Grandma Peggy's M & M Cookies

 

This is Mom's official cookie recipe for posterity and also because it's on a tiny piece of paper in an overstuffed recipe box hanging on for dear life :). Mom has written in pencil directions for tripling the recipe for obvious reasons. (This is not the tripled version.) Mom always bought the holiday M&Ms to use in her cookies. 

3/4 stick Crisco Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening

 

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

6 oz. plain M & M (seasonal colors are the best)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. 

Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in M & Ms.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet (or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper). Bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies or 11-13 minutes for crisp cookies. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Bridget got a cake decorating kit for Christmas and she would love to be making cakes and cupcakes all day every day. I found this recipe for Red Velvet Cake and we made adjustments using red velvet emulsion and cupcakes. They were DELICIOUS. They could have made 24 cupcakes if we had two muffin tins, but we only have one and a half.

Cake/Cupcakes

2 2/3 c. flour (the original recipe calls for cake flour, but we didn't have that)

1/4 c. natural, unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. red velvet emulsion (or an entire 1 oz. bottle liquid red food color)

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

1 1/3 c. buttermilk at room temperature


Frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

3 c. powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I like Watkins clear vanilla)


Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-count muffin tins with paper baking cups and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift to remove lumps of cocoa powder.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until completely combined. Add eggs and mix well. Add oil, red velvet emulsion, vanilla, and vinegar. Stop to scrap down the sides as often as you need.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer, three times for each.

Evenly distribute the batter into the baking cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.

Frosting Directions:

Cream all ingredients together until there are no lumps and it's light and fluffy.

Fresh Raspberry Pie

I had the brilliant idea to use something from the weekly specials at Kohler's (the local grocery store that advertises in the Lehi Free Press) in a recipe from the Lehi Historical Society Cookbook, make and photograph the recipe and publish it alongside the weekly Kohler's ad. The only hitch is we get the new ad on Monday and the paper is put together early on Tuesday. That means 24 hours to find the recipe, get ingredients, make it, take a picture of it. Are you sweating too?! It worked, though! And this pie was DELICIOUS. I cheated with a Marie Callendar's pie crust, but as always, back off.

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

3 Tb cornstarch

1 Tb white corn syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red food coloring

3 Tb dry raspberry flavored Jell-O

1 quart or 4 cups fresh raspberries

1 pre-baked pie crust

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water, cornstarch, corn syrup, salt, and food coloring. Bring to a boil and cool until nearly clear and thick. Add Jell-O and mix well. Cool. Fold in whole raspberries. Pour into baked pie shell.

Refrigerate. Serve with fresh whipped cream. (The recipe adds, "or Cool Whip," but you're better than that.)

Pear Almond Cranberry Dutch Oven Pie

I did a story for the newspaper about a Dutch oven convention a few weeks ago and met a woman named Carol Hokanson. She is a champion, you guys! She brought this pie, which she made in her home oven instead of coals that morning, and it tasted like heaven. I'm excited about the filling, but I'm obsessed with the crust. Carol lifted the pie out of that dutch oven and it looked EXACTLY THE SAME. It didn't crack or sag and it tasted amazing. 

Filling:

6-7 pears, peeled and diced

1 ½ cups dried cranberries, reconstituted

1 cup sugar

½ cup ultra gel

1 tsp almond extract

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

¾ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Pastry:

3 cups flour

1 ¼ cups Crisco shortening

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 T. white vinegar

2/3 cup cold water

Egg Wash:

1 egg

1 T. water

Filling Directions:

In a small bowl mix sugar, ultra gel, nutmeg, ground ginger, salt and cinnamon together until well blended. In a separate, large bowl, blend together pears, cranberries, almonds and almond extract. Combine the two mixtures and gently toss until mixed. Set aside.

Pastry Directions:

In a large bowl, blend flour, salt, and shortening together with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, water, and white vinegar. Add the liquid mixture to the crumbly mixture and gently stir with a fork until it forms a ball. Gather the dough into your hands (DO NOT KNEAD) and divide it into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Refrigerate the small one until you’re ready to roll it out.

Roll the larger dough ball out on a cloth-covered board to about 14-inches in diameter. Spray a 10-inch Dutch Oven with Bakers Joy. Place strips of parchment in the Dutch Oven to make removing the pie easier. Place the rolled-out pastry in the Dutch Oven, making sure the edges come over the sides of the Dutch Oven. Pour the pie filling into the Dutch Oven.

