White Chocolate Peanut Butter Thingys

Yes, those are miniature shamrocks. Yes, this is another leftover recipe from my St. Patrick's Day shindig (and yes, after this post, there will still be yet one more St. Patrick's Day recipe, but after that one, you'll be spared again till next year).

I'm a huge fan of what some people might call... white trashy appetizers. Bring on the Ruffles and french onion dip from a metal can, give me a tray full of little smokies wrapped in bacon and baked in brown sugar, and whatever you do, please don't forgot the sausage balls. Can I get an Amen?

Seriously, though... some things can be both dead simple and wicked tasty. And this is one of those things. They are crunchy and sweet and salty. They are portable and can be made ahead of time and everyone loves them. I have to admit... for this party, I bought Whole Wheat Ritz (for shame!) and you couldn't even tell. Next time you're having a party or going to a pot luck, whip up a batch of these babies. I promise everyone will love them.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Thingys. (Feel free to make up your own name).

Beware: Crack has nothing on these puppies. They are super sweet, super crunchy, and super addictive. If you're really pressed for time, you could always use pre-made peanut butter sandwiches and dip them into the melted almond bark, but once you make them completely from scratch, you'll never go back to the pre-packaged peanut butter and crackers again.

Ingredients

Butter Crackers (like ritz)
Peanut Butter
White Almond Bark

Melt your almond bark according to package directions and lay out a piece of wax paper. Prepare the peanut butter cracker sandwiches and dunk and coat them in the melted almond bark. Place on wax paper to harden.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Will there come a time when I put trust in my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and balk at all other recipes? Probably not. Because, I'm just like that... I mean, I've had about 3 other favorites in the past and at some point, they've all been beaten out by another. I have to admit though, after making the Jacques Torre's cookies from the New York Times many times now, I really haven't been tempted by any other recipes.

Until this one.

It just so happened, when I stumbled upon the recipe on Patsy's Blog, I was already planning on making Chocolate Chip Cookies. My friend Jeff received his PhD from Johns Hopkins (yeah, all my friends are wayyy smarter than me) and since I couldn't be there for the defense (or whatever it's called), I decided to send him a card and a package of cookies. (He probably enjoyed that better than my company, anyway. haha).

This is the latest recipe from Cook's Illustrated. It involves yet another different technique (browning the butter), but aside from that... comes together really easily.

It doesn't take the crown away from Jacques, but they are delicious cookies. Very sturdy and thick, but still with a chew. You should definitely give them a try, maybe they'll be YOUR favorite recipe!

Patsy asked and recieved permission from Cook's Illustrated to post the recipe on her blog, so I'm linking to her blog post with the recipe.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie from Cook's Illustrated

TWD: Chocolate Amaretti Torte

Up until this recipe... the only thing I knew about amaretti cookies was that Giada is always putting them on things and the way she says 'amaretti' kinda drives me crazy. It's like... you're Italian, I get it. You were born in Italy, again, I get it. I was born in Nashville and I don't pronounce certain words with a southern accent and certain words without. I mean, think about that for a second. I don't drawl out my 'whites, lights, or mights.' I just talk how I always talk.

Digressing... So, I bought some amaretti cookies from the grocery store, not really having any idea what to expect from them. They weren't bad... not the type of cookie I'd sit down and inhale, but crunchy and almondy.

But once they are ground up (along with almonds) and placed in this cake... they become... TO. DIE. FOR. Like, seriously folks. This is one bad ass torte. It reminded me a lot of a brownie. I nixed the idea of the chocolate glaze or the whipped cream. Deciding that the torte on it's own was enough for me. It was fudgy and almondy. The top formed a nice little crispy layer (I didn't flip it out, because I used a springform pan). It was delicious. So light, but yet so yummy.

To check out the recipe, head to Holly's Blog, Phe/MOM/enon and to check out how the other TWDers fared with this recipe check out the blogroll at Tuesdays with Dorie.

TWD: Banana Cream Pie

First of all, pardon the CRAPPY pictures. I made this pie back in December for a friend's birthday... and I just felt weird about whipping my camera out and telling his parents... "hold that fork! I gotta get a pic first." Or asking the birthday boy, "umm... is it possible to have this for breakfast instead of after dinner dessert, cause yeah, the morning light is sooo much better than the artificial light in your place?" Yeah, so these pics were taken at night, in my kitchen and I didn't get any pics of the cut into pie. Que sera, sera or whatev.

When my friend told me he wanted a banana cream pie for his birthday dessert, I was kinda less than thrilled. Actually, I was bummed. I'd never had a banana cream pie before and the whole idea of it just didn't thrill me. I'm not a pudding girl and meringue makes me want to barf. There, I've said it.

So, I started going through recipes and decided to use Dorie's because I figured... hey, I'm not going to like this, so I might as well make it for the group and be able to hand it off to another person all at once.

I whipped up the pastry cream (the filling) for the pudding and it got so thick and gloopy I knew I must have done something wrong, so I threw it out. Round two of the pastry cream... turned out still pretty gloopy, but a little better. I soldiered on.

I made this with a graham cracker crust and was excited when I saw that Dorie calls for a whipped cream topping instead of a meringue. Thatta girl, Dorie. *fist bump.*

Surprisingly, I liked this! And while I don't think it was my friends all time favorite banana cream experience, it was good enough. And I REALLY wanted to make a mini-version this weekend/week to have better pics for this post, but I'm swamped. Tax season+marathon training= busy, tired Amy.

