Savory Pull-aparts

This last week was a little chilly which makes me crave soup. I wanted to make some homemade bread for dinner, but wanted something quick and easy. I love Monkey Bread, so I thought making some savory pull-aparts would be fantastic. If you missed my post on Monkey Bread, check it out. Those are also super yummy. This was an experiment gone right and my family loved it. If you haven't tried my Mom's recipe for multi-purpose bread dough, it's a must. It's great for pizza crust, Monkey Bread, cinnamon rolls, bread sticks, dinner rolls, etc. It comes together quickly and you don't have to knead it a long time. I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's perfect with soup and will be a total hit with your family.

Here's what you need:

Multi-purpose bread

-1 1/2 C warm water (about 120 degrees. You don't want it hot or it can kill the yeast.)

-1 TBS of dry, active yeast

-2 TBS sugar (can also use honey)

-1 1/2 tsp. salt

-1 TBS oil (I use olive)

-3 to 5 C all-purpose flour (can also use 1/2 white flour with 1/2 whole wheat flour.) **You want the dough to still be slightly tacky, so use caution not to use too much flour. I typically only have to use 3 cups. It really depends on the brand and moisture content of your flour.

Dip 

-1/4 C melted butter

- 2/3 C Kraft Parm cheese (you can also use freshly grated Romano or Asiago cheese)

-1 1/2 TBS. Johnny's Garlic Spread Seasoning (I buy at Costco)

1. In large bowl combine warm water and 2 TBS sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast on top of water and allow to stand for 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Once it's foamy stir in oil and salt. Add flour and stir. You can also mix flour in with your hands, but being careful not to overmix. This dough doesn't require a lot of kneading. 

2. Cover bowl with a warm, damp towel and allow to rise 10 minutes. You can allow it to rise longer which will result in even fluffier bread, bread but it's not required. 

3. Grease bundt pan and punch down dough. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have 2 bowls to the side, one with melted butter and the other with the cheese and garlic seasoning mixed. Take chunks of dough and dip in butter and then roll in cheese mixture. Place around in bundt pan until the dough is gone.

4. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and allow bread to rise again until the dough doubles which takes about 15-20 minutes. Bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown. 

5. Remove pan from oven and allow bread to rest in pan for 5-10 minutes. Flip out onto a serving platter. Serve warm and enjoy. You could also serve as an appetizer with a variety of dipping sauces (cheese, pizza, alfredo, etc.) 

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Monkey Bread

I feel bad it's been so long since I've blogged. So much has been going on and I'll blog about that later.So many fun changes going on! My family has a tradition to have a Halloween party the Saturday before Halloween. When I was little I remember my Mom making homemade cinnamon rolls with homemade chili. I love making cinnamon rolls, but sometimes they can be time consuming. That's why I love Monkey Bread. It's tastes like a cinnamon roll, but can come together in under an hour and is a fun treat for Saturday mornings. I love that these remind me of my childhood. Plus, it's so fun to pull them apart when you eat them. Our kids love that!

This bread recipe is SO fast and easy and is one of our family favorites. I use it for bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, Monkey Bread, pizza crust, rolls, etc. It's a great multi-purpose bread dough. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Here's what you need:

Bread

-1 1/2 C warm water (about 120 degrees. You don't want it hot or it can kill the yeast.)

-1 TBS of dry, active yeast

-2 TBS sugar (can also use honey)

-1 1/2 tsp. salt

-1 TBS oil (I use olive)

-3 to 5 C all-purpose flour (can also use 1/2 white flour with 1/2 whole wheat flour.) **You want the dough to still be slightly tacky, so use caution not to use too much flour. I typically only have to use 3 cups. It really depends on the brand and moisture content of your flour.

Dip

-1/2 C melted butter

-1 tsp. real vanilla extract

-1 C brown sugar

-1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Glaze

-2/3 C powdered sugar

-1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract

-2-3 TBS milk

1. In large bowl combine warm water and 2 TBS sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle yeast on top of water and allow to stand for 5 minutes until it gets foamy. Once it's foamy stir in oil and salt. Add flour and stir. You can also mix flour in with your hands, but being careful not to overmix. This dough doesn't require a lot of kneading. **If Raisins are desired, add them to the dough now before the first rising.

2. Cover bowl with a warm, damp towel and allow to rise 10 minutes. You can allow it to rise longer which will result in even fluffier bread, bread but it's not required. 

3. Grease bundt pan and punch down dough. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Have 2 bowls to the side, one with melted butter and vanilla and the other with the brown sugar and cinnamon mixed. Take chunks of dough and dip in butter and then roll in sugar mixture. Place around in bundt pan until the dough is gone.

4. Cover with a warm, damp cloth and allow bread to rise again until the dough doubles which takes about 15-20 minutes. Bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown. 

5. Remove pan from oven and allow bread to rest in pan for 5-10 minutes. While bread is resting, make the glaze. In a small bowl, take powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 TBS of milk and stir. Continue adding 1 TBS of milk until the consistency is thick, but slightly runny. Flip bread out onto a serving platter and top with glaze. Serve and enjoy warm.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Street Corn

Ok, I've never had "Street Corn" and I don't even know if there is such a thing, but if there were, this is what I'd imagine it to be. I love going to fairs and seeing everyone walking around with a big 'ole corn on the cob and I've always wanted to try it. But I think this version takes my food imagination to a whole new level.

