Taco Ring

This is an old school recipe my mom used to make for our family all of the time. It's uber quick and easy and feeds a family of four nicely. My sister and I got the craving for it and made it and sharing it here seemed like the next logical step. I use home made taco seasoning which I have included the recipe for, but feel free to use the packaged kind if you have it on hand.

Taco Ring adapted from Sandy Quigley

2 Cans Crescent rolls

2 lb. ground beef (you could use turkey or chicken)

2 packets of taco seasoning or 1/4 c. homemade taco seasoning

2 c. cheddar cheese

Favorite Taco Toppings

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Unwrap crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a round baking stone, with bases overlapping in center and points to outside.

Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning. Stir in 1.5 cups of cheddar cheese.

Spoon ground beef mixture onto the bases of the crescent rolls. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over top.

Finish ring by pulling the points over the ground beef mixture and tucking under the base in the middle of the circle. Continue all the way around the circle.

It should look like this:

Bake for 12-15 minutes or golden brown and the crescent rolls are cooked through.

Serve with your favorite taco toppings: green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, ranch, black olives, or anything you might like.

Taco Seasoning from Dining on a Dime Cookbook

6 tsp. chili powder

4.5 tsp. cumin

5 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. oregano

3 tsp. onion powder

2.5 tsp. garlic powder

1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. One teaspoon homemade taco seasoning equals 2 teaspoons store bought.

Pumpkin Cake with Brown Sugar Icing and Butterscotch Filling

Yum, yum, topped with yum! That's what this cake is. A whipped butterscotch filling sandwiched between two layers of dense pumpkin cake, iced with a creamy brown sugar buttercream. I have made this cake several times now, and each time it tastes just as good! I made it for a coworker's birthday at my previous job and it was gone within fifteen minutes of walking in the door! Like I said, yum, yum, topped with yum! This would be great to take as an alternative to pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, or you know, in addition to.

As a little side note, I have made this a couple of times where I brush the cakes with a maple simple syrup before putting everything together, which takes it over the top delicious. The cake doesn't really need it because it is a very moist cake, however if you feel like taking it one notch further, I'd encourage you to try it with the simple syrup too.

Pumpkin Cake with Butterscotch Filling and Brown Sugar Icing

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
1 cup buttermilk
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling:
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 – 1 oz. pieces
¾ cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts (optional)

For the icing:
2 cups tightly packed brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 8 – 1 oz. pieces
¼ tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Line the bottoms of 2 round 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the parchment, as well as the sides of the pans. Preheat the oven to 325°. Center a rack in the oven.

To make the cake, combine the flour, baking soda, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree and buttermilk and mix until smooth. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase to high speed and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well, and scraping down the bowl between additions. Add the vanilla extract and beat on high for 30 seconds. With the mixer running on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter, until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Immediately divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the filling, heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot (do not allow to boil or simmer). Combine sugar and lemon juice in a separate saucepan and stir with a whisk to combine (the sugar will resemble moist sand). Caramelize the sugar for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the hot cream, one half at a time. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring to incorporate completely before adding the next piece. Cool in the refrigerator 45 minutes. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes, until light (but not fluffy). Add the chopped nuts and stir to incorporate. Set aside.

To make the icing, heat the brown sugar, heavy cream, 2 – 1 oz. pieces of butter, and lemon juice in a 2-3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, while bringing the mixture to a boil. Allow the mixture to continue boiling while stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer the bubbling hot mixture to a stainless steel bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding. Place the cooled mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, adding the 6 remaining pieces of butter one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 1 minute until light and fluffy.

To assemble the cake, place one of the pumpkin cake layers on a cake platter or a cardboard cake circle. Spread butterscotch filling evenly on top of cake. Top with remaining layer of cake, pressing down firmly. Frost sides and top of cake with brown sugar icing. Use remaining frosting to pipe decorative accents onto top and bottom edge of the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Adapted from Annie's Eats
 
Maple Simple Syrup
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 T. maple extract
 
In medium saucepan combine ingredients. Bring to boil stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved. Cool before using.
 
Brush over pumpkin cake layers before assembling cake.

Dream the Dream of Dreamsicle Cake

At the job I currently work at I am in a kitchen all day making desserts and salads. I work at a ball park, so when the team plays a game, we work. The chef of said kitchen has a birthday coming up, and I thought surprising her with a birthday cake would be a great way to celebrate before we went on our next break. After brainstorming with my friend Abbie and scouring the net, cookbooks, and magazines, we thought a dreamsicle cake would be perfect.

