Thursday, April 28, 2011

Time Off

Hi ya'll!  So, in my last post I mentioned my new job. Yes! I got a job! Yay!  After quitting my last job last summer, moving, and losing my car, I'm finally getting back to work! Its not a fancy job, but its a paycheck, (more money to bake with!) and its only across the street from us, so I can walk to work.

The hubs is getting ready for his upcoming finals. Once this semester is over for him, he'll get back to cooking. And once I know what my new schedule will be, I'll get back to the baking. So please excuses us if I don't post anything for the next week..

I will have an awesome cookie recipe posted over the weekend  for you to look forward to!


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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Book Tuesday's

Hi ya'll! Sorry this post is a bit late in the day.. I had my first day at my new job today and worked longer than I expected to..  This was an awesome week for me! I actually read more than 2 books this week.. I got 3 read, plus I got a book in the mail!! 

What I Read:



Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
I loved this book! I can't wait to read more by this author!



Kat Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
I found this book to be very cute! I am excited to read more in this series.



Blood Song by Cat Adams
Oh how I loved this book! I'm sad that my library does not carry the other books in this series.. Guess that means I will have to go out and buy me a copy..


What I Got:
The Book I got in the mail was from Heather over at Nightly Reading.
She sent me this book through R.A.K.


Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
I'm so excited to get this book and start this series and collection! 




To learn more about R.A.K. go here.




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Monday, April 25, 2011

Homemade Pop Tarts

Hi Ya'll! So the other day I got this awesome cookbook in the mail, Flour by Joanne Chang. I immediately sat down and went through the cookbook looking for something I could make right away, without having to run to the store. I found this awesome recipe for pop tarts!

Apple Cinnamon Pop Tarts:

Dough:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons cold milk

Using the paddle attachment for your mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10-15 seconds, or until combined.  Scatter the butter over the top, mix on low speed for 1-1 1/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it. Lumps of butter the size of pecans should be visible through out.

In small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and milk until blended. Add the to the flour mixture all at once. Mix on a low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together.

Dump the dough out onto an unfloured work surface, then gather into a tight mound. Using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side and along the work surface, until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together. Do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until it has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter.

Gather up dough and wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and press to flatten into a disc about an inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Filling:

3 tablespoons butter
2 granny smith apples (I used gala apples), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

In medium saucepan, melt the butter over high heat. Add the apples and toss around with heat resistant spatula for 2-3 minutes, or until the just start to soften. Add the sugar and continue to toss for another 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has melted and mixed with the apples. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool for about 30 minutes.


Add the egg, cinnamon, salt and flour to the apple mixture and mix until completely combined. Let cool before using.



Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In  a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, water, and cinnamon to make a smooth glaze.

All together now:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide in into half. Press each half into a rectangle. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a 14x11 inch rectangle. Using a paring knife, lightly score one rectangle into eight 3 1/2x5 1/2 inch rectangles.

Brush the top surface of the entire scored rectangle with the egg wash. Spoon 2 tablespoons of apple mixture in a mound in the center of each scored rectangle. Lay the second large dough rectangle directly on top of the first. Using fingertips, carefully press down all around each mound, so the pastry sheets stick together.

Using a knife (or pizza roller), and following the scored lines, cut the layered dough into eight rectangles. Place the rectangles spaced well onto a baking sheet.


Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the tops are evenly golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Brush evenly with the glaze and let stand for about 10 minutes or until glaze is set.


Okay, so my pop tarts don't look all the spectacular.. But they still taste awesome!

Eat and Enjoy!
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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Tortilla Roll-Ups

Hi ya'll! Remember that kids birthday party I was invited to? Well here is the side dish I came up with to take to the party. It was a big hit! I'm not sure if the kids eat much of it but all the adults loved it and my plate was empty shortly after it got put out! Plus, these are super easy to make!!

Tortilla Roll-Ups:

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1 4 oz can of green chiles; drained
1 4 oz can of black olives; drained
1 squirt lime juice
1 package large flour tortillas (I used a pack of 8 and had lots of the mixture left over..)

Mix all ingredients together and spread an even  layer on tortillas. Roll them up and chill for at least 2 hours. Slice before serving




Eat and Enjoy!