**Update: My brother has informed me that street vendors in Mexico serve street corn that is rolled in cojita cheese and fresh lime juice. So there you go. There's your street corn lesson for the day. You're welcome. :)

I usually boil the corn when I make corn on the cob, but this time I baked it and it's SO much better. This version of corn only takes a few minutes longer to make, but it's so worth it. While the corn is baking, prep the sauce and grate the cheese. You can also prep the sauce ahead of time also. This is my new favorite way to eat corn on the cob. And for some reason knowing that Greek yogurt is in the sauce makes me feel less guilty for eating seconds. I guess it is *slightly* better than eating corn on the cob with just butter and salt. (Hey, it gives it some protein to all of you nay-sayers!) :)

Here's what you need:

-(6) ears of corn, husk intact

Sauce:
-4 TBS Greek Yogurt
-2 TBS mayo (can use fat-free)
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
-1/2 tsp. salt
-zest of one lime
-juice of one lime

Garnish:
-lime wedges
-finely grated Asiago cheese

1. Place corn on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (You can also grill the corn for a few minutes on each side after it's baked so that you get grill marks and it will also slightly roast the corn. It just adds to the flavor, but it's not necessary.)

2. Prep sauce: combine all ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. Once corn is baked, remove from oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes. Pull husk down from corn but don't remove as this makes a natural handle to hold on to. Take a butter knife and coat the outside of the corn with the sauce. Sprinkle or roll corn in grated cheese. Serve with a fresh lime wedge, squeeze fresh juice on right before eating and enjoy while hot.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Mini Caprese Kabobs with a Balsamic Reduction

Oh my goodness! This Summer has been busy, but we've had some great time traveling and spending time as a family. I'm sorry that I haven't posted in forever. I've got a quick, easy, delicious and fresh recipe for you.

I love Summer because of all the fresh product readily available. My parents have grown a huge garden every year since the time I was little. I loved going out and picking fresh veggies, especially tomatoes. I'm not sure what else is better than a perfectly red, delicious vine-ripened tomato from your own garden. We started our own garden this year and we planted several varieties of tomatoes. We also planted basil, so I've been in heaven.

I love Caprese Salad and this is a little twist that makes a perfect appetizer or light lunch. You only need 4 ingredients: tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar. You need to use fresh mozzarella---not the hard, brick kind that you would grate for pizza. Fresh mozzarella is usually sold in a ball and the texture is really soft. The fresh stuff is a more expensive so I usually buy it at Costco in their specialty cheese section. I also love the Kirkland brand Balsamic vinegar too. I like using a balsamic reduction rather than just straight balsamic vinegar because it sticks to the tomatoes better, it doesn't absorb into the cheese, it tastes a little sweeter and that acidic "bite" is mellowed. And it makes for a gorgeous presentation. You can make the balsamic reduction while you assemble the skewers, so it really doesn't take extra time. You can make the kabobs a day or 2 ahead of time, but the tomatoes taste better if not refrigerated so I like to make mine the day I want to serve them.

Here's what you need: This made about 30 mini skewers.
-1.5 lbs. of cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
-1 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into cubes
-12 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
-1 small pkg toothpicks (I like to use the ones with the wispy stuff on the tip)
-1/2 C balsamic vinegar

1. Put balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 10 minutes, OR until the mixture starts to thicken to a honey-like consistency. If you accidentally simmer it too long (molasses-like consistency), you can add a little extra balsamic vinegar and then simmer it again to the desired consistency. Remove pan from heat and set to the side.

2. Use 2 cherry tomatoes and 2 cubes of cheese for each toothpick kabob. I alternated every other one on the toothpick. Continue doing this until you have made the desired amounts of kabobs. Place them on a plate or serving platter.

3. Right before serving, drizzle the balsamic reduction over the kabobs and sprinkle a little coarse sea salt over them. You will not use all of the reduction, so you can save leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Beanilla Giveway Winners!

Thanks so much to everyone that entered the Beanilla Giveaway. I am so excited to give out these wonderful products for you to try. If you had fun entering this giveaway, please head over to the Beanilla Facebook page and thank them for sponsoring the giveaway on SQD!

Here are the winners!

Madagascar Vanilla Beans: Lael that left a comment saying, "I did it all - liked your FB page, left a comment, shared it, liked Beanilla's page, and am following your blog. Glad to have found you." 

I didn't hear from the first winner for the extract so here's the second winner:
 Mexican Vanilla Extract:  "Ranell and Brandon". If this is you, please contact me within 24hrs.

Congratulation to the winners! If you are Lael or Ranell and Brandon, please send me a message within 24 hours through the SQD Facebook page and include your name and address so that I can send it out to you! Please head over to the Beanilla Facebook page and let them know you won from the SQD giveaway and thank them for sponsoring the giveaway!


If you didn't win stay tuned because I have another giveaway coming up! :) Please tell your friends and family about SQD. The more followers we have means that we can do more giveaways! Yeah!

Have a great weekend and Happy Baking! :)

-Juli

Beanilla Giveaway!

You've heard me rave about my love of vanilla beans and how much I love the company Beanilla. The nice folks over at Beanilla were kind enough to sponsor a giveaway on our blog! Now you can try making your own Patriotic Trifle in time for the 4th of July with some delicious Grade A Madagascar vanilla beans or try making your own homemade vanilla extract.

