Summer of Rhubarb: Rhubarb Blondies

 

One thing you can always count on is your rhubarb coming to life in the summer. It’s a short window when everyone in Minnesota bakes their hearts out with this beloved vegetable. Most people call it a fruit due to the way it is used in desserts but it’s actually a vegetable.

It is one of my favorites in the summer season. I love being able to bake or cook with what is fresh during the seasons so harvesting and baking up my rhubarb is no exception. I try to make new dishes every year (as well as the classic ones we love), so I decided to give a blondie recipe a try. These bars are delicious. So buttery and caramel-like in flavor from all the brown sugar. I’ve already made two batches of these bars this year so it’s quickly become a new favorite rhubarb recipe of mine.

Rhubarb & White Chocolate Blondies (recipe from goodness gracious)

INGREDIENTS
  • 8 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups diced rhubarb
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray or grease with butter.
  2. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl.
  3. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisk again until combined.
  5. Add the flour and mix until no lumps are visible.
  6. Fold in the diced rhubarb and chocolate chips.
  7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread it out to make even.
  8. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

50 States, 50 Cookies: Mississippi

I was super excited to make these cookies. They sounded amazing. Chocolate, marshmallow. Yum! Be warned though. They are very sweet. Almost too sweet. That being said you only need one so that isn’t so bad!

Mississippi Mud Cookies from Bob’s Red Mill United States of Cookies

  • FOR THE COOKIES
  • 1-1/4 cups Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 cup Butter at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1-1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
  • FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FLUFF
  • 1/2 cup Butter at room temperature
  • 7 oz container Marshmallow Fluff
  • 1 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
  • FOR THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING*
  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 3 to 3-1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
  • I actually only did 1 cup of powdered sugar and replaced the milk with water. This makes is a more dark chocolatey glaze instead of a sweet chocolate frosting
Instructions
FOR THE COOKIES
  1. Melt ¾ cup chocolate chips in a microwave. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool.
  2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add cooled chocolate and egg; beat well. Gradually blend in flour mixture. Stir in remaining ¾ cup chocolate chips.
  4. Chill dough 15 to 30 minutes minimum.
  5. Using a spring release scoop, place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 9 minutes. Allow to stand 5 minutes on cookie sheet before carefully removing to a wire rack.

Dinner Party Tiramisu

I really enjoy having friends over for dinner. I like being a hostess. I would prefer to have nicer plates & actually make a pretty table like they do on TV but have never invested in it. Regardless, I enjoy having company, planning a menu, making sure everyone has what they need, and that they are enjoying themselves.

A long time ago, in another life I like to say, I used to have friends over for dinner often. Roughly every other weekend I would have people over. One of those people was my guy. At that point in time though we were friends. We were on the verge of transitioning into where we are today.

One night I had an Italian themed dinner. I had planned a menu of parmesan encrusted chicken breasts with roasted red pepper sauce, some sort of side that I can no longer recall, and tiramisu for dessert.

I have always loved tiramisu but had never made it before that dinner party. My trusty cookbook had a recipe so I thought I would give it a go. It did not turn out pretty but tasted fantastic. As I was making it & reading the recipe, it said to cut it into thirds. I cut it into 3 pieces in the pan. Whoops. It meant cut the whole cake into thirds so that you’d have cake, filling, cake, filling, etc. I didn’t care too much. I found it more funny than anything else so decided to just keep it and have it be super tall. It would be an excellent conversation piece if anything else.

I was finishing as much prep as I could do before people arrived. They were running late which didn’t bother me cause I was running a bit behind too. I went into a cupboard to grab a mixing bowl and managed to knock out the bowl of my food processor onto the floor. I stepped back to get it & stepped on what I though was a rock. I looked and saw it was the blade of my food processor. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I had stepped on the plastic part that attaches it to the bowl or so I thought. I took a few steps to put it away and turned around & realized I was not as lucky as I thought. There was blood everywhere. The blade was so sharp (honestly it had never been used) that it had sliced my foot super clean so that I hadn’t known I had gotten cut.

I saw a roll of paper towels on the counter, grabbed it, & hit the floor putting pressure & the towels on my wound. In my head I was thinking that this couldn’t be happening. I was having friends over for dinner in a matter of minutes. This is all their fault. If they had been there they would have seen what had happened & yelled at me to not step back.

