Mint Fudge Ice Cream with Brownie Pieces - SRC

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, which means it's the perfect time for mint/chocolate desserts. Well, any time is perfect for mint/chocolate desserts in my opinion, but that's just how I roll.

So when I saw this recipe on my assigned blog for the Secret Recipe Club, I knew it was the perfect choice. Well, that and because she said it was quite possibly the best thing she had ever made. That nearly requires a taste test, don't you think?

So my blog this month was Pale Yellow, where Tracy has some seriously awesome baked goods (and lots of other selections as well, but I was irresistibly drawn to the sweets, as usual).  Caramel Snickers Bars, Brown Butter Biscoff Rice Crispy Treats, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies were a few of the delectable treats that caught my eye, but I just kept thinking about this ice cream.

And boy, am I glad I did.

Now here's the thing. You have to plan ahead to make this - the ice cream mixture has to chill before being churned, the brownies need to be baked, cut into chunks, and frozen, and the fudge sauce made and chilled before you can combine it all together. So give yourself a day to get all the components ready (or at the very least, start very early in the morning), and then complete the recipe the next day.

I've used mint extract lots of times, but this recipe uses real mint leaves, simmered right in the milk and cream to impart that real mint flavor. I was amazed at how delicious it was - the flavor is so authentic with no aftertastes. Sublime.
Combine that with fudgy brownie chunks and an incredible fudge sauce swirled through every bite - and you have a little bowl of heaven. Totally worth the time invested to make it. And the calories.

I was running short on eggs, so I didn't use Tracy's egg-based ice cream - I just used the normal vanilla I make except with the step of simmering the mint leaves added in. I also didn't use the fudge sauce that Tracy did, because it uses corn syrup, which I try to avoid. Instead I used this very simple sauce and thought it was fantastic.

This ice cream received RAVE reviews from every member of my family - and Grant, who often times would just as soon eat store bought ice cream as homemade, couldn't stop talking about how awesome it was. Then a friend who stopped by for dinner loved it so much that he declared that I should go into business selling it - that he would pay $30 a gallon for it. I call that a WIN!

Note: You will NOT use all the brownies that the recipe makes in the ice cream itself. You can easily cut the recipe in half if you don't want as much  left over and bake it in a 8 or 9" square pan. Or you could freeze the leftovers. OR you could make brownies from a box if you want. But these brownies are super delicious and definitely worth trying, just on their own. Crackly on top, dense, rich, and fudgy, you won't regret making them.  

Mint Fudge Ice Cream with Brownie Pieces
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Ice cream: 
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 bunch fresh mint
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract  

Fudge Sauce: 
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup (half stick) butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Brownies: 
10 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (I used chocolate chips)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder


To make Ice cream: 

Combine milk, sugar, and cream in a saucepan. Add mint leaves and heat/steep on low, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes. Do not let come to a boil. Remove from heat and pour through a fine sieve to remove the leaves. Stir in vanilla and pour mixture into a bowl to chill, preferably overnight.

To make Fudge Sauce:

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until cool. You won't need all of it for the ice cream - but you can always pour extra on individual servings if desired. It will last in the fridge for several weeks. Sauce will thicken up and can be made pourable by microwaving for 15-25 seconds.

To make Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 13x9" pan with butter. Set aside.
Using a double boiler, or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate, and coffee powder. Stir often. Once thoroughly melted, remove from heat. Stir in sugar and brown sugar and whisk to combine. In a small bowl, whisk eggs together until well beaten. Add to chocolate and sugar mixture along with the vanilla and stir well.
Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir just into combined.
Pour into greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with a little bit of batter.
Cool completely.
Cut some of the brownies into small chunks, place on a wax paper lined dish, and freeze until ready to stir into the ice cream. You won't use all the brownies - probably only 1/4-1/3 of them. That's okay. The brownies are completely awesome on their own. :)

To put it all together: 
Churn ice cream according to your manufacturer's direction.
Fold in the brownie chunks until evenly distributed.
Spread about a third of the ice cream into a container, drizzle with fudge sauce, Repeat with the second and third layers. Freeze until firm.

