Gooey S'more Dessert

The name alone gets me all jittery inside.  Who doesn't love a good s'more?  Now you can make it as a dessert, anytime, no need for an open fire, or bugs at your campsite.  This is easy, clean, and best of all you won't smell like a fire when you are done!

This dessert is the marriage of 3 recipes I wanted to try.  Wait, I take that back it was one recipe, but instead of using that recipe, an old newspaper clipping, I tried to reinvent it with old recipes my mom gave me.  It turned out well.  The brownie will seem, or may seem "not done" in the middle, just let it cool.  All will be well.  That gooeyness you think might be hiding in the center, IS and it is SUPPOSED to be! 

Get your oven preheated to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

For the "crust" you will need graham crackers.  You can just lay them out on the bottom.  If you use the whole graham, it will take 6 full ones and few more.  However you do it just lay them so the bottom is covered.  Set aside and let's get to the brownies.

For the BROWNIES you will need:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 lb. butter (aka 1/2 cup)
4 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup  milk
6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder

First, make sure your butter is at room temperature.  Cream the butter and sugar together well.  Add eggs and continue to beat well.  When well combined, add the rest of the ingredients.  Beat with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until smooth.  Now carefully dollop or sort of pour this over the graham crackers.  Don't move the crackers, pour it out all over so you have to spread it very little. Bake for 25-35 minutes,  The judgment is yours, the less you keep it in, the more the goo factor goes up, but doe what makes you happy!  The eggs will be plenty cooked so in case that worries you don't let it.  You can let this go 40 minutes and have a more cake like dessert.  When it is done, sit on a cooling rack and let cook while you make the icing.

For the ICING you will need:
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 T water

Combine all of the ingredients in the top of a double boiler, or in a bowl that you can use as the top of a double boiler.  Make sure it is well mixed.  Add an inch of water to a pot and let it come to a boil.  Make sure the water doesn't actually touch the bottom of the bowl.  Put bowl on top and begin using ah and mixer to beat it for 3-4 minutes.  Beat constantly!!  When it is done, pour over your brownies and then top with chocolate jimmies or some graham cracker dust or both.   After about 15 minutes you can use a brulee torch to toast it up on top!

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving!

ENJOY!

Frog Eye Salad

Just as I was relaxing over the end of salad season, my mom strikes again.  We were chatting on the phone and she said, "I am so hungry for frog eye salad".   Oh man, it had been years since I thought about the infamous frog eye salad.  This salad has been a favorite of my siblings for many years.  I was never a huge fruit eater, but pineapple, I do love.  I pick out the oranges and the cherries and dig in.  Every holiday, EVERY holiday, my mom makes this. 

 

I think frog eye salad, originally is made with a cooked custard, but, my mom always did it this way.  I think it is the cheater way to be honest but, who messes with perfection?  Nobody with any sense!  Anyway, back to my phone conversation, she asked if I had ever posted it here and when I responded I had not she said, "OH you can come home and make it, and I can taste test it, and it will all be for the good of your website".  Yea, right ma.  When I ran this recipe by my husband he almost erped.  "Pasta in a sweet salad"?!?!  He agreed to give it a try but he was skeptical.  Now, he didn't actually SAY much, but the degree of devouring that went on over this sort of spoke for itself.  You know? 

Really he loved it and couldn't believe he had never heard of it.  So if you love it, have never had it, think it might be ridiculous, OR are brave.... give it a try!

1 1/2 cups acini de pepe (pasta, Uncooked)
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 - 4 serving size boxes of instant vanilla pudding
8 ounces cool whip
10 ounces maraschino cherries, halved and DRAINED
11 oz. can of mandarin oranges
20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
20 oz. can of chunk pineapple

Boil your pasta as per the package direction.  Drain well, and run some cold water of them.  In a very LARGE bowl, combine pudding and cool whip until well combined.  Add in oranges and both kinds of pineapple.  Make sure to DRAIN the cherries and add those as well.  Fold in the pasta and marshmallows and refrigerate for 1 hour.   This is a hit with our family as I said, and I am sure it will be a hit with yours too!

Enjoy!

PS.  If you don't prefer to use cool whip, please feel free to sweeten up some fresh heavy cream and substitute. 

Movie In Your Mouth Popcorn Cake

I love this recipe.  Just ask my "bat wings" how much I love it.  I feel so ashamed!

I was hungry for popcorn with marshmallows in it.  I am not generally a mixer or salty and sweet but, when I mentioned to my husband I was thinking of this he was on top of the world!  We are lovers of the movies and this cake, is like a bite of a movie theatre.  All of the usual movie theatre suspects, in one bite?!  Yes!  You are VERY welcome!

I think this is so festive and what a fun alternative to a real cake!  How fun would this be on a sweet table for any party!?  Decorated and ingredients matching a theme would be really cool too!  Make it your own.  No bake, no muss, no fuss. 

