Showing posts with label powdered sugar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label powdered sugar. Show all posts

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

 Why does fall simply scream for you to make things from pumpkin?  And, why is pumpkin so good?  And why are these muffins so super fantastic?  Let's see.  Because it's fall, they are made from pumpkin AND cream cheese and they are amazing.  Does that explain it?

This week was parent teacher conferences at our grandsons' school.  Mom needed help while she went to the conferences, so they stayed here with Grandma.  We had a lot of fun.  I taught them how to play Red Light, Green Light, Mother May I?, and Hide The Thimble.  There was also hide and seek and I Spy.  We had a lot of fun.  The also wanted to bake muffins, so we did.  The 7 year old picked this muffin off my Pinterest board.  We got to it and baked away.  Ever let a 3 year old crack the eggs?  I'm just sayin'.

This recipe makes 24 muffins.  That's a lot of muffins, so they took a good portion of them home so that Dan and I didn't eat them all.  The recipe is from Annie's Eats.  Here is what you need"

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar

Muffins

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

Topping

1/2 cup sugar
5 TBSP flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray muffin tins with cooking spray or put paper cups in each muffin well.

To make the filling, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar with a mixer until well blended.  Set aside.

To make the muffins, combine the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda.

Combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil with a mixer until well blended.  Add dry ingredients.  On low, mix just until blended.

Fill each muffin cup with just enough batter to cover the bottom of each well or paper (about 1 TBSP).

Scoop a small amount of filling (about 1 heaping tsp) into each muffin cup over the batter.  Top with remaining batter covering cream cheese completely.

Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together.  Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives until blended.   Sprinkle on topping.

Bake 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely before serving, as cream cheese center will be hot.


It will take all your will power to not eat as many of these at one time as you can.  Trust me.  Just look at the center of these muffins.  Yum.
My daughter said she ate 3 in one day, so just be warned.  I am not kidding when I say you will have a hard time staying away from these.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and then the Christmas holidays, you will certainly find an occasion or two to make and serve these.  Give it a go.  They are so worth it.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Oh how we love pumpkin season.  You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right?  Winder, Spring, Summer, pumpkin...We anxiously anticipate it every year."  Unknown





Monday, October 7, 2013

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake


Oh what a glorious Monday today.  It was a perfect 66 degrees with amazing cerulean skies and it really felt like fall for the first time.  I could do this weather every day.  What's not to love about it?  We worked outside all day and it was absolutely perfect.  Pure bliss.
 
This weather definitely puts me in the mood to bake and cook.  I had the urge for something sweet, perhaps made with pumpkin (it is fall after all) and I  used this recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com.   This is an amazing coffee cake with a lovely streusel on the bottom and a brown sugar glaze on the top.  It has the taste of a pumpkin spice cake which is one of my all time favorite cakes and it is easy to bake.  Yes, the perfect recipe.

This cake can be baked in a tube pan or a bundt pan, whichever you may have.  I love bundt cakes, so I went that route.  Easy peasy.  Here is what you need.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray the bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar on medium with a mixer until well blended.  Add the pumpkin and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.  In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add to the pumpkin mixture.  Mix on medium until combined.  Pour into prepared pan.

Make the streusel topping by combining all the ingredients.  Sprinkle over the cake batter.  Bake at 30 degrees for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool about 15 minutes.  Make the brown butter glaze while the cake cools.  Invert cake on a plate.

Brown Butter Icing
1 1/2 TBSP butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk

Put the butter in a saucepan and melt on medium heat, letting it cook until it bubbles and browns, continuously stirring.  Don't let it scorch.  As soon as it browns, remove from the stove and pour into the powdered sugar.  Stir.  Add milk 1 TBSP at a time.  I only needed 1 TBSP.  Pour over cooled cake.  Serve.

This cake is soooooo delicious and it was very hard to eat only one piece.  It's perfect with a cup of coffee.  It would also be lovely with hot tea or hot apple cider and it just screams fall.  Mm mmm mmmm.
We ate this cake for dessert, not just for breakfast or with coffee.  Deeeeeelicious!  Our grandsons LOVED it.  It is worth making.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I'm pretty sure the secret to world peace is hidden somewhere in the smell of coffee and baked sweets.  Unknown

(What a great quote!)