Here's what's up for grabs:
-(1) Glass vial full of (3) plump, gorgeous Madagscar vanilla beans
-(1) 4oz. bottle of Beanilla Mexican vanilla bean extract

Enter the giveaway by doing these (3) steps:
1. Head over to the Something Quite Domestic Facebook page and "like" our page.
2. Find the Beanilla Giveaway picture at the top of our Facebook page. "Share" the photo and comment on the photo to tell us what you want to win.
3. Leave us a comment below to tell us what steps you did (including extra entries).

For (2) extra entries:
1. Become a follower of our blog by going here.
2. Head over to the Beanilla Facebook page and "like" their page. This is a great way to find out about new recipes and specials from Beanilla.

Beanilla Giveaway!
{www.somethingquitedomestic.blogspot.com}

Easy Peasy! Winners will be randomly picked via Random.org and will be announced on Friday, June 21st. Winners will have 24 hours to claim their prize. Good luck!

Strawberry Banana Trifle with Vanilla Bean Pudding

I'm not usually a trifle kind-of-gal, but this recipe has converted me. Thanks to my sweet cousin, Emily, for sharing this recipe. Trifles are fun to make because they look pretty and you can use your favorite fresh fruit. My favorite is strawberry banana. If you missed my post on how I created a Patriotic Trifle for the 4th of July, you can  read about it here. There are so many ways you can make a trifle, so use your creativity.

Oh my gosh. You have not experience a trifle until you've had this one. The vanilla bean pudding is so delicious that you will come back for seconds and thirds. The first time I made it my husband about died when he tasted it. I don't think my husband has ever asked to lick a bowl or the beaters in our 5 1/2 years of marriage, except when I made this pudding.

The pudding is made with sweetened condensed milk so it has a slight caramel, banana-ish flavor when mixed with the boxed pudding. It totally goes amazing with strawberries and bananas. If you read my post about the Patriotic Trifle, I mentioned my husband is allergic to bananas. I have made this with just strawberries before and it is really yummy also.  Just when you think the pudding can't be any more delicious and incredible, just add some vanilla bean paste to it. It's outta this world! And I love seeing those lovely little black flecks in the pudding. It seems so fancy to me. :)

I've told you about the place where I buy my vanilla beans. I mainly use Madagascar vanilla beans since they are the most versatile bean in baking, but the Tahitian beans are also incredible. If you want to try out the Madagascar beans, they are on sale right now! This is the best price I've seen and you get free shipping! Check out the sale over at Beanilla. AND some lucky person is going to win some lovely, gourmet Madagascar beans in my upcoming giveaway sponsored by Beanilla. Stay tuned!

Back to the trifle...You can use your favorite cake although I'm partial to a vanilla sponge cake, yellow or angel food cake. You can either cube a 9x13 cake or use (2) 8" or (2) 9" round cakes whole (depending on the shape and size of your trifle bowl) for a quick assembly of the trifle.

I don't recommend assembling the trifle any sooner than a few hours before you want to serve it as the bananas tend to go a little brown and watery even when coated with citrus juice). However; you can prep the cakes (freeze them) and the pudding a few days in advance. The pudding needs at least 3-4 hours to set up properly, so make sure you take that into account when making this. Make sure to keep your trifle refrigerated until right before you serve it.

Here's what you need:

-(2) baked 9-in round cakes (bigger or smaller depending on the diameter of your bowl)

-1 lb of fresh strawberries, sliced

-4 C ripe bananas, sliced

-2 TBS lemon juice

Pudding:

-(1) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

-(1) 3.4 oz box of instant vanilla pudding (I like Jello brand best)

-1 1/2 C ice cold water

-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

-1 Madagascar vanilla bean (sliced and vanilla caviar removed)

-4 C heavy cream, 1 C reserved after whipping

1. In a small mixing bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, cold water and vanilla and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until well-combined. Add the pudding mix and continue beating for 2 more minutes. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and then use the back of a butter knife to scrape out of the vanilla beans.  Add vanilla bean paste and beat until combine. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight. It's important to allow plenty of time for the pudding to set up so that the consistency stays when you fold in the cream.

Vanilla Bean Caviar. Delicious!

2. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold cream (except one cup) into chilled pudding mixture until color is mainly uniform with no white streaks in the pudding. Be careful avoid over-mixing. 

3. Prepare fruit and slice. Toss sliced bananas with lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Place first cake layer in the trifle bowl. Place bananas and strawberries right up against the glass all the way around (just for aesthetic purposes). Spoon pudding mixture on top of cake. Add a layer of strawberries and bananas on top of pudding. Repeat with the next layer of cake, put fruit up against the glass, spoon in a layer of pudding, another layer of bananas and berries, etc. Once trifle bowl is full, cover the top with the reserved whipped cream.

4. Make a decorative pattern on top of whipped cream. I like to use a pattern just with strawberries so that the bananas don't go brown when prepping ahead of time. 

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Patriotic Trifle

I went to a family party and my uncle had made an incredibly delicious trifle. I finally tracked down the source of the recipe and yy cousin, Emily, was sweet to share this recipe with me. I thought it would be so fun to make a holiday version of this trifle for the upcoming summer holidays.

Trifles are so fun to make because you can make them anyway you like with whatever fruit is your favorite or in season. The pudding in this recipe goes well with any type of fruit. You can also use your favorite cake. My favorite is a vanilla sponge cake, but if you are short on time I actually love yellow cake with this.

