Wilton Cake Course 1: Completed

I finally got around to taking a cake decorating class. I have had the course 1 kit for over a year and used the decorating bags and tips, but I didn't really how how to use all of them. I figured this would be a good skill to learn so I could make the kids birthday cakes myself. Plus I love cooking/baking and this falls in that category.

At the first class we learned how to make the icing and frost the cake. I discovered that the "Buttercream" frosting (recipe follows) is hardly what I would consider food. I don't eat it. Instead, I tend to think of it as an art medium like paint or clay.

Class 2; cake 1: Stars(Since the outer frosting isn't very appetizing, I like to fill the cake with something yummy. This one had strawberry cream cheese frosting in the middle.)

Class 3; cake 2: drop flowers and shells

Class 4; cake 3: roses and leaves

Next week I start course 2.

Wilton's Buttercream Frosting

1 c shortening

2 T water

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar (about 4 cups)

Cream together first three ingredients. Slowly add powdered sugar and blend until smooth. (for thinner consistency add 1 T water at a time and blend)

Late Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars are Kurt's favorite so I make them for his birthday instead of cake. I was a little late this year.

I kind of used different parts of the Barefoot Contessa recipe and the Better Homes Recipe because I was low on some ingredients.

(The powdered sugar melted into the top before I took the picture.)

Lemon Bars

1/2 c sugar

2 c flour

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 c butter, room temperature

4 eggs slightly beaten

1 1/2 c sugar

3 T flour

1 T lemon zest

3/4 c lemon juice

1/4 milk

powdered sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and salt. On low speed add butter until just mixed. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Chill for a minute, then bake 18 min at 350.

Mean while whisk eggs, sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest and milk. Pour over crust and bake 20 minutes- until filling is set. Cool completely and sift powdered sugar on top.

Lasagna

I always use cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese when I make lasagna because it's cheaper and has more protein. It's the only time I eat cottage cheese. I don't like it. Mostly it's the texture. To remedy this I blend it in the blender to make it smoother.

Also, I usually use marinara sauce when I make lasagna and add some shredded veggies (carrots, zucchini) for added texture, but I had leftover homemade meat sauce so I used that this time.

Lasagna

6 lasagna noodles, cooked as directed on package

32-40 oz Spaghetti sauce* (4 or 5 cups homemade, I always like more)

16 oz cottage cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

optional:

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp garlic powder

In a blender put egg and cottage cheese and blend until smooth. Scoop into a bowl and add parmesan cheese and dried herbs and garlic powder.

Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Place 3 of the noodles in a row (they might overlap a bit). Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles, then half of the spaghetti sauce, and next half of the mozzarella cheese. Place remaining 3 noodles and repeat layers of cottage cheese, sauce and end with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*I use canned spaghetti sauce for most pasta. I always bought Hunts because it was the cheapest ($1 32 oz) and that's what my family always used. But then I thought I'd look for a better brand. I tried out 5 other brands before deciding we just like Hunts (Garlic & Herb). The other brands were just too sweet (had more sugar). I only wish it was a little thicker.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I decided since the frosting we are supposed to make to decorate the cakes for my cake decorating class is not very good (to be honest, it seems completely inedible to me) that I would make a yummy filling.

This buttercream frosting actually uses butter (amazing, huh). A whole pound of it! It's in the first Barefoot Contessa cookbook. It was so light and fluffy it seemed like chocolate mousse. I couldn't help but lick the beater afterwards.

It was a bit involved to make, so I don't know how often I'd use this recipe, but it was fun to try it out.

*caution: it calls for unsalted butter (her recipes usually do) and I only had salted butter and forgot to reduce the amount of salt it calls for to compensate. Kurt said it tasted a bit on the salty side. Also I used regular salt since it didn't specify kosher, so that might have been the problem.

10 oz bittersweet chocolate

6 oz semisweet chocolate

1/2 c egg whites

1 teaspoon salt (kosher?)

pinch cream of tartar (1/8 tsp?)