Source: adapted from Pale Yellow

An InLinkz Link-up

Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Personal note first:

Our Christmas was lovely and we've been particularly blessed with good health this winter - for which I am exceedingly grateful.  I don't know how many of our friends have suffered through the flu. We do not get flu shots...but we do take lots of Vitamin D and C, try to eat healthy, get plenty of rest, and take probiotics.

My newest health kick is water kefir. I bought some grains from someone at our Azure Standard drop-off and have been brewing it ever since. We flavor it with fruit juice and call it homemade soda. :) The kids and I drink some every day and I'm convinced it's helping us stay healthy. What an inexpensive way to get probiotics!

Next step is milk kefir. I'm a little hesitant about it, since I've heard it's runnier and more tart than plain yogurt, which none of us like to begin with....but I guess you can make smoothies and not notice the taste too much. I'm still deliberating on that one.

So I'm a little late in posting....but I made these scrumptious cookies for an exchange before Christmas and just fell in love with them.

Featuring a soft and chewy texture, a slight coffee flavor accentuating the chocolate, and a sweet peppermint kick in each bite, this is a fabulous recipe for Christmas, Valentine's, or anytime you're craving a sweet treat.

Too bad they don't have probiotics too.....or I'd make them a lot more often! :)

Peppermint Mocha Cookies 
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun
Yield: about 30 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups peppermint baking chips, plus more for garnish if desired
1/2 cup chocolate chunks
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon sheets

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and egg yolk, and then the vanilla and peppermint extracts.

In a separate medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee granules, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together. The coffee may not go through the sifter - if so, just dump in with the flour.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, beating just until combined. Mix in the peppermint baking chips and chocolate chunks.

Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Press a few peppermint baking chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips on top of each cookie ball for a garnish if desired.  Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set.
The centers may look underdone - but don't overbake! Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then remove the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. These cookies will stay chewy for at least 3 days after baking.

Source: adapted slightly from Tracey's Culinary Adventures 

Cappuccino Fudge

The countdown to Christmas is on for REAL at my house, y'all.

Every day I'm hearing kids saying things like "5 days and a wake-up!"

The pressure for last minute shopping is looming over my head. Primarily what we're lacking is the kids' gifts for each other. I had them draw names so they would only be buying something for one sibling, and so far, only the two little ones have their gifts bought.

 Because I bought them during our grocery trip. Ha.

I had every good intention of taking kids shopping yesterday, but the day just got too busy. I decided it would be the best evening to deliver goody trays to our neighbors, so I spending my spare hours of the day, aside from the five hours we spent at Corban's two basketball games, lunch, and some time with my parents, making treats like this fudge, Peanut Brittle, and Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles (which, for the record, I ended up modifying significantly because the original dough just wasn't very good).  I already had a double batch of my favorites, Hint of Berry Bon Bons, in the fridge, which I made on Thursday.

Ok, so this fudge. Wowzer!

Now admittedly, I've never met a fudge I didn't like. I love the different flavors, add-ins, whatever.
So when I saw this version, a fairly traditional recipe flavored with coffee or espresso powder, I was just dying to try it.

It did not disappoint.

Like any cooked fudge (assuming its cooked properly), it has a dreamy, creamy, melt in your mouth texture. No grittiness, no stickiness, just pure, simple smoothness.

I used instant coffee granules, a little more than originally asked for, and I found the coffee flavor to be really complementary to the chocolate. Not too overpowering, but certainly present.

There is an interesting addition of cinnamon, which I find mostly interesting because I can't taste it. Maybe its adding some complexity to the fudge that I would miss if it wasn't there????
I dunno. Well anyways, I won't omit it, because it's not like it costs much to toss in there.

So if you're looking for a simple, yet definitely different version of fudge to make this year, I highly recommend this one. I'm going to have to use some serious restraint to make sure we have some leftover pieces to share with my family on Christmas!

