Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes

These Mini Lemon Bundt cakes were another one of our dessert options at our Mother's Day party last weekend. I wanted to dress them up a bit so I sprinkled them with powdered sugar, filled them with lemon curd and topped them with raspberries. These are a great spring or summer dessert, they are a combination of sweet and tart so you can certainly serve them plain or all dressed up. This recipe makes 24 mini bundt cakes but it can also be used to make one large bundt cake as well.

Ingredients:
1 Cup I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - Softened
1 Cup Buttermilk
3 Cups Flour
2 Lemons
4 Eggs - Room Temperature
2 Cups Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
Pam Cooking Spray
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
William-Sonoma or Homemade Lemon Curd (Optional)
Raspberries (Optional)

Adapted from: http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/

Start by preheating the oven to 350. Spray your mini bundt or regular sized bundt pan with Pam and set aside. Combine your flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream your butter and sugar on medium for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Then add one egg at a time mixing in between additions. 

Add the dry ingredients in three different segments, alternating with the buttermilk until everything is completely combined. Then zest in one of the lemons, be careful zesting for some reason always makes me nervous. Remember to zest just until you get to the white part, don't zest the white it has a bitter taste. Juice that lemon and another one into a small bowl so you don't put in the pits, add 1/4 cup of that lemon juice into the bowl. Mix on medium for another minute or two until both the zest and the juice are mixed in.

Using an ice cream scooper, fill each individual bundt mold with batter. Give the pan a few shakes and taps so the batter falls deep into the whole and goes around the middle divider. Add more batter until they are filled just a little bit from the top. Bake for 20 minutes until they spongy and a light golden color, a toothpick should come out clean.

 Let cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then allow them to cool on a rack completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, fill with lemon curd and top with a raspberry if desired.

Enjoy!!

Linked at: http://www.notyourordinaryrecipes.com/, http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/, http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com, http://www.michellestastycreations.com/, http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/, http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/,  http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com, http://www.sweetsav.blogspot.com/, http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com, http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/, http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.ca/, http://www.sweet2eatbaking.com/

Sprinkle Cookie Cups w/Chocolate Ganache

I had an amazing Mother's Day yesterday. My almost 2 month old grandson spent the day with us. The rest of my family including my Mom from Florida spent the afternoon with us except for my youngest daughter Sam who is still in Ireland for another few weeks. We had our dinner catered from our favorite Joe Leones who makes excellent Italian food and I made these as one of our desserts.  I've made sugar cookie cups before here but everything takes better with rainbow sprinkles. 

Ingredients:

Cookie Cups

3 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

1 large egg

2 tbsp light corn syrup

3/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Ganache

1 cup heavy cream

1 12 oz package dark chocolate chips

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp sugar 

1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles for garnish    

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Whisk together in a bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
Mix together in a bowl with a stand mixer the butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Add vanilla and almond extract, and egg and mix until creamy again.  Add the egg and corn syrup and mix again.

Add the flour mixture and mix until creamy.  Add the sprinkles and mix with a spatula instead of the mixer.

Add rounded tbsp of dough into each mini muffin pan that has already been sprayed with a cooking spray.

Cook for 9-11 minutes until slightly browned.  As soon as cookie cups come out of the oven use the back of a tablespoon and press down firmly to make an indention in each cookie so that there is room for the ganache.  Do this quickly before they cool and can't be reshaped.

Make the ganache by putting the heavy cream in a microwave safe dish and microwaving for 60-90 seconds.  Do not boil.  Immediately add the chocolate chips and stir until combined and chocolate ends up shiny.

Using a teaspoon fill each cookie cup with some chocolate ganache.  Allow the chocolate to cool.

Prepare the whipped cream by whipping cream and sugar together on the fast speed of your mixer for a few minutes until the cream is firm and can be piped with a piping bag.  Add to top of cookie cups and sprinkle with sprinkles.  Makes 48 mini cookie cups.

Enjoy!!



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Lemon Cookies

Here is the perfect springtime cookie which would be great for your Mother's Day celebration. This is adapted from www.allrecipes.com/lemon-cookies.     

Ingredients:
1 package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
zest of one lemon
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour cake mix into a large bowl.  Stir in eggs, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well blended.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners sugar.  Roll them around until they are lightly covered with sugar.

Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven.  The bottoms will be lightly browned and the insides will be chewy.

Enjoy!!



