freedom cake.

Uncle Mark nicknamed this cake Freedom Cake, because after all I did make it for the 4th this year. It would be lovely treat year around though. Freedom Cake is actually a Buttermilk cake with a warm berry compote filling, cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh fruit (what a mouthful!). A delicious mouthful!

Buttermilk Birthday Cake (From: Nigella Lawson's How To Be A Domestic Goddess)

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low fat milk)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

One 9 inch square cake pan or two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, lined with parchment or wax paper and greased

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Pour the buttermilk (or yogurt and milk) into a measuring cup and stir in the vanilla. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed (or by hand, of course) until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed if using the mixer and add the eggs ones at a time, beating for 30 seconds between additions. Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and the vanilla- buttermilk, blending well after each addition; this should take 3-5 minutes.

Pour into the prepared pan or pans, and bake for about 40 minutes (30 is using the layer cake pans) until the cake is beginning to shrink away from the sides and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding to let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I love a good cream cheese frosting! I created this version of cream cheese frosting one day when I needed something tasty to go on some cupcakes. This recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

4 oz cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, soft

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat ingredients together on medium speed until smooth. Add more powdered sugar to reach a thicker consistency. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin out frosting. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

To assemble your cake, you will need:

1 recipe for buttermilk birthday cake (two 8 or 9 inch round)

1/2 recipe for warm berry compote

1 recipe for cream cheese frosting

Garnish: fresh strawberries and blueberries, rinsed and sliced

Make the buttermilk cake according to directions above. To make Freedom Cake, make two 8 or 9 inch round cakes. Once cakes are cool, place one round cake on cake stand. Pour warm berry compote in the middle. Start with 1/2 cup compote and spread over cake. Add more compote, if desired. I like a lot of filling so I always add more. Top compote with second round cake. Make cream cheese frosting according to directions above. Ice cake top and sides with frosting. Garnish with fresh strawberries and blueberries, if desired. Raspberries and mint would be a beautiful garnish, too. Due to frosting, store finished cake in the refrigerator until serving and if there are any leftovers.

xx.

val

yogurt, fruit and granola parfait.

I love eating warm berry compote (chilled) on greek yogurt for breakfast or an afternoon snack. If I have granola and fresh fruit, I'll create a little parfait.

1 cup yogurt, plain

2-3 tablespoons warm berry compote, chilled

1/4 cup fresh fruit, washed and chopped, if needed

1/4 cup granola

In a bowl, stir together yogurt and chilled warm berry compote. Top with granola and fresh fruit.

Fun Party Idea- Make a yogurt, fruit and granola parfait bar. Serve yogurt, fruit and granola in large martini glasses. You can buy large martini glasses at Michaels. Let your guests create their own parfaits in small martini glasses. I love Pier One's selection of martini glasses, but if you need a cheaper option check the Dollar Tree.

xx.

val

chocolate candies.

These homemade chocolate candies were the favors for Anna's baby shower.  They got a little melty in the Arizona heat, but they were delicious!  There are three types: Top left- coconut; top right- maple with walnuts; bottom - cherry.  Each flavor was a batch that made around 30 chocolates.  

For one batch you will need:

8 oz Bittersweet chocolate (Suggested: Ghirardelli baking bar)

2/3 cup heavy cream (up to 1 c. heavy cream)

3 T butter

1 t. vanilla extract

Add to each batch one or two of these things:

1 t. coconut extract

1 t. peppermint extract

1 t. almond extract

1 t. maple extract

chopped walnuts

chopped almonds

chopped pecans

4 oz cherry flavored baking morsels

4 oz peppermint flavored baking morsels

4 oz peanut butter chips

4 oz toffee chips

4 oz butterscotch chips

2- 3 oz amaretto

2- 3 oz baileys

2-3 oz kahlua

If desired, roll chocolates in: toasted nuts, cocoa powder, toasted coconut

Chop chocolate into small pieces.  Place in a mixing bowl.  If you want to add baking morsels or flavored chips to your chocolate truffle, place them in the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate.  Over low heat, melt 3 T butter.  Add melted butter to your chopped chocolate.  In the same saucepan, heat heavy cream until the cream is just about to boil.  Pour over chopped chocolate.  Wait a minute, then carefully stir together chocolate, butter and cream.  Add vanilla extract and other extracts, if desired.  If adding liqueur, do so at this time.  Stir to combine until chocolate pieces and chips are all melted and mixture is smooth.  If adding nuts to your chocolates, stir in once all the chocolate is melted.  Let cool a few minutes.  (If all the chocolate won't melt after stirring for a few minutes, heat 1/3 c. more heavy cream until it is just about to boil.  Pour over the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.)  