Cappuccino Fudge
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

7 (oz) jar of marshmallow cream
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Line an 8" square pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the bottom with butter and set aside.
In a 2 qt. saucepan, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, cream, butter, coffee granules, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth.

Pour immediately into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Place on cutting board and cut into 64 1-inch squares.

Source: Adapted slightly from Annie's Eats

Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

It's Cookie Season! 

I'm sure you've seen more cookies than you know what to do with on Pinterest and everywhere else....but I figured I might as well contribute to the madness and post a couple of recent cookie recipes I've tried and had great success with. 

If you love chocolate and mint, these beauties will be an instant winner in your book. 

And if you don't love chocolate and mint, these might just make you a convert. 

I made these for a cookie exchange a couple of weeks ago and they were a smashing hit. With a soft, brownie-like cookie, a creamy chocolate mint frosting, and some festive sprinkles on top, they're hard to resist. 

My kids were quite unhappy with me for taking nearly the entire batch with me and would be delighted for me to make another round. Fortunately, since I found the Andes mints on sale, I bought enough for two batches, so another one may be appearing at our house soon. :) 

Marissa (9) is exceedingly interested in baking these days and thought it was great fun to help make these, especially the part with the mints and sprinkles. 

Note: Be sure to plan ahead, since the dough does require some chilling time. 

Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies

from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Yield: 3-4 dozen depending on how big you make them

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 (4.5 oz) pages Andes mints

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, water, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Pour mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda. 

Using the paddle attachment on the mixer, blend in the eggs one at a time with the chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and stir gently. With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. 

Cover and refrigerate dough for at least one hour. 

Preheat oven to 350°. Scoop dough out by rounded tablespoons and shape into balls. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicon liners 2 inches apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until edges are set and cookies are slightly crackled. Allow to cool for 1 minute (meanwhile, unwrap chocolates) then add 1 Andes mint to the top of each cookie. Allow to rest for a minute or so, then spread over the top the cookie gently with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. 

Decorate with sprinkles if desired. 

Transfer to a cooling rack and allow chocolate to set. You can speed up that process by refrigerating the cookies for a few minutes if necessary. 

Store in an airtight container.

Source: adapted slightly from Allrecipes

Pecan Pie Squares

For as long as I can remember, pecan pie has been one of my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts. My grandma always made it for those two holidays and it was always served with heaps of generously sweetened homemade whipped cream.

Since then, I've tried some variations over the years. Caramel pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, and pumpkin pecan pie to name a few. And honestly, I haven't met one yet that I didn't like.

But this year for Thanksgiving, since we had a crowd of 24 people meeting up at my parents' home, 13 of which are the grandkids, I figured a traditional pie wouldn't be the best option. They're a little tricky to cut, kids would likely end up with more than they wanted and that precious pie might be wasted, plus a lot of people just want a small taste and not necessarily the commitment of a whole piece of pie.

These were a perfect solution. The recipe makes a 13 x 9" pan, so there's plenty to go around when you cut little squares. Dessert-seekers could grab one to sample and still have room on their plate (and in their stomach) to have some of the other dessert options.

Now, these pecan pie squares aren't exactly like pecan pie. They have more of a toffee, chewy texture on a shortbread crust, which is reminiscent of pecan pie in flavor but very distinctly different.

I thought some of us die-hard pecan pie fans would feel deprived of our tradition - but you know what? I didn't hear a single complaint. What I did hear was lots of compliments and requests for more.

Personally, I couldn't keep out of them. I was astonished at how addictive they were - and even non-pecan pie eaters enjoyed them. They're not messy, easily portable, small portions, and absolutely scrumptious.

I'm making them again for Christmas. Can't WAIT!!

Pecan Pie Squares
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Crust:
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans (chop first, then measure)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9" pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides. 
2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, make crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly. 
3. Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey, and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla.
5. Remove the crust from the oven and pour the pecan filling on top, spreading to cover surface completely. 
6. Return pan to oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. 
7. Remove the pan and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. 
8. Using the foil overhang, lift the bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil and cut into squares. 

Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Bars will remain delicious for several days.  

Source: adapted slightly from Just a Taste

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Day after Thanksgiving!!  Hope y'all had a lovely holiday filled with lots of laughter and delicious food!
In case you need an extra dessert to whip up for lingering family or friends.....or you want to get a head start on that Christmas baking....here's a cookie you don't want to miss.

Chocolate chip cookies.

Everyone seems to have their own favorite recipe.  There must be hundreds of variations on this "simple and ordinary" cookie.  It can be overwhelming to pick which one to try - everyone likes to claim that their version is "The Best".

Well, I guess y'all know that I completely avoid the "Best" label even when I might think it - because it's so subjective and very personal.

That being said, this version of chocolate chips cookies has rocked my world.

And what is so special about it?

It's the basic Tollhouse recipe....EXCEPT with one less stick of butter and one less egg.

Wait, what?

You can eliminate butter and an egg and still end up with an awesome, chewy, delicious cookie?

Yup. That's right.

When I heard the claim, I couldn't resist testing it out.

I made a double batch and took them to share with our church small group. Everyone wanted the recipe. One friend (who is an incredible baker and cook) texted me later that night and said that after I had left, her 8 year old son had asked her, "Mom, when are you going to learn to bake cookies like Ms. Rebekah?" LOL.

One thing to note - you MUST measure the flour appropriately, or they may end up too dry and crumbly. Here's how you do it.  Hopefully your flour is in a bin so this will be easier.

• Whisk the flour in the bin around gently to aerate it a little
• Scoop the flour with a spoon into your measuring cup.
• Level off with the flat side of a knife. 

 Bonus - the dough doesn't need to be refrigerated before baking, like many cookies.

Another HUGE bonus - you're saving money (and calories) by eliminating that butter and egg. 

Win/Win/Win. 

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
from: Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Yield: 30-32 cookies

1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz), room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined. Add in chocolate chips and stir until incorporated.

Form the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place two inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicon liners.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until lightly golden and crackled on top. Cool on cookie sheets for a couple of minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.


Source: adapted slightly (added more vanilla) from Good Cheap Eats

Chocolate Pumpkin Delight Cake - SRC

It's time for the explosion of pumpkin recipes again!  I couldn't be left out of the fun, especially since pumpkin baked goods are some of my very favorites. So when I saw this cake on the blog of my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month, it was a no-brainer.

Deb blogs over at Cooking on the Front Burner, and let me tell you, she takes some of the most beautiful food photos!  I just couldn't stop looking at everything and admiring how tempting everything looks.
Raspberry Peach Cobbler,  Strawberry Bruschetta, and Grilled Pork with Chile Lime Sauce were just a few of the options that caught my eye, but I just kept coming back to that cake. I mean, chocolate and pumpkin, with a caramel cream cheese frosting???? How could I resist that??

Now Deb's cake is absolutely fabulous with chopped nuts pressed into the sides and garnished with pecan halves on the top. But seeing as I'm the only person in my family who likes nuts with baked goods (boo), that was really out of the question.  Also, she made hers in 8" pans and had leftover batter - I just used 9" pans and used it all. I ended up modifying her recipe a little to increase the frosting so I would be sure to have enough and used less ganache inside the cake. I didn't want it to overpower the salted caramel frosting.

Oh, and I made my own caramel sauce - using this recipe. It's a fantastic sauce and very simple - and one batch of it makes exactly enough for the frosting.  (And if you happen to make a batch that ended up not cooking quite long enough to get that perfect color, you can always save it in the fridge and add it to your coffee. YUM.)

This cake is really big, so be sure you have a crowd to feed!  But it lasts well in the fridge for several days as well, so don't sweat it if you have leftovers.  They're just as delicious!

