Caramel shortbread bars

These turned out so delicious!  A nice, buttery shortbread cookie with a gooey caramel layer.  add a little chocolate on top and there you go.  this recipe is pretty easy and very delicious.

Caramel shortbread bars

Shortbread layer
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground pecans or walnuts
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mix until this forms a dough.  this dough will be fairly soft.  press into a well greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until golden.  remove from oven and cool completely.


Caramel layer
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup butter
Mix together in a saucepan, cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until bubbly.  continue to cook to hard ball stage (260 on a candy thermometer or until mixture forms a hard ball when dropped into ice water)
Spread over completely cooled shortbread.
Top with chocolate chips, or an entire layer of chocolate if desired.
Allow to cool at least an hour before cutting.  You can do it!

It's almost December!

You know you are hoping we will be mailing you one of our delicious boxes full of treats.  today, I have made toffee.  It is carmely, buttery, crunchy deliciousness.  This recipe is super easy.  

Toffee

2 cups flour

1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

Put flour and 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor.  Pulse until the
pecans are ground.  Add 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter.  Pulse
until thee mixture forms coarse crumbs.
spread into a well greased 9x13 pan.
Combine 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar in a saucepan.  heat on low, stirring constantly until boiling.  Continue to stir about 5 minutes until mixture turns caramel in color.  Do not burn!  (That is not delicious!)
Pour this lovely caramel over the crust layer.
Now, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup pecans.
bake at 350 for 18 minutes.  the caramel will bubble and mix with the flour level.  resist the urge to open the door and look at it.  just trust it to do the magic.
When the time is finally up, pull from oven, and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  (We also added some butterscotch chips just for fun.)
You can spread out the chips to make a chocolate layer or even use more chips if you would like it to be really chocolatey.  I just love the caramel flavor, so I went with the less is more approach.

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini bread

The holiday baking continues!

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini bread

2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 cups flour

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TBS cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp lemon extract

1 cup thawed, frozen blueberries drained

zest from 1 lemon

Beat together oil and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.  Add all spices and extracts.  when well mixed, add baking powder, baking soda, and flour.  Do not over mix!  Fold in blueberries and lemon zest.

Pour into 2 greased bread pans.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  

holiday whoopie pies

Continuing with the holiday baking extravaganza  I present whoopie pies!  I actually made 2 versions of these.  One with a chocolate cookie and vanilla filling.  Another with Andes mints.

Chocolate whoopie pies

Cookies:

4 1/2 cup flour

2 cups butter flavored crisco

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

4 eggs extract

1 TBS baking soda

1 TBS vanilla

1 large box chocolate instant pudding

Cream Crisco and sugars until fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix in flour and baking soda.

bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.  the center will still

be a little soft. Do not overbake.  To make whoopie pies, use a scoop so all are the same size.

I also added Andes mint pieces to the batter in another batch.  they were fabulous!

filling:

2 cups Rich's Bettercreme.

1/4 tsp mint extract

Whip together to stiff peaks.

We rolled these in sprinkles, but i think candy cane pieces would be lovely.

Cranberry cheesecake

The party went as great as I expected.  It is always nice to see the extended family and catch up.  I love my family and am blessed to have them in my life.  to continue with the holiday baking, i brought cranberry cheesecake to the party.  (and a ham, but that isn't nearly as exciting.)

Cranberry cheesecake

crust

1 sleeve of graham crackers

3 TBS butter, melted

1 TBS sugar.

crush graham crackers, mix with sugar and butter.  Press into the bottom and a bout 1/2 inch up the side of a springform pan.

Cheesecake

4 blocks of cream cheese at room temperature

5 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup half and half

2/3 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add sugar and mix well.  Mix in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.  Add salt and vanilla.  After well mixed, add sour cream and half and half.  At this point, don't over beat, just mix until well combined.

Pour over crust.  Bake at 325 for an hour in a water bath.  (this prevents cracking.)  If you are not familiar with a water bath, just place a 9x13 pan of hot water in the oven.  Wrap the bottom and sides of your springform pan with foil to keep the water out, and place springform pan into the water.

Once the cheesecake is baked, turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and allow to cool in oven for 4 hours.  Transfer to the refrigerator for another 4 hours.

To remove from pan, simply pop the spring on your pan and remove the sides.  If it sticks a little, just run a butter knife around the edges and wiggle the pan gently.

Cranberry sauce:

1 package fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice (the juice from one orange)

zest from one orange

Place water, cranberries, and sugar in a saucepan.  Simmer on low for a few minutes, stir in orange juice and zest.  Continue to simmer until thickened.  Pour into a shallow pan and place in the refrigerator for several hours until cooled

Balsamic whipped cream

Mix 1 cup whipping cream, 1 TBS balsamic vinegar, and 1/4 cup sugar in mixer.  Beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble:

Place cooled cheesecake on serving platter, top with cranberry sauce, pipe whipped cream on the outside.