This cake is an orange one I found on Food Network's site. It's soaked in orange simple syrup to keep it nice and moist. It is iced with a super easy Martha Stewart buttercream recipe. And a perfect complement to orange, I topped the cake with beautiful, fresh raspberries.

The surprise was well taken, and the whole staff loved the cake.

Orange Cake from Food Network
Ingredients
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Zest of 1 orange, minced
• 1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Syrup:
• 1 orange
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions
1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides, then dust with sugar and flour.

2. Beat the eggs with the sugar to pale yellow ribbons. Beat in the milk, oil and orange zest. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition.

3. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until middle of cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove cake from oven, let cool slightly on a rack, then invert and cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: Use a sharp paring knife to cut the orange rind off the orange used for zest and the remaining orange, leaving the bitter white pith on the orange. Cut the skin into very thin strips and reserve. Cut away and discard the white pith, remove the orange supremes, and reserve.

5. In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, and thin orange strips. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until a thick syrup. Strain the syrup and reserve the orange strips, along with 1/2 cup of the syrup. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of the cake, and then pour the warm strained syrup all over the cake so that it soaks through.

6. Place the remaining 1/2 cup syrup in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce to a few tablespoons. Use a spatula to spread the thick glaze over the top of the cake. Place cake on a serving platter, and arrange the reserved orange strips and orange supremes on top of the cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Food coloring (optional)

Directions
1. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high).

2. Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (If refrigerated before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth.)

Italian Bread

I've always been a sucker for carbs. Rice, potatoes, pasta, bread. You name it, I love it. I made dinner for my family, and decided to make some bread to go with it. Zach is a sucker for  nice crusty breads with light airy insides, and this recipe fit the bill. With five people, it was gone in minutes so that should tell you something.

I did make a change to the original recipe to use what I had on hand. I did not have semolina flour at the time so I substituted it with A.P. flour. It turned out perfectly!

Italian Bread from Stephanie Gallagher

•1 cup warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)
•1/2 cup warm skim milk (between 105 and 115 degrees F)
•2 Tbsp. honey
•2-1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
•3 cups bread flour
•1 cup semolina flour
•1 tsp. sea salt (such as Maldon sea salt)
•2 Tbsp. olive oil
•coarse cornmeal
•olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine water, milk, and honey. Sprinkle yeast over top. Allow to stand 10-15 minutes until foamy. Add 2 cups of bread flour. Using electric stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat on low for 4 minutes. Cover bowl with a towel. Place in an unheated oven and allow to stand 1-2 hours.

Remove bowl from oven and add remaining cup of bread flour, semolina flour, salt and olive oil. Using your electric mixer with a dough hook, beat for 5 minutes. Spray another large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Pour dough into that bowl. Turn over until dough is covered with oil. Cover and let rest 15 minutes.

Sprinkle a cookie sheet with several teaspoons of cornmeal. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into an oval mound. Flatten slightly until each half is about 6 inches across. Spray tops of dough loaves with nonstick spray. Put cookie sheet into unheated oven to rise another 30 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled. Remove dough from oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Using a sharp knife, make 3 slits across top of bread about 1/4 inch deep. Fill a small round cake pan with 1/2 inch of water. Place on cake pan on bottom rack in oven. Place cookie sheet with bread dough on it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. If bread browns too quickly, cover it with foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

Zach and I went on a cruise for our honeymoon, which is where I discovered little morsels of heaven: chocolate lava cakes. They have a moist cakey outside with a liquidy chocolate inside. Paired with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh strawberries. A-ma-zing! Of course they are super yummy without the ice cream and strawberries too.

This particular recipe actually turned out more like a chocolate soufflé than a lava cake. The cakes had a nice airy texture, and didn't give me the really cakey outside I was hoping for. However they tasted awesome! I used a mixture of semi sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate Hershey kisses in mine. I just can't resist dark chocolate. Yum!

Overall the recipe was not what I was expecting out of a lava cake, but pleasantly surprised me with a sort of soufflé version that my guests and I greatly enjoyed.

Molten Chocolate Cakes Recipe from Joy of Baking


1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Generously butter 4 - 3/4 cup molds, ramekins, or custard cups and dust the insides with granulated white sugar. Place the prepared molds on a baking sheet and set aside while you make the chocolate cakes.

In a stainless steel bowl suspended over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and set aside while you whip the egg yolks.

In your electric mixer beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and then fold in the melted chocolate mixture.

In another clean bowl whip the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula or wire whisk gently fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, just until incorporated. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate. Divide the batter between the prepared molds, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the outside edges of the cakes are set but the middle still looks a little wet. You may have cracks on the top surface of the cakes.

