Homemade Gumdrops!

Who would have imagined I would one day be making gumdrops, from SCRATCH.  No way!   Let me tell you, these were so fun, so easy, and taste so good, I think this will become a new "go to" for little edible gifts in a cool little box or bag. 

In my quest to find a good recipe, because let's face it, some recipes, I just need some help with.  I found numerous recipes, with all the same ingredients.  I am convinced one took it from another who doubled it from another who tripled it from the first and so on.  I didn't care that all the recipes were basically the same, this was my maiden sailing and I just wanted to see what the outcome of this recipe was before I tried to "play" with it.  They turned out fantastic but there are a few little tips that make it MUCH easier if you take the time to do them.

I used an 8x8 square pan.  You could use a 9x9 or a 7x11 or, well, don't get bigger than that.  Either spray the CRAP outta that baby with nonstick cooking spray or line every last inch of it with parchment.  Or BOTH!  Before I poured the hot mixture in my prepared dish, I added about 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to the bottom  so it would perhaps come out easier. 

If you do those things and follow my other directions you will find how easy, and delicious these little treats are.  I also cut mine into heart shapes for Valentine's Day.  I got 21 hearts.  If you just cut them into cubes, you will obviously get many more.  Just an FYI.

You will need
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup applesauce, use sweetened or unsweetened (I used sweetened)
1 3.4 oz. pkg strawberry jello (use cherry or anything red or pink for V-Day)
1 .25 oz. pkg unflavored gelatin
1 cup granulated sugar for dusting at the end

Prepare pan as described above and set aside.  It must be prepared first. 

In a saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar, lemon juice, applesauce, jello and gelatin.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and one it boils, let it boil for 1 minute. 

WARNING this is a hot sugar mixture be VERY CAREFUL!!!  Pour carefully into your prepared pan and refrigerate at least 4 hours, I left mine overnight which I think is best. 

When it is chilled, run a knife around the edges and turn out unto a cookie sheet that is covered in granulated sugar.  Use a knife or cookie cutter to cut your gumdrops into your desired shapes, dust in the sugar and lay in a flat layer to let dry.

 Let them sit overnight!!

 

ENJOY some sweets, for your sweet!

Cherries In The Snow, Cherry Almond Popsicles

I love garage sales.  I love makeup.  I love things that bring back happy childhood memories.  Do any of these things relate to each other?  Relate to food?  Well let me explain how they do.

I was out at garage sales with my daughter in law the other day.  We did a few "drive-byes" and found one that looked promising.  I sent my daughter in law to scope it out as we had one screaming twin in tote.  She yelled back at me that there was a ton of Tupperware, like new.  Well, Tupperware is a complete blast from the past for me.  I mean haven't a lot of us moved on to Rubbermaid and Glad disposable storage bowls?  I had to go check it out.  As I was moving toward the boxes of Tupperware, I had eyeballed something that looked familiar right away.  I couldn't be sure if it was, in fact, what I thought it was.  As I got closer, my blood pressure rose, and I started to get the shivers, I had, at that moment, in fact, laid my eyes on none other than a  "vintage" Tupperware Popsicle Set!!  WHAT?  This was like my childhood  all wrapped in a Ziploc!  I was thrilled!  I snagged those babies up.  I wouldn't have cared if they were 20.00, I was going to leave with them in my hand! 

I got home, washed them up and sat contemplating what my first flavor would be.  I knew I had cherries to use up.  I didn't want to go with chocolate and cherries, it just seemed, not the right thing.  As I sat, I was thinking that I needed to do my makeup for an outing later and so I got to it.  When I put on my favorite red lipstick, it all came rushing to me.  YES!  Cherries and almond!  I would keep them looking white, with cherries in them and I would call them none other than, "Cherries In The Snow"! (Thanks Revlon!)  Many things I love rolled into one, Tupperware, garage sales, lipstick and food.  . 

My life is now complete.

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1/8 tsp. cherry extract

Combine all ingredients, pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze until completely frozen overnight is best!!  While I am not exactly sure how many ounces each of these hold, this will make 6 popsicles using this set!  Very easy to double or triple! 