ENJOY!

Black Friday weekend continues

My favorite get-together of the year happens on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  That is my Dad's family Turk-Xmas party. The family has grown so much that we rent a hall and have one very large party a year.  this allows everyone to plan ahead and most people make it.  for us, the drive isn't too far; some come a very long way.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone again and annihilating my aunt at a game of spoons.
Since we have a pretty big day, my youngest daughter and I made breakfast last night.

Cinnamon swirl bread

This recipe uses a bread machine, so I just let her measure everything, and we turned it on.  When the time came for assembly, I did one as an example, and she did the other.  We brushed ours with an egg wash so they would get a nice toasty, shiny color.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-swirl-bread-for-the-bread-machine/detail.aspx.

The baking extravaganza has begun!

Every year for as long as i can remember, I have had a baking extravaganza during the holidays.  when I was younger, I went to my aunt Joyce's house and made candy with her.  Later, I did it myself.  now, i have daughters!  So, the baking has begun for this holiday season.  no black Friday shopping for these girls, no way.  we do black Friday baking.
So, for today, you get...

Bread pudding with Amaretto sauce

First, I should say, i prefer bread pudding made with challah or brioche.  I could not find any at the store, so I made my own.  Step one, make or buy bread.

Then, you will need to whisk together 12 eggs, 4 cups of half and half, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp cardamom.  Add cubed bread and soak for about 30 minutes.

At this point, you can add dried fruit or nuts if you would like.  We have tried chocolate chips before, that was pretty good also.

Spray a 9x13 pan really well.  pour bread mixture into pan.  Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes until firm.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

For amaretto sauce, mix 1.5 cups of milk, 1.5 cups of heavy cream, and .25 cups of sugar in a small pan and bring to a boil.  Add 3/4 cup amaretto, reduce heat to a simmer.  Whisk together 1 TBS cornstarch with 1 TBS water, add to mixture, cook until slightly thickened.  Pour over bread pudding and allow to soak through.  This is good hot, cold, or room temperature.  it's always a hit at family parties.

Loaded potato pancakes

     A few days ago, I cooked thanksgiving dinner for 350 people.  Today, I had to start dealing with the left-overs.  As I stood there trying to decide how I could turn these leftovers into something delicious that people would actually want to buy; I began thinking of the potato pancakes my mom used to make with leftover mashed potatoes.  Then, I had an epiphany!  Everyone loves loaded potato skins, why not loaded potato pancakes?  I tried a few, gave out a few samples, and finally heard what I was looking for, "These are delicious."  And, delicious they were!  So, enjoy these with your left over mashed potatoes later this week.

Loaded potato pancakes

2 cups left over, room temp, mashed potatoes
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour (may need a little more)
1/2 cup bacon crumbles
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chives
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well.  If the mixture does not seem stiff enough, add a little more flour.  It will depend on how dry the potatoes were in the first place.
Heat a skillet on medium, add enough oil to cover the bottom, drop by 1/4 cup into skillet, press down a little to form a pancake.  Allow to cook a few minutes until browned on the bottom and flip.
I served them with sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

     I have had a personal revelation as of late.  Each time I pray, I always say "may your will be done."  I have prayed this statement as long as I can remember; for ill friends, my children, relatives going through tough personal circumstances, and most recently, the election.  What I have realized is that when I make the statement "may your will be done," what I actually mean is I hope your will is the same as mine, because that is what I really want.
     I go into the prayer seeking God's help, but still try to hang onto my will.  Why is it so hard to trust?  I have had so many good things happen for me, I have so many things to be thankful for.  Why is it that I have a hard time trusting God's sovereignty in all situations?  when I trusted Him for a new job, i got one that I loved almost immediately.  however, before that, i held out and tried to do things on my own for years and was miserable.  One day, I took the plunge, and the rewards were great.  Why was this not enough for me?
     Part of the problem is that we like to control our lives and like to be able to take care of things ourselves, but god wants to do things for us, he loves us even more than we love our own children.  I would literally do anything I possibly could for my own children.  I worry about them daily, think of them constantly, and love them with every fiber of my being.  I celebrate their joys with them, and grieve their sorrows with them.  How much greater is God's love for us?
     Striving to be the person he wants me to be often ends in failure.  Although I want to be in the exact place he has planned for me, I often grow tired of waiting for the pay off and try to take over.  There has been so much pain and sorrow in my life, but all of this has made me into the person I am today.  But, there has also been joy, so much joy.  I am so thankful for the life I have been given and will try to let go and trust more.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

On another note, the holiday baking extravaganza begins in one week!