If making square chocolate candies, pour chocolate mixture into a 13 by 9 pan, cover with foil, and refrigerate for one hour.  If the chocolate is hard enough after a hour, cut into small squares.  Place chocolate squares in a parchment lined dish and refrigerate until just before eating.  If making round chocolates, place mixing bowl into the fridge for one hour.  If chocolate is hard enough after a hour, using a ice cream scoop, scoop out truffles into a parchment lined dish.  If you want to roll your chocolates in nuts, cocoa powder or coconut, do so at this time.  Refrigerate until just before eating.  

Bring chocolate candies to room temperature before eating.  Enjoy!

xx.

val

mango pineapple salsa.

This refreshing recipe would be perfect for your summer cookout!

Recipe:
2 fresh mangoes, peeled
1 fresh pineapple, skinned and cored
1 medium red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers (depending on how much kick you want), seeded and minced
1 lime, juiced
about 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbsp. olive oil

-Chop first 4 ingredients. Combine everything in a big bowl. Let ingredients get to know each other in fridge overnight before serving. Great with torilla chips, or over grilled chicken or salmon.


emily.

learn to make sushi girls' night.

I had a learn to make sushi girls' night.  My friend Ishani came and shared her sushi making tips with us.  The girls - Bonnie, Francie, Abby, Katie, Missy, Kailee, Ellyn, Lindsay and Jacqueline did a great job making these tasty california rolls.  

You will need:

a makisu (sushi rolling mat, made of bamboo.  You can buy one at walmart for $2)

Japanese or sushi rice, cooked

nori or seaweed (buy roasted)

1 recipe for Crab Salad (or just chopped imitation crab and mayo will do) 

avocado, cut lengthwise

cucumber, peel and remove seeds, slice lengthwise

sesame seeds (buy toasted)

soy sauce

wasabi

pickled ginger

Cover your sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap.  Place it on a cutting board with the bamboo running horizontal.  Organize your ingredients in an assembly line.  The nori sheets are often too big for a sushi roll.  Cut 1/4 of the nori sheet off with clean kitchen scissors.  Lay nori sheet shiny side down.  Spread 3/4 c. to 1 c. of rice over the nori sheet.  Dip your hands in a bowl of water before starting.  Pat the rice out over the nori sheet evenly.  Flip the nori sheet so that the rice side is down.  Sushi rice is really sticky, so you should have no problem flipping it over without making a huge mess.  Line the edge of your nori sheet with the bottom of your sushi rolling mat.  Spoon crab salad down the middle of your

nori sheet.  Add avocado and cucumber on either side.  Begin rolling by bringing the bottom of your mat (covered in plastic wrap still) up and over the ingredients.  You will need to apply firm but gentle pressure to shape the roll.  But don't squeeze to hard or the ingredients will pop out the sides.  Continue rolling.  Pull back on your sushi mat to keep it from getting rolled up with the food.  Check out u- tube- how to make a california roll-  if you want a video demonstration before trying it yourself.  Once the sushi is all rolled up, roll it through toasted sesame seeds.  Cut your sushi with a sharp knife dipped in water.  Be gentle when cutting to protect the shape of your rolls.  The sticky rice will stick to your knife.  Use a wet paper towel to clean off your knife in between cuts.  Arrange your rolls on a platter and serve at room temperature.  Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.   

Wasabi- In my grocery store, there are two different types of wasabi you can purchase.  The one of the left (in both pictures)  is a powder you add water to.  It creates a paste that you can shape and mold.  It is very similar to what you would get at a sushi restaurant.  The wasabi on the right (in both pictures) is an already prepared wasabi that comes in a tube.  You can't shape and mold  it, but either wasabi will work to add a kick to your soy sauce. 

