It's That Time of Year Again!

Here we go with Tax Season again and to start things off we have what I call Brownie Bombs.

Ingredients:

I Box Brownie Mix or your favorite brownie recipe

24 Lindor Truffles, unwrapped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 24 cup mini muffin pan (I use cooking spray).

Mix up brownies using the "chewy" recipe rather than the "cakey" recipe off the mix box. 

Divide batter evenly between the 24 cups.  Bake about 20 minutes or until browmies are done. 

Remove from oven and immediately press a truffle into each brownie.  The truffles will melt and flatten out as they cool.  Cool completely in pan. 

When cool, run a knife around the edge of each brownie and pop them out of the pan.

This recipe is open to all kinds of variation.  You can use mini peanut butter cups instead of truffles.  Or Rolos.  Instead of brownies, use the cookie dough of your choice.  One packet of Betty Crocker cookie mix will make exactly 24 mini muffins.  I have used Chocolate chip dough with Rolos (see October's S'more Cups), Sugar cookie dough with white chocolate truffles (see below) and peanut butter dough with peanut butter cups.  Just be prepared for a sugar rush!

Halloween Goodies!

DH is in St. Louis to see the band, Umphrey's McGee do their annual Halloween Mash Up show.  I sent along a box of goodies with him.

From MyRecipes.com: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001661173:

Cinnamon Pumpkin Brittle

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups toasted hulled pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)

Directions:
1. Lightly butter a 10- by 15-in. baking pan. In a small bowl, stir baking soda in vanilla to dissolve; set aside. In another bowl, stir together cinnamon and salt (to help the cinnamon distribute evenly when it's stirred into the sugar mixture).

2. In a 4- to 5-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat, use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir together sugar, 1/2 cup water, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium and boil sugar mixture, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep amber and measures 335° to 340° on a candy thermometer, 8 to 12 minutes.

3. Remove sugar mixture from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and cinnamon mixtures (they will bubble up). Immediately stir in pumpkin seeds and pour into prepared pan, using spatula or wooden spoon to evenly spread and fill pan. Let brittle cool at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Gently twist pan to release brittle (if necessary, run a heatproof spatula underneath brittle to help release it), then chop or break it into chunks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

From McCormick Shilling at: http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Desserts/Caramel-Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Bars.aspx

Caramel Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
3/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
7 ounces (1/2 of 14-ounce package) caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in large bowl. Add butter; stir until mixture is well blended and forms coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 (about 2 1/4 cups) for the topping. Add pumpkin and vanilla to remaining mixture in bowl; stir until well blended. Press evenly into bottom of greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

2. Microwave caramels and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. Let stand 1 minute. Pour over pumpkin mixture in pan, spreading to within 1/2-inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.

TipsTest Kitchen Tip: Prepare as directed, using 1 tablespoon McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

From BettyCrocker.com at: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/caramel-smore-cups/9916aa44-083c-4507-8db9-49d0a92f62f7

Caramel S’more Cups

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
24 round chewy caramels in milk chocolate, from 3 (1.91-oz) rolls, unwrapped (Rolos)
72 mini marshmallows (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.

2.Make cookie dough as directed on package, using butter and egg. Shape dough into 24 (1 1/2-inch) balls. Place 1 ball into each muffin cup.

3.Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove from oven; firmly press 1 candy into center of each cookie until flush with cookie top. Top each with 3 marshmallows. Bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Loosen edges of cookie with small metal spatula and remove to cooling racks. Cool completely.

4.Place chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle chocolate over marshmallows. Let stand until hardened, about 10 minutes.

Also from Betty Crocker at: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cinnamon-bun-bars/b64ffc29-891d-493b-84cf-a330aff19697

Cinnamon Bun Bars

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® butter recipe yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup caramel topping
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2.In large bowl, beat cake mix, softened butter, milk and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until blended. Spread evenly in pan.

3.In medium bowl, mix brown sugar, caramel topping, melted butter, pecans and cinnamon. Drop by spoonfuls on top of batter, and spread evenly.

4.Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until topping is deep golden brown and slightly puffed throughout. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered.

The last recipe I don't have a photo.  I simply took a pan of brownies, and spread the top with 7 oz. of caramels melted with 1 Tbsp. milk.  Then I pressed Autumn colored M&M's and honey roasted peanuts into the caramel.  It sort of looked like birdseed, lol!  Hopefully, it tastes better than that!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Today is DH's last day at his current employer.  For his final Friday cake, he wanted Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes.

I got this recipe from the website http://www.bakeitinacake.com/
I won't reprint the recipe here.  Just follow the link.  Lots' of great goodies there!

Butterscotch Zucchini Cake

I haven't baked in awhile, but an excess of zucchini and the mention of this cake on a music forum prompted me to try this recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 cake pan.

Sift flour, sugar, soda, powder, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. 

Add eggs and oil and mix well.  Mix in grated zucchini and nuts.

Pour into pan.  Sprinkle butterscotch chips on top of batter.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Summer Camp Festival Goodies

DH is here this weekend. Since I couldn't go with him this year, I sent along for he and his "crew" some baked goods to keep the sugar rush going :-)  I didn't take any pictures before I packed them up but the recipes are below.

The Coconut Almond Bars I have posted before.  The only change I made was to "frost" them with pure, melted semi-sweet chocolate.