Of course I knew that it wouldn’t have really been that way. If anything I would have still stepped back & rolled on it from them trying to warn me & probably cut myself a lot worse. By the time they arrived it had been a few minutes. I was wanting to hold it tight for a bit to see if I could stop the bleeding. I didn’t know how deep it was & didn’t really want to look. I finally did & they joked that they wanted to see. I went in the bathroom & unwrapped my foot & knew that the dinner would have to go on without me as I needed to go to the ER.

I was such a good hostess though. As I was getting ready to leave I told everyone where I was in the dinner process. Where they could find all the ingredients, the recipes, & any miscellaneous items. I left. My guy (well not my guy at the time but you know what I mean) came out to watch me leave & I waived goodbye.

I ended up with 10 stitches. I had never had a stitch in my life. My first one (or ten) happened when I was almost 27 years old. I did not pay attention to my doctors advice to not drink. I actually took a shot of whiskey in the parking lot after being picked up. I lived in wright county at the time so I’m sure there was at least one other person doing the exact same thing. My friends had been having fun in the 3 hours that I spent in the ER. They managed to make dinner and saved me a plate. They waited to have the tiramisu until I got back. We hung out & I didn’t have to get up once.

That part of my life seems so long ago but it’s really only been 6 years. It’s amazing what can change in 6 years. In that time my guy and I figured out where we wanted to be in terms of our relationship. We moved to Almost Canada. We got married & just celebrated our one year anniversary. We have a whole new life.

We actually hosted an Italian night with friends we have made up here. Of course I offered to make the tiramisu. It made me remember my first tiramisu & how horribly ugly it looked. I wish I had a photo. When I told my guy I was making tiramisu for dessert all he said was… ‘make sure you cut it correctly this time.’ I guess he never forgot that evening either or at least the tiramisu.

I did make this one appropriately with the exception of doing 2 layers instead of 3 as I don’t think my knife skills are up to par to make thirds. That’s OK though. It was fun hosting. Everyone seemed to enjoy the tiramisu & I didn’t end up in the ER. I’d call that a success.

 

The Return of Baking Sunday 2015

Last Sunday was the commencement of true Baking Sunday Season. I try to bake on Sundays year round, but once football season starts that is when my baking season starts as well.

I use it as my time to do something I love. I try to bake new things but sometimes get set in my old favorites. Either way, it is my time.

Here is what I did last Sunday.

I made a margherita pizza for lunch. I did make the crust myself. The recipe I got from Giada De Laurentiis.

IMG_2566

 

I canned some salsa.

IMG_2589

 

And then I made cream puffs. I have never made these before and am glad I did. They were delicious. I was told I could make these every Sunday.

Chocolate Glazed Cream Puffs (makes 6)

pastry

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

cream filling

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • pinch salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla

chocolate glaze

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Prepare the cream filling first. It needs to set in the fridge for two hours.

Separate the eggs. Save the whites for another use. Place the yolks in a small bowl and whisk in the milk. In a small saucepan stir the corn starch, sugar, and salt together. Whisk in the egg-milk mixture. Stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and press plastic wrap over the top. Place in the fridge for two hours until set. Stir before use

IMG_2572

Meanwhile, prepare the pastry. In a medium saucepan combine the water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil. Make sure butter is melted and then add the flour stirring vigorously.

Cook and stir until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition with a wooden spoon. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Drop 6 heaping tablespoons of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet (or a greased baking sheet). Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

IMG_2557

 

Cut off the tops. If the dough on the inside is a bit fluffy just push it into the walls (you could tear it out but why waste it). Fill with the cream filling.

IMG_2577

 

Replace the tops and then drizzle or completely cover with chocolate glaze. I suggest to completely cover them.

To make the chocolate glaze, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar. Stir in the water and place over the heat again and stir until combined evenly. Add more water as necessary to thin out. You don’t want it too thin though. Stir in vanilla.

IMG_2583

 

Finally, enjoy.

 

 

 

Boston Cream Pie, Deconstructed

I’ve been on vacation for about a month. Well, not exactly, but it feels as such. I  spent time in Florida, went turkey hunting (which I shall write about shortly), and went to Arizona. Thus, I have not been baking. As I set out to bake on Baking Sunday for the first time in a long time, I had no idea what I wanted to make.

I knew I didn’t want to make cookies or brownies as those are my go-to baked goods. I wanted to do something a bit different. Not necessarily fancy or complicated, but just not my norm. I was thinking cake. After much deliberation (yes I deliberated over this trivial matter) I decided to make Boston Cream Pie. I have never made one before so figured I should give it a go.

