The Daring bakers Make…Gingerbread Houses

That’s right…from scratch.  Not those “ready to decorate” deals you pick up at Walmart, but REAL gingerbread houses.

The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.

I chose to use the Scandinavian recipe, just because it was more similar to what I was used to making.  i had the help of the two main men in my life – Jon, the Husband, and Seven, The Boy.  Seven mainly wanted to eat everything before turning it into a house…Jon, on the otherhand, was very meticulous and was into building the structure more so than the decor.  We used gumdrops, Skittles, candy canes, M&Ms, and that crazy smelling gum they used to make in the 80’s as the roof tile. (Gee, I wish I could remember what it’s called, but I recognized the packaging immediately the other day when I was at WalMart so I knew I had to pick some up for this particular purpose. It looks so nice!

For any of you out there so inclined to make your OWN gingerbread house, here is the recipe!

Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas

1 cup butter, room temperature [226g]
1 cup brown sugar, well packed [220g]
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.

2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.

3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.

(I rolled my gingerbread thin, about 1/8 inch thick between two pieces of parchment, which I then froze before cutting into shapes.  I rerolled any extras, then re-froze and cut into decorative pieces or cookies.)

4. Preheat the oven to 375'F (190'C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.

Royal Icing:

1 large egg white
3 cups (330g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. Pipe on pieces and allow to dry before assembling. If you aren't using it all at once you can keep it in a small bowl, loosely covered with a damp towel for a few hours until ready to use. You may have to beat it slightly to get it an even consistency if the top sets up a bit. Piped on the house, this will set up hard over time.

Well, that’s the end of my first full year as a Daring Baker!  This year, I challenged myself by making the following Daring Baker recipes:

1. Macarons
2. Vols au Vent
3. Mallow Cookies (The copycat cookie challenge)
4. Strudel (2 kinds!)
5. Cheesecake (chocolate almond cheesecake)
6. Lasagne, from scratch
7. Chocolate Valentino
8. and of course, the Gingerbread House!  

the most perfect cinnamon rolls

When I went to Maine on our trip a couple of months ago, I was thrilled to meet Carrie, the gal behind Fields of Cake.  Sadly, I showed up with a box of Dunkin Donuts.  Those things are everywhere up there! Jon explained that apparently, when you get your driver’s license up north, you also get a Dunkin Donuts franchise.  What’s  that about? Personally, I can’t get into the cakey type of doughnut.  I’m a Krispy Kreme girl all the way. Yeasty doughnuts are where it’s at.  

But I digress.  Carrie. Right. She had made us some cinnamon rolls, and they were beyond fabulous. Beyond.  And HUGE!  What is it about gigantic things that are so fantastic? (Or tiny things for that matter?)  The intense flavor in these rolls was out of this world, so when I returned home, I begged her for the recipe…but she had already been kind enough to share it with the world on her blog!

I made it just as she did the first time.  But then I got brave and changed it up a little.  Still, utter deliciousness!  So, if you are looking for the most scrumptious breakfast treat for tomorrow morning (or any morning!) give either my recipe or hers a shot! You won’t be sorry!

Cinnamon Rolls

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 1/2 oz. pkg. Jell-O Brand Cheesecake Pudding Mix
• 1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped (I prefer Beanilla Vanilla Beans)
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cardamom
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 6 1/2 cups flour

For filling:

• 1 cup very soft butter
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom
• 1 Teaspoon ground Ginger

 

1. Mix water, yeast, and sugar together until yeast and sugar are dissolved. Set aside.

2. In a bowl of stand mixer, prepare the pudding according to package directions.

3. Add melted butter, vanilla, eggs and salt; mix to blend well.

4. Add yeast mixture and blend well.

5. Gradually add flour and cardamom; transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough until smooth.

6. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubled.

7. Punch down dough and let rise again.

8. Roll out on a floured surface to about 2 feet by 16 inches. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface.

9. In a bowl mix 2 cups brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger & cardamom, then sprinkle over the top. Roll up tightly.   Don’t be afraid to tug on the dough, it is very stretchy and the more “rolls” you get the better!

10. Put a notch every 1 1/2 – 2 inches. Cut with thread or a sharp knife.

11. Place cinnamon rolls on lightly greased cookie sheet 2 inches apart; lightly press each roll down. **at this point you can cover and freeze them for a rainy day!

12. Cover and let rise to almost double again.

13. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes.

14. Remove when they start to turn golden - don't over-bake. Frost warm rolls with a cream cheese frosting. Makes about 18-20 large Cinnamon Rolls. (As a side note, adding orange zest to your cream cheese icing is a delicious idea!)

Have great Christmas everyone. Be safe, be happy, be loved!

Baked Potato Soup

My husband Jon likes to cook. Not bake, mind you…Cook. He loves to grill, but now that grilling season is over, you can often find him in my kitchen (yes, I said MY kitchen) making Deer Chili, spaghetti or soup.  His recent kick is Potato Soup, and he’s becoming quite the little Tater Soup Gourmand. 

