Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE & Bake it, Make it & Take it with Stampin' Mama

                                                                            

 
Forgive me, I was a little slow to post our Bake it, Make it & Take it feature this week. Erika a.k.a Stampin' Mama had it already up and live the other day and I didn't even notice it. Too many cookbooks on the brain I guess!

She emailed me and said she was making muffins using my Blueberry and Strawberry Muffin Recipe. This is a great Basic Muffin Recipe that you can use as a base to create all sorts of yummy muffins. You can click here to see the recipe in all it's yumminess! I used that word in my last post too. I like it. I think I'll keep it as my yummiest word of the week! Duh!

You can put raspberries in them.

                                                                        

Chocolate Chips go real good in them too!

                                                                         

Strawberries are in season now!

                                                            

And my favorite, Blueberries for the most delicious Blueberry Muffins :-)

                                                          

They come out of the oven looking like this....
                                                                     

And then you stamp a cutesy paper bag, see, just like this, and you have to cut out a window so everyone can see the yumminess inside!

Erika had Zach home this week with pink-eye and although he felt fine, he couldn't go to school. So, being the good Mom that she is, they had their little chai parties each morning for breakfast with the muffins she made. He's the cutest boy a Nana could ever want! You have to take a stroll over to her blog and see her photos, not just for this groovy guilt-free paper lunch bag that she made, but to see her amazing works of art using stamps and paper crafts.  If you're a crafter, you won't be sorry!

Oh, and you absolutely have to stamp the words "guilt-free" on it. There is a reason for this.... 

Erika says, "One thing my dad always taught me is that there's no calories in something if you eat it standing up. Now...whether you choose to believe that or not is entirely up to you. I like to think that if I make my muffins with organic flour and unrefined sugar, I don't have to worry about all the guilt. A muffin is only as guilt-free as you like to think it is. haha!"

Then, you put a huge pink polka-dotted ribbon on it like this. Isn't that the most awesome designer bag you've ever seen? You can make this too! I can't though, because I don't do crafts! Don't ask!

                                                                                    

That's my Five-Cent Tour of Basic Muffins!  And Erika's $5.00 Tour of Paper Crafts and Stamping!

Now, you have to click here for the Basic Muffin Recipe for all these yummy muffins from Yummy-ville, (yeah, I know, it's corny, but it's 3:30am and I'm still awake writing this, so I'm a little punchy). Then you click here and this will bring you to Erika's Stampin' Mama Designs page where she'll show you step-by-step how to make these designer Lunch Bags!

Sweety Pies, Cookbook Addictions and Give-Aways

Sweety Pies and Cookbook Collections
If you've been one of my groupies for any length of time now, you know that once I'm done reviewing a book, I like to give it away and make someone else love me even more! The fact that a cookbook collection just won't fit in our tiny boat also has something to do with that generous outpouring of goodwill as well! In my former life as commercial baker and caterer, I've had in my possession, over 300 cookbooks on my shelves at any given time. Of course, this was when we lived in a 2200 square foot house. Now, our whole boat would probably fit into one of your standard bathrooms or walk-in closets! So, real estate at our place is at a premium!
                                                                              

Suite101 and Publishers
I just did a cookbook review for Suite101 on an amazing book called "Sweety Pies" by Patty Pinner. Actually, it ended up being a total of 3 articles and recipes by the time I was done! The Taunton Press publishers have been a great company to work with. When I first got into this review project, I thought, "OK, this is a pretty nice book and I'd really like to see it and possibly review it."  Well, I gotta tell you, after reading "Sweety Pies" from cover to cover like a novel that can't be put down, I was absolutely in love with the book and won't part with it!

