Buñuelos

 

 

I can't believe April has come and gone and we are headed into May. Does anyone have any exciting plans for the Summer? We are hoping to visit my husbands family in Southern California.

 

Last weekend we pulled out the slip n' slide for the first time this year (it was 80's last weekend) and my 2 and 3 year old acted amazed. They are still practicing how it works but my 2 year old was so proud of his 2 inch slide! We were too!

 

Anyways, with holidays right around the corner, these little donuts would make a perfect dessert/treat for your loved ones. I seriously have an obsession with all things Sopapilla, Bunuelo, and pan dulce related. There is truly nothing better than the combination of fried dough and cinnamon-sugar.

 

These are also fairly easy to whip up, but are best when left to dry for a couple of hours to over night. My patience is obviously limited so mine only dried for 30 minutes.

 

Let's get this party started OK!?

 

For the Dough:

(makes 10-12 buñuelos)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

 

Vegetable Oil for Frying

 

Cinnamon Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, orange zest, pinch of salt and cinnamon.

Set aside.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt together the butter, milk, and vanilla and bring to a soft boil and shut off the heat. Temper a small amount of the mixture into your beaten egg, then add it to the sauce pan.

Pour immediately into your dry ingredients and mix with your hands (dough will be sticky)

With floured hands, and a floured work surface, knead your dough until it forms a smooth ball, 1-2 minutes. Remove 2-inch portions and roll into a ball, place on a floured work surface, and using your rolling pin, roll into a flat tortilla about 4 inches wide.

Place on a parchment lined plate and let them dry for 30 minutes to overnight for crispier buñuelous.

In a medium pot, place oil to equal 3/4-1 inch high. Heat to 350 degrees and place your bueñuelo, frying until golden and puffed and turning. Place the bunuelos on a cooling rack standing up.
Mix the ingredients for the cinnamon-sugar topping in a plate or bowl and sprinkle over warm buñuelos.

The buñuelos are best served warm with a drizzle of honey and a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

 

YUMMMMMMMM! And I apologize for how sporadic the chit chat was in this blog post...



Cannoli Cheesecake

 

 

Is it pathetic that all I remember about certain events are what the food was?

 

One of the best things about my passed birthdays was a chocolate raspberry cake I made.

 

And the one thing I remember the most about a hotel at the Lake was their cannolis in their buffet. Not only was the buffet amazing but the cannolis were to die for. I might have had three? Did I say might, because I 110% did....

 

When I was pregnant with my 1st son I found out Whole Foods had cannolis in their bakery... Needless to say, you would know where to find my husband at 9 pm on any given night.

 

So when I found this recipe for Cannoli Cheesecake, I knew I had to make it.

 

It was probably the best decision I ever made...

 

For the Crust:

2 cups crushed Nilla Wafers

3 Tablespoons  granulated sugar

7 Tablespoons butter, melted

 

Cheesecake filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, room temp (use a good brand people! Store brand does not cut it for cheesecakes)

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 Tablespoons flour

pinch of salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

zest of 1 medium orange

1 Tablespoon vanilla

4 eggs, room temperature

Powdered sugar for dusting

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl mix together the crust ingredients and press evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove crust, lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and set to the side to cool.

 

Start on your filling ingredients by placing the cheeses, flour, and pinch of salt in a large bowl and beating until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Scrape the bowl often to insure that there are no large lumps of cheese and everything is well blended. Add in the granulated sugar and beat until smooth. Mix in the chocolate chips, orange zest and vanilla just until combined, do not over mix.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Pour filling into crust and bake for 55-65 minutes. Check on the cheesecake right at the 55 minute mark. Unfortunately, over baking can cause your cheesecake to crack (as happened to mine) so cook it just until the edges are puffed and the center is still wobbly.

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack then cover and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.

(Don't judge a cheesecake by its cracks!)

 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve!

 

This cheesecake tastes just like cannoli filling and the orange zest adds just the right zing.

 

Make this cheesecake today... you won't regret it!

 

 



Butter Pecan Cake

 

 

I have been trying to post this recipe since before Easter!

 

Shows how crazy my life has been...

 

So please ignore the little bunny in my second picture!

 

Lets get to the recipe... OK?

 

For the Cake:

(recipe adapted from Lady Behind the Curtain)

 

3 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 bag of toffee bits

1 cup chopped pecans

 

Caramel ice cream topping

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick spray and lightly flour. Set aside.

 

With a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture, into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and ending with the flour, beating after each addition.

Stir in the toffee bits and pecans and pour batter into your prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You may need to cover with aluminum foil during the last 30 minutes or so to prevent over browning. You do NOT want to over bake this moist cake. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto your serving plate. Let cool slightly before pouring on the caramel topping!

 

The cake batter tastes JUST like butter pecan ice cream... Not that I licked the beaters or anything. This cake is delicious served warm and keeps well when covered with plastic wrap!