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Spiced Pecan Cake


Happy Tuesday everyone!  Has it seemed like Monday all day to you?  It sure has to me!  Those Monday holidays mess up my week, especially since I don't go to work everyday.  Sometimes I have to look at my phone to see what day it actually is.

Hope you all enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend.  We celebrated with family and friends with a cookout enjoying the first of the summer bounty from the Farmer's Market.  Fresh strawberries, corn, green beans, and peaches are in.  Yum.  One of the most enjoyable things about summer is the bounteous fare of fresh fruits and vegetables we get to enjoy.  And, then, there is the beautiful sunshine, warm weather, and summer evenings to top it all off.

Fresh local strawberries are the absolute best don't you think?  It's nice to have access to strawberries all year round, but they just don't taste like the smaller, juicier, sweeter, local berries.  They are just a little taste of heaven as far as I am concerned.

I made this beautiful pecan cake with some of the fabulous pecans my new friend Dianna sent me from Texas.  They pick them up off the ground by the pounds.  There are pecan trees everywhere in the Dallas area.  Yes, I said pounds. Wouldn't that be wonderful?  My daughter told me there is a company you can take them to and they shell them for you.  Amazing!  Who knew?  It's sure better than cracking hundreds of shells and trying to get the nuts to come out in something other than little tiny pieces.  Look at these beauties!
We have bags of them to enjoy.  Lucky us!  So, I decided to make this fabulous pecan cake I found on Food Network.com.  The recipe was posted by Pat and Gina Neeley and is really, really good.  Makes a super "shortcake" for fresh fruit.  Here is what you need:

Filling

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Stir everything together in a bowl until all the nuts are coated.  Set aside.

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp milk

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cake

1 package golden yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, grease and flour a 9x13 pan

Beat all cake ingredients together for 4 minutes.  Pour half the batter into the prepared cake pan.  Spread the pecan filling on top of the batter.  Pour remaining batter over pecans, spreading batter to cover the filling.

Bake about 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool 30 minutes.  Drizzle with glaze.

This cake is as good by itself as it is with some beautiful strawberries!  Makes a perfect "coffee type cake" that could be served for brunch.   Or, it's absolutely delicious eaten just as it is.  Give it a try.  It's delicious.

 Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

 A special thank you to my dad and his two brothers who all served in World War II.  As a mother, I can't imagine seeing three of your sons go off to war.  What a sacrifice.  Fortunately, they all returned.  Others were not so fortunate.   Thank you will never be enough for their service and sacrifice for our freedom.

Monday, April 8, 2013

It's An EARTHQUAKE Cake - No Insurance Necessary

It's a beautiful Monday.  Spring is finally showing all it's flair.  Trees are leafing, flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, birds are warbling, it is warm and breezy, and all is right with the world.  Hope you enjoyed a sunshiney kind of weekend too!  We went to opening day of tee-ball and little league for our two oldest grandsons  and we spent some time out of doors blowing giant bubbles among other things.  I think I enjoyed it as much or more than they did.
You can find directions for the blower and the bubbles on my blog.  We made these for all the grandsons for Christmas.  I posted the "how to" the week before Easter.

We are so eager for warm weather, we even went to Bobby's Dairy Dip and enjoyed a cone.  If you ever come to Nashville, you must go to Bobby's Dairy Dip.  We grilled out AND we ate this fabulous cake that I made.  And, I do mean fabulous!  It has everything you could ever want in a cake.

Why is it called an earthquake cake?  Have you ever experienced an earthquake?  They are not the most pleasant experience, let me tell you as the ground rumbles and shakes and everything around you is in danger of falling or collapsing.  I think this cake is called an earthquake cake because it looks like undulating ground that happens during an earthquake.  The cream cheese filling sinks, the chocolate, nuts, and coconut rise, and it all tastes outstanding in the end.  The good thing is, nobody gets hurt and there is no need for earthquake insurance.  Just eat and enjoy!!

Here is what you need to make this amazing cake.  Did is say it was good?  Yeah, it's better than good. I can't think of the proper term to describe it other than delectable.

1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food), made according to directions on the box
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.   Sprinkle chopped nuts and coconut on the bottom of the pan.

Make the cake according to directions on the box.  Pour over nuts and coconut.

Beat softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium low until well blended.  (Looks like cheese cake batter).  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time so you don't have a powdered sugar explosion.  Mix thoroughly.  Drop by spoonfuls over the chocolate cake batter.  Leave a 1" margin around the edge of the cake so it doesn't run over while baking.

