Coca Cola Cake

Coca Cola Cake should be in every Southern girl's (or guy's) dessert repertoire. I've enjoyed the occasional cola cupcake from time to time but never at my own hand. So I gave this recipe a try and boy am I glad that I did...it's absolutely delicious. One of the things I like best about it is that it's almost like a lighter version of chocolate cake. No I don't mean lighter as in lower in fat. I mean that it isn't as heavy or sweet tasting as a normal chocolate cake which is nice. I think I know what I will be bringing to potlucks this summer!

Cola Cake
Compliments of Southern Living

 Cake Ingredients:
1 cup Coke 
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups mini-marshmellows
Cola frosting (see below)

Cola Frosting ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup Coke
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 - 16. oz package of powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Steps:


Preheat oven to 350. Combine cola and buttermilk; set aside.

Beat butter at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar; beat until blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat at low speed until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa, and soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with cola mixture; begin and end with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended.

Stir in marshmallows. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes. Prepare frosting. Pour Coca-Cola Frosting over warm cake.

Frosting Steps:

Bring first three ingredients to a boil in a large pot over medium heat; stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla.

A Dinner Success or Disaster?

I love to cook, I really do. But there are some days that things go wrong and it makes you want to smash all your dishes and and throw your hands up and say "let's just order a damn pizza." But that wouldn't have worked for me since I just made a pizza the other day, right? I decided I wanted to make spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread, roasted brussels sprouts and a chocolately dessert. In the end, everything was wonderful. It just took me awhile to get there.

I started prepping for the meal by making the table and cutting up all the veggies, etc. I put the tomatoes in my blender to puree them for the tomato sauce. But since I was wearing a silk dress, I realized I better put on an apron which was in one of the top kitchen cabinets. I grabbed a chair so that I could climb up and reach it. While standing up there I thought about this perfect dinner I was making and then had a bad thought...I was too smug and I was either going to fall and break something or something from the cabinet would fall and break. I spot my apron and start to pull it down when two huge light bulbs not in packages (I DID NOT PUT THIS IN THERE) came flying out and crashed down along the way. The glass managed to get all over my counters, floors, in my toaster, cabinets, and in some of my cooking utensils. My poor cats were terrified and didn't know what to do. See picture:

After some foot stomping, I carefully picked up and vacuumed all the shards. This also required me to do some kitchen cleaning and delayed my dinner plans. Finally as I get back on track and don my apron, I puree the tomatoes. I go to take the blender apart so I can pour the tomatoes into the pan with the onions and garlic I just sauteed and then the blender BREAKS APART and the tomato sauce goes all over me in my dress and apron and the rest of it all over my just cleaned kitchen. I think I had one of those my life is over moments. But after calming down and cleaning yet again, a grocery store run was made for more tomatoes thus delaying this dinner even more. But luckily after that, everything was back on track and the dinner came out beautifully. I've blogged this spaghetti recipe before but I'm sharing it again since it's so good. I'm linking up the recipes but at least I have some pictures! One tip: Buy San Marzano tomatoes if you can budget it. It really does make a difference! Oh and check your blender before you put them in there...

Spaghetti & Meatballs

I added some freshly grated parm after I took the picture.

Garlic Bread

No picture but the only change I made was to leave out the cheese and parsley.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Aside from the dessert, this was my favorite part of the meal. I know they look burnt but they are not. The charred part was pure deliciousness. The insides were really tender and the charred outside had a similar taste and texture to kale chips. This was the easiest part of the whole meal as well.

Dessert! This was the first time I made this and it was pretty much amazing not to mention so simple. If you need something easy to impress dinner guests, this is it. I did forget to sprinkle the sugar over the top though but cut me slack. It was a rough night!

Chocolate Spiced Cabernet Molten Cakes
My ramekins were about 4 oz. a piece and this recipe made three servings.

 

Ingredients:

 1/2 stick of butter plus extra for greasing

2 oz. Semi-Sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup confectioners sugar plus extra for garnish 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp Cabernet Sauvignon

1 egg yolk

1 egg

3 Tbsp flour

very tiny sprinkle of ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Steps:

Use butter to grease ramekin dishes and preheat oven to 425. 

In the microwave, heat butter and chocolate for one minute. Whisk together briefly to blend. Stir in sugar, vanilla, and wine. Then add eggs. Lastly, stir in flour and spices until well blended. 

Divide batter into ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 13 minutes.  Let stand for one minute and then use a knife to loosen the edges. Invert onto a plate and sprinkle with the confectioner's sugar. Serve warm.

