February 22nd, 2010
This is a delicious alternative to a cinnamon sugar traditional coffee cake. I serve this at my afternoon tea parties with my girlfriends (what you don’t have them?) or make it for my friends at the office. It travels well if you are in need of a cake to take to an ill friend or a new neighbor. It is also a great breakfast for a busy family–it can be baked the night before and everyone can serve themselves.
Ingredients:
2 c. plus 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 375. Combine 2 c. flour, salt, 1/2 c. sugar and baking powder; sift and stir in zest. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; set aside. Thoroughly blend egg, milk, orange juice and oil. Pour into well and mix with flour mixture (batter will be lumpy, don’t over mix). Pour in a greased 9″ round cake pan. Mix remaining flour, sugar and butter together and sprinkle evenly over cake. Bake for 35 minutes or until center tests done (insert toothpick and if it comes out clean, it’s done). Enjoy!
You can get crazy and substitute lemon, grapefruit or even lime for the orange juice & zest. Experiment!
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: breakfast, cake, orange, simple. | #
February 11th, 2010
Nothing will get you kisses on St. Valentine’s Day like making a cake with the word ‘kiss’ in it. Plus it’s a three layer cake and anyone who has or has not spent any time in the kitchen will be impressed with your skills. If you don’t have three 9-inch round cake pans, you can cheat and bake each layer one at a time. Simply put the batter in the fridge between layers.
Ingredients:
3 c. all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
1 c. shortening
4 eggs
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. coconut
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour pans. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In separate bowl, cream together sugar and shortening. Blend in eggs beating well after each addition. Combine in separate bowl milk and vanilla. Add alternately with the dry ingredients to the cream mixture. Blend well after each addition. Stir in coconut until well blended. Pour into pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost with your fluffiest, creamiest frosting.
To take the festive flavor to another level, add some red food coloring to your white frosting and you will have a lovely visual. I promise you will get kisses from your Valentine when you present him or her with this lovely cake. Enjoy!
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: cake, coconut, dessert. | #
January 30th, 2010
I love spending a Saturday in the kitchen making as many kinds of cookies I can possibly dream up. I challenge myself to think about the colors and shapes as well as the flavor of each batch. It’s a great day if I can accomplish many different flavors and shapes and colors on the perfect cookie plate. Not always a success but I try with all my heart. Today could very well be one of those days. Let’s all stay in our PJ’s, put on a pot of coffee and bake the day away, shall we?
This is a public recipe that has floated around the Internet for a few years. I thought I should add it to my cookie collection here on Hey Amy! because it is rich and delicious and well, I like it!
Ingredients:
2 c. butter
4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 c. sugar
5 c. blended oatmeal
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
18 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. chopped nuts (optional and your choice)
Preheat oven to 375. Place oatmeal in blender and blend to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
I will add some of Nany’s best cookie recipes and bake my heart out today. Hope you choose to join me in your kitchen.
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: cookies. | #
January 29th, 2010
We have come to the last day of the tribute to the recipes of Mom. I am hopping on a train today to go spend the weekend with her and celebrate her special day.
I leave you (before I throw a few things in my bag) with her harvest potatoes. It’s a perfect compliment to a Sunday brunch or a potluck meal at the office/church/bridge club. It also carries the title of easy because if we have learned one thing this week, Mom does not do complicated.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. (32 oz.) frozen hash browns
1 c. melted butter divided
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 can cream of potato soup
1 pint sour cream
10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. crushed corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything but 1/2 c. butter and corn flakes together well. Put into sprayed baking dish. Mix together remaining 1/2 c. butter and corn flakes. Sprinkle over top of dish. Bake for 1 hour.
Treat your family to a lovely brunch this weekend. Search the site for lots of brunch related dishes!
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: brunch, potato, vegetable. | #
January 25th, 2010
This week is my mother’s week. I am deeming it so because it’s her birthday on Wednesday. So as a tribute to Patsy Ann, I am going to share the recipes she has given to me through the years. Some of my favorites I have already posted throughout the last year but there are a few yet to make their way here. She always says she is no good at cooking and doesn’t even really care about it but when she does prepare a meal, we are never disappointed! I know the gene didn’t skip from Nany to me. She certainly has it.
First up is Lemon Lush. It’s a must have for anyone who loves a light, citrus dessert.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 c. flour
1 8-oz. cream cheese
1 c. confectioners sugar (10x)
1 c. Cool Whip
3 c. milk
2 3-oz. packages instant lemon pudding
Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter and flour and press in 9 x 11 baking dish to form a crust on the bottom only. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.
Meanwhile, beat together well the cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip. Spread onto the crust. Next combine milk and pudding and beat well until smooth. Spread onto cream cheese layer. Finally, top with remaining Cool Whip. Chill for a bit and serve.
Mom used to make this for us all the time when we were young. We haven’t had it for a while so perhaps after reading this she will take the hint?
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: dessert, easy. | #
January 21st, 2010
Now I think we have all heard of zucchini bread. I know I have but I have never heard of zucchini cake until I had the chance to taste it before Christmas. It was really moist, sweet and was in the shape of a bundt cake. I loved it and thought I had to share the recipe.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 1/2 c. flour
2 c. grated, unpeeled zucchini
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 c. chopped nuts (I like walnuts)
1 c. raisins
1 c. pineapple
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt pan.
Beat together eggs, sugar and oil. Add flour, zucchini, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Stir until combined. Then add nuts, raisins, pineapple and vanilla. Stir until everything is moistened. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool and dust with 10x sugar because nothing is ever too sweet, is it?
You will not believe the flavor of this cake–very moist. It’s a great addition to brunch or an afternoon tea. Enjoy!
xo–me
No Comments | In: Baking | tags: cake. | #
January 16th, 2010
I have had quite a few requests for a delicious chocolate cream frosting. A lot of you add cocoa to a sugar frosting recipe. Not a bad way to go but I wanted to offer a really rich, fluffy and easy recipe for you. Here it is!
Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. sifted 10x sugar
2 egg whites
3 squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 to 3 Tbsp. milk
Cream together butter, salt, and vanilla. Add sugar alternately with egg whites, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate. Gradually add milk, small portion at a time, beating until smooth and thick enough to spread. Spread away!
Remember, either the cake or the frosting should be very sweet. Not both! So many people make the mistake of having both and it’s just too much. Savor the flavors of each by choosing only one to be the super sweet.
xo–me
1 Comment | In: Baking | tags: dessert, frosting. | #
