Moist and Delicious Apple Cake

  Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have a good recipe for you today. This apple cake is wonderful with a little scoop of ice cream. The soft apples with melt in your mouth, so get ready to eat up! I got this recipe from Cook's Illustrated.



The microwaved apples should be pliable but not completely soft when cooked. To test for doneness, take one apple slice and try to bend it. If it snaps in half, it’s too firm; microwave it for an additional 30 seconds and test again. If Calvados is unavailable, 1 tablespoon of apple brandy or white rum can be substituted.


Ingredients 

• 1 1/2pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
• 1tablespoon Calvados
• 1teaspoon lemon juice
• 1cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1cup (7 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1large egg plus 2 large yolks
• 1cup vegetable oil
• 1cup whole milk
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar

  

  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.

  Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.

  Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.

  Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.

  Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1¼ hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

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Classic Rice Krispie Treats

Yesterday My mom had to make a dessert for a party and she needed something easy to make, so I said " How about rice krispies? " Well, we made these and they are delicious! I got the recipe from Kellog's.com. I used to always make them so I hope you enjoy them as muck as I did!


Ingredients

3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 package ( 10 oz., about 40 ) regular marshmallows
                       OR
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Kellog's Rice Krispies cereal

 In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

 Add KELLOG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

 Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

Mmmm mmm Delicious!

Brown Butter Monkey Cookies

These are weird cookies that my mom found on Joy the Baker. They will look wrong but.... they are right! Let's try it!


Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter melted
and browned to about 3/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt (depending
on how salty you like things)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup toasted coconut (I used
unsweetened but sweetened will
work as well)
1 cup dark chocolate chunks


  Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, spread out shredded coconut. Toast coconut for about 6 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven, place in a small bowl and let cool.

Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam and crackle. That's a great sign. That means the water is evaporating from the butter. Once the crackling subsides, keep an eye on the butter. The butter solids will begin to brown. You'll smell the butter as it browns. Once well browned, immediately remove the butter from the flame and place in a small bowl. Removing the butter from the pan will ensure that it doesn't continue to cook and burn in the hot pan. Allow the butter to cool for a few moments.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted to a paddle attachment, measure granulated and brown sugar. Add the brown butter and beat together, on medium speed, for about 2 minutes. The sugar may still look grainy. That's ok.

Add the egg and egg yolk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture should become silky smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat.

With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Beat until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the toasted coconut and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.

Cookies can be baked immediately, or the dough can be left in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Spoon balls by the tablespoonful onto the prepare baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown but still slightly soft in the center. Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container until you want to eat them. Yummmm!

Fluffy and Delicious Marshmallows

I made these and I will never regret it. They were delicious even before they were put in the fridge.I got this recipe from smitten kitchen. Well hope you enjoy and don't forget to lick the spoon!

Makes about 96 1-inch cubed marshmallows

About 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 1/2 envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water, divided
2 cups granulated sugar (cane sugar worked just fine)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites or reconstituted powdered egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla (alternately: 1/2 of a scraped vanilla bean, 2 teaspoons almond or mint extract or maybe even some food coloring for tinting)

Oil bottom and sides of a 13- by 9- by 2-inch rectangular metal baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some confectioners’ sugar.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240°F, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. (Some reviewers felt this took even longer with a hand mixer, but still eventually whipped up nicely.)

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites (or reconstituted powdered whites) until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla (or your choice of flavoring) into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out (learning from my mess of a first round). Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes. (An oiled pizza cutter works well here too.) Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Do ahead: Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

Eat away!!

Fantastic Creamy Swiss Roll Cake

I got this recipe off of taste of home. It was my sisters secret birthday cake.It has lots of layers.One layer has vanilla ice cream. Another has hot fudge! And in the last layer, you fill it to the top with chocolate ice cream! Yummy!

Ingredients

• 10 to 12 Swiss cake rolls
• 2 pints vanilla ice cream, softened
• 3/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping
• 2 pints chocolate ice cream, softened

Directions

• Line a 2-qt. bowl with plastic wrap. Cut each cake roll into eight slices; place in prepared bowl, completely covering the bottom and sides. Cover and freeze for at least 20 minutes or until cake is firm.
• Spread vanilla ice cream over cake. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour. Spread with fudge topping. Freeze for at least 1 hour. Spread with chocolate ice cream. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Just before serving, remove from the freezer and invert onto a serving plate. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Cut into wedges. Yield: 12-14 servings. 

Precious Pork Potstickers

These potstickers are like dumplings but more awesome!! The recipe will make
 30 potstickers but I made about 60!Enjoy!

Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt: 2 ½ C napa cabbage; thinly sliced             Let cabbage sit with salt for 15 minutes.  Squeeze cabbage tightly in your fist to remove all excess liquid. Add: 8 oz ground pork (or chicken, if you prefer) ¼ C chicken broth 1 T soy sauce 1 T cornstarch 1 T scallions; minced 2 tsp fresh ginger; minced ½ tsp ground white pepper             Combine thoroughly. Fill, Brown and Steam: 30 potsticker wrappers OR wonton wrappers cut into circles  (you will need a 3 ½ “ cutter: a clean empty tuna can or  some such is just right) 3 T vegetable or peanut oil; divided 2/3 C water; divided Fill each round wrapper with about a teaspoon of filling.  Brush edges of wrapper with fingertip(s) dipped in water,  then fold in half around filling and seal tightly, making sure  no air is trapped inside potsticker.  Set seam side up and gently press down to create a flat surface.  Crimp edges and place on a parchment lined baking sheet;  cover to keep from drying out while you assemble remaining  potstickers. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot; add 1 ½ T oil,  swirling to coat pan bottom. Add half the potstickers, seam side up,  and cook until bottoms are golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Add 1/3 C water to pan, cover, reduce heat to medium low,  and cook until water has evaporated, 5-6 minutes. Remove potstickers and keep warm.  Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and repeat  process with remaining potstickers. Serve with hot & sour sauce…recipe follows.  Opt: you can toss the potstickers with sauce or dip Hot & Sour Chili Sauce:         Combine & set aside 3 T soy sauce or Tamari                      2 tsp hot chili oil                                         Opt: 2 tsp fresh cilantro; minced 2 T seasoned rice vinegar                   1 tsp garlic; minced 2 T sweet chili sauce                          ½ tsp fresh ginger; minced

Festive Peppermint Meringue

I got this recipe from the website Bon Appetit . They are very good and festive if you are having a party. So I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 12 drops red food coloring

Preparation

• Preheat overn to 200°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium-high speed until white and foamy, about 1 minute. With mixer running, gradually add suger in 3 additions beating for 2 minutes between each addition. Beat until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes longer. Add powdered sugar and peppermint extract; beat to blend, about 1 minute.
• Dot coloring over surface of meringue; do not stir (the coloring will form swirls when piped). Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip. (See Prep School; alternatively, spoon into a plastic freezer bag, then cut 1/2" off 1 corner.) Twist top; pipe 1" rounds onto prepared sheet, spacing 1" apart.
• Bake meringues until dry, about 2 1/2 hours. Let cool completely, about 1 hour (meringues will crisp as they cool). DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature between sheets of parchment or waxed paper.