Warm and Fuzzy

So let's start with a happy sunny picture from the beach taken over Christmas while we were visiting my fam in Cali.  This pictures makes me warm and fuzzy.  Particularly because it is currently 17* outside and I'm living in fleece pants, Ugg boots and unflattering poofy jackets.  

These cupcakes also make me warm and fuzzy.  I may have made these delish pumpkin cupcakes in October.  And I may have intended to post the recipe while it was still relevant.  And then I had a baby so the blog went out the window.  Seriously, will Elliott EVER sleep more than 20 minutes at a time??  I can't be too annoyed because he is so freaking cute!

But before we get to the recipe, I wanted to share a few more pics of our recent trip to California - particularly la playa!!  We got to go twice on play dates with my sister and her kiddos - is it still called a play date if you are family?

Who doesn't love a park on the beach??  Shortly after this pic was taken, Owen ate it and had some serious rug-burn to the face.  So maybe he doesn't love it?

The newest additions to the Yoss fam - Hannah is the spitting image of my sister at the same age!  Elliott is truly a Stephens and looks nothing like me...

Owen, on the other hand, is the spitting image of me!

The water was freezing but the boys were loving it - maybe not Jer though...

I'm so sad we don't get to play at the beach everyday with cousins!!!

I mean, really.  These babies are the cutest!

Okay, enough reminiscing of our great trip to California and on to the yummy recipe!  I got this yumminess from my friend Laura who is an avid cupcake baker!  She made these heaven-sent cupcakes for my surprise baby shower in the Little Apple!  (Sigh, I miss my Kansas family!)  I've never made buttercream frosting before as I am a huge fan of cream cheese frosting.  Well this, my friends, is the best of both worlds:  Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting.  WHAT?  So good!  And to make it even better: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.  Be still my heart, I am in heaven!  This frosting would be delish on anything.  Seriously, graham crackers, teddy grahams, cakes, your finger tips.  And my absolutely fave thing about this frosting: it pipes so easily!!!  I always have trouble trying to pipe cream cheese, but this stuff is like a dream!  TRY IT.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 can pumpkin pie mix (approximate 1 1/4 cup)
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
Dash of cinnamon

Instructions
Mix all ingredients until batter is smooth and creamy.  Scoop with an ice cream scoop into lined muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 full.  Bake at 350* for 15 minutes or until top spring bake when gently pressed.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

Ingredients
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp.  salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp.meringue powder (optional - I didn't use it, so I'm not sure how it would change the consistency as I am not a food scientist...)

Instructions
Combine shortening, butter, cream cheese, and salt for about 5 minutes.  Add the extracts and mix well.  Add 2 cups sugar and the meringue powdered (if using) and mix well.  Continue adding sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desire consistency.  

My sweet Kansas friends who threw a surprise baby shower for me!  Miss you ladies!!

Chock-it Dump Truck Cake

For Owen's 2nd Birthday all he wanted was a "Chock-it Dump Truck Cake."  I kid you not.  We started talking about his birthday about a week before and he totally remembered the Wilton Dump Truck pan we bought at Hobby Lobby before we moved to Virginia.

 

So the day before his little birthday party, we made a cake together :)  He insisted on wearing an apron because Mommy was wearing one. I found the manliest one in my arsenal - and of course he needed the "Merry Christmas" chef hat! 

 

And what cake-making experience is complete without licking the mixer paddle?

 

And the rubber spatula??

 

Tada!  Chock-it Dump Truck Cake complete with cream cheese frosting and M-Ms (as Owen calls them).  I generally don't like chocolate cake - but both of my boys do.  I used an old standby recipe that my mom makes for my family when chocolate cake is requested - she doesn't like chocolate cake either :)  I don't know what it is, but I just don't like chocolate cake...or chocolate ice cream.  Anyfood, this recipe I actually like because it is nice and moist and has chocolate chips in it!

Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

1 package Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines)

1 (4 oz) package Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 small package semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 2 cups)

4 eggs

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 (8 oz) carton of sour cream

3/4 cup water

Instructions:

Blend together all ingredients except chocolate chips with a mixer.  Blend for 1 minute on low then 4 minutes on medium.  Add chocolate chips.  Pour into a well greased 12 cup Bundt Pan (or a well greased Dump Truck Cake pan)*.

Bake at 325* for 1 hour.  Dust with powdered sugar or cream cheese frosting.  (But really, why would you bother with powdered sugar when you can use cream cheese frosting?)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 box powdered sugar (3 and 3/4 cup - and as a side note, I used the Target brand of powdered sugar and it ended up v. v. granulated and not appetizing in my opinion...)
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese - softened
1/2 to 1 stick of butter (I use the whole thing - and make sure it is salted butter)
1 tablespoon vanilla

Blend together in the mixer and enjoy!  I freeze my extra and enjoy it on graham crackers when no one is looking!

