ebelskiver's

I know, you're going "What is an ebelskiver?!?!?!?" Well, ebelskiver's are these yummy pancake puff things. We saw the Williams Sonoma pan, but it was way to expensive. Mom thought Bed Bath and Beyond might have one, so she and Dad went there one day. They got two ebelskiver pans for less than one WS pan would have cost! We love these puffy pancakes now. They are so easy, and soooo yummy! We have put fresh cherries, chocolate chips, and banana slices in the middle. They were all very yummy.

these are chocolate chip ones.

these pictures were taken of ebelskiver's i made. it was my first time making them. mom's look prettier. :)

this is for the gumpy girl

... and anyone else who likes carrot cake.

Carrot Cake

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups finely shredded carrot (lightly packed)

3/4 cup cooking oil

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

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

In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl combine eggs, carrot, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack until completely cool. Leave cake in pan. Frost with Cream Cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar a cup at a time, until it reaches spreading consistency. This frost the top of one 9x13 cake. Store frosted cake in refrigerator.

i made this for potluck on Sunday and it was a hit!

sorry it is all smashed together. blogger won't let me fix it.

goat milk

Fresh raw goat milk is so yummy, especially when you milk it from your own goat. :-)

cupcake

lemons

breakfast: peppermint tea and oatmeal

~the recipe

Italian Cream Cake

from: The Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook



For the Cake

5 eggs

1/2 cup butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Separate eggs. Allow egg yolks, egg whites, and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and flour three 8 inch or 9 inch cake pans; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour and baking soda; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In an extra-large mixing bowl (or electric mixer) beat butter and shortening on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well combined. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Fold in coconut and pecans.

Thoroughly wash the beater[s]. In a medium bowl (or your electric mixer, just pour the batter into another bowl) beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter. Fold in remaining egg whites. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake about 25 minutes for 9 inch pans, about 35 minutes for 8 inch pans, or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.


For the Frosting
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 1/2 - 6 cups powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl (or electric mixer) beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.

Lay the first cake layer on your cake stand or plate. Spread about 1/2 cup frosting, then sprinkle 1/4 chopped pecans. Add another cake layer, spread with 1/2 cup frosting, sprinkle with 1/4 nuts. Add the last cake layer. Frost the top and sides of cake. Sprinkle additional pecans on top if desired.

Eat!

celebrating...

with Italian Cream Cake!

Celebrating what?

We now have a working oven again! Last week the heating element in our oven broke. I really didn't miss it though. Oddly enough. :)

Today Dad put the new element in, and after I cleaned the living room, I got to work making this yummy cake. Recipe to come... for know I'm going to go enjoy some dinner.

P.S. Please ignore the many bags of powdered milk, chocolate chips, and the Gold Fish box. :)

Chocolate Cake

I made the Pioneer Woman's Best Ever Chocolate Sheet Cake earlier. This cake is beyond description. It's so good. Go make it for yourself. And you will find out. Trust me. Go make it. Now.



Okay, so you don't have to make it now, or ever, I just thought you might like it. Because it's so good. And because the cake + frosting contains almost one pound of butter.

a baking kind of day

We didn't have everything I needed to primer my room, so that got put off till tomorrow.
But I did bake two things today. The first is...

Frosted Pan Hermits
from Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters

For Hermits:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup raisins (I used Cranraisins)
1 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

For Frosting:
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons butter (about 1/2 a tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with foil, shiny side up. Grease the foil with butter or vegetable spray.
To make the hermits: sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cream butter and brown sugar in electric mixer. Add the egg. Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons flour with nuts and dried fruit and fold into batter. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in middle comes out clean.
To make frosting: sift powdered sugar and salt into a bowl. Add butter and whisk until combined. Add vanilla and milk. Whisk. Pour frosting onto warm hermits and spread. Allow to set. When completely cool, cut into squares and eat!

Next I mixed up this yummy Chocolate Cake. It's in the oven now, and smells oh. so. good. And let me tell ya, the batter is delicious.

Have you been baking anything recently? What do bake during Christmas time? I would love to know! Leave a comment, even if you don't bake. I love hearing from my readers!

Sunday's Baking, on Saturday

Recipe to come...

I guess I'll call it...

Chili Mac. This is what I made for lunch on Wednesday. It is super yummy, and quick! This recipe makes a full 9x13 pan.
Gather your in ingredients.
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion
1 can diced tomatoes (drain some of the juice out.)
1 large can spaghetti sauce
2 lbs. macaroni
about 2 cups shredded cheese
spices of your choice

Boil water in a pot for the macaroni. Heat a skillet to cook the ground beef and onion in. Pour a tablespoon or so of olive oil in the skillet.

Chop the onion.

Add onion to skillet and saute until transparent. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly. Once meat is cooked, you may add whatever spices you like. I put in garlic powder, a bit of taco seasoning, and cumin.

Boil pasta, and drain.

Pour the sauce, tomatoes, meat, and pasta in the pot.

Stir until combined.

Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 pan, and sprinkle cheese over the top, if desired. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pasta is heated through.

Skinning a Chicken - not for the squeamish!

Pictures taken by my brother Jake.

Ow!

Joe and I had orthodontist appointments this afternoon. Now my mouth hurts bad. After the first 6 months, I wouldn't have any pain after appointments. But if they really tighten them up, then I do. Today was one of those times. We brought pizza home, and now I am eating some. Yum! Nothing like pizza, Pepsi, and blogging, right?
Sorry I haven't been around much. One of these day's I will sit down and blog. :-) For now, here are some links.

How to get rid of unwanted phone calls (the pick up-say hello-no one answers kind)

A gorgeous dress

Apple Pie

Yesterday morning I was cleaning the kitchen and living room, and getting the twins to clean the bathroom, and watching Sam (Mom and Jake had an appointment). Then I got the craving for apple pie. So, I whipped up some pie crust in our handy dandy food processor, had the twins go pick some apples, and made Pie! It was so good. We ate it for dessert last night, and Jake, Joe, and I had it for breakfast this morning. I am not a crust person, but this recipe was so good. It was sweet, not at all like store bought. It tasted almost like cookie dough. I had to stop eating it, or else there wouldn't have been enough for the top crust! :-) I will post the recipe later. Right now I better get back to my sewing!