Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

STRAWBERRY MUFFINS & STAMPIN' MAMA DESIGNS

Bake It, Make It & Take It ~ Strawberry Muffin in a Basket!
Spring is here, the calendar says so! That is just so hard to believe as we watched the snow fall almost all day today. It was raw and windy....and snowy! We came to visit our kids in Vermont and we get snowed on. It was a cruel April Fools joke to play on us in the frozen north. Tell Old Man Winter to take a hike! We deserve Spring!

Strawberries and Spring
It doesn't matter where you live ~ New England, Florida or Australia! Anytime is a good time to make a batch of luscious Strawberry Muffins. We've been able to get some really delicious strawberries on sale the last few weeks. So, to celebrate Spring, Stampin' Mama's one and only Erika Martin, whipped up a batch of these easy muffins today.

                                                                                 

Strawberry Muffins
Because we're in cahoots with each other, she used my recipe for Strawberry Muffins, and she says they were fantastic! The kids ate the first batch, so she had to make another batch just to take pictures and finish her muffin baskets! This muffin recipe is actually three muffins in one. It's a basic recipe that has variations for The Best Blueberry Muffins and another one for Apple Cinnamon Muffins. Make them all, they freeze great!

Erika's brainchild ~ Bake It, Make It & Take It ~ has been so popular, that we decided to make it a regular feature. We really do strive to bring you a weekly project, but with Easter and so many other obligations on both our parts, we totally missed a week. We're sorry :-( We hope to get back on track right away!

Stamping and Scrapbooking???
I'll be the first to admit that I know almost nothing about stamping and scrapbooking, and my words and descriptions will probably sound silly to you. But for those of you who do stamp, you'll HAVE to see what Erika has come up with this time! She started with a basic origami box, then used things like, Rose Red Prints Designer Series paper,  GinaK's new Bling & Dazzle Mega Rhinestone brads and Scalloped Circle punches. Like I said, I'm challenged when it comes to crafts! You'll just have to take my word for it and go see her Strawberry Muffin In A Basket for yourself. And don't forget to check out my Strawberry Muffin Recipe over at Suite101.

MOLASSES COOKIES ~ Just like Grandma used to make!

                                                      
MOLASSES COOKIES ~JUST LIKE GRANDMA USED TO MAKE!
I'm in Vermont for the next 10 days visiting family. This isn't just a vacation, it's a working vacation.  Just so you don't think I sit on my butt and do nothing all day while I'm on my trip...er...vacation, I'll show you what I did the last time we were here visiting.
I made five Cheesecakes, Muffins, Corn Chowder, a Veggie Casserole, and a great big Tiramisu, plus a ton of dinners. Yeah, I was pretty proud of myself too!
MOLASSES COOKIES

I went to "work" at the bakery with my son. OK, so he worked and I played! He made thousands of the most amazing Molasses Cookies you could ever imagine! Close your eyes. Gently pick up a cookie and feel how soft it is, how the sugar coating feels between your fingertips. By accident, some sugar sprinkles off on your shirt and you brush it away. You put the cookie to your nose, take a deep breath and inhale the spices ~ cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Your thoughts immediately turn to your Grandma's kitchen.I know mine does!

                                                                             
The sweet molasses makes you salivate ~ you can't help it ~ and you're tempted to wolf down the whole cookie in one bite...but you wait. With eyes still closed, you gingerly take your fist bite. Without warning, the flavors explode in your mouth! Brown sugar and buttery goodness with just the right zing of ginger. The texture is exactly what you expected it to be. Soft and moist with a chewy interior, the slightly crunchy outside rolled in sugar. Now, open your eyes and pour a glass of milk. Sit back, a Molasses Cookie in one hand and a glass of milk in the other, and tell me you don't think of your Grandma?

GRANDMA'S KITCHEN
My thoughts wander back to my Grandma's kitchen where this Molasses Cookie originated from. Her name was Doris and she was one of the sweetest Grandma's anyone could ever wish for. She taught me to love the smell of yeast, the feel of the dough in my hands, how to make a flaky pie crust and how to touch a cookie and know if it was done without burning my fingers!

