Sweets

CIC: Cashews and Coffee

~ lk529 ~ 12 Comments

CIC-header

I can’t believe I am actually posting with the Crazy Ingredient Challenge today! I loved seeing the winning flavor combination of Cashews and Coffee but simply kept forgetting about actually making my dish.

I immediately though of a play on a frappuccino, because you hear coffee you think Starbucks (or at least I do since my best friend is a store manager). I really wasn’t sure how to make that happen and simply pushed it out of my mind. But then I saw a commercial for cashew milk last week and this month’s challenge came screaming back to me. To be that guy in the almond milk commercials, “I don’t know what it tastes like so I don’t want to try it.” It’s not that I don’t want to try it, it’s that I don’t want to be stuck with a half gallon of cashew milk if I don’t like it!

Back to the drawing board and I thought of brownies. I know a lot of people add instant espresso to their chocolate desserts to intensify that chocolate flavor. And I only have a measly two recipes for brownies on this site. It’s a dessert I tend to forget about, but absolutely adore when I have them. These rich, fudgy brownies are studded with salty cashews for a perfect late night craving buster.

Fudgey Cashew Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 7 tbsp butter
  • 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp instant espresso coffee
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 1/2 C chopped cashews

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 (or 9×9) pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  2. Place butter, chocolate, espresso powder, and salt in a large glass bowl over a double boiler. Warm over low heat until butter and chocolate are melted together. Remove from double boiler (and heat).
  3. Mix in the sugars until combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour until there aren’t any lumps. Fold in the cashews.
  4. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake 22-25 minutes, until the brownies are set. Place pan on a cooling rack. Let brownies cool before cutting.

*This recipe is adapted from Yvonne at http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/10/one-bowl-espresso-cashew-brownies-recipe.html*

Fudgey Cashew Brownies for Crazy Ingredient Challenge from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in this month’s Crazy Ingredient Challenge click on the link below.

#SundaySupper: Back to School

~ lk529 ~ 21 Comments

Most schools are starting this coming week and some have even already been in class for a week or more! If you’re part of the lucky ones who wait until Labor Day to start the school year, enjoy the rest of your summer.

Today’s Sunday Sunday Supper menu will help you get ready for the school year, with plenty of ideas to get breakfast or dinner on the table quickly, lunches to make your kids happy, and snacks to keep you going. A big thank you to DB of Crazy Foodie Stunts and Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking for hosting this event and helping us stay organized this school year!

When I think “Back to School” I think of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. I don’t exactly need to give you a recipe for PB&J – unless it’s my grilled one! Instead I decided to make muffins! These PB&J muffins are a perfect busy weekday breakfast or after school snack.

PB&J Muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 C flour
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
  • 1 C buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 C jam (I use all fruit grape spread)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line muffin tins with liners (makes 18-20).
  2.  In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another bowl stir peanut butter and buttermilk together until smooth. Add in the vanilla, oil, and eggs.
  4. Add peanut butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir until combined – it’s thick! Fold in the jam.
  5. Fill prepared muffin tins. Bake 15 – 17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly.

*This recipe is adapted from Renee at http://www.reneeskitchenadventures.com/2014/05/peanut-butter-and-jelly-muffins.html*

PB&J Muffins for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Getting Started On School Days

Ideas for the Lunchbox

After School Snacks and Beverages

School Night Suppers

Sweets to End the Day

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#SundaySupper: Pool Party

~ lk529 ~ 29 Comments

It’s August! Can you believe that?! Now’s the time to polish off those summer bucket lists before school is back in session. (If that affects your household anyway.) That’s why this weekend’s Sunday Supper theme of Pool Party is a perfect fit! I connect even more with the theme because my birthday is at the end of this month and I would always have a pool party!

If you’re throwing a poolside bash this month be sure to scroll past my recipe for a wonderful list of menu possibilities. A big thank you to the Sunday Supper Movement for hosting this event.

