Decades Dance Party (Amanda's B-day cake)

Tiffin Box

Irish Cream Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie box mix:
Fallow the directions on the box, but replace the water with Irish Cream liqueur.

Cheesecake batter:


12 oz. cream cheese, softened


1/3 cup granulated sugar


1 egg


1/4 cup Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur

Cheesecake:


In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur and egg.

Dollop the cheesecake batter over the brownie batter. Using a knife or metal offset spatula, swirl the cheesecake batter with the top layer of the brownie batter.

Bake until the cheesecake batter is just set in the center and a toothpick inserter in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using the overhanging foil, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut and chill in fridge.

Mandoline Apple Crisp

Ingredients

Apple layer

2 Apples (Very thin slices)

1 tsp vanilla

3 tb Irish Cream

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tb brown sugar

Topping

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tb honey

½ tb brown sugar

2 tb Butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).

2. Slice apple ( I used a mandoline slicer). Place the sliced apples in a pan. Mix the vanilla, cream, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and sprinkle over apples.

3. Combine the list of topping ingredients in one dish.

4. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until light brown.

Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Serving 6-8

By: Kristi DeGraw-Higgins

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs ground round meet (you can get 1 lb of ground turkey in the frozen food area really cheap)

1 frozen package of peas and carrots

2 lbs potatoes (Bags of mini potato’s bogo this wk at publix red and yellow)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 lb Worcestershire sauce

1/4-+ cup more Milk or cream (mashed potatoes)

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Garlic Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Mix of garden herbs for seasoning meat (basil, sage, chives, thyme)

• 

METHOD

1. Peel and quarter potatoes, boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes).

2. While the potatoes are cooking, add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce.

3. Defrost frozen veggies in microwave

4. Mix veggies and cream of mushroom soup spread over the bottom of baking dish.

5. Mash potatoes in bowl with milk, parmesan cheese, and season to taste.

6. Place meat in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top.

Extra wow factor: Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. Use a fork to make some designs in the potatoes (or pipe design).

7. Cook in 400-degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes).

8. Last few min add cheese and brown.

A Weekend of Culture and Sun

Key Lime Coconut Snowballs:

Use regular limes if the Key limes are not available. Unsweetened coconut is often labeled "desiccated" or "pulverized," and is often sold in health-food stores.

Ingredients

2/3 cup fat free graham cracker crumbs (about 4 cookie sheets)

6 tablespoons fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon grated Key lime rind ( I just used 1 fresh lime the rind and juice)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, divided

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Combine crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, rind, juice, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add 2/3 cup coconut, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or until no longer grainy. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well combined. Cover and chill 20 minutes.

Shape crumb mixture into 24 balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Place remaining 1/3 cup coconut in a shallow bowl; roll balls in coconut.

Note: Refrigerate balls in an airtight container for up to one day.

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls:

Ingredients

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ

1/4 cup of dried berries
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed ( I used applesauce )

Directions

1. Combine peanut butter, milk powder, dry berries, and coconut in a large mixing bowl.

2. stir in oats, ground cinnamon, wheat germ, and apple juice concentrate unit thoroughly combined.

3. Shape the mixture into 16-inch balls

4. Chill thoroughly before serving, about an hour. Store remaining in the refrigerator.

Cont... April

CB Mint Cake

1 box betty crocker super moist white cake mix

1 ¼ cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil ( try using applesauce for even healthier version)

3 egg whites

2 1/2tsp. mint extract

2 drops green food coloring

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 for shiny metal or glass pan, 325 for a dark of nonstick pan. Coat 9x13 inch pan with baking spray. Make cake mix using water, oil, egg whites and mint extract.

If you want the cake to have a green marble effect:

Reserve 1 cup of batter. Stir 3 drops green food coloring into reserved batter, set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.

Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in s-shape curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan ¼ turn; repeat cutting into swirls design. You don't have to do this step, but it makes it cuter when you cut into the cake and there's green and white swirls everywhere.

Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. COOL COMPLETELY, about one hour.

Topping

1 jar Hershey’s hot fudge topping ( we only used about 1/3 of the jar )

1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip

Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. I like to place it in the fridge so that the fudge is set up well before you add the next layer.

Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge topping. Freeze cake for about 30 min.

Side of Cake

Almond granola

Toasted coconut

Apply granola and toasted coconut on the side and along top edge of cake. I put the cake bake in the freezer until it was 30 min before serving.

