This recipe isn't anything special and quite frankly, it'll probably be the only thing on this blog that I've never actually made. The recipe is on here more for the story behind it than for the treat itself.
A few years ago, while I was living in Colorado, I got a phone call from my mother... it went exactly like this:
Mom: Bailey, I have to apologize for something really serious.
Me: ... Ok. What did you do?
Mom: I've been talking to a lot of people in the office about how you and I would always cook and bake together. Well, apparently I made you miss out on an integral part of your childhood, and I'm sorry.
Me: What are you talking about?
Mom: We never made Rice Crispy Treats together!
Me: Well Mom, that's why I'm gay.
Mom: ...(dead silence)... Ahahahahahahahaahaha! **I think there was even a snort in there**
So, whenever I come home now, my Mom has a giant block of rice crispy treat waiting for me in the kitchen. I tell her it's too late, and that the damage is done, and BUYING rice crispy treat isn't the same as MAKING them. Oh well, at least she tried. :)
Thank you, Mom! I love you.
Here's the recipe, in case you've NEVER made this thing before (like me).
1 1/2 bags of miniature marshmallows
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups rice crispy cereal
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add marshmallows.
Stir until mixture thickens and becomes too difficult to stir. Mix in the cereal and stir until hot.
Butter a pan and spread marshmallow-y goodness into pan evenly. Allow to cool and cut into squares.
**DISCLAIMER** This treat may not prevent gay-ness... or it may. One thing is for certain: it's too late for me. :)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Mom's Fruit Tart
This recipe, like many of the others I'll be posting on this blog, is from my Mom! This is a great dessert for summer - just make sure your fruit is fresh! The recipe is a little involved, but the end result it totally worth it.
Crust
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, butter, and confectioners' sugar. Process until mixture forms a ball. With your fingers (hands-on fun!), press the dough into an 11'' or 12'' tart pan with removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides of the pan. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Filling
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla (with a mixer, not a processor) until smooth - about two minutes. Spread over the cooled crust, almost to the ruffled edge.
Topping
1 quart strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
blueberries
1 container red raspberries
Cut the strawberries into 1/4 inch slices, using slices that are similarly sized (not outside slices) and arrange around the edge of the crust (points inward). For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Fill spaces with blueberries and cluster raspberries in the center.
Glaze
1 (6 oz.) can frozen limeade, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Combine limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick and kind of clear - about two minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, gently paint the entire tart (except crust edge). You won't use all of the glaze.
Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about fifteen minutes before serving and cut into wedges.
Crust
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, butter, and confectioners' sugar. Process until mixture forms a ball. With your fingers (hands-on fun!), press the dough into an 11'' or 12'' tart pan with removable bottom, taking care to push the crust into the indentations in the sides of the pan. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until very lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
Filling
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla (with a mixer, not a processor) until smooth - about two minutes. Spread over the cooled crust, almost to the ruffled edge.
Topping
1 quart strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
blueberries
1 container red raspberries
Cut the strawberries into 1/4 inch slices, using slices that are similarly sized (not outside slices) and arrange around the edge of the crust (points inward). For the next circle, use kiwi slices. Fill spaces with blueberries and cluster raspberries in the center.
Glaze
1 (6 oz.) can frozen limeade, thawed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Combine limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thick and kind of clear - about two minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, gently paint the entire tart (except crust edge). You won't use all of the glaze.
Keep the tart in the refrigerator. Remove about fifteen minutes before serving and cut into wedges.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Ex-Girlfriend Quiche
Funny name, right? Well, out of the many things I learned in my relationship with Amanda, I believe the most important thing I took away from it was her fabulous and EASY quiche recipe. So, thanks Amanda!
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
8 oz. shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar and colby-jack)
10 oz. chopped spinach, well drained
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 pie shell
Add as many other vegetables you'd like. I usually add broccoli, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Saute onions (until soft and translucent) and any other vegetables you're going to add (excluding the spinach).
Whisk together all ingredients, pour into pie shell. Place pie shell onto cookie sheet, cover quiche with foil (sprayed with Pam so it doesn't stick).
Bake in oven for forty-five minutes. Remove cover, and bake for another ten - fifteen minutes, or until the top is golden brown and filling is set.
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
8 oz. shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar and colby-jack)
10 oz. chopped spinach, well drained
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 pie shell
Add as many other vegetables you'd like. I usually add broccoli, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Saute onions (until soft and translucent) and any other vegetables you're going to add (excluding the spinach).
Whisk together all ingredients, pour into pie shell. Place pie shell onto cookie sheet, cover quiche with foil (sprayed with Pam so it doesn't stick).
