Operation Baking GALS: Assignment #1

COMPLETED!

Susan of She's becoming doughmesstic sent out an S.O.S. to the blog world when her cousin who is stationed in Iraq mentioned that he and his comrades were in desperate need of a little home baked goodness. Well word spread like wild fire, and I am proud to say that what started out as a few fellow bloggers has grown into quite the baking brigade! In fact there were so many people interested in lending a hand that it is now an official baking group! Each month the serviceman selected will receive the boxes of goodies, and then divide them up between their unit.

Remember we can all do our part for a worthy cause, so pick up your whisks and start baking!

My first shipment was 4 dozen brownie buttons. Don't they look patriotic?!

You can find the rest of the crew that participated in the first assignment here She's becoming doughmesstic and if you would like any information on how you can do your part just visit Operation Baking GALS!

The recipe I used was my favorite brownie recipe which can be found here

XOXO
Stay Sweet;)

Operation Baking Gals!

Roll up your sleeves and do your part;)

I've just come across this blog Operation Baking Gals on TWD and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible. I think it is such an incredible way to give back to those whose risk their lives for us each and every day. I can't wait to send out my first care package. Please pass this link along to anyone you think would like to help send a little bit of home made love to someone who needs it.

XOXO
Stay Sweet;)

TWD, Lets flip it

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Michelle from Michelle in Colorado Springs; take a wild guess what she selected;) Yes my fellow dessert fanatics none other than my nemesis in the dessert world a fruit selection; Summer Fruit Galette to be exact. I was all ready to trash talk another fruit recipe and challenge Michelle to a duel when I read the recipe, and discovered to my amazement that I was willing to attempt this recipe if I made some minor changes of course.

You see it isn't that I dont like fruit. In fact I LOVE fruit. Fresh fruit. Once it gets cooked/baked it gets all mushy and gross, and that is what I have issues with. I prefer my food not to have the consistency of something that someone already chewed up and spit out. So I knew if I flipped this recipe, and cooked the custard in the crust first rather than last, and then topped it with fresh strawberries it may be palatable to my delicate taste buds.

First of all Michelle, I have to say that I am currently eating humble pie (or summer fruit gallete if you will) because after I made this recipe I nearly pissed myself with excitement over how easy it was to put together and how amazing it tasted!

*stands up on dining room chair ala a tyson chicken commercial*

Michelle, because of you I attempted to make a crust (something which I would have never done because crust is for pie and pie is for fruit and well, you know the deal) and it was the most incredible crust I have ever had! Three cheers for Michelle and home made crust! Michelle you have single handedly changed my baking repertoire! My once bleak repetitious future is now filled with crusts and custard fillings topped with fresh fruits of all sorts! Michelle you are the bees knees. Thank you for waking up my dormant taste buds. Michelle I have a booty shake with your name on it;)

*falls off of dining room chair*


Now onto the changes that I made. The crust was perfect, but just because I can never leave well enough alone I added a bit more sugar and a little less salt, and about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. How much you ask? Who knows. Perhaps a pinch or two more of one and less of the other. I spooned a small amount of strawberry preserves on the bottom of the crust and then topped with the graham crackers (even though there was no fruit juice for it to absorb). Then since the custard recipe seemed gross to me, and there was no way I could put sugar in an egg and call it custard I used my recipe for flan (caramel custard minus the caramel) and filled my little crusts with it. I cooked them until the flan no longer jiggled in the middle and let them cool and then refrigerated them for about an hour. Then I topped the tart with fresh strawberries and some powdered sugar. When I tell you that this simple dessert is so fabulous that it inspired thoughts of lust I'm not kidding. Make this people. I'm telling you. This is truly an amazing surprise.

Be sure to check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's fruity surprises.

You can find the recipe here @ Michelle in Colorado Springs.

XOXO

Stay Sweet;)

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake?

I'm a little perplexed over the final outcome of this recipe. I mean grant it, I may have beat the mascarpone cheese like it owed me money; until it was a heeping mess of seemingly curdled cheese, but still. Was this supposed to be a lighter version of cheesecake (which in itself would be sacrilege) or did the fact that I over beat the cheese affect the texture of it? It was like a very strange light chocolate mousse or some sort of chocolate whipped cream. Cheesecake however, it was not. I anticipated a deliciously decadent lover. I expected my knees to buckle in a full bodied "O". I was left feeling like I had just been with a selfish pig who blew his load before me and didnt even ask if I wanted him to break out the bullet. I was disappointed, and annoyed because I had made a mess of my kitchen melting chocolate to cover oreos...

so that I could grind up the cookies...

and make a crust worthy of this masterpiece....

DAMN YOU MASCARPONE CHEESE YOU TEASE!