Peanut Butter Three-Chip Cookies is something I adapted from another recipe.

PEANUT BUTTER THREE-CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, rough chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in chips and peanuts.

Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bale for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

The Sugar Cookie came from Taste of Home website.

SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

additional sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla.  Mix well.  Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Add to creamed mixture.

Shape into 1 inch balls.  Roll in sugar.  Place on greased baking sheet.  Flatten with the bottom of a glass (I used a cookie stamp).  Bake 10-12 minutes until set and lightly browned.  Cool for a moment and them remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 5 dozen.

Rum Cashew Biscotti is an old favorite that used to be available from bettycrocker.com but they took it off the website.  It is also in the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook.

RUM-CASHEW BISCOTTI

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2  tsp. rum extract

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup unsalted cashew pieces. (if all you can find are salted nuts, omit the salt in the recipe)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Beat sugar, oil, rum extract and eggs.  Stir in remaning ingredients.  Turn out unto lightly floured surface and gently knead unitl smooth.  Shape half the dough at a time into a log 10 x 3 inches.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on baking sheet 15 minutes.  Cut each log crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.  Place slices, cut side down back on baking sheet.  Bake about 15 minutes, turning once, until crisp and lightly brown. Immediately remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen

The Raspberry Swirls are from the Taste of Home's The Ultimate Cookie Collection Book.  It is also available online here. 

RASPBERRY SWIRLS

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 jar (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
 
Directions:
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and chill dough for at least 2 hours.
 
Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Combine the jam, coconut and pecans; spread over rectangles. Carefully roll up, starting with the long end, into a tight jelly roll. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 2-3 hours.
 
Preheat oven to 375F
 
Cut into 1/4-in. slices; place on greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool cookies on baking sheet for a minute before transfering to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 8 dozen.

Mojito Cake

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I made a cake from http://www.bettycrocker.com/.  Make sure you use strong mint leaves.  The mint I got from the grocery store wasn't strong enough to give a good flavor.

Cake:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

1 cup unflavored carbonated water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rum or 1 teaspoon rum extract plus 1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
3 egg whites

Glaze:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup rum or 2 teaspoons rum extract plus 1/2 cup water

Garnish

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
15 fresh mint leaves, if desired
Shredded lime peel, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350°F for shiny metal or glass pan (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

2. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.

3. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix glaze ingredients. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until glaze has thickened slightly.

5. Poke warm cake every inch with fork tines. Pour glaze slowly over cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

6. In small bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar on high speed until soft peaks form. Garnish each serving with whipped cream, mint leaf and shredded lime peel. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Pie with Three-Nut Topping

For the last Friday of tax season, I asked DH what kind of cake he wanted.  His response was not a cake but one of his favorite pies.  The recipe originally came from an old raggitty copy of Bon Appetit and is online here http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sweet-Potato-Pie-with-Three-Nut-Topping-2650 , though I don't use the crust recipe.  I don't like it as well as regular pie crust for this.  

There is a funny story behind this particular pie recipe.  Years ago we lived in this dinky apartment in SF.  One of the notable features of this place was an old gas oven with a broken thermostat.  The only way to regulate the temperature was to open and close the oven door until the temperature was correct.  DH worked for a different firm then, and one of the firm's clients was a sweet potato farmer.  Periodically, he would come home with a half dozen sweet potatoes and they were just the best thing I'd ever tasted.  At the tax season party that year, one of the partners mentioned that he'd heard I liked the sweet  potatoes and I told him that if he got me a whole box, I would make him a sweet potato pie. 

Well, sure enough, some weeks later, DH comes lugging home a 40 lb box!  So I pulled out the special recipe for sweet potato pie.  But DH felt we couldn't just single out one partner, so maybe I should make one for each of the four partners.  Ok, no problem.  Then it was, maybe I should make one for each of the managers too, uh, then maybe the senior accountants...  I ended up making a pie for each person at the firm, a grand total of 23.  In a broken oven.  And I used less than half the box of potatoes.  But every pie came out perfect and this has become a favorite recipe!  I only made two pies today;-)

Ingredients:

1 deep dish 9 inch pie crust.  (I used Marie Calendar's premade crust, thawed.  I never have been able to make a decent scratch pie crust).

Filling:
18 oz. sweet potatoes
3 large eggs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark browm sugar
2 Tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup whipping cream

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
1/3 cup whole almonds, toasted
1/3 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup walnut halves, toasted

Preheat oven to 350F.  Poke skins of the potatoes with a knife and microwave for about 20 minutes, until very tender.  Cool until able to handle.  Scoop potato out of skins into mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth.  Add eggs and beat.  Cook butter over medium heat until melted and brown.  Add sugar, honey and pumpkin pie spice.  Boil for one minute, stirring constantly.  Whisk in cream.  With mixer on low, slowly pour cream and sugur mixture into sweet potato mixture.  Pour filling into crust.  Bake until center moves only slightly when pie is shaken, about 40 minutes. 

Toward the end of the baking time, prepare topping.  Melt butter in saucepan with brown sugar and honey on low heat.  Once sugar has dissolved, turn up heat to medium and boil one minute.  Stir in nuts and coat completely.  Quickly spoon hot nut mixture over pie.  Continue baking until topping bubbles, 5-10 minutes.  Cool completely before serving.