Most of you know my addiction to vanilla beans and extract in baking. I usually use Madagascar beans in baking because they are so versatile, but this time I tried Tahitian vanilla beans. Tahitian vanilla beans have a slightly fruity undertone that I thought would pair perfectly with the fruit and pudding. This was the first time trying Tahitian vanilla beans and I have to say that it was quite a treat. The beans are gorgeous, moist, plump and chuck full of delicious vanilla caviar. I couldn't believe how huge these beans were and they did not disappoint in flavor.

I buy all of my beans at Beanilla. They are my favorite company to work with because they have impeccable customer service, fast shipping, the beans arrive perfectly every time and the taste of the beans is exceptional. They also have the best selection of gourmet vanilla beans for the best price. They also have a great selection of vanilla extract making supplies as well as baking extracts. Beanilla is the one-stop shopping place for vanilla beans and extract supplies. I can't tell you how much I love them.

My whole world stopped when I discovered their vanilla beans and I use them in my baking all the time. They just add that extra special layer of flavor that separates your baking from others' baking. Look how gorgeous these are. The Tahitian is on the left and the Madagascar on the right. Tahitian beans are more expensive, but you get a lot more paste out of one pod, so that balances out the price. If you are just starting with using vanilla beans in baking, I recommend starting with Madagascar beans since they are the most versatile in baking.

Tahitian bean (left), Madagascar bean (right)

This trifle will knock your socks off and you will have to resist grabbing the bowl to lap up any leftovers. The pudding in this recipe is ridiculously easy to make, it tastes incredible and people may be knocking down your door to get the recipe. Whomever thought of using sweetened condensed milk as a pudding base was a baking genius. It has a slightly caramel, banana-ish flavor and then when you add some vanilla beans---holy cow! So yum! It pairs beautifully with any fresh fruit, but I love it best with strawberries, bananas and blueberries. My husband is allergic to bananas (I almost killed him on our first date) so some of my pictures do not include bananas. If you aren't against (or allergic) to bananas, definitely add them to this trifle for sure. If you are making the trifle with bananas, make sure to assemble your trifle the day you want to serve it or your bananas will go kind of brown and watery. The pudding also takes a few hours to set up, so be mindful of that when you are planning. I usually prep the pudding and prepare the fruit and bake the cakes while the pudding is setting up.

Also, if you are short on time you can make (2) 8-in or 9-in round cakes (depending on the diameter of your trifle bowl) and use them whole instead of cubing the cake. I also like the look of the whole cake layer and it is quicker to assemble, too.

Here's what you need: (Slightly adapted from my cousin's recipe)
-(2) baked 9-in round cakes (bigger or smaller depending on the diameter of your bowl)
-1 lb of fresh strawberries, sliced
-1 lb of blueberries
-4 C ripe bananas, sliced
-2 TBS lemon juice

Pudding:
-(1) 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
-(1) 3.4 oz box of instant vanilla pudding (I like Jello brand best)
-1 1/2 C ice cold water
-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-1 Tahitian vanilla bean (sliced and vanilla caviar removed)
-4 C heavy cream, 1 C reserved after whipping

1. In a small mixing bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, cold water and vanilla and mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until well-combined. Add the pudding mix and continue beating for 2 more minutes. Slit the vanilla bean lengthwise and then use the back of a butter knife to scrape out of the vanilla beans. Add vanilla bean paste and beat until combine. Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight. It's important to allow plenty of time for the pudding to set up so that the consistency stays when you fold in the cream.

Look at that gorgeous vanilla bean paste!

2. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold cream (except one cup) into chilled pudding mixture until color is mainly uniform. Be careful avoid over-mixing.

3. Prepare fruit and slice. Toss sliced bananas with lemon juice to prevent them from browning. Place first cake layer in the trifle bowl. Place bananas and berries right up against the glass all the way around (just for aesthetic purposes). Spoon pudding mixture on top of cake. Add a layer of berries and bananas on top of pudding. Repeat with the next layer of cake, put fruit up against the glass, spoon in a layer of pudding, another layer of bananas and berries, etc. Once trifle bowl is full, cover the top with the reserved whipped cream.

4. Make a decorative pattern on top of whipped cream with the fruit. I like to use strawberries around the bowl with a blueberry star in the middle.

Here are some other decorative ideas:

Trifle using whole cake layers. 

Love how this design turned out. So cute and festive! 

Enjoy and Happy Baking. This trifle will make a perfect addition to your 4th of July BBQ!


Here is the printable recipe.

Giant S'more Cake

I love planning and putting together birthday parties for my kids. We have a tradition to invite our whole immediate families to our children's first birthday. Since my daughter was born in the summer, I thought it would be perfect to throw an outdoor/camping themed party. I haven't had a chance to blog about the whole party, so stay tuned.

I wanted to have a s'more bar, so I thought it would be perfect to make a giant s'more for her birthday cake. I found the original idea on the Not Just a Housewife blog. I took those concepts and created my version of the S'more cake. I loved her idea for making the homemade graham cracker. The dough was so good and it was perfect being made in advance. It's a really great recipe and worked nicely for the cake.