Immediately remove from oven and let them rest for a minute or two. Run a palette or sharp knife around the edge of each cake and then invert onto the center of each serving plate. Carefully remove the mold. Sprinkle the top of each cake with confectioners sugar and place a dollop of softly whipped cream, clotted cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream on top of each warm cake.

An Update

So here's what we've been up to the past couple of months.

Finishing classes.

Finding an externship.

Moving.

Preparing for Zach to leave for bootcamp.

So now we are settled back at home. I'm externing at The Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, and I graduate from CCI in July. Then Zach leaves for bootcamp for the United States Marine Corps in September.

Yummy posts will be coming in the near future, so come back soon.

Bagels and Boursin, A Match Sent from Culinary Gods

Bagels have been one of those things that have been on my list to try at home for quite some time. I made mini bagels in Garde Manger (think salads, appetizers, fruit and ice carvings, and sausages) at school, and they turned out great tasting, not so great looking. So I really wanted to try them at home. Unfortunately for me, all of the recipes I have from school are measured in volumes, and I don't have a scale at home (yet). So, in search of a bagel recipe, I perused my favorite foodie blogs, and as usual, Annie, never fails me. It takes some work for this recipe, which is probably why I've been putting off making them, but boy are they worth the effort.

I just sprinkled the toppings on to make an "everything bagel" and I forgot to measure to share with you, so I apologize. My toppings included sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic powder, sea salt, and a bit of onion powder, but you should put whatever you like on them. The sesame seeds add a nice nutty-ness to the whole flavor which I really liked. Also, I made a boursin cheese to go with the bagels, and YUM! It turned out to be a great flavor combo. I only had dried herbs on hand, but you can always use fresh herbs.

So, without further ado, here are the recipes!

Boursin Cheese from Columbus Culinary Institute at Bradford School
Yields approx. 1 1/2 Cups
Ingredients:
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
4 oz. Unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Tbs. Parmesan Cheese
1 t. garlic
1 Tbs. Oregano
1 t. Thyme, minced
1 t. Basil, minced
Salt and Pepper

Method:
1. Cream the butter with a mixer. Add the cream cheese to incorporate.

2. Add the cheese and remaining ingredients. Continue mixing until incorporated. Season to taste.

Bagels from Annie
Yield: 12 large or 24 mini bagels
Ingredients:
For the sponge:
1 teaspoon (.11 ounce) instant yeast
4 cups (18 ounces) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
2 ½ cups (20 ounces) water, at room temperature

For the dough:
½ teaspoon (.055 ounces) instant yeast
3 ¾ cups (17 ounces) unbleached high-gluten or bread flour
2 ¾ teaspoons (.7 ounce) salt
2 teaspoons (.33 ounce) malt powder OR 1 tablespoon (.5 ounce) dark or light malt syrup, honey, or brown sugar

To finish:
1 tablespoon baking soda
Cornmeal or semolina flour for dusting
Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, kosher salt, rehydrated dried minced garlic or onions, or chopped fresh onions that have been tossed in oil (optional)

Directions:
1. To make the sponge, stir the yeast into the flour in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Add the water, whisking or stirring only until it forms a smooth, sticky batter (like pancake batter). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the mixture becomes very foamy and bubbly. It should swell to nearly double in size and collapse when the bowl is tapped on the countertop.

2. To make the dough, in the same mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), add the additional yeast to the sponge and stir. Then add 3 cups of the flour and all of the salt and malt. Stir (or mix on low speed with the dough hook) until the ingredients form a ball, slowly working in the remaining ¾ cup flour to stiffen the dough.

3. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for at least 10 minutes (or for 6 minutes by machine). The dough should be firm, stiffer than French bread dough, but still pliable and smooth. There should be no raw flour – all the ingredients should be hydrated. The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F. If the dough seems dry and rips, add a few drops of water and continue kneading. If the dough seems tacky or sticky, add more flour to achiever the stiffness required. The kneaded dough should feel satiny and pliable but not be tacky.

4. Immediately divide the dough into 4 ½ ounce pieces for standard bagels, or smaller if desired. Form the pieces into rolls.

5. Cover the rolls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for approximately 20 minutes.

6. Line two sheet pans with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil. Proceed with shaping the bagels by pushing a hole through the center and stretching out the hole to 2 ½ inches in diameter.