Bake in oven for forty-five minutes. Remove cover, and bake for another ten - fifteen minutes, or until the top is golden brown and filling is set.
Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream
This winter was incredibly harsh on Florida's strawberry crop. The local farms absolutely felt the decrease in sales this season, but local consumers, like myself, were able to purchase perfectly delicious strawberries for ridiculously cheap prices because the majority of local crop could not be shipped out of state. I took advantage of this situation and stocked up on strawbabies!! I'd been missing Bologna, Italy a lot and decided to recreate one of my favorite daily indulgences while living in Bologna - gelato! Now, this isn't the same thing, obviously, but with the fresh strawberries and the amazing balsamic vinegar I brought home, it's as close as anyone can get without actually going.
I know what you're thinking... balsamic vinegar and ice cream?! Yeah, deal with it. The sweeter, older (aged), thicker balsamic is the kind of vinegar you want to use for this recipe. I recommend at 10-12 year aged bottle, or even Saba, which is a dessert vinegar made from the Saba grape of Reggio Emilia-Romagna.
This recipe makes about two quarts.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds fresh strawberries - hulled, rinsed, and sliced.
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vodka (this keeps the ice cream from turning rock hard (that's what she said!) in the freezer)
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Combine the strawberries with the sugar, balsamic vinegar, and vodka in a large bowl. Cover and let stand a room temperature for an hour or so.
Pour strawberry mixture into a food processor. Add the creme fraiche and heavy cream and process until just combined. Chill the mixture and then freeze in the ice cream maker.
Mi piace molto!
I know what you're thinking... balsamic vinegar and ice cream?! Yeah, deal with it. The sweeter, older (aged), thicker balsamic is the kind of vinegar you want to use for this recipe. I recommend at 10-12 year aged bottle, or even Saba, which is a dessert vinegar made from the Saba grape of Reggio Emilia-Romagna.
This recipe makes about two quarts.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds fresh strawberries - hulled, rinsed, and sliced.
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vodka (this keeps the ice cream from turning rock hard (that's what she said!) in the freezer)
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Combine the strawberries with the sugar, balsamic vinegar, and vodka in a large bowl. Cover and let stand a room temperature for an hour or so.
Pour strawberry mixture into a food processor. Add the creme fraiche and heavy cream and process until just combined. Chill the mixture and then freeze in the ice cream maker.
Mi piace molto!
Chocolate Lavender Cupcakes
Spring has sprung, which means it's time to incorporate flowers and fruit into food! What could be better than chocolate and lavender?!
Ingredients
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms, finely ground in spice mill
4 large eggs
Preheat that oven to 350 degrees! Line muffin tins with cupcake cups. Chop chocolate and melt in 30 second intervals in the microwave, until smooth when stirred with a butter knife. Let cool.
Sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl. Whisk milk and yogurt together in a small bowl. Using a stand mixer, cream together brown sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, then add ground lavender. Pour in melted chocolate and continue to beat until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture.
Spoon batter into cupcake cups. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Frost with cream cheese icing once cupcakes cool.
Icing
1 stick butter
2 packages (total 16 oz.) of cream cheese
1 teaspoon of lime and orange zest
2 teaspoons of lime and orange juice
4 cups confectioners' sugar
6-8 drops purple food coloring
Soften the butter with a mixer on high speed. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add about half of the confectioners' sugar and zest/juice mixture and beat until combined. Add remaining confectioners' sugar until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved. Add food coloring and mix until consistent color is achieved. Enjoy those babies!
Ingredients
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms, finely ground in spice mill
4 large eggs
Preheat that oven to 350 degrees! Line muffin tins with cupcake cups. Chop chocolate and melt in 30 second intervals in the microwave, until smooth when stirred with a butter knife. Let cool.
Sift flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl. Whisk milk and yogurt together in a small bowl. Using a stand mixer, cream together brown sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, then add ground lavender. Pour in melted chocolate and continue to beat until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture.
Spoon batter into cupcake cups. Bake 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Frost with cream cheese icing once cupcakes cool.
Icing
1 stick butter
2 packages (total 16 oz.) of cream cheese
1 teaspoon of lime and orange zest
2 teaspoons of lime and orange juice
4 cups confectioners' sugar
6-8 drops purple food coloring
Soften the butter with a mixer on high speed. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add about half of the confectioners' sugar and zest/juice mixture and beat until combined. Add remaining confectioners' sugar until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved. Add food coloring and mix until consistent color is achieved. Enjoy those babies!
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