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Bluberry Lemon Scone Bites

Hi ya'll! I am totally over my fear of making scones now! This recipe is so easy and very yummy!
A friend of mine up in Oregon and I decided to start sending baked goods to each other. I love this idea! We both love to bake so it just made sense  to have a baked good exchange! I just sent off a box full of these lemon blueberry scones, homemade peanut butter cups and the mounds brownie bites. I can't wait to see what she send me!


Blueberry Lemon Scone Bites:

1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
zest of 2 large lemons
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes


1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
sugar for sprinkling

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg, buttermilk and lemon zest together and set aside.

In large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Add butter and using a pastry blender (or your hands) cut it into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture (about the size of peas..).

Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined, using a rubber spatula. Very gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to crush them. Once it is all combined, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and pat out until it is 1 inch thick. At this point I just cut the dough into small squares to make scone bites. But you can shape/cut the dough into anything you want.. 

Place your cut shapes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash then sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes (18-20 for bigger scone shapes), or until nicely browned. Serve immediately, store any leftovers in an airtight container.




Eat and Enjoy!


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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Book Tuesday's

Hi ya'll! Here's my week in books..

What I Read

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
What can I say about this book? I totally loved it! I'm excited to read the next in the series!!


Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Loved this book!



What I Could Not Read



The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
I started this book, but had trouble getting into it. I read the first in the series a long while ago and enjoyed it. I don't know why I couldn't get through this one. Maybe I can try it again some other time..



What I Got


From the Library:
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
Blood Song by Cat Adams




Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran
I won this ARC copy over at Book Him Danno! Thank you so much!!

Four by Joanne Chang
I won a signed copy of this cookbook from Ann over at Apples and Twinkies.
I already have some recipes marked to make! In the next week I'll be posting the first recipe I made from this book!

What's your favorite cookbook?

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Friday, April 15, 2011

Help!

Okay ya'll, I need your help! I've been invited to a friends kids birthday party. She is turning 4 I think.. I offered to bring something. I figured I'd bake something, easy peasy. Right? But since I'm asking for your help, its not so easy nor peasy.. My friend asked for me to bring a side item. Ya'll know I'm no good at anything outside my oven! (that's the hubs department)

So here's where you come in.. I want to bring something the kids will love as well as the adults! Something fun. Basically I want to bring an awesome kick ass side dish! I have a recipe for a broccoli salad that the hubs is awesome at making, but its not very kid friendly..

Any suggestions?!


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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Mounds Brownie Bites

Hi ya'll!  I got today's wonderful recipe from Kristan over at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen. Her original post was for Almond Joy Brownie bites, but the hubs loves Mounds bars so I took the liberty to change the recipe and leave the almonds out. These are so good! I had to set some aside to send to a friend back home.

Mounds Brownie Bites: 
Boxed Brownie mix (or make it yourself.. I took the lazy way out..)
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 
Chocolate candy melts or almond bark


Preheat your oven according to brownie recipe directions and generously spray two mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Fill cups about 1/2 full with brownie batter and bake for about 15-20 min. Place Brownies still in pan on wire rack to cool. Once completely cooled, press thumb into tops of brownies to make a hole.


In a medium bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Roll coconut mixture into balls and place into already made holes, make sure they overflow a bit. Place brownies in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.


Melt almond bark or candy melts according to directions. Remove brownies from freezer and dip the tops in the chocolate. Place dipped brownies on a wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.


Eat and Enjoy!

What's your favorite candy bar?


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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Book Tuesday's

Hi ya'll! Its been a really slow reading this week! Instead of reading I've been watching old T.V. shows.. I started and finished the Roswell series and My So Called Life. I also just started watching Glee. I'm so loving it! Don't know why its taking me this long to start watching it! I'm gonna have to limit my T.V. viewing time so I don't get buried under my TBR pile!

What I Read:


Torment by Lauren Kate
I really enjoyed this series so far! Can't wait for the next in the series to come out.


Shimmer by Alyson Noel


What I Got:



Elixir by Hilary Duff
Kat Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

 
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Sunday, April 10, 2011

Chocolate Carmel Esspresso Chews


Hi ya'll! I don't have much to say today, other than these cookies are awesome! They are brownie like and very yummy!

