Single Serve Pies

This is my second blog for the day.  (Look at me, being all productive and stuff!)  I thought that I would share something else that I made today and it's not exactly a "recipe", but an idea. 

I have had these small pie making tools in my possession for a while and since we are still staying inside, I decided that it was time to put them to use.  The metal one is from Pampered Chef (I have no idea how I acquired this or even how long I've owned it).  It was more than likely supposed to be for a sandwich to seal them and cut the crust off like those yummy ones that are sold in the freezer section, but I thought it would work just as well for mini pies.  The other is one that I found at Wal-mart and I believe it was only $4.88.  Oh, and it's made by Wilton.

This is what the Wilton one looked like out of the box and opened...

I also had a can of caramel apple pie filling in the pantry and made sure that I put it to good use.  All I needed now was pie crust.  Now, I could have just as easily made my own, but since my wife was going to the store anyways, I had her pick up a pre-made one and make my life just a tiny bit easier.

All that was left now was a little egg wash and some cinnamon sugar mixture.  I rolled out the crust and used the Wilton pie cutter to cut the circles that I needed.  I then filled the crusts with filling (2 tablespoons), brushed egg wash on the edges to seal the crusts and pressed the pie maker closed.  Then, brushed with egg wash on the top, sprinkled on the cinnamon sugar mixture and pricked with a fork so that the steam escapes.  Viola!  Pie.  I then placed them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and placed in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.  My brother in law said that they taste pretty close to the ones that a popular taco place sells. And since I love those, that made my day!

Red Velvet Cherry Dump Cake

If you've never had or never heard of dump cake, you're missing out.  I make several dump cakes every years because it's just SO GOOD! 

While I was scrolling through Facebook this morning since we were basically on lock down because of the weather, one of the pages that I "like" was showing this recipe for a red velvet dump cake.  So since I had nothing better to do today, I thought, "Why not?".  Here's the link and the recipe from the site with the pictures from the one that I made...

http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2014/01/28/red-velvet-cherry-dump-cake/

Ingredients

• 2 cans (21 ounces each can) cherry pie filling
• 1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ½ cups sweetened coconut

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray.
Dump the two cans of cherries into the pan. Spread with a spatula to make even.

Sprinkle cake mix over the cherries, doing your best to evenly distribute the mix. 

Pour butter evenly as best you can over the cake mix.

Sprinkle the coconut on top of the butter covered cake mix. 

 

 

Bake for 50-60 minutes. 

 

Remove from oven. You can serve dump cake warm or cold.

 

I haven't cut into mine yet so I can't show you want the inside looked like, but what I can tell you is that my house smelled yummy for at least 2 hours!  

 

 

Easy Peasy Candy Making

When the whole state has basically shut down because of a little snow, what do you do?  Well, what I did was make homemade butter rum candy.  This is WAY easier than you would think and one of the very first recipes that I've ever done.  Oh, and the best part of the whole thing?  I made it in the microwave.  Yep, sure did!

I can't take credit for the recipe itself because it's on the package insert of LorAnn oils.  I did, however, follow my own directions because I wanted "pretty" candy.  Here's what the insert says...

Microwave Hard Candy

1c granulated sugar
1/2c light corn syrup
1/2 dram (1/2t) LorAnn Gourmet Flavoring
food coloring (optional)
powdered sugar (optional)

Thoroughly mix sugar and light corn syrup in a 4 cup microwave-safe glass measure.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave in high for 3 minutes 10 seconds.  Remove from microwave and carefully remove plastic wrap.  Quickly stir the sugar mixture and then cover with a new sheet of plastic wrap.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes 10 seconds.  Remove from microwave, carefully remove plastic wrap and stir.  Use caution to avoid rising steam.  Stir in coloring and then flavoring.  Pour syrup quickly, but carefully, into lightly oiled lollipop molds or onto greased cookie sheet (score at once to mark squares; break into pieces when cool). Let candy cool until hardened.  When cool, dust with powdered sugar to keep from sticking.  Store in an airtight container.

Here's what I did differently...

I added the coloring to the sugar and syrup mixture before I placed it in the microwave.  I only cooked the sugar mixture for 3 minutes each time.  After the second cycle, I added the flavoring and then stirred the mixture until it started to thicken.  I then poured the mixture on a silicone mat so that I could "fold" it into itself (using the mat), making a log.  The idea was to add air to the candy.  When I could finally touch it and form it into a log, I began pulling it.  The more air, the better.  Then I divided the candy log in half and rolled it out to the thickness that I wanted and then took my kitchen scissors and cut it into pieces.  I then spread the candy out on another silicone mat, in an even layer, to finish hardening, making sure not to let the pieces touch.  After they hardened, I put them in a ziploc bag and sprinkled with powdered sugar and shook.  That's it!

My notes:

-I wore rubber gloves when I was pulling the candy.  This helps protect your hands, somewhat, from the heat and getting burned. 

-If your hands get too hot and start to burn, touch your hands to your shoulders.  (Left hand to left shoulder, right hand to right shoulder)  The pain will almost instantly go away.