Roll out the smaller ball of dough into an 11-inch circle and cut into ½ - ¾ inch strips for the lattice top, then arrange the lattice top over the pie filling in the Dutch Oven.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together for the egg wash. Brush the egg wash onto the lattice top of the pie. Garnish with sugar crystals if you desire.

Bake at 425 degrees using 12 coals on the bottom and 15 on the top of Dutch Oven with a windshield around the bottom, for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and pulling away from the sides of the Dutch Oven. Cool and then lift the pie out using the parchment strips.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Yes, I stole this picture. These are amazing! I ate a dozen for dinner tonight (and then took a dozen Tums). That was a bad idea. But if you can manage to just eat 1 or 2, you'll be fine. 

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For Rolling:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside. 

2. In another mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until combined. Mix in egg yolk, then mix in pumpkin and vanilla extract. With the mixer, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Keep covered in the fridge for at least 45 minutes. 

3. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Scoop dough into about a 2 Tbsp sized ball, forming a ball with your hands, of course. Toss ball of dough in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until covered. Then place on a baking sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. 

4. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Do not under bake. They're still gross hours later. 

Peanut Butter Brownies

This is my very favorite brownie recipe of all time.  If by some miracle you have some left over the day after you make them, you will find that something magically delicious happens to these brownies after being in the fridge overnight.  These are so good, I'll even eat the edges.  [I remember Ben telling me once that he and Jen were perfect for each other because she likes the edges of the brownies and he likes the middle pieces.  That's true love.]

 

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 c. (2 sticks) of butter, melted

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

 

Mix above ingredients until well blended, then add:

 

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. flour

2/3 c. cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

 

Mix well until blended and pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Dollop small amounts of peanut butter throughout the pan (about 1/2 cup total).  Use a knife to swirl peanut butter around just a bit.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Blueberry Pound Cake

This is such a treat at our house!  You can make it with fresh or frozen blueberries, but of course fresh are best, which makes it perfect for the 4th of July since that's when blueberries are in season.  This year my dreams came true because I was able to use blueberries from our very own bush!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt  pan, as well as a smaller pan (like a bread loaf pan).  This recipe makes way too much for just one cake pan, so have an extra pan ready.

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer (or your Bosch or Kitchen Aid) until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating well.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

In a separate large bowl combine:
4 cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a liquid measuring cup:
1 cup milk

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
Stir in:
2 tsp vanilla

Fold in:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Pour batter into prepared pans.  Place in preheated oven for 1 hour plus 30-40 minutes.  The smaller pan will only need 45 minutes to an hour, but the bigger one will need over an hour.  Since all ovens are different, and so are altitudes, check the oven after an hour (for the bigger cake).  The cake should have a dark-ish golden color to it.  It may look burned, but it's not.  If you want, you could cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking to prevent over-browning, but I have never done that.
Place cooked cake on a wire rack to cool.

The Only Cookie

This recipe is so good I almost don't want to share it, but since I originally found it on the internet I figure it's fair game. The base is a chocolate chip cookie, the others were developed over extensive experimentation in my kitchen by Ethan and myself.   It is truly the only cookie recipe you ever need.  Ever.  There is no point even keeping any other cookie recipe around because this is perfection. People will think you are a genius. Because you are ;) You're welcome!

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
*see below for alterations depending on your cookie needs


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray the cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray only before the first batch.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.  

In a separate bowl, cream together melted butter and sugars until well blended.  Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until light and creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients until just blended.  

Drop cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets.  This recipe works well for very big cookies or small.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly toasted. Cool on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
________________________________________________________________


*For Chocolate Chip Cookies:  add 2 cups chocolate chips , blend by hand after adding dry ingredients

*For Snickerdoodles: add 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg to dry ingredients, roll cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar before baking

*For Peanut Butter Cookies:  decrease butter to 1/3 cup and add 1/2 cup peanut butter (if the dough is too crumbly add more butter 1 tsp at a time until dough holds together)

*For Chocolate Cookies:  reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup cocoa powder

* For Oatmeal Cookies:  reduce flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves to the dry ingredients.  If dough is crumbly, add more butter one tsp at a time until the dough holds together.  If desired, add raisins and nuts totaling 2 cups per your preference after the dough is finished.

