cool completely, cut into squares.

Cooking 101 - No Bake Cookies

Whatta Classic!!!

While I had a house full of sickies, and while I cleaned and took care of people, I had this burning desire for....No Bake Cookies...???  Honestly--who doesn't love a No-Bake?  I'm embarassed to admit that I devoured *ahem* a lot of these.  They're freakishly good.

And since I had these cute little paper wrappers, I thought I'd try making my cookies into an oblong shape--and I love it!  What a fun way to package and give your cookies away! {gasp!}

CLASSIC NO-BAKE COOKIES:

Original recipe from:  One More Moore

1/2 C. Butter

2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Milk

4 T. Cocoa powder

1/2 C. Crunchy peanut butter (I love Skippy All-Natural Super Chunk...no hydroginated oil)

3 1/2 C. Quick oats

2 T. Vanilla

Combine butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan; cook on medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.  Boil for one minute.

Stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla.  Spoon onto waxed paper and let cool for a few hours.

And then try hard not to eat all of them!!  

Cooking 101 - Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

aaaaaaand....another huge hit from Pinterest!

I found another incredibly amazing foodie blog--"Lulu the Baker"--and that is where I first laid eyes on her Fresh Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze.  {Lulu, I love you!}

We had this after our Sunday dinner and it was everything I could have ever imagined it would be.

I followed the original recipe {weird, I know} and I added 2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 t. nutmeg.  She suggested to add some. It's an option.  I like options.

Dense, rich, chunky, buttery.  

{your mouth is watering, isn't it?!}  

Talk about winter comfort food.  WOWSA!  The best part is that you can use applesauce instead of oil---especially because it's an apple cake!  

This is definitely going to be in our small list of dessert favorites.

Lazy Halloween Food

I. Love. Easy.

Let's be honest here - I love to bake and create amazing food...but not for a classroom full of 6-year-olds who shove all they can into their mouths as quickly as they can before they pass out.  I've learned over the years that, rather than spend my precious time cooking and baking homemade goodies for class parties, I'll just jazz up the pre-made crap.  The end result is the same: sugar consumption.  Why waste time, ladies?!

Here we have The-Lazy-Mom's-Amazing-Looking-Halloween Treats!  Credits:  I found them on Pinterest.  Love Pinterest.

Nutter Butter ghosts dipped in vanilla almond bark, and cookie witch hats.  Do they even look like witch hats?  What witch has a bow on her hat, anyway?  They definitely needed the bow...but I'm sure many of you are more capable of making prettier bows.  I was in a hurry, folks.  Besides, they're just going to be inhaled by kids who could care less if the bow is pretty.  {I think it's just me who cares....}

Some of those 'bows' kind of look like doggie turds.  eww.  Maybe I should have grossed the kids out by saying that!  

That would have been rad.

For the ghosts you'll need:
Almond Bark (that melty stuff over by the chocolate chips)
Nutter Butter cookies
Tiny chocolate chips.  If you are an over-achiever,  you could pipe some chocolate circles for the mouth.

Melt the almond bark in a microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring each time.  Maybe towards the end, you could stir it every 10 seconds.  Then dip the cookies and roll them around with a fork, lif them out, tap off the excess, and set them on waxed paper.  Put the eyes on before the chocolate hardens.

Takes maybe 30 minutes---if you're slow.

For the witch hats you'll need:
{These took me 15 minutes--start-to-finish!  GASP!}

Circular fudge cookies
Hershey kisses (better get 2 bags because you'll pretty much eat half.)
Plastic baggie, corner clipped a teen, tiny bit
Frosting - and color it whatever color you want. (1 stick butter, 4 c. powdered sugar, pinch of salt, 1 t. vanilla, some canned milk - blend it up, adding more canned milk as you need it.  It needs to be thin enough to pipe but not too thin.)

I did this assembly-line-style:
Line up all of your cookies
Unwrap all your kisses; keep them in a little bowl next to the cookies
Scoop your frosting into the baggie, and begin:

Pipe a pearl-sized drop of frosting in the middle of each cookie
Set a kiss on each drop
Pipe a circle around each kiss - your frosting should be just thin enough where you can circle your hand around and it should fall around the kiss without you having to fuss with it too much.
Finish with a bow.

BOO-YEAH.  You're done.  And you look like Super Mom.  And that's what's really important.

Cooking 101 - Ghirardelli Chocolate Truffle Cake

{think of a gooey truffle bite melting in your mouth....that's what this cake is like...}

Every woman needs this cake in her recipe box.  It's not cake, really - it's more creamy than anything.  It's thick, dense, gooey and SO very rich.  When I'm craving some deep, flavorful chocolate, I always think of this cake.  

It's super easy, it will impress all of your friends and family...and let's be honest...you do enjoy that...

But most importantly, it will flood your mind, body, and soul with deep, rich CHOCOLATE beyond your wildest dreams...so go ahead and try it.

GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE:

For the cake:

1 pkg. Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet baking chips - or 2 cups
{**do not substitute anything for the Ghirardelli - hence the name...and the flavor...}
2 sticks butter
8 eggs
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Arrange rack in center of the oven.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x2" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.  (place the pan over the parchment paper, trace the bottom circle, cut it out and set it inside)

In a double broiler, or a large heatproof bowl placed over a medium pot of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and butter together until smooth, stirring occasionally.  **do NOT let steam or water get into the bowl.  Make sure to barely simmer the water.  Cool slightly.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer using the whip attachment, whip the eggs and salt together on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the eggs have doubled in size.

Gently fold the whipped eggs, a third at a time, into the melted chocolate.  Pour the batter into prepared cake pan.  Prepare a water bath for the cake by placing the cake pan in a larger pan and filling the large pan halfway up the sides of the cake pan with hot, but not boiling, water.

Bake for 40 about minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center.  Remove the pan from the water bath to a cooling rack and cool the cake completely in the pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.   (or put it in the freezer for 30 min. to an hour, and transfer to the fridge for another couple of hours.)

To remove cake from pan:  dip the pan in warm water halfway up the sides and run a thin metal spatula around the inside of the pan.  Invert onto a plate to unmold and remove the parchment paper.

Prepare Ganache:

1 c. heavy cream
1 bag Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (or 2 cups)
  (you could also do half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate--but I like the semi-sweet)
pinch of salt

Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat.  Pour heated cream over chips and whisk gently until smooth.  Allow to cool slightly.  Pour little by little over the top of the cake and spread to evenly cover.  (There will be soome ganache left over - save it for some ice cream or French toast!)

Chill the cake for a few minutes for the ganache to set.  To garnish, grate some white chocolate bar over the top of the cake.  It's also heavenly with some fresh homemade whipped cream.  (never Cool Whip. never.)

Busy Summer...Lazy Morning

ONE MORE WEEK LEFT!!!!!  {can I get a 'wahoo!'}  School starts soon and I feel like I'm about to be released from the mental institution from which I've been bound since June.  {aaaaak!}  Don't get me wrong...I dearly love hangin' out with my babies - but you know how summer kind of becomes unscheduled?  unruly? unrestful?  (I'm talking about me, not the kids here) 

Now I realize that public school is not a daycare, but the fact that they're learning, experiencing life lessons, socializing, making fond memories of horrible cafeteria food, knowing that I can stay home and do my thing - it brings me great joy.  MAMA'S READY!

So...on with it now...I digress.

My ENTIRE FLIPPING FAMILY has been sick with a GI-bug.  That's right.  Gastroenteritis. {not the flu}  Barf. Diarrhea. Lysol. Clorox wipes. midnight cleanings. You know what I'm talking about.  You can feel it in your gut right now.  It leaves haunting, traumatic memories.

To make it worse, my cute mom is here visiting from Arizona.  She got it, too.  "Here, mom, as a token gift for your long journey from us to you!"  not cool.

SO...after an exhausting week of cleaning & disinfecting, I made us all a little treat for Sunday dessert.  

......mmmmmmmm......

It's a lemon pound cake, cut in thirds, topped with fresh strawberries {with a splash of lemon and sugar}, and lemon cream.  (lemon curd folded into whipped cream) 

The basic parts to this dessert is found on my BFF Kadie's blog - Lemon Berry Trifle .  I bake my pound cake into loaf pans, but either way - it's lemon pound cake.  Also, for this dessert here,  instead of cooking the berries, I just used fresh strawberries.

It's fresh, bright, and utterly delicious.  I'm going through a lemon obsession right now and this dessert makes my soul feel bright and happy!

...and do you ever just buy some fresh flowers and feel so happy when you wake up in the morning and there they are in the sunlight?!  me, too.

The BEST Carrot Cake. Ever.

Thanks to our good friend, Dr. Frederick, who has painstakingly adjusted this recipe and graciously passed it on to us, may I present to you the BEST Carrot Cake I've ever had.  {and trust me...I've had it everywhere and my own personal opinion is that this recipe exceeds even the Cheesecake Factory!}  I know, ladies, but it's true.  I would never lie to you.

{SO moist.  Just look at it for crying out loud!}

DR. FREDERICK'S CARROT CAKE:

4 eggs

1 1/4 c. vegetable oil (or 3/4 oil and 1/2 c. applesauce)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. brown sugar

3 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg (fresh ground is best)

3 c. grated carrots - (coarse grate, not fine grate)

1 c. chopped pecans

8 oz. drained crushed pineapple (I drained the pineapple and measured 8 oz. - or 1 c.)

FROSTING:

1/2 c. butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped pecans

heavy whipping cream

pinch of salt  (I added this in - I've found that if I add just the tiniest pinch of salt to my frostings, it makes the flavor pop.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan or two round cake pans.

