Butterscotch Blondies with Peanut Pretzel Caramel

There are two camps of people: vanilla people and chocolate people. I am most definitely a vanilla person. I prefer white chocolate over dark, angel food over devil's food cake, vanilla bean ice cream over double fudge and of course BLONDIES over brownies.

I made these blondies for an office cookie exchange. I can't say enough how wonderful cookie exchanges are. You get a whole array of cookies for the effort of making only one. Plus, you get to sample your friends' favorites and find new favorites of your own. Thanks to all the ladies I exchanged cookies with this year!

This recipe came from the December 2011 issue of Bon Appétit. It has a nice salty-sweet flavor from the pretzels contrasted against the homemade caramel. The blondie beneath the topping is chewy and filled with brown sugary goodness. I doubled the recipe and baked it in a jelly roll pan below to make 72 - 1" x 2" bars.



Butterscotch Blondies with Peanut Pretzel Caramel
9 x 13 pan | Bon Appétit, Dec/11

Blondie
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teapsoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut-pretzel caramel
4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups thin twisted pretzels, coarsely crushed

1. Blondie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1" overhang on long sides of pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Stir butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until browned bits form at bottom of pan, 7–8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy and well combined, about 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients; beat until smooth (batter will be thick). Using an offset or regular spatula, evenly spread batter in prepared pan.

2. Bake blondie until golden brown, edges pull away from sides of pan, and a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 20–25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

3. Peanut-pretzel caramel: Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until caramel is deep amber, 12–15 minutes. Add honey; return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute longer. Add butter; stir until blended. Add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously); whisk until smooth. Stir in peanuts and pretzels. Pour over cooled blondie. Chill until cool, about 30 minutes.
DO AHEAD: Chill for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Peanut Butter Waffles

Happy August 1st!!! A new month, a new slate, a new start. I love that feeling.

If you like peanut butter, you will love these waffles. The recipe comes from the May 2011 Everyday Food magazine. I really like this little novel-sized magazine. It features simple recipes, bright pictures and good everyday cooking tips. Nothing fancy, just real life cooking.

The recipe featured here produces waffles the way they should be: fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside, but with an unexpected flavor twist from the peanut butter. I suggest serving them with butter and jam for a breakfast reminiscent of the childhood sandwich favorite. They also make great afternoon snacks. Serve them with ice cream and hot fudge sauce for dessert. I served these with more peanut butter on top and some sliced strawberries this time. So many options... best to try them all!

Peanut Butter Waffles
Makes 6-8 | Everyday Food, May 2011

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup butter, melted, plus more for brushing waffle iron
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs

Heat waffle iron and preheat oven to 275 degrees; set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a blender, blend butter and peanut butter until smooth, 1 minute. Add buttermilk and eggs and blend until combined, 1 minute. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until batter is combined.

Brush waffle iron with butter and pour in 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Close iron and cook until waffles are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. Serve with bananas or other fruit, whipped cream and maple syrup.

Dried Apple Rings

These can be made either in the oven (recipe below) or in a food dehydrator (follow manufacturer's instructions). They are a healthy snack and a wonderful way to use up extra apples. Sometimes I sprinkle some cinnamon on the rings before baking. It makes your house smell amazing! My son likes snacking on them and taking them to school.

Another way to use these dried apples is to chop them up and add use them in baked goods. Because they are drier than fresh apples, you can use them in cookies without worrying about the cookies getting soggy. I also find that they work well in muffins. My ultimate favorite use for these is in cinnamon buns. Rather than using raisins, throw a cup of chopped dried apples into your cinnamon bun filling mixture and voila - apple cinnamon buns!

Dried Apple Rings
Reader's Digest

4 apples
2 cups cold water
2 tbsp lamon juice

1. Peel and core the apples. Slice the apples into rings, about 1/4-inch thick.

2. To keep the apple rings from browning, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add the apple rings, making sure each apple ring gets coated with the water-lemon mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well; pat apple rings dry with paper towels.

3. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 wire racks with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the apple rings in a single layer on the wire racks, making sure rings do not touch or overlap. Set each rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reverse positions of the baking sheets in the oven, moving the baking sheet from the top oven rack to the bottom oven rack and vice versa. Bake for 15 minutes more. Turn off the oven. Let the apple rings dry in the oven, with the door closed, for 3 hours. Remove from oven. Store airtight.