I emailed them and told them what I was doing and would they be interested in sending along another copy for me to use as a Give-Away. "Absolutely" they said and I had it in my hand in 2 days along with 2 others! It's always like Christmas when I get a package of books.
                                                                           

Cookbook Addiction - Not a Pretty Sight!
Maybe you're a little like me. A cookbook isn't just a book of recipes. It's so much more than that. I have a friend over at My Cookbook Addiction that has the exact same problem. There are other bloggers out there, and you know who you are, that have shelves and bookcases groaning under the weight of these mighty tomes of delicious yumminess. And what do we do with all these books? I have been known to caress my favorites, petting the glossy covers as if they were a beloved pet. Sick, for sure, but I suspect I'm not talking to a bunch of cookbook virgins here! If you're still with me, you have the same cookbook addiction most of us in the bizz have. We have serious issues. We need therapy.

Homemade Pies and Personal Recollections
Still, I choose to let them slip from my fingers, clenched as they may be, to a good and loving home. But, all this aside, I could not bring myself to part with Patty Pinner's newest and most luscious cookbook, "Sweety Pies". Each and every one of her 70 homemade pies, comes with a personal story of how the recipe came to be, who it was passed down from and why it means so much to her. This book reads like her personal journal, full of very intimate recollections of the women that influenced her life in some way. I had to laugh out load while in the middle of some, and had tears in my eyes reading others. Patty pulls you into her stories and memories and won't let you go until you can't take any more. Then, as kind as she is, she jots down the recipe, so we can't help ourselves but to go to the kitchen and make whatever the pie it is she's tempting us with.

                                                                           

Sweety Pies cover and Peanut Butter Cream Pie photos by Alexandra Grablewski and used with permission in writing from the publisher, The Taunton Press.

Wait For It, Wait For It, Not Just Yet!
This my dear friends, is the book I'll be sharing with you in the next few weeks. I know, I know, I just got you all hot and bothered for this delightful, have-to-have-it-now book. But, you'll have to wait a little longer as I've just given away two autographed "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes" books. You need to pace yourselves and learn to manage your addiction a little better. I'm here to help you do that.
                                                                            

Flaky Pie Crust and Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Pleeeeease go over to Suite101 and read my review for "Sweety Pies: An Uncommon Collection Of Womanish Observations, With Pie". After you're done with that, the good folks at The Taunton Press gave me permission to use two recipes from the book, one for Flaky Pie Crust and my favorite, Ava Joy's Peanut Butter Cream Pie. Both recipes are just a click away and will keep you hooked for the next Cookbook Give-Away that I'll be announcing very, very soon! Tell all your friends about my sweet, generous and humble self! Talk it up a bit. Lie if you have to. Just get them over here, because as you can see by my photos, it's not just one cookbook I have to give away, there's many more where that came from!
                                                                              

Watch out World, Here I Come!
John and I had a convo about my Cookbook Give-Aways yesterday. I noticed that The Pioneer Woman had just given away a KitchenAid mixer this week and last week it was a Nikon camera and Photosmart printer! John says, "Hey, how come she gets the manufacturers to give-away big things like that and you're only doing cookbooks?"  I said "Give me a year and I'll be giving away mixers too!" I figured she had to start somewhere!  So, watch out my blogosphere peeps! Here I come!

*&%$#@*&$%@%!*&$^@$#!*$%&^#!@$@&^*%#*@#&%!#^$%

Just so no one is confused, this is NOT the Give-Away. No, No, Not Just Yet!

Congratulations to the winners of "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes"!

Contest Winners!
The cookbook give-away is over and we have TWO winners for autographed copies of Lucinda and Heather Wallace's "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes".  If you're not one of the lucky winners - and since we had 132 entries by midnight, Tuesday May 13th - that means 130 of you didn't win :-(  And I'm very, very sorry for you.  I know you were all so excited over the idea of winning these books. My suggestion to all you losers - and I say that affectionately - is to click on the link that will bring you to Amazon and buy this book for your very own. You want it. You deserve it! Your family wants you to have it, because they KNOW you'll be making all sorts of yummy treats from it! So, do yourself a favor and just buy the book!