I knew something was amiss because the batter looked odd, but I shrugged it off (because obviously a baking diva such as myself is exempt from rules regarding the timing of my mixer) and I continued to add the remaining ingredients blissfully unaware of whether or not this peculiar detail would influence the final outcome. By the time I added the last ingredient my batter sort of resembled chocolate milk with weird specs of cheese floating in it. The cheese didn't lovingly embrace the other ingredients the way I assumed it would. There was no orgy of love in my mixing bowl. (Again I ask, is this normal? Help me out people. What's the 411 on the mascarpone cheese?) Being the delisional optomist that I am I continued on my mission only to be disillusioned when I was finally able to taste it after a very long 4 hour wait.

Don't get me wrong. The flavor was good, but the texture was way, way off...

I feel it may have the potential to be a phenomenal cheesecake if it were made with actual cream cheese as opposed to the mascarpone. I shaved my legs for nothing.

You and me are OVER mascarpone cheese!

I'm going to make this again with actual cream cheese and I'll update, and let you all know how it went.

For those of you who may be into a lighter chocolate cheesecake here is the recipe.


Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake
Source: Sticky,Chewy,Messy,Gooey
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup sugar
3 large eegs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch o' salt
1tbsp dark rum, brandy or grand marnier (optional; I left it out)
boiling water as needed


position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325F
in a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. remove the pan from the heat before the cream starts to boil and add the chocolate, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. set aside and let cool to room temperature.
in a large bowl, whisk together the mascarpone and sugar until smooth add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is smooth. add the vanilla, salt, and rum (if using) and whisk to combine.
pout the cooled chocolate mixture into the mascarpone cheese mixture and whisk gently until smooth.
put eight 4oz custard cups, ramekins, or small oven proof coffee cups in an empty 9x13" baking pan. divide the chocolate-cheesecake mixture among the cups.
put the baking dish in the oven and then carefully pour boiling water into the pan, adding just enough water to reach halfway up the sides o the custard cups. cover with aluminum foil.
bake until the tops of the cheesecakes appear solid but jiggle slightly when shaken, 30-40 minutes. the perfect consistency is a little soft, but not liquid. the cheesecake pots will firm up as they cool. transfer the pots from the baking pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. cover each pot with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before serving. the cheesecake pots can be prepared up to 2 days before serving.
top each cheesecake pot with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle with chocolate and caramel sauces.

White chocolate lattice (because it is so cute and easy and I know you are dying to make some)
melt chocolate in pastry bag or sandwich bag
swirl design on wax paper
let harden (I put mine in the fridge)
Voila! lattice!

XOXO
Stay Sweet;)

Bleah

I had to sit out yet another TWD recipe because it is once again some sort of pie/cobbler/fruit concoction which I loath. I mean seriously. Is this a joke? How can people continue to select fruity recipe after fruity recipe? How can they honestly not get tired of the same crap every week? VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE PEOPLE! I promise I won't call the summer police if you choose a recipe that doesn't pertain to fruit.

Anywho if you're into fruit and crap like that then you should check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's fruit crap.

But if you want some real good shit then come back tomorrow. I am making mini chocolate cheesecakes tonight with chocolate covered oreos crust from my new mistress Sticky,Chewy,Messy,Gooey. Don't worry Dorie, my heart is still yours, but my mouth...my mouth may wander around from time to time;)

I'd shave my legs if I were you...I feel a mouth orgasm comin on...

XOXO

First of all I'd like to thank the academy

and the lovely Dianne from Dianne's Dishes for awarding me with the yum yum award and making a moment like this possible...


Thats right ladies and gents, it is only a matter of time before they all fall victim to my charms.

My fabulosity is not a force to be reckoned with. Proceed with caution;)

And now a few blogs that I feel boast some serious food porn:

Abby sweets

Baking blonde

Joy the baker

Jumbo Empanadas

My Sweet and Saucy

Be a dear and fetch me my slippers...

I have arrived;)

*adjusts fur coat and oversized shades*

I've been tagged by Susan of She's Becoming Doughmesstic!

Everyone knows that you are a nobody until you are tagged for a Meme. (Please wait until the end of my post for autographs.)

Who KNEW that someone found me so interesting and intoxicatingly off the hook that they were just DYING to know more about moi?! (I mean sure there is the slight possibility that they dont really care, and just needed to add a random blog to their list, but I prefer to believe I am just that fly)

The Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

And now without further adieu for all my fans/peeps/stalkers here is the 411 on your royal flyness:

1. I wore red shoes on my wedding (as seen by the picture in my blog header).
2. I met some of my best friends on the internet on theknot.com while planning my wedding.
3. Contrary to the opinion of million of women my wedding day was not the best day of my life. Don't get me wrong. It was absolutely fabulous and more amazing than anything I could have ever imagined, but the best day of my life...was the next day...when I woke up in the arms of my husband for the first time.
4. I have never in my life been drunk, and before my honeymoon (where I had a glass of white wine and literally passed out on the dinner table) I had never even tasted alcohol. Not ever.
5. I am addicted to my blackberry. Seriously. I can't function without it. I think I should seek therapy. If it takes me longer than 5 seconds to find it in my bag I immediately break out in a cold sweat and have to empty it out on the nearest surface.
6. I still get misty eyed when I talk about my cat who died 3 years ago. I MISS YOU POOKIE!