Strawberry Marble Cheesecake

Pretty swirls of pink run through this mousse-like cheesecake. It is lighter and fluffier than most cheesecakes, making it a perfect spring dessert. This makes use of the fresh strawberries available this time of year. However, feel free to use frozen berries (thaw and drain excess water first) or raspberries or blueberries or a mixture.



The only change I would recommend to the recipe is that rather than dropping the strawberry topping all on top before swirling it in, I would alternate the layers between cheesecake, pureed berries, cheesecake, berries, for a better distribution of strawberry throughout.



Strawberry Marble Cheesecake
9" Cake | adapted from Cooking Light

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter 2 cups cottage cheese, well drained
1/4 cup flour
2 cups (16 ounces) light cream cheese, well softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 cup strawberries
1 teaspoon water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine graham crackers with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter. Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Place cottage cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cream cheese, and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Beat in cottage cheese and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan.

3. Combine strawberries and water in a blender, and process until smooth. Swirl strawberry mixture into cheese mixture using the tip of a knife. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (do not remove cheesecake from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around the outside edge. Cool to room temperature then cover and chill fully - overnight is best.

Roasted Vegetable Rolls

The home inspection went great yesterday! The place is in "above average" condition and there were only 2 very minor things to be fixed. Now my next project will be to focus on getting the flooring changed from carpet to engineered hardwood and from linoleum to tile. The nice thing is that I'm still living at home right now so I don't have to rush to move in. I can take my time with the renovations and then move in once everything is done.

This veggie-packed bread recipe comes from an old (2001 or 2002) Cooking Light Magazine summer edition. It is a wonderful way to trick your kids into eating veggies and an inventive way to use up leftover roasted vegetables. You can maximize your time by roasting the vegetables while the dough rises. You can make this ahead of time and set the whole thing in the fridge after slicing the rolls so they are ready to be popped into the oven and baked fresh just before dinner.



Roasted Vegetable Rolls
Makes 15 | Cooking Light

1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope instant yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 - 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp parmesan
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup light mayo
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped garlic

1. Heat milk and sugar together in small saucepan or in microwave until mixture is lukewarm (about 100 degrees). Whisk in yeast and egg and set aside. Combine 4 cups of flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle and mix at lowest speed to blend, about 15 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add liquid mixture in steady stream; mix until flour is moistened, about 1 minute. With mixer still running, slowly begin to add 8 tablespoons softened butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated into dough. Increase speed to medium and beat until dough is thoroughly combined and scrappy, about 2 minutes longer.

3. Replace paddle with dough hook and knead dough at medium speed until smooth but still sticky, about 6 minutes, adding flour in 1 tablespoon increments, if necessary for dough to clear sides of bowl. Scrape dough out of mixing bowl and onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand until very smooth and soft, but no longer sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer dough to very lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warmed oven until dough doubles in bulk, about 45 minutes.

4. Filling: Combine all the vegetables in a 9 x 13 pan and toss with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minures or until vegetables are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Toss with parmesan. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Combine mayo and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

5. Once dough has doubled, press down and roll out into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread evenly with mayo mixture and sprinkle with cheeses, reserving 1/4 cup cheese for later. Roll the dough up into a log and slice into 15 equal sized rolls. Set rolls in a lightly greased pan, leaving a bit of room between for rising. Let rise in warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. When rolls are almost fully risen, heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

Light New York Cheesecake

My family loves cheesecake. Especially New York Cheesecake. However, my dad dislikes "low fat" baking. I made this cake for his birthday without telling him it was a "light" version. He loved it! I knew this recipe was a hit when he went back for seconds.

Most New York Cheesecakes call for 4 or 5 bricks of cream cheese whereas this one from Cooking Light only uses 2. Best of all, you can't even tell the difference. It is creamy, dense and everything a full-fat version should be. By using pureed cottage cheese (I used 2%) as a substitute for some of the cream cheese, you get the classic texture and tang but without the fat. Feel free to use low-fat cream cheese and low-fat sour cream in this recipe.

This recipe makes a tall - 3 inch - cake. Make sure your pan is deep enough to accommodate the filling. Alternately, use a 10" springform for a wider, shorter cake.