I prepped the filling and it looked superb. I prepped the batter and popped the cake in the oven. It came out looking amazing & smelled even better. I let it cool slightly and went to invert the pan and…it did not come out of the pan the way it was supposed to come out. All bakers have experienced this. Part of the bottom of the cake remained in the pan during the inversion process and it resulted in a split cake.

At first I thought it would be OK. I had to slice it in half anyway for the two layers required for the finished good but it had split in a way that this would not be possible.

I sat there grumpy, tapping my nails on the counter, & I tried to think of what I was going to do. I decided to just make Deconstructed Boston Cream Pie.  I don’t know if that exists or not but that’s what I did. I took my aggression out on the cake and crumbled it into various sized pieces. I made the glaze as planned. I then assembled my new creation by layering crumbs, filling, more crumbs, and then the glaze in muffin cups.

IMG_2244

It might not be what I intended to make, but kitchen mishaps are bound to happen. It’s all about adapting and making it work. True in the kitchen & true in life.

Recipe From Betty Crocker: Boston Cream Pie

Chocolate Coconut Christmas

I had grand plans for making many Christmas cookies this year. I wanted to do a cookie swap. No one else wanted too. We have a food week at work prior to Christmas so in a sense it was almost like a swap. I did make some cookies & baked goods that I don’t normally make: snickerdoodles, gingerbread men & cutouts, actual gingerbread, white chocolate gingerbread balls, and some chocolate coconut balls & cookies. The coconut balls were planned. The cookies that followed were not. I used the leftover filling to make the cookies. A complete accident, but one of the most delicious unplanned actions of my life. So while I didn’t get around to making all the cookies I wanted, I am quite satisfied with the results.

Filling:

  • 1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 (14 oz.) package flaked coconut
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped regular semisweet chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

IMG_1818

For Chocolate Coconut Balls:

  • Chocolate almond bark
  • shortening

Melt almond bark and add 1-2 tbsp shortening as needed to reach desired constancy. Roll the filling into 1 in balls and dip into chocolate. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet & let cool completely. Store on the counter or in the fridge.

IMG_1813

For Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter & sugars until combined. Beat in baking powder & soda. Beat in egg and vanilla. Scrape sides as needed. Beat in flour & cocoa powder. Dough will be moist.

IMG_1819

Preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take some of the dough and roll into a 1-2in ball. Flatten on the parchment paper.

IMG_1826
Take a portion of the filling & form  into a 1/2-1 in ball. Place on dough & flatten slightly.

IMG_1827

Take the sides of the dough and form around the coconut.

IMG_1828

Bake for 8-12minutes depending on how big cookies are. Remove when cooked through but still soft. Allow to sit for 2 minutes (cookies will firm up). Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Store on a counter in an airtight container for up to one week (the cookies didn’t make it to work as they were too delicious).

IMG_1833

Enjoy.

IMG_1838

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

I hadn’t baked since Halloween so knew that I needed bake some treats. Besides, all my Halloween candy was almost gone. With Thanksgiving approaching I wanted to make something a bit festive and asked my guy what he wanted. He said cookies or bars. I decided to make pecan pie bars but than added chocolate in a last minute decision cause I really wanted something chocolate as well. If you don’t want the chocolate than just add an extra 1/2-1 cup chopped pecans depending on how nutty you want it.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars (makes 32)

For the crust…

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the filling…

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Take a 9x13x2in pan and line with foil so that it has a slight overhang. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crust: In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press into the lined pan firmly. Bake for 20-25minutes until golden brown and no loose flour is visible.

Image 2

 

Filling: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over medium-low to medium heat.

Image

Add the chopped pecans.

Image 4

Pour over the crust and spread to all sides.

Image 3

Top with chocolate.

Image 1

Bake for 20-25 minutes and remove to cool completely in the pan. Remove the bars via the foil overhang and cut into bars. Place back into pan for storage. Enjoy.

Image 5

 

 

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes

This post is a bit delayed as I wrote it around Halloween. Just decorate them however you desire or not at all. I enjoyed them the best with no frosting.

 

As I had made Bloody Beet Cake I knew I needed to make chocolate beet cupcakes. I have this problem. Once I find something I have to go all out and keep trying different variations. This time, it is baking with beets. I threw together these cupcakes and was blown away. I think these might the best cupcakes I have ever made. I always have problems with trying cupcake recipes and they end up being dry or just not that great. These are neither. They are moist (I hate that word except for cake descriptions), fluffy, and super chocolately. I strongly suggest doubling or tripling the recipe.