I made (2) 9-in round chocolate cakes since we were going to be serving a lot of people. Although the giant graham crackers are so cute and even taste delicious, I didn't think people would want a big hunk of cracker with their cake, so I opted for a graham cracker cream filling. I have to tell you, the filling was to die for. I'm not usually a big graham cracker fan, but it totally worked with this cake. I wanted the cake to look like a real S'more, so I opted for marshmallow frosting (AKA "7 Minute Frosting") that could be toasted with a kitchen torch (thanks to my awesome friend, Missy, for that great idea). I also wanted the chocolate to look melted, so I thought chocolate ganache would be a perfect addition for that. 

So I didn't do a practice run with this cake before my daughter's birthday, so this was all trial and error. The flavors were so yummy, but there were a few aesthetic hiccups that I had to figure out the day of the party. So fortunately for you, you can learn from my mistakes. The biggest problem is that I made the graham crackers way to big and they were too thin, so they were kinda droopy when the top was placed. I did them a little bit smaller than a standard baking sheet. The next time I make this cake I will make them each about 10"x10". That way they are slightly bigger than the cake, but you won't have to deal with any droopage. :) Also, always always ALWAYS work with frozen cakes when you frost them. That prevents all of those little cake crumbs from getting in your frosting. It's especially important when using the marshmallow frosting. Seriously, frozen cakes are so much easier to work with.

So here's what you need. I'm going to separate it into each component:

Cake:

(2) 9-in round chocolate cakes, baked and frozen

Homemade Graham Crackers: (slightly adapted from Not Just a Housewife)

-1 C butter (2 sticks)

-1 C brown sugar 

-1/2 C dark corn syrup

-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda

-4 C all-purpose flour

-4 TBS cold water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla together in a medium mixing bowl. Add baking soda and flour and mix until incorporated. Add 2 TBS of water and continue stirring. Add a TBS of water at a time until you have a dough-like consistency. My flour was more dry, so I used all 4 TBS of water. 

2. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Do not skip this step or the dough will be super messy to work with. 

3. Take a piece of parchment paper (mine is the size that fits a standard baking sheet) and sprinkle a little flour on op. Take half of chilled dough and begin to roll it out. You want it about 1/4" thick. Roll it out bigger than you need so that you can cut clean, crisp edges. Cut your rolled dough with a pizza cutter into a 10"x10" square. Repeat for the other cracker. 

4. Take a wooden dowel and make an impression in the middle of the dough. Then take the end of the dowel and make the circular impression to resemble a real graham cracker. 

5. Transfer the piece of parchment paper with the rolled out dough on top and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes until cracker is golden brown. If you bake less time then you'll have a softer texture, so make sure to bake enough time to ensure a cracker-like consistency and so that it doesn't fall apart when you assemble your big S'more. Remove from oven and allow the cracker to rest 5-10 minutes before transferring the parchment paper (with the cracker on top) to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before assembling your cake. 

Graham Cracker Filling:

-(1) 8oz. cream cheese, room temp

-3/4 C canned marshmallow cream

-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

-1/2 C prepared marshmallow frosting (the same you are using for the cake)

-2/3 C graham cracker crumbs, finely processed in a blender or food processor

1. In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese, marshmallow cream and vanilla on medium speed until well-combined. Then add marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crumbs until combine. Refrigerate until you are ready to fill your cake. 

To fill cake: Place one cake layer down on frosting pedestal. Add graham cracker filling in the center of cake. Use a knife or an off-set spreading spatula and spread out the filling in an even layer to the edges of the cake. Place the next layer on top and then proceed to frosting the whole cake with marshmallow frosting.  

Marshmallow Frosting:

-1 1/2 C white sugar

-1/2 C water

-2 egg whites

-1/2 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. cream of tartar 

-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1. In top of a double boiler combine all ingredients. Stir until ingredients are just combine. If you are using pure vanilla extract, your mixture will look brown. Don't worry; after you beat your frosting it will become white and glossy. While water is heating, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer at high speed for about a minute.

2. Place top of double boiler over rapidly boiling water and beat at high speed until mixture forms soft peaks (peak tops fold over). This took me about 3-4 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat and transfer mixture into a separate mixing bowl. Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form and mixture becomes glossy and thick enough to spread. This took about 2-3 minutes.

  

4. Frost your filled cake. I like using a rotating cake pedestal for this step. If you aren't an expert at frosting a cake, don't worry because this frosting is forgiving and I think that adds to toasted look of being a marshmallow. In fact, I actually purposefully made the cake have some imperfections in the frosting so that I could get some toasted dimensions on the outside of the cake. 

5. Once you have frosted your cake, take a kitchen torch or a heavy-duty torch on the lowest setting possible to toast the outside. Be careful not to burn the cake. I practiced a few times with a spoonful of frosting before trying to toast the cake. You don't have to toast the top of the cake since it's going to be covered in ganache, but I did anyways so that I would have an even look once the ganache was on. I didn't want to have to battle melting ganache. 

6. Once your cake is toasted, top with cooled ganache and drizzle in on the sides so that it resembles melted chocolate. Make sure the ganache is barely warm or you will melt the frosting. 

Chocolate Ganache:

-4 oz. semi-sweet baking chips

-4 oz. heaving whipping cream

1. Combine baking chips and whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir mixture. If chocolate is not melted entirely, continue microwaving on high for another minute, stirring in 15-30 second intervals. 

2. Allow the ganache to cool so that it's barely warm to the touch. If the ganache cools too much it will become thick like frosting. If the ganache cools too much before you need it, just microwave it 10-15 seconds and stir before you drizzle. Make sure cake and ganache are chilled before assembling the cake.

