Fruity Energy Bars

I’ve got a lot of hoops to jump through when it comes to making snacks for my girls.  I try to eat Paleo myself, and while I do serve my girls grains and legumes, I am always searching for recipes that rely on Paleo ingredients first.  Next, my older daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.  That eliminates a giant swath of choices in the Paleo category, which excludes grains in favor of nuts.  So for baking, that leaves me either coconut products (which we love and use often), or seeds, like pepitas or sunflower seeds.  I found a recipe that sounded good, reconfigured it for our needs, and now I proudly present:  Fruity Energy Bars!

In the grocery store, you’ll find half an aisle dedicated to energy and granola bars.  I love them and I love that, for the most part, they’re healthy and nutritious.  They are, however, kind of pricy – sometimes two or three dollars a bar!  And it seems like the ones with the fewer ingredients are even more expensive!  (I’m looking at you, Larabar!)  Now, these Fruity Energy Bars couldn’t be quicker – just three minutes in the food processor, and about half an hour to chill and firm up.  I think you could easily exchange the dried cranberries for another dried fruit – apples, apricots, raisins, prunes, or cherries would all work.  If you want to use nuts instead of sunflower seeds, try almonds or walnuts.  They do warm up very quickly and get soft, so keep them in the fridge until ready to eat.  Ready?  Get energized!

Fruity Energy Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (I used roasted and salted)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Pour all the ingredients into the bowl of  your food processor.  Pulse to blend, then mix for about 3 minutes.  You can blend it all the way together and it will form a ball, but I took mine out before that so I could still have a little texture to the bars – kind of like the consistency of sticky sand.
2. Line an 8×8 pan with plastic wrap, or grease with a little coconut oil.  Press the mixture into the pan and press down with the back of a big spoon.  Refrigerate for at least half an hour.  Cut into 1″x4″ bars.  Get energized and go be productive!

Strawberry Overload Cake

Despite my tomboy nature, both my daughters are girly-girls.  Princesses, fairies, dress-up, and everything pink rules their world.  This year we ended up celebrating my three year-old’s birthday on Mother’s Day, so I had a lot going on and didn’t want to spend too much time planning and decorating an elaborate cake.  Instead, I found a recipe online for a strawberry cake, created a strawberry frosting for it, and filled it with even more fresh strawberries.  The result isStrawberry Overload Cake!

The strawberry flavor comes from three sources:  fresh berries, frozen berries, and strawberry Jell-O.  Be sure to keep the cake in the fridge until time to serve.  The original recipe called for two 9-inch round cake pans, but I used a rectangular 9×13 pan and cut that in half to make two layers.  Your girly-girl will delight in the layers of pink in this sweet treat!

Strawberry Overload Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 three-ounce package of strawberry Jell-O
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup pureed frozen strawberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Grease and flour your pans (two 9-inch round, or one 9×13 rectangular.)
2. Cream together the sugar, Jell-O and butter.  Blend in the eggs, one at a time.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.
4. Add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, alternating flour and milk, and blend well.  Mix in the pureed strawberries.
5. Pour batter into pans and bake.  Check the cakes at 25 minutes.  I took mine out at about 35 minutes, because I was using a bigger pan.  Do a toothpick test to make sure the cake is not wet inside.
6. Cool for ten minutes in the pan, then turn out on a rack to continue cooling.

For the frosting and filling:

Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup whipped cream (or try Cool Whip)
• 1 cup fresh strawberries for layering

Directions:

1. In a pot with a lid, simmer the frozen strawberries and break them up with a wooden spoon, smashing them.  When they are all cooked and smashed, add the cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice and beat with a hand mixer.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, beating well.  Beat in the whipped cream.  Taste.  It should be sweet tart – the cake is very sweet, so I wanted the icing to be a little different.  You can add a squeeze more lemon if you like, or  take it the other direction and add more sugar if you like.  It’s pretty flexible and you can change it to suit your taste.

To assemble:

1. Cut the large cake in half, width-wise, so you have two 9×6 rectangles (or just put one of the round cakes on a plate.)  On a large serving platter, place the cake on the bottom, and frost the top of it with about half a cup of the frosting.  Slice the fresh strawberries and layer them over the frosting.  Carefully add another layer of frosting on top of the fresh berries.  Then place the next layer on top and frost the whole thing, top and sides.  Garnish with more fresh strawberries.
2. This cake is kind of dense and rich, so small pieces are a good thing.

