Hot Chocolate / Cocoa Mix

I couldn't make homemade marshmallows without having some hot chocolate to put them in!  This recipe mixes up so easily and sits perfectly in a Mason jar waiting to be used as a winter night's treat.  It is just the right marriage of sweetness and richness, without being over the top.  This mix also makes a great treat to give out as a gift during the holidays.  Just think of receiving a cute coffee cup with hot chocolate mix and homemade marshmallows!  I love it!

Hot Chocolate / Cocoa Mix
adapted from Cook’s Country

1 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)
1/8 teaspoon salt (or a pinch)

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground (or white chocolate will settle in bottom of cup).  Alternatively, crush white chocolate chips as fine as you can in lieu of a food processor. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

2. To make hot cocoa, put 3 heaping teaspoons of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Homemade Marshmallows

Marshmallows seem to be one of those universal treats that almost everyone enjoys.  Whether melted gooey on S'mores, added to a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day, toasted by a summer bonfire, or sprinkled on top of your favorite Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole.  Until recently I never really thought about the ingredients of a marshmallow, or even how to go about making them from scratch.  I really didn't know you could make them!  I thought they just came in the bag...hehe.  But then I ran across this recipe and realized they were very similar to meringue with the added gelatin for firmness.  Now this I could do!

Homemade Marshmallows
adapted from Ina Garten - Food Network


3 packets unflavored gelatin (my small gelatin box contained 4 packets)
1 cup cold water, divided
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Baking spray with flour
Powdered sugar for dusting/stick-proofing

Place 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a bowl with hand mixer on standby. Sprinkle the gelatin over top of water and set aside.


Heat corn syrup, sugar, salt, and the other 1/2 cup cold water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Then turn to high and cook to 240 F (use a candy thermometer), 6-8 minutes longer.


Turn mixer to low and slowly pour the hot syrup over the gelatin. Add the vanilla extract. Increase the mixer speed to high, very gradually to prevent hot sugar from slinging, and let run for 15 minutes until you have a glossy, smooth, and thick marshmallow mixture.


While the marshmallow is whisking, heavily coat the inside of an 8×8 pan with baking spray. Coat with powdered sugar and tap out the excess. Pour in the marshmallow mixture (it will come all the way to the top).  Let sit for 3 hours, or until solidified and cooled.


Turn the marshmallow squares out onto a heavily powder-sugared surface. Using a pizza cutter, with a single stroke to make a smooth edge, cut the marshmallows into 1-inch strips, one at a time.  They will be 2 inches tall.  Then cut the 1 inch x 2 inch tall strip in half again to make long 1 inch x 1 inch strips. Then cut those into little 1 inch squares.  As you’re cutting the marshmallows, keep all sides dusted with powdered sugar and store in an airtight container.


Enjoy the marshmallows your favorite way!

Cherry Teacakes

These little Cherry Teacakes are so cute you almost don't want to eat them.  But once you do, you'll keep wanting more!  They are the perfectly sweet - not too sweet, but sweet enough.  The cherry is not overpowering so if you think that don't particularly like cherry desserts, still give this one a try.  They are perfect with a cup of coffee..or tea!  They are also very moist and tender and keep their freshness for several days!  I will be including these in my Christmas cookie boxes this year.  Enjoy!

Cherry Tea Cakes

From Betty Crocker

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons maraschino cherry liquid

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 or 4 drops red food color

2  1/4 cups All-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries, chopped

1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food color with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. On low speed, beat in flour and salt. Stir in cherries.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On parchment lined cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.

Bake 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool 20 to 30 minutes.

Place baking chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on High 35 to 50 seconds, stirring chips every 15 seconds, until chips are melted and smooth.  Add melted chips to a ziplock bag, cut the small tip on bottom corner of a ziplock bag;  drizzle melted chips over cookies in a zig zag pattern.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Sometimes you just crave a nice, good ole, true chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  You know, one of those cakes that goes great with a cold glass of milk.  Well, this is the cake for you.  And the best part of this cake is that it is super moist and tender, and stays that way!  Some other cakes dry out within a day or so, and this cake stays moist until the last bite!  This one is a keeper!  
Don't be afraid when you realize that the batter for these cupcakes is VERY thin.  Somehow it adds to the yummy!  Not sure of the science behind it, but it works!

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (I used coffee)


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water/coffee (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.


VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.
THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.
BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.
CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


Source:  adapted from Hershey's Kitchens

Grilled Vegetable, Portabella and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

All I can say is YUM!   These sandwiches really hit the spot.  We were craving a good hearty sandwich with crusty bread, grilled healthy vegetables, and tangy goat cheese.  I can't describe how good these are!  It's so colorful and flavorful.  I've already planned to include these at my next party, cut on the diagonal, and served in smaller pieces. 

The original recipe by Giada De Laurentis included eggplant which was replaced in this recipe by portabella mushrooms. 

Grilled Vegetable, Portabella and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

adapted from Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 package of sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 baguette, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups baby spinach

Directions
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and toss until coated. Place the vegetables on the grill pan or grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until tender (I cooked mine in a skillet). While the vegetables are cooking, spread the olive oil mixture on the bottom 1/2 of the baguette halves. Using a spatula spread the goat cheese on the top halves. Place the cooked vegetables on the bottom half of the baguette. Arrange the spinach on top of the vegetables. Place the top half of the baguette over the filling.
To serve, cut the baguette into 4 sandwiches. Serve immediately or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Perfect Coconut Cupcakes

If you love coconut cake - you're welcome.  I have never in my life tasted a coconut cake (or cupcake) taste this good.  The coconut milk used in the cake batter is what makes this cake.  No artificial extracts or sweetened coconut, but pure, unadulterated coconut milk.  These cupcakes are so tender and moist that they are hard to stop eating.  The coconut flavor is definitely there but not obnoxious and off-putting.  Just a yummy flavor that all coconut cake lovers will enjoy.