1 lb unsalted butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons instant expresso, dissolved in 1 tsp water (I just used some cocoa powder mixed with a little water)

Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.

Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and rum, if using, and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again.

This recipe is pretty much the same as her Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe at foodnetwork.com it just looks to be reduced 2/3.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

This is another great soup recipe from my Barefoot Contessa cookbook. I don't make it as much as the others because, well, it doesn't seem as healthy with the bacon, cream, and cheese. ;) But it was cooler than usual outside today and overcast. A perfect soup day and this one is delicious! The kids even ate it, though that might have been because they were starving since dinner was an hour late. Watch out cause it makes A LOT. I always half the soup recipes and they still don't fit in my 3 quart pot! So there's tons of left overs, which is okay with us.

(Sorry this picture doesn't do it justice, I didn't remember to take one until all the bacon was gone so it just looks like a bunch of yellow.)

*whenever things call for half-and-half I usually just make my own with milk and cream. I don't want to bother buying a whole thing of half-and-half, plus you can use the left over cream to make whipped cream. Mmmm

(Sabrina, this one also calls for turmeric- so go buy some.)

Family Home Evening Treat

I heard about these cookies from some friends who said a nurse that worked in oncology gave them the recipe. The nurse said they call them Cancer Cookies because they give these to the cancer patients who have a hard time keeping food down because they are high protein, high calorie. I also did a search for the recipe on the internet and found the recipe listed as "diabetes friendly" on Every Day Health.com.

They're nice because they are super simple and quick to make and really yummy. Plus, I'm always trying to find ways to fatten Eleanor up and get her to eat more protein.

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together and place balls of dough on a cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes.

Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

I'm almost embarrassed to post this recipe (actually, I'll just add a link). I'm just trying to "keep it real." I don't make things with "cream of [whatever]" soups much anymore. But it seemed there was no food in the house so I did a search on allrecipes.com for the ingredients I did have and found this one. It turned out pretty good and the kids even ate it. If I make it again I might just try substituting sour cream for the cream of chicken soup.

bbq chicken sandwiches

Tonight we had barbecue chicken sandwiches. I often make these when I have left over chicken, or when I just have a craving for barbecue sauce. I found a recipe for bbq sauce in my Better Homes Cookbook a few years ago and started making it from scratch most of the time because I didn't like that corn syrup was a main ingredient in bottled sauce. Once I discovered Trader Joe's bbq sauce (no corn syrup) I use that if I have it. But I still like to make it myself.

I recently found this recipe that uses agave (on the Xagave.com website) and wanted to try it. It's a lot different from the other one I use, but it was good. It seemed like it was going to be too tangy/vinegary, but it turned out okay. I might decrease the vinegar next time.

2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup Xagave
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. French’s mustard
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and whisk together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

I left two chicken breasts cooking in the crock-pot all day so it was super tender and just fell apart when I took it out. I mixed it together with the sauce and served it on whole wheat hamburger buns and had corn on the cob as a side.

asparagus

I ate asparagus growing up but it was never something I really loved. My husband and kids LOVE it. So I've been making it for them and eating it too, but it wasn't anything special... until I found this recipe for Parmesan Roasted Asparagus in my Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I love it! It's great even without the parmesan cheese.

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks have started me roasting my veggies a lot more. The flavor is just wonderful that way. I still have to steam some for Eleanor and Gregory (it's easier for them to chew), but Kurt and I really enjoy it this way.

I usually foil line my cookie sheet for easier clean up.

Just drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt (kosher) and pepper (freshly ground).

After 20 min at about 400, grate cheese over and put back in oven for a few minutes.

These asparagus were really skinny I usually like to get them bigger, they seem to have more flavor and don't get dried out as much.

Cream of Broccolli Soup

I have a regular cream of broccoli soup recipe that I use, but last time I was about to make it I decided I wanted it a little different and found this broccoli soup recipe on the Food Network website.

