Yes, it really is as good as it sounds!

1 angel food cake
1 pint strawberries

1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
3 eggs
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
cinnamon
nutmeg
cardamom

preheat oven to 350F

In a saucepan, heat the milk & cream until it just gets a film on top. Add the butter and allow the milk to melt it.

In a medium size casserole, tear the angel food cake into bite-size pieces. Wash & cut up the strawberries and mix them into the cake pieces, reserving some for garnish.

Whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla and spices (to taste) together until smooth. Slowly pour the milk, cream & butter into the eggs, whisking to mix.

Pour the eggs over the cake and strawberries, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the center is not runny.

Serve with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries!

My honey was making us a tasty treat for dinner tonight – pork carnitas – and I was looking for a tasty little something to put alongside them.

I came across a fabulous food blog called Homesick Texan, which offered up an amazing sopapilla recipe…

http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/01/sopapillas-with-side-of-honey.html

the picture just doesn’t do it justice… they are yummy!
Oh, and don’t let the sweet sopa corral you – they are also wonderful filled with savory goodies like beans and shredded pork, with a good green or red chili of course!

Of course, if you are craving sweet, try stuffing them with a good vanilla ice cream! Add in some fresh sliced strawberries and you’ll have a different take on the old strawberry shortcake.

Enjoy… I know I will!

This is a quick snack that your kids will love, and you probably have the ingredients on hand!

tortillas – 1 for each person
cinnamon & sugar mixture
honey or agave nectar
butter
vanilla ice cream

Place a pancake griddle over medium heat. Lightly butter the griddle, and lay your first tortilla on it. Butter the top side of the tortilla. When the butter has melted nicely and the tortilla is getting warm, flip the tortilla. Lightly butter the other side, and sprinkle with the cinnamon & sugar mixture and drizzle in the center with honey.

When the honey and sugar have warmed up and begun to mix, lay a couple of scoops of ice cream across one end, and
,starting at that end, quickly roll the tortilla up around them.

Have a bowl handy, and quickly move the tortilla into the bowl before the ice cream melts all over the griddle.

Do this for each person.

Serve and enjoy!

I’m not posting a recipe, per se today. Instead I’m telling you about an amazing recipe that I tried out last week for Vegan Cupcakes!

I know what you are thinking “She’s gone off her rocker with this one!” but I ask that you hear me out…

My daughter turned 6 last week, and we had a party. One family is on a gluten free/dairy free diet, and another family is vegan. What does an understanding friend do in this case? Well, we made 3 kinds of treats!

First, we made the Vanilla Gluten Freedom cupcakes from the AMAZING book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World and topped them off with the vanilla buttercream frosting at the back. Then we made a rich, dark, dense chocolate cake frosted with whipped ganache (sorry, but no one messes with the chocolate! This one was full of heavy cream!) However I have to say that my favorite were the vegan Dulce Sin Leche cupcakes from the Vegan Cupcakes book!

Wow… they are caramel-y,moist, rich and oh, so yummy! I think I have found a new favorite cupcake… We topped them with the suggested Dulce Sin Leche sauce, but since they were shaped like tulips we also frosted them with the vegan buttercream frosting. Divine!

If you know anyone who prefers a vegetarian or vegan diet and you (or they) are looking for a tasty treat to fix for dessert, snack, or just because, I highly recommend this cookbook! It’s available at amazon – head over there and read about it! You WILL want this book!

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World

Happy baking!

ps – yes, this foray into birthday baking has brought about a change in the look of our page – do you like the cupcakes pictured? Tasty treats abound!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup raspberry liqueur
1 (8oz) container of mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a bowl mix the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and liqueur together. Refrigerate for approximately 20 minutes.

In another bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat, using an electric mixer, at high speed. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Then layer 6 parfait glasses, alternative the berries and cheese mixture (ending with the cheese mixture). Top with grated or shaved chocolate pieces.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, are you ready?

We will be bringing you some delicious recipes to help you prepare for the Day of Romance, so get your tastebuds ready!

Our first treats will help you involve the kids, or the kids at heart!

Most kids love to spend time in the kitchen. Why not foster their love of cooking and baking with a few treats for Valentineís Day! Here are five treat ideas that are easy and simple enough for kids to make with proper supervision.