And The Winners Are....
I used the very scientific RANDOM.ORG Random Integer Generator to pick my winners. I had a very competent witness this time too. John watched me plug the numbers into the little boxes and click the generate button. Men! They're so amused by the little things! Oops, I shouldn't say that because we had our first ever guy winner! YAY! Give it up for the man! Anyway...It spit out two very nice numbers. Here they are, cut and pasted so you can all see the results and the time stamp.
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Here are your random numbers:
95
3
Timestamp: 2008-05-15 03:18:53 UTC
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Comment #3:
I enjoy reading your blog because we are campers and your recipes can be made in our camper. I am always looking for easy recipes as time is always at a premium. My favorite cookie is a macademia nut white chocolate chip cookie. Love them!!! I love your blog ever since Erika introduced me to it. thanks for all your work. Cheryl Sims

Posted by: Cheryl Sims | May 06, 2008 at 04:40 AM
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Comment # 95
Chocolate Chip!!!!! i just love all cookies but Chocolate Chip has to be the best

Posted by: James Armour | May 09, 2008 at 03:56 PM
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So, guys and gals, that's the end of the road for this Cookbook Give-Away. Stay tuned because I just got another awesome cookbook in the mail today called "Sweety Pies". (Actually, I received three cookbooks that you'll hear about after I do the reviews) I did a series of three articles on Sweety Pies for Suite101, with a pretty neat book review, if I do say so myself, along with two pie recipes. More on that
tomorrow!

Cheryl and James, I'll be emailing you privately for your mailing addresses.

Thanks again to everyone who participated! I'm sorry I didn't get to reply to all your wonderful and personal comments. There were soooo many! I did read every one of them though and you really are the best! It was fun wasn't it? We'll do it again real soon. But you have to subscribe to my blog or you'll miss out on the next give-away and the next give-away and the next.....

Give the winners a big congratulations! Next time it could be you!

KEY LIME PIE aka FLORIDA PIE ~ Tuesdays With Dorie

                                                           
Tuesdays With Dorie
Ahhh, Tuesdays...Another delicious dessert from Tuesdays With Dorie. This recipe was chosen by Dianne of Dianne's Dishes. In case you're late to the party, this group of over 180 bakers, are working their way through Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, "Baking: From My Home To Yours". It's a great group of like-minded dessert freaks that absolutely LOVE their desserts! And now you know why I'm here. Because I can't pass up a chance for a good piece of pie!
                                                                         

Key Lime Pie or Florida Pie?
Dorie says Florida Pie, I say Key Lime Pie. It doesn't really matter as long as you get the chance to make one! It was easy enough the way I made it. You see, I have a teeny, tiny oven and the piled-high meringue just wouldn't fit! I would have been scraping the hot sticky meringue off the top of my oven for days. So, I opted to decorate mine with whipped cream instead. Which, by the way, is a much easier and less sweet version. Dorie's meringue calls for additional coconut and with all the coconut already in the pie, I didn't fancy more in my meringue. Plus, my pie doesn't have to be frozen and then baked again. Forget the blowtorch and the broiler! If I were back at the bakery, I wouldn't hesitate to make a mile-high meringue pie. But things are what they are here on the Minnow...I mean Nirvana!
                                                                              
                                                                           
Meringue or Whipped Cream?
So, exactly what DID I change from Dorie's original pie? I made my own graham cracker crust. Sure, buying a store-bought one is a heck of a lot easier, but making a homemade crust isn't rocket science and goes together real fast. It does make a difference when you bite into that luscious pie. Besides, after going through all this work, why would you skimp on a bland cardboard crust?
I added 1/2 tsp grated lime zest to the batter and that made our tongues wake up and say WOWSA!
I whipped up a bowl of sweetened whipped cream and decorated the pie with lime slices and dried mango.
A puddle of lightly sweetened red raspberry coulis decorated my plates and made the pie zing!
                                                                           

Note: Obviously, the extra 1/2 cup of coconut, egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar went unused. So, if you go with my recipe, please take this into account. However, you will need heavy cream, confectioners sugar and any garnishes you wish to use.
                                                                         

I would definitely make this pie again, exactly like I made it this time. Wouldn't change a thing!
I gave you both recipes, so you can choose. Why not make both and do a pie tasting!