This is so easy and feel free to change out my candy choices for ones you might like better.  Just make sure you can buy them at the MOVIES!!



3.5 ounce bag of microwave BUTTERED popcorn, popped
10.5 ounce bag of marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1 cup Twizzlers cut into bite size pieces
1 1/4 cup plain M&MS (divided)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

In a large bowl place marshmallows and butter.  Microwave 1 minute at a time until mixture is melted and creamy.  Stir in popcorn and mix.  It might take a couple of minutes to get it combined evenly!  Stir in Twizzlers and 1 cup of  M&Ms and place into a Bundt pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Spread out evenly without pressing TO hard.  You want it to be in there solid but no need to squish it to death.  Chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.  Turn out  on to a plate when chilled.  (might need to run a knife around the edges and insides)

Melt white chocolate chips and place into a piping bag or just use a spoon, and drizzle the top heavily with the white chocolate.  Immediately take your extra 1/4 cup M&Ms and sprinkle on top

Let sit at room temp for 15 minutes.  Serve!

NOTE!  REMOVE all OLD MAIDS from your popcorn.  This is SO important, you don't need anyone breakin' their grill on your popcorn cake!  I forgot one, and I am the one who found it.  No broken teeth but, not a pleasant experience!

Enjoy your mouthful of "the movies"!!

!

Marshjellow Pinwheels

So I asked you all on FB when jello was a side and when it is dessert.  I tell ya, I just don't know.  You all probably know by now my disdain for the texture of jello.  But, this has possibly changed me.  Possibly.

 

It was funny to hear your stories of jello.  Because I mean seriously, who knew the world felt so strongly one way or another about it.  My mom and her shredded cabbage and carrots IN jello, ACK.  I sadly know she is not alone, many of you posted memories of that particular dish.  If you can call it that!  I always would eat my jello plain, nothing in it and I always wanted whipped cream on it.  I guess that makes it certifiably, "dessert".  I found this recipe and had to give it a try because generally, things like this don't turn out nicely for me.  As you can see it did, and it was SO unbelievably easy.  I would serve this for a meal with some whipped cream because I actually enjoyed this!  You can use any flavor of jello you want but might I strongly suggest apricot, like I used?  So delicious!

You will need:

1- 3 oz. box of Jello (flavor is your choice)
1/2 cup water
1 cup mini marshmallows

In a glass 8x8 dish, spray lightly with cooking spray and then use a paper towel to spread it around and thin it out.  Set aside.

In a bowl add in jello powder and 1/2 water.  Microwave for 30 seconds and then whisk.  Make sure all jello powder is dissolved.  Micro another 20 seconds if you need to, but you should be OK with 30.  Now add in your marshmallows and stir them around until they are coated.  Microwave another 30 seconds.  Stir marshmallows (or whisk) until they are all combined.  If they aren't all melted microwave in 20 second increments to get them all melted and combined with the jello.  Pour mixture into your greased dish and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  You will see the marshmallows in an act of extreme magic, separate from the jello to form 2 layers.  When your mixture is set, run a knife around the perimeter and picking up one small corner and working your way across, start rolling the jello.  You an easily lift it out and place on a serving tray.  I cut these with a thread, get it underneath the roll and cross your threads and pull to cut.  You could also use a very sharp knife.

These are fun and could be made to fit color themes or holidays! 

 

Your "getting friendly with jello" Chefwannabe

Bag O' Bones

Good Evening!

Have you had enough Halloween yet?  I haven't!  But this one, this one is easy, cute, and will please everyone!  Except the very difficult to please, they may find something wrong with them.  These are really just an assembly treat.  Perfect for school, the office, or just for home!  Sweet and salty strikes again!  I found this idea on google, maybe pinterest, not Facebook for sure, but I had to give it a try and see if they turned out as cute as they appeared or if the photos I saw were heavily edited to perfection!

Verdict?  Cute as EVER!  These would be perfect to do with your kids, they can do the assembly and you could do the dipping. 

These bones remind me of a haunted house we went to when we lived in NJ.  It was definitely an adult kind of scary place.  When we arrived and got the instructions and rules, we were told nobody was allowed to touch us.  We were with our dear friends Chip and Jami.  Well, during the first house, (there were like 4) some "dead man" jumped out at my husband.  My husband is tall and not a small man, the kid literally hit his head on my husbands chest and fell to the ground.  HA!  After he got up he asked my husband if he could "mess with me" to which my husband replied, "ABSOLUTELY".  Nice guy eh?  I was terrified as it was, and I could feel something in my hair.  When I turned around, the dead looking guy had some kind of BONE in his hand and was sticking it in my hair.  From that moment on, my husband never looked at me the same.  The profanity that came from my mouth, still hangs in a cloud over "Creamy Acres".  I spewed words I didn't know I knew, I was TERRIFIED.  Looking back, we laugh so hard, but at the time I was terrified, mortified, and my mouth should have been washed out with bubbles.  Perhaps by the "bubble man".  Right Jami?  Anyway, it was the best haunted house experience EVER, and I have never topped it.  One day we will, Horins!!  Miss you guys!  Maybe you had to be there, but in that moment of being so scared, you tend to lose control.....however, as long as it isn't your bladder, we are good.

