{Recipe} Chocolate Torte

I am about to share with you the cake that changed my life. Literally, it did. I must tell you the story. I was living in a new area, roughly 6 years ago, I didn’t know a soul. A lovely sweet gal dropped by my home with this beautiful cake on my birthday. Not only was the cake delicious but it also started a beautiful friendship. And to this day, she is one of my best friends. In return, I like to share this cake and my friendship to continue this tradition. Now I encourage you to step out of your box, make this cake, and meet someone new. You never know you may meet a new friend.

{Chocolate Torte}

1 Devil’s Food cake mix

1C. Sour Cream

1 pkg. (3.5 oz) Instant chocolate pudding

3 Eggs

½ c. Oil

1 1/3c. Water

Combine cake ingredients and mix well. Grease two 8-in. round cake pans. Substitute cocoa for flour so you avoid the white film on your cake. You can also cut out circle rounds with parchment paper for easy removal of cake. Bake cake for 42-43 minutes. Test with a toothpick. Let stand 5 minutes in pan then turn cakes out onto a cooling rack. I prefer to chill the cakes for a little while before proceeding to cut. After cakes have cooled completely cut each cake round in half horizontally making 4 round pieces.

Frosting:

1 pt. HEAVY whipping cream (no exceptions)

1 (8-oz.) block Cream Cheese (full calorie, NO exceptions)

2/3 c. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

½ tsp. Salt

In you mixing bowl whip your whipping cream until very thick. In a separate bowl blend together Cream Cheese, Brown Sugar, Vanilla and Salt. Now fold together the Cream Cheese mixture and the Whipping Cream.

Finally, put the cake together. Lay 1 cake round on a cake stand and frost. Next place another cake round on top of the frosting and repeat process.

Garnish:

I Large Hershey’s Chocolate Bar

Garnish the top with Chocolate curls.

{Recipe} Red Velvet Trifle

Okay, we know that everyone loves Red Velvet Cake, and who cannot resist a Trifle?  Add them together and you have a truly decadent dessert!

Red Velvet Cake

• ½ c. shortening
• 1 ½  c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 2 oz. red food coloring
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 ½ c. cake flour
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and cream. In a small bowl, mix cocoa, food coloring, and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Sift flour and set aside. Mix vanilla with buttermilk and set aside. Dissolve baking soda in vinegar, then fold into buttermilk. Add flour and buttermilk alternately to the creamed mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes in a Bundt pan, 25-30 minutes in a 9x13 glass pan.

Cool completely and frost.

Icing

• 5 Tbsp. flour
• ½ c. milk
• 1 c. butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. powdered sugar

Heat in a saucepan over low heat, milk and flour. (DO NOT BOIL) When just below boiling, remove from heat and add other ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

*For those of you who may not want to take the time to make a cake from scratch or those who tend not to have buttermilk on hand, there’s always the “box” cake option, even in the Red Velvet flavor. The true treasure in this recipe is the butter icing. My husband is such a fan, he insists on a double batch of frosting so there will be plenty of extra to drizzle on after the pieces are served.

Red Velvet Trifle Directions:

Follow cake and icing directions thoroughly. Allow both to cool completely. You may refrigerate them overnight if desired. Cube the cake into bite size pieces. Layer the cake and icing in a clear glass or jar. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

The whipped cream may also be topped with cake crumbs, or layer chocolate shavings in with the icing just for fun. Try white chocolate, fruit, maybe chocolate mousse.  I’d love to hear what other creative variations of this recipe you come up with.   

Add a little bobble at the bottom of the glass to class up the dessert even more!  I’ll have a tutorial how to make this bobble in the next couple of weeks.  They are super easy!!

Happy baking, and even happier tasting!

{Recipe} Garlic-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Dill Dressing

This recipe came about while I was walking one morning. I wanted a fun appetizer high on protein, but low on guilt! The flavors in this dish  blend together so perfectly that it has instantly become a family favorite!

I am trying to eat more simple foods, so I decided to try a turkey meatball that didn’t have fillers in it like bread crumbs, egg, etc…  I didn’t know if it would work, or bind properly, but there was only one way to find out. Guess what? It worked!

 

Each meatball is stuffed with a garlic clove. That may sound overwhelming, but it’s not. I boiled the cloves for thirty minutes so they are tender and mild, not overpowering at all.

Garlic Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

• 2 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano (optional)
• 30-40 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 3-4 tsp. olive oil

Heat a pot of water to boiling. Separate garlic cloves and drop into boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly on a paper towel. Now the peelings should remove easily. After all the cloves are peeled, return them to the boiling water for 30 minutes, then remove and again lay them on a paper towel.

Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.

Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).

   

The meatballs are delicious by themselves, but paired with this cool yogurt dressing, they are to die for! It’s completely fat-free, and high in protein as well.

Creamy Dill Dressing

• 2/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/4  cup skim milk (more or less to desired thickness)
• 1/4 cup (1 pkg.) Spinach Dip seasoning mix
• 1/2 – 3/4 Tbsp. dill

Stir all ingredients together, and keep refrigerated. Serve as a dipping sauce, or drizzle over meatballs before serving.