                                                                               
THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS LOVE!
This Molasses Cookie has gone through major transformations since the recipe was passed down to me many years ago. When we started baking commercially, the cookie dough needed to be consistent from one batch to the next. We were making thousands of cookies at a time and the "Betty Crocker" approach clearly was not working for us.  The batches were huge and the ingredients had to be weighed instead of measuring 50 cups of flour and 10 Tablespoons of cinnamon! The recipe my son uses today in his bakery is quite different from the original. There is however, one thing that has never changed....love is still the secret ingredient! The intense feeling of pleasure I get when I bite into one of Grandma's Molasses Cookies is the memory that binds this family together.

Just A Quick Note!

A Few Misspelled Words!
You'll probably notice a few misspelled words in the post below.  That wasn't intentional. I added a new feature to my blog yesterday and I had no idea they would pick up on certain words in the body of my COCONUT MARSHMALLOW CUPCAKE post.

Let me interrupt myself a moment!  Just so you don't feel that reading this is a waste of your time, I'll put this luscious Strawberry Cheesecake right here in the middle of the post so you'll have something to  drool over!
                                                                              

LOOK AT YOUR BLOG MOM!
Erika called me and said "Mom, you need to look at your blog! There's some ads you don't want displayed there!"  I asked her what they were. After the initial shock wore off, we chuckled a bit. I told her I wasn't home and to quickly go into my blog account and change the spelling of these words.

I won't say what the words were, you'll know when you see their misspelled cousins. Prior to this situation, I wrote what I wanted. Now, I have to be a little more careful with the words I use. Thing is, this is how I've seen it described and worded elsewhere. It's a popular phrase!  Oh well, at least the ads are rated "D" for Desserts now!

COCONUT MARSHMALLOW BROWNIE CUPCAKES

                                                         
CUPCAKE PʘRN!
Have you seen all the CUPCAKE blogs on the web lately? I had to investigate this new phenomenon.  I needed to see what all the insane hoo-haa was about. I had a plan. I took to spying on them a little more closely. I was online for days, staring into one Cupcake blog after another. I was losing sleep, constantly thinking about the newest fad ~ Cupcake Pʘrn!

                                                                              

CUPCAKE LURKER!
I must confess, I've been a "Cupcake Lurker" the past few months. But, in my defense, I did it all under-cover and I can honestly say that no Cupcakes were harmed in any of my experiments. Does eating them count? Then yes, I am guilty.  I am in love with these baby cakes!

WHAT CAN I SAY? I HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES
Years ago when my kids were little, I made BILLIONS of cupcakes for them to take to school, to Girl Scout meetings and Pot Luck dinners. Even back then, I enjoyed making cupcakes. They were so effortless, I could make them in my sleep. (OK, so I'm exaggerating a little.) Truth be told ~ and without patting myself on the back too hard ~ mine were THE BEST!! Seriously, John said so, my kids said so, so it must be true! With all that praise, it was hard to believe that deep down inside, I knew they were the corniest, stupidest little cupcakes :-(  Bad, bad hubby for lying to me all those years. No wonder I have serious competitive issues. I think I need counseling, but what do I know? Even today, my kids say I'm  a Praise Whʘre! Can I put that on my resume?

Speaking of competition....I recently discovered a whole new universe outside my little boat ~ outside my teeny, tiny scope of things. I call it Extreme Reality Baking!

Being the totally obsessed dessert foodie that I am ~ and I say that conservatively ~ I had to get in on the ground floor of these all-consuming, never ending blog events where food p*rn is red-hot! What I didn't realize, was this has been going on for quite a while. Great, now I have to play catch-up!

                                                                

"CUPCAKE HERO"
Soooo..... I recently decided to enter another highly competitive food event! The "CUPCAKE HERO" specializes in just that, CUPCAKES. Every month a slew of artistic bakers and cupcake engineers get their new assignments. This months theme is Marshmallow! I can choose whatever cupcake I want to bake, as long as it has marshmallow in the cupcake, filling or frosting. Then we take pictures, type out the recipe and post it to our blogs for the rest of the world to see! We also submit it to the Cupcake Hero staff for a very professional and tasty judging. The winner receives a super cool Cupcake Hero t-shirt!