Cranberry Orange Scones

If you have kids, you probably know what summer break is like:  trying to keep them busy and entertained without letting their brains turn to mush!  One of my favorite ways to do that is baking together.    I have my older girl (first grader now!) read the recipe out loud, and both girls love to stir and mix and pour ingredients.  Today’s group baking exercise?  Cranberry Orange Scones!

These are gluten-free, made with coconut flour.  If you’ve never tried it, I can’t recommend it highly enough.  For six big scones, you only need half a cup of coconut flour!  I like making treats for the girls that are single serving – that way there’s no arguing over whether the slice of bread is big enough, or having to share the last one.  These came together in a snap.  I made some changes, but the original recipe (found on the Elana’s Pantry website) directs you to mix all the ingredients in a food processor, and I’m sure that would have made the recipe go even faster!  But because my girls wanted to help, we mixed them by hand – dry ingredients in a large bowl, wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, and then mixed wet into dry.

Try these little heaven-scented beauties today!

Cranberry Orange Scones 

(Gluten-Free)     makes six large scones

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut oil or softened butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• zest of one orange, plus the juice of half the orange

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, blend together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, beat together the coconut oil or butter, honey, and eggs.
3. Mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir in the cranberries, orange zest, and orange juice.
4. On a Silpat mat or parchment paper, make six mounds of dough.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350*F.

Samson's Carrot Cookies

For Christmas, I got my kindergartner The Disney Princess Cookbook, and I’m so happy I did!  With pretty princesses on every page, it features real recipes (and not just cake mix plus applesauce-type concoctions) that are great for parents and kids to make together.  I have her read the recipes, and she’s learning about following directions, measurements, and even fractions!  We’ve made a few things from her cookbook, but the one we like best is Samson’s Carrot Cookies.

Samson, if you don’t know, is the name of Prince Phillip’s horse in “Sleeping Beauty.”  These cookies are soft and cake-like, with carrots, apples, and cranberries.  (We omitted the walnuts since my girl is allergic, but I know they’d be delicious!)   These make great bribes for little girls who stay in their beds all night, too.  (Yep… guilty!)   Try them this weekend with your favorite little prince or princess.

Samson’s Carrot Cookies

(from The Disney Princess Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• (we added 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.  It’s not in the recipe but it was a lovely addition)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup shredded apple
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (raisins would work too)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375*F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,  nutmeg, and ground ginger.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and melted butter.  Then beat in the egg with a fork.
4. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture until the batter is smooth.  Then stir in the oats, shredded carrot and apple, walnuts, and dried cranberries.
5. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
6. Bake the cookies until they just begin to turn golden brown on top, about 8 minutes.  (NOTE: The recipe says ’8 minutes’, but I found 12 minutes was more like it in my oven.  Let’s say check at 8 minutes, but be prepared for 4-5 more!)  Leave them on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.

Hey Mom, I stole another cookie off the counter while you were writing your blog! Want a bite?

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like Chocolate-Covered Strawberries!  Surprise your sweetie – or sweeties, because my kids went cuckoo for these!  If you can get your hands on some nice strawberries (and I know it’s still very much winter in some places, but go with me on this), you can make these for dessert and watch their eyes light up!

My trick here is to use a teaspoon of coconut oil in the chocolate.  It keeps the chocolate from becoming brittle and adds the lightest hint of tropical flavor.  Instead of shattering when you bite into it, this chocolate holds tight to the strawberry so you can eat every last bite.  No worries if you don’t have coconut oil.  You can go without and just use the chocolate, but you will definitely want to make sure your berries are blemish-free and thoroughly dried.

Ready to make your loved ones’ hearts go pitter-pat?  Bring out these healthy and gorgeous treats tonight!

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

• 18 strawberries
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions:

1. Wash the strawberries and dry very carefully.  Pull up the stem leaves so they point up; otherwise you’ll get them covered in chocolate!  Make sure you don’t have any open, weepy spots on the berries, or the chocolate won’t stick.
2. In a small but deep bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil for 30 seconds at a time, and stir after each 30 seconds.  It took three 30-second bursts to get everything melted and smooth.
3. Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper.  Holding onto the stem of the berry, dip in chocolate and place on the parchment paper.  When all berries are dipped, place the tray in the fridge (or freezer if you are short on time!)  Serve cold.