Fellow food bloggers, do you lie awake at night thinking about your food styling and photo props? I don’t often because I know I’m not quite at that level, but with this fun summer theme I had visions dancing in my head of how I would plate my pool party offering. I used my Kroger gift card and strolled down their seasonal aisle, where school supplies pushed barbecue dishes and water toys to half off prices. I picked up a yellow plate and a beach ball. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes | Sew You Think You Can CookI knew I’d use some of my son’s water table toys for extra water fun props. But how do I put all of these fun things in the background? I’d have to put out a quilt on the grass. Luckily the sun stayed behind clouds and the threat of rain held off for the day so I didn’t have any funky shadows. I absolutely loved the way my photos turned out – from the screen on my camera, that is. Once I sat down to edit I was slightly disappointed. The bright yellow ducks and orange pail were too hard to tone down without drowning out my food. Luckily I took a close up!

Salty snacks tempted me as whenever I’m at the beach or pool I want salt! Not sure if I’m the only one there. A Chex Mix with Goldfish would be cute to serve at a pool party. But, when I think pool party I think watermelon. Unfortunately, that is a fruit that is off limits to me now. Next up, berries. I hit Pinterest looking for a fun idea and was very close to making a fruit beach ball cookie cake. But that giant sugar cookie got me thinking dessert. Cupcakes would be easy to eat by the pool. The answer: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes!

These cupcakes are everything lemonade should be and thanks to the frosting they’re tartingly sweet.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients for cake:

  • 2 1/4 C flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 C room temperature butter (5 tbsp + 1 tsp)
  • 1 1/3 C sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 C thawed frozen pink lemonade concentrate
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)
  • 3/4 C sour cream
  • 1/4 C strawberry preserves/jam/spreadable fruit

Ingredients for frosting:

  • 1/3 C softened butter (5 tbsp + 1 tsp)
  • 4 C powdered sugar
  • 1/3 C thawed frozen lemonade concentrate (or more as needed)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • red food coloring (optional)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 21 cupcakes with liners.
  2. In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time. Add in the lemonade concentrate, vanilla, sour cream, and strawberry preserves. Mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients in 2-3 batches until fully incorporated.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tin. Bake 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. (Note: If one cupcake tin is on the bottom rack, I suggest rotating the cupcake tins halfway to prevent the bottoms of the bottom batch from burning.)
  5. Allow cupcakes to cool 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  6. Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment cream the butter with 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Add in the lemonade concentrate and vanilla and whisk until combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar. Add additional lemonade concentrate as needed. If using, add a couple drops of food coloring to achieve a pink frosting. Frost cooled cupcakes.

*This recipe is adapted from Alice at http://hipfoodiemom.com/2014/07/11/strawberry-lemonade-cake-for-a-guest-post/*

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Refreshing Beverages and Cocktails:

Appealing Appetizers and Snacks:

Super Sides and Salads:

Tempting Desserts and Sweets:

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_oJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

When we went to the Farmer’s Market in Virginia we picked up a carton of cinnamon peanut butter. If you’re a frequent reader then you know of my cinnamon obsession. How was I to pass up cinnamon peanut butter?! This peanut butter created by Sprelly is thick in texture so I thought the best way to use it would be to heat it up to make it more spreadable. I thought about making an ice cream with it (and still might!) but when my friend was hosting a “Going to the Movies” game night I knew immediately that I’d make popcorn! Funnily enough, she was also providing four different popcorn flavors to munch on – one of which was a peanut butter and honey. I’m pretty sure we followed the same recipe! Her peanut butter coating did coat the popcorn better, and I’m going to guess that’s because she used a creamy peanut butter. This popcorn can be stored in an air tight container and will stay fresh 2-3 days.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

Ingredients:

  • canola oil, enough to coat bottom of pot
  • 1/2 C unpopped popcorn kernels
  • 1/4 C honey
  • 1/4 C cinnamon peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)
  • salt, to taste

Steps:

  1. Put canola oil in pot over medium high heat along with 2-3 kernels of popcorn. Cover and stand by. Once you hear the kernels pop, add the 1/2 C of popcorn. Cover and cook over medium heat until popping slows. Gently shake the pot during the popping process so as not to burn the popcorn at the bottom. Remove from heat and remain covered until popping has ceased, unless you want to be pelted with popcorn. (If you have another method of popping popcorn, feel free to use it.) Place popcorn in a large bowl. Note: It is highly suggested you remove any unpopped kernels as they’ll be hard to pick out once mixed with the peanut butter coating. 
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey and sugar. Allow to simmer two minutes. Immediately add the peanut butter and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, if the mixture hardens simply reheat. You can also add some more honey if needed.
  3. Pour peanut butter mixture over popcorn and toss to coat.
  4. Spread popcorn onto baking sheets to allow it to set. Store in an air tight container for up to three days.