7. Place each of the shaped pieces 2 inches apart on the pan. Mist the bagels very lightly with the spray oil and slip each pan into a food-grade plastic bag, or cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the pans sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

8. Check to see if the bagels are ready to be retarded in the refrigerator by using the “float test”. Fill a small bowl with cool or room-temperature water. The bagels are ready to be retarded when they float within 10 seconds of being dropped into the water. Take one bagel and test it. If it floats, immediately return the tester bagel to the pan, pat it dry, cover the pan, and place it in the refrigerator overnight (it can stay in the refrigerator for up to 2 days). If the bagel does not float, return it to the pan and continue to proof the dough at room temperature, checking back every 10 to 20 minutes or so until a tester floats. The time needed to accomplish the float will vary, depending on the ambient temperature and the stiffness of the dough.

9. The following day (or when you are ready to bake the bagels), preheat the oven to 500° F with the two racks set in the middle of the oven. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (the wider the pot the better), and add the baking soda. Have a slotted spoon or skimmer nearby.

10. Remove the bagels from the refrigerator and gently drop them into the water, boiling only as many comfortably fit (they should float within 10 seconds). After 1 minute flip them over and boil another minute. If you like very chewy bagels, you can extend the boiling to 2 minutes per side. While the bagels are boiling, sprinkle the same parchment-line sheet pans with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you decided to replace the paper, be sure to spray the new paper lightly with spray oil to prevent the bagels from sticking to the surface.) If you want to top the bagels, do so as soon as they come out of the water. You can use any of the suggestions in the ingredients list or a combination.

11. When all the bagels have been boiled, place the pans on the 2 middle shelves in the oven. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, and then rotate the pans, switching shelves and giving the pans a 180-degree rotation. (If you are baking only 1 pan, keep it on the center shelf but still rotate 180 degrees.) After the rotation, lower the oven setting to 450° F and continue baking for about 5 minutes, or until the bagels turn light golden brown. You may bake them darker if you prefer.

12. Remove the pans from the oven and let the bagels cool on a rack for 15 minutes or longer before serving.

Soft Pretzels

Let me just say: these were gone within hours of coming out of the oven. If that doesn't tell you how good they are, then I don't know what else to say. The centers were chewy and soft and the outsides were nice and firm with a salty crunch. I have wanted to make soft pretzels for a while now, and finally got some yeast for Christmas (yes I know it's an odd gift, but it's a gift I LOVE). I found this recipe on Annie's site, and went for it. These have definitely become a regular snack in our house.

Soft Pretzels

Ingredients:
For the dough:
1½ cups warm water (110-115° F)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2¼ tsp. instant yeast
22 oz. all-purpose flour (about 4½ cups)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for greasing the bowl

For finishing:
Cooking spray
10 cups water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water
Pretzel (or kosher) salt

Directions:
To make the dough, combine the water, sugar, salt and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to dissolve the yeast. Add in the flour and melted butter and mix just until the dough comes together. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and clears the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a bowl lightly greased with vegetable oil, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, about 50-55 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a large saucepan or stockpot. In the meantime, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll a segment out into a 24-inch long rope. Make a U-shape with the rope and holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and onto the bottom of the U-shape in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 or 2 at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove from the water with a slotted skimmer and return to the baking sheet. Once all the pretzels have been boiled, brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Cake

My step son, Kaden, turns 5 on Friday and we had a party for him on Sunday. This cake was a huge hit and perfect for a child's birthday party. The cake is rich, moist, and perfect. The buttercream icing was smooth, light, creamy, and delicious, just as buttercream should be. This is a 6 layer masterpiece that looks difficult, but is really so easy! Don't let it intimidate you!

As I was browsing online for some dinner ideas a couple of months ago I ran across Rina's blog, Gotta Little Space and this spectacular cake. It immediately went in the "to make" pile. Kaden's birthday seemed to be the perfect excuse to pull out the recipe. So here you have it.

After putting the layers together and adding my crumb layer of icing I thought I wouldn't have enough buttercream to finish, but I really did not want to make another batch at 11:30, so I made do, and it worked out just fine. The outside layer is very thin, but with the decorating icing, sprinkles, and layers of buttercream inside, it balanced out the cake well. I put the cake in the fridge to set the buttercream, and ended up leaving it there overnight. If you do this, make sure you pull it out of the fridge several hours in advance so the buttercream has a chance to come to room temperature.

As expected the cake got great reviews. It looks impressive and tastes awesome.

Super Epic Rainbow Cake from Whisk Kid
Makes one (huge!) 9 inch, six layered cake

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/3 cups sugar
5 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk, warmed to room temperature
red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple food coloring

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease your 9 inch cake pans (I have 2 commercial pans, I just kept washing, re greasing and re lining) and line with parchment on the bottoms.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs whites a little at a time. Add vanilla and mix till blended. Alternating between wet and dry, add the milk and flour mixture.