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www.4littlefergusons.wordpress.com, http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com/, http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/, http://www.whatscookingwithruthie.com/, http://www.sweetsav.blogspot.com/, http://www.flourmewithlove.com/, http://www.sweet2eatbaking.com/, http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/, http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.ca, http://insidebrucrewlife.com/, http://www.chef-in-training.com/, http://www.mandysrecipebox.blogspot.com/,
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Greek Pizza

To me pizza is a blank canvas ready to take on just about any flavor combination. As long as you've got cheese and toppings you can make some form of pizza and chances are its going to be delicious. If you enjoy a traditional Greek salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese then you certainly like this Greek Pizza. I've seen a few different ways to make Greek Pizza so I decided to use two other recipes as inspiration and make it my own way. Hope you like my version :)

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

1/2 Cup Flour

1 Cup Tazatziki Sauce

1/2 Pint Grape Tomatoes - Sliced

8oz Crumbled Reduced Feta Cheese

1/4 Red Onion - Thinly Sliced

1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives - Pitted and Sliced

1/2 Cup Roasted Red Pepper Strips

1/4 Cucumber - Seeded, Sliced and Diced

Adapted from: http://www.howsweeteats.com/ & http://www.pepperlynn.com/

Preheat the oven to 450 F. On a lightly floured surface roll the pizza dough out to be about 16 inches in diameter which will cause it to be about 1/2 inch thick. Place it in the pizza pan.

Spread the tazatziki sauce down on the pizza crust leaving an inch border around for the crust. 

Dice the tomato, onion, olives and roasted red pepper. Arrange all of the vegetables on top of the tazatziki sauce so that everything is spread out evenly. Crumble the cheese on top of all the vegetables.

Bake 20 minutes, until the crust is a golden and the top of the feta has browned a bit. Let stand 5 minutes to set. Top with fresh diced cucumber, slice & serve with a simple salad.

Enjoy!!

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Alice Springs Chicken

Spring is finally here and I love it!  Its time to put away the warm Uggs and bring out the cool Toms.  Colorful tulips and blooming cherry trees are everywhere and it shouldn't be long before its time to bring out the flip flops. I haven't been to Outback Steak House in years but when I did go I always ordered Alice Springs Chicken.  I am a big honey mustard fan and this chicken is covered in it besides the bacon, mushrooms and cheese.  This isn't the healthiest chicken you will ever eat but give it a try at least once.  You will be glad you did.  This is from www.food.com. 


Ingredients:
1 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
12 slices bacon, cooked
2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese

Directions:
Combine mustard, honey, oil and lemon juice with an electric mixer for one minute.

Pour 1/2 of the mixture in a ziplock bag and marinate chicken in it in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.

Chill remaining marinade to serve with chicken.

After marinating chicken, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put remaining oil in frying pan and heat and brown chicken on both sides.  Transfer chicken to oven safe pan and brush with marinade.

Meanwhile in frying pan add butter and saute mushrooms.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper if desired.  Stack bacon across each breast, spoon mushrooms on each breast and then a handful of cheese on each breast.

Cover pan with foil and bake 10-15 minutes.  Serve with honey mustard marinade.

Enjoy!!



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Cinco de Mayo Recipe Round Up

1. Shredded Beef Nachos

2. Mexican Rice

3. Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

4. Tres Leches Cakes

5. Homemade Queso Dip

6. Chicken Burrito with Lime Rice

7. Creamy Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

8. Simple Fish Tacos

9. Avocado Southwestern Salsa

10. Mexican Breakfast Braid

11. Tomatillo Salsa

&

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Blueberry Magic Cookie Bars

I have made the magic cookie bar recipe many times since the girls have been gorwing up as we are all lovers of coconut, chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.  Keebler had a version with raspberry jam and I knew I had to try it.  Since we are on a blueberry kick this month I figured I would substitute the raspberry for blueberry.  I loved the addition of the sweet fruit flavor but my husband did not.  I am sure raspberry and blackberry would be just as delicious.

Ingredients:
2 cups graham crackers crumbs (I used Keebler)
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1-1/2 cup blueberry jam
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl combine graham crackers crumbs and sugar.  Add melted butter and stir until combined. Press into bottom of a 13 x 9 pan.  Sprinkle coconut over the top of the crust and drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top.  Bake for 20-24 minutes until coconut is browned.

Cool completely or freeze for a 1/2 hour or so if time is short.  Spread the preserves over the coconut and sprinkle with pecans.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave with oil added for 2 minutes on low.  Stir chips until melted.  Drizzle chocolate over pecans while it is still soft and smooth.  Cool on counter or in refrigerator before cutting into bars.

Enjoy!!




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