Fresh Fig Cake

This poor blog.  LOL

I have a fig tree, and have so many figs, I decided to make a fig cake for my mother.  Of course, I decided to use a cake mix for a base.

FRESH BROWN SUGAR & FIG CAKE

1 box butter yellow cake mix
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
10 fresh figs cut into fourths
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all dry ingredients, and then add in oil, water, eggs, one at a time.  Lastly, add in diced figs. (you can toss them in a small amont of dry ingredients to keep them from sinking)  Pour into a greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

This was surprisingly yummy!!  I will definitely make it again!

xoxo

4 months is just not right!

I know, I know...I've been MIA for sometime now.  I REALLY need to get back on here with my recipes.  I have become a big fan of www.skinnytaste.com  with weight loss, so I haven't done a TON of my own recipes. 

This AWESOME party invite/decor site has actually gotten me back on here though, so thank you DimplePrints! : )  

DIMPLEPRINTS is having a HUGE 1,000 fan giveaway worth $130 in prizes at www.dimpleprints.com!

**I just finished some dark chocolate cake pops...

vanilla cake mix (bake is directed)
dark chocolate frosting (3/4 container)

*mix first two ingredients and shape into small balls slightly smaller than a golf ball.  You may either leave them like that or place them on a cake pop stick.  I like to freeze mine, I think they coat better that way.  Once frozen, melt semi sweet chocolate over a double broiler.  Dip and coat each cake pop, twirling and lightly tapping stick on side, to knock extra chocolate off.  Although I did not, you can decorate with sprinkles, or a second chocolate drizzled on them, etc.  Place standing up to harden.  I had to rig a contraption up using a cooling rack (with small squares) with a big book under it. LOL  Hey, it works!  Once hardened, I prefer to keep mine refrigerated.

xoxo

Another Low Fat Night

Tonight I will be BAKING some egg rolls!  I am going to use a WEIGHT WATCHER recipe (4pts a piece)  and I think I will also whip up a little dipping sauce for them.  I am going to serve some steamed white rice with them.  I made a low fat cake that was SO good and does NOT taste low fat at all!!!  SIMPLE recipe too.

Easy Low Fat Cake
1 box of cake mix (I used chocolate fudge)
1 diet coke

*You still bake it the same way..just follow the recipe on the box. 

THAT'S IT.  It was so moist and yummy...I will never make a cake mix cake the old way again. (with eggs and oil)  You can use any cake mix, you can use any diet soda (sprite, cream soda, etc)  The possibilities are endless here!  I already am planning some cute pink and red Valentine's Day cupcakes. = )  I will post the recipe then. 

I will try and post the link the BAKED EGG ROLLS tonight!

xoxo

Super Low-Fat/Low-Cal. Apple Bread

After making and loving the recipe for Almost No Fat Banana Bread, I thought I would put a spin on it and make a loaf of Apple Bread/Cake.  Smells good, can't wait to taste it! I'll have to update this once I do.

SUPER Low-Fat/Low-Calorie Apple Bread (Cake)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Splenda
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 single apple sauce containers (regular)
1 apple (I used a Pink Lady-my fave)half  cut into tiny pieces, the other half shredded

Spray a loaf pan, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Mix dry ingredients first, then add in other ingredients, saving the apple pieces for last.  Bake for 45 minutes. ENJOY!

xoxo

A French kind of night

Well, since I ended up making venison chili Wednesday night (My "Around the World on Wednesday Nights" night) I went with a French theme for our dinner guests last night.  And I MUST say, it was pretty great. = )  First on the menu I went a little out there and made up a savory cheesecake to serve over a bed of baby spinach and mixed greens...and it was one of the best things I've ever had!!  A MUST try!  Then for our main course I made Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon, always a hit.  I served it with some easy mashed potatoes that I made with 3 T of butter and a container of garlic and herb Allouette spread.  It really made it easy, and was fantastic!  Finally, for the dessert course I took a short cut in making my own chocolate filled mini croissants.  They were really good as well.  Here are the recipes:

Sara's Savory Goat Cheese Cheesecake w/a onion/shallot/balsamic reduction
2 4oz. pkgs. of honey goat cheese (Chevre)
1 pkg of cream cheese
1 small container of sour cream
2 eggs
1 t kosher salt

6 T butter
1 1/2 cups crushed wheat crackers
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

*crush crackers finely, and mix together with Italian bread crumbs.  Melt butter and mix with crumbs.  Press into a BUTTERED spring form pan. (9 ") Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Let cool.  Mix together goat cheese, cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add in sour cream.  Mix until incorporated.  Add in one egg at a time until mixed.  Add salt.  Pour into your crust and bake (on baking sheet in center of oven for 20 minutes.  ROTATE pan and cook for 20 more minutes.  Let cool and refrigerate for several hrs to over night before serving. 

Onion, Shallot and Balsamic Reduction
1 sweet onion, sliced thinly
3 small shallots sliced thinly
enough balsamic vinegar to cover in small sauce pan

*Cook over medium to low heat until onions are tender, and balsamic vinegar is cooked almost all down.  Put small slice of cheese cake over a bed of baby spinach and then drizzle onion mixture on top. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate filled Croissants
1/2 box of puff pastry
melted butter
powdered sugar
semi sweet chocolate chips

*Let puff pastry thaw, and place of floured (preferably with powdered sugar) surface.  Cut at both seems with a pastry cutter or knife.  Work with each piece individually. (3)  Roll out and brush with melted butter.  Fold in half.  Roll out, keeping your rolling pin powdered.  Roll thin, then brush with butter.  Fold in half.  Repeat steps 4-5 times.  Cut piece in half . (you should have 2 squares)  Place about a teaspoon of chocolate chips in center.  Fold corner over to form a triangle.  Press seam to seal. (can brush with egg wash)  Brush tops with egg wash. (beat one egg)  Place on GREASED baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.  ENJOY!

xoxo

Apple Spice Cake

Made an "easy" version of the Apple Harvest Cake!  Looks the same too. Too bad I won't get to taste it...it's for a bake sale.

Apple Spice Cake
1 spice cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 can apple pie filling

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr and 10 minutes.  Let sit in pan for about 5 minutes, then dump out onto cake plate.  Let cool uncovered.

drizzle-powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice...mix well, spoon on top of semi-cool cake.

My Fall Food

Last night I made an Apple Harvest Cake recipe that I found on www.allrecipes.com.  I left out the walnuts, b/c my mother can't have nuts.  It was SOOOO yummy! DEFINITELY worth making!!!  I also made chili.  It turned out SUPER yummy too! I started it at 2:30pm, and we ate about 5:45pm.  The longer it simmers, the better.  Here are the two recipes...enjoy!

Apple Harvest Cake

All Day Chili
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes with juice
3 15 oz. cans chili beans drained (red kidney beans)
1 15 oz. can spicy chili beans with juice
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 large yellow onion diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced (seeded)
1/2 green bell pepper diced (seeded)
1 chili pepper diced (seeded)
2 T bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
2 t cumin
2 t Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
1 t basil
1 T kosher salt
2 t fresh ground pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
1 T sugar

*Brown all meat, then add in all other ingredients.  Simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.  The longer the better though!
*Serve over Frito's with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced green onion and sliced jalapenos! YUM!

a little experiment

I am trying some cake mix based strawberry cupcakes.....the reason I do a lot of my cakes/cupcakes from a cake mix base, is because I have two kiddos and its EASIER! LOL  I DO make adjustments to make them more moist, etc.  And I either do homemade frosting and/or filling.