*This recipe is adapted from Rachel at http://www.rachelcooks.com/2013/07/08/peanut-butter-popcorn/*

Cinnamon Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn Sew You Think You Can Cook

*This recipe is adapted from Rachel at http://www.rachelcooks.com/2013/07/08/peanut-butter-popcorn/*

Blog-iversary 2

~ lk529 ~ 7 Comments

IMG_5681Today is my blog’s anniversary! This second year has flown by.  In this past year I have gained an additional 77 followers and 357 Facebook friends.

I am still going strong with Secret Recipe Club and #BundtBakers (having missed only one month in each so far) and I continue to participate in Foodie Extravaganza and The Crazy Ingredient Challenge when my allergy restrictions allow it.

As if I didn’t have enough commitment on my plate I have added Blogger CLUE Society and The Sunday Supper Movement to my blogging community adventures. The latter has been a huge boost to not only my site’s traffic but also my social media accounts. If you’re a blogger looking for ways to venture out, I encourage you to join a group like these – the camaraderie you’ll find is more reward than you could imagine.

I feel like my blogging has grown over the past two years and my food photography has improved considerably (staying home with my son has definitely contributed to that as I now have natural light!), my photography editing skills have become second nature, and I think my story telling ability is on the rise. My efforts have even been rewarded when I was nominated for the Liebster Award!

For my blog-iversary I decided to try something that’s been on my culinary bucket list. Making marshmallow. I saw these adorable mini s’mores cheesecakes and knew that’s what I’d do to celebrate another blogging milestone. Unfortunately I don’t have a mini cheesecake pan – but how awesome is that?! – and didn’t think using cupcake liners would create the same impressive dessert. I decided to make a full size cheesecake. I increased the crust amount but didn’t think about the actual cheesecake, as a result my cake is very thin. However, the silky richness of the chocolate cheesecake doesn’t leave you feeling cheated. (If you want a thicker cake I’d suggest adding another 1/2 recipe to the filling.) To top this decadent cheesecake, homemade marshmallow frosting. If you have a blow torch I highly encourage you to take the s’mores factor to the next level. I simply garnished mine with extra graham cracker crumbs.

This cheesecake is sexy. Now there’s a word I’ve never used for food before! But seriously. Next time you want to impress your date make this cheesecake. It’s smooth, it’s rich, and it melts in your mouth.

S’mores Cheesecake

Ingredients for crust:

  • 9 full sheets graham crackers
  • 3 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Ingredients for cheesecake:

  • 12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)

Ingredients for topping:

  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan.
  2. Place graham cracker sheets, butter, and sugar in a food process. Pulse until the mixture looks and feels like wet sand. Press into the pan evenly. Bake 5 minutes.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the cocoa powder and salt until combined. Add the egg and vanilla paste, mixing until incorporated. The mixture will look like chocolate pudding. Spread cheesecake filling on the crust.
  5. Bake 25-27 minutes, or until set. Turn off the oven and crack the door. Allow cheesecake to cool completely before chilling in the refrigerator.
  6. Whisk egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar over a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm. Remove from heat. Beat using a hand mixer, starting on low and increasing speed to high, until mixture becomes white, thick, and sticky. Add the vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently spread over the chilled cheesecake.

*This recipe is adapted from Rachel at http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/mini-toasted-smore-cheesecakes/*

S'mores Cheesecake | Sew You Think You Can Cook

#FoodieExtravaganza: Creative Ice Cream Flavor

~ lk529 ~ 23 Comments

foodieextravaganza-300

This month’s #FoodieExtravaganza theme is creative ice cream flavors. The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you. Thanks to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for challenging us with this theme.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I’m happy to say this ice cream flavor was a huge hit. That container of homemade ice cream didn’t last very long in the freezer. IMG_3926We even let the little man try it. He wasn’t even flustered by the frozen treat and immediately asked for more. He practically begged at my husband’s knees and when he saw that the bowl was empty a tantrum ensued. Photographic evidence to the right; he can thank me for that later.