Here we go.  The amounts of what you need are up to you.  I believe with 1 bag of white chocolate chips I got about 50-60 bones!  You will have PLENTY of the other ingredients for however many you want, the dipping chocolate is what you will need to plan for.

White Chocolate Chips
Pretzel Sticks (small)
Mini Marshmallows
Parchment lined baking sheet.

Take a pretzel stick and poke a marshmallow on to each end.  Make sure it is on good.  Repeat until you have the amount you need.  To melt your chocolate easily, microwave 30 seconds at a time until it is melted. If you want to thin it out a bit, add a cap full of veg oil to the chocolate and combine.  Do this until it is a workable consistency for you.  Some of you might not need any.  I used 1 1/2 tbsp.

Dip the bones in, and I used tongs to remove them.  Let them drain well.   Place on parchment lined paper and when you are all done, refrigerate for 30 minutes to harden.  You can also double dip these for a stronger white color.  I dipped them only one time, the next time I made them I double dipped.  Double dip friends, I give you permission and in fact encourage it in this case!

I hope you have fun eating bones for dessert!!!  Never did bones taste so good!

Your "bone crusher" Chefwannabe

 

PS.  How fun would these be for kids studying dinosaurs or bones in the body?!?  Again, not just a Halloween treat!

Fingernail Polish Party Treats

Cute, right?  I KNOW!

A reader of mine on Facebook posted a photo of some of these a few months back.  I seriously almost died.  How adorable?  I had to try them!   And while they are SO cute, I thought to myself, "how good could these taste"?  Well, they rock, if you do them my way!  I used fun flavored candy melts and they are yummy!  While I admit, as an adult, one is definitely enough, kids would go nuts over these!  These would be PERFECT for a little girl (or big girls) birthday party, a girls night IN, and a hundred other occasions.  You could coordinate the colors of "polish" with a party theme.  They are so easy to make, and if I had bothered looking at the recipe that went with the photo that was posted, I might not have been in the state of panic that I was, because....

as usual.........

I didn't look up how to do it.  I went with my own idea and they turned out adorable and the reality is, it doesn't matter how anyone else ever made them, because this method is awesome.   I am going to list the ingredients you need.  I made about 18 of these.  I APPROXIMATE that you can get about 15-20 "bottles" of polish from a 10 ounce bag of candy melts.  I did a small amount of three colors to experiment.  That being said, I will leave it up to you as to how many you need and will make. 

You will need:
Candy Melts in colors of your choice
Midgees Tootsie Rolls
Vegetable Oil
Large Marshmallows (get a pkg that hasn't been smooshed!)

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.  Unroll the tootsie rolls ahead of time.  I used 2 skewers for dipping. 

When you are ready to melt your candy melts, make sure to heat them for 30 seconds, then stir, 20 seconds and then stir, 10 seconds and stir, if needed.  I added vegetable oil to mine to thin them out a bit, it makes dipping easier.  Just use your own judgment, add in 1 tsp and see if it is thin enough for your liking.  Stick your skewer into the middle of the marshmallow, dip in your melted candy, work quickly and cover the entire marshmallow.  Make sure to let ALL of the excess drip off over your bowl or cup.  I used a deeper small glass measuring cup so I didn't have to do a ton of work, there was enough I could dip it straight down and get it covered.   Sit it up right on the cookie sheet and then add the "handle", the tootsie roll to the top.  You may need to hold it for a couple of seconds so it will set.  It is that easy!  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving! 

Have fun and enjoy them!!

Your "nail polish IS now safe to eat" Chefwannabe

DISCLAIMER: It is NOT safe to eat REAL nail polish.  Please do not attempt to do so or let your children attempt to do so.  Can you believe I really felt the need to do this?!

S'More Sandwich Cookies

S'more season is here!  Wait, is there any wrong season for s'mores?  I don't think there is.  These all American treats are a favorite of young and old alike.  Regardless if it is over the campfire, over the stove, or in the microwave, people will do about anything for a good s'more. 

