Butterscotch Walnut Cookies

life has been moving so quickly lately. there have been lots of changes and lots of staying the sames. the changes are exciting and i'm glad to welcome them. the staying the sames are monotonous and stupid and wearing me out. i need a vacation and this weekend, a vacation is what i'm going to get. stu and i are going on our first camping trip! yipee! last night, we bought a tent, a little campfire grill, a cooler, and cast iron cookware. i felt real outdoorsy in the check-out line. i'm learning to embrace nature and not kill bugs. mobi is going with us. we'll see how that works itself out... she almost died last weekend at the state park when i took her off her leash to throw her into the lake. silly puppy; i sure am glad our hero was there to rescue her while i stood by, covered my eyes, and panicked.

anywho...


Butterscotch Walnut Cookies

what you'll need:

1 C & 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C (or 1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 C brown sugar
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lg egg
6 oz. of butterscotch chips
1/2 C chopped walnuts


what to do:

preheat oven to 375.
in a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. set aside.
in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugars, vanilla extract, and egg.
in small portions, gradually beat in the flour mixture.
fold in the chips and nuts.
drop rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

and enjoy!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Icing

i'm not much for writing these days. life is so incredibly busy... balancing work and school and a very cute boyfriend is kind of overwhelming at times. so, it's been hard to fit baking & blogging into the mix lately. sometimes, when it seems like i'm never going to have enough hours to complete everything, i put on what i consider to be a very motivational song...



something about that woman's armpit tattoo at 0:45 makes me think: i can probably get this paper done before 10 tomorrow. :P

anyway, somewhere between Scentsy parties, video games, homework, student loan drama & puppy-sitting this weekend - i found time to fit in, per a special request, red velvet cupcakes.


they turned out fabulously... well... the cupcakes did anyway...

a friend of mine bought me a Perfect Brownie for Christmas. this was to be it's maiden voyage. freshly out of the box and ready for it's first "perfect" adventure in baking. the batter was thick, i'll admit that, still it had been thoroughly whipped and was definitely pourable. i emptied a majority of the batter into the above mentioned Perfect Brownie, fully expecting perfectly sliced and iced red velvet cubes to be available to me within the half hour. what was actually made available to me was more of a red velvet volcano, rising over the tiny container walls and sort of enveloping the whole pan and thus destroying the entire idea behind the Perfect Brownie. in an effort to not waste 65% of the batter, i have resorted to scooping (it's more of a mooshing/scraping action really... maybe "scrmooping"?) individual squares onto a plate and icing them at that time. there are no pictures of this process as it's really quite barbaric.

yep.



Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Icing
recipe via Foodival

what you'll need:

CUPCAKES:
2 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 - 1 oz red food coloring
1/2 C butter, softened
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C buttermilk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

CREAM CHEESE ICING:
1/2 C butter
1 C (8 oz) cream cheese
1/8 C milk
1/8 tsp salt
2 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


what to do:

CUPCAKES:
preheat the oven 350.
mix the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
in a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar (~5 minutes).
add the eggs, one at a time. whip in the cocoa, red color, and vanilla.
stir the salt into the buttermilk then, alternating with the flour, whip it into the batter.
finally, mix in the baking soda and vinegar.
scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure everything is evenly combined.
pour the batter into a prepared cupcake pan (makes ~36 cupcakes).
bake for 20 minutes. allow to cool completely before frosting.

CREAM CHEESE ICING:
whip the butter, cream cheese, and milk until smooth.
add salt and sugar. finish with vanilla extract.

and enjoy!!

Southwestern Chicken Chili

ok, i've changed my mind. as it turns out, i like cooking in general and i find myself doing much more cooking than baking. apparently, you can't live off cookies - who knew? so every now and then i'll add a tasty-tasty "cooking" recipe, deal? also... I GOT A CROCK-POT FOR CHRISTMAS! and i intend to use it. frequently. daily, even. i named her Bambi.

yep.

Southwestern Chicken Chili

what you'll need:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 chicken breasts
1 medium chopped onion
3 medium chopped roma tomatoes
2 cloves minced garlic
2 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans w/ liquid
1 can (15 oz) sweet corn w/ liquid
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
3 tsp chili powder (or more to taste)
2 tsp cumin (or more to taste)
2 tsp dried oregano


what to do:

in a skillet, cook the vegetable oil and chicken on medium heat. using 2 forks (1 to hold, 1 to pull) - shred the chicken as it cooks, flipping the breasts as you expose the uncooked meat.
in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot, combine all the ingredients and turn on high setting for 2 hours.
reduce to low setting and cook an additional 5 hours, stirring occasionally.

and enjoy!!

Cherry Pie

simplicity is delicious. i'll leave it at that...


