Pinwheel Party

 Welcome to my table scape of shattered dreams. I had such big plans for my Mom's 50th birthday party. I made a big pinwheel backdrop to hang above my white console table which would have held all my desserts and a cute banner underneath that. I had giant pinwheels I had made to stick in the grass on both sides of the dessert table.

Unfortunately I hadn't counted on the dirt being rock hard or the massive winds that ripped down my back drop each time we tried to hang it. So sad. Here is how it turned out anyway:

 Pinwheel Birthday Cake

 Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

 I found these cute mini forks at Hobby Lobby.

Hand Painted fondant wafers to top the cupcakes.

 Mint Chocolate Cake Pops

I So wish this would have worked out. This bent in half mess of paper would have been really cute hanging above my white dessert table but the wind kept ripping it down.

Please notice the banner that was meant to hang under the desserts. It was supposed to read 'CELEBRATE', but we lost the R somewhere along the way and so now it just says 'CELEBATE'.

Epic Fail.

Baby Strawberry Shortcakes

 Aren't these darling? I feel like such a lady when I have these on my plate. Throw in a cup of tea and call me Kate Middleton. Ha. Just kidding. But really, these are such a dainty little dessert, great for dessert tables or tea parties. I made these for my little sister's bridal shower and they were a hit. And their tiny size is great when you have many other desserts to choose from.

The only problem was that that evening I found myself eating about 10 mini shortcakes clumped together on a plate topped with a tower of strawberries and whipped cream.

Note to self: Mini shortcakes are for parties and not for an 11 pm sugar-fest. I should have just made myself one big shortcake when I was baking.

 

Ingredients: 

 

• 2 C. All-purpose Flour
• ¼ C. Granulated Sugar, divided
• 1 T. baking powder
• ½ t. salt
• ½ C. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2/3 C. Heavy Cream or Half and Half
• 1½ C. Sweetened whipped cream(Stabilized works well for this dessert)
•  12 Large Strawberries
• Powdered Sugar, for dusting

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
2. Place flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor and pulse a few times to mix.
3. With the processor running, Drop in the cubed butter piece by piece and process until just combined and forming small crumbs.
4. Drizzle the cream into processor through top while processor is running and process until dough JUST comes together.
5. Place dough on floured work surface and pat dough to form a rectangle about 1-inch in thickness.
6. Cut dough into rounds about 1-inch in diameter with a cookie cutter. Reform dough as necessary with scraps being careful not to overwork dough and re-cut into rounds.
7. Place cut dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake shortcakes for about 8-12 minutes or until tops are just turning slightly brown. Cool on a wire rack. While the cakes are baking, cut both ends off of each strawberry. Slice each trimmed strawberry horizontally into 3 slices and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the remaining 2 T. sugar over the strawberries and toss to coat. Set aside.
8. To assemble, cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Pipe a dollop of whipped cream onto bottom round, top with a strawberry slice, pipe with one more mound of whipped cream and cover with the shortcake top. Dust powdered sugar over the tops before serving.

Makes about 36 baby shortcakes.

 Oh, and maybe form yourself one larger shortcake before you bake the dough. It may come in handy.

Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies

 Here is a yummy variation on the classic whoopie pie: Salted Caramel Buttercream. *Sigh*
This may be the perfect combination. Use this recipe for the whoopie pie cakes. Then come back here and make this salted caramel and the accompanying buttercream to fill it.

Salted Caramel

2 C. Granulated Sugar
1/2 C. Heavy Cream, Hot
4 T. Butter
A pinch of two of coarse sea salt

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar with 1/2 C. Water and stir until all the sugar is wet. Heat the sugar on Medium high heat, brushing down the sides with a wet basting brush to dissolve any sugar crystals that may be stuck to the sides. *Note that the key to successful caramelized sugar is making sure that all the sugar crystals are dissolved. If the caramelized sugar touches even a single granule, the whole mass will crystallize.
There is no need to stir the sugar. Keep a close eye on it, however. After boiling for about 7-10 minutes the sugar will start to turn a deep amber color. As soon as the desired caramel color is reached, turn off the heat or remove pan from the stove.
Cover each hand with a baking mitten(to protect against splatters). Pour the hot cream into the caramel, and the whisk rapidly. The caramel will bubble up and spit and splatter. Just keep whisking and after a minute it will settle down. Add the butter to the caramel and again whisk until incorporated and smooth. If you feel any lumps in your caramel you can put it back on the heat and stir until they dissolve.
Add a pinch or two of coarse salt and stir.
Chill. It will thicken up once it is cold.


Vanilla Buttercream:

1 stick of Butter, softened
2-3 C. Powdered Sugar
1/2 t. Vanilla
1/2 C. Chilled Salted Caramel

Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating on slow speed until incorporated(will be very thick). Increase mixer speed to medium and slowly pour in the vanilla. Add the chilled salted caramel to the frosting and continue to whip on medium speed until the frosting is fluffy. Fill a piping bag full of the frosting and cut off the tip. Pipe large mounds of frosting on the bottom of a whoopie pie cake, along with a spoonful of chilled salted caramel. Top with another cake, pressing down until the frosting spreads out to the cake edges.

I did share this time, by the way.

Lemon Bars, Perfected.

 I love lemon bars, but I don't love the sticky topping that is messy to cut through and doesn't always hold it's shape. So I've been on a quest to bake the perfect lemon bar. Soft but still crisp shortbread like crust and a lemony, firmly set glossy lemon topping that can be cleanly cut through.
Instead of pouring a wet batter on top of a par-baked crust, I make a lemon curd on the stove top and then pour it over the partially baked crust. Then it bakes for a short time to set the top and finish cooking the crust.
I know it's an extra step, but trust me, its worth it.