Fruit

Mango

Strawberries

Blueberries

Kiwi

orange peel

Garnish with fruit 30 min before serving.

April=Birthday Cakes

One word that would describe the month of April...hmmmmm....

BIRTHDAYS!

Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake

Here is a copycat recipe for...

Menu description:

Black Tie Mousse Cake

Rich layers of chocolate cake, dark chocolate cheesecake and creamy custard mousse.

Layer 1 Chocolate cake "crust":

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

3 eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1/3 Cup Dutch baking cocoa

1/2 Cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease bottom only of a 9 inch springform pan. In medium bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and mix well. Add flour and cocoa and mix well toc ombine. Batter will be stiff. Spread in pan. Set aside

Layer 2 Baked Chocolate cheesecake:

8 Ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1/2 Cup ricotta cheese

3/4 Cup sugar

1 Ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon flour

In large bowl cream cheeses with sugar until smooth. Add small amount to melted chocolate and combine well, add chocolate mixture and beat until well combined. Add eggs and flour and beat well. Smooth over top of cake batter in pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheesecake isset in center. Cover with foil during last 10 minutes to prevent over browning. Remove from oven and cool.

Layer 3 Italian mousse:

3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

12 oz marscapone or Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (or 6 oz of each)

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 T. cold water

1 T. boiling water

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

Beat cream until stiff. In seperate bowl beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Combine with cream and fold to combine. In small bowl soften gealtin in cold water for about 1 minute. Pour boiling water over gelatin and stir to dissolve gelatin. Cool five minutes. Fold into cheese mixture until just combined. Spread mixture over baked cheesecake layer and chill well ( freeze the cake at this point works well and makes spreading the final layer easier).

Layer 4 Dark chocolate/white chocolate ganache:

10-12 oz (1 bag) dark chocolate (Guitard double chocolate chips work great) or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 T. butter

1/4 c. Guitard white chocolate chips

1 1/2 c. Nestle mini chocolate chips

Heat cream and butter over low heat until just boiling (may also microwave). Place dark chocolate chips in large bowl. Reserve 2 T. cream mixture. Pour cream mixture over chips and let set about 2 minutes, or until chips begin to melt. Stir to combine. Repeat for white chips using reserved cream mixture. melted . Let cool slightly until spreading consistency. Using a sharp knife gently run blade around edge of cake to loosen. Remove cake sides from pan and place bottom with cake on serving plate or stand. Spread frosting over top and sides. Drizzle white chocolate lightly over top. Using a knife or toothpick run it lightly over top to swirl to create desired effect. Press mini chips into frosting on sides until completely coated to create a "crust". Top edges with mousse frosting. Chill well and serve. Serves 12-16.

Mousse frosting:

1/2 heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/8 c. baking cocoa

1/8 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients and whip until peaks form. Pipe generously around cake top edge, and center.

This is an original Meemo's Kitchen recipe include and post full and

Wales Chocolate Strawberry Cake

Working on typing up the recipe.

Finally it's warm again! Time to branch out!

Tropical Picnic Bread ( mango, orange, banana bread)

Tropical Picnic Bread ( mango, orange, banana bread)

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1/2 cup of oil

2.cups all purpose flour

1/2 whole wheat

2 1/2 c sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c (packed) light brown sugar

1 fresh mango

2 Tb orange zest

Topping:

1/4 cup of oats

1/8 cup brown sugar\

1/8 cup sugar\

1/2 Tb honey\

a few crushed walnuts\cf2 \

Directions

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Spray the loaf pan with non-stick spray. Put the pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked one on top of the other. (This extra insulation will keep the bottom of the bread from overbanking).

Whisk the eggs and oil together.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Rub the brown sugar between your palms into the bowl, breaking up any lumps, and then stir it in. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, switch to a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon and mix until blended the batter will be very thick (really more like a dough than a batter) and not easily mixed, but persevere, it will soon come together. Stir in the mango, raisins, and zest. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Mix together Topping ingredients and sprinkle along the top on the batter.

Bake the bread for 1.5 hours, or until it is golden brown and a thin knife inserted into, the center comes out clean. (If the bread looks as if it’s getting too brown as it bakes, cover it loosely with a foil tent). I did this at 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before running a knife around the sides of the pan and unmolding Invert and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.