Chocolate Pumpkin Delight Cake
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

For the Cake:

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

For the Frosting

3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

8 oz. caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the Ganache

4 oz dark chocolate bar 

4 oz (1/2 cup) heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly butter (3) 9" cake pans and line each with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl or mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.  

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla. In another bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Alternating adding the dry ingredients and the pumpkin mixture to the large mixing bowl, blending well after each addition. 

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove and cool on racks.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add the caramel sauce.  Mix well and add the powdered sugar a cup at a time and mix until fluffy.  

To make the ganache, chop the chocolate bar into small bits and place in a bowl.  Heat the cream  in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges, then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate.  Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth. 

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a serving dish or cake stand (I prefer to put it on a small board so I can put it in the fridge easier). Place pieces of wax paper tucked around the cake to help with the mess factor.  Put about a cup of frosting on top of the cake and spread within a half inch of the edges.  Drizzle some ganache on top and spread thinly. 

Repeat layers until you get to the last one.  Spread frosting around the top and sides of the cake, smoothing as desired. Drizzle or spread the remaining ganache over the top and allow to drip down the sides.  Use an offset spatula to blend the edges in with the frosting if desired.

Remove wax paper from the bottom of the cake.  Store covered in the refrigerator. 

Source: Adapted slightly from Cooking on the Front Burner

An InLinkz Link-up

Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping

I'm a sucker for banana bread recipes. I couldn't even tell you how many variations I've tried. 
Kind of drives Grant crazy. Pick a recipe and stick with it, he thinks. 

So when he tasted this one several months ago, he said, 
"This is it. If I ever ask you to make banana bread, THIS IS THE ONE I WANT. Not any others."

I think he made that pretty clear. :) 
And I can't say that I blame him.

It's lightly spiced, wonderfully moist and tender, and the crumb topping adds that extra delightful, sweet crunch. I love having the cream cheese in there - I feel like it makes the bread extra rich and flavorful without being over powering. And with two loaves, you can freeze one for later or share with a friend or neighbor. 

And for the record, I haven't make any other banana breads since then.  But I've made this one at least four times. It's a huge hit with the family every time. 

Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping

Yield: 2 loaves

From: Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large bananas)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 loaf pans (8 1/4" x 4 1/4") with cooking spray or butter and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until very light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and bananas.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.

In a small bowl, mash together the topping ingredients until combined and crumbly.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until the bread is nicely domed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let rest in the pans for 5-10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Source: Adapted slightly from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Strawberry Monkey Bread - SRC

What's your favorite part of summer?

The longer, sunny days?
Time at the pool or lake or beach?
No school/vacations?
Outdoor concerts, farmers' markets, or grilling out?

All of those things are pretty great and all, but my absolute favorite part about summer in Arkansas is the fresh, juicy, sweet fruit that we pick at local farms (or buy at local markets, if you're so inclined).  We picked strawberries in late May, blueberries several times through June and early July, and now blackberries and peaches are in season.   I LOVE supporting local farmers!! 

There is just nothing as good as summer fruit, fresh from the vine/tree/bush - I just want to eat it all plain and not even bother cooking with it.  However, for this month's Secret Recipe Club assignment, I simply couldn't resist using some (store-bought) strawberries to make this luscious monkey bread.

If you're not familiar with monkey bread, it's basically a lightly sweet dough that's rolled into small balls, covered with cinnamon sugar, layered in a bundt pan,and doused with a large serving of a buttery, cinnamon syrup to bake.  This variation uses a homemade strawberry syrup instead of the cinnamon syrup, plus there are chunks of freshly diced strawberries sprinkled throughout the dough.  YUM!

I got the recipe from C Mom Cook, where Shelley doesn't let the busyness of being a stay-at-home mom of 2 stop her from making amazing recipes like Tiramisu, where she made each component from scratch. Including the marscapone, lady fingers, custard, everything. In fact, she has her youngsters helping her out. It's so awesome. I'm totally motivated to get my kids in the kitchen more, even though they usually slow me down and make three times the mess. :)
I also made her Skillet Arroz con Pollo, which was is a great and simple weeknight meal, but I didn't get a decent photo of it. We really liked it, though!
Oh, and these Apple Buns look perfect for fall - definitely have those on the list to make!
So needless to say, I loved perusing Shelley's blog and finding all sorts of amazing things to make.  She is one talented lady!