*Note: Using a food processor with the grater blade attachment, you can grate your carrots in no time.  I started dropping handfulls of baby carrots into the opening of the lid and had 3 cups of grated carrots in seconds.  You can also chop your nuts in the food processor, as well.  Save yourself some time.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

In a large bowl (I used my Kitchenaid mixer), beat together eggs, oil, applesauce (optional), sugars, and vanilla.  Mix in flour mixture.  Slowly stir in carrots, pineapple, and nuts.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  (baking times may vary)  Let cake cool in pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  

For the frosting:

Beat everything together except the nuts until it's smooth and creamy.  Only add a splash of the whipping cream at a time until the frosting is creamy but stiff.  You don't want it too thin.  Fold in pecans.  Make sure your cake is completely cooled before you frost it.

...and now enjoy...

Cooking 101 - Chocolate Sauce (Ganache)

Wanna quick, easy, last-minute, AMAZING Valentine gift idea?!  (the reason I even did  this is that my son's Valentine party is tomorrow???!!!...I know...why not on V-day?)  I'm giving one of these to my boy's teacher - and she's not going to know what hit her.  It's ganache (guh-nosh) and when you drizzle this hot stuff over some good French vanilla ice cream, the world literally stops turning!!!  (I know that for a fact.)

Okay, so my "label" has much to be desired, but I didn't have time nor patience for a detailed explanation of the contents in the jar. If  you got this gift with some ice cream and it looks like chocolate and says, "heat & serve" - wouldn't  you know what to do??  I hope so.

So here's how it's done:

Take about 1 to 1 1/2 c. of heavy cream and heat it up to boiling, stirring constantly so as not to scorch the cream.

Have your chocolate chips in a bowl ready and waiting - go ahead, use the whole stinking bag.

 You MUST use Ghirardelli.  No exceptions.

 Aren't the morsels delicious?!  Can you smell the chocolate?!

 When your cream starts to boil, gently pour it into the chips - a little at a time so you don't get soupy chocolate.

 Whisk in the hot cream - it will look light and clumpy at first, but then...

 ...you get this gorgeous rich sauce.  If it's too thick, add more cream.

 I happen to have a stockpile of baby food jars available.  They're PERFECT because they're just the right size for this sauce as a gift.  You don't use very much of it at one time, so a little goes a long way.  Find whatever little jars you can.  Keep in mind that the contents of this sauce aren't cheap and it doesn't go very far.  Think LITTLE jars.

 And now decorate the heck out of your jar.  For my fabric covering, it's about 4 inches square with a little glue on the top of the lid to secure it.  Glue helps a lot.

Because my jars had that sticky crap where the baby food label was, I had to cover it up so I cut a strip of pink paper.  Not necessary, but definitely a solution.

 Give it away by itself or grab a small half-pint of ice cream to go with it!  And you'll always be remembered as the really classy lady who gave the most delicious, rich chocolate sauce that made the world stop turning.  Yes...now go be that lady...you amazing thing, you.

Oh, WHAT do you do?!

Workin' on a project.  {GASP!]  Well, that is, between chasing my baby all over the house removing small items from her chubby little hands and her soggy mouth, peeling poopy outfits off of her (I SWEAR...how does she produce all of that?!), doing dishes, fighting my desire to lay down and sleep, feeding people, cleaning up random messes that seem to multiply behind my back, and many more exciting and fulfilling tasks.  I'm trying to squeeze in a Christmas project here and there, which is why I remain madly in love with embroidery right now because you can set it down and pick it up whenever.  perfect!

But what do you do when you're ready to step out of your funk, leave the house, breathe in some fresh fall air, stop the madness for a moment, and escape?!  

You RUN over to the bakery, grab two gorgeous looking specimen, go home giggling, put the little ones down for a nap (or, for heaven's sake, find something mindless and numbing for them like cartoons) and have a TASTE TEST!!!  (by the way, I was totally wearing my 'cookie pants' and slippers with my hair pulled back and no shower!  How rad is that?!)

SO....today's challenge is...German Chocolate vs. Coconut Cream.  (notice the absence of fondant...haha.)

As you see here, both are beautiful with their own desirableness.  (is that even a word?)

Of course, I'm a chocolate addict, but I'm also a coconut freak, so between the two cupcakes, this should prove to be a difficult competition. aaakk! I love a tough challenge!!!

 NO BRAINER.  The German Chocolate wins hands-down.  The coconut cupcake is merely so-so because they used that nasty Crisco-like frosting, which, frankly, creeps me out.  Sorry, coconut cream.  (It needed cream-filling, that's what, and there might have been some challenge here.)

The German Chocolate has more flavor, the frosting isn't whipped Crisco, and, well, just look at it!  It's heaven!  What am I going to do when I don't live by this bakery anymore?!    

There you have it, folks.  A perfect way to escape reality, if just for a moment.

  

(side note:  because I'm trying to eat 'smarter', as hard as that might be to believe, I'm actually done tasting the cupcakes and I'm going to put them in the fridge and/or throw them away.  I only needed a taste.  It's a good feeling when you can do that.  A few dollars is worth my sanity!)