I came home from work the other day to find a huge pot of his latest creation ready to eat, which I have to admit, is really nice.  Not nice enough for me to have dinner on the table every evening when HE gets home, but really nice nonetheless.  So nice, in fact, that I took pictures of it. And am devoting an entire post Just. To. Him.

Oh, and guess what else I am devoting Just to Him?  A ticket.  To The Martha Show!  That’s right, Mr. & Mrs. DoughMessTic will be heading to New York for yet another Martha Show!  This time the theme is “Bloggers” – and I am beyond thrilled that I was chosen to attend! (Yes, even though I wrote that snarky post last time!)  I am mainly thrilled because I will have the opportunity to meet some of my favorite Twitter/Blogging pals – like Jennifer Perillo, Jennifer of Savor The Thyme,  &  Ashley of IceMilk Aprons (who, by the way, was kind enough to barter with me this Christmas!)  So, wow!  To be included in this round up is just…well, wow.  And I am taking Jon. And he’s a manly man. Not all that into Martha, I would say. Or twittering. Or, well, things that I do. But it’s around the time of our 10 year wedding anniversary, and New York is as good a place as any to celebrate, right? So, thanks Honey, for the soup. Yum.

PS…I get your swag. Just FYI. I will fight you for it.

 

“The Husband’s” Baked Potato Soup

• 1 pound Bacon3 LBS (half) peeled Red Potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 Minced Yellow Onion
• 1 Very Finely Minced Bell Pepper
• 1 Minced Garlic Clove
• 2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 cans Chicken Broth
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp Hot Sauce
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream
• 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese

1. Cook the bacon in a large frying pan until crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside.

2. Drain the bacon grease but leave about a little in the frying pan.

3. Add the onions, garlic and bell pepper to the grease and sauté on medium high heat for about 4 minutes.

4. Add 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper and sauté for 3 more minutes.

5. While sautéing, pour chicken stock, 2 cans of cream of chicken (and 2 cans of water)into a large pot and turn the heat on medium.

6. Add half of the cooked bacon, the rosemary,  & all of the sautéed ingredients to the stock pot.

7. Add 1 1/2 tsp hot sauce and potatoes to the stock and simmer for around an hour, stirring occasionally.

8. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream & 1/2 cup sour cream.

9. Add salt to taste.

10. Add cheddar to soup if desired, garnish with remaining bacon.

 

Let me apologize for forgetting to make a little announcement. A WINNERS Announcement! I didn’t reveal the winner of the Muvee Reveal Giveaway!  According to Mr. RANDOM.org, our winner is #19 – and that looks like Bethie!  Bethie – get me your info, you won!!

Gingerbread cookies

   Growing up, we didn’t make gingerbread cookies.  In fact, until last year, I had never even tasted gingerbread cookies.  Not that we were treatless at Christmas, we just didn’t do gingerbread.

My Mom would make those cookies – sugar cookies, I guess? – that you put in a tube and pressed out through plates to make holiday shapes.  Dad loved those – we would sprinkle colored sanding sugars on them.  To me, the dough was way better than the baked cookie.  I am a dough kinda gal – I don’t really like hard foods.  Store bought cookies? Not my thing.  Come to think of it, it’s weird. I would never bake cookies here at home then bag them up and let them sit around for a month or so before eating them…and that’s precisely what you get from packages cookies.  Well, except for Oreos. I have no intention of making my own Oreos.  Have you tried the holiday minty Oreos? Yum. They taste like a gooier version of Thin Mints, and that equals delish.  I crushed some up in the food processor and added it to a mousse filling for a birthday cake last week, and that was SO GOOD.

But back to gingerbread.  When I went up to New York to the Martha Show last month, my friend Gail, aka The Tough Cookie, brought me a gingerbread cookie shaped like a piece of pie.  It was beyond tasty. So, I begged her for her recipe and she kindly surrendered.  But me being me? I changed it up a little and made it mine.  It is so easy to put together, perhaps the easiest cookie dough I have ever made. And it’s quick, and it involves very little hands on time.

Gingerbread Cookies

makes 5-6 dozen cookies

5 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
20 tablespoons salted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
3-4 tablespoons milk

1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and baking soda at low speed until combined, add butter and mix at medium-low speed until mixture for about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add molasses and milk until dough is evenly moistened then ncrease speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined.

2. Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in thirds. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/8-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 20-30 minutes.  Dough can be left in the freezer if contained in plastic freezer bags for up to a month.

3. When ready to use, preheat oven to 325. Wait until oven is to temperature before getting dough from freezer.  Use cookie cutters to make desired shapes, and carefully transfer cookies to lined baking sheet or SilPat. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Do not overbake or cookies will be too hard. (But still okay for making a gingerbread house!)