Assembly of Cake:

1. I like using Wilton Cake boards. You probaly want to get a 10" circle or an 11x13 rectangle. I used the latter since my crackers were a lot bigger. You just need something that you can lift when the cake is assembled to transport it to where it will be displayed. 

2. Place one large cracker on the cake board. Carefully lift the cake and place on top of graham cracker. Carefully place the 2nd graham cracker on top. 

Cut, serve and enjoy! I wouldn't taken a picture of a slice of the cake, but it got eaten too fast! :) Here is the cake with the S'more bar.

Happy Baking!

Here's the printable recipe.

Banana Drop Cookies

So I've been on a health kick lately. I'm trying really hard to train for some 5ks this summer in addition to losing baby weight. We have been doing juicing, blending and increasing our physical activity as a family. The hardest part when I'm trying to eat right is avoiding sweets. I completely and thoroughly enjoy a well-made dessert. I've been on a quest for healthful cookies. It seems like they either aren't truly healthful or they taste healthful (and not in a good way). It's hard finding both. Because we enjoy juicing frequently we always have fruit pulp leftover. We felt guilty throwing this nutritional bi-product away, so I tried thinking of ways to use it. We use it as organic compost for our garden, but I wanted to benefit from the fiber. I decided to try adding some of the pulp to these cookies as a source of fiber and it turned out great. You couldn't even tell that it was in there. If you don't juice, don't worry about adding the pulp to the cookies. It's completely optional.

So as far as the cookies I couldn't believe how yummy they turned out and they are packed with so many good-for-you ingredients. I also love that they are dairy and fat-free (if not using chocolate chips) and packed full of fiber. They are the perfect balance of sweet and chewy and I loved the texture of the chia and flax seeds with the oats. And they are SO moist! If you haven't tried adding chia and flax seeds into your diet, you are missing out on some great benefits. You can buy either at health food stores, but I have found mine at my local Winco and Kitchen Kneads stores for a fraction of the price. Maybe I'll do a post on the nutritional benefits of these lovely seeds for those of you that don't know much about them.

I  really loved the addition of the dark chocolate chips to this recipe. These can be optional if you want these to be more healthful, but I thought a few added a great flavor and made me feel like I was eating regular cookies. If you freeze your ripe bananas and you use them for these cookies, you may need a little more agave for sweetness. I've made these cookies with fresh and frozen bananas and I've noticed that I don't need any extra sweetener when I use fresh bananas.

I hope you enjoy these. I love that I can still have a little something sweet without completely breaking my weight-loss goals. I love storing the leftovers in the fridge--they taste SO good cold!

Here's what you need: Makes 25-30 cookies

3 ripe bananas, mashed with some chunks
1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C almond milk
1 T chia seeds
1 T flax seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 T agave (or stevia)
2/3 C dried fruit, cranberries and raisins mixed together
1/3 C dark chocolate chips or carob chips
2 C oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c fruit pulp, opt

1. Preheat oven  to 350 degrees. Combine mashed bananas, applesauce, almond milk, cinnamon salt, agave and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Add baking soda and stir until incorporated

2. Add chia and flax seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips, oatmeal and fruit pulp if desired. Stir until well incorporated.

3. Spoon on to parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350° for 15-16 min until top begins to brown.

4. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheet 2-3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and enjoy a cookie while they are still warm. :)

Enjoy and Happy Baking! (And Healthful Eating!)

Here is the printable recipe.

Warm Fuzzy Jar

So here's another non-recipe post, but parenting has been on my radar especially as of late. I love my 3-yr-old, but some days it's all I can do to be patient. I am far from being a "perfect" mother, but I try my hardest to be a really great mother. I am really close with my Mom and she is so great with kids. My 3-yr-old is also very close with her and there are things that my Mom can get her to do that I can't. I was talking with my Mom about some of our parenting issues and any of you that have/had a 3-yr-old know exactly what I'm talking about. It's a hard age. They think they are bigger than they are, they want to be independent and they are constantly pushing boundaries. I try SO hard to be patient, but some days are insanely difficult. I wake up in the morning with the best of intentions, but there are days that it doesn't last long. I'm not gonna lie, some times I just want to run and hide in my closet with some cupcakes. It's amazing how demanding little children can be at time.

I believe in positive reinforcement, but some times it seems like my 3-yr-old only responds to loud voices and negative reinforcement. I was talking to my Mom about it and asking her advice for a positive way to help my daughter engage in cleaning up, assisting with age-appropriate chores, not stealing toys from Little Sis--all without screaming, throwing tantrums and sassing. Impossible? It felt pretty dang close. What? Have a 3-yr-old corporate AND do it cheerfully? Shaaaaa, whatev. It felt like an oxymoron.

Then the advice from an experienced Mom, whom of which I thought knew absolutely nothing about parenting when I was a teenager, saved the day. Side note: Isn't it so funny how your parents become so wise when you finally have kids of your own? 'Tis the circle of life.