***Tip: Storing Cheesecake*** Put a paper towel between the cheesecake and the plastic wrap when storing the cheesecake in the fridge. This will absorb the condensation that forms on the plastic wrap, thus keeping your cheesecake top dry with no beads of moisture on top.



Light New York Cheesecake1 - 9" cake | adapted from Cooking Light

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

4 cups 2% cottage cheese
2 cups sugar
Two 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. To prepare crust, combine graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of a 9" springform pan with 3" sides. Note: If you don't have a pan with 3" sides, use a 10" springform instead.

2. To prepare filling, strain the cottage cheese well to remove excess liquid. Place strained cottage cheese in food processor; process until smooth.

3. Place 2 cups sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Add 1/4 cup flour, sour cream, and remaining ingredients to cream cheese mixture; beat well. Add cottage cheese, stirring until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust.

4. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Sour Cream Lemon Squares

These squares are tangy and sweet, smooth and crisp all at the same time. 3 layers of lemony bliss. The top layer is a silky sour cream topping. Beneath that is a classically tart citrusy filling atop a tender, flaky shortbread crust. These beauties are well worth the effort - and trust me, it's not that much effort.

They are one of the prettier squares out there. Perfect for pot-lucks. I don't know many people who don't like a good lemon square. Taste of Home may not be as "gourmet" as Bon Appétit or as fun as the Food Network Magazine, but I still enjoy it, especially since it is only $13 for a year's subscription! I'm a self-proclaimed magazine junkie... I think I almost need a whole room to house my food magazines. If anybody has any good tips for magazine storage and organization, please let me know, I will be forever grateful.

Sour Cream Lemon Squares
9"x13" pan | Taste of Home Dec/Jan 2000

BASE:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

FILLING:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon baking powder

TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, and lemon and orange peel. Add butter; cover and process until mixture forms a ball. Pat into a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until set and the edges are lightly browned.

2. In a large bowl,combine all the filling ingredients. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

3. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients. Spread over hot filling. Bake 7-9 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight and cut into bars just before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Sunshine Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon buns are livened up with bright, perky orange flavor. They are not too heavy nor too rich. The light lemony glaze provides a little sugar jolt adds a hint of sweetness which makes them just right for a breakfast treat.



The texture is light, fluffy and tender from the milk and eggs. You can also freeze the baked rolls for a few weeks and thaw on the day you want to eat it. A quick heat in the microwave makes them almost as good as the day they were baked. I like to wrap them individually so I can quickly pull out one at a time for easy lunchbag treats. By lunchtime they are thawed and ready to be eaten!



Sunshine Cinnamon Rolls
makes 12 | adapted from Southern Living

ROLLS
1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup shortening [or softened butter]
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups flour

FILLING
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tsp cinnamon

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons butter, softened
4-5 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a large bowl, mix milk, shortening, sugar, salt, and egg. Add yeast mix; blend well. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on floured board for about 7 minutes.

2. Put in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, mix filling ingredients until smooth.

3. After the hour, punch dough down. Roll out into a large rectangle. Spread the filling on the rectangle. Roll up tightly starting with the long end. Cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls side by side a 9x13" baking pan or two round 9" pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and bread is fully cooked through. While the rolls are baking mix glaze ingredients. Spread over warm rolls.

Flaky Cornmeal Cheddar Scones

This scone recipe from Chatelaine Magazine (Canadian?) is a winner! The interesting thing about these scones is that you can't put your finger exactly on what makes them taste so good. The combination of dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, sharp cheddar (the sharper the better) and a hint of parmesan cheese make these extremely flavorful. Enjoy them plain or buttered, hot or room temperature or make a delicious sandwich out of them. If you are like me, you will probably also enjoy nibbling on the baked bits of cheese that have oozed out of the scones and onto the baking sheet.



They are really flaky with an appetizing crunch from the cornmeal. Hint: Baking these on a silicone mat facilitates their removal and prevents the bottoms from browning too quickly.

Flaky Cornmeal Cheddar Scones
Makes 12 | adapted from Chatelaine, May 2010

3/4 cup buttermilk plus 1 tbsp for brushing
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup cornmeal plus 2 tbsp for dusting
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1 cup grated old cheddar
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 green onions, sliced
1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray or coat a rimmed baking sheet with oil. In a medium bowl, add 3/4 cup buttermilk, dijon mustard and 1/4 cup cornmeal and stir to combine.

2. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour and cayenne with baking powder, sugar and salt until evenly mixed. Cut in butter until flour mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheeses and onions.

3. Whisk egg into buttermilk mixture. Then pour into flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir until just combined. Gently gather into a ball then divide into 2 equal-sized portions.

4. Sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp cornmeal on a cutting board. Place 1 portion of dough on top and gently pat into a 6" circle. Cut into 6 wedges. Repeat with remaining dough, pressing into remaining cornmeal on counter before cutting.

5. Place wedges on baking sheet at least 1" apart. Lightly brush with remaining 1 tbsp buttermilk. Bake in centre of oven until lightly golden, 15-18 mins.

***To Make ahead: Prepare scones up to step 4, then place scone wedges on a baking sheet. Freeze, uncovered, until firm, then place in a freezer bag and keep, frozen, up to 1 month. To bake, remove scones to a baking sheet. Defrost, uncovered, about 1 1/2 hours. Continue with step 5.

Potato Chip Cookies

This recipe is adapted from an award winning recipe from Country Living's website, originally from the Iowa State Fair Cookbook. I love the sweet and savory combination and these potato chip cookies fit the bill. Kinda like a chewy oatmeal cookie with a little something extra - a little bit more depth you might say.

They're also a wonderfully creative way to use up the crushed chips at the bottom of the bag. I put the crumbs into a ziplock bag and stick them in the freezer until I have enough to make these cookies.

Potato Chip Cookies
Makes 24 | Country Living

3/4 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsps baking soda
2 cups crushed plain potato chips
1 cup chocolate chips

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and sugars together, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in the flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. Gently stir in the potato chips and chocolate chips.

2.Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spritz Cookies 3 Ways: Espresso, Chocolate & Vanilla

I am IN LOVE with this recipe because of its ease to handle and amazing texture. It is tender and oh-so-buttery. It holds its shape wonderfully thus producing the most perfectly-shaped cookies. Most recipes call for an egg to hold it together, but I find that the egg makes the cookies a little too tough and not quite crumbly enough. This recipe is egg-free and the end result is a lot like shortbread. Feel free to add food coloring for a festive touch or play around with flavorings and extracts.

The three variations I have included here make both a nice display of dark, golden and pale cookies with flavors that also pair well together - coffee, chocolate and vanilla.

Spritz cookies are traditional Scandanavian Christmas cookies. They are delicate, simple butter cookies, shaped by putting the dough through a cookie press. They are small in comparison to the monster-sized cookies we see these days, measuring only about 1 1/2" in diameter. I think they are just adorable and so retro. Cookie presses these days are cheap. If you haven't inherited one from your mom, you can get one like this Wilton Comfort Grip on Amazon for $11.35! They're so affordable and cute that I will probably be giving a few of these along with a pretty bag of assorted Spritz cookies to some of my friends this Christmas.

However, even if you don't own a Cookie Press you can still make these cookies. Just use a large star piping tip to pipe the dough into little rosettes or squiggles or lines.

Spritz cookies are not as simple as they may appear. It took me a few batches of ugly cookies to get the hang of it.

Here are some tips to making perfect Cookie-Press Cookies:

- The dough must be room temperature. If it's too cold, it won't stick to the cookie sheet. It's best if your butter is very soft to begin with.
- Non-stick cookie sheets do not work, because the dough won't adhere to it. Shiny aluminum is best, and it too must be room temperature, ungreased and not lined with parchment paper. If the metal sheet is warm, the dough won't stick.
- Make sure the press is absolutely upright in relation the the sheet, with the base resting flat on the surface.
- It takes practice to press out just the right amount of dough. Too little and it sticks to the press. Too much, and the design of the cookie gets lost after baking.
- Spritz dough does not freeze well. If you want to freeze these cookies, do so AFTER they are baked, in airtight containers.
- If you are baking chocolate spritz it can be hard to tell when they are done. Therefore, put at least one vanilla (light colored) cookie on the tray so you can use it to gauge color for doneness.