This delightful bread was a huge success with my family and we could have probably eaten the entire pan of it in one sitting if I hadn't made the kiddos stop. :)  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave very nicely - but the bread is BEST served on the first day.  So make it when you have a crowd to help you eat it!

Strawberry Monkey Bread
from Rebekah's Family, Food, and Fun

Dough
1 cup milk
1/3 cup white sugar
5 Tbsp. butter (I used salted)
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 eggs
4 to 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup diced strawberries

To prepare dough:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugar, and butter. Heat until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and pour into your mixing bowl to let it cool until just warm (about 110°F). Stir in the yeast and let stand until foamy.

Add in eggs, 4 cups of flour, and salt.  Mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing with a dough hook or knead by hand on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add additional 1/4 cup flour if dough is too sticky. Grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray.  Place the dough in the bowl and turn once to coat. Cover and let stand in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Combine 1 cup sugar, butter, and strawberries in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

To build the monkey bread: 
Prepared dough
about 1/3 cup of cinnamon sugar (1/3 cup sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon, well combined)
1 cup diced strawberries
Prepared syrup

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a Bundt or tube pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour, or grease generously with butter and dust with flour. Gently deflate dough and take small portions and roll into balls.  Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar, then place in prepared pan.  Interspersed through the balls, toss some of the diced strawberries so that they are evenly layered throughout the pan. Once all of the dough and berries have been added to the pan, pour the prepared syrup evenly over the top.

Place the Bundt pan on a cookie sheet and place the bread in the oven.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, depending on your oven. Mine was done at 40 minutes.  Check on bread periodically to make sure that the top is not over-browning. If it starts to get dark, cover it loosely with foil as it bakes.

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a large plate and serving.

Source: adapted slightly C Mom Cook

An InLinkz Link-up

Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars - SRC

Now that grilling and barbecue season is upon us, it's time for a great dessert for a picnic, potluck, or holiday party.  

Oh, who am I kidding?  

I'm always up for a great dessert, special event or not.  

This is a perfect cookie/treat for a crowd, because they're so rich, you can cut them into small bars and serve plenty of folks. I found this gem of a recipe on my blog assignment for the Secret Recipe Club this month, It Bakes Me Happy. (isn't that the cutest blog name??) 

Emily is an amazing baker and full-time mom who has a serious sweet tooth and loves chocolate. I know we'd be great friends. :)  She has so many recipes I'm anxious to make, like Turtle Muffins,  Pistachio Gelato (I totally almost made this, but after I bought the pistachios, I couldn't resist just eating them out of the bag. I hadn't had them in such a long time. And MAN, are they good. But next time I'm making the gelato), and Heavenly Hash Brownies. Plus many, many more great choices. 

But I couldn't resist the Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars. 

So here's the breakdown: an incredible oatmeal peanut butter cookie dough crust, a rich, almost fudge-like chocolate center, and more cookie dough on top.  Bake it to a light golden brown, and you're done. Simple, and ohhhhhhh, so delicious.  It's a good thing I made them for a home-school mom's group, or I would have eaten even more of them.  As it is, I ate way more than my share.  Sigh. Another week of weight-loss failure.

Ahem.

So anyways, I love these bars and I love Emily's blog and I hope you'll go visit her and check out all her awesome treats.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Revel Bars

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla, divided use

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups oats, old fashioned

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. 
3. Add the brown sugar and beat until well mixed.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time and then 1 tsp. vanilla
5. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, and oats.
6. Gradually stir the dry mixture into the peanut butter mixture; set aside
7. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips.
8. Cook over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tsp. vanilla. 
10. Press two-thirds of the oat mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9" pan.
11. Spread the chocolate mixture on top of that.
12. Using your fingers, crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top.
13. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. 
14. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  
15. Slice and serve.

