Friday, February 21, 2014

Mom's Coconut Cake

























Every year before my Mom moved to heaven I made her favorite Coconut cake. In total I probably made 67 of these cakes and each and every time I lit the candles and presented it to her, she would go on and on about how her daughter could make the best coconut cake in the whole world. She was the one who taught me how to make it when I was young and yet she insisted I made it better. I would light up as brightly as she did over that cake. To know my Mom thought I was the best cook was quite an accomplishment in my life. I miss making this cake for her each year... and I cry each time I make it.


Mom's Coconut Cake

1 and 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

♥ Buttercream Frosting:

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut for for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line each with parchment paper. Grease paper and dust with flour.

Mix butter and sugar on medium-high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add extracts and mix. The mixture will look a bit lumpy.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and add dry ingredients, alternating with milk, in three parts. Mix just until combined. Fold in coconut.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the tops of each. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until tops are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes. Then, remove from pans to finish cooling on wire racks.

♥ Frosting:

Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine cream cheese, butter, and extracts. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix just until smooth.

Spread frosting on first layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle top and sides with coconut.


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Crab Macaroni and Cheese






















I love seafood...being from Maryland we put crab and shrimp and lobster in everything! I also love mac and cheese so you can imagine how much I love this recipe! I make it often and it is always a big hit...let me know how you like it!

Crab Macaroni and Cheese

10 ounces elbow macaroni
8 ounces of fresh lump crabmeat

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk or half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (more if you want a kick)
4 ounces cream cheese
6 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Topping

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons melted butter for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil pasta in salted water until tender, drain well in colander, then return to pot and set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Continue stirring butter and flour mixture over medium heat for 2 minutes until it lightly browned. Slowly pour in milk or half and half while whisking and whisk until smooth. Cook while stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. Add salt, pepper, and a pinch of Old Bay seasoning.

Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add the grated cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in pasta and gently fold in crab meat. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with non stick spray. Pour in filling and spread out evenly.

Mix panko with oil and butter and sprinkle all over top to completely cover. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling around the edge.















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Thursday, February 20, 2014

French Silk Chocolate Pie
































French Silk Chocolate Pie

1 cup heavy cream, chilled
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked and cooled (see note)

Whip cream: With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer whipped cream to small bowl and refrigerate.

Beat eggs: Combine eggs, sugar, and water in large heatproof bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). With electric mixer on medium speed, beat until egg mixture is thickened and registers 160 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat egg mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Beat, fold, cool: Add chocolate and vanilla to cool egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined. Using spatula, fold in whipped cream until no streaks of white remain. Scrape filling into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve.

NOTE: You will need a fully baked pie shell for this recipe. Use your favorite pie dough or a pre-made refrigerated or frozen crust.

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/4646-french-silk-chocolate-pie
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Strawberry Cream Cake





Pretty cake isn't it? I made this one for a friend who's anniversary fell on Valentine's day so she and her husband of 35 years could come home from a nice dinner and have dessert and coffee. I love the way it turned out...so much so that I made another one!.

Strawberry Cream Cake

Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one 9 x 13-inch pan by lining with parchment paper and then spraying with non stick spray. I like to leave an overhang of paper on each end so I can use it as handles to lift the cake later..

Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy and light, then add the eggs and beat until fully incorporated and light. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, and finally the milk and vanilla. Beat everything together for 3 minutes. Immediately pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back slightly when pressed. Let cool on wire racks for at least 30 minutes

Once cooled, you can cut your cake in half if you want smaller cake as shown in the photo. Then with a long serrated knife, cut both halves into two layers to make a three layer cake. You will have a layer left over. You can choose to make an additional layer or save it for another time! Set aside your layers.

Strawberry Puree Filling:

1 (20 ounce) bag frozen unsweetened strawberries or 3 cups of fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar, more if you like it sweeter

Place the unsweetened frozen strawberries in a large bowl and thaw for a few hours. Once thawed, put the strawberries and their juice in a food processor or blender and process the berries until they are pureed. Pour the puree into a 2 cup measuring cup. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of puree. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar to start and stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Set aside.