Today I am making ALL STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES:

strawberry cake mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 cup water

Strawberry buttercream frosting

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup homemade strawberry preserves (or store bought)
3 cups powdered sugar
2 T heavy cream
1 t vanilla

Beat butter until creamy.  Beat in strawberry preserves.  Add in sugar.  Add in heavy cream and vanilla.
(this should frost around 2 dozen cupcakes, depending on how much you use)

I may or may not FILL them with homemade strawberry preserves. = )

Pumpkin Spice Cake w/Vanilla Drizzle

Here is the cake recipe from last night!  I used a bundt pan for it. (as I do most of my cakes)

Pumpkin Spice Cake w/Vanilla Drizzle

1 box spice cake mix
1 3.4 oz. vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1 cap pumpkin

Vanilla Drizzle

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (give or take for your preference) of milk or water

*mix all ingredients together, and pour in a greased bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes depending on your oven. (I even check mine at 45 minutes)   Once done, take out of oven and leave in pan for at least 5 minutes.  Take out, and mix up your drizzle.  You may wait till cool if you'd like.  If you want your drizzle thinner-add more liquid.  Drizzle over top. Enjoy. = )

You REALLY can use cake mix for the base of anything...makes it much easier.  I DO do somethings from scratch though. ; )

My Own Version

Just wanted to throw this out there since I have been a little behind this week...this is my version of a Sock It To Me Cake. = ) YUM!

This is my super quick, moist Sock It To Me Cake :

1 moist yellow cake mix
1 small box of vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1/3 chopped pecans
1 1/2 Tbl cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

**Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt pan.  Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans together in a small bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and water.  Pour half into bundt pan.  Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over batter.  Pour the rest of your batter on top.  Bake for 50 minutes. ENJOY!

xoxo

Preparing ahead

Planning a fancy dinner for guests takes a lot of extra time as a mom to two little busy boys. = )  So, to help easy the craziness tomorrow evening, I made both parts of the dessert today, as well as my bread dough.   Here is my menu:

Spinach salad w/red onion, blue cheese, walnut pieces & pink lady apple slices

fresh bread (haven't decided if I will add anything to it....may just do a balsamic dip for it)

Baked 3 cheese and lobster macaroni

vanilla bean gelato/frozen custard

chocolate marscapone toffee bars (a Giada DeLaurentis recipe) *** easy and WELL worth it!

and WINE of course! LOL Red, not sure which  I will serve.

Here is my frozen "concoction"   I guess it is more frozen custard than gelato, but gelato sounds more appealing to people.

Vanilla Bean "Gelato"
1/3 vanilla bean (cut open and scrape out inside)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*whisk together yolks, salt, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup sugar in a double broiler for 5-10 minutes, or until light yellow/vanilla color.  In a separate bowl, mix with electric mixer 1/4 cup sugar and heavy cream until light peaks form.  Once yolk mixture turns pale yellow, place bowl in an ice bath for a few minutes.  Mix in vanilla bean.  Fold whipped cream into yolk mixture until all is incorporated.  Put in desired air tight container and place in freezer.  Let freeze for at least 6 hours, better if over night. 

**I have also made chocolate.  You really could do whatever you wanted.  You could even stir in bits of candy bar, or chocolate syrup.  The possibilities are really endless....and yummy. LOL

I will be posting more tomorrow or the next day....I am off to a cake decorating class with my 8 year old niece. = )

The Devil's Cookie

This is NOT my recipe, but SUPER DUPER easy and YUMMY!

1 box devilsfood cake mix
1/2 bag chocolate chips
1/3 cup vegatable oil
2 eggs

Roll in balls, roll balls in powdered sugar, and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

(I'm OBVIOUSLY not a photographer. LOL)
**Next time you want something "homemade", try these.  They couldn't be any quicker, and they are so good! Just made some super quick!

Tonights menu: I am making something with chicken.  Check back for my recipe!

Individual Upside-Down Peach Cakes

Happy Saturday!

I am not baking today, but here is an easy ("kicked up" cake mix) recipe.  You really can do a LOT with a cake mix!  It's a great base.  Never be afraid to create things in the kitchen!