Weave a butter knife through the cream cheese filling in an "S" pattern to create a swirl in the cake batter.  Do not go too deep, stay very shallow - you don't want to disturb the coconut and nuts on the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.

This may be the ultimate cake.  It has all the good stuff.  Chocolate, coconut, nuts, cream cheese, chocolate chips.  I mean, what's not to love?  Seriously?  This cake is beyond good.  It is magical.  It's other worldly.   It's worth making.  Make sure you have people to share it with or you will eat the whole thing yourself.  I'm just sayin'.

I found this recipe on Cheryl's Recipe Archives at ideascomefrombrownies.blogspot.com.  She has some fabulous recipes and this is Earthquake Cake recipe #2.  Check out her blog if you like good things to eat.  And, make this cake.  You may feel the earth move under your feet.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“The Earth is God's pinball machine and each quake, tidal wave, flash flood and volcanic eruption is the result of a TILT that occurs when God, cheating, tries to win free games.” 
 Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues



Friday, February 1, 2013

Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake - A Superbowl Must

If you don't love coconut, read no further.  This recipe is not for you.  If you do love coconut, come on in  - this recipe has your name ALL over it.  If you like Almond Joy's, coconut bonbons, macaroons, or anything that has coconut in it you are going to love this cake.

By the way, you probably want to make this cake for Superbowl Sunday.  Why?  Because it is so good.  It's somewhat like "chocolate heaven on a fork" good.  It's like "where has this been all my life" good.  It's "why haven't I made this before" good?!   Did I say it was good?  Not.  Kidding.

I don't usually post on Friday night, but the last two days have been super busy helping Daughter #2 and her family move.  Whew.  What a job.  Grandma is T. I. R. E. D. today.    On top of that, it is cold here in middle Tennessee and it was a day for comfort food.  We have been grabbing things here and there between cleaning and unpacking.  Time for some home cooking.

Tonight, I made one of our favorites - Shepherd's Pie - and for dessert Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake.  Is it comforting?  In every conceivable way.  Is it easy?  Yes.  Is it fabulously delicious?  Oh my heaven's yes.   Here is what you need to make this treat:

1 Devils Food cake mix - make according to directions on the box

Filling

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 TBSP flour
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and put aside.  I used a whisk.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP milk
1 cup chocolate chips

slivered or sliced Almonds, optional

Put a sauce pan on the stove and melt the butter at medium low.  Add the chocolate chips, powdered sugar and 1 TBSP of milk at a time until the chips are melted the the glaze is thin enough to pour.  If you need a little more milk, add sparingly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the cake mix according to directions on the box.  Pour half the batter into a lightly greased non-stick Bundt pan.

Use a tablespoon and drop mounds of the coconut filling all around the center of the cake batter, spreading it out evenly by lightly tapping with the spoon, making sure it does not touch the sides of the cake pan.  

Pour the rest of the cake batter over the coconut filling.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes and turn onto a plate to cool completely.  Drizzle with the chocolate glaze.  Decorate with slivered or sliced almonds if you wish.  (I wished).

This is a view from the top.
Look at all that icing puddling in the center of the cake.  Yum.  Yum.

Now, a cross section of the interior of the cake.
Look at that super tunnel of coconut that is sweet, and chewy, and fantabulous.

Isn't it pretty?  Don't you want a piece?  If you were here, I would gladly share.  Since you aren't here, looks like you need to make one for yourself, your family, and all your friends.  They are going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.  Don't you want to run your finger through those big puddles of chocolate at the base of the cake?  Come on, I know you do.  That's what icing is for.  MMMMMMMMMMMM.

In order to enjoy the food, er game, on Sunday, it would be nice to have a fabulous dessert to go along with all the other scrumptious food that will most likely be available.  Maybe you have to take a dish to a party, perhaps you are the host.   Either way, this is a wonderful cake that will make you happy no matter who wins.  Gooooooooo team!  Can't you tell I'm a major football fan?  I try, really I do.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I'm old enough to remember the first Superbowl and this year is #47.  I was 17 (do the math).   It was not the big deal it is today, with parties and food and celebration.  It really has developed into a phenomenon that is lots of fun.  Hope your team wins!  Enjoy the halftime show!  Eat some cake.