Cream cheese filling and frosting

3/4 cups sugar
2 packages cream cheese (8oz each), at room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar. Using an electric mixer, whisk the mixture until smooth, then slowly add heavy cream and whisk until fluffy. Set aside.

Assembly:

Place the bottom layer on your serving plate cut side up. Spread a nice thin layer of the strawberry filling on it. Next, on one of your other layers, spread a thin layer of the cream cheese filling. Place that layer on top of the first layer so that the cream cheese side is facing down. The strawberry filling and the cream cheese filling are touching each other. Repeat with the next layers. So the order from the bottom up is: cake, strawberry filling, and cream cheese filling ...then cake, strawberry filling, and cream cheese filling again...ending with the final layer of cake and then a thicker layer of cream cheese filling on top of the cake.

Decorate the cake as you like on top. I added a few dollops of Reddi-wip real whipped cream and topped with some cherries and strawberries and then drizzled some chocolate sundae syrup on top!








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Chocolate Mint Cookies






















Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 package Classic Devil's Food Cake Mix
2 large eggs
¼ cup + 2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 (4.67 oz.) package of chocolate mints 28 mini chocolate treats....
1 can Frosting Creations Frosting Starter
1 packet Frosting Creations Mint Chocolate Flavor Mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cake mix, eggs and oil in large bowl. Stir until thoroughly blended. Mixture will be stiff.
Using a tbsp., Scoop the dough and place an unwrapped chocolate mint in the center. Press the mint to level the cookie and roll the edges to seal. Place 2" apart on prepared baking sheets (parchment paper or non-stick foil).

Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until cracked on top. Cookies will look moist. Do not over bake.

Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. Store in air tight container.

To decorate: prepare the frosting as it is stated, sandwich each cookie with the Mint icing and press together.

http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cookies-bars/Duncan%20Hines®/chocolate-mint-cookies/
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Monday, February 17, 2014

Blackberry Delight































This was an experiment this past weekend. And while it didn't turn out to be the prettiest dessert I have ever made, it certainly was way up there on the list of one of the best! This summer I plan to make this with the fresh blackberries from my garden, but for now I just used a can of blackberry cobbler filling or pie filling. You can use blueberries for this one too! Any berry will work.

Blackberry Delight

 
 
For the crust:

1 pkg. (16.6 oz.) Oreo cookies, divided
1/4 cup butter, melted

Chop 15 of the cookies coarsely. Set aside. Finely crush the remaining cookies. Put into a bowl and then mix together with the med butter. Press into the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch pan. Place into the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling.

For the filling:

2 cups heavy cream
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

Whip the heavy cream until thick and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until just combined. Spread filling onto crust.

Top with a layer of blackberry pie filling. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set.

NOTE: If you have fresh blackberries, here is the recipe to make your topping

3 & 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon + 1 & 1/2 teaspoons water
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest

In a large pot, combine 1 & 1/2 cups fresh blackberries, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Stir until sugar is combined, Your blackberries will begin to break down and the mixture will come to a boil. Dissolve your water and cornstarch and add to mixture. Stir until mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 2 cups blackberry and your lemon zest. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes one quart. 






























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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Black Forest Pie
































Black Forest Pie

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pint vanilla ice cream (2 cups)...
1/2 ounce of an 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8 -ounce container frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
2 cups Cherry Pie Filling, chilled
Hot fudge ice cream topping or chocolate syrup

In bowl, combine crushed grahams, melted butter and sugar. Press onto bottom and up sides of un-greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Cool.

In chilled bowl, stir ice cream with spoon just until softened. Spoon over cooled crust. Cove; freeze 4 hour or until firm.

In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat well. Gently fold in dessert topping; spread over ice cream. Using back of a spoon, make 8-inch-wide well in top layer. Cover; freeze 3 to 4 hours.