Pickled Ginger- I made the pickled ginger in the picture on the right.  Peel the ginger root.  Once the ginger root is peeled, continue to peel the ginger into a shallow container.  Salt the the ginger for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Boil water and blanch the ginger for 1 minute.  Drain.  Place the ginger back into the shallow container.  Add 2 parts rice vinegar to 1 part sugar.  Use just enough rice vinegar to cover all the ginger.  Marinate the ginger in rice vinegar and sugar mixture for 4 days.  Drain.  Eat the pickled ginger in between dishes as a palate cleanser.

You also might want to get some chopsticks, but it isn't against etiquette to use your fingers for sushi.  Just make sure you eat the whole piece of sushi in one bite because it is bad etiquette to try to take smaller bites of one piece of sushi.  

xx.

val

crab salad on whole wheat toast rounds.

1 lb. imitation crab (I used Crab Classic.  Wild alaska pollock and crab.  Crab flavored seafood, made from surimi, a fully cooked fish protein.)

1/3 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. chopped cucumber

1/4 c. chopped celery 

1/2 c. mayo

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T celery salt

salt and pepper to taste

paprika for garnish

Variation- Old Bay seasoning

Whole wheat bread, toasted

Chop crab into small pieces.  To the crab add chopped onion, chopped cucumber, chopped celery, mayo, lemon juice, and celery salt.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper if desired.   Toast whole wheat bread.  Use a round cookie cutter to make bread rounds.  Top each round with crab salad.  Dust crab salad with paprika.  

xx

val

margarita punch.

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, but enjoyable anytime!  This punch is a crowd pleaser! 

1 can (12 oz) frozen limeaid, thawed

2 cans sprite

2 bottles corona

9 oz Tequila

3 oz Triple Sec

Stir ingredients together with a spoon.  Refrigerate until serving.  Serve cold or over ice.  Garnish with lime slices.  If too strong, add water or more sprite.  Enjoy!

xx

val

grapefruit margaritas.

Serves 2.

8 oz frozen grapefruit juice concentrate, thawed

4 oz tequila

2 oz triple sec

3 c. ice

sugar for dusting your rim

Blend together ingredients using food processor (or magic bullet).  Blend until smooth.  Go around the rim of your margarita glass with a damp paper towel.  Dump 1 t. sugar into a plate.  Roll the rim in the sugar.  Fill glasses with blended margs. 

variation- any frozen juice concentrate.

virgin- 1 to 2 t. grapefruit concentrate, add sprite.  

xx

val

first attempt at cake decorating.

So no real recipe here. My sister-in-law Tina and I have wanted to try cake decorating for a long time. Here's our first attempt playing with fondant. We had fun!





emily.

'little boy blue'berry cupcakes.

Anna and Matt recently found out they are going to have a little boy!  Francie and I made these cupcakes for Anna to celebrate the good news.

Basic Whole Wheat Cake (or Cupcake) Recipe:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

1/2 c. milk

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 t. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. baking powder

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add milk and eggs, one at a time, and beat well.  Beat in vanilla.  In another bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and baking powder.  Fluff your whole wheat flour before measuring.  Slowly add whole wheat flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Blend well.  Spray muffin tins or line tin with cupcake liners.  Fill each 3/4 of the way full.   Bake for 20 minutes at 350.  If making a cake, you will have to bake for longer.  In a 9 by 13 or 9 by 9 pans, try 30 minutes.  Let cake or cupcakes cool before icing.

Blueberry Frosting:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

2 (4 oz) packages fresh blueberries (or 8 to 12 oz frozen blueberries)

2-3 drops blue food coloring

Crush the fresh blueberries.  Beat together heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  You will need to beat until firm peaks form.  Fold in crushed berries.  Add a few drops food coloring to reach the shade of blue you desire.  Ice the cooled cupcakes.  

Garnish with fresh blueberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar.  

xx

val

sangria.

1 part Wine- red or white

1 part Sprite, club soda or sparkling water

Fruit - grapes, apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, etc

Stir together equal amounts wine and sprite.  Add fruit of your choice.  I like grapes, apples and strawberries in red wine.  And peaches and blueberries in white wine.  

xx

val

easy pina coladas.

1 can (14 oz) coconut milk (Check the Asian food aisle)

1 pineapple, cut into cubes

1 c. rum

Ice

In your food processor add first three ingredients, blend.  Once smooth add ice one cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Pour into fun glasses.  Pink straw and little umbrella are not required, but strongly suggested! :)

Variation- 

Add bananas or strawberries into the mix.

xx.

val

mini dessert pizzas.