FLORIDA PIE from "Baking: From My Home To Yours"
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust (My Notes: I made my own crust, recipe follows)
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/2 tsp lime zest (optional, this is my addition)
1/4 cup of sugar
                                                                              

Directions for Dorie's Florida Pie:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly.  Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened.  Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice.  When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended.  Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.

Bake the pie for 12 minutes.  Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.
                                                                                       

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch.  Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.

Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown.  (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.)  Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.
                                                                                 

Directions for MY Key Lime Pie:
Graham Cracker Crust (also from Dorie's book, page 235. Adapted by me)
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Directions for Graham Cracker Crust:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Butter or spray a 9-inch pie pan.
Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (Dorie does this with her fingers. I use a spoon!) Turn the ingredients into the pie pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs over the bottom of the pan and all the way to the top of the pie pan.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
                                                                                          

Directions for Key Lime Pie:
Make and bake graham cracker crust as instructed, above.
Follow through Dorie's directions for her pie above and bake the pie. DO NOT FREEZE.
Let cool completely and refrigerate 2-4 hours.
Make whipped cream (recipe follows) and decorate pie.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla, optional
Using a mixer on high speed, whip cream until just about stiff.
Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and finish beating until stiff.
                                                                                  

Cookbook Give-Away! The clock is ticking!

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Cookbook Give-Away! The clock is ticking! You have until midnight (EST) Tuesday 5/13, to get your comments in for an Autographed copy of "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes". I'll be picking TWO winners using the random number generator on Wednesday morning and posting the results soon after. Be sure to leave your comments on the original post by clicking here.

Thanks to all of you who that have already left comments. I've tried to read each and every one of them, but because of the HUGE response (118 comments!), I haven't been able to keep up with personal replies. But rest assured, you are    appreciated more than you know. You guys ROCK!
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RED BLISS POTATO SALAD

                                                               
Happy Mother's Day!
I hope all you mothers had a very Happy Mother's Day! I know I did, because I got to play with my brand new shiny Cuisinart Mixer! (see the previous post, thanks to my great kids!) Man, that thing is one powerful puppy! I had to keep it under control as I almost plastered the inside of the boat again, this time with Key Lime goo! Which, by the way, I'll be posting for the Tuesdays With Dorie bake-off.
                                                                      

Since my kids weren't here to enjoy the day with me, I decided to bake and cook while John gave the boat a much needed cleaning. The cockpit looked like it threw up on itself! (eewww, that wasn't very appetizing was it?) All winter long, we're shrink wrapped under a white plastic covering, and this has given us more space to use as our garage! Bad habit, because spring and summer soon follow and we have to take the "greenhouse" off and it's not a pretty sight underneath!
                                                                     

Salads, Salads and More Salads!
Anyway, I digress...I made the Florida Pie (aka Key Lime Pie) and Red Bliss Potato Salad (and I also had a Screwdriver, but hey, it's Mother's Day!)
It's salad season again! Potato Salad, Coleslaw, Pasta Salad, Ambrosia, BLT Salad, etc, etc. Today I made my Basic Red Bliss Potato Salad. I've been making this salad for as long as I can remember. It doesn't always come out the same way every time. I like to get creative with crumbled cooked bacon, kielbasa, grilled chicken and red peppers. Sometimes the fresh herbs change too. You can vary it any way you like to suit your mood!
                                                                              

RED BLISS POTATO SALAD

• 8-10 red potatoes, skins left on and washed, cut in large cubes
• 1/2 cup onion, diced fine
• 2-3 Tbsp sweet green relish
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• Fresh dill, as much as you like, minced
• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced, optional
• Leftover grilled chicken, sliced or cubed, optional
• Tomato wedges, optional
• And anything else you'd like to add!