* Some chocolate chips will sink to the bottom of the pan during cooking.  When you invert the pan and attempt to remove the cake, it may give some resistance as the chocolate chips like to stick to the pan!

Owen enjoying a tire of the dump truck cake while I breath through some contractions/the baby actually flipping around so that he or she is now head down - that was not a fun experience!

Cooking with a Toddler...

"Ooo, ooo, ooo, please give me another Candy Cane Joe-Joe*!"

"Oh, maybe if I smile while begging, I'll get another one."

"Let me think about this, does she even know that it is only 8 in the morning and she is feeding me cookies?"

"Hi Mommy!  Thank you for the cookie and for letting me cook with you!!"

Okay, I admit.  I love this child.  And I'll also admit, because I am a push-over mommy, I did in fact let him eat a Candy Cane Joe-Joe before he had eaten breakfast...Well, what really happened was I put the Joe-Joe's in the food processor and he was on his stool and kept saying "watch, watch" so I showed the bowl of the processor to him and he immediately grabbed a cookie, seriously, the kid has cat-like reflexes.  I was so impressed with his prowess, I decided to let him eat the cookie :)

We had a little office party for my co-workers, I mean Jeremy's co-workers.  If I had an office party for my job it would be me and Owen and that would complete the guest list!  So I made a variety of treats, my favorite and easiest treat were these delish Candy Cane Joe-Joe Balls!

Candy Cane Joe-Joe Balls

*Trader Joe's (better) version of the peppermint Oreo!
Makes: LOTS

Ingredients:
1 box of Candy Cane Joe-Joes, Peppermint Oreos, or just pain old Joe-Joe's or Oreos!
1 package of cream cheese
1 1/2 packages of Hersey's White Chocolate Chips
1 package Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Bits (I, of course, couldn't find them in the Little Apple, so I used the peppermint candies and crunched them up.)

Instructions:
Toss the Joe-Joe's and the softened cream cheese into your food processor.  Process.  Once all the cookies are broken up and mixed in well with the cream cheese, start making little balls.  I advise placing them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. 

After you are done making far too many balls, pop them in the freezer for about a half hour.  When you are ready, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Now, this is where it gets a bit messy.  Use two spoons and plop the balls (I am using such amazing vocabulary right now) in the chocolate, making sure all sides are covered, then place back on the parchment lined cookie sheet.  Before the chocolate hardens, drop a few Andes peppermint crunchies on top.  Delish!

Super easy and yummy.  I might make them for the Super Bowl and dip them in dark chocolate with some white stripes...We'll see!

Our one and only pic in front of our Christmas Tree - and we blocked it to boot!

New Year's Resolution: Bake More

Owen and Auntie Katie decorating the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake - he loved it!

I'm not a big baker.  In general, I usually fail miserably at it.  For example, this morning I attempted to make crepes for the first time in a crepe pan my husband got me two Christmases ago.  Yes, I've had it for two years and never busted it out of the box.  Anyfood, I finally decided to try it out.  After four failed attempts with each crepe sticking to my well buttered pan, I finally gave up.  Now, I don't know if crepes count as baking, but they made me feel like a miserable failure in the kitchen. 

Now arts and crafts, yes please.  I love, love, love being crafty.  I made these little tissue paper poofers for Jeremy's cousin's wife's shower (mouthful, jeez) while we were in Detroit.  They take a little time, but how stinking cute??  I found the tutorial here if you want to make some of your own!

Here are the Stephens ladies!  Alas, Amy, the most adorable prego lady ever, is in the middle, hiding her belly!  Isn't her dress just the cutest?

 

The theme for her shower was Strawberry Shortcake (thus the hot pink, light pink, and red poofers!).  So I made strawberry cupcakes that were TOO.DIE.FOR.  Seriously, they were amazing!!  I chalk it up to the fresh strawberries and cake flour.  You MUST make these!!!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 34 ~ adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cake flour, (not self-rising)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 large egg white

1 cup whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups finely chopped strawberries, plus small strawberries for garnish

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

2.  Reduce speed to low. Mix any remaining wet ingredients in a bowl if needed. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

3.  Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days, unless otherwise noted.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

(BTW the original recipe calls for strawberry buttercream frosting.  I do not like buttercream frosting at all - I don't know what it is.  maybe I have just been spoiled by cream cheese frosting?)