Lori makes a great large dessert pizza which consists of a sugar cookie "pizza", cream cheese & cool whip "sauce", and fruit "toppings". I didn't put any sugar in these cookies though. Can't really call them a sugar cookie without the sugar, right?! Let's just call them Whole Wheat Honey Cookies. I'll have to make some adjustments before these Honey Cookies will be good all on their own. The combo of cookie, frosting and fruit was perfection though.

Whole Wheat Honey Cookies-

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. honey

1/2 c. butter

2 T milk, or less*

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

*Since honey is a liquid, you might not need this much milk. Add milk last and only as much as necessary to blend ingredients.

Bring butter and egg to room temperature. In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Fluff the flour before measuring. In another bowl, combine honey, butter, vanilla and egg. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients 1 cup at a time. Add milk if necessary. Blend thoroughly. I found that refrigerating the dough for a few hours helps the cookies bake beautifully. But you can make them right away without refrigerating. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Roll dough into balls. Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Variations: You can roll dough through cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg mixture before baking if desired. Either orange or lemon zest would be a great addition to the dough, too.

Cream Cheese & Cool Whip Frosting-

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz cool whip

1 t. vanilla extract

1 T honey

Blend ingredients thoroughly. If you add orange or lemon zest to the dough, add 2 t. to 1 T fresh orange or lemon juice to the frosting.

Fruit-

Cut any fruit into small pieces. Suggested: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, nectarines, peaches, kiwi, banana, grapes, etc.

Assemble mini dessert pizzas - Frost the cooled whole wheat honey cookies with a thick layer of cream cheese & cool whip frosting. Top with chopped fruit pieces.

xx.

val

uppercase living party.

I recently threw a party to help out my friend Sarah with her new business. Miss Anita and I were in charge of the food, so we decided to use skewers to make dinner seem more like fun appetizers. We skewered strips of marinated chicken after soaking the skewers for 20 minutes. Then grilled the chicken on the grill just like normal. I was in charge of the fruit and veggies. Here are some fun ways to serve normal party food.

Veggie Platter with Bell Pepper Dip Bowl-

For this veggie platter I used carrots, celery, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli. I alternated my orange and red colored veggies with the green veggies on this platter. Squash and yellow or orange bell pepper would also be beautiful, colorful additions.

Bell Pepper Dip bowl- Any color bell pepper will work for this dip bowl. Cut the pepper in half widthwise or lengthwise. If you are serving two dips with your veggie tray, try to make the cut as even as possible to allow use of both pieces of pepper as dip bowls. Carefully remove the seeds. Rinse your pepper inside and out with water. Fill your dip bowl with dip of your choice.

I also kept the top of my bell pepper as a holder for toothpicks to help pick up the tomatoes.

Festive Fruit Skewers-

For these fruit skewers, I decided to use strawberries, grapes, pineapple, and cantaloupe. Rinse strawberries and grapes. Cut the top off the strawberries and cut any large strawberries in half. Cut the pineapple and cantaloupe into bite size pieces. Skewer your fruit. I used a small, circle watermelon for this party of 10 girls. For a party of more people a larger, oval watermelon would probably be the best choice. Cut the watermelon in half- lengthwise or widthwise depending on the shape you are wanting for your arrangement. Place flesh side down on platter of your choice. Cut the other half of your watermelon into bite sized pieces and use in your fruit skewers. Place the skewers into the watermelon. Start in the middle and work your way down and out.

xx.

val

martini salad.

I made these fun, fabulous salads for Corri's bridal shower.  Classy and tasty!  This recipe serves 4.

4 martini glasses

4 c. of salad greens of your choice (Suggested: green leaf lettuce, bibb lettuce, arugula or baby spinach)

2 pears or apples, sliced, reserve 4 slices for garnish

1/2 c. parmesan, use a block of parmesan and grate in thin strips

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts or walnuts*

Dressing-

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 t. balsamic vinegar

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Blend oil and vinegar together throughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a bowl, combine lettuce, pear or apple slices, cheese and nuts.  Drizzle with dressing.  Toss to combine.  Divide evenly into martini glasses.  Garnish each martini glass with a pear slice.

* To toast the nuts, put a thin layer of nuts in a skillet over med heat.  Don't overcrowd them though and watch them closely.  The nuts are done when they have turned a few shades deeper than their original color.

xx.

val