So, without further ado, here's my Cupcake Hero Marshmallow Cupcake entry for this month!

                                                                         

COCONUT MARSHMALLOW BROWNIE CUPCAKES
I LOVE chocolate, I LOVE brownies, I LOVE coconut and I LOVE cupcakes, so why not blend them together to satisfy all my urges? I believe I pulled it off just fine. I Created A Hybrid!
(You can always cheat and use your favorite brownie mix! But make the "cakey" recipe. after all, these are supposed to be cupcakes!)

• 2) 1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2  cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• 3/4 cup Marshmallow Fluff (for the insides)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray cupcake pans or use paper liners. Set aside.
• Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Careful! Don't burn it! Remove from heat.
• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in sugar until well mixed.
• Add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat well with spoon.
• Fold in flour and mix just until smooth.
• Spoon batter half way up in liners.
• Pipe or spoon 1 tsp Marshmallow Fluff in the center. Spoon a little more batter over the top to cover the fluff.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Don't over bake.
• Let cool and frost as desired.
• Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
• Makes 12-18 yummy cupcakes.

                                                                              

See how I squirted the Fluff inside the batter? It's not just on top.

COCONUT MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1-2 teaspoons milk
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Beat butter and Marshmallow Fluff together until mixture is smooth.
• Add coconut extract and milk and beat again.
• Add powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to spread or pipe.

IS EVERYONE A WINNER?
I would like to think that everyone is a winner, but I know the nasty truth. The reality is, with such intense competition, I might not take first place. And then what? Enter the next food event? And the next and the next until I finally get my prize?  Don't let this cute, little cupcake fool you. Extreme Baking is here to stay and it's a cut-throat industry!

Would this be the end of the world for me? Nah, I'll just beat myself silly trying to keep up with all the other baking events, always pushing, further, harder, sweeter, more outrageous. I'll go where no baker has gone before. Remember, It's all for the Praise folks, It's all for the Praise!

BUSTED!

                                                                                       

CARAMEL-TOPPED FLAN ~ TUESDAYS WITH DORIE

                                                               
IS IT TUESDAY ALREADY?
Is it Tuesday already? It was Tuesday just last week! With Easter and all the other holidays this month, Tuesday crept up kind of fast. I've been busy baking like all the other Tuesday bakers. When I joined a few weeks ago, I was member # 76. As write this post, member # 102 just joined. This all happened in a little over a week! Dorie Greenspan has her own blog, and last week she gave Tuesdays With Dorie a BIG thumbs up! That would account for the wild rush!
TUESDAYS WITH DORIE ~ ANOTHER AWESOME RECIPE
For those coming in a little late, Tuesdays With Dorie is a group of more than 100 members baking their way through Dorie's book BAKING: FROM MY HOME TO YOURS. Each week someone else takes their turn choosing a recipe from the book. Every Tuesday, we all post the recipe, photos and all our triumphs. Hence the name, Tuesdays With Dorie! This weeks recipe ~ Caramel-Topped Flan ~ was chosen by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon.

If you get a chance, make sure to stop by all the entries and check out their Flans. I'm sure you'll be surprised at how similar and yet very different each baker can be! We already have our assignment for next week ~ Gooey Chocolate Cakes! Can't wait!

CARAMEL-TOPPED FLAN
First, let me say I was very excited at the thought of making a flan. I love caramel and I'm a sucker for a real silky custard. So, this should have been one of my triumphs, right?

Well, my first hiccup was an egg I dropped on the floor just as my sugar was starting to turn amber, and as Dorie put it "at the first whiff of smoke"! I turned around and the egg was dripping down the counter, cupboards, my pants and the floor. Then I stepped in it! It distracted me but I caught the caramel just in time!
After I put it in the hot pan like the directions said, I swirled it around quickly before it hardened up. I remember saying to John, "Is this all there is? Shouldn't there be more caramel? Something isn't right." I went back to "The Book" and I did it exactly the way the instructions said to. We shall see.......

I used a mixer to whip the eggs instead of doing it by hand with a whisk. (Did I cheat? ~ Nah, just saved some time and a sore elbow)  I almost questioned lining the water bath pan with paper towels, but it did make sense to diffuse some of the direct heat on what should be a delicate custard.
                                                                                    
The oven I was using wasn't mine and it must be way off because I had to leave it in an extra 15 minutes until the knife came out clean. No biggy!

