Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there! Anyone who knows me knows how much I cherish my dad. He is an incredibly hard worker, and would do anything for anybody. :) He definitely deserves a relaxing day of bean bags, paddleball, and a few brewskis.

I decided dad needed a special treat to help celebrate the day with. A while back my favorite cupcake bakery Happy Cakes had made a beer and pretzel cupcake as one of their mystery flavors. I thought I would step out of my safety box once again, and try to create a beer and pretzel whoopie pie! I must say I nailed this one. My official taste tester, my sister Jackie, gave it the thumbs up and said it's even better than the banana whoopie pies.

I'm A Native Whoopie Pies (Beer and Pretzel Whoopie Pies)


1 c. light brown sugar
3 Tbs. butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 t.  baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 bottle Colorado Native Beer
1/2 c. pretzels bits

Cream Cheese Filing-From Martha Stewart

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs; one at a time until well blended.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Stir 1/4 of dry ingredients into the egg mixture until combined. Then pour in some of the beer. Continue this process until both are completely added and mixed.

Stir in pretzel bits.

I also used my new toy to bake these. My cousin got my a BabyCakes Whoopie Pie Maker for my birthday. It worked pretty well! It is definitely super fast! Each batch cooked in about 1 1/2 minutes. The only hard thing is that the underside of the pies cooks a lot fast than the top. They didn't burn, but they were quite a bit darker.

For the frosting:

Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pipe onto whoopie pie halves.

Pineapple-Sage Chicken

I LOVE this time of year!!! Our garden is up and running, and I get to start using it in the kitchen! When we were on our yearly adventure to Tawagas, getting all of our supplies, Michael found an herb that he insisted we get because "it smells like Hawaii." This lovely Pineapple Sage plant found a home in it's own little pot.....

Pineapple Sage

As soon as we put it in the garden, I was wondering what I could create with it. Of course since it is a tropical herb I immediately thought of Pineapple Sage Mojitos (which will probably be made sometime soon.) I plugged pineapple sage recipes into Google and I found a lovely website already devoted to this alluring shrub.

Voilà! Dinner was planned! Pineapple- Sage Chicken!!!! My hubby grilled it to perfection and it was very flavorful. May be a new summertime favorite! Any other ideas???

Pineapple Sage Chicken

1/4 C Teriyaki or Tamari Or Soy sauce
1/4 C honey
1/2 C Olive Oil
2 TBS lemon Juice
2 TBS Apple juice
2 tsp ground ginger
Handful of Pineapple Sage leaves chopped
Boneless Chicken Breasts
Marinade chicken in above ingredients. Cook on grill
Serve with Pineapple kabobs

Banana Whoopie Pies

Wow! Another school year has successfully come to an end. I was blessed with such an awesome group this year, and it was hard to let them go. On the bright side, now I will have that much more time to update my blog with delicious treats....and even more time to work them off hiking, biking, and enjoying the Colorado summer life.

We had two fabulous teachers retire this year, so before we said goodbye, we held a community celebration in their honor. It was decided to have a table full of small sweets; so that students, parents, and colleagues (new and old) could quickly snag a treat while enjoying the party. Since my sister has been begging me to try this recipe I thought it would be a great time to try it out.

Banana Whoopie Pies  from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.
   
2. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture.
   
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart.
   
4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.)
   
5. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
   
6. Pipe or spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately.
   
   
   They were a hit! Got lots of compliments :)  I'm still not very fond of my whoopie pie pan. I think I could get better results the old fashion way. Next time....
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Rain, rain go away........I am just about sick of these cloudy,  gray, rainy, cold days!!! Yesterday, I had had enough and decided to create my own sunshine by doing some baking. My new baking cups were my inspiration....

and I found the perfect recipe to fill them!

Lemon-Honey Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp each baking powder and baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¼ cup milk
1½ Tbsp grated lemon zest
4 Tbsp lemon juice
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup honey
¼ cup sugar
3 large eggs

Lemon-Honey Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup honey
1½ Tbsp grated lemon zest
4 cups confectioners' sugar
7 to 8 tsp lemon juice
Few drops yellow food color

Directions:
1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sour cream, milk, lemon zest and juice in a small bowl until well mixed.
3. Beat butter, honey and sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.
4. With mixer on low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, then the sour cream mixture. Beat in remaining flour mixture until just combined.
5. Spoon about ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Frosting: Beat butter, honey and lemon zest in large bowl with electric mixer until creamed, about 2 minutes. On low speed, gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in lemon juice and a few drops food color until mixture is fluffy and pale yellow.
7. Spoon into a large ziptop freezer bag, snip off one corner and pipe onto cupcakes, or just spread frosting onto cupcakes.

(Makes 24 Cupcakes.)

One of Michael's friends has been providing us with honey from their bee farm and I have been looking forward to baking with it. Needless to say...these babies were exactly what I needed to pick me up on such a dreary weekend! I will be sharing them with family as we celebrate Jordan and Jenna's Birthdays in the Springs today.

S'more "WHOOPS"ie Pies!