Butter Beer!!!

 Last September our family went to Universal Studios Orlando and spent most of our time at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  It was awesome!!  We loved the butter beer and have been searching for a recipe that somewhat matched it ever since that magical day.

Matt's not into butterscotch so he opted for the Pumpkin Juice.

 Eliza found this recipe online and we all agreed that it tasted just like the theme park, although the color isn't as dark, but oh well.  It's really delicious and really rich-just like the park.

Ingredients:
* Cream Soda
* Butterscotch sundae topping syrup
*  Reddi whip canned whip topping
Directions:
Step 1: Measure 1 1/2 teaspoons Butterscotch topping syrup into each of the glasses or mugs (chilled mugs or glasses works great!).
Step 2:  Add 1/4 cup cream soda into each glass and stir with a spoon until butterscotch topping is completely mixed in with the soda.  Set aside.
Step 3: For the Foam:  combine 1/2 cup reddi whip topping, 1 1/2 teaspoons of butterscotch syrup and 1/2 tablespoon cream soda in a small bowl.  Stir until well combined.
Step 4:  To Finish:  Pour more cream soda into each glass, leaving about 1 1/2 inches at the top.  Spoon foam mixture slowly into the center of the glass until it reaches the sides of the glass.

You can enjoy this now, or let it stand for 1-2 minutes to get the full effect.  The foam continues to "grow" for a few minutes.

Home made Butter Beer!

Peanut Butter Brownies

I have a good friend who makes the most sinful desserts. She brought one of my favorite treats to my baby shower yesterday and I so regret not being the one to put my "to go" plate together. I have no shame - I would have put all of the peanut butter brownies that were left on MY plate. MINE. (Mom put a big ol' thumb print in the last peanut butter brownie, so I cut a small section of it out and put it on one of Bridget's tea party plates. Doesn't it look HUGE? It's not. I popped it into my mouth a few seconds after taking this photo.)

1 1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. white sugar

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. peanut butter (you can add up to 2 1/2 cups if you like)

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 T. vanilla

Mix all of the above ingredients in a mixer. Then add:

3 c. flour

3 c. quick oats

Mix all together with hands and then put in a large, greased cookie sheet. Spread evenly with your hands. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until outside edges start turning brown. Top with chocolate chips while the bars are still warm. Let them melt a little, then spread evenly.

3 c. powdered sugar

3/4 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Milk

Mix together, adding enough milk to make frosting consistency. Pour over the cooled chocolate chip layer of the brownies.

Chewy Toffee Almond Bars

I got this recipe off a bag of Heath bits.  They're very rich so don't make them if you don't have someone to share them with.  Otherwise you might make yourself sick.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups Heath toffee bits
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sliced almonds, divided (I had a bag of whole almonds and chopped them up, instead)
3/4 cup coconut, divided

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease sides of 13"x9" pan.

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Gradually add flour, beating until well blended.  Press dough evenly in prepared pan.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until edes are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine toffee bits and corn syrup in medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the toffee is melted (about 10-12 minutes).  Stir in 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup coconut.  Spread toffee mixture to within 1/4 inch of edges of crust.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds and remaining 1/4 cup coconut over top.

Bake additional 15 minutes or until bubbly.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cutn into bars.  About 36 bars.

Gooey Butter Cake

Me, again.  This cake originated in Missouri when an old German baker messed up his cake recipe and the result was this deliciousness. 

Secretly this is a picture of  a piece of store bought ("Store bought?!  Out of an actual STORE?") gooey butter cake, but I wanted to give you an idea of what it looks like. 

Crust:

1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix

1 stick butter (8 T), melted

1 large egg



Filling:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 stick butter (8 T), melted

3¾ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
For the crust, blend the cake mix, butter and egg in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should come together in a ball. With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 9 X 13 baking pan, smoothing it out with your fingers until the top is smooth. Set the pan aside. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

For the filling, place the cream cheese in the same mixing bowl that was used to make the crust, and with the same beaters (no need to clean either) blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the eggs, vanilla and melted butter and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar. Beat on medium speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the filling onto the crust and spread with the rubber spatula so that the filling covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan.