I waited too late in the day to make this flan. By the time I should have been unmolding it, my good light was gone to take pictures. I went back to the book to make sure it would be OK to leave it in the pan overnight. YUP! If Dorie says we can, I will! Then I went to bed with visions of Caramel Flan dancing in my head.
                                                                         
WHERE'S ALL MY FREAKIN' CARAMEL?
The next morning, with a camera in my hand, I set out to unmold my beautiful creation. I flipped it over on a pretty plate and the flan slid out just as the recipe said it would. But, but, but....where was all the caramel?  I went through all this work for a piddly amount of caramel?

I went back over the recipe and through what's left of my mind. I stared at the lovely picture in the book. Where was all my freakin' caramel? I WANT MORE CARAMEL! 

After conferring with some of my fellow Dorie groupies, the final word was that there just wasn't enough caramel. Unless Dorie says otherwise, the only conclusion I can come up with, is that Dorie and the photographers decided that double or triple the caramel would make for great, gooey photos for a big, juicy cookbook! Speaking of Dorie's cookbook...Don't miss my Suite101 article Baking: From My Home To Yours ~ A Cookbook Review.
                                                                              
WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN?
The flan was, as promised, absolutely delicious. Silky smooth, with a light caramel taste. It cut well, very clean with no jagged edges. Because of the lack of caramel, it looked rather lonely sitting on a big plate. So, I made a quick chocolate ganache ~ just enough to add some pizazz ~ and decorated the plates and individual slices. 
My rating? I gave this flan "4 CHICKS!"   While I was writing, another 2 Chicks crashed the party. They were obviously looking for more caramel! Naughty chicks!
                                                          
All in all, it was a great excuse to get my custard fix! I would definitely make it again, this time with more caramel, AND I would make two! That flan disappeared faster than my tax refund!

CARAMEL-TOPPED FLAN: THE RECIPE
For the Caramel: [MY NOTES: I will definitely double this next time]
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp water
squirt of fresh lemon juice

For the Flan:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1-1/4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a roasting pan or a 9-x-13-inch baking pan with a double thickness of paper towels.  Fill a teakettle with water and put it on to boil; when the water boils, turn off the heat.

Put a metal 8-x-2-inch round cake pan -not a nonstick one- in the oven to heat while you prepare the caramel.

To Make the Caramel: Stir the sugar, water and lemon juice together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Put the pan over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar becomes an amber-colored caramel, about 5 minutes-remove the pan from the heat at the first whiff of smoke.

Remove the cake pan from the oven and, working with oven mitts, pour the caramel into the pan and immediately tilt the pan to spread the caramel evenly over the bottom; set the pan aside.

To Make the Flan: Bring the cream and milk just to a boil. [MY NOTES: I would simmer a split vanilla bean with the cream next time for more flavor]

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart glass measuring cup or in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and sugar.  Whisk vigorously for a minute or two, and then stir in the vanilla. [MY NOTES: I whisked all this in the Kitchen Aid mixer. I thought, Why do this by hand when the end-result will be the same?] Still whisking, drizzle in about one quarter of the hot liquid-this will temper, or warm, the eggs so they won't curdle.  Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remainder of the hot cream and milk.  Using a large spoon, skim off the bubbles and foam that you worked up.

Put the caramel-lined cake pan in the roasting pan.  Pour the custard into the cake pan and slide the setup into the oven.  Very carefully pour enough hot water from the kettle into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan.  (Don't worry if this sets the cake pan afloat.)  Bake the flan for about 35 minutes, or until the top puffs a bit and is golden here and there.  A knife inserted into the center of the flan should come out clean.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven, transfer the cake pan to a cooking rack and run a knife between the flan and the sides of the pan to loosen it.  Let the flan cool to room temperature on the rack, then loosely cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. [MY NOTES: I let it sit overnight with no problems.]

When ready to serve, once more, run a knife between the flan and the pan.  Choose a rimmed serving platter, place the platter over the cake pan, quickly flip the platter and pan over and remove the cake pan-the flan will shimmy out and the caramel sauce will coat the custard.