2-3 T butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

pinch of nutmeg

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 T flour

3 cups water plus 3 bullion cubes

1 head broccoli chopped.

1/2 c cream

Cook onions and garlic until onions are soft. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and cook for another minute. Mix in the flour until well combined flour. Pour in water/bullion and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer until thickens. Add the broccoli and cook until tender. Stir in cream.

(It's actually a broccoli cheese soup recipe, but I changed it a bit and just added shredded cheese as a garnish on top.)

agave

I've mentioned that I have been experimenting with using agave nectar in a lot of my recipes and thought I should post a little about it. Agave nectar is a natural sweetener made from the agave plant. It's sweeter than sugar so you use less of it, and it has a really low glycemic index so it doesn't raise your blood sugar like honey or sugar. I bought some at Costco called Wholesome Sweetener brand Organic Blue Agave.

I first heard about agave from a friend who no longer uses sugar, only agave. She uses Xagave brand, which I believe they sell in health food stores in Utah (or can be ordered online). Their website has a lot of info and yummy looking recipes (I've made a few).

Then after I read about it in Anti Cancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber I decided to try it out. I obviously use it in baking and cooking, but I also put it on my oatmeal, in plain yogurt, in peppermint tea, etc. It tastes a little different from sugar which you can detect when you put it directly on stuff, but it's not strong and I don't even notice it when I cook with it.

beef broccoli

When it comes to meat I don't usually deviate from my habit of chicken breasts and ground beef. I just don't really know how to cook meat, so it intimidates me.

But I felt like doing something different and saw a package of 'stir fry beef' at the grocery store so I brought it home and found this Broccoli Beef Stir Fry recipe at Allrecipes.com and followed the suggestions of the first reviewer listed. It's really simple and really fast.

1/8 c flour

1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth

2 T sugar

2 T soy sauce

1 lb boneless round stake, cut in small pieces (I bought about 1/2 lb stir fry beef)

1/4 t ginger powder

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 head broccoli cut up (4 or 5 cups)

Whisk together flour, broth, sugar, ginger, and soy sauce. Set aside.

In a large skillet cook meat on high heat for 2-4 min. just until browned. Stir in broth mixture, garlic and broccoli. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Swedish Pancakes

Mom's Swedish Pancakes

2 c flour

4 c milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

butter to fry in

Whip up eggs first. Alternate adding a little milk and then a little flour, etc. Put a little butter in warm frying pan. Add enough batter to thinly cover the bottom of the pan (try about 1/4 cup); tilt pan rotating in a circle to spread the batter out evenly. Cook until edges become dry. Use pancake turner to flip over and cook the other side. Should be golden brown.

Fill with cut up fruit or spread with Nutella or jam and roll up. Top with whipped cream.

(As a kid we usually just ate them with maple syrup like regular pancakes. I'm sure my mom thought we were so strange. hehe)

Swedish Meatballs

Mom's Swedish Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c bread crumbs

1/4 c milk

salt and pepper to taste

4 Tbspoons finely chopped onions

1 egg, slightly beaten

butter to fry in

Mix together bread crumbs, milk, onions, egg, salt and pepper. Let sand for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and mix well. Form into small balls (1.5 in) and fry in butter, turning frequently. (I found I usually make them too big and then they don't cook as well. If they're falling apart or burning before they're done cooking, try making them a little smaller.)

Gravy

After you've fried the meatballs. Add about 1 or 2 cups water to pan along with some bullion cubes (enough for amount of water). Stir together 2 or 3 tablespoons with some water -just so it's pour-able. Slowly pour into pan while whisking. Bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons soy sauce (for color).

Eggplant Parmesan

I love this dish. It's a nice way to add something substantial to a pasta night without using meat. (These are the pictures you get. I don't have a final picture cause I realized I didn't have any mozzarella cheese so I covered it and put it in the fridge and made it for dinner the next day. Just imagine mozzarella sprinkled on top and baked in the oven. Mmm)

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 egg, beaten with 1 Tablespoon water

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons oil

1/3 parmesan cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Dip eggplant slices into egg and then flour. Heat oil and cook a few eggplant slices in frying pan until golden. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with rest.