I also made the same recipe but instead of butter I used 1/3 cup vegetable oil. I added all the dry ingredients to a bowl and then added all the wet ingredients on top. I just beat them until mixed and poured into a prepared muffin tin. The baking time is also the same. I do think the ones with butter were a smidge better, but they were both scrumptious.

 

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes (makes 1 dozen)

  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup beet puree
  • 1/2 cup coffee
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • frosting (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Beat butter until soft. Beat in sugar until creamy. Add beet puree & coffee and mix until just combined. Add all dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are spongey and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Feel free to frost with your favorite frosting. I did a few with cream cheese frosting & Halloween decorations as well. In my opinion though, I think they are amazing plain.

IMG_1651

 

IMG_1654

 

Bloody Beet Cake

IMG_1638

 

 

I just posted about Gory Cupcakes that I made two years ago which inspired this dessert. I wanted to make some elaborate cake or dessert but was not feeling that ambitious to take on such an endeavor. I decided that I should just stick to something that I knew would end up good. Since edible blood is the easiest Halloween item to make, I decided to make a blood splattered cake. As I had also just received a surplus of beets from a co-worker I knew a beet cake was in order. I had never made a beet cake but figured it would be similar to carrot cake or zucchini cake.

This cake is like a cross between a carrot cake & red velvet cake but without the food coloring in the batter. If I had made this for a party I would have added the red dye to get the extreme visual of red cake to blood splattered frosting. No one will know that there are beets in this cake. It is so light & fluffy and sweet that everyone will gobble it down. Be warned, after storing in the fridge it does become dense. Still delicious, but dense. Enjoy.

Bloody Beet Cake

  • 3/4 cup butter, plus more for greasing pans
  • 1 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup beet puree
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp + 1tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • cream cheese frosting
    • 1 8oz pkg cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
    • 1 tbsp milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • blood
    • 2 tbsp corn syrup
    • 1 tbsp water
    • 2 tbsp corn starch
    • red, blue, green food coloring
    • chocolate syrup

Beet Puree: Trim off ends and peel 1-2 beets. Chop into chunks, place in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil & boil until tender (about 30-45minutes depending on size of beets). Drain and place in a food processor & chop until pieces are very fine. Remove beets from the processor. Place one cup of this back into the processor and add milk, vanilla, vinegar, & lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Reserve the other beet puree for another use (feel free to make as much puree as you want by chopping more beets).

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8-9in round cake pans with butter. Line with parchment paper and grease again.

In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until just incorporated.  Add the beet mixture & mix until combined. Add all of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated scraping the sides as needed*. Pour into prepared cake pans.

*Note that if you want an intense red in the batter, as in a traditional red velvet cake, add a tsp of red food coloring to the batter at this point.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans and cool completely. Place in the fridge or freezer for 30-60 minutes.

Frosting: In a large bowl beat the cream cheese, milk, & vanilla until light & fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in 1 cup increments and beat until desired texture is achieved.

Blood: Mix the corn syrup, water, and corn starch until desired consistency is achieved by adding more water or corn starch as needed. Add red food coloring until a deep red is achieved. Add 1-2 drops of blue &/or green food coloring (I did 2 drops of each). Add chocolate syrup to make a more blood-like color if needed (not very much is needed – don’t overdo it).

Assembly: Skim off the tops of the cakes if needed to make them flat. Frost the top of one with some frosting. Add the other cake, top side down, on top of this frosted cake. Add frosting to the top and spread in a even layer and coat the sides. Dip a pastry brush or tooth brush into the blood & flick at the cake to create a splattered blood look.

Serve at a party or just enjoy your creation.

 

IMG_1642

Pumpkin Cookies Revisited

IMG_1590

 

 

Seeing as how my last batch of Pumpkin Cookies was so temperamental in baking, I decided to try again. These cookies are much easier to bake and figure out when done. The are very cake-like in texture and taste great the day of or even a week later which is important to me in a cookie. I cannot stand making stuff that is only good for a day.

Pumpkin Cookies (Makes approx 2 dozen)

  • 1 cup all-pupose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • few dashes each nutmeg & clove
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, spices, & baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the pumpkin, egg, & vanilla until combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in chips & nuts. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets & then let cool completely on a wire rack.

Divvy up the cookies so that they don’t all get eaten (I use yogurt & cottage cheese containers).

 

IMG_1586