This recipe also converts to a fantastic turkey burger. Form meat mixture into patties instead of balls, and insert 3-4 cloves before cooking. Use dressing as a condiment on the burger. Enjoy!

{Recipe} Red Velvet Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

Serve up a romantic breakfast-in-bed for your Valentine with these decadent pancakes.  Simply beautiful, and yet more pleasing to the taste-buds than even the eyes.  I know my sweetheart revels in any opportunity to feel just so pampered. How fun it is to celebrate the month of love through the delights of sweet treats.   

Red Velvet Pancakes

• 1 1/2 C. Buttermilk
• 4  Eggs
• 4 Tbsp. Butter, melted
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Tbsp. Red Food Coloring
• 2 C. Flour
• 2 Tbsp. Cocoa
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt

Mix together dry ingredients and set aside. Melt butter in separate bowl, then add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring. Blend well. Pour in dry mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour ½ cup worth of the whipped batter on a greased skillet. Pan fry on medium heat until browned. Flip over and brown again. Top with desired toppings and serve warm.

{To make a heart shaped pancake (optional) place a heart shaped cookie cutter on the skillet, and pour batter into the cookie cutter. Remove form before flipping.}

*Optional toppings include syrup, butter, whipping cream, and shaved chocolate.

Buttermilk Syrup

• 1 C Butter
• 1 C Buttermilk
• 2 C Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Vanilla
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda.  Stir and Serve.

{Recipe} Butternut Squash Bread Braid

I’ve gotta say…there is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread. Wouldn’t you agree?  This recipe is sooooo good, and don’t be intimidated by the braid…it’s easy!!

Butternut Squash Bread Braid

• 2 Tbsp. dry yeast
• ¼ c. warm water
• 2 c. mashed and cooked butternut squash*
• 2/3 c. warm milk
• ½ c. butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 6 Tbsp. brown sugar
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 6 c. flour

*Any yellow squash may be substituted.

Glaze:

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 Tbsp. water

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a mixing bowl, combine squash, milk, butter, eggs, brown sugar, and salt; mix well. Add yeast mixture and 2 ½ to 3 cups flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled—about 1 hour. Punch dough down; divide into 2 loaves. Divide both into thirds; roll each third into an 18 inch rope.

(This picture is courtesy of the Prepared Pantry.  I forgot to take pictures of the braiding process!)

Braid into 2 loaves. Let rise again about 30 minutes. Brush glaze over braids. Bake @ 350 for 20 – 25 minutes.

You’re going to LOVE this!

Linked to:

• Simply Sweet Home

{Recipe}Banana Maple Oat Scone

I've always loved the idea of brunch; spending time with family and friends over a leisurely late breakfast. And to me nothing says "brunch" like a delicious scone. Seeing as they have been around for centuries, its no wonder there are numerous flavors and recipes for this wonderful quick bread. I'm also a huge Ina Garten fan, so I decided to let her take on scones inspire me. But of course I did my own spin on them, because everyone loves a personal touch. And among the changes, I added banana. Instead of mashing them up however, I diced them so you would have a nice warm chunk of maple flavored banana as ate your scone (take that banana bread!). And unlike many scone recipes you'll find, these are neither dry nor lacking in flavor. Give these a try, they make the perfect on-the-go breakfast.

Banana Maple Oat Scones:
(This recipe can easily be doubled)
Scones:
1 and 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Quick-Cooking Oats, plus some for sprinkling
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Sticks Cold, Unsalted Butter diced. (you want this really cold. I put mine in the fridge while gathering other ingredients)
1/4 cup Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
2 Medium Ripe Bananas, diced in small pieces (the riper the better)
2 Extra- Large eggs, plus one for egg wash(1 egg beaten with 1 Tb. milk)

Glaze:
1 Cup Confectioners Sugar(use pure confectioner's sugar, other brands have cornstarch added and can change the flavor)
1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the first six ingredients. Add the diced, cold butter and mix on the lowest speed and mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup and eggs together and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Add diced bananas and mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough about 1 inch thick into a circle shape. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut like you would a pizza and make eight pieces. Carefully place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 10 to 15 minutes and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. I like to sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Enjoy and Happy Baking

{Recipe} Nutella Puffs

One of my favorite memories is strolling the streets of Paris with my sweet husband, sharing a chocolate croissant, and taking in the Parisian joy de vivre (joy of life).  Since I can’t live in Paris and I can’t make croissants (yet), the next best thing…Nutella and marshmallow crème wrapped in a lovely puff pastry.   

You only need 5 ingredients…

• Nutella
• Marshmallow Crème
• Frozen Puff Pastry
• One Egg
• Sugar

First, you will need to thaw the puff pastry.  Once thawed, unfold and cut into four squares.

Put a spoonful of Nutella and marshmallow crème on the puff pastry.  Oh, it’s looking good already!!

Fold the square into a triangle and crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork. 

Brush the pastry with an egg wash {one egg, beaten} and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned.  Take out of oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes and then ENJOY!!