Put eggplant in a casserole dish and sprinkle with parmesan. Spoon sauce over eggplant and then top with mozzarella. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

Battered, and fried.

Sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese- I love my Microplane Zester!

Covered with sauce. (Sorry, I don't have a finished product. At this point I realized I didn't have any mozzarella so it went in the fridge until the next day and then I didn't have time to take a picture.)

Easter Candy & Tortilla Soup

The kids ate pretty much all their Easter candy for breakfast. :P I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

We were supposed to go to a pot luck for Easter dinner, but Kurt and I came down with some serious sinus colds and we decided to spare everyone and stay home. So I made this Tortilla soup for Easter dinner. Not traditional, but hopefully it will get us feeling better quick. I usually try to make meals with lots of onions and/or garlic when we've got colds at our house.

Tortilla Soup

2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 Anaheim chile, seeded, small diced

1 jalapeno chile, seeded, small diced

2 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cooked chicken breast, diced (I cut it into 3 smaller pieces sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin and bake at 400 for 20 min.)

1 or 2 ripe avocados, chopped

chopped fresh cilantro

Garnish:

tortilla chips

shredded cheddar cheese

lime wedges

Cook onions in oil for a couple minutes. Add garlic and chilies and cook until tender. Mix in broth, tomatoes, salt, and chicken. Let simmer until heated though. Add avocados and cilantro right before serving. Place tortilla chips in each bowl, fill with soup, top with cheese and squeeze in lime.

Chocolate Puddin' ... Surprise!

I heard about chocolate pudding made with avocados. I thought it would be a good way to get the kids to eat some extra veggies and a low sugar, chocolatey treat. So I googled it and found a lot of variations. I decided to try two different kinds and see which I like better. I changed them a bit to my own liking.

I liked the 1st one better. I thought the banana flavor was to strong in the second. My husband even ate it. I didn't think he would since he saw me making it. I know, it sounds weird. But seriously, go buy an avocado and try it. You'll be surprised.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

2 avocados

1/4 cup coco powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

5 Tablespoons agave nectar

Put it all in the blender and blend until smooth. Chill for 2 hours.

The original recipe calls for 1/4 c water, but I decided to omit it cause I thought it would end up runny. I was having a hard time getting it to blend so I added a couple spoons of plain yogurt and then a couple splashes of milk when that didn't work. Later while eating it I mixed in even more milk cause it was too thick. Next time I'll add the coco powder last. Also all the comments said to make sure and let it chill long enough so the flavors can blend.

Avocado Banana Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado

1 Banana

1/4 c coco powder

1/2 c milk

2 Tablespoons agave nectar

Blend in blender. Refrigerate 1 hour. (I didn't bother cleaning out the blender between recipes.)

Rice Pudding

My mom used to make rice pudding in the crock-pot growing up. We always ate it for breakfast with jam and milk on it, but I guess it's a desert. This is an oven recipe I found that I usually make when I have left over rice from dinner. I figure it's a good high calorie, high protein breakfast for Eleanor. She and Gregory love it.

Rice Pudding

1 1/2 cups milk

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar (I used 3 T sugar and 2 T agave, sometimes I just put in 1/4 c agave instead)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup raisins (I usually put these in, but didn't have them today)

Cinnamon

Beat eggs slightly, add milk and vanilla. Stir in rice and raisins. (I usually just mix it in the dish I bake it in. One less thing to wash.) Sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.

Put 1 1/2 quart baking dish in a 9x13 glass dish and place in pre-heated oven. Fill 9x13 with 1" boiling water. Bake at 325 for 30 min. Pull out oven rack and stir pudding. Replace and bake 20-30 min more until middle is set.