Instructions

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 stick of butter, salted, softened (I made it with unsalted butter once and it just wasn't as good, so if you only have unsalted, add some kosher salt to compensate)

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened.

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Blend together in your mixer and DONE.  Save extra for topping boring old graham crackers, or animal crackers that you have purchased for your toddler...also delish on nilla wafers!

Thanksgiving AAR

In the Army, when you host an event, field exercise, organization day, etc., you are required (or maybe it was just me?) to draft an AAR: After Action Report.  I have found the AAR to be particularly useful in my everyday life as well.  Specifically when it comes to cooking and trips home! 

This Thanksgiving was quite possibly the best Thanksgiving yet!  Not only did we spend it at my Aunt Wink and Uncle Mikey's house, but friends from Fort Lewis were able to join us!  My dear friend Jenn and her family recently moved to California from Hawaii and didn't have Thanksgiving plans.  My auntie immediately said to bring them!  I haven't seen Jenn since Jeremy and I got married 3 1/2 years ago!  Since then we've both moved twice and had babies!  So fun to meet her little one Hannah!

It was so fun to see my aunties and cousins.  My Auntie Val and Cousin Tori finally got to meet Owen who was quite the Turkey.

Every year, my sissy makes the very best apple pie I have EVER consumed.  And this year was no different.  Except for the fact that I helped peel the apples and then promptly clogged my parents' plumbing thus requiring a plumber on Thanksgiving Eve at 9 PM.  SWEET.  You MUST try this pie, it is AMAZING!!!!!!

Autumn Apple Pie

Ingredients

Pastry for single crust 9" pie

3/4 to 1 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind (optional)

6 cups sliced, pared tart cooking apples, 1/4" thick (Em always uses Granny Smith)

Topping

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated Cheddar Cheese (The secret ingredient!!  Amazing!!)

Instructions

1.  Prepare pastry and line a heatproof pie dish.

2.  Mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and grated lemon rind.  Add to prepared apples, tossing lightly to combine.

3.  Fill pastry with apple pie filling. 

4.  Prepare topping by cutting butter into dry ingredients until crumbly.  Stir in cheese.  Sprinkle evenly over apple filling.

5.  Bake at 425* for 50 to 55 minutes.  Cover topping with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning.

Serve with real whipped cream - Bon Appetit!

Say it's your birthday?

It's my birthday too! Every birthday, my dad always, always, always says it's his birthday too.  Always. If it is your birthday, it's Bill's birthday too! Poor Daddy, his birthday falls on December 28th, so his birthday often gets mixed in with Christmas.

Anyfood, for every birthday, celebration, and any occasion requiring a cake, I request or make for myself the Nutmeg Sherry Cake. And if you have ever been around for any of those occasions, you've tried the cake and you know the love! One year, I celebrated my birthday in Texas with Jeremy and my sister baked the Nutmeg Sherry and mailed it! And for my 21st birthday, my mom baked it and sent it up with my sister. Seriously, this is THE CAKE.

Celebrating my 28th birthday in Austin, TX - Hook 'em!

This year was extra special because my man baked the cake!!  He did a PERFECT job, it was divine!!  Thank you for making me feel so special my love!

Nutmeg Sherry Cake

Ingredients
1 package Yellow Cake mix without pudding (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 (3.5 oz) package of vanilla instant pudding
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup sherry

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons sherry


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350*.  Mix all cake ingredients on medium for one minute.  Then mix on high for five minutes.  Pour batter into a creased 12 cup Bundt pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes - until a cake tester comes out clean.

For the icing:  mix the powered sugar and sherry until you have a runny icing.  I play with this, sometimes I add milk instead of an extra tablespoon of sherry.

It is delish for breakfast too :)

Thank for the best birthday yet my love!

It's My Birthday Too!

I CANNOT believe my little nephew is already ONE!! It seems like yesterday I was pacing at Panera waiting for the phone call that he had arrived! We had just moved to the Little Apple and I still didn't have internet access at home, thus I had to hang at Panera so I could send out the "He's Arrived" email to family and friends. My mom called from the delivery room and said, "can you hear your nephew crying?" - I am tearing up just thinking about it. Ah, he is such a HUGE blessing to our family!!

Happy First Birthday Favorite Nephew!! We traveled to California for his Cowboy birthday party - my sister did an amazing job! We had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw, watermelon, s'more pops, and snickerdoodle cupcakes! (BTW: my brother-in-law gets father of the year award because he scoured the internet and found bales of hay to set the cowboy scene! While that might not be difficult where I live, it was no easy feat in California!)