Spritz Butter Cookies (3 ways)
Makes 3 dozen | adapted from Canadian Living, Dec. 2010
Basic Recipe:
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Do NOT grease pans but do use heavy-duty shiny pans to avoid overbrowning the bottoms.
2. Using a mixer with the paddle attachment combine butter and powdered sugar, mixing until light and creamy. Add in vanilla and salt. Mix to incorporate. With the mixer off, add flour. Mix until combined and sticks together to form one mass of dough. Do NOT chill or it will be too firm to press or pipe onto the cookie sheet. [At this point you can refrigerate the cookies on the sheets to be baked later].
3. Fill your cookie press or piping bag (use a large star tip). Pipe or press onto the ungreased cookie sheet. These do not spread, so you can put them quite close together.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes (or less) until edges are just golden and tops are still pale. Cool fully and store airtight.

Espresso variation: Dissolve 2 tsp instant espresso powder (or 1 tbsp instant coffee powder) into the vanilla before adding vanilla to the mixture in step 3.

Chocolate variation: Substitute 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 1/3 cup flour.

Buttercake Bakery's Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Bundt Cake

This chocolate & vanilla swirl bundt cake recipe is a clone of a cake you can find at a bakery in L.A. called Buttercake Bakery. I stumbled up on it while visiting that area last year. The chocolate chips burst like bubbles of flavor in your mouth and the cake is amazing. It's probably one of those things that's worth the calorie splurge and the extra effort required to make your own chocolate syrup. However, I bet you could use storebought chocolate syrup to save some time. The L.A. Times published this copycat recipe June 11, 2008 and I'm so glad I stumbled upon it! They call it "comfort food in cake form" and I couldn't agree more.

I will also be linking this to my Copycat Club for the December 7th round-up. (See link above for details and to join/submit any recipes).

Buttercake Bakery's Chocolate Marbled Cake
Makes 1 - 12" Bundt

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
2 2/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together one-half cup of the sugar, the cocoa powder and corn syrup with one-half cup hot water. Bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add a half-teaspoon of vanilla off the heat and set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), cream the butter with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then whisk in the remaining vanilla.
3. Whisk about a third of the flour mixture into the batter, then a third of the milk. Continue whisking in the flour mixture and milk, alternately and a little at a time, until everything is added and the batter is light and smooth.
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, then divide the batter into thirds. Pour a third of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
5. Whisk the chocolate syrup with another third of batter, then pour this into the prepared bundt pan. Pour the remaining third of batter over this, lightly swirl the batters with a wooden skewer or knife to give a "marble" effect and place the pan in the oven.
6. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched, about 1 hour. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cooled cake onto a serving platter and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

DB: Mini Cake Donuts

The October 2010 Daring Bakers challenge was hosted by Lori of Butter Me Up. Lori chose to challenge DBers to make doughnuts. She used several sources for her recipes including Alton Brown, Nancy Silverton, Kate Neumann and Epicurious.

I have been meaning to make donuts for a long time but kept putting off because it involved deep frying. But I have since overcome my fear of hot oil and have come to embrace its yummy goodness.

I used a cake donut recipe from Canadian Living magazine. I would have preferred to try a yeasted donut but didn't plan well enough ahead of time. These came together as easily as pancake batter, however, they required a 1 hour rest in the fridge. I am THRILLED with how they turned out. Super cute, 1 1/2" donuts or as the recipe directs, donut holes. I used my fingers to shape them.

My dad preferred them without the sugar, opting to have them dunked in his tea like a biscuit. Overall, a success! I will definitely be trying a yeasted version in the future and perhaps experimenting with a Krispy Kreme Copycat recipe.



Cake Donuts
from Canadian Living

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 cup light cream (10% M.F.)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
Canola oil or safflower oil or vegetable oil, for deep-frying,

Cinnamon Sugar for coating

Preparation:
In bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In small bowl, whisk 10% and whipping creams and vanilla. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat eggs with sugar until pale; gradually beat in cream mixture. Stir in flour mixture to make soft sticky dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Spray a mini (1 tbsp) ice-cream scoop or 1 tbsp measure with nonstick spray. In deep fryer or deep saucepan, heat 2 inches oil until deep-fryer thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil, 6 at a time; deep-fry, turning once, until golden and puffed, 3 to 4 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Transfer to rack; let cool slightly then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

We are officially in October! Canadian Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away and I'm getting excited about all the holiday baking that lies just around the corner, especially the holiday cooking magazines and special publications. I look forward to embracing the smells, tastes and comforts of the cooler, fall weather.