4. When cookies have cooled, decorate with royal icing, if desired.

Here are a few things that would make this process a little easier on you!

oh, cakes

Here is the reason you have seen so little of me.

DoughMessTiCakes.

And me being me? I can’t say no to a single order, even if they do all come at once.

So, this week, thus far, I have made:

A First Birthday  Cake for a friend (one of my many Commune Roommates), who’s son is gorgeous.  She wanted blues, circles, and Black Labs.

The top layer is the Smash Cake, plain vanilla with French Vanilla Icing. The main level was delish, and unusual – 2 layers of Devils Food Cake and one Tall layer of Milk Chocolate Cake, filled with milk chocolate mousse, chocolate syrup and Cool Mint Oreo Crumbs. Yum. Tastes like Christmas.

 

 

Also made a Matchbox Cake for a 12 Year Old. Pulled sugar creek, fondant bridges, stones, pylons, grass crushed Oreos – you name it, this cake had it.  The clients seemed very pleased!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Shoebox Cake (no shoe!) for a Shoe Shopaholic.  Milk Chocolate Cake filled with whipped cheesecake, Chocolate bourbon Caramel and chocolate mousse.  The lid is made of Rice Krispy Treats and covered in fondant. Hand drawn shoe image based on a picture the client provided.  Tissue paper made of gumpaste – my first time using gumpaste!  i hand painted the tissue paper with opal luster dust – prettier in person, in the picture it looks a little muddy.

 

 

And finally, the Bikini Cake for a man’s birthday. ordered by his wife. I wasn’t sure if she would let him actually cut it. her mouth gaped open. She was at a loss for words.  Not sure what she expected, but she said “it’s so much better than what I thought it would be!”  And ordered a different cake for February on the spot. Yay!  The flavor on this one was Mudslide – chocolate/coffee, whipped cream – covered in fondant. All edible, even the belly ring!

Now I am going to rest. For few hours. Next up is Gingerbread orders!

busy busy

I haven’t posted any of my recent cakes, and this week I have 5 more due…so it’s been BUSY!  I thought since so many of you seem to get a little kick out of seeing them, I would post a few.

A Modern Art Cake with Pulled Sugar Flames, A Basketball Jersey featuring the boys name & age, A simple square with pulled sugar,  A chocolate ganache covered cake with fondant guitar, A Martini Glass Cake for a 21st Birthday, and a Snoopy Cake.

 

Have  a great week everyone!

rocky road brownies

I struggled with what to title this post.

Should I have said “Rocky Road Brownies & a Video of My 2 Year Old Making Them” – or “Rocky Road Brownies & a Video of My 2 Year Old Making Them so that I can review a great cookbook by a friend of mine” or even “Rocky Road Brownies & a Video of My 2 Year Old Making Them so that I can review a great cookbook by a friend of mine as well as review a great home movie making product?”

You see why I went with the simpler of those choices.

I have had a copy of Marye Audet’s The Everything Cookies & Brownies Cookbook for over a month now (thanks to Marye, who was kind enough to give me a copy) and although nearly every single recipe sounded too good to be true, I haven’t had the time to make a single thing.  Until today, that is.  Today, Seven and I set out to make her recipe for Rocky Road Brownies.  Believe it or not, I’ve never made a batch of Rocky Road brownies before, so I was a little excited for this one!

In case you a re wondering how they turned out, well, just look at the pictures.Yum.  Pure chocolate, people. Get some milk or ice cream, ‘cause you’re gonna need it.  We took Marye’s advice and added extra chocolate to the batter, and it is full on chocolate coma here at the DoughMessTic household.  The brownies portion is soft and chewy, a little fudgy – just the way I like my brownies.  The marshmallows and nuts on top are just the right amount of sticky and crunchy.  Overall – an outstanding recipe!  Give it a try, or better yet, buy her book!  There are hundreds of recipes in here, all of them well written and well thought out…she didn’t overlook a single thing!  I love how she has offered up little helpful hints throughout, like how to tell if chocolate is bad, when and why not to substitute butter in a recipe, what to use in place of milk in a recipe.  Very helpful stuff to a gal like me!

                        

I’ve included the recipe for you here…in this movie, featuring The Boy.  While he’s no Emeril, he may in fact be the next Food Network Star.  The ideas this child has!

Seven Makes Brownies

The movie was made using clips from my little digital camera, nothing fancy. I uploaded them onto my computer and used my Muvee Reveal program to make it into what you see here.  I originally got a copy of Muvee when I bought my last laptop, and it was pre-installed.  I loved that program!  You can take your video clips as well as stills and combine them with music to make the coolest videos!  I didn’t add any fun special effects or music to Seven’s video as it didn’t seem to make a lot of sense to do that – but trust me – there are so many choices that come with this program!  You can clip your videos, tell the program where to focus on your photos, even add captions, crazy effects and voice overs if you want.