Now on to my creative ice cream flavor.

When I made hummus I could only find a large jar of tahini paste and immediate searched the web for other uses for the ingredient and I have used it in dressings and stir fry sauces. I started thinking of ways to use it in sweet dishes. I figured it could probably substitute peanut butter in almost anything. When the #FoodieExtravaganza theme for July was announced I had my answer! Tahini Ice Cream!

I followed a recipe for peanut butter ice cream and simply substituted the tahini paste. (Fun fact: I accomplished my mission and emptied my jar. A feat my husband never thought would happen.) But I wanted to take this ice cream a step further and do not only a play on peanut butter ice cream but a play on PB&J. So I added lemon curd! That decision was probably the best one I could have made. The tahini ice cream had a perfectly smooth texture and a very deep and earthy flavor. It’s not as sweet as peanut butter. It definitely needed that cut of tang from the lemon to brighten and lighten the spoonful of frozen dessert.

I wasn’t sure if I should add the lemon curd into the ice cream while it was churning and further research led me to the idea of layering. I spooned a layer of lemon curd on the bottom of the dish and spread the ice cream over top. Depending on the depth of your dish you may want to add another layer of lemon curd to the batch, finishing the layering with ice cream.

Tahini and Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Ingredients:

  • 1 C tahini paste
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 1 1/3 C heavy cream
  • 1 C milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)
  • lemon curd, as much as desired

Steps:

  1. Using a hand mixer, combine tahini paste and sugar until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla bean paste.
  2. Place ice cream base in ice cream maker and follow the directions for your ice cream maker.
  3. Spread lemon curd on the bottom of a freezer friendly dish. Top with ice cream and freeze until ready to serve. (If desired, create multiple layers of lemon curd and ice cream, ending with ice cream.)

*This recipe is adapted from http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/peanut-butter-ice-cream-for-the-ice-cream-maker/*

Tahini Lemon Curd Ice Cream for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out the rest of these other creative ice cream flavors:

Chocolate Decadence Ice Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Chocolate Malted Whopper Ice Cream by My Daylights
Crushed Pineapple Ice Cream by Food Lust People Love
Custard Cream & Strawberry Swirl No Churn Ice Cream by Baking in Pyjamas
Éma’a (Syrian Ice Cream) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
Fruity Fruit Popsicles by The Freshman Cook
Lemon Basil Ice Cream by Our Good Life
Lemongrass Ginger Coconut Ice Cream by The Joyful Foodie
Maple Bacon Ice Cream by Cooking With Carlee
No-Churn Chopped Macaron Vanilla Bean Ice Cream by Rhubarb and Honey
No Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
No Churn Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream by NinjaBaker.com
Oat and Dulce de Leche Swirl Ice Cream by Passion Kneaded
Peach Cobbler Ice Cream by Cherishing a Sweet Life
Rhubarb Ice Cream by From Gate to Plate
Root Beer Barrel Ice Cream by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
The Bees’ Knees Semifreddo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Cracked Sugar Cookies

~ lk529 ~ 2 Comments

I don’t know how it happened, but my little man will be ONE this week!

In introducing foods I was careful to avoid too much sugar and overly processed, salty foods. Those restrictions were laxed the closer he kept getting to one.

At 10 1/2 months I decided it might be a good idea to introduce him to sweets prior to the big day. The last thing we need is for the birthday boy to get sick from his cake. (If he even eats any of it!)

We started with pancakes (no syrup). A huge hit.

cracked sugar cookiesI then decided to make cookies! He really liked these cookies! In fact, after having a taste, I couldn’t go grab myself a cookie without him practically begging for a bite. And who can blame him? These cracked sugar cookies should come with a warning label – they are addicting!! They’re almost-thin, chewy cookies with a touch of salt that keeps you coming back for “just one more.”

This recipe makes 24-30 cookies.

