The journey between here and there

These are my favorite muffins. I love them. So moist, yummy and full of blueberries!

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries, if frozen do not thaw.

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, mix well.

Mix sour cream and vanilla.

Add to dry ingredients alternately with egg mixture. Mix.

Stir in the berries.

Bake at 400F for 35 - 30 min. Makes 24 muffins.

I LOVE this cake. It takes a lot of work, but it soooo worth it. Everyone LOVES this cake. It is like biting a piece of a cloud. Pure heaven. Follow directions EXACTLY and it will turn out perfectly. It presents beautifully and tastes delicious.

Ingredients:

—Bottom Layer—

1 box Chocolate cake mix, devil’s food

—Second Layer—

1 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (I use a high quality chocolate)
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

—Third Layer—

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour, sifted
1 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

—Fourth Layer—

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped. (I go buy some Lindt or use some sort of a high qualilty chocolate.)

—Decorating the top—
Melted White chocolate
Strawberries

Directions:

1. Bottom Layer: Bake according to directions on box, using round pans and cool. Once cooled, (cut cake into layers if you choose and use one layer) make a collar using wax paper. Make the collar at least four inches taller than cake.

2. Second Layer: Melt chocolate and cream cheese together. Let cool.
Soften gelatin with cold water for 1 minute, then add boiling water, stir until dissolved and clear. Let this cool while you start whipping the heavy cream and sugar. As cream starts to thicken, add gelatin. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the cream to the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Then fold this into the remaining cream. Once you have completed spread onto cake and refrigerate.

3. Third Layer: Beat egg yolks until pale. Add sugar, flour and gelatin, then beat until mixed. Bring cream and vanilla extract to a boil. Add a small amount of cream to egg mixture while stirring. Gradually add until all of the cream has been added and then pour entire mixture through a strainer into the pan. Continue to cook until custard begins to thicken. Cool slightly pour on top of chocolate mousse and freeze while getting the icing ready.

4. Fourth Layer: Bring butter and cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool (slightly warmer than room temp) until it starts to thicken. Remove cake from freezer and remove the collar. Pour some of the ganache (what you feel comfortable working with) and using a spatula spread it evenly across the top and sides of cake. And refrigerate. Continue to let the remaining ganache cool and firm up, place into a cake decorating bag with star tip and place a border on the cake if you like.

Decorating the top:
I wash and dry strawberries. Slice the strawberries in 1/2 length wise leaving the green tops on. Melt the white chocolate and put in a piping bag. Pipe white chocolate lines across the top of the chocolate ganache. Place the strawberries around the cake and place 3 in the middle.

I took a picture of the cake I decorated.

1 Cup Mayo

1/4 Cup Milk

2 1/2 tbsp. Red wine vinegar OR 1/2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesean

1-2 cloves garlic

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. worchester sauce

salt to taste

 Mix all ingredients. Store in fridge.

Ryan grabbed this recipe from a lady at church who’s a kick butt cook! She’s amazing! I’ve had her stuff and I love it! Ryan’s in love with this recipe. 

This is my fav. recipe. Found it on the bag of Quaker Oatmeal.

4 Cups cooking apples peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. of cinammon and nutmeg

1 Cup Quaker Oates (I use the small quick oats, but the recipe says you can use any kind)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (I only use 1/4 tsp.)
1/3 cup butter melted

Place apples in a greased shallow 9″ square baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice, 1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar, and water. Sprinkle the cinammon and nutmeg over the apples.

Combine remaining dry ingred. in a separate bowl; add melted buter mixing until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the apples.

Bake at 375F for 30 min. or until the apples are tender.

Makes 8 servings.

Serve hot with ice cream. I love it! Let me know what you think!

2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Put all ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil. Pour warm syrup onto pancakes or crepes.

Cool and refrigerate. Use for ice cream, pie filling, cheesecake topping, etc.

3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. melted butter

Beat all 5 ingredients together in a blender. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan. Bake at 400F for about 20 min. until lightly browned. Cuts into 4 pieces.

This will grow in the oven and once you take it out it will collapse. Put maple syrup on or Blueberry Sauce. It’s a Yorkshire pudding like pancake… Mmmm… We have this for Christmas morning.