Divide the batter amongst 6 bowls - Kaitlin suggested doing this by weight, but I just used a 1 cup measuring cup to start and as the batter decreased, I used a 1/4 cup measure till all the batter was gone. Whisk a fair amount of each food color into each bowl, pour into your prepared pans and bake for approximately 15 minutes each.

Let the baked cakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then finish cooling on a rack.

Basic Vanilla Buttercream from  Bon Appétit

5 large egg whites
1 2/3 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup water
1 pound unsalted butter, diced, room temperature
Note - it is indescribably important to have each and every one of your ingredients at room temperature or your buttercream will fail. That's pretty much guaranteed. Trust me.

Combine egg whites and 1/3 cup of sugar in a large bowl using a mixer. Add vanilla.

Combine remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is bubbling.

Meanwhile, beat egg white mixture on medium speed until very soft peaks form.

Increase mixer speed to high and slowly pour hot syrup down the side of the bowl into egg white mixture in a slow, steady stream. Beat until this meringue forms stiff peaks. Allow meringue to cool in the bowl until lukewarm. Do not beat to cool.

Once lukewarm, start beating meringue on medium speed. Gradually add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, beating constantly till each addition is absorbed before adding next. Continue beating until buttercream is smooth.

If buttercream looks 'broken' or curdled, you can try placing the bowl of buttercream over medium heat on a stove burner and whisk for 5-10 seconds to warm slightly, then remove from heat and whisk vigorously or beat again on medium speed. Repeat this process until buttercream becomes smooth. Keep in mind, this may not work and it might not be salvageable.

You will be able to tell when the buttercream is starting to come together by listening to your mixer - all of a sudden it will start to sound as though it is working harder, and then the buttercream will come together quickly.

Happy New Year!

This New Year’s Eve Zach and I decided to take it easy, relax, and celebrate the New Year at home. We slept in and then did a little shopping. After we worked up a good appetite, we came home and ate. And boy, did we eat. Our menu was: pan seared New York Strip steaks, Italian style risotto, and fresh green beans sautéed in butter. The risotto paired perfectly with the spicy steak and crisp, buttery green beans. Honestly, I would not have changed a thing as all items got a rave review from Zach, Butterscotch, and Max (the latter two being our cats). And myself, of course. Yummy!

Just a couple of tips here- Do not be afraid of risotto! It is so delicious and pretty hard to mess up. Yes, it is time consuming, but it is totally worth the effort! Also, don’t be afraid of seasoning!!! Salt and pepper are your best friends in the kitchen. Just a touch of salt can enhance the flavor of anything and make it taste so much better. I just want to note here as well, the pairing of meat and pepper is a match made in heaven. A good steak will hold up to the spicy kick of pepper and your taste buds will love you forever. So without further ado, our menu…

New York Strip Steaks
Steaks- Look for a nice red color and it should not have a bad odor. It should spring back to its original shape when touched.
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Seasoned Salt

Season the steaks with the spices and grill or pan fry until desired temperature. Let rest for 5 minutes before eating so juices can redistribute throughout the steak.

Buttery Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans
3 T. butter
Salt
Pepper

Trim ends off green beans and remove any strings.

Fill a medium to large pot halfway full of water. It doesn’t really matter how big the pot is as long as the beans will all fit in without being crowded. Generously salt the water and bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil prepare an ice bath by putting a generous amount of ice in a bowl and filling it with cold water.

Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until almost done but still crisp. Drain and immediately place the beans in the prepared ice bath. This will stop the cooking until you are ready to finish them.

When ready to finish the beans, melt butter in a sauté pan and get the pan hot. Add the beans and toss together until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Italian Style Risotto
½ c. Arborio rice
¼ c. chopped onion
4 T. butter, divided in half
1 ½-3 c. chicken broth (amount will vary depending on rice)
2 T. heavy cream
¼ c. shredded Italian style cheese (mixture has Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Fontina, and Asiago cheeses)
¼ t. dried oregano
¼ t. dried basil
Bay leaf

Heat chicken stock.

In a separate pan, sauté the onion in half of the butter until soft.

Add rice and sauté for about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1/4 cup of hot broth and cook over medium high heat while stirring until all the broth is absorbed.

Add bay leaf, oregano, and basil.

Continue adding stock ¼ cup at a time, cooking until all the broth is absorbed before adding the next amount. The rice will be done when it is soft or slightly al dente, depending on preference.

Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and cheese.

Source: Me!