When I think of brownie recipes (or bar recipes in general) I usually prefer ones with shorter ingredients lists and uncomplicated instructions. The shorter, the sweeter. I usually flip or click away from brownie recipes that look too long and involved. However, these pretty swirled ones caught my attention and in reality the long ingredient list and seemingly directions aren't so long after all. It goes by pretty quickly and the batters swirl together beautifully to create a satisfyingly elegant, marbled look. The cheesecake topping holds its shape even when sliced, which gives these bars nice, clean edges and a neat presentation. A tastebud warning: Don't expect an overwhelming Peanut Butter flavor to these. The taste is more subtle and closer cheesecake than to peanut butter. I think they are a nice change the more commonly seen over the top peanut butter-packed desserts.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
9" Square Pan | Bon Appétit, Jan. 2009

Brownie layer:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake layer:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions
1. For brownie layer: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease and line a 9" square pan.

2. Stir chocolate and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until smooth; cool 10 minutes. Using a mixer or a whisk, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla in medium bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in chocolate mixture then beat in flour and salt. Spread batter in pan.

3. For cheesecake layer: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in cream, then flour. Spread the cheesecake batter over the brownie layer, reserving 1/3 cup of the batter.

4. Place chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 10-second intervals until chocolate begins to melt, then stir until smooth. Mix chocolate into reserved 1/3 cup cheesecake batter. Drop chocolate batter by heaping teaspoonfuls over the cheesecake layer. Using a thin knife, marble the chocolate and cheesecake layer together.

5. Bake brownies until edges are puffed and center is set, about 40-45 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on rack. Cover; chill fully - at least 1 hour. Serve cold.

Honey-Spice Apple Butter

I am sooo excited because it's apple season again! To me, the scent of apples and cinnamon is one of my very favorite combinations. The sweet and spicy combination is a hallmark Autumn scent and it makes all the rainy weather and "back to school blues" just that much more tolerable. Just knowing that a whole season of apple pies, cakes, squares and cookies lies ahead makes me happy.

On the weekend I made honey spice apple butter from Fine Cooking magazine. Apple butter is essentially a thicker and spicier version of applesauce, traditionally made by slow-cooking sliced or pureed apples in copper kettles for up to 12 hours or more. The apples are constantly stirred with long paddles. The heat causes the fruit's natural sugars to caramelize, thus giving apple butter its distinctive deep brown color. It goes wonderfully on toast and can also be used to complement and heighten the flavor of apple recipes or to replace some of the fat in muffin and cake recipes.

I am submitting this to Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice for Magazine Mondays.

Honey-Spice Apple Butter
Makes 1 1/2 cups | adapted from Fine Cooking, October 2004

2 lbs apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch ground cloves, all-spice and/or nutmeg (to taste)
pinch salt

Combine the apples and cider in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to a maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have mostly broken down, about 30 minutes.

Use a rubber spatula to force the mixture through a medium sieve into a bowl. Rinse out the saucepan and return the mixture to the pan. Whisk in the brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Bring back to a simmer over medium heat and adjust the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook until the mixture reduces and thickens to a spreadable consistency, about 75 minutes.

As the mixture cooks, stir occasionally at first and then more frequently as it thickens; keep in mind that the apple butter will thicken a little more as it cools. Scrape the apple butter into a storage container and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming as it cools. Once completely cool, you can remove the plastic, cover with a lid, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

MM: Overloaded Caramel Pecan Brownies

I am proud to be guest-hosting Magazine Mondays this week while Ivonne of Cream Puffs in Venice is on holidays. MM is a casual, laid back group and an effective way to get you cooking through your pile of magazines. To have your post included, just email it to me (starrysugar{@}hotmail{dot}com) for today's entry and to the following co-hosts for the dates specified. Your post doesn't have to be on a Monday although the round-ups are done on Mondays.



Tina on August 30th (e-mail entries to hexandkobe{@}yahoo{dot}com)
Janie on September 6th (e-mail entries to jtray4{@}mac{dot}com)



For my own MM submission, I did a shortcut (ie. Cake Mix) recipe from Taste of Home's Holiday Annual 2006. Beneath a layer of ooey-gooey caramel lies fragrant toasted pecans atop a fudgy brownie base. Prior to today, I narrow-mindedly thought that a warm, gooey brownie was the only way to reach brownie bliss. Well, that school of thought went out the window after I tried a COLD turtle brownie.