Perfect Coconut Cupcakes
adapted from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Your favorite vanilla buttercream or fluffy frosting
1/2 bag of shredded coconut

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray with flour for baking or cupcake liners
-Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
-Place sugar and butter in mixer and mix until well blended (for about 5 minutes).
-Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition to aid in cake tenderness.
-Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
-Stir in vanilla.
-Pour batter into prepared pans.
-Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles.
-Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, and remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
-When cupcakes are completely cool, frost with vanilla buttercream or fluffy frosting and roll tops in shredded coconut.

Cheese Filled Sweet Braid

Yum!  Who doesn't love cheese filled danishes and breads?  This sweet braid is the perfect balance of sweet but not too-sweet.  It's perfect in the morning with that first cup of coffee.  This recipe yields two braids and they were totally devoured in less than a day at my house!  There is just something about it that makes you want to keep going back for more.  These braids look really impressive and can be modified very easily.  You could try adding a bit of orange zest to the cream cheese filling.  Perhaps even a little pie filling would also be yummy - it's pretty limitless!

Cheese Filled Sweet Braid
adapted from King Arthur Flour

Dough
1 packet rapid rise yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 cups all-purpose Flour

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest of half a lemon

Egg Wash
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Sugar for sprinkling

Dough: Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them together -- by hand, mixer or bread machine -- till you've made a soft, smooth dough. Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's puffy (though not necessarily doubled in bulk).

Filling: While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by mixing all of the ingredients together till smooth. Chill till ready to use.

Assembly: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface (I used canola for the light flavor), and divide it in half. Roll each half into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling lengthwise down the center third of each rectangle. Cut 1-inch-wide strips from each side of the filling out to the edges of the dough. Fold about an inch of dough at each end over the filling to contain it, then fold the strips, at an angle, across the filling, alternating from side to side. (Next time I will leave a little of the cheese showing for looks)

Baking: Allow the braids to rise, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till almost doubled in size. Brush with a glaze made from 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water, and sprinkle liberally with white sugar, if desired; then bake the braids in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 braids.

Pan De Agua

Otherwise known as, Puerto Rican Water Bread.  You can thank a little retro diner in San Juan for inspiring this recipe.  After visiting there, nothing purchased back in the States could compare to the fresh bread baked and served in restuarants and bakeries in Puerto Rico.  Thus, my search begins! 

Pan De Agua is similar to Italian or French bread in that it calls for the same basic ingredients.  The difference lies in the baking procedure.   You will love this bread served warm with a little butter.  Good for dinner or breakfast!

Pan De Agua
makes 2 large loaves

Ingredients:
1 pack active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon salt
5 cups all purpose flour
Cornmeal or flour for dusting the baking sheet
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons of water
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar, and warm water.

Cover the mixture and let stand for about twenty minutes. The yeast should form a foam on the top.

In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the salt and flour.

Mix the flour and yeast mixtures together a little bit at a time by adding the flour to the yeast one cup at a time.

As you add the flour, the dough will start to form. When all the flour is added, change to your dough hook and knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until it is elastic and no longer sticky.

Grease a big bowl. You can use the one you mixed the dough in.

Place the ball of kneaded dough into the bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The dough should double in size.

When the dough is ready, flour a work area. Place the dough on it and separate into two equal portions.  Work the dough into two long, wide loaves.

Using a large baking board or cookie sheet that will hold both loaves of bread, sprinkle some cornmeal or flour. Cornmeal works better, but flour will do.

Place the loaves on the baking sheet and using a sharp knife place 3 to 4 slashes along the top of the loaves.

In a bowl, mix together the egg whites and water. Brush the mixture on top of the loaves of bread.

Place the loaves on the center rack of a cold oven then place a shallow metal baking pan on the rack below the loaves. Fill the shallow pan with 1 cup boiling water.

Wait 10 minutes and then turn the oven on to 400 degrees and let bake for 35 minutes. Do not open door. The internal temperature of the loaves should be 200 degrees. The loaves should be golden and a little crusty.

Serve warm.

*Caution:  When you open the oven door, hot steam will suddenly rise out.  Stand back!

English Muffins

For years I have avoided something.  And that something was yeast!  All recipes that called for yeast were immediately discarded for something more familiar.  When I decided to conquer this demon and give yeast a try, I was pleasantly surprised!  It's really not as hard as it's cracked up to be!  I think the key is getting the temperature of your water just right.  A standard digital kitchen thermometer is your friend here.  Once you know this trick, you're golden!

These English Muffins are so good!  I dare to say better than the famous store-brand!  Another good thing is that this recipe is actually pretty simple!  It's a great recipe for those starting to dabble with yeast.

English Muffins
yield:  about 24 muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon honey

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 tablespoon white sugar

1/4 cup melted butter
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it *just* starts to bubble/boil, then remove from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and honey stirring until dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Stir and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast mixture, melted butter and 2 1/2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Add salt and rest of flour. Knead until you get a soft, smooth dough. About 5-10 minutes.  Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise.  Dough will double in size (about 45 mins).

Gently remove from bowl.  Pat down softly to about 1/2 inch thick. Do not overwork the dough - this is how you get nooks and crannies!  Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter. Grease a baking sheet and dust with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover and let rise 40 mins.

Cook muffins in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flip and then cook an additional 8 minutes.  They should be a nice golden brown.

Important:  Use a fork to split.  This also helps to achieve the nooks and crannies!   Toast in the toaster and enjoy!