Thursday, December 27, 2012

Cheesecake Filled Strawberries - Fabulous for New Year's Eve

Do you love cheesecake?   Strawberries?  Cheesecake with strawberry topping?  Then here is the perfect recipe for you that is SO much easier than baking a cheesecake.  Really, these are so simple and absolutely divine.  These would be perfect for New Year's Eve or a football Sunday or for dessert or just because.

Our youngest son has spent the last year living in California.  He made these one night for a backyard movie night and said they disappeared almost instantly.  I suggested he make some for Christmas Eve and let me tell you - they are as good as he said, maybe even better.

These cheesecake filled strawberries are really easy to make and here is what you need.


About 28 strawberries (we used 2 boxes)
1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
4 TBSP powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cut the tops off the strawberries, wash and dry them,  and hollow them out with a pairing knife.  

To make the filling, beat the softened cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix until well incorporated.  Take a small zip lock bag and make a small cut to remove the corner.  We used a piping tip in the bag, but you don't have too.  It just makes it a little fancier.  Fill the bag with the cheesecake filling and pipe some filling int each strawberry.  Do your very best not to eat them all while you are making them.  That, my friend, will be a challenge!

Serve.

That's it.  How much easier is that than making a cheesecake?  You can also crush some graham crackers and dip the filled berries if you want.  We didn't want.  Your choice.

Not only are these beautiful to look at, they are amazingly delicious and easy to make.  What could be better?  Easy.  Delicious.  Beautiful.  Everyone will think you slaved for hours and hours making these.  Just don't give away the secret that you didn't.

While looking on Pinterest, I saw several variations on this theme and the one idea I might try next time is to dip the berries in chocolate after you fill them.  Chocolate covered cheesecake filled strawberries?  Oh my, oh my, oh my.  That would be somewhat like gastronomical heaven I think.

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and you might really want to consider these.  They are fruit after all and everyone needs fruit.  Right?  And, some cheesecake.  Right?  And, maybe some chocolate.  Right?  In these you get all three in one delicious bite.

Give these a try.  You are going to be SO glad you did and if you have to eat gluten free, these are right up your alley.  Just make sure your vanilla is gluten free.  Make.  Eat.  Enjoy.   It will make ringing in the New Year that much more enjoyable.  Thanks Tyler!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It's time to ring out the old and ring in the new.   May we increase in wisdom, love, and compassion and decrease our fears and judgements.  donna

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake - Spectacular!

 It's countdown to Thanksgiving which is only 9 - count 'em - 9 days away.  Are you cooking?  Are you going to someone's house?  Are you going to a restaurant?  Are you skipping it altogether?   If you are cooking, do you have your menu set?  Do you have to take a dish if you are going elsewhere?  So many things to think about, so little time.  

If you are serving dinner at your abode and you want a dessert that is scrumptious and not too difficult, have I got a "must try" for you!  Woweeeee, this pumpkin cream cheese cake is fabulous.  If you are in charge of taking dessert to someone else's home, have I got a "must try" for you!  Oh, I just said that didn't I?  Well, I am not being facetious when I say give this cake a try.  I mean, what's not to love?  Pumpkin and cream cheese in the same dessert should seal the deal without any other considerations.
This cake is easier than baking a pie, but has that same moist, spicy flavor that pumpkin pie has.  It has cinnamon and cloves and nuts, and cream cheese, and a cinnamon glaze that is oh so good and cream cheese.  Look at this slice up close.
See that vein of cream cheese deliciousness running through there?  Doesn't it make you want to take a bite?  Or maybe just eat the whole piece?  And, this time of year is perfect for anything pumpkin.  We love our pumpkin bread, pumpkin crunch, pumpkin dump cake, Trader Joe's pumpkin tea,  and now we have THIS lovely cake that would be perfect for a breakfast type coffee cake, or even more perfect for an after dinner treat.  I have to say, Dan and I jumped right in as soon as it was ready - still warm actually - and enjoyed it with a lovely cup of hot java.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Dan doesn't like pumpkin pie (I know, I know), but he really loved this.  As a matter of fact, he had two pieces!

Here is what you need (because you really do want to make this!)

Filling

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)  ( I used 1/2 cup chopped pecans)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  (note temperature)  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large bowl,  sift together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and sugar.  Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.   Fold in nuts if using.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.  Cover the cream cheese with the remaining pumpkin batter.  Using a knife, stick it straight down through the top layer of pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling.  Swirl the knife around these two layers creating a marble effect.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool before removing from pan.

