Birthdays, National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, National Root Beer Float Day, and old family recipes - Yup! We did a substantial amount of celebrating this week!
Sugar's Five Layer Chocolate Dessert
This layered dessert has long been a part of our family celebrations!
Ingredients:
1 cup All Purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided
Pinch of salt
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
16 ounces Cool Whip, divided
2 small boxes instant chocolate pudding
3 cups cold milk
Directions:
Combine flour, butter, 1 cup chopped pecans and salt. Press into bottom of 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely.
Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the Cool Whip then mix until combined. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly onto crust.
Mix pudding and milk with an electric mixer until combined then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly onto cream cheese layer.
Spread remaining Cool Whip onto chocolate layer.
Sprinkle top layer with remaining chopped pecans or shaved chocolate whichever you prefer.
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
You know those recipes that are like so good, they'll change your life? Yeah. This recipe is one of those! We will certainly being using this recipe annually to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tsp. sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Coarse Sea Salt for sprinkling
Directions:
1. Add flour and baking soda to a mixing bowl and mix to incorporate.
2. In bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add softened butter and both sugars. Beat for about 2 minutes until mixture is smooth and fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla, beat on low speed until combined.
4. Add flour, half the mixture at a time, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition. Don't overmix, or cookies won't be soft and tender.
Add chocolate chips and stir together with a wooden spoon.
Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Use a large cookie scoop and scoop round balls of dough onto parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
Press 4 to 6 chocolate chips into the tops of the balls of dough. Sprinkle coarse sea salt onto tops of each cookie. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown and tops of cookies look a little underdone.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or so before transferring to a cooling rack.
Yields: 24 of the best "change your life" chocolate chip cookies!
Hash Brown Scrambled Egg Cups
Who wouldn't feel spoiled waking up to a birthday breakfast? These egg cups combine all of our favorite breakfast treats into one delicious recipe!
Ingredients:
1 - 20 ounce package refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 tsp all purpose seasoning
black pepper to taste
8 large eggs
2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
10 thick- sliced bacon strips cooked and crumbled.
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Fiesta cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped chives
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter and combine with hash browns in a medium bowl. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper. Divide mixture between muffin tin cups and use your fingers to press down and up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and use the back of a spoon to press firmly down and up the sides of each hash brown cup to create a bowl shape. Return to oven and bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes or until browned and crispy. Allow to cool.
Crack eggs in mixing bowl. Add milk, sat and black pepper to taste. Whisk until combined. Place skillet over medium heat and add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Once butter has melted, pour egg mixture into pan. Cook, stirring until eggs are set and cooked through.
Remove from heat and stir in bacon and 1/4 cup each of the Monterey Jack and Mexican Fiesta cheese.
Spoon into cups; sprinkle with remaining cheese and chives.
Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool slightly before removing from pan so that your cup is set.
Yields: 12 cups
White Birthday Celebration Cake
There's just something about a traditional white birthday cake that just makes you feel young again! This recipe elevates the white cake to a whole new taste level!!
Ingredients:
Cake
2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 tsp. clear vanilla extract
1 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
3 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
9 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. clear vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Then line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper rounds and set aside.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a measuring cup and stir until combined. Set aside.
In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three additions alternating with the buttermilk mixture (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients) on low speed. Make sure to scrape down sides of bowl if needed. Mix each addition until just combined, making sure not to over mix the batter.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold half of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans for an even layer. Tap the cake pans on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove cakes to a cooling rack. Be sure to remove the parchment paper rounds.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment beat the butter on medium until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on medium speed until combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Assembling the cake:
Level the tops of each cake with a knife. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand, top with a layer of frosting, and smooth it out into one even layer. Place the second layer on top, then use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake.
Yields: 12 slices
Root Beer Float Cupcakes
We celebrated National Root Beer Float Day with these scrumptious cupcakes.
Ingredients:
1 vanilla cake mix
1 cup root beer
1 Tbsp. root beer extract (this was difficult to find, but ultimately got it through Amazon)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Frosting
1 cup softened butter
1 Tbsp. root beer extract
5 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp. root beer
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
Mix together vanilla cake mix with the root beer, root beer extract, il and eggs until well combined.
Spoon batter into each paper liner, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for 16 - 18 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing to a cooling rack.
For the frosting beat together all ingredients in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment on medium. Do not overbeat.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Top with a cherry and garnish with a decorative straw.
Yields: 24 cupcakes
Now...get to celebrating!!
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