I had a little leftover chocolate in my bowl.  I dipped cashews and banana pieces in there to get every last drop.  My 2 year-old’s chocolate mustache was a sight to behold!

Chocolate Cranberry Quinoa Biscotti

If you’ve ever paid $2 for a biscotti at your local coffee shop and thought, “It can’t be that hard to make these,” you are right!  This recipe for Chocolate Cranberry Quinoa Biscotti takes a few extra steps, but if you are looking for a gluten-free, nut-free treat for your afternoon coffee break, read on!

I was looking for nut-free biscotti recipes online, and I found one using quinoa flour, which I’d never heard of or used.  Time to experiment!  It turns out that quinoa flour is incredibly easy to make, and exceeds wheat flour in fiber, protein, and nutrients.  If you don’t want to make your own at home, I understand – you can find it in health food stores and online, and Bob’s Red Mill makes it (I really like and trust their products.)  I used red quinoa, so the biscotti has a darker color, but feel free to use the regular white kind.  To make quinoa flour at home, pour one cup of quinoa on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes at 300*F.   When cool, grind in a spice grinder, grain mill, or superpowerful blender.  I have a hand-crank grain mill that made short work of the job!  One cup of dry quinoa will yield one and a quarter to one and a third cups of flour.  If you don’t want to go through the trouble, you can use regular or whole wheat flour instead.

Everything else in this recipe is pretty customizable.  Don’t like chocolate chips?  Leave them out or use white chocolate or even butterscotch chips.  Add in any kind of nut, like almonds, pecans or pistachios.  Replace the dried cranberries with cherries, apricots, or just lemon zest.  Drizzle with white or dark chocolate.  These make great gifts, too, because they are pretty hearty and don’t get stale too quickly.  After rigorous and exhaustive testing, I can report that these stand up well to dunking in coffee.  The things I do for you people! 

If you have a friend who loves coffee, give these as a gift (and keep a few for yourself!)

Chocolate Cranberry Quinoa Biscotti

Ingredients:

• 1+ 1/3 cups quinoa flour (you can use whole wheat flour instead)
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or use butter)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar (or use brown sugar)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or cherries or diced apricots)
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• White chocolate for drizzling (Confession:  I was out of white chocolate, but I found a cookies and cream white chocolate bar that fit the bill.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300*F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine quinoa flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, and coconut sugar together.  Mix well, then stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.  Stir in the flour mixture a little at a time until thoroughly combined.
4. Turn the dough out onto the parchment, and using damp hands, mold into a log that measures about 4 or 5 inches wide, one inch high, and about 15 inches long.  Bake until firm, about 25 minutes.
5. Remove pan from oven, then pick up the parchment with the biscotti log on it, and let it cool on a rack.  You want this cooled to room temperature, so it won’t crumble too much.  With a serrated knife, slice the log into 1/2 inch biscotti.
6. Place the biscotti back on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until dry and crunchy.  Let cool completely, then drizzle with white chocolate.  Store in an airtight container to keep them crisp.

Bacon-Wrapped Figs

Ah summer!  You bring us such a variety of delectable little fruits and veggies, some that are only in season and available for a few weeks!  Figs are one of those little gifts from God.  I saw them at my farmer’s market two weeks ago, and Sunday I bought a basket.  Tender little nuggets of sweet pink flesh, hidden under an unassuming brown skin, figs are a sweet treat!  If you’ve only ever had them in Fig Newton form, try this recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Figs!

Simple ingredients, simple preparation – so easy!  Look for figs that are a little soft, but not squishy.  These little bites are sweet and salty and kind of rich, so you don’t need to eat a dozen to feel satisfied.  Try them with a green salad for a light lunch, or with some sparkling wine as an appetizer.

Bite-sized bacon goodness!