This is such an easy recipe! It’s just divine! I’m throwing together the recipe amounts here. I make this all the time and I never measure. I just do it according to taste. I always hated those kind of cooks cuz I could never get the recipe from them cuz it was always like, “but add more if it doesn’t taste right or look right, etc.” Here I am doing and saying the same thing. Make it a couple times and you can adjust it to your own pallet.

This is an excellent appetizer! I eat it while it’s hot right on the stove… very rarely does it even make it to the table!… unless I’m having guests.

Garlic Prawns.

1/2 Cup of butter (or more)
1 Tbsp. of minced garlic (or more)
pinch of salt (or more)
pinch of fresh ground pepper (or more)
2 Cups of fresh or frozen prawns (or more)

1/8 - 1/4 cup of white wine (optional)

1. If using frozen prawns thaw them out in cool- lukewarm water. There’s usually instructions on the package.

2. Add the butter and garlic in a frying pan. Melt the butter on low heat. (I like this better without wine (again it’s down to personal taste), but if you use white wine, I would add this as well.) Heat the butter mixture, but watch closely and DO NOT BURN the butter or get it too hot. It will add a bad flavor.

3. Add fresh or defrosted prawns into the pan. Lay the prawns down flat in the frying pan. Once the prawn has turned a lovely shade of pink, flip the prawn over to the other side.

4. While the last side is cooking I add the pepper and salt. I grind my pepper mill over the prawns and sprinkle just a wee bit of salt. I use salted butter so I don’t need to use much salt. If you use unsalted butter then use more salt. Don’t overcook the prawns.

Once both sides have turned pink, dump into a deep plate and serve immediately. These need to be eaten HOT that’s why I like eating them right out of the pan as they are finishing cooking. Mmmmm.

This is amazing! I love it! It’s just like the recipe that my fav. Greek restaurant uses. Delicious! Divine!

4 ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped into 1/2 ” pieces
1 cucumber, chopped into 1/2 ” pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 “pieces
1/2 cup chopped red onions into 1/2 ” pieces
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/2 cup - 1 Cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Mix together vinegars, oil, salt and oregano.
2. Add vegetables, cheese and olives.
3. Marinate several hours in refrigerator to allow flavors to blend.

Vinaigrette Salad dressing

Part 1:
1/3 Cup of olive oil
2 tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tbs. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Part 2: Then add any flavor you want:

Orange Flavor:
1/2 Cup or 1 Cup (depending on how much flavor you want) concentrated orange juice undiluted

Raspberry Flavor:
1/2 Cup - 1 Cup fresh raspberries (if using frozen thaw in microwave first). Puree in a mini chopper then add to dressing.

Strawberry Flavor:
1/2 Cup - 1 Cup fresh strawberries (if using frozen thaw in microwave first). Puree in a mini chopper then add to dressing.

Mix Part 1 and Part 2 together in a dressing shaker or jar. Shake it up. Serve over salad. Store in your fridge if there is left overs, but use within a week. If the olive oil jells from sitting in the fridge, liquefy in microwave for 10 seconds before you use it.

I love this dressing! I got it from a wonderful restaurant out here called 79 and also ‘La Petite Table’ has an orange dressing similar to this. Each dressing will taste slightly different depending on the flavor (obviously) so try them all and see which is your favorite….Play with the amounts of strawberries, raspberries or orange you put in… That too will also change the taste slightly.

I like to combine raspberry and strawberry… Whoa… look out, stop the horsey that’s just crazy! Anyway, onwards to my favorite salad.

SALAD

Fancy Mixed Salad Greens (don’t use crappy iceberg lettuce or large romaine heads. Use the baby mixed salad greens! It’s yummy)

Mandarin oranges
Sliced fresh strawberries
toasted pine nuts or whole pecans (both these nuts MUST be toasted)
diced green onions

Can also add:
feta cheese 1/4 cup
red onion sliced very thinly in an O shape.

Toss the salad with the oranges, strawberries and green onions. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts, feta cheese and a couple of red onion slices on top. Drizzle raspberry vinaigrette dressing on salad. (or Orange or Strawberry dressing) Serve and eat immediately….