So with that in mind, go forth and bake!

Chocolate Carmel Espresso Chews: 
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or coffee granules
1 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
48 Rolo candies ( Round chewy Carmel's in milk chocolate), unwrapped.

Glaze:
1/2 teaspoons instant espresso or coffee granules*
1-2 teaspoons hot water
1 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375. Combined 1 tablespoon milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder* in small bowl. Set aside.



Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add dissolve espresso powder mixture and eggs; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, cocoa and baking soda. Stir in chopped pecans (optional). Beat, scrapping bowl often, until well mixed.



 I followed the directions and put the cookies into the the mini muffin pans, and as you can see, that didn't turn out so well. I suggest using the mini muffin pan liners. The cookies came out so much better in my second batch!


With lightly floured hands, shape dough into 48 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Place balls into lightly greased mini muffin pan cups. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until puffed and set. Immediately press 1 candy piece, top-side down, into each Cookie. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely.



Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder into 1 tablespoon water in small bowl. Stir in powdered sugar and additional water if necessary for desired consistency. Drizzle Glaze over cooled cookie

*Chef's note: I used coffee grounds instead of the espresso powder. With making the glaze using coffee grounds I suggest getting a coffee filter and after letting the grounds "dissolve" filter out any grounds that are left and use the coffee water with the powdered sugar for your glaze.






Eat and Enjoy!


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Thursday, April 7, 2011

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Hi ya'll! As the end of March rolled around, my baking kinda dropped off. Now that we are in a new month my baking can continue, yay! To start off my month, I made some chewy chocolate cookies. My husband and the few other people I shared these cookies with described them as brownie like, and the frosting I made, was fudge like. They are good right out of the oven, but the Hubs and I agree that they tasted better if you let them sit out in a container with the lid half on half off and let the cookies sit for a day or two, they crisp up a little.. So good!
I made a chocolate sour cream frosting. I've never made a sour cream frosting before, so I kinda just winged it. I will try my best to remember what I used, but I'm sure you can find a sour cream frosting recipe in any cookbook..


Chewy Chocolate Cookies:

4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate (I used Baker's brand)
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan. Add sugar mixing well. Blend in eggs and vanilla, stir in flour. Do not over mix. Put into a bowl and refrigerate for an hour or until dough is easy to handle.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 9 min, or until cookie is set. Let stand for a minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate (again, I used Baker's brand)
1/2 of a small tub of sour cream*
1/2 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar, give or take*

Melt butter and chocolate together in a saucepan. Add sour cream and powdered sugar. blend until well mixed.

* Chef's note: On the sour cream, I think our tub was just under the half way point.. with the powdered sugar, I can't remember exactly how much I put in. So I guess its more, add to taste..




Eat and Enjoy!


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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Book Tuesday's

Hi y'all! I can't believe March is over already! I managed to stick with this blog for a month now! Yay me! Hopefully I can manage to keep it up.. We have been in kind of a cooking/ baking slump lately. I'm hoping once this new month starts we will get back on track! I've got plenty of new recipes I'm dying to try!

As for books this week.. 

What I read:



Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the nest one in the series! Now if only my library will get it!!



Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
I really enjoyed Anna's story! Oh how I would of loved to have been forced to go to high school in Paris!


Fallen by Lauren Kate
I really enjoyed this book.. I couldn't put it down and stayed up way too late for a few nights reading it. I'm excited to start on Torment!

Got from the Library:


Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
(yes I checked this book out before.. I had to return it unread. Luckily I did not have to wait very long to check it out again!)
Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Got in the Mail!:


 
Helen of Pasadena by Lian Dolan
I won this book from Goodreads!

Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney
I won this book from Lori over at Pure Imagination
Thank you so much!!!

Demon Song by Cat Adams
I won this ARC from Jessica over at The Spinecracker
Thank you Jessica! This is my first ever ARC! I can't wait to read this book!!

 I read a total of 13 books in March!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Life's That Way: a memoir by Jim Beaver
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
The Eternal Ones by Kristen Miller
Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Guitar Girl by Sara Manning
The Physics of Buffyverse by Jennifer Ouellette
Shadowspell by Jenna Black
Early to Death Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast


How about you? What have you been reading?

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