Enjoy these simple, but delicious summer treats!  But, be prepared because..... I'm in a popsicle state of mind!

Banana Split Cupcakes

Can you believe I have NEVER, in my life, ordered a "Banana Split"?  Seriously!  Never. 

As a kid, we all got the same thing, a small cone.  Money was tight, and we would fight over any discrepancy so, my dad went ordered us small cones, across the board!  There is a story in my family from before I was born.  Apparently my dad and mom got all the kids an ice cream cone, which happened back then, about one time a summer.  Remember I am the youngest, (aka Perfect 10) of 10 kids!   When the kids in the back seat started arguing about someone having a taller cone, my dad pulled over, grabbed every single ice cream cone, INCLUDING my moms and threw them all out the window.  Not a word was spoken, which for my dad, is worse than ANYTHING.   My mom is still ticked off to this day!! HAHA!  He wouldn't tolerate greediness of any kind, at any age, especially when ice cream was such a rare treat.  Anyway, so even when I was little, it was sort of the same, but by the time I came along I probably got to pick my own flavor!  Secondly, I don't like fruit.  I just couldn't imagine the ruination of perfectly good ice cream and hot fudge sauce, with all that.......FRUIT! 

These cupcakes however, perfection.  A little bit of a dense-ish banana cupcake, pineapple frosting, sprinkles, chocolate and a cherry.  I mean, get outta here.  The pineapple flavor is very subtle.  You can choose to add some crushed pineapple that is VERY well drained or just use the juice. (hubs wants actual pineapple added next time) No matter what, these look like you labored hours in the kitchen and the reality is, they are so quick and easy.  This recipe makes 12 cupcakes and the frosting will perfectly frost all 12!  It is cupcake season, birthdays, school treats, school bake sales, parties, you name it.  These will be a hit no matter WHO you serve them too!

Here we go! Cake recipe first!

Banana Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup mashed bananas
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Fill 12 liners in a cupcake pan with the mixture.  Bake 13-15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool in the pan.

NOTE: This is a dense cake, amazingly flavorful but a bit dense.  If you want a fluffier cupcake, use a cake mix and banana extract.  I would personally, go with my version :)

Pineapple Frosting
1/2 cup softened butter
3 tbsp. pineapple juice
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
(optional) 1/3 cup crushed pineapple

Mix all ingredients.  I piped mine on but feel free to use a knife or however you frost cupcakes!

Garnishes
Maraschino Cherries (blotted off on paper towels so the juice doesn't run)
Sprinkles of your choice
1/2 cup chocolate chips or melts (melted)

When the cupcakes cool, then frost.  Add sprinkles while icing is still fresh and make sure to top with a cherry at this time!  Let sit in the fridge or on the counter for 1 hour then drizzle with chocolate! 

ENJOY!

Your "no fruit in my splits please" Chefwannabe

Chocolate Covered Cherry Muffins

Good Evening!  I hope this finds you all home and relaxing after a hard day at work!  Maybe you just had dinner, maybe you are waiting for your water to boil, your oven to heat, or your microwave to ding, regardless, I have you covered for dessert.  Or wait.....I mean breakfast, umm, tomorrow. 

These "muffins" taste more like dessert but.......shhhh, don't tell anyone.   I have never eaten a chocolate muffin.  Never.  Can you believe it?  My husband says it is because chocolate muffins are cupcakes.  And heaven knows, I have had my fair share of those so technically, hubby says, I have eaten chocolate muffins.  Well since I am on another use up kick, I had some cherry pie filling, some maraschino cherries and other random things I wanted used up.  You got the final deal here.   I mean who doesn't think, "Heck yeah" when they hear Chocolate Covered Cherry Muffins?  I am on a bit of a muffin kick anyway, it is turning into another biscotti obsession of how many kinds can I possibly make.  Has this ever happened to anyone else, or am I, again, the singular freak? 

These muffins aren't to sweet, they have a nice texture and who doesn't love a surprise cherry in the middle?  Get outta here, they are delish.  DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT, skip the chocolate drizzle on top.  It evens things out perfectly and just shouldn't be left out.  Get in your kitchen and make these, because every morning should start so decadently!