Bake the cake until it is well browned but the center still jiggles when you shake the pan, 45 to 47 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. Store this cake, covered in aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Caramel Cake

You may want an ambulance standing by if you serve this cake. It's like having the delicious filling of a really good chocolate all over the top of a wonderful cake. Sigh. What is with our cake recipes lately? :) I got this from America's Test Kitchen Best Recipes of 2010. They called it "Easy Caramel Cake," but I left the "easy" part out because I don't want anyone to confuse easy and fast. They explain in the cookbook that this is a Southern tradition and we're all about tradition around here. Tradition. TRADITION!! Enjoy.

Cake:

1/2 c. buttermilk, room temperature

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

16 T. unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces and softened

Frosting:

12 T. unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

2 c. packed dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. FOR THE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a large measuring cup. In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat in the butter, 1 piece at a time until only pea-size pieces remain in the bowl. pour in half of the buttermilk mixture and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the remaining buttermilk mixture and beat until incorporated.

2. Scrape equal amounts of batter into the prepared pans and bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes completely before frosting.

3. FOR THE FROSTING: Heat 8 tablespoons of the butter, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the pan, 4-8 minutes. Whisk in the cream and cook until a ring of bubbles reappears, about one minute. Off the heat, whisk in the vanilla.

4. Transfer the hot frosting mixture to a bowl and, with an electric mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is pale brown and just warm, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a times, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5. Frost quickly and serve.

Carrot Cake

The best carrot cake I've ever had was made by a German woman who confided that the secret to a good carrot cake is...pineapple.  Pineapple?  I didn't even notice it in her cake, but it truly is the secret.  That and a good cream cheese frosting.  Here you go!


4 eggs, well beaten
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c vegetable oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 c. finely grated carrots
1 c. coconut
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 c. golden raisins (opt)
1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped (opt)

Preheat oven to 325.  Oil 3 8" cake pans (I just used a Bundt) Set out 1/2 c. butter and 1 8oz cream cheese to soften (for frosting).  Put pineapple in a strainer to drain.  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Add sugars and beat till light and fluffy.  Add oil and mix well with whisk.  Put in the dry ingredients and beat till smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients and pour batter into oiled layer pans.  Bake for 40 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted in center of cake.  Cool slightly and frost.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2 c. powdered sugar
3 tsp vanilla
Mix together till smooth. Frost between layers and on top  Try toasted coconut for decoration.

Martha Washington Cake, or Fluffy Yellow Cake

All this cake talk is making me very hungry! I thought it would be good to add this wonderful recipe for standard yellow cake to the growing list of "from scratch" cakes. It's from the old 23rd Ward cookbook and I've used it for years.

1 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. flour

1/2 (or a little more) tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

1 c. milk

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar: add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Bake in 3 (8-inch) round layered cake pans at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. (You may use any other kind of pan - oblong, cupcakes, 9" pans - just adjust the baking time.)

Chocolate Macaroon Cake

From Lion House Desserts.  It will bring a tear to your eye.  The frosting is pretty much fudge.

Coconut Mixture:
1 egg white (reserve yolk for frosting)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tb. flour
2 c. grated  coconut

Beat egg white until soft mounds form.  Add sugar and vanilla, gradually beating until stiff peaks form.  In a separate bowl, mix flour with coconut, then stir slowly into egg white mixture.  Set mixture aside.

Batter:
3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. cocoa
3 egg whites (save yolks)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour an angel food cake pan.  Set aside.  In a small bowl, measure hot water and add cocoa.  Stir to dissolve; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft mounds form; gradually add sugar, beating until meringue stands in stiff peaks.  Set aside.  Place sour cream in a medium bowl and fold the soda into it.  The mixture will grow as you stir it.  Set aside.  In another bowl, beat sugar, shortening, egg yolks, salt, and  vanilla until creamy.  Add half of the cocoa mixture and beat until creamy (about 4 minutes).  Add the flour, sour cream mixture, and remaining cocoa mixture; blend well.  Fold in egg white mixture.

Place one-third of the cake batter in bottom of prepared pan, then crumble half of the coconut mixture on top of batter.  Spread half of the remaining cake batter on top of the coconut mixture.  Crumble the rest of the coconut mixture on top of the second layer of cake batter, then spread the remaining cake batter on top of the coconut mixture for a total of 5 layers.  Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tests done.  Remove from oven and allow to cool until bottom of pan feels slightly warm.  To loosen the sides and center, slide a thin knife along the edges and carefully turn upside down.  Allow to cool completely; frost with Frosting.