Cracked Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 C vegetable shortening, at room temperature
  • 1 C sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 C flour
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg and beat until combined. Mix in the vanilla extract, flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt until a stiff dough is formed.
  3. Roll dough into balls, about the size of a golf ball. Roll in sugar and place on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake 9-11 minutes, until just golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

*This recipe is adapted from Nicole at http://www.heatovento350.com/2013/09/cracked-sugar-cookies.html*

Cracked Sugar Cookies | Sew You Think You Can Cook

#BundtBakers: Lemons

~ lk529 ~ 30 Comments

4ae7b-bundtbakerspostThis month #BundtBakers is celebrating the end of spring by baking bundts with lemons as the theme. I really love this theme as my biggest “issue” with dessert is that it can be too rich and heavy, but the use of lemons (and citrus) makes cake feel light and bright. Perfect for the upcoming summer season. A big thank you to Anne of From My Sweet Heart for hosting this month.

I know I’ve said this before but this cake might be my favorite one. It’s so bright, light, and addicting! The tart lemon glaze I made in lieu of frosting gives it that “one more bite” quality. I decided on a glaze so as to not hide the beautiful design of my awesome star bundt pan! There is one person who wasn’t interested in my cake though – the 11 month old in my house. I thought it’d be a good idea to slowly introduce him to sugar so he doesn’t get sick on his birthday. I’ve given him a couple bites of cookie – which he loved – but this cake didn’t pique his interest at all! We offered it a couple of times and he simply turned his head and pushed the fork away. The kid doesn’t know what he’s missing!

crossfit babyAs much as I would have loved to eat that entire cake by myself I thought it would be smarter to share the love. With people who earned the extra calories! The first Friday of every month my husband’s Crossfit gym invites family members to watch the workout and join in a potluck. We came home with just two pieces of cake left – and had we stayed a little bit longer my plate would’ve been just crumbs.

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 C room temperature vegetable shortening
  • 2/3 C vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp lemon extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 1/4 C flour
  • 1 1/2 C cake flour
  • 1 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 C buttermilk
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3/4 C powdered sugar (you could increase this amount depending on juiciness of lemon and desired tartness of glaze)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heavily grease bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together shortening, oil, and both extracts. Add in eggs, one at at time. Mix in the lemon zest.
  3. In a large bowl sift together both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Switch stand mixer attachment from the whisk to the paddle. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix until combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until combined. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the buttermilk, and finishing with the last of the dry ingredients.
  5. Pour batter into greased bundt pan. Bake 50 – 55 minute, until a cake tester comes out cleanly. Allow cake to cool in the pan.
  6. Make the glaze: Whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour over cake before serving.

*The cake recipe is adapted from Barry at http://www.rockrecipes.com/lemon-velvet-cake/*

Lemon Buttermilk Bundt with Tart Lemon Glaze for #BundtBakers from Sew You Think You Can Cook

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Bee’s Knees Lemon Honey Bundt from Food Lust People Love

Blueberry-Lemon Breakfast Bundt from Cali’s Cuisine

Bundt Cake de Limón from La Mejor Manera de Hacer

Eggless Lemon Bundt Cake from Seduce Your Tastebuds

Extra Lemon Bundt Cake from Los Chatos Chefs

Lavender Lemon Cake from Magnolia Days

Lemon & Lime Cheese Bundt Cake from Un Mordisco Un Pecado

Lemon Apple Upside Down Bundt Cake from Simply Veggies

Lemon Basil Bundt Cake from Tartacadabra

Lemon Bundt Cake from Recipes, Food and Cooking

Lemon Confetti Bundt Cake from Our Good Life

Lemon Curd Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze from I Love Bundt Cakes

Lemon Honey Bundt Cake from Brunch with Joy

Lemon Marble Bundt Cake from Jenny and Sweets

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake from Liv for Cake

Lemon Poppy Seeds Bundt Cake from La Cocina de Aisha

Lemon Poppyseed Bundt from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Lemon Rhubarb Bundt Cake from From Gate to Plate

Lemon Ricotta and Poppyseed Bundt Cake from Spice Roots

Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake from Love and Confections

Lemon-Cranberry Poppyseed Bundt Cake from Take A Bite Out of Boca

Mini Limoncello Bundts from Living the Gourmet

Pink Lemon Pound Cake from Making Miracles

Pink Lemonade Bundt from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Rhubarb Pound Cake Bundt with Lemon Glaze from Brooklyn Homemaker

Soft Lemon Rosemary Bread from Passion Kneaded

Spring Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake from Adventures in All Things Food

Strawberry Lemonade Bundt Cake from Baking and Creating with Avril

Sweet Lemon Bundt with Blackberry Glaze from From My Sweet Heart

All recipes and photographs can be found on our individual blogs, on our Pinterest board, and the #bundtbakers homepage.