The kind folks at Muvee have generously offered to give one of my readers a copy of their new software – Muvee Reveal…a $79.95 Value!  Please just visit their site to see all of the great features, then come back here and tell me what you like most about it or what movie YOU would make if you win!

For an extra entry, visit the Muvee Facebook Fan page, then return and leave another comment, or follow them on Twitter at @muvee…they are a great company to work with and follow!

Need one more chance? I’m looking for new followers to my Networked Blogs site…so, if you already follow me there (see the right-hand sidebar) or start following me now, leave a third comment for another chance to win!

Winner will be chosen at Random on December 14 at noon (EST)…

Good Luck!

Oh, No, I didn’t forget!!  The winner of the KitchenAid Giveaway!!

Looks like the earlybird got the Big Candy Apple Worm this time, folks…#9!!  Kitchenwhipper!  Congratulations!  Please get me your mailing info so that we can get you your prize!

And  big THANK YOU to everyone who entered to win…maybe we can do it again sometime! (Umm, You go first!)

vanilla bean cheesecake

Have you ever spent an entire day cleaning your house, decorating it all jazzy for the Holidays, and then, at 11 that night thought – ya know, it sure is clean in here…I should go ahead and make a cheesecake.  Besides, Nip/Tuck is on again for the second time in 2 hours and this time I don’t have to pay attention to all of the boring surgery parts.

No?

Okay, so maybe it’s just me.

 

Yesterday was that day for me.  It started out like any other day…wake up around 8:30, feed the Boy, get us a little bit dressed (okay, this wasn’t the norm, we had to go pick up a friend from the service station and take him to work, and as of YET, I haven’t gone out in public in my jammies. Yet. So we got dressed about 6 hours earlier than usual. Don’t judge me.)  But I digress. Right. Normal day progressing, except it’s Christmas.  And unlike the plans I had to do all the decorating the day after Thanksgiving, none of it was done.  So I set about to remedy that.  Things were going along pretty smooth, too.  I put up the first three rows of the 9 foot Christmas tree Mom lent me (that’s another story in itself – we usually get a real tree, but this year in an effort to save cash I borrowed the one my parents kept in storage.)  It was at Row Three that I put Seven down for his nap and got the bright idea to start putting the little white lights on as I went, because hello? That would be smart.  So, I trudge to the attic and pull down all of the nicely put away lights from last year.  The ones that worked a mere 11 months ago.  And I plugged them in.

It went downhill from there.

Of the 8 sets of lights we had, 3 worked. Damn the lights! Seriously, I think the manufacturers intend for the lights to work but one season. Clever move, Light Makers. I appreciate that. So now, mid tree, I have to go to the Rite Aid to get more lights.  And Sev is sleeping.  Luckily, my 10 year old dog sitter was outside and I bribed her to sit in the kitchen and listen for him while I went the 2 blocks away to stock up on more lights.  Crisis averted, I was back with 3 more sets of lights in 5 minutes.  And the dog sitter went back to playing Barbie or whatever she does with her time.  I don’t think she has her own cell phone yet, so I assume it’s dolls or Ouija Boards or something along those lines.  What’s with kids that age having their own cell phones anyway?  Why would they need one?  Aren’t they always going to be with an adult?  I see 5 and 6 year olds with them all the time. All. The. Time. It’s insanity, folks.  Think back to when YOU were a kid.  Did YOU need a phone of your own?  How much time did you even spend on the house phone?  And aren’t these kids lucky that in this day and age there is unlimited long distance?  God help, I was one of those girls who always had a boyfriend in another school district which meant ridiculous phone bills. Sorry Mom and Dad.  And my first cellphone? I was 18 and in college. It had 50 minutes a month of calls, no free long distance. My how things have changed.

Back to the tree. Old lights go on, 9 more rows of limbs go on, all the new lights go on, and…whoops…I’m out of lights and have 3 more rows left.  I’d like to tell you I handled it well.  I would like to tell you I loaded the awakened Seven into the car and drove back to Rite Aid and got more.  But I didn’t.  The top quarter of my tree is lightless. I’d had it.  In fact, I’d had it in such a finite way that I attacked my other Christmas Tree (we have 3). Why?  Well, I leave the living room tree decorated year round. I just wrap it up in plastic and carry the little 5 foot baby to the basement and wait for it to be December again.  I had brought it up from the basement last week and set it up, and to my dismay, some of the lights no longer glowed. Oh well, I thought, it’s fine. No biggie.  But when I looked at it yesterday after the giant light debacle? None of the lights were lit. None. So, I calmly approached the tree. And I kicked the hell out of it.

The lights came back on. Lucky for them.

Cheesecake. Right. I decided I wanted cheesecake. And cheesecake was made.  At 11.  You should make it, too. This one is creamy and light, not chewy, not ricotta.  Just smooth and whippy and full of flavor.  Add to it anything you like – we just had ours with homemade caramel and chocolate ganache. Yum.  Oh yeah, I don’t dig crust. So I didn’t make one.  You can if you want – it’s your cake!