Source:  It Bakes Me Happy, originally adapted from BHG 100 Best Cookies

P.S. These go GREAT with a big glass of milk.  

An InLinkz Link-up

Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache

Okay, so don't hate me.
This cheesecake has a ton of steps and more than a few calories. I think I may have gained 2 pounds the week we ate it. (not a joke)
And, I made it for Valentine's Day and haven't gotten around to typing it up until now.

Y'all know I love cheesecake. Definitely more than the normal person.  I've made quite a few that I thought were top of the line.  But this one.......this one really is at the top.

Oreo crust, rich homemade caramel flavoring the cheesecake and a layer of extra sauce dripping out of the sides, smooth and creamy ganache, and mildly sweetened whipped cream topping it off.  
It's phenomenal.
The only thing that could make it better (for some people) would be some toasted pecans, making that classic turtle flavor.

I love love love this caramel sauce recipe.  I've tried several, with varying degrees of success (read: some outright failures, resulting in tears a few times) over the years, and this one was not only simple, but simply divine.  I did burn the first batch, but that was only because I walked away from the stove for too long.  So keep an eye on it.  But if you follow the tutorial (linked to in the recipe, it's fantastic), you should end up with a jar full of pure deliciousness that you'll almost hate to put in a cheesecake because you just want it eat it by the spoonful.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I am also thrilled with the stabilized whipped cream.  I can tell you that it stayed perfectly piped on the cheesecake leftovers for the entire week while Grant and I nibbled away at it each night - no drips, oozing, or melting.  But it still tastes like regular whipped cream.  I've wondered how to pull that off for years - probably since my first Cheesecake Factory visit.  Now I can do it myself!!!  Major score.

The only thing I should note about the whipped cream is that this recipe makes WAY too much for this cheesecake.  And I was very generous with extra dollops on top of each piece as I served it.  So next time I'll just reduce it in half (hopefully that won't affect the way the gelatin works at all) and hope for the best.


Salted Caramel Cheesecake
from rebekahsfamilyfoodandfun.blogspot.com

Caramel Sauce: 
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 Tbsp. salted butter
3/4 to 1 tsp. kosher salt (to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. water

Crust:
1 Family Size package chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos), finely processed into crumbs (about 45 cookies)
7 Tbsp. salted butter, melted and cooled

Salted Caramel Cheesecake Filling: 
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup caramel sauce 

Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz. heavy cream

Stabilized Whipped Cream:
1/4 cup cold water
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar 

Step 1. Make Caramel Sauce
**See Baking a Moment for an awesome tutorial

• In a small pot, gently heat the cream, butter, and salt until the butter has melted and the salt has completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
• In a larger pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Heat over a medium high flame, swirling the pot occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.  
• Continue to boil the sugar mixture until the bubbles begin to get smaller and it becomes amber colored.
• Reduce the heat to low and pour in the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
• Immediately transfer the hot mixture to a heat-safe container and cool completely.  

Step 2. Make Oreo Crust

• Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Combine crushed cookies and melted butter until all the crumbs are moistened.  Press into bottom and up the sides of springform pan.  Place in freezer while you prepare filling.  

Step 3. Make Salted Caramel Cheesecake Filling

• Heat oven to 300°F. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one a time, just until blended.  Add heavy cream and 1/4 cup salted caramel sauce; stir until blended.  Pour filling over crust.
• Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly.  Turn oven off; open door 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen cheesecake.  Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. 
• Remove from refrigerator and pour the salted caramel sauce on top.  Use as much as you want - but be sure to reserve some for drizzling when serving. Put back in the refrigerator while you make the ganache. 

Step 4. Make Chocolate Ganache

• Chop the chocolate finely and place in a medium bowl.
• Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edges.  Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes.  Stir until smooth.  Let cool about 5-10 minutes, until it's still pour-able but no longer hot.
• Pour ganache on top of caramel layer and refrigerate while you make the whipped cream. 