#SundaySupper: Tropical Food

~ lk529 ~ 38 Comments

Today #SundaySupper gathering together for a virtual luau of sorts and enjoying a wonderful selection of Tropical Food. Be sure to scroll past my recipe(s) for great recipes filled with coconut, pineapple, and mango. A big thank you to Marlene of Nosh My Way and Cindy of Cindy’s Recipes and Writings for hosting this bash!

Like most, my mind first traveled to Hawaii given the theme, but I wanted to do something different. As much as I enjoyed our vacation to The Big Island a couple of years ago, I took the opportunity to create a recipe from a different island in the Tropics.

The Tropics fall between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and create a belt around the middle of our planet.

The Dominican Republic happens to fall in this tropical region. I’ve been wanting to explore more Dominican food as my father’s family is from there. When we left Illinois when I was in 2nd grade we were also leaving his parents so I didn’t get to experience, at least in memory, a lot of Dominican cooking. The only thing my mom made were rice and beans and the closest we’d get to the cuisine would be the occasional Cuban fare at a nearby shop. When we would return to visit, my parents would always request mangu for breakfast from my grandfather. When I made Chicharrones de Pollo for my Dad’s birthday (a report from my father tells me my bites of chicken were too small) I knew I would have to try more Dominican food as we greatly enjoyed it.

That was a long story to tell you that my recipe today comes not from Hawaii but from the DR.

Majarete is a corn pudding made with lots of cinnamon. I’d never had it, and my dad hasn’t either, but it sounded fun so I thought I would give it a go. My favorite thing about this recipe is how simple it is. It can even be made with a baby in one hand. (In related news, I think my little man is getting over his fear of the blender!)majarete pudding | sew you think you can cook

Even in all it’s simplicity, I still managed to mess it up. Never having made pudding before, I pulled the concoction off the heat too quickly and we were left with a corn drink. I probably could have returned it to the stove and let it cook and thicken some more, but I thought it’d be much more fun to turn the majarete into majarete ice cream!

Majarete Ice Cream

Ingredients:

  • 3 C corn kernels
  • 2 C milk
  • 1/4 C water
  • 3/8 C sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Steps:

  1. Put corn, milk, water, sugar, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon in a blender. Puree until smooth. Strain into a saucepan and discard the solids.
  2. Add a pinch of salt and the cinnamon sticks to the corn milk and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly. (If making pudding, make sure it coats the back of a wooden spoon.)
  3. If making pudding: Pour into serving glasses or bowls. Allow pudding to cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap and allowing to chill in the fridge before serving. Optional – serve with a little grated nutmeg.
  4. If making ice cream: Pour into a glass bowl. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge until completely cold.
  5. Follow your ice cream maker instructions. Freeze ice cream. Allow ice cream to soften on the counter 5-10 minutes before serving.

*This recipe is adapted from Clara at http://www.dominicancooking.com/964-majarete-corn-pudding.html*

majarete ice cream | sew you think you can cook
Tidbits and Pupus

Breakfast

Companions

Condiments and Sauces

Coolers

Main Event

Delectable Delights

Tropical Foods and Drinks Sunday Supper

Wine Pairings

8387592742_f6164fd5a8_o

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

#BundtBakers: Hidden Surprise

~ lk529 ~ 37 Comments
BundtBakers

This month #BundtBakers issued quite the challenge but the result is a great collection of beautiful bundts! #BundtBakers is a group of bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme or ingredient. This month’s theme is Hidden Surprise and our creative host is Anshie of SpiceRoots.

When I told my mom the theme she laughed and asked what I was going to do! I’ve been very forth coming in my bundt baking failures – most of which had to do with attempting to put something inside the cake. Cherry pie filling didn’t stay in the middle of the pan but sunk to the bottom creating a pseudo-frosting in my All-American Chocolate Cherry Pie Cake. My attempt at an “upside down” bundt using orange segments for a Mimosa Cake ended up having almost dissolved citrus randomly strewn about the cake. The white chocolate chips I placed in my Green Velvet cake sunk to the bottom and created a catastrophe in trying to dislodge the cakes from the pans.