Bacon-Wrapped Figs

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe figs
• 6 slices bacon
• 6 teaspoons cream cheese
• fresh-ground black pepper
• optional: honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  
2. Rinse off figs and pat dry.  With a knife, trim off the little stem nub at the top and slice in half lengthwise, so you have 12 halves.  Cut the bacon in half so you have 12 short pieces.
3. To assemble:  Place half a teaspoon of cream cheese on top of each fig half.  Season with a grind or two of black pepper.  If you want them sweeter, add a drop of honey on top of the cream cheese.  I didn’t use honey and mine were delicious, but it’s up to you how sweet you want them.  Wrap each cream cheese-topped fig in bacon.  I wrapped them so the open end is underneath the fig, but some had the open end on top and it didn’t unravel.  You could use toothpicks if you are worried they won’t stay wrapped in the oven, but mine were fine without.  Lay the bacon-fig bundles on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let them figs rest for 5 more minutes in the oven.  Take them out and serve hot.  Watch your fingers!

Tropical Granita

In my last post on the joys of Homemade Coconut Milk, we’ll look at the most traditional use of coconut:  Dessert!  Coconut milk can be used in savory or sweet dishes, but I think most people like to find coconut mingling with chocolate or fruit.  Here’s a recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way – Tropical Granita!

For some reason, my girls won’t try new fruits readily, but if I put them in a smoothie or in this granita, they love it!  A granita, if you don’t know, is like a cross between a sorbet and shaved ice.  It’s icy, flaky, and refreshing!  You can use any fresh, juicy fruit you want here – mangoes, peaches, any berries – but be sure you add at least one banana.  The bananas create a thicker texture and enough sweetness that you don’t need to add any sugar!  You could use frozen fruit too – pineapple and raspberries would be lovely!  I used nectarines, bananas, and strawberries.

As with all homemade recipes, there are pros and cons.  The pro, of course, is there are no sweeteners, preservatives, artificial color, etc.  The con is that since there are no stabilizers and gums, this granita is a little more difficult to scoop than commercial ice cream.  I take it out of the freezer about half an hour before we eat it, so it can soften up a little.  It’s a great motivator – I tell my daughter I’m taking dessert out of the freezer, so if she wants to eat some, she better start eating that broccoli on her plate!

Tropical Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dessicated coconut and 1 1/2 cups water (or one can coconut milk)
• 3 nectarines or peaches
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup strawberries
• optional toppings:  whipped cream, shredded coconut, strawberry jam

Directions:

1. In a blender, blend the coconut and water.  Strain through a colander and cheese cloth.  Return coconut milk to the blender.  (If using canned coconut milk, just pour it in the blender!)
2. Boil a pot of water.  Score an X on the bottom of each peach or nectarine.  Drop each nectarine into the water and let it boil for 30 seconds.  Remove the nectarines to an ice bath.  When cool, peel off the skin.  Cut the flesh from the pits and add to the blender.
3. Add the banana to the blender and blend for 30 seconds.  Remove stems from strawberries and cut in half.  Add to blender and pulse a few times – I like to see chunks of berries!
4. Pour into a large, shallow container and cover with plastic wrap.  Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.  To serve, let thaw for about half an hour, and then scrape up with a spoon or fork.  Mound in a dish and serve with whipped cream, more diced berries or coconut flakes, or a dollop of strawberry jam!

These make great popsicles too!

Homemade Coconut Milk, and Coconut Chia Pudding

I am not afraid of a little hard work.  To avoid preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, or other unnecessary weirdness in my food, I will attempt any hair-brained, hippy-dippy, do-it-yourself recipe.  Some work out, others are failures (or what I like to call "learning experiences") - and thankfully, making your own coconut milk is the former.  Easy peasy!

Coconut milk is a key ingredient in many Indian, Thai, and other Southeast Asian recipes.  It’s also a great staple to have on hand if you are lactose intolerant, or if you are allergic to soy or almond milk.  And while you can find it in a can in many supermarkets, it is quite easy to make at home!  All you need is dried or desiccated coconut flakes, a blender, a colander, and cheesecloth.  Now, this is not the coconut you make into a pie – that stuff is full of sugar and preservatives!  Make sure it is unsweetened, dried coconut.  You can use fresh coconut too, if you can find one. (I can get them at my local Thai market, but you may not have one of those nearby.)  The coconut milk is good for about a week in your refrigerator.  I keep mine in a Ball jar with a lid, but I can’t make it last more than 3 days – it’s that delicious!