Step 5. Make Stabilized Whipped Cream

• Place 1/4 cup of cold water in a small sauce pan, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin. Let the gelatin soften and absorb all of the water (about 5 minutes)
• Place pan over low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Let it cool off the heat while you complete the next step.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Slowly pour in warm dissolved gelatin and mix until soft peaks reform.  You may not get stiff peaks, but it will be perfect for piping on top of cheesecake, pies, and other desserts.
• Place whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a 1M tip, remove cake from fridge, and pipe whipped cream out on edge of cheesecake.  Drizzle top of cake with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaked sea salt if desired.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sources: adapted slightly from Tidy Mom; caramel sauce with tutorial from Baking a Moment

Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

Ever since I made these, I had been itching to make something else with some irresistibly scrumptious browned butter.
This recipe had caught my eye and been lingering in my mind for awhile and when I finally I made them, I regretted waiting so long.

Snickerdoodles are an old classic and are always delicious, although certainly not as wildly popular as the stand-by chocolate chip cookie. I rarely make desserts without chocolate in some form, if the truth be told.

But the browned butter was enticing me.

And I was blown away by the flavor it imparted.  Blown. away.

These immediately jumped to the list of favorite cookies and are there to stay. I will never make normal snickerdoodles again.

Browned Butter Snickerdoodles

2 sticks butter (I used salted)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. vanilla yogurt (buttermilk or sour cream are good substitutes, or even plain milk in a pinch)

For rolling:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon


In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Continue to heat and stir until it turns brown and gives off a nutty aroma.  It will get foamy and also get some brown flecks in the bottom.  That is fine.  Just don't burn it!  Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to cool down and prevent burning.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cooled browned butter and both sugars until completely blended.  Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined.  Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low speed just until combined.

The dough will be very soft.  Chill for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator, longer if possible.

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.  Once the dough is chilled, roll into balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture until well coated.  Place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look slightly underdone in the middle but will continue to cook once out of the oven.  After a couple of minutes, remove from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Source: Adapted slightly from Join Us, Pull Up a Chair

Best Desserts of 2013

I'm joining up with SnoWhite today in her Countdown to 2013 - Best Desserts.  

As you probably already know, desserts are my favorite food category.  Both to make and to eat. And I've made some really terrific ones this year.

So here we go, in no particular order:

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes

Surprisingly easy and fast to throw together, yet so elegant and scrumptious, especially with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.  

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Layer Cake

My birthday cake - simply fantastic.  I might just have to have a repeat next year. 

Brownies with Browned Butter Frosting

The ones Grant declared his FAVORITE brownies ever.  

Snickers Peanut Butter Pie

Fudge pie, peanut butter nougat, caramel, peanuts, chocolate drizzle, and chopped snickers. 

My 6 year old still talks about this pie (that I made in March) and begs me to make it again.  It was truly fabulous.  

Turtle Brownies

Because you can never go wrong with brownies stuffed with caramel, chocolate chips, and pecans.  Yum!

Strawberry Dream Cake

With strawberries in the cake and the frosting, and nary a drop of food coloring in sight, it's a perfectly delightful spring or summer cake.  And I have to add that the cream cheese frosting tastes almost like rich strawberry ice cream. It's amazing. 

Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate M&M Cookies

Quite possibly the best chocolate cookie I've ever had.  

Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

Chocolate crust, chocolate cheesecake, and a cookie dough topping.  All in a little bite-sized piece. 

Perfect. 

Chocolate Velvet Dessert

It's like having a chocolate truffle, in a slice.  Rich and completely decadent.  And worth every calorie. 

Pineapple Pie

If you've never tried pineapple pie, you just have to do it.  It's awesome.  One of my dad's very favorites. 

Triangle Delights - 

Think Hello-Dolly Bars mixed with Toffee and S'mores.  Yeah.  Utterly delicious.