Here's what happened: I put the baked brownies into the fridge to speed up the cooling so I could cut them into squares faster and could therefore eat them faster. Then I got busy and forgot all about them. By the time I remembered, they had been chilled all the way through. I was disappointed for a split second, and then I tasted one. They were DELICIOUS! The caramel sandwiched in the middle was still smooth and soft but now had a little more 'chew', held the pecans in place perfectly and and provided more textural contrast to the moist brownie layers. Chilling also helps these bars hold together better. They can be messy if you try to eat them warm or even at room temp. (Recipe at the bottom of this entry).

Check out the other delicious treats below, fresh from the oven of my fellow MM-ers.

Catherine of "Buttery Bakery" made:
Zucchini-Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting from Bon Appetit, August 2010.

Janet of "Tastespace" made:
Wild Rice Pudding with Rhubarb Compote from Canadian Living.

Janie of "Panini Girl" made:
Bombay Sliders with Garlic Curry Sauce from Bon Appetit, March 2007.

Ranjani of "Four Seasons of Food" made:
Barley Risotto with Eggplant, Summer Squash, and Tomatoes from Cooking Light, September 2009.

Melissa of "It’s the Way She" made:
Pink Grapefruit Sorbet from Cooking Light, April 2010.

Brenda of Brenda's Canadian Kitchen made Salisbury Steak from Cook's Illustrated Magazine "American Classics" special interest publication.

Patricia of ButterYum made a Quick Lemon Mousse from Everyday Food, May 2010.

Janice of Kitchen Heal Soul made Tomato Tarte Tatin from Bon Appétit, August 2010

Joanna of Go Ahead and Snicker made Mark Bittman's Almost Meatless Sloppy Joe from Cooking Light, May 2010

Allyson of Retorte made Sour Cream Chocolate Crumb Cake from the current issue of Canadian Living.

Thanks everyone!!!

Overloaded Caramel Pecan Brownies
9x13 pan | Taste of Home's Holiday 2006

1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk, divided
75 caramels
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Combine the cake mix, butter and 1/3 cup milk. Spread half of the mixture into a greased 13x9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a microwave, heat caramels and remaining milk, uncovered, on high for 2-3 minutes or until caramels are melted; stir until smooth. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips. Drop reserved cake mixture by tablespoonfuls over the top.
Bake for 10 minutes; remove from the oven and smooth top. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until top appears dry and is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack (or in the fridge to speed up the process). Cut into bars.

Strawberry Cake

I'm floating on a cloud right now. I finished my Certified Mgmt Accountant (CMA) exam on the weekend and now I'm totally done with school. This is the first semester EVER since high school that I'm not going to school. I am really happy with how it went. It was a group effort and I think we crossed all our T's, dotted all of our I's. Now all that's left is to wait for the marks to come out in August, If I pass then I will (finally) have my accounting designation. It's am amazing feeling to have jumped through all the CMA hoops but at the same time I feel a little lost with so much more free time on my hands.

What have I been doing with this extra time? Baking, of course. And if I'm not baking I'm looking at recipes deciding what to bake next. It's good timing as the fruits in my fruit bowl have been ripening faster than I can keep up, so they've been getting incorporated into baked goods so they don't go to waste.

One person said this tasted like angel food cake meets pound cake. Another said it was like a baked version of strawberry shortcake. I couldn't have described it better. If you use frozen strawberries instead of fresh add 10 mins to your baking time. The cake batter is sturdy and versatile and it works great as a base for other summer fruits like peaches/berries. The sugar bakes and melts to create a crunchy topping that is to die for. While the orange zest is optional, I strongly recommend it for the brightness it imparts.



Strawberry Cake
9" Pie Plate | Martha Stewart, June 2005

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tbsp orange zest (optional)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.

2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (3 minutes). Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, zest (if using)and vanilla.

3. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top (cut sides down and as close together as possible). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

4. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Stored at room temperature, loosely covered for up to 2 days.

Orange Almond Shortbread Wedges

Crisp around the edges and slightly chewy in the centres. These are cookies that pack a whole lot of great flavors while not being overpowering. Orange zest, toasted nuts, buttery cookie and sugary crunch on top. They would go so well with a cup of tea, poised on a little white napkin. However, because of their sturdiness they would also fit right in packed into a picnic basket.