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

4 -  8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1 split Vanilla Bean, scraped

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sour cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease or butter a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the pan in heavy duty aluminum foil so that it is waterproof.

2. Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese.

3. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 1/4 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla, salt, vanilla, sour cream and heavy cream. Blend in the eggs and the yolk, one at a time, beating the bating only until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix the batter.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake until the top is lightly browned, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Allow to cool in the oven with the door propped open.

5. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the springform pan.

There’s still time to get your name in the hat for the 90th Anniversary KitchenAid Mixer..so go enter! Contest ends at midnight Friday!  Good luck!

wintery macarons

So, this whole thing with the bartering.  Have I even mentioned it here, or just on Twitter?  Well, I like to repeat myself, so you’re getting the scoop yet again.

I am bartering this year.  For stuff.  Christmas presents and such, you know.  So I started shouting on Twitter – who wants to trade?  And I got lots of responses!  It seems that it isn’t just ME trying to be a little frugal this year.  Now, I don’t want to say WHO I traded with or what FOR exactly, because hello? The stuff is for gifts. Giiifts. (Okay, maybe a few things are for me, but I, too, will be experiencing the Holidays.  So, Yay me.)  But, I’m talking toys. Apparel. Ornaments. Food. More food.  Good stuff.  And what did I have to do in return?

  

Bake my fool ass off, that’s what.

I bartered out gingerbread cookies and so many macarons that if I don’t see another cookie until 2010, that’s fine by me.

This go ‘round, I made two different flavor combos.  The first was Hot Cocoa, the second was Candy Cane.  i thought they fit the Holidays.  Yummy, too.  But here’s the deal…they didn’t turn out quite as perfect as I would have liked.  Yes, still cute as a button and taste great, but I like mine to be perfectly flat. These all had the little “kiss” on top – small, but still there.  The reason? I doubled the recipe.  I just don’t think that’s a good idea – the batter doesn’t seem to get wet enough.  I’ve done this once or twice before and gotten the same “kissy top” result…therefore – do as I say, not as I do. Don’t double the recipe. Just make 2 separate batches if you want umpteen dozen of these suckers.  They do make nice gifts, especially if you package them up nicely.

Now…recipe time.  The Hot Cocoa Macs are simply chocolate shells (which I posted ages ago) filled with Marshmallow Fluff. I mean, really – what goes better with hot cocoa than marshmallow? No brainer there.  But here is a recipe for the Candy Cane Macs.  Sorry for the blah picture qualities – it was rainy all day and by the time I could take a picture? Night was falling.  Oh well – you get the drift.

Candy Cane Macarons

• 2 ounces almonds
• 1 cup Confectioners Sugar
• 2 Egg Whites, Room Temperature
• 5 Tbsp. Superfine Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Peppermint Extract
• 3-4 drops red food coloring
• 1 Tbsp. Meringue Powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/4 to 1/2-inch) ready. Grind together the powdered sugar and almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, add in the granulated sugar a little at a time, until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes. If you can turn the bowl upside down and the meringue stays put, you've got it. Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. Before dumping in the second half of the dry ingredients, add the meringue powder, peppermint, and food coloring. Stir quickly and gently, then add remaining dry ingredients. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you're alone). Pipe the batter on the prepared baking sheets in 1-inch circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch or more (3 cm) apart. Rap the baking sheet a few times on the counter to flatten the macarons. Place an empty baking sheet on the lower oven rack, then place the macarons in the upper third of the oven. Bake them for 10-13 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet. Macarons that are not being baked (waiting their turn on the counter) are fine, and can be left out unbaked for a half hour or more.

For filling, make an simple white chocolate ganache (1/2 cup heavy cream, brought to a simmer, then poured over 1/2 cup white chocolate chips. Stir after 30 seconds) and add crushed candy canes to it.  Fill and enjoy!

Just in case you haven’t yet entered to win the fancy 90th Anniversary Edition KitchenAid from my last post – go do it now!  And, even if you did enter already – here’s another chance to win…see the Networked Blogs link on my right hand side bar?  Join me, then comment on the Giveaway post.  This is SEPARATE than “friending” me on FB, it’s a whole other entry!  Now, go join, go comment! 

Good luck!

a gift. yes, to you.

So. Christmas is the time for giving.  And now, I get to give to you, my readers.  I love getting comments, emails, feedback, and as a way of saying “THANKS! Ya’ll ROCK!” I am giving away a sweet little gift.

The 90th Anniversary

KitchenAid Stand Mixer.

Whaaaaaa?

Yes, really.  I don’t even have this bad boy myself, but I roll like that. You matter more. (okay, I kinda choked a little there. But I do mean it, for what it’s worth.)

Look at this thing! Look what it has to offer!