I came up with this recipe recently.  I was helping my sister  (number 1) overhaul her kitchen.  I know, I know, I am an awesome sister.  But that aside, when we were sifting through her COPIOUS amounts of cookie cutters, and got to the bottom (30 minutes later) I found this recipe.  Not THIS recipe but A recipe.  It was for these cookies.  I had never seen anything like it.  My sister admittedly had written the recipe on the recipe card, "she has the handwriting of a serial killer" (name that movie) but had never actually made the cookies.  That was my signal to get on it.  3 ingredients, I mean, 3 ingredients?!?!  They turned out SO soft, I just had to make them into a sandwich cookie.  There is nothing you can do that will make these cookies hard.  It is my belief that you must have a soft cookie for a sandwich cookie.  I mean, who needs TWO cookies crumbling all over their chest and lap?  Notice I mentioned chest first?  It has nothing to do with experience.

Anyway, I did S'more Cookies, but there are a bazillion ways to change it up and out kids.  I found ingredients in the cupboard I needed to use up, so S'mores Sandwich Cookies were born, but see what YOU can birth from your cupboards.  Wow, that sounds all wrong.  But I know, that YOU know what I mean.  This cookie recipe makes about 5-6 dozen cookies, and they are awesome just plain.  So you will get half the amount in sandwich cookies. 

Chocolate Cookies
2 boxes devil food cake mix (or just plain chocolate)
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients until completely combined.  Roll into 1 inch balls and place until parchment lines or silicone mat lined cookie sheet.  DO NOT FLATTEN.  They will spread a wee bit when they bake and cool.  Place them about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes, let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then place on cooling racks.  Rinse and repeat until all cookies are baked!

For the rest of the recipe you will need:
1 cup graham cracker dust.  (yes I mean dust, or really fine crumbs)
1 tbsp chocolate jimmies to mix with graham cracker crumbs (completely optional)
10-12 ounces marshmallow fluff

I threw my crackers in the food processor to make quick work of dust making.  Use a Ziploc and something heavy to beat them into cracker crumbs.  Place into a dish, add jimmies if you choose and just mix them up and set aside.

Take one cookie, add fluff, enough that when you press the second cookie on top it will come out the sides a little bit, because that is what will hold the graham cracker crumbs on.  Roll in the crumbs and repeat until they are all done!

I would suggest refrigerating until you are ready to serve, or freeze them if you like in an airtight container.  If you leave them where it is warm or hot, and they don't get eaten quick, the tops will want to slide a bit as the marshmallow softens.  As if it matters, they are awesome!

Your "s'mores in the micro, desperate times call for desperate actions" Chefwannabe

Orange Sparkle

Can someone please tell me where the switch is for turning off the humidity?  I mean seriously, this is NOT funny anymore, sweating profusely within 30 seconds of stepping outside is not fun, it is not cool and it is DEFINITELY not pretty.  I mean, let me keep it real here, I am not much of an "outdoor" girl anyway.  Give me the beach, give me a beautiful yard and lots of flowers, but don't expect me to get dirt under my fingernails, or get to messy.  Know what I mean?  That makes me sound like quite the princess diva, which I'm not, and I do enjoy outside things as long as they are leisurely and don't involve or POSSIBLY involve, bugs, snakes, frogs, bugs, or snakes.  Clear?

Anyway nothing says "summer meals" like nice cold salads and desserts.   My husband loves it and wanted to share it with you. 

I am not sure if you call this dessert, or eat it with your meal, you know that whole battle of the jello thing.  Do what you do.  This is so easy, and so delicious.  You can serve it out of one bowl or do as I did and divide it into 4 large servings.  You could easily get 6 individual servings. 

1 (3oz) pkg orange jello
1 cup boiling water
2 cups orange sherbet
1 (11oz) can of mandarin oranges
2 cups miniature marshmallows

In a bowl, stir together jello and boiling water until jello is dissolved.  Add in sherbet and stir or whisk until dissolved.  Chill this mixture until almost firm, and then fold in oranges and marshmallows.  You can fill up individual servings or place in a large casserole type dish.  Chill at LEAST 3 hours. 

This is light and delicious and sure to be enjoyed by all, no matter how you serve it!!

Your "loves all things that sparkle" Chefwannabe

Chocolate Crunch Brownies

I sat down to write this out for you, but I am eating one as I type and right now, IT wins.  Brb.....

10 minutes has passed. 

I am sitting here visiting with two of my sisters, numbers 1 and 5.  My siblings are all going to be known by their birth order number now I guess.  Number 5 is sitting here commenting how she is the "poor middle child", never got any attention.  Can you feel my sympathy?  Number 1 just threw in the "we are trying to find some compassion poor middle child" comment.  HA.  See, I come from a long line of snot nose brats.  At least I come by it honestly.  Right?  RIGHT?

I told these broads I had work to do so if I write something that makes no sense at all, blame them.

I was thinking I hadn't made many bar type desserts and quite frankly I like bars.  I am on a cupboard use up!  This was born out of that.  I had random things needing used and it turned out simply delectable!  A nice crunchy top, a gooey marshmallow middle and a chewy brownie bottom.  I love all of the texture going on in these, it is a party in your mouth!