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
                                                                           

LIVING ABOARD ~ MY LIFE ON A SAILBOAT ~ PART II

                                                            
LIVING ON A SAILBOAT ~ ARE WE CRAZY? ~ Part II
By the middle of July, it was time to say Goodbye. After a mind-blowing Bon Voyage Party, we were on our way. Just like that, we felt like a couple of contestants on a new reality TV show! The "Dream" was to run away and sail down the coast. The "Prize" was supposed to be anyplace warmer than Vermont and then finally the Bahamas.
We motored down the Champlain Canal, the Hudson River, took a left at Manhattan, up Long Island Sound and into Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. It was a glorious 13 day trip, stopping and anchoring along the way. The plan was to visit friends for 2 months, say See-Ya-Later and continue down the coast to North Carolina in time for winter. We didn't win first place, but we were runners-up!

                                                                     
MARINA LIVING
Things don't always work out the way you want. Almost four years later, we're still in Rhode Island, living on our 30 foot pimped out Pearson sailboat. Our address is a marina with a swimming pool, brand new bathrooms, showers and washers and dryers. "NIRVANA" is tied to a dock with high-speed internet, air conditioning and a million dollar view. We have waterfront property all year round ~ and yes, that also means we live on the boat in the dead of winter! There have been times when we've had 8" of ice around the boat and I slid all the way down the ramp on my butt! OUCH! We've dropped things overboard, had mechanical breakdowns, lived through a blizzard and gone through some horrible storms.
                                                                           
MY "EASY BAKE OVEN"
I traded in the big bakery equipment for a two burner gas stove with an "Easy Bake Oven" and a hand mixer. It's truly amazing what I can produce in such a small space. I have all my professional chef's knives, kitchen gadgets galore and my Pampered Chef stuff. My galley (that's what you call the kitchen on a boat) is tricked out with more gadgets than most chef's home kitchens! We don't have hot water or a shower and just got a fridge 6 months ago. There's a composting toilet in the head (that's a bathroom in a boat) and a wind generator for our 12 volt power. We have a TV, but we can only watch dvd's on it. I have my laptop and a great stereo system with all the music one could want.
                                                                            
SEALS AND SNOW
We have two cars in the parking lot and my hubby goes to work every day. There's fish to catch, sunsets to watch, snow to shovel and a full moon to kiss under. We have people over for dinner and dock parties in the summer. There's a grill at the top of the dock and lots of friends to share food, wine and fun with. We've been visited by seals and swans, kids and grandchildren. There's always a holiday to celebrate and we decorate with Christmas lights and a wreath. We're really no different than you, only our house floats! Life is good.
                                                                      
Even though I dream of drinking margaritas on a warm sandy beach, I still love my little boat. Don't get me wrong,  a bigger boat, a shower and a square bed would be nice ~ like in the near future! I can't imagine another lifestyle other than the one we're living right now.

                                                                            
BON VOYAGE!
So, what do you think about that? Are we crazy or are you envious? If you still can't believe it, feel free to pick what's left of my brain!
                                                                              

LIVING ABOARD ~ MY LIFE ON A SAILBOAT ~ PART I

                                                         
MY LIFE ON A SAILBOAT ~ Part I
I realized the other day that many of you have no idea who I am or how I live. My name is Donna and John is my husband. We live a very unusual life.

You would think that because I bake, cook and drink wine, that I would have a big fancy kitchen with stainless appliances and a huge oven. Sorry to disappoint you, but that was in our former life as bakers and caterers. Gone are the Kitchen Aid mixers, 10 burner stove, 30 quart mixer and convection oven.

Most of you probably live in a house with four walls, a basement and hot water.  Square beds, refrigerators and more than one shower. Many people think we live just like they do. Not even close!

Enter my world. Here's a quick ten minute tour of My Life On a Sailboat.
We started boating around 7 years ago on Lake Champlain in Vermont. We loved the mountains, but the peace we found on the water was like therapy to our tired souls. We were catering and baking big time, and it wasn't long after we started boating that we got burned out. It's like the flame went out one day and we knew we had to do something different with our lives.