All-metal 10-speed stand mixer with powerful 325-watt motor

Direct-drive transmission; 67-point planetary mixing action

9-cup flour capacity; tilt-back head; multipurpose attachment hub

5-quart glass bowl, flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip included

It;s Candy Apple Red. Candy Apple. Sweeeeet.

So, what do you have to do to win?

First, you need to live in the US.  But only in the 48 states that actually touch.  Sorry Alaska.  Sorry Hawaii.  Shipping’s huge.  So, Continental US readers only, please.

Second…leave me a comment.  Tell me what you like most about my blog.  Is it the recipes? The stories?  The Mommy stuff?  The behind the scenes look at my life?  These answers certainly matter this time – I’m looking at a site redesign for the new year based on this feedback.  So, don’t say I really like the color.  That doesn’t help. Much.

If you want more chances to win, here’s how…

1.Follow me on Twitter, then Tweet this giveaway.  Make sure you come back here and comment, letting me know you now follow (or already do) and that you tweeted.  That counts as ONE, not one each.  Just one.

2. Become my friend on Facebook, and then tell all your FaceBooky Friends that you entered to win this fabulous machine and give them the link.  Again, this counts as ONE, just make sure to return here and leave an additional comment.

3. Post about this giveaway on your own site with a link to this post. Return. Comment. Rinse, repeat. You get the picture.

 

So – that’s one, two, three, FOUR chances to get your name in the hat for a chance to win this Be YOOO tiful mixer.  Even if YOU don’t need it (are you kidding?) I bet you have someone on your Christmas Wish List that would Lurve it.  Lurrrrve.

And don’t say I never gave you anything.

Giveaway ends at midnight on Friday, December 11.  GO!

traveling with the family

Maybe you are like my family. Maybe all families are like mine during the holidays…traveling.  Do you get to stay at home all those days you have off, or are you loaded up on a 5 hour trek across two states to visit family?  Do you feel like you need a break from your break when you get back?  I know I do…traveling is tough.  And now that we have Seven, it’s even tougher.  The child thinks his girlfriend is Taylor Swift.  Not that she isn’t pretty, or rich, or ever-so-humble, I just think maybe she’s a little old for him.   And hearing her on an iPod loop for 4 hours can be a little exhausting if you get my drift.  But even with all that teenage angst going on, I still know that Seven is safe and sound in his Eddie Bauer Car Seat.  You should have seen our local police officer (all 250 pounds of him) wedged up in the back of our truck on his knees making sure it was properly installed. I wish I had thought to take a photo. I do. It was priceless.

With the holiday season moving into full swing, families across the country are in the car and on the go.  Whether you’re driving across the country to visit family or across town to holiday shop, it is important that your child passengers are riding safely and that child safety seats are used correctly.

AAA estimated that 30 million people travelled this Thanksgiving holiday alone , and for many this is just the beginning of the holiday hustle and bustle.  Now is the time to utilize the Child Car Safety tools provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council to learn more about proper car seat use and installation.  You will find informative resources that include instructional videos.

Have child passenger safety questions that you need answered before you travel over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s?  NHTSA is always available to answer your questions online through Facebook and Twitter.

No matter where you are going this year, please be safe.  And have a very happy holiday season! Oh, and Officer Gautier, thanks for putting in our carseat. You rock.

Christmas Wish Lists

It seems that so many bloggers are making holiday wish lists this year, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity!  The holidays are, to me, more about giving than receiving, but hey – if you are determined to buy me something? Look no further!  Here’s what I want!  But, to keep it from being ALL ABOUT ME I have set up a couple of Wish Lists, designed for the different types of Foodies I seem to know.  So, whether you are a seasoned Food Blogger with all of the staples on hand already, or you are a newbie just setting up your kitchen – here’s a Wish List for you that you can hand deliver to everyone who wants to know “What do YOU want this year?”!!  Today I will wish for the new guys, and tomorrow…the more seasoned foodies.  Enjoy!

 

For the Newbie

(or, things I wish someone had told me I needed before I learned the hard way.)

The KitchenAid Stand Mixer

I have the 5 quart Professional Lift Bowl Mixer.  I love it.  Most of the mixers you see on special (like on Black Friday, etc) are the smaller Artisan Series, around 3 1/2 quarts.  They are fine if you don’t intend to use them for everything.  The 5 quart is a great size for me, as it makes larger amounts of buttercream, it’s heavier duty and will tackle full amounts of dough.  The other night I made a dozen giant cinnamon buns in mine, and it was just the right size for the recipe.  The smaller Artisan would not have been able to handle it.  So, what to do?  The choice is really up to you.  Many times you can find a special on Amazon or KitchenAid that will land you the higher capacity model for a price not too far off of the smaller model.  And, if you are lucky enough to have a “price is no object” mentality – the 90th Edition Model with Glass Bowl is gorgeous, or, I also LOVE the Copper finish.  It’s pretty in pictures, but in person – a real knock out.  I wish I could justify having a 3rd mixer in the house!!  By the way, there are REBATES to be had on these mixers, so buy now and save!