To serve, spoon the cherry pie filling into well in top of pie. Serve drizzled with fudge topping.

http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/black-forest-freezer-pie
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Caramel and White Chocolate Pretzel Covered Apples


























I've been busy this afternoon making my treats for those special Valentines in my life. I decided to make these pretty apples this year. My Dad likes white chocolate, so I made his apples dipped in caramel followed by another dipping in white chocolate. Then I rolled them in crushed pretzels bites. Think he'll like it? I made my friend Randy and my brother their own specials ones too...those are coming up next. 

Caramel and White Chocolate Pretzel Covered Apples

4 extra large Granny Smith Apples
4 wooden skewers
14 ounces (1 bag) soft caramel candy (I use Kraft caramels)
2 tbsp water
1 bag of Ghirardelli White chocolate chips
2 tbsp shortening
2 cups of pretzel bites, coarsely chopped

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spray it with a light layer of cooking spray, if desired, to prevent the apples from sticking. Wash and dry apples and remove stems. Insert your skewers or pop sticks. Set aside.

Place the unwrapped caramels and the water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir, then microwave for and additional minute or until completely melted. The caramel should be smooth and liquid by the end.

Hold an apple by the skewer and dip it in the caramel, tilting the bowl at an angle and rotating the apple to cover it completely with a smooth, even layer. Bring it out of the caramel and twirl it upside down to remove excess, then set it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples. Place the caramel-covered apples in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.


























Combine the chocolate and the shortening in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, stirring every 45 seconds. Dip the caramel-covered apple in the chocolate. If necessary, spoon some chocolate over the top to ensure the apple is completely covered with white chocolate. Immediately dip the apple in crushed pretzels and roll until covered.

Place back on the baking sheet and drizzle on extra chocolate, allowing it to run down the sides. Simply take a spoonful of your white chocolate and drizzle while holding it about 6 inches above your apples.Repeat with remaining apples. Chill apples in refrigerator until completely set, about 45 minutes. Tie with a pretty bow. Store apples in the refrigerator.

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Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes





















Love this simple little recipe from my Friend Marie over at the English Kitchen, who also has another blog called Recipes From My Blue Binder.... these flavors are just wonderful!

Oven Roasted Smoked Sausage and Potatoes

1 package of smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
sweet paprika
dried thyme
1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with several sheets of foil, and drizzle with a bit of oil. Spread the oil out over the pan. Set aside.

Put the sausage rounds, onions and potatoes into a large bowl. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and dried thyme. Toss together with your hands until everything is evenly distributed. Pour this out onto the baking tray, and spread it out as much as you can.

Place into the heated oven and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender. Turn off the oven. Scatter the cheese over top of the cooked meat and potatoes, Pop back into the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

http://recipesfromthebigbluebinder.blogspot.com/2012/08/oven-roasted-smoked-sausage-and-potatoes.html
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Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting






























I love these little brownie bites because you can change them to just about anything you can think of. Sometimes I sneak a Rolo Candy in the center and then frost them with caramel icing. I've also put a Kraft caramel candy or some peanut butter chips in the center. And I change the frosting all the time too. I make these a lot with just a bit of mint frosting on top. But this time I decided to just enjoy a brownie bite with some cream cheese frosting. Be creative and surprise your special valentine with whatever you want! 

Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box Ghirardelli fudge style brownie mix, plus whatever ingredients are called for on the box.
4 TBS. butter, softened at room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325F. Prepare brownies according to package directions. Grease a 24 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for a couple of minutes then carefully remove the brownie bites from the pan to a cooking rack. Allow to cool completely.


























To make the frosting, whip the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar and whip until creamy. Add frosting to piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped out and squeeze a dab of frosting on each brownie.

Need a mini cupcake or brownie pan? I got mine at Amazon for a great price. Click on the link below to see the one I use:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00091PNE8/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B00091PNE8&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&qid=1392256683&sr=8-2&keywords=mini+cupcake+pan

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