These freeze quite nicely and really stand up to hot weather well, so great for outdoor parties!

You will need:

1 box brownie mix  (one you can make in a 7x11 or 9x9 or 8x8 baking dish)
1 10oz bag of mini marshmallows
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup nutella
3 cups rice crispies

Prepare brownies per the package directions.  Use one of the sizes mentioned above or something very close.  You won't have enough rice crispy mix for a 9x13.  IF you choose that size, or it is all you have, you will need to double the ingredients in red. 

Remove from oven and pour over 1/2 of your bag of marshmallows.  *you will need the rest for the topping*.  Turn the oven off and put the brownies back in for 5 minutes.  The marshmallows will melt and puff up.  Remove and let cool, the marshmallows will deflate a bit. 

In a medium saucepan melt butter, add in marshmallows and nutella.  Stir constantly until all ingredients are melted, and smooth.  Add in rice crispies.  Stir until all ingredients are combined and spoon small blobs over the marshmallow topped brownies.  Then you can use your fingers sprayed with nonstick spray or a spatula to connect them, thus, covering the entire top of the brownies. 

Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 

NOTE: I also lined my pan with parchment going on direction.  Leave it longer than you need so you can "lift" the brownies out of the pan to cut them easier. 

Enjoy these yummy chocolate treats!

Your "crispy, gooey and chewy" Chefwannabe

Homemade Marshmallows...

I hope this finds you all in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle. I adore all the preparation for this holiday! The cooking and baking and shopping and wrapping..."these are a few of my favoriiiiite tthinnnnggsss". But where is the SNOW? No snow here in NE yet, but I have my fingers crossed we will have a white Christmas!

Have you been watching all of the Christmas movies?  Comment below, tell me your favorite one.  I have so many, I think I professed that one particular one was my favorite but the truth is, I love the Grinch.  I LOVE the Grinch.  The newer one, and I dream of being none of then her highness, Martha May Whovier!  The woman with the most, who loves the out casted, ugliest, green, most unChristmas loving Whoville citizen.....the Grinch!  What a love story!

Anyway, I don't know about you, but when I was little, we watched these movies with hot cocoa and popcorn.  I can still remember the "popcorn" bowl.  A big metal bowl, silver, with this odd handle thing.  I wonder what ever happened to that old bowl.  Is it normal that kitchen items were what I remember most?  Anyway we would top them with marshmallows, as many as we could sneak.  I carried this same tradition on with Cody.  The 3 of us huddles on the sofa, covered in one big blanket, sipping hot cocoa and eating popcorn.  I love traditions! 

If I knew what I know now, we would have been sipping hot cocoa with HOMEMADE marshmallows.  I am never looking back guys.  This is SO easy and they are SO good, it is a little bit of heaven.  They don't melt and dissolve into your cocoa, they melt, and lay on top like a sweet layer of melted snowman, you simply MUST try these!

(note, I tinted my ever so slightly blue.  Because I wanted to...THAT is why)  This is not my own recipe, this is a recipe from joyofbaking.com.  I guarantee you all of these marshmallow recipes are darn near the same but this one turned out so well, I say go with it my friends!

You will need:
3/4 cup cold water (divided)
3 packets of unflavored Gelatin
2 cups white granulated sugar
2/3 cup white corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
powdered sugar

Ok, so prep work is key here.  I used a small 9x13 pan.  So I guess it is more like maybe 6 or 7x11.  You can use a 9x9 square as well.  You want to spray WELL with nonstick cooking spray and then dust with powdered sugar much like you would flour a pan.  I did this, then I lined it the long way only with parchment paper.  I forgot to spray the parchment paper, but you won't forget so do that now.  Spray it and re dust a little, but I would still do it on the bottom of the pan as well.  Now set aside. 

If you have a stand mixer, use the bowl to put in all 3 packets of gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water poured over the top.  DO NOT MIX.  Otherwise do it in a heat safe bowl you will be using your hand mixer with.  Set aside.  In a medium-large saucepan combine, sugar, remaining 1/4 cup water, and corn syrup.  You will need a thermometer, candy or meat to gauge your temperature. 

Mix ingredients and bring to a boil.  Now, realize that this is OH MY GOSH, HOT! Keep it in mind.  When the temperature gets to 240 degrees F, carefully pour over your gelatin mixture. 

If you do not have a thermometer, one recipe says bring to a boil and then let boil for 1 minute.  It took mine 2 minutes after boiling to get to 240 degrees.  So go with the 2 minutes to be safe.  Now, put your bowl onto your mixer with a whisk attachment or get out your handy dandy hand mixer and go to town.  You are going to mix until the mixture is fluffy, stiff and has tripled in volume, this will take about 10 minutes.  When it is done, add in salt, vanilla and any food coloring if you choose. Mix until combined and then pour into prepared dish.  Use a knife or off set spatula to to smooth, dip it into very hot water first and then smooth.  Now, let this sit, at least 8 hours but overnight is better.