                                                                           

                  

Directions:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan.
• Cover potatoes with room temperature water and bring them to a boil.
• On medium heat, cook until potatoes are not quite done. Cool one off and taste it. If it seems like it could use just a teeny bit more, take it off the heat and drain. The potatoes continue cooking for a few minutes longer while they're draining. Another way to tell if they're done is when the peels just start to pull away from the potatoes.
• Run cold water over the potatoes and drain. Set aside to cool.
• When the potatoes have cooled down, place in a large bowl and add onions and relish. Gently fold in the mayonnaise, celery salt and dill.
• Place in a pretty serving bowl and arrange the hard boiled eggs on top and garnish with a few sprigs of dill.
• Add optional ingredients and serve right away or refrigerate.
• Serves 4-6.

                                                                                 

Bon Appetit!

Cuisinart 9 Speed Hand Mixer for Mother's Day!

                                                                            

I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want!
I have an announcement to make! The kids that I spawned are good kids after all! What started out as a tease by me was taken very seriously by my kids, well three out of four of them anyway. You might remember my post with me singing the Spice Girls Wannabe song ~ "Yo! I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want"? Not only did they and all their friends see the post, all of my peeps here saw the post and then it was plastered all over the internet by TasteSpotting! I got over 500 hits on my blog that day!

The box came in the mail on Wednesday. John was supposed to keep it quiet until Mother's Day but he knew I was working so hard trying to get some articles written, that he showed it to me when he got home. I nearly bust a seam when I read the card inside, "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! LOVE, THE KIDS YOU SPAWNED!" This mixer came from Williams-Sonoma! I wonder if the folks at WS had as big a laugh as I did!
                                                                           

Look at those dough hooks!
So, I'm here to publicly proclaim that my kids do adore their wacky, nut-job mother. So much so, that they thought enough to send the very best. Thank You Kerri, Erika and John, I'll love you forever!
I decided that I liked the looks of the Cuisinart 9 speed Professional Hand Mixer way more than the KitchenAid. It's got a futuristic sci-fi look to it. Kind of like a robot with whisks attached to it! AND, it came with two beaters, a whisk, spatula and dough hooks! What hand-held job comes with dough hooks?

The moral of the story? If you tell your kids what you really, really want, don't stop there. Plaster it all over the web via your blog, TasteSpotting and anything else you can think of! Tell their friends, send forwards to relatives. Do some shameless advertising. In the end, you'll get what you want, what you really, really want! You deserve it. You know you do!
                                                                                 

PEANUT BUTTER TORTE ~ Tuesdays With Dorie

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Just want to remind you to scroll to the next post down. There you will find my Newest Cookbook Give-Away! It's for not just one, but TWO autographed cookbooks called, "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes"! Enter. You know you want to!
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Hershey's Peanut Butter Kisses ~ Got Milk?
                                                                                                                                        
Tuesdays With Dorie
Tuesday is here again and that means another Tuesdays With Dorie Dessert! I swear the time goes by faster and faster every week. With all the baked goods and cooking I do for other projects, I find I'm baking ALL the time! Of course it would be a lot easier if I had a BIGGER BOAT!
                                                                         

Elizabeth from Ugg Smell Food has chosen the Peanut Butter Torte for this weeks dessert. It's located on pages 282-283 of Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking: From My Home To Yours". Thanks Elizabeth, you couldn't have chosen a more delicious dessert! In fact, this was awesome, and when my daughter Erika sees these pictures and reads this post, you better believe I'll have that girl drooling. She'll be in the car and down at the supermarket faster than you can say "I can't believe Mom made this and didn't offer me some!"
                                                                     
This is what I affectionately call my Easy Bake Oven!