I came one afternoon to pick up my girls after work and my Mom had made this cute jar with my daughter. My Mom is very frugal and she created a little miracle for less than $3. Please meet the Warm Fuzzy jar:

This jar has been so awesome. You can use it for your kids, nephews/nieces, younger siblings or any children that you care for. You could try using it with your teenager(s) or your significant other, but, well, good luck with that. :) How it works is anytime you catch the child doing something without being asked, being a nice friend, sharing with a sibling, or doing other responsibilities with a good attitude then they earn "warm fuzzies". They get to choose the color and put them in the jar. Then when they fill the jar they can earn prizes, special privleges, TV time, field trips or whatever reward works for them. This concept is all about focusing on positive behaviors and attitudes and positive reinforcement. I also love that it's a great way to discuss emotions with children. It is working beautifully for us so far. Our daughter loves finding things to do to help us and she gets so excited to see her jar fill with the fuzzies. We had a discussion about things that help us feel happy or that give us "warm fuzzies." It was neat to hear my daughter's ideas. It's amazing how aware children are.

Here's what you need: (all found at the dollar store)
-an old jar (could be a spaghetti sauce jar, mason jar, baby food jar, etc.)
-construction paper
-googlie eyes
-glue
-craft pom poms
-assortment of stickers

1. Assembly is super simple. All you need to do is cut out a circle to fit over the lid. Glue it on to the lid and then glue on some googlie eyes. Let the child decorate it with stickers. You could even let them name their jar. Put it in a special place that the child can see and then start letting them earn the warm fuzzies.

I love seeing my daughter find positive ways to help in our family and her behavior has improved so much. I love that my Mom teaches me simple ways to help engage children. I think I try to make things too complicated. This has been the best reward system yet.

If any of you have some great ideas that you use as positive reinforcement with your children or children that you care for, please leave me a comment. I'd love to hear more ideas! "It takes a village to raise a child."

Brownie Turtle Cake

I have to be honest. I am not usually a brownie lover. I love chocolate, but there is just something about brownies that doesn't float my boat. I actually have willpower when it comes to brownies. Well, this has all changed. This brownie turtle cake is divine and it's given me a new love for brownies. It's quick, easy and the ingredients are simple. This is one of my favorites to make for when company comes over or to take to a potluck. You can make this in advance and it comes together quickly. I think the combination of the brownie paired with pudding and the cheesecakey flavor is so divine. And I love that this is served cold.

The fun thing about this cake is that you can customize it and make variations that fit your tastes and preferences. This cake also tastes great with fresh berries on top. You can also switch up the chocolate pudding for banana pudding and top with fresh bananas. The possibilities are endless. Have fun discovering what flavor combinations you love best. This would also be fun to do for a birthday in lieu of traditional birthday cake. 

Here's what you need: This generously serves 7-9 people

-(1) Duncan Hines Turtle brownie mix

-2 eggs

-1/3 C oil (can use veggie, canola or coconut)

-3 TBS water

-(1) 8oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp (I used light)

-1/4 C agave (or you can use honey or powdered sugar)

-(1) small container Cool Whip, thawed

-2 tsp. vanilla

-(1) 3 oz chocolate pudding mix

-1 1/4 C milk 

Garnish:

-Caramel sauce (included in brownie mix)

-chopped pecans

-mini chocolate chips

1.Take brownie mix, eggs, water and oil and mix together in a medium mixing bowl. Place in a greased 11x7 baking pan. You can use a 9x13, but the brownie layer will be thinner.  Bake according to box instructions. **High altitude bakers need to add 1/4 C flour to mix. Allow to cool completely.

2. While brownies are baking, put cream cheese, agave (or whatever sweetener you are using) and vanilla into a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth. I like using an electric mixer, but you can do it by hand. Fold in the container of Cool Whip. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the pudding mix and milk together and beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes. Put in refrigerator until ready to assemble. 

4. Once brownies are cooled, take half of your cream cheese mixture and spread on top of brownies. Next, put all of the pudding on top of cream cheese layer and spread. Then place the rest of the cream cheese mixture on top of pudding and spread. 

5. Allow cake to set up in fridge for at least 1 hr. before serving. You can make this a day or two in advance, just make sure to cover top with plastic wrap and keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Right before serving, drizzle the top with the caramel sauce that was from the brownie mix. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips. Cut into pieces and serve cold.

Here's the printable recipe.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

I'm still here!

Hey friends!

I promise I'm still here. I got a new job and it's taking me a little time to adjust to the changes and I haven't baked for awhile (sad, I know!). I'm working on some new posts and getting ready to do some giveaways! I can't wait! My youngest Little is going to be 1 soon, so I've started gathering ideas for her birthday. I can't wait to share with you!

What have you guys been up to? Have you baked or cooked anything fun? I'd love to hear about it!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting with Strawberry Compote

Frosting is one of my weaknesses. I love a good frosting! You can transform a good or even a mediocre cake into something delicious with the right frosting. I have to thank my Aunt Karen and my cousin, Cheri, for the recipe. They made chocolate cupcakes with a version of this frosting and I fell in love. The recipe was originally made with raspberry extract, but I modified it a little and used strawberry extract. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use any extract you want and it will taste great.