 

Enjoy everyone and have a great weekend!

 

 

 



Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwich

I have a 2-fer recipe for all of you, so I hope you enjoy it!

The weather is finally starting to warm up so hopefully that means summer is right around the corner... So what's better than a cool ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day? I'm thinking nothing...

Plus, the ice cream is TECHNICALLY frozen yogurt... so that means its healthy right? Oh, but there's also butter and chocolate chips you say? Well.....


For the Frozen Yogurt:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup vanilla yogurt (i used half Chobani greek and half regular yogurt)

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the chocolate chips and stir.
3. Add the flour/chocolate mixture to the butter mixture and stir to blend. Add the yogurt and fold it in.
4. Place mixture in an airtight container, cover and freeze until set.

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

For the Double Chocolate Cookies:
(recipe adapted from Food Network)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs at room temp
2 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

1. In a microwave safe bowl, place the 3/4 cup of chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons on butter and melt for 1 minute on high, checking at the 1/2 way mark to stir. Continue until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, 2 Tablespoons of water, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture (in 3 parts) until thick and completely combined. Fold in the melted chocolate and stir in the 1 cup of chocolate chips.
4. Place 1/4 cup fulls of batter on to the prepared cookie sheets and bake until slightly puffed and the tops begin to crack, around 18 minutes. Place cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Remove the frozen yogurt from the freezer 30 minutes before making your ice cream sandwiches to get it nice and soft. Place one cookie, a large scoop of ice cream and sandwich with another cookie!

I hope you enjoy this RICH (trust me, I checked his wallet) ice cream sandwich!

Cheddar-Sausage Biscuits

These biscuits are to die for. To. Die. FOR.

Out of the oven they are flaky, cheesy, buttery, and just a little salty from the pieces of sausage. We topped ours with fresh homemade strawberry jam and I thought I was floating on a buttery cloud.

They would be fabulous cut in half with a fried egg as an easy breakfast idea!

I really had to practice self-control because my mind told me to eat 10 of them (I only had 2 in one sitting, I promise).

If you are looking for a delicious breakfast that will impress... This is for you!

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.

For the Biscuits:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 pound cooked breakfast sausage links, cut into pieces
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar, diced into small cubes
1 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon whole milk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the cubed butter and either using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut the butter until it resembles the size of a pea. Stir in the sausage and cheese.

Add in the sour cream and milk and stir gently until the dry ingredients are moistened. Knead a few times with your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Turn the dough out on to the parchment lined baking sheet and pat (or roll) out into an 8x10" rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 squares, separate, and place 1 inch apart on the parchment paper. Brush the tops with half of the butter mixture and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

 

1-2 minutes before the biscuits are done, brush with the rest of the butter mixture. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

These biscuits are best served the day they are made, but they can also be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for about 3 days.

Enjoy everyone and happy Monday!

Frozen Key Lime Pie

 

 

Is everyone ready for Summer? I know I am. And then in Summer I will be all too ready for Fall, and then Winter, and then Summer again... Its a vicious cycle. But honestly, this 50-degree-weather-with-rain Spring we have been having is not the business. Yeah yeah yeah, "April Showers, May Flowers"... I get it.

 

But it doesn't mean that I don't long for the days of ice cream, BBQ's, pool time, and the warm sun.

 

It also doesn't help that this pie really put me in the mood either. It's tart, sweet, creamy, and so cool. (I would have put sun glasses on it, but I thought that would detract you guys from just how yummy it is!)

 

This was actually our Easter dessert and it didn't get to see Tuesday morning... Ces't la vie!

 

Lets get started shall we?

 

Hey, that rhymed... I should be a rapper! A key lime pie rapper... "I love key lime pie, it hits me in the... eye?" OK. Never mind.

 

Recipe adapted from Lick My Spoon

 

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10-15 crackers)

1/4 cup sugar

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

 

For the Filling:

6 large egg yolks, at room temp

1/4 cup sugar

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 Tablespoons grated lime zest

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (this is about 5 limes)

 

For the Topping:

2 cups cold heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

 

Thinly sliced lime wedges for garnish

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

For the crust, in a medium bowl combine the crumbs, butter, and granulated sugar. Mix until the crumbs are saturated and press evenly into a 9-inch pie pan. Using a cup to flatten assists in the evenness. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely.

 

For the filling, in a medium heat proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and lime juice until combined. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (to create a double broiler) and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is frothy and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the simmering water and whisk in the condensed milk and lime zest until fully combined. Pour into the cooled pie shell and place in the freezer, 4 hours or up to overnight.

 

An hour before serving, remove your pie from the freezer and make the whipped topping.

 

Whisk the heavy cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Pipe or spoon over the pie, decorate with lime wedges, and place back into the freezer.

 

Remove the pie 10-15 minutes before serving. Using a foil pan will help the frozen pie lift right out. Slice and serve.

 

Enjoy this cool, tangy, and delectable pie!