What you do with it is up to you.  Pour it over your cereal (or Christi’s Granola), use it in coffee in place of creamer, or make this delicious Coconut Chia Pudding.  Chia seeds can be found online at Amazon, at nearly all health food stores or Whole Foods, and at Trader Joe’s.   Chia seeds are teeny, tiny, little health bombs!  Full of Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and other necessary things, chia seeds can add crunch to homemade crackers, or top sweet potatoes and salads.  Even better, when mixed with liquid, they create a gel, and make a delicious “pudding” that feels decadent, but is actually quite healthy.  Think tapioca or rice pudding, without all the diet-busting starch!

Next week I’ll have more recipes that use coconut milk, but for now, here are the basics.  Check it out!

Homemade Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded, dried coconut
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions:

1. Boil water.  (I know, but it has to be said.)  In the pitcher of a blender or a large food processor (I use a food processor and it works fine), pour in one cup of coconut flakes.  Measure out 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and pour over the coconut.  Let sit for about 20 minutes.  Then blend for 2 or 3 minutes if you have a really strong blender, or about 4 minutes in a food processor.  You want to see a foamy slurry.
2. Line a sieve or colander with a large piece of cheesecloth, folded over on itself.  Place the colander over a large bowl.  Pour the coconut mixture into the cheesecloth and squeeze, squeeze, SQUEEZE!!!  Pour the coconut milk into a jar with a lid and keep refrigerated.
3. Don’t throw away the coconut pulp!  This can be mixed into smoothies, or spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baked at 200*F for about 1 to 2 hours.  When it is completely dry, grind again in the food processor … and you just made coconut flour!  And now for the other recipe…

Coconut Chia Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon honey (optional, depending on how ripe and sweet your fruit is)
• 1 cup chopped fruit – I like strawberries, blueberries, or peaches, but find what you like best

Directions:

1. In a Tupperware container with a lid, pour in one cup of coconut milk and 1/4 cup chia seeds.  Put the lid on and shake to combine.  Put in the refrigerator.  Shake again in one hour.  
2. The chia pudding should be ready in about 3 hours.  When ready, it should be very thick, like tapioca pudding.  To serve, divide chia pudding between two bowls, drizzle with a tiny bit of honey if desired, and stir in the chopped fruit.  This makes a great dessert, or a nice, light breakfast.

Strawberry Shortcake (Gluten-Free)

I made this coconut flour cake for my 2 year-old's birthday last weekend and it was a big hit.  Really sweet strawberries are at the farmer's market now! If you are eating Paleo (and can spare a little wiggle room for honey), if you are avoiding gluten, or if you just want a healthier, updated version of the old comfort food favorite, read on, at GCH!  

Wellseley Fudge Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream (Solar System Cake)

Solar System Cake!

Every year I try to make my older daughter's birthday cake better than the year before.  I knew that wouldn't be too hard this year, since I was not impressed with the princess castle cake I made last year.  I didn't have a good design plan, and was left winging it when guests arrived.  This year, I knew I wanted to celebrate and encourage my daughter's love of the Solar System, and I wanted her cake to be awesome, since she's turned five, and might actually remember this stuff!

I searched around Pinterest for ideas, and found some good ones, but I still decided to design my own instead of copy someone else's.  When dealing with the planets, it seemed people either made cake pop versions of the planets, or suggested them as mounds of raised frosting on the surface of the cake.  I've never made cake pops, and didn't want to start now - too much pressure! - and besides, I wanted the planets to be different sizes.  So I went to Michael's and found the non-edible version in Styrofoam balls, and had them orbit on lollipop sticks.  This made it easier all around, as I didn't have to worry about dyeing frosting, and just used my kids' tempera paint.  I did go dramatic with the cake frosting color, with violet gel coloring.  I think navy or black would look sharp too, or you could make it really easy on yourself and make a dark chocolate frosting!  I used white chocolate chips for stars, but you can pipe those if you are so inclined.

Jupiter, Mars and Earth

As for the cake, I found a wonderful recipe using Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate.  You know, those big blocks of either bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate in the baking aisle?  Fantastic!  The secret to this cake's rich and incredibly moist texture is using a stand mixer.  I whipped the heck out of this batter, and it was amazing.  I really doubt you'd be able to get the same results with a whisk or fork, so if you don't have a stand mixer, maybe an electric hand mixer would do the trick.

The cream cheese buttercream is my own recipe.  It's simple and holds up well in the fridge and on the counter. It's firm enough to frost with and pipe, but not so stiff you'll drag the crumbs off your cake.  It took the dye really well too.