The plan for this month was to find a cake recipe with a hidden surprise that is supposed to be baked in a bundt pan. I wasn’t about to get all creative this time around! A hidden surprise cake is creative enough with trying to invent my own. I’m not a professional baker or cake recipe developer! And you know what, it worked! Well… kinda… some of the cake stuck to the pan but I was able to get enough to take some pictures. And no one would know, except that I just told you. I brought my slightly mangled cake to a potluck and no one seemed to mind. I was surprised to find that I was only bringing two pieces of cake back home with me – good thing I left a slice for my husband! And hey, on the bright side, I didn’t have to make a frosting. Sure, a frosting would have definitely covered up the imperfections, but my filling acted like a frosting for me. And I don’t care for overly sweet desserts and this cake did not need the extra frosting. But, by all means, go ahead and make some chocolate frosting for a more beautiful bundt.

Chocolate Cheesecake Filled Peanut Butter Bundt

Ingredients:

  • 1 C peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 C sugar, divided use
  • 6 eggs, divided use
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract, divided use
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 C + 2 tsp flour, divided use
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heavily grease a bundt pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter with 2 C sugar until combined. Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 5 eggs, one at a time. Mix in the baking powder. Add 1 C of flour and mix until combined. Add the milk. Once combined add the remaining 1 C of flour.
  3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese, cocoa powder, remaining 1/2 C sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 tsp flour.
  4. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Top with the chocolate cream cheese filling, be sure not to touch the edges. Cover the filling with the remaining batter.
  5. Bake cake 60 – 70 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before removing from the mold.

*This recipe is adapted from Miriam at http://overtimecook.com/2014/03/25/peanut-butter-bundt/*

Chocolate Cheesecake Filled Peanut Butter Bundt Cake | Sew You Think You Can Cook

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com. All recipes and photographs can be found on our individual blogs, on our Pinterest board, and the #bundtbakers homepage.

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

Almond Crunch Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days

Balsamic Strawberries Bundt Cake by Terri at Our Good Life

Banana Maple Bundt Cake with Chocolate Star  by Samantha at Un Mordisco Un Pecado

Black and White Surprise Bundt Cake by Patricia at Patty’s Cake 

Chocolate and Vanilla Polka Dot Bundt by Kelly at Passion Kneaded

Chocolate Bundt Cake with Oreo Cheesecake Filling by Mary at Recipes, Food and Cooking

Citrus Raspberry Bundt by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands

Confetti Zebra Cake by Julie at Eat, Drink, Be Mighty

Cookie Dough Bundt Cake by Olivia at Liv for Cake

German Mozarthupf by Jelena at A Kingdom for a Cake

Graham Cracker Bundt Cake with Key Lime Cheesecake Swirl by Tux at Brooklyn Homemaker

KitKat Surprise Bundt Cake by Shilpi at Simply Veggies

Lemon Blueberry Van Halen Bundt by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Orange and Strawberry Jam Bundt Cake by Deepti at Baking Yummies

Pear and Blue Cheese Bundt by Jane at Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

Polka Dot Bundt Cake by Linda at Brunch with Joy

Raspberry Filled Lemon Bundt by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm

Real Nutella Bundt Cake by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas

Savory Monkey Bread Stuffed Bundt by Andrea at Adventures in All Things Food

Sour Cream Boozy Hazelnut Bundt Cake by Pam at Sidewalk Shoes

Spring Break S’mores Cake by Margaret at Tea and Scones

Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious 

Strawberry Twinky Bundt Cake by Beatriz at I Love Bundt Cakes 

Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Kris at Big Rigs ‘n Lil’ Cookies 

Surprise Bundt by Esti at Mummy & Cute

Surprise Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake by Anna at Media Ración Doble, Por Favor

Surprise Inside Carrot Bundt Cake by Rebekah at Making Miracles

Triple Lemon Bundt Cake by Avril at Baking and Creating with Avril

Tropical Surprise Bundt Cake by Anshie at Spice Roots