When you pull it out of the pan, put unto a cutting board and use a pizza cutter, kitchen shears or a knife, dusted in powdered sugar to cut.  You can also use cookie cutters for shapes.  When you cut them, toss them into some powdered sugar to coat or they will be sticky.  Store in a container with a lid.  I have no idea how long they will keep because mine aren't gonna last that long!

Enjoy these my friends, they are SO good and you could even change out the flavor!!

 

 

Your "movin' to Whoville"chefwannabe

Chocolate Amaretti Trifle

Tonight's post is brought to you by......my new camera!

You guys have no idea how excited I am.  OK a few of you MIGHT.  My husband gave me an early anniversary gift, a new camera!  I was using a cheapo digital, which was OK and sometimes you just have to work with what you have for as long as you need too.  I did.  But now, I am obsessed with my food photos.  I think you will notice a difference.  I hope you do!

I have had this recipe on the shelf for a bit.  I wanted to wait for the new camera so this could be my first blog with it.  These freeze perfectly, and can be made in advance and then allowed to thaw while you are eating dinner!  I made them in the jars for easy storing.  I am always freaky about fridge smells and worrying if their are any, they might get into other food.  Besides, lids just make for less chances of spills or anything else.  That being said, I would guess you could easily keep these frozen for a month.  Take them out and let come to room temp for a couple of hours or put in the fridge to thaw overnight.  Perfect for those with kids or adults into pre-portioned meals and desserts and they look so sweet in these jars.  Take one to work with a spoon tied with a ribbon around the neck or a note wishing someone you love a great day!

Now, you will need a pan of brownies.  However you like em', just do it. I will link a delicious brownie recipe from a fellow blogger, and trust me when I tell you, if she makes it, it HAS to be amazeballs.  At the same time, if you want to make a pan of brownies from a box, go forth and do it with pride! 

You can use any small cups, custard dishes, ramekins, sundae glasses, wine glasses, etc.  You can also make this as one big trifle.  This will make 6 individual trifles.

You will need:

1 pan of brownies (try Danielle's over at (Hugs & Cookies XOXO)
1- 7oz container of marshmallow fluff
1- 8oz container of cool whip
2 cups of crushed up Amaretti Cookies or you can purchase them! (Don't completely make them into dust!  You want some chunks for crunch and texture!)

In a bowl combine your cool whip and marshmallow fluff with a hand mixer.  Mix until smooth and creamy. 

Set this aside.  Make sure your jars are clean and completely dry.  You will only need half of your pan of brownies for individual trifles.  You can use them all if you are making one large trifle.  I find it easiest to do them all at once.  Cookies in all the bottoms, cream, etc....  This way you can adjust as needed as opposed to getting to the last one and not having enough. 


Layer:
Cookies
Cream
Brownies (make this the thickest layer)
Cream
Cookies

The truth is you can layer them however you like.  This is just how I did it and how I felt it looked best!  Since you will have extra brownies, you might want to start with a small layer of brownies first and then the cookies, making your middle brownie layer a bit smaller.

I didn't over fill these, as it would defeat the purpose of putting lids on for storage or freezing!

 

I hope you enjoy them, they are delicious little sweet treats! 

 

Love to you all!  Thank you for being part of Chefwannabe!

Your "38 and still love having my own" chefwannabe

Zee fruit and zee pizza meet..

and what a wonderful meeting it is.  I swear this is proof there is no bad way to eat pizza.

We all know we have tried some fruit pizza recipes before.  They are all good.  I mean, I don't even like fruit and they are all good.  So I would imagine to the fruit lover, they are a little piece of heaven.  In fact, I am visiting my son next month and this is a definite MAKE for him, he is a fruit fanatic and he is going to love it.

So, for your information, you know that useless info holder in your brain?  The place where people tell you stuff you don't really give a flip about goes?  Well I have decided I know why I don't like fruit.  Growing up, as I have said before in a family of 12, (10 kids), we didn't eat fruit alot.  It was expensive and we ate what we grew.  It was likely much to expensive for my mom to buy on a regular basis, I am sure we had it semi regularly.  Not like my son who had tons of fruit at his beck and call at all times.   Oh how times change.  Regardless, I have embraced and owned my dislike of fruit and I DO try to hack down some strawberries or apple slices once in awhile.  If I find a soft spot, GRROOOSSSSSS, I am completely done!

This fruit pizza can easily have its fruit changed out.  Next time I am going with strawberries, blueberries and rasberries.   I am not a huge peach fan, in fact I don't like them at all, but they were on sale.  And I know, you know. how THAT goes!  I used some premade cookie dough.  Sue me.  Make your own if you have that kinda time to fill.  Let's move along!