 

The KitchenAid Hand Mixer

On Monday, KitchenAid had a special on their 9 speed hand mixers. Now, you may be asking – why do you need a Stand Mixer AND a Hand Mixer?  For me, it’s about convenience.  I use the hand mixer for whipping up small amount of whipped cream, mousse, fillings, etc. And I ALWAYS use it for whipping egg whites for my macarons.  I just feel like I have more control over it.  So, this particular mixer.  I ordered mine on Monday, and can you believe it got here Wednesday?  And you’ll be glad to know that it is not only heavy duty, it’s light weight, and comes with both beaters AND a whisk attachment.  And get this – major quiet.  My old cheapy got the job done, but it was loud and heavy. This mixer is like an angel compared to that old dinosaur.  Oh yeah, it’s pink, too.  But that’s beside the point. It comes in a ton of colors!  While it isn’t as cheap as it was on Monday, it’s still a STEAL at $49, as it is regularly $89. Check it out here!

 

The SilPat

If you ever intend to bake a single thing in your oven – you want this.  Cookies, macarons, you name it – the SilPat assures NO STICKING.  It’s like magic.  I have the cookie sheet size and LOVE it. It may seem a little steep for a piece of silicon to line a pan with, but think of all the money you will save on buying parchment paper!  Like, 4 boxes of parchment PAYS for this piece of genius!

 

Ateco 14 Piece Cake Decorating Set with Cake Pan

Now, you may not be into cakes like I am, but hold up.  This set will get used for way more things than just cake.  For example, using piping bags and star tips will get you that fancy looking cupcake icing that you see on all the blogs.  Or, using a piping bag with a plain tip will pipe you some perfect macarons.  Those Pumpkin Bits that everyone raves about? Yep, use a small star tip and pipe out the little cookies, then fill them cleanly with a plain bag.  Cream Puffs and Eclairs? Forget trying to make them without a piping bag.  You’ll get a ton of use out of this set, and who knows? You may even take up cake decorating after all. (And, it’s on a big sale, plus it’s part of the Amazon 4 for 3 Promo I love so much.)

 

A Digital Scale

Having a digital scale in the kitchen was never something I thought I’d need.

I was wrong.  If you troll as many food blogs as I do, you come across a lot of bloggers who use the metric system.  So, having a digital scale that converts for you is a godsend.  But it’s more than that…when you get right down to it, a scale measures out ingredients accurately, versus the ol’ scoop and level method.  If you are trying to make a tricky recipe, it’s best to have the exact amount you need – and a scale will do that for you. I can’t tell you how often I use mine – daily?  Really, I use it a lot.  And hey, it’s half price right now.  You can’t beat that!

Cookbooks

Most of my Foodie Friends already have this one, but Dorie Greenspan’s Baking:From My Home to Yours is like the Bible.  Every recipe (save for the things I find disgusting no matter who makes them) is spot on.  World Peace Cookies? Tall and Creamy Cheesecake? Heaven. You need this book.  Plus, Dorie is the kindest person!  I can’t tell you how many times I have had to email or Twitter her to ask for advice and she always delivers!

Karen Demasco’s The Craft of Baking is right up there with Dorie’s book. I was lucky enough to have been given a copy when I went to the Martha Show, and although I have only made one recipe out of the book, I can’t even tell you how many I WANT to make.  I rarely find a cookbook that lures me in like that…this one is a real keeper!

Artisan Bread in 5 as well as Healthy Bread in 5 are both fantastic and would be excellent gifts for any Foodie or Non-Foodie.  Failproof bread?  And it’s easy?  Oh yeah, gimme some of that.  Zoe Francois, one of the authors, is also very helpful and has talked me through some bread issues along the way…so support her!  Its rare to find such good people out there!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond. If you are a food blogger, you know who Ree is.  Snarky, cute, silly.  I don’t have this book yet, but oooh, I want it.  Even though I am so jealous of her it makes me crazy.  You know the cookbook has to be good – she feeds hungry ranchers with those recipes! I’ll leave it at that.

 

In a day or two I will post the things that I think every seasoned Foodie will want this year…so stay tuned! In the meantime, what is YOUR favorite kitchen Must-have??  Maybe I don’t know about it! Maybe I NEED it! :0)

the gift that will warm their hearts

I don’t know about you, but Christmas for me has gotten a bit…stressful.  It seems so many of us, myself included, are finding it hard to justify high price tag gifts this year with such a strain on our pocketbooks.  In fact, most of my friends and family have implemented a “Let’s just give ornaments this year” approach, which I am thankful for, and really do love in all honesty. I get a thrill out of re-opening ornaments every year, when I can spend a few minutes to remember who each ornament was from, when and why they gave it, etc. It’s special.  And every year, I intend to actually write out a list of each of those special ornaments, detailing who they were from, but I have yet to do that. This year.  Really. I will. (I hope.) I know one day, I’ll have so many that I won’t be able to remember.  And what if something were to happen to me in the mean time? How would Seven know which things I treasured the most? Which ones reminded me of my happiest days? I think I owe him that.  I really want him to know, so that one day they can be his treasures.