-Make sure that you work quickly, but carefully.  If the candy starts to get too hard while you're trying to form it, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.

-I love the rustic, homemade look of the scissor cutting method, but a baking dish would work just as well.  I've used an oiled loaf pan before and made thicker "shards" of candy.

Banana Bread...Kicked Up A Notch

I don't think that I have ever met anyone that didn't like homemade banana nut bread.  I know that my family loves it and I can guess who I'm going to get messages from when this posts saying that they want a piece, are coming over or the popular question, "Where's mine?".

I came across this recipe a little over a year ago (not sure where or I would definitely share!) and my first thought was, "You can make banana bread better??".  Why, yes, yes you can!  Whoda thunk it!  This recipe makes the bread so moist and flavorful that you just may toss out your tradition recipe... I did.  :)

Banana Cream Cheese Bread
Yields 1 large loaf or 4 mini loaves

1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1c granulated sugar
1/4c butter or margarine, softened
1c mashed bananas (2-3 medium)
1 1/2t vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4c all-purpose flour
1 1/2t baking powder
1/2t baking soda
1c chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease and flour loaf pan(s), set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and sugar, beating until well mixed.  Add bananas, eggs and vanilla, mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda and add (slowly) to banana mixture and mix until just moistened.  Do not over-mix!! (I forgot to take a picture of this step :( Sorry!)

Fold in the nuts.

Spread in the prepared pan(s) and bake at 350* for 60-70 minutes for large pan or 35-40 minutes for small pans or until bread tests done. 

 Cool 10 minutes then remove from pan(s) and place on a wire rack to continue to cool.

My notes:
-If you've noticed the top of the bread getting too dark brown and the center not cooking, cover with foil.  The foil prevents the bread from getting any darker. 

-I used my fancy-schmancy stoneware loaf pan and didn't have to use anything to grease the pan!  If you have one, I recommend using it. 

-I didn't add nuts to my bread this time because my wife doesn't like them.  Yes, I know, she's weird.  But trust me, you don't miss them!

-You could probably get away with dividing the dough between 2 large loaf pans since it rises so high in just one.  It's really whatever you prefer.

Balsamic Chicken... Fix It And Forget It

I absolutely LOVE my slow cookers.  They have to be one of my favorite appliances, next to my Kitchenaid mixers, that is.  :)  Any time that I can find a recipe converted to a slow cooker one, I have to try it!  This is one of the newest ones added to my ever-growing collection.  Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
1/2c balsamic vinegar
1T olive oil
1t dried oregano
1t dried basil
1t dried rosemary
1/2t dried thyme
salt and pepper

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of your slow cooker sleeve.  Add chicken and salt and pepper each piece.  Place sliced onions on top of chicken, then add all of the herbs and garlic.  Finally, add vinegar and tomatoes.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.  Serving suggestion: serve over angel hair pasta.

Before it cooked...

My Notes...

I used frozen chicken in this recipe today because I forgot to thaw it before hand, I just cooked it a little while longer.   Another reason I love the slow cooker!

I'm also a HUGE fan of short cuts in the grocery store and let me tell you, companies are coming out with a lot of them lately.  For the garlic, I used the crushed garlic cubes found in the frozen section next to the veggies.  1 cube equals 1 clove.  I chose this because who wants a huge hunk of garlic accidentally being eaten?  This way, the garlic flavor is still there and it kinda dissolves in the sauce.  You can also get the jar of already minced garlic in the produce section.

The frozen garlic that I bought looks like this...

And here is the finished product (before plating, of course)...

Salted Caramels? Yes, Please!!

If you're like me, you find making caramel intimidating.  I did, at least, until I made these.  Trust me when I tell you that they are heaven in your mouth!  Another great aspect... You can freeze them!  I love that part!  I made a whole batch and froze half of it.  When I had a craving, I pulled a few out and let them soften up a little, for about 15 minutes (so they wouldn't break my teeth) and then ate until I was satisfied.  Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:
1 1/3c heavy cream
2c granulated sugar
1/2c light corn syrup
1/3c honey
6T butter, cut into tablespoons
1t vanilla extract
3t sea salt (do not use kosher or table salt. It won't dissolve correctly)
1 bag of 70% Cacao chocolate chips (Ghiradelli)

1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.  Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey until it begins to boil. Periodically (this is important!!), wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla and 2t of salt.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator until  firm enough to cut.
6. Cut the caramel into strips and then small squares using a chefs knife. (They are kinda rich so small squares work best for me, but make into whatever size suits you and your tastes.)
7. After cutting the caramels, put them on a wax paper lined baking sheet so they aren't touching and place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.  The colder they are, the easier they are to dip in the chocolate.
8. Place the remainder of sea salt in a small dish next to your work area so that you have it right at your fingertips when needed.  (You may need a little more than 1t.  Just add whatever you want to the dish.)
9. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in one at a time, shaking (or tapping) of the excess.
10. Place candy on a wax lined baking sheet and while the chocolate is still wet (almost set) sprinkle on the sea salt. If you do this while it is too warm, the salt will melt right into the chocolate.  If you wait too long, it won't stick.  Timing is everything!