The Holidays are coming!

Thanksgiving is almost here.  Are you ready?  I have been trying to lose 20 pounds before the holiday, and m so close to making that goal!  Goal number 2; don't gain it back  before January.  This second goal is going to be a little difficult because I absolutely love to bake and try new recipes.  With all of the get-togethers coming up, I have lots of opportunity to share my creations with friends and family.  Since I have discovered the joy of Pinterest, I have several boards of recipes I am determined to try, and several grocery lists prepared.  I will be posting these creations for you to let you know what works and what doesn't.

As for now, I have one week left to lose those last 3 pounds, so we are eating healthy here.  I love hummus, especially as a veggie dip, but it is also great as a sandwich spread.  I was discussing this wonderful condiment with my boss who mentioned that hummus made with edamame is pretty delicious.  hummus is traditionally made with chick peas, however I usually make it with black beans or a mixture of both. 

Edamame hummus

1 bag frozen edamame, thawed

1 bulb garlic, roasted

2 TBS Sesame tahini

1 TBS ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup olive oil

First, be sure to buy the shelled edamame to save a ton of time.  To roast garlic, cut the top off of the bulb, place on a piece for aluminum foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in foil, and roast in a 375 degree oven about 20 minutes until the bulb is soft.  remove from oven and allow to cool.

While garlic is roasting, place thawed edamame and tahini in a food processor, pulse a few times until well mixed.  Add all spices and pulse a few more times.

Add garlic.  Just unwrap bulb and squeeze garlic paste into the mixture.  

Now is the time to put the lid on the food processor, slowly drizzle olive oil in through the chute while processing.  Add enough oil to make a nice paste, it may take a little more or less than a cup depending on the texture you would like to achieve.

Be sure to taste, add a little more salt if needed.  If you like a more smoky flavor, add more cumin.

As I stated earlier, you can also make this with black beans or chick peas.  I have had it with kalamata olives and roasted red pepper.  There are so many possible variations, you never need to get bored.

What happened to Thanksgiving??

Hey Walmart, K-Mart, Target, and various other places...What happened to Thanksgiving?  Do you have to have all of the Christmas items out already?  Can we not spend a little time being thankful?  I am a lover of celebrating the birth of Jesus, but that is not what you are doing.  You commercialize this sacred day and turn it into a money making machine.  I admit, I am making plans for my holidays, but will wait until we get closer to Thanksgiving to give time to pay homage to the current holiday.  Think of all of the things you have to be thankful for.  There are a lot!

This is something to be thankful for!  Creamy peanut butter filling in a chocolaty Oreo crust.  add whipped cream and peanut butter cups and you have some heaven for your mouth.  

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Oreo pie crust (Or make your own with crushed cookies and melted butter.)

1 cup peanut butter (you can use creamy or crunchy.  I prefer creamy.)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 block of cream cheese, softened

1 tub Cool Whip Creamy (Or make fresh whipped cream, that is even better)

12 chopped full size peanut butter cups

chocolate syrup to drizzle if desired

Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and sugar on medium until thick and creamy.  The trick is to whip it until it has a lot of air in it.  Using a spatula, fold in a small container of Cool whip Creamy or whipped cream.  Fold gently so you keep an airy mixture.
Fold in half of the peanut butter cups and spread into Oreo crust.
top with remaining peanut butter cups and drizzle with chocolate of desired.  Pipe whipped cream around the edges and viola!
If you want even more peanut butter deliciousness, Spread a little peanut butter onto the crust before adding the filling.  You can also drizzle with melted peanut butter.  I have also made this in cupcake liners for mini pies, they sold like crazy at a bake sale!

Vanilla Blueberry scones

First of all, I have lost 12 pounds.  I am pretty excited.  Now, to stay motivated and keep it up.  I made these delicious scones today, they are not too sweet and go great with tea or coffee.  This recipe is as low calorie as you can make them and about 200 calories less than how I originally made them!  After all of the sugar binging I have done in the few days since our dog died, it was time to get back to eating healthy!

Vanilla blueberry scones

 2 cups flour
1/3 cup splenda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbs light margarine, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup light sour cream (not fat free)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup blueberries.  (You can use frozen that have been thawed and well drained.)
1 TBS sugar

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium bowl, Sift together flour, splenda, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add margarine and combine until it resembles coarse crumbs
In a small bowl, whisk egg, sour cream, and vanilla.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, Mix until dough comes together.  Add blueberries, mix lightly, try not to break too many or the dough will turn blue.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and spread into a 1/2 inch thick circle.  Cut into 10 triangles and place on a baking sheet, liberally sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 400 for 15-17 minutes until golden and delicious!
Allow to cool on pan about 5 minutes.