Cherry Pie

what you'll need:

DOUGH:
1 1/2 C flour (all-purpose), plus extra for rolling
16 tbsp unsalted butter - cut into 1/2" cubes, very cold
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
8 tbsp ice water

CHERRY FILLING:
2 C fresh pitted cherries
1/2 C water
1/2 C sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch


what to do:

DOUGH (part 1):
start by placing the cubes of butter into the freezer for ~15 minutes so that they become thoroughly chilled.
in the food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sugar, pulse to mix.
add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea sized chunks of butter.
begin to add the water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture begins to clump together.


remove the dough from the machine and place on a clean flat surface (i.e. wax paper, cookie sheet). i used a cookie sheet bc my counter-tops are tile.
split the dough in half and put one portion in the refrigerator to chill.
sprinkle the second portion with flour (as well as your working surface), roll into a large circle, and carefully shape into the bottom of your pie dish.

CHERRY FILLING:
in a small saucepan on medium heat, cook the cherries in water for 10 minutes.
in a small bowl, mix together the sugar & cornstarch and add the mixture to the cherries.
cook the cherry mixture until thickened (~15 mins).
cool the mixture slightly before pouring into the pie shell.

DOUGH (part 2):
preheat the oven to 350.
remove the first portion of dough from the refrigerator, dust with flour, and roll into a large circle.
using a pizza cutter, slice 1-1 1/2" strips out of the dough.
using a spatula, remove the strips and weave into a lattice on top of the cherry filling.



bake for 35-40 mins or until crust is golden brown.


and enjoy!!

Double-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

i haven't been adding much variety to my baking lately. i really just haven't had the time (or i've been mind-numbingly repeating recipes that are already on here). what with hosting and cooking my first tday dinner, decorating for christmas, weekend trips to midland, studying for finals, writing papers, etc., etc....


but i finally got around to trying out a new recipe last night and i have to say - they're hard to stop eating. so, you've been warned. i didn't take any pics of the process because said process was accompanied by grilled shrimp w/ chimichurri sauce, caramelized onions, french onion soup, and intermittent trips to the store for charcoal and mucinex. even when we're sick, the boy and i eat like royalty. :)

and, ready, go...

Double-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies



what you'll need:

HARDWARE:
a small saucepan
a heatproof bowl
a wooden spoon
a medium bowl
a whisk
a large bowl
an electric mixer
2 cookie sheets

COOKIE DOUGH:
10 oz of bittersweet chocolate
1 C flour (all-purpose)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 C granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
2 lg eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C dried cranberries



what to do:

COOKIE DOUGH:
preheat the oven to 350.
fill the small saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
place 10 oz of chocolate into the heatproof bowl and set the bowl over (not in) the saucepan to create a double-boil.
stir until melted; set aside.
whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in the medium bowl.
in the large bowl, using the electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
after fully mixed, beat in the melted chocolate.
with the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until completely combined.
fold in the cranberries.
place dough in 1/8 C measurements onto 2 cookie sheets.
cook 16-20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom racks half-way through baking.

and enjoy!!

Coconut Cream Pie

this is the second time i've made this pie in less than 24 hours. the first was a complete disaster and no, i don't want to talk about it. but there's definitely something to be said for getting back on the horse. especially when the horse is a tasty tasty coconut cream pie. also, i'm making this for tday and i would have baked it every day for the next week and a half if that's what it took. mmm, perseverance.

and as a side note: i have here someone who would like to attest to the deliciousness of the final product - she has elected to remain nameless - probably because she was caught with her nose covered in whipped cream. the accused quickly devoured the evidence but i do have a picture of her looking rather guilty...



anywhoozle...

Coconut Cream Pie

what you'll need:

HARDWARE:
a food processor
a bunch o' bowls (generally, you'll always need a full set of mixing bowls on-hand)
a butter knife
a fork
a 9" pie dish
a cookie sheet
a small saucepan
a whisk
a fine-mesh sieve
a spoon or 3


CRUST:
30 chocolate wafer cookies, broken into pieces
1/4 tsp coarse (kosher) salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 C sweetened shredded coconut


TOPPING:
1 1/2 C heavy cream
1/3 C confectioners (powdered) sugar
1/2 C sweetened shredded coconut


FILLING:
1 1/4 C sweetened shredded coconut
2 3/4 C whole milk
4 lg egg yolks
1/2 C sugar
1/3 C cornstarch
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coarse (kosher) salt



what to do:

CRUST:
preheat the oven to 325.
melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside to cool.
break the cookies up and toss them into the food processor. (since i used oreo-type cookies, i had the added awesomeness of removing the cream from them - if you're doing the same just split, scrape, & break. each side counts as 1 wafer so you only need to do 15 cookies.)
sprinkle the salt over the cookies. (i noticed that the cookies i used had a lot of salt in them already - you may have to sacrifice yourself and eat a cookie to find out. if they do, you might want to go a little lighter on the coarse salt.)
turn the machine on and pour the butter through the feeder.
process the mixture until it resembles wet sand (~20 seconds).
remove the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the coconut.

using a fork, press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie dish.


bake until crust is set, about 25 minutes.


cool completely. (i stuck mine in the fridge for 15 mins).