These are SO good!  I think I'm going to pull some out of the freezer now. :)  Until next time...

Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming
Read more at http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/12/happy-holidays-make-homemade-sea-salt-caramels.html#laHviGh1ReEyoH8h.99

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into tablespoons
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt
1 bag 70% Cacao Chocolate chips
Read more at http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/12/happy-holidays-make-homemade-sea-salt-caramels.html#laHviGh1ReEyoH8h.99

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into tablespoons
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt
1 bag 70% Cacao Chocolate chips
Read more at http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/12/happy-holidays-make-homemade-sea-salt-caramels.html#laHviGh1ReEyoH8h.9

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into tablespoons
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt
1 bag 70% Cacao Chocolate chips
Read more at http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/12/happy-holidays-make-homemade-sea-salt-caramels.html#laHviGh1ReEyoH8h.99

Minion Dave Has Arrived!

After all the hard work that I put in, Minion Dave is here!  It took longer than I would have liked, but I think that he turned out great.  I am VERY proud of him.  I had a lot of errors that I had to fix and I also have to admit, the small cake was a little rushed.  It could have been better, but frankly, I was tired of looking at cake!  Hahaha.  My wife loved him and said that no one was to cut into him so everyone that was here for her party had to make do with the smaller cake.  They all said that it tasted good and I had to take their word for it because... I don't like cake.  Yep, I said it.  I'm a cake decorator and I don't like cake.  There are probably 2 times a year that I even want to try a piece and my own birthday is usually not one of them.  Don't judge me, I can't help it!  :)

Oh!  And the surprise that I promised... It's a lotus candle!  You light the center of it and it lights smaller candles and then spins.  It's also supposed to play "Happy Birthday", but ours sadly didn't.  It's ok though, it was awesome without it!!!  Here are some pictures...

This was Dave when he was finished.  The next day (today) is when I made the smaller cake and added the candle.

This is Dave finished with the smaller cake.  I put the candle on (as you can see from the round dent in the small cake) and then took it off for pictures.

And this is Dave finished with the candle!  Isn't he adorable??  

In case anyone out there in blog reader land was wondering, the cake was all yellow with vanilla buttercream and marshmallow fondant (MMF).  All of which was made by ME! 

The Eyes Have It!!

My wife's birthday is coming up and when I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, the answer to the question should have been obvious.  A minion cake.  And not just ANY minion.  Minion Dave.  So after a week or so of planning and debating if he is going to be 3D or a flat shaped cake, I made the final decision.  He is going to be 3D with a little "smash" cake in front of him.  I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew... **sigh**

I started on his details today so they had enough time to dry because I don't want things to get droopy.  I mean, who wants a droopy eyed minion on their birthday?  It took me an hour to get the goggles and eyes done and I haven't even assembled it yet!  Why, you ask?  Because my air brushing machine was acting hinky.  I had to disassemble it to see what was going on and get that thing running!  Now, I'm just waiting on things to dry then I will assemble the eyes and let that set up completely so it's ready for Saturday.  In the meantime, I need to get started on his hair.  I just took a minute to update you on what I have going on.  I can't wait to share the final cake and the "surprise" that I have in store.  :)

Learning To Be A Professional Cake Decorator...

A few years ago, I started taking the cake decorating classes at the local craft store.  After realizing that the instructor was not as good as she should have been, I decided to not go anymore.  This was after taking 2 of the 3 courses that they offered at the time.  I figured that I had the basics, I had this under control.  Then reality set in...

7 years later... I decorated a few cakes and giant cookies and things like that, but I was definitely far away from my goal of being able to make some money and produce some awesome cakes.  In those 7 years, I continue to purchase cake decorating supplies *just in case* and I have spent way more than I would like to say, but at least I have everything that I feel any serious decorator would have. 

Last year, I bit the bullet and asked my cousin who makes AWESOME cakes to show me the basics of fondant and help me get started.  She was more than willing to help and I thank God for her every single time I attempt a cake.  Without her, I would still have a room full of supplies and no idea what in the world to do with most of them.

I have since tried other mediums as well as fondant, such as modeling chocolate.  <---Love that stuff!  I am still by no means a professional, but I'm getting there.  I will attach a picture of the birthday cake that I recently made for my sister.  In the picture, you will see the cake that she wanted and the cake that I made.  I must say, I like mine better and so did she...THANK GOODNESS!  The owl is completely modeling chocolate (I'm kinda proud of that little bugger!!) as well as the borders.  The blue is fondant. (Sorry about the lighting!)

Day one...

A friend of mine just started a blog and I thought, why not?  I can do this.  I can write about the things that I do, cakes that I decorate, things that I bake, photos I take and so many other things that I do to keep myself busy.  Yep, I can do this.  Are you ready for this?  Heck, are WE ready for this?? 

Here we go...