If you need to celebrate a birthday for your favorite future space explorer, try this one.  It's beautiful inside and out!

White Chocolate Chip stars between the layers too!

Wellseley Fudge Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream
(Recipe Courtesy Baker's Chocolate)

Ingredients:

• 4 squares Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup water (I used cold coffee instead - you should too!)
• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.  (You can use cocoa instead of flour if you have it!)
2. In a medium bowl, microwave 1/2 cup sugar, coffee (or water) and Baker's Chocolate for 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted.  (Mine took 2 minutes.)  Set aside and let cool.
3. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together remaining sugar and the softened butter until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition.  Then alternate adding milk and flour mixture, beating well with each addition.  Finally, beat in the chocolate mixture.  Divide evenly between the two prepared pans.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for ten minutes in the pans, then remove cakes from the pans and let cool on a wire rack.  Frost when totally cool.

She loved it!  Blowing out the candles

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, slightly softened
• 1 box confectioner's sugar (one pound)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup whole milk or whipping cream

Directions:

1. In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, or a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter.  Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, and add the vanilla.  Add in the milk or cream a tablespoon at a time until you achieve your desired consistency (you may not need to add it all.)  Mix in any coloring.  This recipe makes enough to frost a sheet cake, or to fill and frost a 2-layer round cake.

Pumpkin Tart with Anise Seed Crust

Thanksgiving did not turn out the way I had planned this year.  Thanksgiving day, we got together with my husband's family, and had a lovely time.  It was a large gathering so we did it potluck; I made mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, and cornbread stuffing.  We had Thanksgiving with my side of the family scheduled for Sunday afternoon.  I was planning on making two desserts - my Dad requested apple and pumpkin pies.  Then I realized:  I only have one pie plate!  That's okay, I thought, I have a tart tin - I can make an apple pie and a pumpkin tart!  I searched the web, found a fantastic-sounding recipe for a pumpkin tart with an anise seed crust, and got to it.  I roasted my pumpkin in the oven, mixed and refrigerated the dough for the crust, and then ...

Disaster struck.  I got the stomach flu.  My husband was a saint and took the kids to my Dad's house while I stayed home in bed.  I completely missed out on Thanksgiving with my family.  Ugh.

When I recovered a few days later, I realized two things:  I still had the ingredients to make the tart, and unless I wanted to freeze them and make it later, I should do it now; and I was really craving pumpkin pie, since I missed it with my family.  (I had a little nibble of the pie at my in-laws' Thanksgiving, but it was pumpkin mousse cheesecake from Coco's.  Tasty, but too little, and not traditional enough.)  So I made the tart, one week after Thanksgiving - and it was worth the wait!

The anise seeds in the crust may not seem like a huge diversion from a regular pumpkin tart, but just that one extra ingredient had a huge impact!  The crust was like an Italian cookie - it made me want to call my friend Mr. Daddario and have him break out the pizelle iron!  The pumpkin filling is simple and creamy, and with the addition of whipped cream (or Cool Whip, if that's how you roll), you have a perfect, off-beat holiday dessert!

Thanks to Jean for the idea of little crust decorations!

Pumpkin Tart with Anise Seed Crust
(Recipe adapted from Gourmet)

Ingredients:
For the crust:

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon anise seeds
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons ice water

For the pumpkin filling:

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin (either canned or fresh roasted)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. Make the crust:  In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds.  Add in the butter cubes and pulse until coarse crumbs form.  Mix together the egg yolk and 1 1/2 teaspoons ice water and pulse until dough forms.  Squeeze together a small handful of dough - if it doesn't stick together, add in the last 1/2 teaspoon water.
2. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Gather into a disc and refrigerate for an hour.  (You can do this a day ahead of time and refrigerate the dough overnight.)
3.  Roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch and press into tart tin (or you could just use a pie plate, I'm sure it'd work fine.)  If you have any left over scraps of dough, don't throw them away!  I cut out little stars with a cookie cutter and baked them separately on a cookie sheet.  They looked super cute on top of the tart, and are tasty too!
4. Prick crust with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line the crust with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake for 15 minutes.  Then remove foil and beans and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven but leave the oven turned on.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together all the pumpkin filling ingredients, in order.  Pour filling into crust and bake until puffy and almost set, about 45 minutes.  (If you have too much filling, pour it into ramekins or a casserole dish and bake.  Voila, pumpkin pudding!)  Remove from oven and chill at least 2 hours.  Serve with whipped cream and cute crust stars!