Aren't the cupcake toppers adorable?? The snickerdoodle cupcakes were AMAZING. My mom made them out of the "Cake Mix Doctor" cookbook which I own and have never used. Those days are over - not only did they come together quickly, but they were TO DIE FOR! They were moist and light and had just the right amount of cinnamon. My sister topped them with cinnamon butter cream - SO GOOD. I will be making these for our care group!!

Will got his very own giant cupcake - he went nuts! There was a ton left over, so he got a part two of cake eating because Auntie Meg messed up and forgot to press "record" on the video camera...I felt terrible. We did re-record and he loved it. I think he is a frosting man like his mama!

Snickerdoodle Cake
Serves 16

Ingredients
Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
Flour for dusting the pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Buttercream Ingredients
(makes 3 1/2 cups - however, my mom's friend Mickey says she always needs more and therefore doubles the recipe)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350*. Generously grease two 9" round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess four. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Bled in up to 1 tablespoon milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

5. Place one cake layer right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean smooth strokes.
* Place the cake, uncovered in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight the fridge before serving.

Happy birthday sweet boy!

Summertime!

Someone is FINALLY interested in a) standing on his own, and b) assisted walking! Yay! Up until now, anytime we held him up by the fingers he would bend his legs or fall to the floor. Alas, do I really want him walking already?!?! (Isn't this a great pic? I took it on my brother-in-law's camera with a fancy lens that blurs the background. I want one!!)

So, since it is finally summertime, complete with 99* weather in the Little Apple, I've been hitting up the local farmer's market. For the last couple of weeks there has been a TON of rhubarb. I've never, ever, cooked with rhubarb and I think I've only tasted it once in a pie. I would STRONGLY recommend NOT tasting it unless it has been cooked. It is SUPER tart!

Our small group does dessert every other Sunday before our study. Since I randomly bought rhubarb without a plan, I decided to make Ina's Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp - oh my heaven, DELISH! I don't know if I like the strawberry/rhubarb mixture or the topping the best. However, I am leaning heavily towards the topping, it was divine!! This was a fairly simple recipe and easy to whip up right before our small group!


Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Serves 6 (I don't know where she comes up with these numbers - it served 11 adults with two servings left over)

Ingredients
4 cups fresh rhubarb, 1 inch diced (4-5 stalks)
4 cups fresh strawberries, bulled and halved, if large
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 table spoon cornstarch (Ina's note: The amount of cornstarch you add depends on the juiciness of the berries and the ripeness of the rhubarb. Green rhubarb has more pectin, so the juices will set better. This is delicious any way it comes out!)
1/2 cup freshly squeeze orange juice
1 cup all purpose four
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal
12 tablespoons (YES!) cold unsalted butter, diced (1 1/2 sticks)
Vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*.

For the fruit, toss the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and the orange zest together in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and then mix it into the fruit. Pour the mixture into an 8 x 11 baking dish and place it ion a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

For the topping, int eh bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, salt, and oatmeal. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter and mix until the dry ingredients are moist and the mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, covering it completely and bake for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is gold brown. Serve warm with ice cream.

Bon Appetit!

Homemade Fancy Shmancy

I know I've been posting a ton about our anniversary, but I have a lot to say :) Anyhow, for our actual day, we weren't able to go out to dinner because Little Man was fighting a very nasty cold. For that matter, fifteen days later, he still has said cold. Poor little guy. Thus, we made dinner and it was so much fun! My sister recommended a yummy strip steak with wine sauce and pink peppercorn butter from the February issue of Bon Appetit. It was delish and SO EASY. Along side it we had a parsnip and celery root puree - again, delish and easy! I love that we finally had a reason to bust our our china!

But the best part of the meal were the Choco Hoto Pots! My mom and sister make these babies all the time. I've never made them - what a mistake! I will be surprising the J Man with these more often! If you really want to impress someone, or want to say "I love you" in food, make these!! (I believe the original recipe comes from the ever-lovely Nigella Lawson.)

Choco Hoto Pots
Makes 4 (and I will include the measurements for 6 as well in parenthesis)

Ingredients
Butter for ramekins
3/4 cup (1 1/8 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 stick (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 (3) large eggs
3/4 cup (1 1/8 cup) super fine sugar (I accidentally used your standard granulated sugar and couldn't tell a difference)
3 tablespoons (4 1/2 tablespoons) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (3/4 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips (I know this ingredient is in here twice, just keep reading)

Instructions

Place baking sheet in an oven preheated to 400*. Butter four 2/3 cup ramekins and set aside. Using the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl combine eggs, sugar and flour. Add cooled chocolate and mix until blended. Add the second serving of chocolate chips. Divide mixture evenly among ramekins and place on baking sheet. Bake until tops are shiny and cracked, about 20 minutes. (Make sure top cracks or it isn't done!) The chocolate beneath will be hot and gooey. Place ramekin on a small plate to serve. We like it with vanilla bean ice cream and sliced fresh strawberries!