We gave our four grown children two years notice that we had decided to do something crazy. We let  the inn know 10 months prior to leaving to start thinking about a replacement. Surprisingly, our kids were fine with it, albeit a bit sad at the thought of losing us. Our friends were filled with envy when we explained we were sailing off into the sunset. The innkeepers were not that happy, but were able to find a chef a month before we left.

                                                                        
We bought a bigger boat in Rhode Island a year before and had it trucked to Vermont for the winter. What a sight that must have been to see a sailboat half buried in the snow at a dairy farm! We gutted the boat during the winter and our son-in-law started making gorgeous mahogany cabinets and beautiful blue counter tops and table. He designed built in bookcases and lockers. It was beginning to look like home by the end of spring.

                                                                         

We sold the wholesale business to our son and our daughter took over the catering and wedding cakes. Our kids grew up in the business and because we had done this for what seemed like forever, they were able to step right in and take over. The departure date was set for June, but one thing led to another and it wasn't until the middle of July that we were able to cast off the lines and sail away.

                                                                              

COME BACK LATER FOR PART II ~ MY LIFE ON A SAILBOAT

MERINGUE COOKIES ~ MERINGUE KISSES RECIPE

                                                                  
Meringues So Light, They Melt in Your Mouth!
Also known as Meringue Kisses, these delightful little puffs of air are so light, they literally melt in your mouth! Made with just 3 ingredients, it's hard to believe something so simple could be so pleasurable. If you've been keeping up with my baking escapades this week, you'll know why I had so many freakin' egg whites left over! I needed eight egg yolks for the Chocolate Bread Pudding I was making last Saturday. That left me with eight egg whites that I put in a container and hid in the fridge. When I say I hid them, the truth is I forgot about them. When I got around to organizing the fridge a few days later, I found the egg whites. And you know what they say? "When life throws you egg whites, make meringues!"
                                                                                 
Meringues, Meringues and More Meringues!
I love making meringues! They're just so....cute! And, one recipe makes so many featherweight puffs with such little effort! I whipped up a batch in no time and by the end of the night, half of them were gone. It's so easy to pop them in your mouth, one right after the other without thinking. Add different extracts and colors to make a rainbow of meringues. Sprinkle them with coarse colored sugar before baking. Add ground almonds and sprinkle some slivers on top. They're so much fun to eat and play with! Pretty soon, you'll be making meringue mushrooms!
                                                                      
Cookie, Candy or Confection?
Meringues aren't really cookies and not quite candy, but I do know they're very sweet! They would probably be classified as a confection of some sort. I have no idea what the nutritional value is, although they are cholesterol free! So, make a batch for Easter and enjoy!

Meringue Cookies ~ Meringue Candies~ Meringue Kisses, Whatever!

• 6 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 2-3 drops of extract ~ almond, vanilla, orange, peppermint, etc. (optional)
• 2-3 drops food coloring (optional)

Meringues are best when made with superfine sugar. Regular sugar is OK, but it might give the meringues a gritty feel. You can make superfine sugar yourself by pulsing regular white sugar in a food processor until extra fine.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Fit a pastry bag with a large star or round tip and set aside.
• Using a clean, dry mixing bowl, whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy in a Kitchen Aid mixer or a similar high-speed mixer.
• Add cream of tartar and whip until meringue starts to form soft peaks.
• Add sugar a little at a time. Continue to whip until meringue forms very stiff peaks that hold their shape.
• Add extract and coloring if desired and whip just until mixed.
• Transfer to the pastry bag.
• Get creative and pipe swirls and swans and mushrooms!
• Bake at 225 degrees for 60-70 minutes, or until meringues are light in color, crisp and dry.
• Turn oven off and let the meringues sit in the oven for another hour or more.
• Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
• Yields A LOT!

HOT CROSS BUNS FOR GOOD FRIDAY

Good Friday ~ Another March Holiday
OK, here I go again ~ talking about food on another religious holiday. I have a good reason though. According to Wikipedia, Hot Cross Buns do have Christian roots. "In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733." You can read more about Hot Cross Buns on Wikipedia.
                                                                           
Hot Cross Buns
As kids, we always had fresh-from-the-bakery Hot Cross Buns from Good Friday until Easter. Yup, we ate them all three days because that's the only time Mom brought them home. Today, I see them in the stores weeks before Good Friday. A marketing ploy to be sure!