FILLING:
in a small sauncepan, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt.
cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens.

strain through the sieve into a large bowl and stir in the coconut.


pour filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.


toss it into the fridge until the filling is completely set, ~2 hours.


TOPPING:
increase the heat to 350.
spread the coconut out onto a cookie sheet.
bake until golden (~10 minutes).

whip the cream and sugar together until they peak. (you can always try mixing them together, handing the bowl & whisk to a cute boy, and walking away for 5 mins. sometimes, when you come back, it will be whipped cream. results are not typical - although it worked for me.)
top the pie with the whipped cream and toasted coconut.


and enjoy!!

Super Duper Rainbow Cake

the cake that started it all. mmm.

strangely enough, i found this recipe on a news site that i frequent. it was so visually stunning that i had to try it out - having never made a cake from scratch before, i didn't have high expectations, but - go big or go home i guess. :)

i went into this cake with none of the usual "baking hardware" - amazingly, i still don't own a hand mixer or food processor. i had at my disposal an immersion blender - which, while fantastic, is not conducive to fluffy buttercream icing. after i purée'd the hell out of it - i made the decision to toss in some flour for thickening purposes. it did well enough after that. and if you're keeping score, this would be attempt #1 at that dang icing. ready, fun!

Super Duper Rainbow Cake

what you'll need:

HARDWARE:
bowls, bowls, and more bowls. i have a set of mixing bowls and i used them all, washed, and reused about half of them.
3 (or more or less) 9" cake pans. i have 3 so i just washed them after round one and used them again. you'll be making 6 layers.
a whisk
a hand-mixer or stand-mixer or immersion blender (+flour)
spoons for transferring batter from bowl to bowl to pan
a spatula or 3


WHITE CAKE:
batch #1:
12 TBSP unsalted butter - softened
1 1/2 C sugar
2 C flour (all-purpose)
2 TSP baking powder
1/4 TSP salt
6 large egg whites
3/4 C milk
2 TSP vanilla extract
red, orange, & yellow food coloring

batch #2:
12 TBSP unsalted butter - softened
1 1/2 C sugar
2 C flour (all-purpose)
2 TSP baking powder
1/4 TSP salt
6 large egg whites
3/4 C milk
2 TSP vanilla extract
green, blue, & purple food coloring


LEMONY BUTTERCREAM:
to fill:
9 egg whites
1 3/4 C sugar
4 sticks of butter - room temp - cut into 1/2" cubes
2 TSP lemon extract

to frost:
5 egg whites
1 C sugar
2 sticks butter - room temp - cut into 1/2" cubes
1 TSP lemon extract



what to do:

WHITE CAKE:
batch #1:
preheat the oven to 350.
in a large bowl, mix (w/ a whisk or hand-mixer on low) the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until it's light and fluffy.
in a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
in another bowl, combine the egg whites, milk, and vanilla extract.
add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar bowl then 1/2 the milk mixture - thoroughly whisking or beating between each addition.
continue to add mixtures until everything is combined and has a gooey, batter consistency.
divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls and whisk a fair amount of red, orange, and yellow (respectively) food coloring into each bowl.
pour into the pans and bake for 15 minutes each.


when you remove them from the oven, let them rest for ten minutes in the pans.
then flip, cover, and stash them in the fridge while you work on batch #2.

batch #2:
same deal only green, blue, and purple food coloring this time.



LEMONY BUTTERCREAM:

**depending on how much of this icing to want to pack in between the layers, you may need to make this recipe twice. i made it once (only because i literally ran out of butter) and made it work by thinning out my fill layers. keep an eye on it as you fill and ration accordingly.**

to fill:
cook the egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
pour into yet another bowl and whip on high speed until room temp.
then, on a medium-slow speed (this is where the immersion blender starts to be less-than-ideal), add the butter piece-by-piece until it is completely incorporated.
turn the mixer back to high speed (welcome back useful immersion blender) and whip until it has come together, about five minutes.
add the lemon extract, beat briefly.
if it comes out for you like it came out for me (purée'd and runny) - i suggest tossing in a C of flour, mixing well with a whisk, and refrigerating for 30+ mins prior to assembly. if it came out wonderfully fluffy and thick, then more power to you and you can frost immediately. :)

to frost:
same deal, smaller portions.


ASSEMBLY:
stack purple layer.
add fill frosting.
stack blue layer.
add fill frosting.
stack green layer.
add fill frosting.
stack yellow layer.
add fill frosting.
stack orange layer.
add fill frosting.
stack red layer.
add fill frosting to cover the entire cake.
add frost frosting to cover the entire cake.
take a break - you deserve it.