Ok enough about me. Here are some blogs that I feel are in the same realm of fabulosity that I am:

*disclaimer: I realize sometimes it is annoying when someone tags you for a Meme, but that is the price we pay for fame*

1. Simplebutdelicious

2. Chocolatechic

3. Cupcake project

4. NZ Cupcakequeen

5. Ezrapoundcake

6. Good-eats-n-sweet-treats

Now, Now, don't get all cranky. We have to appease our fans after all;)

XOXO
Stay sweet;)

Like a silky blanket for my tongue

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was chosen by Melissa of It's Melissa's Kitchen and I have one thing to say about Melissa...She freaking rocks! She chose chocolate pudding! How fantabulous is that! I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders now that I can finally participate in a recipe because it isn't fruity. I feel like I won the TWD lottery! (yes I need every one of those exclamation points. The simple period does not adequately convey the amount of excitement I feel over this pick)

Holy Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The creaminess of this pudding is so velvety smooth you'll want coat your tongue in it and let it slowly dissolve just so you can savor every last second of this blissful experience. It is so ridiculously good that my eyes balls nearly popped right out of their sockets and rolled onto the floor. It was so rich and creamy that I nearly "O" because It tasted just like ice cream. ICE CREAM PEOPLE! The cure for everything from heart break to job loss. This stuff right here is the real deal.

I want to make it and sell it on street corners it is so sinfully decadent. I'm sure my hustle would surpass that of Jay Z and Fitty. Who knew that sweet innocent pudding had a naughty side? I feel like I walked into a bar and caught my grandma doing body shots I'm so shocked by this discovery. I am truly a reformed boxed/ready made pudding follower. I had no idea the differences between homemade pudding and boxed/ready made were so vast. The difference between the grand canyon and chip in your drive way. Oh how foolish I have been. Dorie you have shown me the err of my ways and for that this booty shake is for you. ((( Y )))

Make sure you check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's pudding!

If you are feening for chocolate pudding the likes of which you have never experienced you can find the recipe here Chocolate pudding

XOXO

Stay Sweet;)

Dorie and I have not been seeing eye to eye...

You all must know by now my aversion to fruit in my baking (well most fruit) so I had to take a pass on this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe yet again . This weeks recipe was Apple Cheddar Scones (*gag*) chosen by Karina of The Floured Apron. This recipe was as appealing to me as brussels sprouts (not to offend any of you brussels sprouts lovers freaks that you are) not only because it contains apples, but also cheddar. What the hell was Dorie smoking when she thought up this concoction (ha! that sounded dirty or maybe I should get my mind out of the gutter)? Now I'm sure its wonderful since Dorie is a genius, but seriously apples and cheddar? You all are braver than I am, but thanks to Dorie I had scone fever, and decided to get in on the scone lovin anyway:P

*hands out kleenex to all the cry babies because this isn't Dorie's recipe*

I have never had a scone before so I embarked on this adventure with reckless abandon, completely blind in regard to taste and texture. I googled a recipe for banana nut scones and what I ended up with in my opinion is something in between a biscuit and a muffin (weird I know), and I am clueless as to whether or not I achieved the correct flavor or texture. Is that what it is supposed to be like? Please enlighten me because I didn't bring them into work today for fear that someone would take a bite and run screaming to the nearest trash can to puke their brains out and ask if I were trying to poison them. Similar to what my husband did last night. He had never tasted a scone either, and lets just say after trying one of mine he wasn't a fan.

They weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't worthy of using the wonderfully ripened bananas I had saved for a far more exciting occasion. I like my pastries to be sweet (is a scone a pastry?) and threaten a mouth orgasm. These were sort of bland and about as exciting as clipping your toe nails. Well, I honestly dont know whether they were great or not due to the fact that I dont exactly have anything to compare them to because I was a scone virgin. Since they were so bland I drizzled some dulce de leche over them just to make them a bit more exciting and not even that helped. They were a huge pain in the ass to make as well because the dough is super sticky... and I mean SUPER sticky. My fingers looked like giant sausages by the time I finished kneading it because the majority of the dough was off the counter and stuck to my hands. All in all either this was a really bad recipe or I am just not a fan of scones. What a waste of ripe bananas...

Make sure you check out the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see everyone else's treats.

XOXO

Stay Sweet;)

Banana Nut Scones (supposedly)

Source: I can't find the link now, but really I dont think it was any good so it doesn't matter

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 stick of chilled butter

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

1 cup mashed ripe banana about 2-3 bananas

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon brown sugar

I also sprinkled them with cinnamon suger after they were done.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine first five ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk, vanilla and egg in a bowl. Stir well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture and banana to dry ingredients stirring until just moistened. Turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface. With floured hands knead dough lightly 4 times. Pat dough in to a 9 inch circle on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with walnuts and remaining brown sugar. Pressing gently in to dough. Cut dough in to 12 wedges (I used a cookie cutter and cut it into circles). Cutting in to but not threw dough. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.