CRUST
2 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 C. Butter, cut into cubes and semi-soft

Curd FILLING
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 C. + 2 T. sugar
2/3 C. lemon juice (from about 4-5 medium lemons), strained
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 T. unsalted butter, cut in to 4 pieces
3 T. heavy cream

For the crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and process briefly, about 2 seconds. Add the butter pieces and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared cake pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom. 

  Bake the crust until the edges start to brown, about 23 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

For the filling
In a medium saucepan whisk together the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar until combined. Add the lemon juice and salt and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Add the butter pieces and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the curd thickens, about 6 minutes.
  Stir in the heavy cream and then pour the curd into the warm crust.
Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center 3 inches jiggle slightly when shaken, about 10 minutes.  Let the bars cool. Cut into 2 inch squares, wiping the knife blade clean between each cut. Sieve powdered sugar over the bars, if you prefer.

 

Eggs Benedict with Blender Hollindaise

I can't tell you how many times I've seen a traditional Hollindaise replaced with a mix. And it makes me so very sad. Mixes, while easy, are filled with all sorts of additives and the results are often a far cry from what they claim to be in the title.
Hollindaise can be a tricky sauce, though. And a bit time consuming and sensitive.
Enter: the Blender Hollindaise. I came across this recipe on Epicurious and have modified it to suit my taste. I like mine lemony!
I have made this several times and I would have to think its pretty fail proof!
And takes only a few minutes to whip up.
Real Hollindaise uses clarified butter, and you can do that here if you like, but I've left the milk solids in because it is easier and still comes together perfectly.
Though not completely traditional, this recipe leaves no excuse for using a mix. it's just too easy!

Blender Hollindaise

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C. (2 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
2 large Egg Yolks
2 T. fresh Lemon juice, more if you like it lemony!
Kosher salt, to taste
A pinch or two of White Pepper


Fill a blender with hot water and set aside. Melt butter in a bowl in the microwave, or in a saucepan on the stove. Set aside.

Drain the blender and dry well. Put egg yolks and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in blender; cover and blend to combine. Working quickly and with blender running, remove lid insert and slowly pour hot butter into blender in a thin stream of droplets. Blend until creamy sauce forms. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and with more lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Eggs Benedict

I feel silly even posting a recipe for this. So I'll make it simple:
Toast an English Muffin.
Top with a slice of hot ham.
Top ham with a poached egg.
Top egg with a spoonful or two of Hollindaise.
Eat.
Repeat. Well, unless you're full now. In which case you should just anticipate your next breakfast of Eggs Benedict.

 

Caramelized Onion Blue Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

If your looking for a variation on traditional scalloped potatoes, consider this dish. Blue cheese and caramelized onions meld together in a creamy Bechamel sauce for a side dish that is hearty and comforting, yet elegant.
These potatoes go great with this Turkey Meatloaf. Assemble it in the morning to save time at dinner. Then pop it in the oven 45 minutes before you eat and you're set!

Ingredients:

2 Lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
1 Sweet Onion
2 T. Butter
2 T. Flour
1/2 T. Brown Sugar
1/2 t. White Pepper
1/4 t. Grated Nutmeg
2 T. Butter
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 C. Milk(I use Almond)
1/2 C. Heavy Cream
Salt, to taste
1/3 C. Blue Cheese, crumbled
2 T. Freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375°F with a rack in upper third of the oven.

Place the cleaned potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just barely tender. Drain the potatoes and let cool.
Meanwhile, add 2 T. Of butter to a sauté pan and melt on medium heat. Thinly slice the onion and add to the pan. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes and then add the brown sugar to the pan. Continue to sauté the onion until it develops a deep brown caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Melt 2 T. of butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour to the butter and stir until combined. let cook for 1 minute and then pour in the heavy cream. Turn the heat up to medium and stir continuously until the cream has thickened. Whisk in the milk and let simmer until thickened and smooth. Add in the nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat.

Thinly slice the cooled potatoes and spread one layer of potatoes in an 8-9" baking dish. Top the potatoes with 1/3 of the caramelized onions. Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the onion and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the blue cheese. Arrange another layer of potatoes in the dish and top with another 3rd of the onions, sauce, and blue cheese. Top with the remaining potatoes, sauce, onions and blue cheese. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the top of the dish.

Place dish on a shallow baking pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is a golden brown.

Remove from the oven and serve.

Honey Greek Yogurt Biscuits

 I hope you all had a good Irish meal yesterday. As for us, we had Irish Stew and these really yummy yogurt biscuits that my Mother in law made. Usually we have soda bread on St. Patrick's day, but these biscuits were a really nice alternative to the dense Irish quick bread. I've been wanting more biscuits since yesterday so I whipped up a batch today, but I didn't have any plain yogurt. I did, however, have honey Greek yogurt and let me tell you what: It worked great.

If you have plain yogurt on hand , that works great. If not, try it with the honey yogurt.

Eat it with jam and butter. We had ours with boysenberry jam and it was loverly.

Ingredients:

 

2 C. Flour

1/4 t. Baking Soda

1 T. Baking Powder

3/4 t. Salt

1/4 C.(4 T.) Butter, chilled

1 C. Honey Greek Yogurt

2 T. Milk

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Add the butter to the flour mixture and cut it in until it is completely blended.

Add the yogurt and the milk to the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Place the dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and shape into a mound.

Pat the dough into a 1" high rectangle. Score the top of the dough once lengthwise and 3 times width wise to make 8 large sections that can be broken off when baked.

 

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

Remove and serve immediately.