At the bakery, we only made them the week before Easter and they had to be pre-ordered. The holidays came so close together and we were already baking wholesale pies and cheesecakes like crazy. We were burned out and Hot Cross Buns were just an add-on for our customers. How could we say NO during Easter?
                                                                              
Our rich buns were buttery soft and melted in your mouth. They were filled with black and golden raisins, with just a touch of nutmeg and cardamom to make you wonder what the spices were.
So, get down to your favorite bakery (not the grocery store, yuck!) and pick up a six-pack of fresh, hand rolled Hot Cross Buns. When you get home, make a pot of tea and dream of bunnies and ham!

LEMON TEA CAKE & Stampin' Mama Designs

Spring Ahead to Easter!
Easter is right around the corner! How did that happen so quick? I knew it was next week, but I seemed to have lost a whole chunk of time somewhere! Maybe it's all the rain we're getting. It makes me want to crawl into a corner and have something sweet and refreshing with a big cup of tea! With lots of lemon zest and soaked in sweet lemon syrup, this Lemon Tea Cake always satisfies my cravings. This easy recipe is great for Easter too. It makes 8 mini loaves or 4 large loaves. Make it in mini muffin pans and decorate with a swirl of lemon frosting and an edible pansy for a special Easter brunch!
                                                                           
Bake It, Make It & Take It!
Erika, over at Stampin' Mama Designs did it again! She took my recipe for Lemon Tea Cake and made it into something totally awesome! You have to see what she came up with this time for our weekly feature Bake It, Make It & Take It!
For a little over a month now, the two of us have been brainstorming new and exciting ideas to incorporate Food and Stamping Fun. She never disappoints me. You'd think this girl would run out of ideas, but her radioactive dreads have her creativity all fired up!
Bling It Up With Rhinestones!
Neatly packaged in cellophane with an adorable hand stamped Blue Bayou belly-band, it's decorated with white embossing powder "daises". She then "blinged it up" by adding some self-adhesive rhinestones and a cute little tag to hang off the side. Way too cute!

She designed this sweet package for some new neighbors that were moving in next door. Settling into a new area can be a bit scary for some people. Bringing them a beautifully decorated Lemon Tea Cake is a perfect way to break the ice and introduce yourself.

So, check out Erika's Bake It, Make It & Take It project at Stampin' Mama Designs. And then print off my Lemon Tea Cake recipe from Suite101.com. Together, you'll have a darling little gift for someone you love. Heck, just eat the whole thing yourself! You're gonna love it! You know you will!

ZEPPOLE MADNESS! ~ Happy St. Joseph's Day!

                                                         
St. Joseph's Day ~ Another March Holiday!
March 19th is St. Joseph's Day! I realize this holiday has religious roots, but I'm going to focus on the food instead! I know, I know. It shouldn't always be about the food, but I just can't help it! I LOVE pastries. And I'm so happy for religious holidays, because they always focus around the most awesome ethnic foods!

St. Joseph's Day comes just two days after St. Patrick's Day and most people don't even know the holiday exists. I don't know about your calendar, but mine is a Rhode Island calendar and St. Joseph's Day is right there, reminding me that RI Italians are celebrating today. Maybe it's a Rhode Island thing?
                                                                                 
Zeppole Insanity!
Being an Italian holiday, the favorite pastry is Zeppole (pronounced ZAY-poe-lay). Most people have no idea what a Zeppole is. I never really gave it much thought before. They just show up in all the bakeries on the same day! Kind of like an Italian Santa Claus bringing Thousands upon Thousands of Zeppole! These were purchased at Antonio's ~ our favorite Italian bakery. They're located on West Shore Rd in Warwick, RI (401-738-3727). I couldn't really tell you how much they were. I really didn't care as long as I had one!
                                                                                    