Holiday Cookies

I usually go for the tried and true chocolate chip cookies whenever I need to bring a baked good to a get together. But I felt like experimenting with something a little more festive without the stress of decorating a cake/cookie. Each recipe made a few dozen. So I give you my experiments...

I played around with measurements on this one as you can too.

Mint Chocolate Chunk

For the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, etc.), use your favorite sugar cookie recipe. These are basically dressed up sugar cookies.
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
7 drops of green food coloring
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 egg
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, beat dry ingredients with butter, food coloring, peppermint extract, and egg until dough forms. Next, stir in chocolate pieces.  Using a teaspoon, scoop dough and drop onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Eggnog Cookies
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/eggnog-cookies-i/ 


1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup eggnog
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
 
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.

I'm Not Done With the Pumpkin!

I know Thanksgiving has passed (and I hope you had a good holiday with lots of delicious food.) But, I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to the pumpkin stuff. In my defense, I didn't have any pumpkin pie this year. Though, I did have one too many Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes. So last night, I decided to go buy some pumpkin and make a breakfast cake. It was just as good as I hoped it would be even if the cashiers looked at me strangely for buying pumpkin two days AFTER Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel

Ingredients:
Butter
Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 cup Sour Cream
1 can of Pumpkin (15 oz.)
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 cup Brown Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Walnuts, Chopped

Steps:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 13x9 in. baking pan.

Batter:
Using an electric mixer, combine 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat 3 eggs into the mixture.

Mix flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Mix flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream. Set aside.

Pumpkin part: 
Stir pumpkin with one beaten egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside

Streusel:
Cut brown sugar into 1/3 cup butter and cinnamon. Once blended, stir in walnut pieces.


In greased pan, spread half of the batter.  Layer half of the streusel on top. Next, spread the pumpkin over it evenly. Then, spread the rest of the batter over the top before sprinking on the rest of the stresuel. Bake for 50 minutes.

Chocolately Pumpkin Goodness

I'm a sucker for just about anything pumpkin this time of year but ask me in December if I like pumpkin and I might just gag. It's totally possible that I over do it. But, don't tell me you don't love a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte when you feel the first hint of fall? Okay, I know quite a few people who don't love it but I do. Though, I have to admit I tweak the formula a little bit. I order it non-fat, with no whip, and only one pump of syrup. It saves calories and makes it a little less sweet/intense. But there are other pumpkin things I love too, like beer. Yes, beer. I recently discovered Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale and I am a little obsessed. On a recent trip through New England, I discovered it at their own brewery. Then, I found it at home while shopping at Hop City which it a really cool store if you are into micro brews. I think I am as my fall foliage road trip quickly became a tour de beer. There are so many great breweries up in the New England area specifically Burlington VT, Boston MA, Portsmouth NH, Woodstock VT, and Portland ME. Another one we really loved was Magic Hat.

With all the pumpkin themed stuff, I decided to make my annual pumpkin treats. I could seriously eat the entire batch myself. Technically, they are cookies but I like to whip the pumpkin batter until it's fluffy so it's a cross between and cookie and a muffin top. You'll see.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip "Cookies"
Probably made 2 dozen

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray or Crisco
2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Steps:

 1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease baking sheet.
2. Mix the first five ingredients in bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Next beat in the eggs, pumpkin and vanilla.
4. Then, start to add in the flour mixture.
5. Gently fold the chocolate chips in.
6. Drop batter onto baking sheet and bake for about 15 to 17 minutes.

Best Saturday Night At Home Ever!

Saturday night is usually date night in my mind which to me means going out to eat. So it's pretty rare that I (we) make dinner on a Saturday. But I think my mind on that matter is forever changed. We decided that we wanted to BBQ (I think that can be used as a verb?) at our house. The main part of the meal was a smoked brisket that was so so good. We smoked it on our deck all day long with hickory wood chips and then poured some Big Al's Kansas Style BBQ sauce over it. I kind of felt bad for our neighbors. Our street smelled divine and the neighbors were having a birthday party. I imagined that when their guests arrived they said "oh, it smells wonderful" and then realized that they were being served hotdogs or something like that. :-p

If you are interested in the process for smoking the brisket, let me know and I can post the detailed instructions. With the brisket, we had country-style biscuits and mexican-style corn.  For dessert, I made a lower-fat cinnamon chocolate bread pudding.