I had to keep John away from it too. He's a guy, what do you expect? Chocolate & Peanut Butter ~ What's not to love? You better pour a BIG glass of cold milk because you're gonna need it with this baby!
                                                                        
My hard-working Tupperware Bowls

I pretty much stuck to the recipe except when it came to the ganache. I made my own recipe that I've been making for 20 years and I wasn't about to try something new when it came to the finishing touches. As is the case with most of the recipes in this book, I find there is never enough caramel, never enough frosting, never enough ganache, etc, etc. I really believe food stylists use a different recipe, or double the recipe to make the photos look good. I have no proof this really goes on behind closed doors. Just an observation.
                                                                           
Oreo Cookie Crust in a 9 inch springform pan

There were no disasters to speak of this time, other than lack of refrigeration. BUT...we had a great BIG 41 foot Motor Yacht come in and park in front of us. It was a trade-in for the company John works for and since we have access to all these cool play things, I was able to use the fridge while John was cleaning the boat! I hid it in there while he wasn't looking, otherwise there would have been finger marks where he would have scooped up huge amounts of peanut butter mousse! When I pulled it out to finish filling the crust, he said, "I didn't know that was in there!"  "Yes, I know dear! Ha Ha! Gotcha!"
                                                                     

Peanut Butter Torte from "Baking: From My Home To Yours"

• 1 ¼ c. finely chopped salted peanuts (for the filling, crunch and topping)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder (or finely ground instant coffee)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ c. mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped semi sweet chocolate)
• 24 Oreo cookies, finely crumbed or ground in a food processor or blender
• ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Small pinch of salt
• 2 ½ c. heavy cream
• 1 ¼ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ c salted peanut butter – crunchy or smooth (not natural; I use Skippy)
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped(My notes: I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and used my own ganache recipe which stood up a lot better than this one.

                                                                         

Directions:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Toss ½ cup of the chopped peanuts, the sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chops together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Put the Oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in another small bowl and stir with a fork just until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan (they should go up about 2 inches on the sides). Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely before filling.
                                                                            

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream until it holds medium peaks. Beat in ¼ cup of the confectioners’ sugar and whip until the cream holds medium-firm peaks. Scrape the cream into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
                                                                              

Wipe out (do not wash) the bowl, fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment if you have one, or continue with the hand mixer, and beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until the cream cheese is satiny smooth. Beat in the peanut butter, ¼ cup of the chopped peanuts and the milk.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently stir in about one quarter of the whipped cream, just to lighten the mousse.
                                                                           

Still working with the spatula, stir in the crunchy peanut mixture, then gingerly fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Scrape the mousse into the crust, mounding and smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight; cover with plastic wrap as soon as the mousse firms.
                                                                      

To Finish The Torte: This is Dorie's recipe for ganache.
Mine follows in red.
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave the bowl over the water just until the chocolate softens and starts to melt, about 3 minutes; remove the bowl from the saucepan.
                                                                            
Bring the remaining ½ cup cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and , working with a rubber spatula, very gently stir together until the ganache is completely blended and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the torte, smoothing it with a metal icing spatula. Scatter the remaining ½ cup peanuts over the top and chill to set the topping, about 20 minutes.
                                                                     

My ganache:  This is doubled which will give you plenty extra for rosettes and piping.
Bring 1 cup heavy cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups mini chocolate chips all at once. Whisk with a hand whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth.

When the ganache is firm, remove the sides of the Springform pan; it’s easiest to warm the pan with a hairdryer, and then remove the sides, but you can also wrap a kitchen towel damped with hot water around the pan and leave it there for 10 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
                                                                  

My Notes: I don't know why this is called a torte. It's more like a mousse pie or a cheesecake. It NEEDS to stay refrigerated, otherwise it will start to droop.