Bon Appetit!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

So I'm not a huge "Family Guy" fan, but I will admit that I regularly sing the "Peanut Butter Jelly Time" song because a) I love peanut butter jelly time, and b) it is a catchy little tune...Anyfood, there is no better union than PB and J. While peanut butter is delicious on its own (do I use an apostrophy there? I never know), it is enhanced with the jelly (much like Jeremy being great on his own, but he is enhanced since he married me :) And, to take it a step further, while sandos are delish, adding sugar, butter, and eggs make it absolutely DIVINE. Peanut Butter Jelly Bars. 'Nough Said.

Peanut Butter Jelly Bars
from Barefoot Contessa at Home
Makes 24 bars

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy (18 ounces) (okay, I've tried it with crunchy peanut butter and it does not work - the bars are WAY too dry and simply not enjoyable)
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam or other jam (18 ounces)
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan.

2. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs and peanut butter and mix until well combined.

3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined. (This is very important because if you over mix, it will cause the dough to be dry and dense.)

4. Spread two thirds of the dough in the prepared pan, using a knife to spread it evenly. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; the dough will spread when it bakes. (Actually, in my experience, it does not spread when it bakes, so I would recommend making sure the globs are v. small and cover most of the jam...) Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into small squares.

Bon Appetit!

I made these delightful treats for a friend who just had a baby. In order to actually get them made, I had to keep my Little Monkey entertained. Apparently his own toys no longer do the trick, but open up the cabinets and voila! Hours of entertainment!

Don't do what I did...

If you look closely at the bottom of the cake, you'll notice that a good 1/2" of the cake is embedded on the cooling rack - nice going Meg! I should have used my cooling rack that has squares. At least I think it wouldn't have caused such a problem of removing the cake to a cake plate. But maybe I'm wrong. Anyhow, when making this DELISH cake, just don't press down like I did...and don't use a cooling rack that only has horizontal bars!

YUMMY! This cake is SO GOOD, especially if you don't mess it up like I did :) Jeremy's grandfather, aunt and uncle and sister drove all the way from Michigan to meet Owen. Uncle Darrell drove for 10 hours on his birthday for the visit, so I made him a birthday cake! He loves German Chocolate Cake, so my mom suggested this gem: Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake from the now defunct Gourmet magazine. Now, as a new mom, I didn't have time to make this baby from scratch - I used a German Chocolate cake mix, split b/w 3 9" round pans. However, I'll provide the whole recipe in case you have more time than me! The best part of this cake is the filling - coconut (my new obsession, besides Owen) and pecans, AMAZING.

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Epicurious.com

Ingredients:

For cake layers (or just use Betty Crocker German Chocolate Cake Mix)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup boiling-hot water

For filling

• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• 4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
• 14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

For glaze

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 10 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Instructions:

Make cake layers: (again, if you are short on time, that cake mix is just as good!)
Preheat oven to 350°F and oil cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together whole milk, butter, whole egg, yolk, vanilla, and almond extract in another large bowl until just combined. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low speed, then beat on high speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in water until just combined (batter will be thin). Divide batter among cake pans (about 1 1/2 cups per pan) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total.

Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment or wax paper and cool layers completely.

Make filling:
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Bake milk in a water bath in middle of oven 45 minutes. Refill baking pan with water to reach halfway up pie plate and bake milk until thick and brown, about 45 minutes more. Remove pie plate from water bath.

Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.

Make glaze while milk is baking:
Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup, whisking until chocolate is melted. Transfer 1 cup glaze to a bowl, reserving remaining glaze at room temperature in pan. Chill glaze in bowl, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.

Assemble cake:
Put 1 cake layer on a rack set over a baking pan (to catch excess glaze). Drop half of coconut filling by spoonfuls evenly over layer and gently spread with a wet spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with remaining filling in same manner. Top with remaining cake layer and spread chilled glaze evenly over top and side of cake. Heat reserved glaze in pan over low heat, stirring, until glossy and pourable, about 1 minute. Pour glaze evenly over top of cake, making sure it coats sides. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze.

Chill cake until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a plate.

Cooks' notes: ·Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
·For easier handling when assembling cake, place bottom layer on a cardboard round or the removable bottom of a tart or cake pan. Hmm...if I had read this part, maybe I wouldn't have had such a problem...

The fam spending time with the newest "William!"