Frosting:
1 c. chocolate chips
2 Tb. butter
1 egg yolk (reserved from coconut mixture)
1/4 c half-and-half cream
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan.  mix together with egg yolk, half-and-half, and powdered sugar.  Beat until mixture reaches desired spreading consistency.  you may need to add a little more half-and-half to reach proper consistency.

Coconut Cake

I made this almost a month ago and I'm just now getting around to posting it. So sorry! This cake will make you cry with joy. It is a pleasure. The recipe is Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa).

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

nocoupons

• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. (Bake times are different depending on your altitude, longer bake time closer to sea level. Start checking the cake at 30 minutes.) Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.

Beignets (Behn-YAYS!)

My kids were watching The Princess and the Frog for the eleventyhundredth time and Harrison commented that the beignets that Tiana was making looked "reeeeeally good" and asked would I please make them some.  I found this recipe from Paula Deen and was so excited to find out what French Quarter Beignets actually were.  It turns out they're the Utah Mormon version of scones.  I think the dough is probably slightly different, but it's the same idea.  Whatever, dude.  I told my kids we were having gumbo and beignets for dinner and their little hearts exploded with joy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• Nonstick spray
• oil, for deep frying (for authentic New Orleans beignets, use cottonseed oil)
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar

Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt and evaporated milk together.  Mix egg mixture to the yeast mixture.  In a seperate bowl, measure out the bread flour.  Add 3 cups of the flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.  Add the shortening and continue to sir while adding the remaining flour.  Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.  (Or let your Bosch do all the stirring and kneading, suckas.)  Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray.  Put dough into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.  (I left it in the Bosch with the lid on.)  Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees or heavy pot on medium-high heat.

Add the confectioners' sugar to a paper or plastic bag and set aside.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inc thickness and cut into 1-inch squares.

Deep-fry, flipping constantly until they become a golden color.

After beignets are fried, drain them for a few seconds on paper towel, then toss them into the bag of confectioners' sugar.

Hold the bag closed and shake to coat evenly. 

Put them in a heart-shaped tin and make new friends.

Makes about 3 dozen, says the recipe.  I halfed it both times I made these and we had at least two dozen.

Ribbon Jello

Or otherwise entitled "Takes all day to make Jell-O". Totally worth the effort. It's so pretty and so delicious. I've actually been looking for this recipe for a while, and was very excited to find it in a Mormon cookbook (of course).

6 or 7 packages of 3 oz. jell-o

1 pint of sour cream

Whipped topping for the top

Add 1 cup boiling water to 1 package of Jell-O in a small bowl; stir to dissolve. Pour half of Jello into a 9x13 clear pan and place on a level self in the refrigerator to chill. Set the small bowl with the other half of the dissolved Jell-O into a larger bowl of ice. (I just added one ice cube to it while the first half set). When the layer has set in the pan, the icy jell-o will be syrupy (it doesn't take long since quantities are small). Add a heaping tablespoon of sour cream to the Jell-O on ice, (I forgot the ice sometimes and it still worked), and mix until smooth. Pour this over the clear set jell-o. Return to refrigerator; when set, repeat using contrasting color of Jell-O. The book says that green is a good color to start with.

When you're all done with that, cover with a layer of whipped topping.

Cut in squares and serve. Keep it chilled.

Note: Each layer should be set only enough to hold the next layer. If set too hard, the layers will not bond well and may slip when served.

Another Note: I went to church between layers and they bonded fine. I'm just writing what's in the book.

Apple Cider Doughnuts

I was so excited to find this recipe! Hearing Jen talk about the cider doughnuts on Vermont apple farms always made me drool. I didn't have a doughnut cutter so I used a biscuit cutter. I also fried the scraps, which reminded me of Mom's homemade scones in Oakley. Where's that recipe, eh?


2 red apples such as Cortland or McIntosh
2 1/2 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 TBS vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2 cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor or a Magic Bullet until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
3. Beat 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix!
4. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Meanwhile, make the glaze; Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk the powdered sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside for the topping.
6. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12 rounds, using a floured biscuit or doughnut cutter. Slip 2-3 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1-2 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.
7. Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve warm.