After removing the cake from the pan, pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides.  Hold yourself back at this point.  Now, serve.

This cake is worth the effort to make, believe me.  I had the urge to make something sweet this afternoon while I was Christmas crafting.  Do you ever have that urge come over you?  The "I need something sweet" urge?  If you don't, I understand....but I get that urge and today was one of those days and I wanted something pumpkin.  Simple as that.  I pulled out this recipe and went to work.  Let me say, it was a really good choice!  This cake is moist, slightly spicy, with that wonderful vein of cream cheese running through it and that delicious cinnamon glaze topping it.  Perfection!

This cake will be just the thing for Thanksgiving, Christmas,  and all winter.  Yummmmmo!  It would be a wonderful gift to give for the holiday season, or take one to work and share with your co-workers. Have the neighbors over for coffee and cake.   Be sure and have the recipe handy because they will ask for it.  Now go rummage through your cupboards and see if you have all the ingredients because you really, really want to make this.  Now.  Really.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.
William Powell 

Monday, August 27, 2012

As American As Apple Pie Bars

Good Monday to you one and all.  Hope your weekend was enjoyable.  Here were are in the last few days of August already.  Where has the time gone?  Seems as though it was just the beginning of summer and we are now in the waning days.

This summer has been an amazing year for peaches and we have certainly enjoyed our share of wonderful desserts made with them.  When I was at the Farmer's Market last week, lo and behold, apples are starting to come in.  Big, beautiful Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples, oh my.  I know that Granny Smith's are supposed to be better for baking, but our favorite is Golden Delicious.  Slightly tart, slightly sweet, and much better for eating if you just want to enjoy a nice juicy apple.

Needless to say, I had to buy a basket of these beautiful apples.  They were huge, so I shared them with our daughters because the grandsons love a good apple too.  The remaining apples were destined for a dessert that I have been making since 1990, when I purchased a little cook book published by Land O Lakes  - you know the butter right?  It's a collection of favorite cookie recipes and they are outstanding.   My favorite recipe in the book is for apple pie bars which may be better than any apple pie I have ever eaten.  Dan is not a fan of apple pie (I know, I know), but he really likes these.  He is a bit averse to cooked fruit (the texture) and these are not as thick as apple pie.  I think that is why he likes them, that and all the wonderful cinnamon flavor.  Yum, yum.

They do take a little more effort than some cookie bars because you make a crust like apple pie, but it is really worth the effort!  They are baked in a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan, so you have to roll the crust to fit the pan, but that is the most difficult thing about the recipe.  Here is what you will need.

Ingredients:

Crust

Milk
1 egg yolk (reserve egg white)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup Land O Lakes butter, softened

Filling

1 cup crushed corn flake cereal
8 cups peeled, cored, 1/4 inch sliced tart cooking apples (about 8-10 medium)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 reserved egg white
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  For crust, add enough milk to egg yolk to measure 2/3 cup; set aside.  In medium bowl, combine flour and salt.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  With fork, stir in milk mixture until dough forms a ball; divide into halves.  Roll out 1/2 of the dough, on lightly floured surface, into a 15 x 10 inch rectangle.  Place on bottom of ungreased 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan.

For filling, sprinkle crushed cereal over top of rolled out dough in the pan.  Layer apples over cereal.  In small bowl, combined 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon.  Sprinkle over apples.
Roll remaining 1/2 of dough into a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle; place over apples.  (It will be lumpy, but will smooth out when apples cook down).  In small bowl, with fork beat egg white until foamy; brush over top crust.  In another small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over crust.  Bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until lightly browned.

For glaze, in small bowl, stir together all glaze ingredients.  Drizzle over warm bars.  To make drizzling easy, put the glaze in a small zip lock bag, snip off a corner, and drizzle by squeezing the bag.
Cut into bars and enjoy.  I cut them more into a square than a bar because we like a nice dollop of ice cream on ours.  If you cut into bars, you will have about 3 dozen.  It's your choice.  These are so extraordinarily good, that you won't mind the effort to make them one little bit.

The awesome thing is, you can eat them without a plate or fork, unless you are enjoying them with some ice cream!  It's so much easier than eating apple pie.  If you want to make your family, friends or co-workers super happy, make a batch of these bars and share!   They are a party in your mouth that will make everyone happy and they make your house smell heavenly while they are baking.