Check out Amy's blog Sing for your Supper for the recipe and all the other bakers at
Tuesdays with Dorie.

Red Velvet Cake (err... Green Velvet Cupcakes)

So, I have a bit of a secret...

I was 25 years old before I had my first piece of Red Velvet Cake.

(I'll give you a moment to let that soak in).

That's right. I wasn't raised with red velvet cake (or grits!).

There. I've said it. Hopefully the South will forgive me and still accept me (who am I kidding, of course it will... the South forgives... we may not forget, but by golly, but we sure as hell forgive).

Even with two grandmothers, a mother, and about 3-4 aunts who all had/have mad cooking and baking skills... there was never a red velvet cake in sight. I can't even remember if I ever heard of it as a kid. But now, it's all the rage. Bobby Flay is throwing peeps down in NYC and everyone and their brothers are running out to their local bakeries for a red velvet cupcake. Sheesh. You'd think it was like crack or something.

Never one to shy away from cake and cream cheese frosting, I decided to not only try red velvet cake for the first time, but to also make it myself. And who better to strip me of my red velvet cake virginity than...

Martha Stewart.

That's right. Who better to teach me how to make the supposedly quintessential southern dessert than a Yankee from New Jersey?

I used her recipe (after seeing her make it on her Living show) and made a gigantic red velvet cake for Christmas one year. It sat proudly on display on my grandmother's antique buffet amongst all the Christmas Dessert Regulars... Pecan Pie, Coconut Cake , Claire (Chocolate Eclair), and various other pies, cookies and pastries. I distinctly remember that besides my mom and dad (who, by blood are required to taste all things I make for family gatherings, all the while I hover over them awaiting their reaction with bated breath), only my uncle Jim had a piece. And actually he had two and cut off a hunk to save for later. So, I've come to the realization that my uncle Jim is the only true southerner in my family. (He probably even eats grits when none of us are looking). The rest of us are just hillbillies.

That was the first and last time I'd had red velvet cake. I mean, sure it was delicious. Utterly delicious (we'll get to that later), but it was kind of like... okay, been there done that, let's move on.

Enter: St. Patrick's Day Party.

Swap out the red food coloring for green and BAM. Instant St. Patricks Day Party. These are now going to be a regular at the Annual St. Patrick's Day Party. (I've always felt like Southerners and the Irish are kindred spirits, anyway... but that's a post for a whole other blog).

Red Velvet Cake

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (2002).

For the longest time, I just assumed red velvet cake was a yellow cake with red food coloring in it. But, it's so much more than that. It's incredibly light and moist. Melt-in-your-mouth moist, in fact. And it's got a little whang from the buttermilk and the vinegar that is mimicked in the traditional cream cheese frosting.

I've recently found out that some people say that traditional red velvet cake actually has a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder in it. This recipe does not. Maybe it's cause Martha is a Yankee or maybe it's cause she's a genius. You'll never know unless you try it.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 1 (9-inch) Layer Cake

Ingredients:

cooking spray, for pans

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole buttermilk

2 1/2 tbsps red food coloring (yes, that says tablespoons)

Cream cheese frosting, recipe follows

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 (9 by 2 inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, and line with waxed paper. Set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until the flour has been incorporated. Slowly add buttermilk. Add food coloring and beat to combine.

Divide batter between pans; each pan will be about half full. Tap pans on counter to remove bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Invert pans onto wire racks sprayed with vegetable oil to cool cake completely, or quick chill in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

To assemble, place 1 layer, top-side down, on a cake stand. Using an offset spatula, spread with 1/4 inch of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. To frost the top and sides of the cake, work from the center toward and over the edge, making sure to evenly coat. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. With a handheld electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar, pecans and vanilla. Beat, on low speed to combine. If too soft, chill until slightly stiff, about 10 minutes, before using.

Yield: 6 cups.

TWD: Coconut Butter Thins

Coconut, Butter, Macadamia Nuts... hard to go wrong, with that combo. These shortbread-y cookies were chosen by Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch.

These cookies were easy to put together and are amazing light with all that butter in them. They have a hint of lime and are supposed to have cardamom, but... I mean, you know me... does that sound like a spice I'm going to have in my pantry? Um. No. But, despite that, I thought they were really nice cookies.

Check out the blogroll at Tuesdays with Dorie to see the rest of the baker's versions.

Sorry this is short, but I'm literally drowning in work... I've got tons of recipes to post though, so hopefully I can get around to some of them this week!

TWD: Blueberry Crumb Cake (Muffins)

Another easy and delicious pick for Tuesdays with Dorie. Sihan of Fundamentally-Flawed picked the blueberry crumb cake. And let me just take a moment here and give a mad shout out to crumb toppings. I mean, seriously... is there anything more delicious than a crumb topping? And everytime I make one, I'm like.. DAMN. Why don't more baked goods have crumb toppings? More sugar and butter and nuts???? When is that EVER bad?

Ummm... pretty sure... NEVER. I halved the recipe and made muffins instead of the cake and even with overcooking the muffins a little (the crumb topping got a little TOO crunchy, but still delicious!!!) they turned out yummy. I couldn't stop picking at them... and the little pieces of nuts that stuck out of the topping.

And once I started picking at one of them...

I had a hard time stopping. Too bad I had to use frozen blueberries. These would have been amazing with fresh, in season blueberries.

Check out the recipe at Sihan's Blog.