Now, go get a glass of cold milk, get comfy and be ready to ooh and aah in delight! I told you it was good!
                                                                     

ANOTHER COOKBOOK GIVE-AWAY! "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes"

                           
ANOTHER COOKBOOK GIVE-AWAY SO SOON?
My last Cookbook Give-Away was such a HUGE success I thought I'd have another one right away! I received 95 amazing comments for the contest and Karen R. was the lucky winner! I also asked you why I should give away more cookbooks. No one was shy with their opinions! Wouldn't you love to be the winner of the next Great Cookbook Give-Away?

Interview, Reviews & Recipes
A few months ago, I did an interview and review for Suite101 on the fabulous new cookie cookbook  "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes". I also posted two recipes from the book here on my blog, one for Collosal Double Chocolate White Chip Cookies, and the other for  Oranges And Cream Cookies. Check these links out to see the complete articles, recipes and reviews!

How Cool Is This?
Authors Lucinda & Heather Wallace have graciously offered to let me Give-Away NOT ONE, BUT TWO of their brand new cookie books! You read that right! You're seeing double this time! That's  2 (TWO) copies of "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes"!!! Plus, they have autographed these books just for you! Check it out here on Amazon.com to read all the Amazon reviews and see what this awesome book is all about.
                                                                                 

What do you need to do to enter this time around?
Just leave a comment right here on this blog post and tell me what your favorite cookie is. Is it the ever popular Chocolate Chip Cookies or Homemade Molasses Cookies? Are you a bar lover...I mean are Brownies and Magic Cookie Bars your thing? Or are you a hopeless romantic in love with decorated red Valentines Hearts?

I'm insanely competitive, even against myself! Is that ridiculous or what?  And because I'm giving away TWO books, I'm looking for twice the comments! So, if you do happen to have your own blog, you can help spread the love and mention my  "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes" Cookbook Give-Away!
                                                             

*** This Give-Away is NOT limited to where you live.....so even if you are outside of the US or Canada, you can still participate.***

A week from now at midnight on Tuesday May 13th, I'll let the random number generator pick a First place winner and then I'll do it all over again and pick a Second place winner!

So, that's it. That's all you have to do to win a brand new autographed copy of "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes". Now, go and spread the love far and wide!

You Make My Day Award!

Last week, Barbara from Barbara Bakes awarded me the coveted "You Make My Day Award"! I admit, I was a little surprised to get such an award. I've been so busy with deadlines and my own blog and lots of baking, that I've hardly stuck my nose outside to see what's going on! Baking you say? Yes, I've been baking like a crazy woman and the dirty pans prove it! So, when I opened my email to find this, it really DID make my day! Forgive me for posting this late.....

The award rules are: give the award to people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. So I am passing the award on to:

Jayne at The Barefoot Kitchen Witch because her photos inspire me.
Liliana from My Cookbook Addiction. I like her style...and we both share a secret!
Clara from I Heart Cuppycakes. Her posts and comments always make me laugh!
Chuck from Bread Blog. His breads and photos are absolutely amazing!
Danielle from Make No Little Meals. She likes wine. I like wine. We Rhode Islanders need to stick together.

KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer

                                           
My Mother's Day Wish List

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want,*
This is What I Want, What I Really, Really Want!
I want a KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer for Mother's Day!

Hey! To the children that I spawned, I'm talkin' to you!
Mother's Day is next Sunday, May 11th. This is one of the items on my wish list.
                                                               

If you really want to make your Mother Happy this year, you can all chip in and buy one of these super special 9-speed Hand Mixers by KitchenAid. (I put the nice shiny red one here to get your attention, but I really, really want the pretty Brushed Chrome one from Cuisinart) The red ones are  on sale right now at Williams-Sonoma for only $89.95, but you get a $10.00 rebate when you buy it from them. I'll even give you the links so you don't have to go hunting for it. And, you can get me a Dunkin' Donuts card with the $10.00 you saved!

Then....I'll love you forever!
XO XO ~ YOUR MOM

* Adapted Wannabe Lyrics by The Spice Girls

MARINATED GRILLED SALMON with SOBON ESTATE VIOGNIER