1 roll sugar cookie dough
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp milk
3/4 cup white chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup mini marshmellows
2 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to temp suggested on cookie dough.  Press out unto a parchment lined pizza pan.  Notice I used foil?  Notice I said use parchment paper?  Yea......exactly. 

Bake for recommended time.  Mine took about 12 minutes.  I undercooked it a couple of minutes because when I sliced the pizza I didn't want it crumbly, I wanted a soft cookie crust!

While it is baking mix together, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk and 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips. Set aside.

When cookie crust is done, take it out of the oven.  Spread mini marshmellows all over the crust, put back in the oven, turn the oven OFF and let sit for 3 minutes.  They will puff up but you can use a spatula and press them down flat when you take it out.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Spread on cream cheese mixture.  Cover entire pizza, leaving a small border.  Arrange fruit however you like or just pile it on!

Melt remaining white choc chips in a bowl and drizzle (or in my case "plop") it ever the top of the pizza.

There you have it.  EASY, quick, and oh so sweet and tasty!  Well, I mean if you like fruit! HA!

Your "non tooty fruity"chefwannabe

Fondant wishes and buttercream dreams!

O. M. G you guys!  I did it!  Although the top was a wee lumpy and not perfectly round, I think it isn't bad for a first time.  Heaven knows I have enough fondant left to do 2 more of these babies!  Though this project was completely out of my comfort zone, and stressful, it was SO fun and my sister loved it, that is what mattered most!  This took me 1 and a half days to do.  I am a complete mess when I bake to, so that might have been another time issue.  I had to clean up huge messes between steps!

Though this is NOT the cake I had designed in my head it is what the final product was, and I think it wasn't to bad for my first time in the ring!!

I will be giving you the story of my adventure and give you the recipe for the marshmallow fondant and some tips and tricks and things I would do differently next time.  It was so easy and a fun project for someone who wants to try something new and not spend a fortune.

So, my sister turned 50.  We were throwing a surprise party and since she loves and collects Coke stuff, we decided a coke theme it would be.  I knew I would just make a red and white cake so this would be easy!  Right?

Let me start at the beginning.  I made a double batch of fondant, good idea or bad, I am not sure.  I would never want to run out, easier to make extra.  This double batch nearly filled to capacity my huge kitchen aid.  So be warned.  I will post the recipe for a double batch so halve it for a single.  We good?

3 10.5ounce bags of mini marshmallows
2 2lb bags of confectioners sugar (icing, powdered)+2 cups
6 Tbsp water
1 tbsp vanilla extract
GEL coloring (optional)

In a large microwave safe bowl, and I mean LARGE guys...pour in marshmallows and water. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, then stir, and repeat until mixture is COMPLETELY smooth.  Stir it alot each time, it will smooth more the more you stir it.  Here is the empty bowl after I had emptied it into my mixer.  Sorry it was 1am and I forgot to take the photo!

Now, I emptied it into my mixer, pouring in about half of each bag of confectioners sugar at a time.  I also added a splash of vanilla as well.  Make sure you have your dough hook attachment fitted!  Start slow, I have a cover but if you don't add just a bit at a time or you will be inhaling something, that you know..you won't want to admit to later on.

Let the mixer do the work for you!  Add your food coloring (GEL ONLY) at this time as well.  Knead a good 5 minutes in the mixer.  When  it is done it should be a little tiny bit tacky still.  Dust your counter with more powdered sugar and scrap out the fondant.  Knead by hand for maybe 2 minutes, it should be warm and completely pliable and easy.  Wrap in saran wrap so it is air tight and let sit at room temp at least 3 hours or overnight.  FYI I have no pic of my finished fondant either!

I made my cakes.  I made 4 the same size since I didn't have smaller pans and I cut 2 the same size.  I just laid a plate the diameter I thought I wanted on top and cut around them.  I should have made them smaller and I should have gone and sprung for smaller pans! I cut them SO uneven and not round, as you can tell!  I made some butter cream which I never follow a recipe for.  It always turns out amazing.  I filled the layers and crumb coated each layer, letting it dry overnight in the fridge.  Time for bed!  THANK GOD!

See what I mean by mess???

Next morning............
Took a paper towel and put it over the top of the cake and rubbed it gently until smooth.  Did this for the sides as well.  I learned from my ONE fondant try before, it will show every imperfection! Did this with both layers.




Used the fondant I reserved to stay white and made these balls.  I have seen this as a border on a few cakes.  Balls should have been smaller too.  And I would take more time in making sure they were all the same size next time.  All easy fixes just things I guess you have to learn.  It just makes the finished product much nicer to look at.  Let those dry for hours.

