Rich Mocha

Original Recipe Yield approximately 1 piping hot 12oz mocha!

Ingredients

  • 2 shots espresso (can substitute for 1/2 cup strong coffee)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup Eggnog or half-and-half
  • 2 tbsp raw sugar (or regular white sugar)
  • 3 tbsp simi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 dash salt

Directions

  1. Pour espresso or coffee in a large 12 oz  mug
  2. Place milk, eggnog, sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt in your  espresso decanter or sauce pan.
  3. I frothed mine with my espresso machine’s frother, stirring as I frothed until chocolate chips are melted and milk is desired temperature but this can also be done over medium heat with a whisk!
  4. Once heated and chips are melted pour into mug with coffee.
  5. Serve by itself or add a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!

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Carmel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I have seen these bars on so many blogs and food magazines that I had to give them try!  Everyone loved them and asked that I make them again… really soon ! I decided to try Paula Deen’s recipe  and the only change I made to the original recipe was homemade caramel sauce instead of store bought caramel topping!

Original Recipe Yield 12-14 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Streusel topping, recipe follows
  • 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.
  5. Enjoy

Streusel Topping:

  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

3 Comments

Buttery Garlic Breadsticks

This breadstick recipe is my family’s favorite! These are Soft yet slightly chewy bread and remind me of a garlicy pretzel. Delicious!

Original Recipe Yield 12 lovely breadsticks

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
  • 2 cups very warm water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 1 tps garlic powder
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbs grated Parmesan
  • 1 tbs dried parsley

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Add the warm water to a large, glass bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, then the sugar. Stir slightly and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Stir the flour into the mixture one half-cup at a time, adding just enough to make the mixture soft, pliable and not too sticky, but not so floured that it becomes a heavy hunk. Knead it until the dough becomes elastic.
  3. Pull a round of dough into your hands (about the size of a small apple). Roll it into a long breadsticks. Place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper(very important to use parchment). Once all of the dough is formed into sticks, you can bake it right away, or allow your breadsticks to rise for 15-30 additional minutes (I allow my dough to rest for about 15 minutes. Produces a softer breadstick).
  4. Place breadsticks in the preheated oven, allow them to cook for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up to 400 degrees and bake them until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes more.
  5. As soon as you remove your breadsticks from the oven, mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, sea salt, and grated parmesan. Brush over hot breadsticks with a pastry brush or drizzle.
  6. Serve hot and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: Cheeky Kitchen

1 Comments

Irresistible Angel Food

One of my favorite cakes! Light, sweet, and goes great with nearly any topping. I prefer a mound of fresh whipped cream and  fruit but during the winter, Angel food is great with chocolate icing  and a rather large scoop of ice cream!

Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar

Directions

  1. Separate eggs; discard yolks or refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, sift confectioners’ sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.
  3. Enjoy!!
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Pure Maple Cupcakes

After sampling a Maple Cupcake last Sunday I couldn’t resist trying my own version! I use pure maple syrup in many of my baked goods and always enjoy finding new recipes to use it on. It not only is a natural sweetener but also has a rich taste that can’t be matched. Along with the pure maple  a bit of ginger gives these muffins a unique and delicious flavor!

Original Recipe Yields  approximately 18 dainty cupcakes

  • 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 stick  butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

Cupcake Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together using a mixer set on medium speed in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, syrup, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in nuts. Fill 18 lined muffin cups and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 14-16 minutes(watch carefully! My batch cooked extremely fast.) Cool completely.

Maple Icing

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup dark-brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

  1. Beat the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl with a mixer set on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Continue beating, and add the maple syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Chill for 1 hour before using.
  2. Generously ice each cupcake and sprinkle with pecans.
  3. Fix a large pot of coffee, grab a maple cupcake and Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from: Country living Magazine

“How sweet are your words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 119:103

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Marinara in Minutes

Original Recipe Yields  approximately 6 cups marinara

Ingredients

  • 3 cans stewed tomatoes- do not drain
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic -minced
  • 1/2 tbs dried basil
  • 1/2 tbs dried oregano
  • 1- 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tbs dried parsley

Directions

  1. Saute the onion and garlic  with olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium head until transparent, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Either submerge immersion blender  blender into pan  and blend until completely Puréed or add to a food processor and pulse until puréed.
  3. Add Parsley and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stir frequently.
  4. Enjoy!

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Honey Wheat Challah

Original Recipe Yields 1 large Loaf

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 1 tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 2 tbs yeast
  • 5-7 cups flour- I use a 50/50 ratio of whole wheat and white

Directions

  1. Combine water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Allow yeast to activate.
  2. Once yeast is activated, stir in honey, eggs, olive oil, and salt. Add just enough flour to make a firm yet slightly sticky dough.
  3. Place dough onto a lightly floured service and knead, adding additional flour as needed, for 5-8 minutes or until dough is soft and bounces back when pressed. placed into a lightly oiled bowl, cover  and allow to rise until doubled in size- approximately 1 hour.
  4. Once risen, punch down and place on to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 portions.  Shape into 16 inch long tube shapes and braid. Place braid on a lightly buttered cookie sheet, cover with kitchen cloth and allow to rise once again until double- approx 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°.
  5. Beat 1 egg and brush over braided loaf. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden!
  6. Allow to cool slightly before serving and Enjoy!
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Herbs | Money Saving Tip

I use a extreme amount of herbs. Basil, Rosemay, Oregano, Dill… you name it I use it! But herbs are expensive and I have found over the last 7 years of grocery shopping for the my family it can really strain the grocery budget. The solution? Purchasing in bulk at your local natural food store! Most all “Whole Food” stores carry bulk dried herbs  and, believe it or not, at 1/10 the price of Walmart.

Walmart: McCormmick’s Rosemary  .6 oz bottle = $3.88

My local Whole Food Store: Approximately  1.5 oz $1.10

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My Sister’s Muffins

My  9 years-old sister has become quite an expert baker the last few weeks.  This afternoon She bounced into the kitchen, spotted some very ripe bananas and declared the need to make a batch of her most exquisite Banana Nut Muffins!

Original Recipe Yield 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup Flour
  • 3 very ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Ruth suggests walnuts!)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease  muffin tin.
  2. Cream Butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla. Then add flour, soda, and salt. fold in bananas until well combined.
  3. Pour into muffin cups and and sprinkle with nuts.bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and baked through (use a tooth-pick inserted into center to double check!)
  4. Sit back with a delightful cup of coffee – or cold milk- and Enjoy!

1 Comments
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