I made chocolate cupcakes for my birthday and I thought a strawberry frosting would be awesome because I was craving chocolate dipped strawberries when deciding what to make. I love using extracts in baking and I wanted an even more potent strawberry flavor so I opted to add a compote to the frosting. What is a compote you ask? It's basically a fancy French word for fruit that has been boiled down and reduced in water and sugar with or without spices. When you made a compote, it basically concentrates the flavor of whatever fruit you are using. You cook it down until it's a jam-like consistency, so it's perfect for adding flavor to frostings or cakes because most of the moisture is evaporated and you are left with an intense fruit flavor. I also loved how fresh it made this frosting taste. I prefer using a compote rather than a fruit puree because the flavor isn't as strong with a puree and you also have to worry about excess moisture. If you don't want to take the time to make a compote, you could use a couple tablespoons of fruit puree, just know that it won't be as strong of a fruit flavor. Or you could even use a tablespoon or two of a seedless jam preserve. You can use almost any fresh or frozen berries for a compote. I opted for frozen because this is not the peak season for strawberries and frozen would be a better choice for getting more full-flavored berries. This frosting is also very sweet, so I'd make sure to use it with a cake flavor that will balance that out.

Now about extracts. Finding a good extract that doesn't taste artificial is hard to find. I love baking with extracts, but sometimes it takes some work to find good ones. I used strawberry extract from Beanilla. The quality for price can't be beat and the flavor is amazing! It tastes like fresh strawberries and it enhanced the strawberry compote perfectly.

Here's what you need to make the compote:
-1 pint of fresh or frozen strawberries *If using fresh strawberries, you will need to add some water to bottom of pan to prevent burning
-Juice from one medium lemon
-2-3 TBS vanilla sugar (or you can use agave, honey, or regular table sugar)

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This may take more or less time. Just make sure you pay attention to the liquid. You want the mixture to look thick like jam. Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding to cake batter. You want it to be cooled entirely before adding to frosting so that it doesn't melt the fat in your frosting. When I made this compote the strawberries were broken down enough that I didn't need to put it into a blender or food processor. If you want a smoother consistency, blend it until smooth before adding to your frosting.

*Note: You will not use all the compote for your frosting. You can also put the rest into whatever cake batter you are using if you want a more intense strawberry flavor.

Here's what you need for the frosting: This will bake enough to frost 24 cupcakes or frost and fill (1) 9-in. round cake.

-1/2 C butter, room temp
-8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
-4 oz. white chocolate chips, melted
-1 tsp. vanilla
-2-4 tsp. strawberry extract (may need more depending on the quality of your berries used for the compote)
-1/2 C strawberry compote, room temp
-4-5 C powdered sugar
-2-3 drops of food coloring, optional

1. Using a standing or hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Turn off mixer and add melted chocolate. To melt chocolate, melt over a double-boiler, use a chocolate melter or microwave in 30 second intervals on 30% power. Immediately whip to incorporate. It's important to add the chocolate all at once because if you try incorporating it slowly, it will solidify and make lumps in the frosting.

2. After chocolate is incorporated, add butter and whip for another minute. Add vanilla, strawberry extract, compote and food coloring if desired. Stir until incorporated. Add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated and then whip an additional minute so that frosting is light and fluffy.

Use to fill or frost cakes or cupcakes. This frosting will store for about a week in the fridge in an airtight container. If you use frosting after refrigeration, allow to come to room temp and whip until frosting is fluffy.

Here is the printable recipe.


Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Chocolate Cake/Cupcakes

I LOVE a good chocolate cake. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It's so easy to make, it turns out perfect every time and I always have the ingredients in my pantry. It's just as easy to make as using a cake mix and tastes SO much better.

One of my favorite memories from growing up was making this cake on Sunday evenings with my family. Sundays were church and family day and after Sunday dinner it was kind of tradition to make some type of treat (or Mollicks as we like to call them in my family). My brother, Andy, always seems to be the unofficial person that made this cake. It was kinda his thing. We would take a piece of warm cake right out of the oven and pour cold milk over it and devour it. We also affectionately referred to this cake as "snacking cake" because it is so delicious by itself that you don't need any frosting. Not that a good frosting would hurt this cake, but it really is so yummy plain. I made these cupcakes for my birthday with a fresh strawberry frosting that was so yummy. Honestly, this is my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.

This recipe is versatile because it makes a great cake, double-layer cake or cupcakes. The cupcakes are slightly dense and very moist. They also hold up really well when doing filled cupcakes.

Here's what you need:
-1/2 C butter (one stick), room temperature
-1 1/2 C sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tsp. vanilla
-1/4 C cocoa powder (double this if you want a more intense chocolate flavor)
-2 C all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. salt
-1 1/4 C water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Cream together until fluffy, about a minute. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine evenly.

2. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients and whisk together to incorporate them. If you want to sift them together you can, but I just give it a quick stir with a whisk to make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated.

3. Pour half of the water into first wet mixture  Mix just until combine. Pour in half of dry mixture and mix just until combine. Pour the remaining half of water into bowl and mix until combine. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients.

4. Grease and flour baking pan or use cupcake liners. If using (2) round pans, I always line the bottom of pan with a circle of parchment paper to ensure that cakes can be easily removed from the pan.

Cupcakes: Fill liners 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Cake 9x13: Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes
(2) 9-in round cakes: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

**Cakes are done with you touch the center of the cake and it springs back without leaving an indent of your finger. Or when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. I always bake the minimum time and then recheck it every minute or two until done. 

5. For round cakes and cupcakes: Remove pan(s) from oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Remove cake or cupcakes and transfer to a cooling rack. You can frost once cake is completely cooled.
    For 9x13 cake: Remove from oven and eat cake while warm or allow to cool completely in pan before frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Frosting
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Here is the printable recipe.


Enjoy and Happy Baking!