Cranberry Apricot Cheerios Treats

A good way to be frugal is to make what you want out of what you already have.  What did I want?  Rice Krispie Treats!  But I wanted them healthier than the snap-crackle-pop kind.  Oh, and I didn't have any Rice Krispies (my girls aren't really that into them, and their small size makes them a bad choice for   a finger food.)  What I did have was every toddler's favorite:  Cheerios!

These are basic - if you've ever made Rice Krispies Treats, these will ring a bell.  Feel free to sub out the dried apricots and cranberries for another dried fruit.  I bet dried apples and butterscotch chips would be tasty too!  These are a little looser in texture, in part because I used fewer marshmallows, so keep them in the fridge, covered.  Don't worry, they won't be in there long.  We ate these really quickly and my four year-old was very excited to get one in her lunch box!

Cranberry Apricot Cheerios Treats

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 4 cups Cheerios (I used the original kind, but try the multigrain or other flavors too!)
• 1 cup chopped dried fruit - I used 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• Pam cooking spray

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, stir the butter and marshmallows together until melted and smooth.
2. Turn off the heat and stir in Cheerios and fruit.  Stir well to combine.
3. Spray a 9x9 square pan with Pam, then press the Cheerios mixture into the pan.  Press it down and squish it into the corners.  Put the pan in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let them firm up.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Have you ever tasted something so fantastic that you never forgot it?  Something that became like a photograph in your mind, where you could see the room you were in when you ate it, the art on the walls, hear the music or conversation you were listening to, as magic happened in your mouth?  I have several foods that became experiences, cemented in my mind:  my first roasted beet and goat cheese salad, my first truffle oil popcorn, and this one - Hawaiian Wedding Cake.

I first had Hawaiian Wedding Cake in high school at a church youth group pool party.  It was luau-themed, so we all had plastic leis on.  I don't remember what was for dinner, but dessert was Hawaiian Wedding Cake.  It didn't look like anything special.  But when I ate my first forkful - Holy Honolulu!  I scarfed it down and went back for another piece, completely without shame.  Coconut, pineapple, vanilla - this was like eating a vacation in pastry form!  It was fruity, creamy, rich, and delicious - everything something called Hawaiian Wedding Cake should be.

Luckily for me the recipe was easy to find online when I had a craving for it last week.  It was my birthday, and I wanted to taste this amazing cake again.  I've shaved down the original recipe, since it was supposed to make a 13x9 cake, and I didn't want to be eating leftovers for 4 days.  It's tasty, but it's not calorie-free!  The original recipe also calls for a jar of maraschino cherries to be dotted on top.  It looks pretty, but I don't eat maraschino cherries unless they're in my girlie cocktails.  Their texture kind of skeeves me out.  I would suggest maybe strawberries instead!

Before we decimated it

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
• 1 large can crushed pineapple
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (or use vegetable oil or butter)
• 3 eggs
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tub Cool Whip, softened
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Make the cake:  Follow the instructions on the box for the cake, but instead of preparing a 13x9 pan, grease a 9x9 square pan, plus about half of a cupcake tin.  When making the cake, instead of adding a cup of water, drain the can of pineapple and use the pineapple juice.  (If you don't have enough juice to make a cup, top off with water.)  Instead of the vegetable oil, use coconut oil.  Then mix in the eggs and beat.  Fill the 9x9 pan about 2/3 full, and pour the rest of the batter into the cupcake tin. I had enough to make 5 cupcakes.  Bake as directed, about 30 minutes, and a little earlier for the cupcakes (which I let cool and froze.  Outta sight, outta mind.)  
2. While the cake is still warm, spread the drained pineapple on top of the cake.  Let cool completely.
3. With an electric mixer, blend together the pudding mix, cream cheese, and milk.  It will be pretty thick!  Spread over the pineapple and cake.  Put this in the fridge and let it firm up a bit.
4. When pudding is cool and kind of firm, frost with Cool Whip, and cover with coconut flakes.  I toasted mine in a pan over medium heat on the stove - looks nicer and tastes even better!

Keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.  IF there are any leftovers.  It's likely not something you'll have to worry about.