 

Well, I was soooo excited about my new whoopie pie pan that I got from Crate and Barrel on Saturday...that I came home and started baking right away. Only to sad for me.....disaster struck!!! Take a look at my first batch of delicious S'more "Whoops"ie pies......

 

The cake was very light and fluffy, the most delicious chocolate cake I think I've ever had...but it was not whoopie pie material. As soon as I tried to get them out of the pan they crumbled everywhere. So I tried again, using a baking cooking spray....and at least they came out of the pan. However, by the time I was done with the cake I decided I was going to use an easier filling recipe. They were very yummy and I will make them again with a different cake recipe!

S’mores Whoopie Pies

makes 18 Whoopie Pies

For the Cake
Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Heat oven to 320 F. Spray your whoopee pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
2. Pour 1 ½ tablespoons of batter into each well of the whoopie pie pan.
3. Bake 8-10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan then invert the pan and allow the whoopies to cool completely on wire racks.
5. Wash and dry the pan and re-spray with non-stick cooking spray and repeat with the remaining batter. You will end up with 36 whoopie cakes that once sandwiched will yield 18 whoopie pies.
6. Once your whoopies are cool, prepare the marshmallow frosting.

For the Marshmallow Frosting:
Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 cup of sugar
¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined.

For the Topping:
Ingredients
5 ounces of semisweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream

graham cracker crumbs for garnish

Directions
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and allow to sit for a few minutes. Whisk until smooth.

To assemble the S’mores Whoopie Pies:
1. Pipe filling on the flat sides of half the cakes (18 of them).
2. Use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the marshmallow frosting. Top each with one of the remaining cakes; flat side down.
3. Place a spoonful of ganache on top of each whoopee pie and spread in a circular pattern; garnish with graham cracker crumbs and allow the ganache to set up.

Revised Marshmallow Filling:

3/4 cup margarine

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups marshmallow cream

1.  Mix together margarine and powdered sugar.
2.  Stir in marshmallow cream until blended. 

Strawberry Rose Cupcakes

When my dad showed me this recipe in Sunset magazine I couldn't wait to try it! I have always wanted to try baking with rose water. Finding the rose water was an adventure in itself. At Vitamin Cottage a worker looked at me like I was crazy when I said I was looking to use rose water in a recipe. Ha!

My mother-in-law asked us to bring a dessert for Easter and I immediately thought about these unique cupcakes. I also think these beauties would be great from Mother's Day or a bridal shower.



Strawberry Rose Cupcakes

• YIELD: Makes 16
• TOTAL:1 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. rose water

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 16 muffin cups with liners. Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until well blended.
• 2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well blended.
• 3. Whisk together jam and rose water to taste in a small bowl. Spread 2 heaping tbsp. batter in each liner. Top with 1 tsp. jam mixture, then another 2 heaping tbsp. batter, carefully spreading it to cover jam.
• 4. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted toward the edge comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting and decorate with rose petals.

Cream Cheese-Rose Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. rose water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

• In a bowl with a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, rose water, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth.

Instead of using rose petals I decorated the with sugar pearls.

 

 

I would like to give a shout out to my sister for keeping me company during my time in the kitchen...although I'm pretty sure it's only to lick off all the beaters, but it's nice to laugh my way through the time!!!! "Teaping Heaspoons" :) 

I made some extras to send home with my sister. I decorated these with food tattoos. :)

Hawaiian Lava Flow inspired Cupcakes

Michael and I were finally able to take our honeymoon on our 6th month anniversary. We had a romantic tropical getaway to Oahu, Hawaii. Needless to say we had a fantastic time and can't wait to go back. We stayed at the Sheration Waikiki, and one of our favorite drinks (other than Mai Tais, of course) were the Lava Flows.

 

I couldn't wait to get home and try to capture all that yummy-ness into a cupcake. This was also my first time making my own cupcake recipe.

Lava Flow Cupcakes

Since Lava Flows have a strong banana coconut smoothie flavor I started with a banana and coconut rum cake.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas ( 2-3 bananas)

1/4 buttermilk

2 cups  all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3-4 tablespoon of Malibu coconut rum

To add that classic red lava flow....I added 1/3 cup fresh strawberry puree. This turned the batter pink, but in the end wasn't seen.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend strawberry in a small blender until pureed, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, blend butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; and add to banana mixture.
5. Mix in rum and strawberry puree.
6. Fill lined cupcake holders about 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

I was really happy with result! It was delicious, and all intended flavors were present.

For the frosting I used  pineapple buttercream as inspiration:

1/2 butter
4 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons drained crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon strawberry puree
1 tablespoon pineapple juice
1 tablespoon Malibu rum

Cream butter and gradually beat in sugar until well combined. Stir in crushed pineapple, pineapple juice and rum. Beat to blend thoroughly.

I was not happy with the result. One thing was that I was getting tired and forgot to cream the butter before adding the powdered sugar and it started getting clumpy. Very sweet, too. It was okay, but I am working on perfecting it. It did, however, have the frothy look just like the actual drink. I served them for my mom's birthday :) Nobody seemed to be disappointed!