You will need:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbsp. melted butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cherry extract
3/4 cup cherry pie filling
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Sm jar of maraschino cherries (you will need 15ish)
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin/cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 

In a large bowl or your stand mixer bowl, add in eggs, butter, buttermilk brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cherry extract.  Mix until all ingredients are well combined.  Continue by adding cherry pie filling and oats to the mix.  Again mix until all ingredients are combined.  Add in flour and mix ONLY until flour is absorbed.  Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides and fold in chocolate chips.

Fill openings of your muffin tin about 2/3rds full.  You should get 15 muffins.  OK, I got 15 muffins, you might get 14, or 16 but, you just go with whatcha know.......!

Place a maraschino cherry on top of each muffin in the center.  Most of the cherries will sink to the middle, some might stay closer to the top.  No matter, bake for 18-20 minutes.  Remove and let cool completely IN the pan. 
 
Put chocolate chips in a small Ziploc bag, and microwave 30 seconds at a time until chips are melted.  Cut a TINY bit from the corner and drizzle the tops of the muffins however you want.  Let the chocolate set and serve!

Your "chocolate covered cherries are now for breakfast" chefwannabe

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

So, you DID listen to me and you did come over for this one eh?  Cool, glad you did.  This may seem like a regular cupcake recipe but it has a fun twist and when you see what it is, you are going to think to yourself, "COOL"!  If you have a child celebrating a birthday soon, don't order cupcakes, make these!  Let me get on to gettin' on so you can find out, I possibly hit this one out of the park.  

Well, you all know how I feel about box cake mixes.  And to be honest, I swear I was going to use a from scratch recipe today.  When at the last minute I decided to divide my batter, I decided I was going with a box.  You will see why.  I just want it to be noted, I DID plan on making cake from scratch.  Even fate thinks I am better off with the box!

Cherry limeades are possibly my second most favorite drink, especially in the summer.  My husband so kindly brought me one a week or so ago and with my unwavering love of cupcakes I thought I should probably try to put this drink, in a cupcake.  I did it, I really did it.  AND, to top it off, literally, you get a sweet little cherry, and POP ROCKS!  I wanted to be able to give you that fizzy in your mouth like a limeade that is carbonated and what better way?  It beat out the idea of just having you pour baking soda and vinegar with a shot of lime down your throat.  Better choice, don't you think?

Here is what you will need for the cake part of this recipe:

White cake mix
Cherry Flavoring
2 limes (zest AND juice)
green food coloring
red food coloring

Mix cake according to package directions EXCEPT, leave out the water it calls for.  At this point divide into 2 bowls.

Bowl 1 gets, half the amount of water called for, 3-5 drops of red food coloring and 3 tsp cherry flavor.  Mix completely.

Bowl 2 gets, zest of one lime, juice from 2 limes into a measuring cup.  Whatever the difference is between the lime juice and half of the measurement needed for water, make up with water added to your lime juice.  Also add 3-5 drops of green food coloring.

Preheat oven to the temperature on the box and line cupcake pan with liners.  (have some that are slightly attractive, unlike mine, thus the missing liner on the photos)

Add green batter to the bottoms of all the liners, about 1 1/2 tbsp, and then add the red/pink batter on top.  You want to make it so this fills the cupcake up 2/3 of the way.  I got 18 cupcakes, but I think you should easily get 20.  I overfilled a handful of them.  Bake according to package directions, they are done when a toothpick inserted, comes out clean.  Let cool completely.  While you are letting them cool, lets get started on the icing!



Lime Buttercreamcheese Frosting
4oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick butter (room temp)
4 cups powdered sugar  (keep an extra 1/2 cup handy just in case)
green food coloring
2 limes (zest and juice)
marashino cherrys
pop rocks (cherry or strawberry)

Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer or stand mixer.  Mix until completely smooth and all food coloring is mixed in.

I used a piping back, and piped the icing on the cupcakes.  Top with a maraschino cherry, and cherry pop rocks.  If you want, RIGHT before serving you can drizzle a tiny bit of cherry juice over the top to get the rocks crackling while serving!  These are so fun!!  You will be a rock star if you serve these to a bunch of kids OR adults!

Your "buy extra pop rocks for yourself"chefwannabe

Chris