OH WAIT!!!!  I need something to support my top layer my friend Julie tells me.  Oh crap.  I am not going out and spending 40.00 on supports and plates, etc.  I am CHRIS, and I CAN find something that will work at home.  A cardboard box lid becomes a circle the size of my top layer, for them to sit on.  I still need at least 4 supports for it to sit on that I can push down through the bottom layer.  DRINKING STRAWS!  *laughing*.  Yes I did!

So, I rolled out the fondant, and when I was done, rolled it unto my rolling pin and unrolled it over the top of the cake....so it looked like this.

I smoothed and used a pizza roller from Pampered Chef to smooth over the top and pat down the sides.  It took a few times for the fondant to stick unto the buttercream.  Once I had it down and smooth I trimmed the excess fondant to get this.

I did this with both layers.  The top one being rather funky in the end of course!  I cut my straws the correct size by sticking them in, then pulling them out a tiny bit, snipping them and using my finger to push them back down.  So it ended up looking like this.

I would not recommend this desperation method on a regular basis, but my top cakes were fairly light and it worked perfectly fine for me.
I used buttercream to pipe on dots.  I had planned on using fondant dots and failed to hold aside enough white fondant for that purpose.  I should have put dots on top as well, not sure why I didn't.  Next time......

I used white chocolate melted in a baggie and made this 50.  Again, I would have worked faster and then jiggled the board so they smoothed out, but I decided, to just let them harden, sprinkled some water on and red sugared them.  *shrugs* I really should have remade them.

I then made chocolate cupcakes (color of Coca Cola) and added some vanilla malted milk powder to my butter cream.  I used a tip and piped on the icing to resemble "fizz" and cut straws in small pieces and stuck them in to look like a little, short cup of Coke!

So that is my cake adventure.  Boy did it stress me out and boy was it fun all at once!!  I learned so much and my next one should rock the house for sure!!  The birthday girl was surprised and happy and that is all that mattered!  The flavor was awesome and a great time was had by all!!

Happy 50th Birthday to my sister Annie!

This is such a fun project.  I know sometimes we don't venture out to do new things because of cost and we don't want to waste.  This is less than 5.00 and worth the fun and work!  Make a fondant covered cake and send me photos!!!

Your "hubby hates fondant but loves THIS fondant"chefwannabe

Chris

National Chocolate Cake Day! We got this one covered!

I live in a country where there is a National CHOCOLATE CAKE Day?  I LOVE AMERICA!  See, this is why I am never successful at dieting, I feel like being a true American means when theses days come around, they must be observed completely, morning until night.  It isn't my fault, and now, I have proof.  Just sayin...

These are some tasty little chocolate cupcakes!  I will admit, it started out as a way to use up my ganache from my panettone cream cake but it was obviously part of a greater plan.  I think you will enjoy these and I think you might enjoy making them for the ones you love when you see the surprise inside!

We have discussed this before, I USE CAKE MIXES.  I am not a baker, I can hardly make cookie dough turn out right.  I as usual, keep trying.  My husband thinks my obsession with cupcakes is by choice, it isn't.  It is the only thing I can BAKE that turns out fairly well each time.   Therefore, I am obsessed.  I don't hear him complaining when I serve one up for dessert, do you?  Exactly.

So, proudly take your chocolate cake mix of choice in hand, and say to yourself, "I am smart, I am good enough and doggone it, people LIKE ME".  Now stand proud and give me a little deep shoulder action while you whisk away at your cake mix!  Oh yea that is right, just like that, to your favorite song blaring, and sing LOUD too.  Yea now that is what I call shakin' and bakin'!!

Anyway, follow your cake mix instruction.  Any chocolate cake will do When you have mixed it completely I want you to add:
1 cup choc chips (your choice of chocolate)
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla

Give it a quick stir and set aside.  Preheat your oven to 350 or whatever your directions are.

You will need:
18-24 large marshmallows and I WISH I had gotten chocolate! Any kind though will work find
18-24 large conversation hearts (I got Brach's) (double that if you want one on top like I did)


Take a small knife and pierce the center of the marshmallow and shimmy in a conversation heart.
They won't fit exactly but it doesn't matter.  Though the marshmallow will make a sweet, little bit gooey spot in the center, it really is to hold the heart in place!

 When you are all done, line your cupcake tin and add 1 tbsp of batter to each.  Place your marshmallow hearts in and then cover with more batter until the marshmallow is hidden.

Bake for 16-20 minutes.  Some of the marshmallow will probably goo out of the top but it is fine, you are going to frost them so nobody will see it!  Stick a heart on top if you like and make sure your message hearts say just how you feel!!

Hope you enjoy biting into these delicious cupcakes and finding a gooey heart surprise on the inside!  I piped some whipped ganache onto mine.  

For the record, when I cooled mine and then cut it in half, I could still read the message on the heart!  

Your "love is a wonderful thing and so is National Choc. Cake Day"chefwannabe

Chris

P.S.  The inside....