Luscious Buttermilk Brownies

Luscious Buttermilk Brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
shot of Bailey's Irish Cream (optional, but so good if added)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, melt margarine. Add the cocoa and mix until blended.
3. Add the remaining ingredients in order given.
4. Bake in 13x9 inch pan for 20-25 minutes.

Yes, there is no photo once again. That's because I didn't decorate any of them, and they were eaten very quickly. So, I'm sorry if you need a photo. But trust me, these work every time :)

Nutella Hot Chocolate

I did not come up with this recipe, my good friend Carrie gave it to me, and I am forever grateful! Because of it's wonderfulness I thought I'd share.

Ingredients:
-1 cup of milk
-2 spoonfuls of Nutella
-whipped cream
-mini marshmallows

Directions:
1. In small saucepan heat 1/4 cup of milk on low heat, whisking continuously.
2. Gradually add the Nutella until completely dissolved.
3. Add remaining milk and whisk until hot. Pour into favourite mug and add whipped cream, marshmallows and cinnamon if desired.

I didn't take this photo either, I found it on google. Yes, today I am just full of cheating, no recipe, no photo. What can I say? Sometimes we just need other people.

Chocolate Delight Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place liners in muffin tins.
2. In large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Batter should be smooth and thick.
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until tops of cupcakes have slight cracks in them. Serve with frosting or without.

Mocha Marbled Nutella Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
3 tbsp. butter
2 blocks (8 ounce each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream*
1 tsp. instant coffee powder
4 tbsp. nutella, melted

Directions:
1. Line 9inch springform pan with foil. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In small bowl, melt butter and add cookie crumbs. Mix well and press firmly into the bottom of springform pan, set aside.
3. In large bowl whisk together the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and coffee powder. Pour batter over prepared crust.
4. Place 3/4 cup of cheesecake batter into another small bowl. Add the nutella and mix well.
5. Using teaspoon, scoop small amounts of nutella batter into the prepared cheesecake batter. With a knife or toothpick, drag it through the nutella batter to get the marbled effect.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and centre is almost solid. Cool on countertop completely and then place in the fridge to set over night. Garnish as desired.

*If you don't have sour cream in the house (I didn't) you can use either yogurt or sour milk. If using the milk it'll turn out a little runnier, but if you bake it a little longer you'll never notice the difference.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Strawberry Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsps. baking powder
1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup pureed or finely diced strawberries
1 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins and set aside.
2. In medium sized bowl, combine flour and baking powder and mix well.
3. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla. With electric mixer, use the whisk attachments and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time and then finally the egg white. Beat again until fluffy.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture along with the milk alternating, beating between each addition until all is blended. Fold in the strawberries so the batter doesn't lose the air that's been worked in.
5. Fill the muffin liners and bake for 15-20 minutes (mini cupcakes) or 20-25 minutes (regular cupcakes). Frost with desired strawberry frosting.

*I first saw this recipe on Annie's Eats and changed up some things to make this recipe work for me. I also tried to make the Swiss Meringue Strawberry Buttercream. I made it two times and both were a complete fail. So I myself wouldn't advise using that recipe, but again that's just my experience. So if it works for you, comment and leave a tip for success!

Dad's 50th birthday :)

So on the weekend my and my parents went camping for my father's 50th birthday, and because I hate buying cakes and I love making them, so I made one! The recipe is the same as the recipe for Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes except there was no caramel sauce or Nutella, but I'm sure that'd taste amazing too! So yeah, just instead of cupcake pans, use a 9 inch springform and bake for 20-30 minutes and voilà! A nice and even rich chocolate cake. I made mini cupcakes as well with extra batter and decorated them with Reese's Pieces Candy and mini Reese's Pieces cups. And using my brand new piping tips, I had fun.

Please note, I do realize this doesn't look professional. I wasn't intending it to because my dad isn't as picky as I am and it was his birthday after all.

Here he is!




Also, on the weekend I received my new Nikkor 18-105 lens and these photos are taken with that. It works FANTASTIC and I can't wait until my friends wedding in October that I'm doing :)

Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins

I know a lot of people who make these different, and all still taste fantastic. But for some reason, I suck at getting the cream cheese mixture the bubble in the middle of the muffin. I've tried it so many ways and it always ends up like this. Oh well, just makes it look like there's more cheesy goodness!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffins
Ingredients:
1 block (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
as much chocolate chips as your heart desires

3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup cocoa (more or less depending on how rich you like it)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup margarine, melted
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. In small bowl mix together the first four ingredients until blended well, set aside.
2. In large bowl whisk together the margarine, water, vanilla, and sugar. Add in flour, baking soda, and cocoa gradually.
3. Using either mini lined muffin tins or regular lined muffin tins, scoop batter evenly into each muffin tin leaving some room at the top for the cream cheese mixture.
4. Once all liners are filled, scoop the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the batter.
5. In preheated 350 degree F oven, (if using mini muffin tins) bake for about 15 minutes (if using regular sized muffin tins) bake for 20-25 minutes.

Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup Nutella
caramel ice cream topping

Directions:
1. Melt margarine and 1 tbsp. of Nutella. Add cocoa and mix until all blended.
2. Add the eggs, cream, vanilla, water, and sugar. Mix well.
3. Gradually add the flour and baking powder.
4. In lined muffin tins, scoop even amounts of batter into muffin liners. Squirt a quarter sized drop of caramel topping onto the unbaked cupcakes.
5. Bake in 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
6. Once completely cooled, cut out the centre of the cupcake. Melt the remaining Nutella and spoon into the middle. Put the top of the cupcake back on.
7. Top with favourite frosting or whipped cream.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch each oregano & basil
1 tsp. flour

Directions:
1. In medium saucepan, heat margarine until melted. Add margarine and let simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat.
2. Add seasoning gradually, letting simmer after each addition.
4. Add 1 tsp. flour, whisk to thicken.
5. Pour on top of grilled chicken and fettuccine noodles, serve with warm garlic bread.

Lemon Cake

So this is the same recipe as Orange Cream Cake except the frosting is a lemon buttercreaem, that's the only difference. Need that recipe? Here you go:

Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup margarine or butter, softened & whipped
2 1/2 cups icing sugar (may need more)
2 tbsp. cream
2 tsp. lemon juice (more or less depending on preference)

Directions:
1. Add lemon juice and cream to butter, cream together.
2. Gradually add icing sugar until you've reached desired consistency.
3. Spread on cake of choice and enjoy :)

I added two photos simply because I'm proud of my piping skills and how they've been improving =D)

baking can be therapeutic...

This week, my cousin of the same age as myself passed away from a quading accident. Like most people, I've cried -alot-, talked about it, looked at photos from years past, and shared memories.

I've dealt with death before but never of someone this close in age.

So for my therapy, I've been baking. I mean, I'm always baking something, but it was different now. I didn't rush through it so I could fit something more into my day. I took my time and tried a new recipe. Same idea as an old one, but new approach. I took my time and tried to process things.

My family was all upstairs so I couldn't have music playing. It was hard to get into my little baking bubble that I'm usually in, but in a way it helped, because I needed to focus more and pay attention.

I don't know if this is making any sense to those who are reading, but yeah. When I finished the cake, I couldn't believe how much of my heart and soul went into making it. When I was tired of crying, my heart went to something else. Something that will bless my friends tonight as we gather for out writers party before spring break.



Cousins; Britni, Dante, myself.


I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and earth.
- Psalm 121:1

Cream Cheese Pizza Dip

Cream Cheese Pizza Dip

Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese (8 ounce)
2 tbsp. italian salad dressing
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup pizza sauce

Directions:
1. In small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and dressing. Press into the bottom of 9 inch oven-proof bowl.
2. Pour the pizza sauce over the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle the top with cheese.
3. Place in preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve with fresh French bread.


Sorry for the bad photo, I had friends over for a party thing and I didn't have time to make it look all fancy and such...

Orange Cream Cake

Orange Cream Cake

Please note: this recipe gives one 9 inch cake. In the photo I used two recipes to get two 9 inch cakes for the layered cake. This recipe will only give one layer.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour*
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk or light cream
1 tsp. vanilla
orange zest

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together to egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, again, until soft peaks form.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, in about 3 parts, beginning and ending with the flour, beat well.
5. In 9-inch springform pan, line with either parchement paper, wax paper, or grease with non-stick spray (ex. Pam). Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
6. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling wrack to finish cooling.


*You may use either cake flour or all-purpose flour. I've tried both and they both give the same great result.


Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese (8 ounce), softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. squeezed orange juice
Enough icing sugar to give the consistancy you desire.

Directions:
1. Cream together to butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
3. Gradually add in the icing sugar, mixing well until all is incorporated.
4. Spread over both cake layers, garnish with orange zest or orange slices.

Simply Pasta

Simply Pasta

Ingredients:
1 large handfull spaghetti (so basically, enough for roughly two people)
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2. clove garlic, minced
1 small handfull red onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 medium sized mushrooms, sliced thin
Red Cooking Wine
Olive Oil
Basil

Directions:
1. Boil one medium pot of water with a sprinkling of salt, add spaghetti and let cook while making sauce.
2. In small pot, add a small splash of olive oil. Heat until runny, add carrots. Sautee until tender, add onion, mushroom and garlic. Sautee until onions turn a nice golden colour and mushrooms are soft.
3. Add a splash of wine, let simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, stir until well combined. Add basil and let simmer until pasta is done cooking.
5. Drain pasta, serve with sauce and enjoy.


Sorry, there is no photo because I was in a hurry (I had to eat, clean up, change, and get to work all in 30 minutes by the time this was finished, I hope you understand).

However-You-Want-It Pizza

However-You-Want-It Pizza

Sauce:
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. oregano

Cheese:
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
3 drops liquid smoke

Dough:
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
1. Mix together all ingredients for the sauce.
2. With the cheese, add the three drops of liquid smoke*.
3. (Dough) Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the water and oil slowly, kneading it well.
4. Roll out dough on a baking/pizza stone to form one large, thin 12 inch round crust*. Add the sauce and cheese and whatever ingredients you'd like.
5. Baking in 475 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.

*Adding the liquid smoke to the cheese gives this pizza a nice deep flavour. This is optional, but tastes much better if added.
*When rolling out the dough, instead of using flour on the bottom to keep it from sticking to the stone, use cornstarch. It gives a softer crust and doesn't dry it out like flour would.