Individual Upside-Down Peach Cakes (4)

1 box of yellow cake mix (usually use the butter recipe golden-Duncan Hines, but any are fine)
1 small box of instant vanilla pudding mix
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
4 Tbls. brown sugar
1 peach
1 Tbl cinnamon
2 Tbls. butter or margarine
4 mini souffle dishes

*preheat oven to 350 degrees.  spray inside of dishes with Pam for Baking.  Mix the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and oil together thoroughly.  Slice peach fairly thin.  Place 1/2 a Tbl of butter or margarine at the bottom of each dish.  Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon, and place about a Tbl in each dish.  Place a layer of peaches on brown sugar mixture.  Fill dish with cake mixture 3/4 of the way.  Place souffle dishes on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan, and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes.  (I always set my timer for 20 minutes, then start watching) You want them golden brown, and not jiggly.  You can use a cake tester or toothpick to stick in the center of a cake.  It needs to come out clean, and it's done!  Remove from oven, and place souffle dishes on a wire cooling rack.  After about 5 minutes, take a sharp knife and run it around the sides of the cakes.  These are best served warm!  When ready to serve, flip dish over on plate, tap, and the cake should slide out onto plate. 
*Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a caramel sauce.  (which you can make or buy)

You can probably make this recipe with any fruit as well!! (apple, pear...yum!)

My last caramel sauce was not great, so I will be posting that a later date. ; )

xoxo

Looking for Volunteer Dish-Washer

Anyone?  Anyone?  No?  I didn't think so. ;)  If only! As much as I LOVE cooking and baking, I equally despise the clean up afterwards. BLECH.

This afternoon/evening proved to be a little difficult.  Why I attempted to bake and cook dinner back to back with a 1 yr old, a 3 yr old and a 6 month old blood hound, I don't know!  Remind me not to do that again soon.  LOL  3 hour menu? Raspberry filled dark chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting, and lemon roasted Mahi Mahi with creamy risotto.  I didn't even make it to the salad.  :(

Dark Chocolate Cup Cakes w/Raspberry filling

3 oz. dark chocolate chips
1 cup scalding water (or brewed coffee if you like it)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour (sifted)
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (sifted)
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

*preheat oven to 300 degrees.  pour chocolate chips into scalding water and gently stir until melted.  Set aside.  Sift together all dry ingredients.  In separate bowl mix together wet ingredients with mixer.  Slowly beat dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Fill lined cupcake tins 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes. 
*I also made some LARGE cupcakes, which I had to bake for 27 minutes
*Once cooled, I injected cupcakes with a premade raspberry filling

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8 oz. packages of room temp. cream cheese
1 stick of room temp. butter
1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (sifted)
6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

*blend cream cheese and butter well, until creamy.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar with electric mixer.  Once well incorporated, slowly add in cocoa powder.
*Ice as desired! :)


These came out great!  I actually have a picture!

As for my Risotto and Mahi Mahi....risotto was simple and scrumptious, Mahi Mahi was simple as well.  It may have been too simple?  It was my first time with Mahi Mahi and was unsure about flavors.  Risotto recipe as follows...

Creamy Risotto with Garlic and Onion

2 Tbl. butter

2 Tbl. olive oil

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 small yellow onion (diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

4 cups chicken stock (or broth if that's all you have)

1/2 cup half & half

1/3 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese (or more if you'd like)

*melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium- high heat.  Saute onion for several minutes before adding in garlic.  Saute for another minute or so.  Add in rice and saute for 3 minutes.  Pour in 1 cup of chicken stock, and cook down.  Repeat this step for the remaining 3 cups.  Lower heat to low-medium.  Add in half & half.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  take off heat and stir in cheese.  ENJOY!

Lemon Roasted Mahi Mahi

1 lb. fillet of fresh Mahi Mahi

1 lemon (juiced)  ( keep lemon to slice on top)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. pink pepper corns

1/4 tsp. parsley

foil

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wash fillet and place on sheet of foil.  Juice one lemon on top.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and parsley on top.  Slice lemon and place on fillet.  Wrap foil around like an envelope.  Bake for 15 minutes.

And now, I'm off...very tired after my kitchen marathon today.  Haven't even thought about tomorrow's dinner.  It will be a surprise!

xoxo