The recipe is originally from Martha Stewart's Holiday Cookies 2005 magazine but is also published in Martha Stewart's Cookies (2008). I love this book for its beautiful pictures and delicious recipes. It ain't just a pretty face!



Orange Almond Shortbread Wedges
Makes 24 | Martha Stewart Holiday 2005
,
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) hazelnuts (I used almonds), toasted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons sanding sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Process nuts in a food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds (do not overprocess). Transfer nuts to a large bowl; add flour, granulated sugar, melted butter, zest, and salt. Mix with hands until dough just comes together and forms a ball.

2. Halve dough; shape each into a disk. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. With lightly floured hands, shape 1 disk into a 7" round, and score to mark 12 equal wedges (do not cut through). Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sanding sugar. Repeat with remaining dough.

3. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. While shortbread is warm, cut wedges to separate completely. Cool slightly on sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Oatmeal Apple Cookie Cake

I wish there were a cool name for a cookie/cake hybrid.
Cakey. Cakie. Coocake. Cookie-cake?
It just doesn't sound right... but it sure does taste good! The recipe featured today is a cinnamon oatmeal apple cookie - in cake form. The result is slightly denser than a cake but fluffier than a cookie though not heavy like a brownie. I loved biting into the tender chunks of apple dispersed through this cake. The top is crispy/crunchy from the carmellized sugar while the cake is soft/moist.

The recipe is adapted from the Aug/Sept 2006 issue of Taste of Home - it's one of their contest winning recipes and has a 5-star rating on the website. It tastes like a warm apple pie but is more portable and gets even better the next day as the cinnamon mellows and infuses itself into the whole cookie/cake. This is a great alternative to oatmeal raisin cookies.

Oatmeal Apple Cookie Cake
9x13" pan | Adapted from Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup diced apples
2 tbsp cinnamon-sugar for sprinkling

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in oats and apples.

Scrape into greased 9 x 13 inch pan and sprinkle with 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Let stand for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

**Alternative: To make individual cookies use 1/2 cup dried apples instead of fresh and drop by the tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Reduce baking time to 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

This pizza is one of the best things I've ever eaten and as most pizzas are, it's incredibly simple. Ranch dressing is an amazing accompaniment to the smoky bacon. Just a heads up: this pizza doesn't have any tomato sauce on it, just in case you thought you read the recipe wrong.

While there is no such thing as "bad" pizza in my world, I have yet to jump on the thin-crust bandwagon that seems to be taking over these days. The crust is one of the best parts of the pizza. A nice crust that can stand up to a lot of toppings is my preference. I like the simplicity and ease of the Canadian Living dough recipe from May 2007, but everyone has their go-to dough recipe, so use your favorite.



It is incredibly sinful and over the top, but just before serving, drizzle with Japanese mayo for a delightful tang and creaminess. Try it once and you'll fall in love. Japanese mayonnaise is made with apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar and a small amount of MSG, which gives it a different flavor from American mayonnaise made from distilled vinegar. In Japan many fried dishes are served with mayonnaise for dipping and it's also common to put it on pizza there. By the way, I didn't know that prior to my own experimentation. It just sounded good in my head, lol. Kewpie (Q.P.) is the most popular brand (clear plastic squeeze bottle with red lid, Kewpie doll logo).





Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
14" Pizza | Dough from Canadian Living, May 2007

Dough for 1 pizza - homemade or storebought

1 cup cooked chicken (chopped) - I used cooked ground chicken this time
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped bacon
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small onion, thinly sliced (I like red onions)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll pizza dough out to a 12-14" round. Bake crust (no toppings) for 8-10 minutes. Prepare toppings during this time.

2. Combine the chicken, ranch dressing, tomatoes, pepper and bacon in a mixing bowl. Evenly spread mixture over warm pizza crust. Top with mozzarella then scatter onions on top. It will look like a lot of onion but the onions mellow out and turn sweet and fragrant in the oven. Cut back on the onion if you like though.

3. Place topped pizza back into oven for another 12-15 minutes until nicely browned and cheese is melted. Remove pizza and lightly sprinkle with parmesan (and Japanese mayo!)