Give this wonderful autumn dessert a try.  You will be so glad you did.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

As American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet - 1970-s marketing jingle.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Speculoos (Biscoff) Gooey Butter Cake

How many of you like, no I mean love, windmill cookies?  You know what I'm talking about right?  The brown spicy cookies shaped like a windmill that we all ate as children (probably as adults too).  Well, I LOVE windmill cookies and always have.  Not only is the shape intriguing, but so is the awesome gingerbready, spicy taste.  Yum yum.  Windmill Cookies are called Speculoos cookies in the Netherlands.  Amazing what a little research will tell you.

My daughter and her family were living in Dallas and she kept asking me if I had ever had Biscoff or Nutella.  I couldn't figure out what the heck Biscoff was nor Nutella.  No, I had never had it.  She told me it was a spread somewhat like peanut butter.  I am not a big peanut butter fan (unAmerican, I know), so I don't usually look at the nut spreads at the grocery store.  She kept insisting that I needed to try them both.  Well, one day I gave in and purchased some Nutella thinking we would try and figure out what all the fuss was about.  Helloooooooo, maybe best stuff ever.  That is until I bought some Speculoos Cookie Butter (aka Biscoff spread).  Holeeeeeeeee Moly, this stuff is downright sinful, dangerous and beyond delicious.

Nutella is chocolate and hazelnut spread.  It's wonderful.  Speculoos Cookie Butter, which is sold exclusively at Trader Joe's and is a product of the Netherlands,  is ground up windmill cookies (called Speculoos) and mixed with a myriad of oils to make it the most deliciously spreadable concoction on the face of the earth.  What genius thought this up?  If you don't have a Trader Joe's, look for Biscoff.  (The label says it is "a deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits").  Okay, works for me.  On the side of the jar it says "All you have to do is taste it to understand!"  Now THAT is the understatement of the century.  It says you can spread it on pancakes or waffles, peanut butter and cookies, sandwiches, serve on ice cream, dip pretzels or celery in it.  What don't you do with something this delicious?"  Good question.  You could put this on just about anything and make it taste even better, just eat it by the spoonful or make this gooey butter cake that is 1. amazing, 2. amazing, and 3. amazing.  Get the point?

If you have never had gooey butter cake, get to the grocery as fast as you can and get all the ingredients it takes and make one immediately.  Yeah, it's that good and that's just plain gooey butter bake.  I have made Paula Deen's pumpkin gooey butter cake and Plain Chicken.com's Nutella gooey butter cake  (recipes on my blog) and they are out of this world.  But, Plain Chicken's Speculoos (Biscoff) gooey butter cake is to the moon and beyond.  Here is what you need:

Crust

1 14.5 oz yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 Tbsp. butter, melted


Filling

1 8 oz. package cream cheese softened
1 cup Speculoos Cookie Butter (Biscoff)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1 pound box, powdered sugar (that is 3.5 generous cups)

Mix the yellow cake mix with 1 egg and 8 Tbsps melted butter.  Press in the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan.  Set aside.

Make the filling by beating the softened cream cheese and Speculoos Cookie Butter (Biscoff) until smooth.  Add the 3 eggs, vanilla and melted butter.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix until it is all incorporated.

Pour the filling over the crust mix in the 9x13 pan and do everything within your power not to eat it before you bake it.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  The very center should still be a little "unset".  It will continue to bake when you remove it from the oven.  Let cool, cut into squares and serve.  Listen to the raves and requests for more (that's if you don't eat it all yourself)!

I am sitting here noshing on a little square and drinking a cup of coffee while I type this just so I can try and tell you how OH EM GEE good this is.  I wish you were here so I could share some of it with you.  It's worth the drive believe me (or at least a trip to the store).

The slightly gingerbreadish flavor of the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and whatever other flavors are in the Speculoos (windmill) cookies makes this gooey butter cake just about indescribable.  If you've had windmill cookies you know what I am talking about, only difference is this cake is creamy and spicy with a fabulous crust, not hard and crunchy like windmill cookies.  You owe it to yourself, your family and everyone you know to try this recipe.  I'm not kidding.  They will all thank you.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Childhood memory.  My mom always liked Fig Newtons (ugh) but sometimes we could talk her into Windmill Cookies.  That was a happy day.  Who knew somewhere down the road they would become the most delicious spread ever made?    donna