I will be making this for Mya’s 1st birthday. I love this cake. It always works for me. When people come over, they request this cake. It’s delicious!

Party Chiffon Cake

2 Cups All purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
7 egg yolks, unbeaten
3/4 cup cold water
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup egg whites (7)

Icing:
1 - 1L whipping cream
1 pkg. Otker Whip It
1/2 cup of icing sugar.
1 can of peaches

Heat oven to 325F.

Sift first 4 ingredients into mixing bowl. (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt)

Make a well and add oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

In another bowl, add cream of tartar to egg whites, beat until stiff peaks form. (DO NOT UNDERBEAT)

Pour egg yolk mixture gradually over beaten egg whites, gently folding in with a rubber scraper until just blended. (DO NOT STIR)

Line a spring form pan with parchment paper, then pour into pan.

Bake 55 minutes at 325F then increase to 350F for 10 - 15 minutes or until top springs back.

Cool down and then put in the freezer to freeze the cake slightly.

When the cake is partially frozen, cut the cake twice: 1/3 way from the top and 1/3 way from the bottom.

Add 1 pkg. of Otker ‘Whip It’ to the whipping cream. Whip 1L of whipping cream. Once it has stiffened and is forming peaks I add about 1/2 cup of icing sugar to the whipping cream. (Add as much sugar as you want, depending on how sweet you want the whipping cream to be.)

Open a can of peaches and dice the pieces into bite sized chunks. I place the peaches in a sieve and let any excess juice drain out.

Take about 1/2 of the whipping cream, add the peaches and mix gently. Then spread mixture to the bottom of the cake. Add middle section, spread more whip cream and peach mixture onto another layer, add top.

Spread the rest of the whipping cream that has no peaches on top of the cake and all around the sides. Any left over whipping cream can be used to make rosettes along the top edges of the cake.

Sprinkle the sides with curled chocolate. Decorate the top of the cake with drained mandarin oranges, sliced maraschino cherries and fresh strawberries.

Store in fridge. Serve the same day.

I’ve given this recipe to friends and they seem to screw it up and it doesn’t turn out as good as mine. I don’t know what their problem is. I do have a convection oven, maybe that makes a difference, I don’t know. I will make the cake the day before a party, but will decorate it with whipping cream and fruit about 1 -2 hours before a party. Mmmm…Yummy!

I’m baking like a mad woman. School starts September 1st so I’m busy making chocolate chip cookies, m&m cookies, banana bread and marshmallow cookies. I’m going to make some brownies and I have to attempt canning peaches again. Hopefully this time it will turn out. I thought I would post some of my favorite recipes here in case the house burns down at least my recipes will be somewhere safe… unless the internet crashes, well, it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

My favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies.
This is from my friend Christina, who got it from someone, who got it from some chef. Who? I don’t know, but I love these cookies cuz they don’t ooze out and spread out like crazy. They make perfect little cookies. They are great right out of the oven or the next day. They will stay very soft if stored in a Tupperware container. I crave these suckers and I’ll get diabetes one day because of them. I’ll eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thank God I’ve got a fast metabolism. So without further ado, here it is:

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mix:
3/4 Cup Butter softened
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Granulated sugar

Add:
1 Egg
2 tsp Vanilla
Mix.

Add:
2 Cups All purpose Flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
Mix.

Add:
1/2 Cup or 1 Cup of Chocolate Chips or 8oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks
Mix.

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth.
3. Add egg and vanilla. Blend in.
4. Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
5. Stir in Chocolate chips or chunks.
6. Form into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake for 8 minutes - 10 minutes.

The longer you bake it the harder it gets. I just bake for 7 - 8 minutes. This way I have soft cookies. Ryan likes his almost burnt, very crispy so I bake some for 11-15 minutes. I hate it like that, but he likes it so whatever.

The secret to making these cookies I’ve found is in the butter. If I pull the butter in the microwave and melt it totally down to all runny the cookie does not turn out. If the butter is too hard and not soft enough, the cookie does not work. If I put hard butter right out of the fridge I will cut the butter into my measuring cup and melt it for 30 seconds. This way some of the butter is soft and some is runny. Good.

If the cookie dough is rolled into balls they form perfect beautiful cookies. ‘It’s a good thing!’