But that being said, there are a few people you feel the need to actually give a gift to, be it your child’s teacher, a special aunt,  your hairdresser or mailman.  And lots of money isn’t exactly what you might have had in mind.  Solution?  These jars.

Although they are little bit time consuming to make, they really are worth the effort.  And your end product is a special gift from YOU.  Someday after the holidays, the recipient will be sitting at home after dinner, maybe even watching it snow, and feel the urge to make a cup of the delicious hot cocoa you gave them.  Or one Saturday, they’ll whip up a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies.  And they’ll think about you.  Isn’t that the spirit of giving?

I was recently contacted by the folks at Domino and C&H Sugar, and they asked me to make a little something from their website   .  They were even kind enough to help me out with some of the expense with a $20 gift card (nice, huh?).  After perusing their site, I knew these Gift Jars were what I wanted to make.  I love the way each layer looks against the other (and if you must know, it does make me a little sad to think about them all getting mixed up later).  Typically these jars are made using canning jars, but I had a few suction lidded jars that I thought might look nice.  With a few squares of Holiday fabric and a couple of $1 Walmart ornaments, I was able to make both of these gifts for under $15 total.  Obviously the more you make, the lower the cost ratio goes, but if you are making 4 of the same recipe, you could easily keep the cost down to $5-$7 each.

I decided to make my own Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe for one jar, and the C&H recipe for Hot Cocoa.  I added some marshmallows and chocolate chips to it to make it extra yummy, so I hope the person who gets it loves it!

So, do you have any project ideas for thoughtful, crafty and not-to-spendy gifts? I would love to hear them!

german chocolate pie

It’s been a while since I have posted a recipe, so I thought I should maybe help you out with your upcoming Holiday Baking To-Do List.  This pie is a cinch to make, tastes fantastic (sooo chocolately!) and looks pretty, too! Isn’t that everything you want with a holiday dessert?

German Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups coconut (reserve a bit for decoration)
• 1/2 cup pecans or mixed nuts
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons constarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• pinch teaspoon salt
• 12 oz. evaporated milk
• chocolate syrup for garnish
• fully baked pie shell, from scratch of store bought

Directions

1. Mix coconut and nuts & set aside.
   
2. Put remaining ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
   
3. Pour into pie shell.
   
4. Sprinkle with coconut and nuts.
   
5. Bake at 375* for 45-50 minutes.
   
6. When cooled, top with reserved coconut (I used some large flakes) and chocolate syrup. 

 

Since I have been listing great deals for the other days of December, I thought it might be nice to leave you with a couple of nice Wish List Items you could pick up for yourself, another Foodie friend, or have your other half (we both know he’s probably not the “better” half, just the Other Half) pick up for you for Christmas.  Just try this:

“Oh, honey, look!  DoughMessTic has this awesome pie plate. She says it rocks and makes pie baking so much easier.  I bet if I had a pie pan just like that, I would bake pies for you all. the. time. I bet I would.  But, well, it would feel wrong to buy it for myself…maybe next year.”

And then leave this webpage up.  Maybe he’ll click it.
And if THAT doesn’t work, sneak his credit card out of his wallet while he’s taking a shower, and just buy it yourself. You deserve it.

 

The pie above I baked in a Fat Daddio’s removable bottom tart pan.  I LOVE that pan. It is high quality, easy to clean, and extra tall so that you can make big, fat pies.  I lined the bottom with parchment, and it slipped right out, nice and clean. (No, Fat Daddio’s did NOT pay me to say that…though I wish they would.)

I have also used and LOVE the Pie Plate from Emile Henry. Yes, it's a little bit pricy, but it is fabulous and really makes a statement when you take it to a party. Plus, you can leave it out on your counter or in an open faced cabinet because it looks so nice. I have it in yellow, 12 inch, as I won it last year during The Kitchn Pie Bake Off. Now I want these little guys, too - aren't they precious?

By the way, many of these type of items are available at Amazon with the 4 for 3 promotion...meaning, by 4, pay for 3. So stock up!!

Thanks for stopping by!

More Holiday Shopping Deals!

Today, December 1st, you can pick up TWO subscriptions for your favorite Foodie for one HUGELY discounted price! $19.95 will buy you a year of Food & Wine as well as Sunset!  This saves well over 80%, plus, there is a guarantee! If you don't like it, you can cancel at ANY TIME, for ANY REASON, and get a full refund.  Yes, really.  Just click the image below!



 

And go ahead and pick up a subscription for me, too? Thanks!