Okay so, I am not a corn-on-the-cob kind of girl. I don't dislike it but I can easily pass it up at a cookout. This is yet another thing I have changed my mind about if it is prepared like this. I thought the corn was out of this world delicious. I don't even like mayo usually but YUM. I highly recommend trying this since it was pretty easy and so worth the minimal effort required. While I probably wouldn't change a thing, I think you could try it with sour cream instead of mayo and cayenne or paprika instead or chili powder if you wanted to.

Mexican Corn-on-the-Cob
Serves 3

Ingredents:

3 ears of corn (husks and silk on)
Canola/Vegetable Oil
Mayonnaise
1 lime, quarterd
Red chili powder
Parmesan cheese, grated

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Put corn in a large pot. Cover with water.  Bring water to a boil and cook for a minute. Take corn off the stove and rinse with cold water.
3. Peel husks and silk.
4. Brush corn with oil.
5. Roast corn in roasting pan for 30 minutes.
6. Let corn cool before slathering on the mayo. Then, squeeze lime juice over the corn.
7. Next, liberally shake chili powder and cheese over the corn and enjoy!

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread Pudding
Source: SparkPeople 

Ingredients:
5 slices white whole-wheat bread (yes, it exists or at least Sara Lee makes it), torn into small pieces
2 large eggs
12 ounces evaporated skim milk
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt
Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread the bread in the dish in an even layer. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the evaporated skim milk, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until the sugar and cocoa dissolve. Pour the cocoa mixture over the bread. With a fork, mix in any unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let stand for 10 minutes. Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and set in the center. Serve warm, with a scoop of the frozen yogurt on top.

Makes 6 servings.  

Chocolatey Goodness With Omega-3s!

Last night, I made a veggie quiche for dinner. It was a super easy recipe but I decided not to post it. To be honest, I'm not quite certain who my audience is and I'm afraid that some of my recent recipes might bore some of you. However, I am happy to share it if you are interested so just let me know. I will leave you with just a picture. Instead, I will share the recipe for the tasty treats I made today.

These cookies are so yummy! I like to think they are a little bit healthier since I used a butter substitute but either way they definitely take care of my chocolate fix. They have a touch of peanut butter in them so if you are allergic to peanuts, these are not for you. But if you just aren't crazy about PB, I think you will still like them since the peanut butter is so subtle.

Brownie Cookies w/ PB
Makes 2-3 dozen depending on size

Ingredients:

1 Smart Balance Omega-3 Butter Stick
7-8 oz. peanut butter and chocolate chip mixture
4.5 oz. dark chocolate bar, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

1) Microwave half the butter stick with the chocolates until melted.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt in a separate bowl. (See, there is a use for that sifter you received as a wedding gift besides making cupcakes!)
3) Using a kitchen-aid mixer or hand-held mixer, beat the remaining butter with the sugars. Next, slowly add in the chocolate-butter mixture. When combined, start to stir in the flour mixture.
4) Refrigerate batter for 1 and 1 half hours.
5) Preheat oven to 350.
6) Scoop batter in spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
7) Bake each batch for 10-11 minutes.  Cool on cooling rack.

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Love is a fire.  But whether it's going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell. " - Joan Crawford

To celebrate the holiday that everyone likes to pretend they hate, I made my valentine some red velvet cupcakes. Of course being the cute wife that I am, I also put heart sprinkles on the top. Unfortunately, my cell phone took a really blurry picture so no photo. :-(

Red Velvet Cupcakes
(makes one dozen )

Ingredients:
muffin pan and cupcake liners
Cream cheese icing ( this one works nicely or store bought can be used as well)
1/4 cup of butter, softened
1/3 cup of shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2/3 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 1-oz bottle of red food coloring
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 tsp salt
2/3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup milk

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter, shortening and sugar until well mixed. Add eggs in gradually. Stir in vanilla and red food coloring. 


Mix flour, salt, and cocoa. Add to shortening mix alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture until well-blended.  Pour batter into lightly-greased cupcake liners in the muffin pan. Fill 2/3. 


Bake for 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool before icing and decorating them.

Neiman Marcus...Not Just For Fabulous Shoes and Clothes

Today I have a sweet tooth so I thought I'd share a cookie recipe. You may have seen this before as part of one of those chain emails that tends to make their way around. I think this is probably a myth but either way, it produces some damn good cookies.

Neiman Marcus Cookies
 (I usually halve this recipe since it makes a TON of cookies)
Ingredients:
2 cups butter
24 oz. Chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 cups sugar
1 8oz. Hershey bar (grated)
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 eggs
2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.