Zeppole ~ So Addictive!
A sinfully rich pastry, the Zeppole seems to be a cross between a cream puff and donut of baked or fried dough filled with a delicious custard (although it can also be made with cannoli or ricotta filling) and topped with a piece of candied cherry. They are so addictive, you could easily put down 2 or 3 of these Belly-Bombs! You have to order them early or you'll be out of luck. I got mine just in time and MAN, they were good! We ripped open the box and ate them right there in the car with a plastic fork! A cup of Dunkin' Donuts Hazelnut coffee was the beverage of choice. I got a traditional Zeppole and John got an Irish Cream Zeppole. I guess the bakery figured they may as well exploit the two saints, blend them together and come up with another unbelievably wicked-good treat!
I've included some photos to make you drool.
                                                                  

BRIOCHE RAISIN SNAILS ~ TUESDAYS WITH DORIE

MY FIRST WEEK: TUESDAYS WITH DORIE
This is my first week baking with Tuesdays With Dorie! All the baking club members had to make Brioche Raisin Snails from Baking: From My Home To Yours. They're all posting them to their own blogs even as I write this. So, if you want to see how everyone else's Brioche Snails turned out, go over to Tuesdays With Dorie and click on a few names on the Blogroll.

If you missed my complete article on Suite101 here it is: Baking: From My Home To Yours

It was an insane week. I've been in my glory with a Kitchen Aid mixer and a real oven for a change. It's going to be real hard moving back onto the boat with my little oven and hand-held mixer. But it's truly amazing what I can produce out of such a small galley. I shock myself sometimes! But then again, I always do things in a BIG way!

BRIOCHE RAISIN SNAILS
It looks like a really long recipe, but it's just because Dorie explains things so well. There are three components to this recipe. Brioche, Pastry Cream and then assembling the snails. The hardest part is the waiting and waiting and waiting for the dough to rise. All in all, it probably took 3 hours of labor and 1 day of waiting and chilling! I'm sure it would get faster if I made them again.

I started on Friday afternoon making the Brioche Dough and Pastry Cream. I made the whole batch (24) even though it’s just the two of us! The dough went together nicely, although I did have to add an extra 1/3 cup flour at the end to get the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl. I had to hold the mixer back from dancing across the counter. 3 sticks of butter! Is that right? I added it all anyway. Boy, did it take a long time to rise!

Flaming with a butane wand went fine without burning anything. Other members were worried about burning their kitchens down, but I’ve flamed lots of things in my day so it wasn’t a big deal for me. I had trouble getting good pictures of the flames though. The rum definitely made those raisins scream!

And then we went to bed, dreaming of nice warm buns.....zzzzzzzzz

On Saturday I took the dough out of the fridge and it was rock hard. Uh oh! No worries, the dough rolled out like a dream, kind of like danish dough. Maybe because of all that butter? It took a longer bake time than the recipe said, but my oven may be off a little. The snails could have used a bit more cinnamon sugar inside. I used the rest of the rum from the drained raisins for my icing.

KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BUNS!
The only problem I had with my buns, was that John couldn’t keep his hands off them! He already had four hot buns right out of the oven by the time I turned around. I finally had to put an invisible "BACK AWAY FROM MY BUNS" sign on them! I know Dorie said don't freeze the finished buns, but I did anyway. We'll see how they thaw out!

Note to self:
Print out the recipe before hand. It was a pain to go back and forth to an open book.
The buns needed more cinnamon sugar inside. We like it a little sweeter.
Use almond extract in the Pastry Cream.
I would use something other than raisins next time. Maybe currants, craisins or dried cherries perhaps?

BRIOCHE RAISIN SNAILS

1 cup moist, plump raisins
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 recipe for Golden Brioche Loaves(see below), chilled and ready to shape (make the full recipe and cut the dough in half after refrigerating overnight)
1/2 recipe Pastry Cream (see below)         

 

For The Optional Glaze                                       

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
About 1 teaspoon water
Drop of pure vanilla extract

Getting Ready:

Line one large or two smaller baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
Put the raisins in a small saucepan, cover them with hot water and let them steep for about 4 minutes, until they are plumped. Drain the raisins, return them to the saucepan and, stirring constantly, warm them over low heat. When the raisins are very hot, pull the pan from the heat and pour over the rum. Standing back, ignite    the rum. Stir until the flames go out, then cover and set aside. (The raisins and rum can be kept in a covered jar for up to 1 day.)

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.            &nbs