1. Baking is the easiest part of cooking for kids to learn. Make scrumptious cookies for the family or the school class for Valentineís Day. The cookies can be simple sugar cookies. Use cookie cutters to cut them in the shape of hearts. Round cookies can be decorated with hearts using a pastry bag and a small tip for writing. Add a bit of red food coloring to white icing to create pink for the cookies.

2. What about chocolate desserts? Kids can make chocolate truffles. The chocolate candies can be rolled in powdered sugar, cocoa, nuts, or chocolate sprinkles to complete the tasty treats. The finished candies can be packed in a heart-shaped candy tin on top of waxed paper. School teachers would love this treat from one of their students.

3. Melted chocolate can also be used to make chocolate lollipops. Using a mold and lollipop sticks, the chocolate can be melted into heart shapes. Once the candy is cool and firm, the lollipops can be wrapped with clear wrap and a ribbon tied to the stick. Kids can put these lollipops into gift baskets for their siblings on Valentine’s Day.

4. My kids learned to cook by making breakfast. Surprise the family with a breakfast created by the younger members of the family. Heart-shaped pancakes can be made with a mold in the frying pan or on the griddle. Omelets in the shape of love can be created using the same mold. If Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday, kids can plan their Valentineís Day breakfast for the Sunday before the day so that everyone can relax and enjoy the breakfast.

5. A Valentineís Day cake would make a sweet treat for after dinner. Kids can create a series of small cakes using individual mold pans or one cake. A round cake can be used and a stencil cut to shape the cake into a heart after it is baked. Let the kids mix the ingredients together and spread icing on the cooled cakes. As an extra touch, they can write the name of each family member including themselves on the cakes.

Why not invite other family members over for the treats that the kids create! Kids love having an audience of taste testers for their work. They will likely want to spend more holidays creating good food in the kitchen if they receive positive reinforcement.

All sorts of treats can be made by kids. Give them a sampling of recipes and let them choose the ones they want to make. Plan your strategy at least a week in advance so that there is time to gather all of the ingredients.

Valentine’s Day treats are a way for kids to share in the giving of the day. They may not have money to buy gifts for others but they can use their hands to mold candies and other foods for the family members to enjoy. Try these ideas for Valentineís Day treats, or try some of your own.

As January 1 rolls around, people are thinking about ways to get in better shape, eat better, and improve their lives. We understand all of that – we try to do it too – but there are times that you just need a cookie! When those times hit, it’s good to have something on hand that is a little more healthy, and these help to fit that bill. Enjoy!

——– ———— ——————————–
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granola
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375º. Beat brown sugar, shortening, vanilla and egg in
large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.
Stir in applesauce. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto
ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until almost no
indentation remains when touched in center.

Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

*Recipe excerpt from The Big Book Of Cookies – available at Cottage-Gift-Guide.com

I tried these for the first time when my husband & I stayed at the Towerhouse Bed & Breakfast on San Juan Island a few years ago. The wonderful innkeepers were kind enough to send the recipe. They are more moist than most shortbread, but very tasty!

1 lb butter
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup powdered sugar (aka icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
1 tsp lemon & vanilla extract or to taste (orange & almond also work well)
4 cups all purpose flour

Beat butter, corn starch, powdered sugar and extract until they are fluffy. Gradually add flour until incorporated. It will be a loose, crumbly mixture.

Form into cookies approx. 1.5″ in diameter & press your thumb in the center.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until they just start to turn brown.

Makes approx. 4 dozen cookies.

1 bag fresh cranberries
2 granny smith apples
2 Gala apples
2 pints raspberries
1 large can mandarin oranges – drained
1 pomegranate
1/2 cup sugar

Wash and sort the cranberries to remove all bad ones. Put them in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped finely. Pour them into a large bowl.

Peel the apples and finely chop them. Add them to the cranberries. Wash and sort the raspberries and add them to the bowl along with the oranges.

Remove all of the seeds from the pomegranate and add them to the bowl.

Stir the fruit together and sprinkle the sugar over it. Stir the sugar in.

This is best made a couple of days before you plan to eat it – this gives the flavors time to meld together. We like it a little more tart, so you will need to add some more sugar if you want it sweeter.

This also makes a very tasty pie if you cook it down with 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. Then use it as you would berry pie filling!

These cookies are very easy – easier than the length of the recipe makes it look. These are great any time of the year, but Fall seems to make them seem almost a necessity! I make them a little on the big side & add lots of chopped dried fruit and nuts – then they are a scone-like breakfast cookie…

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 large can pumpkin pie filling
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups flour (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit*
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly
Drop large dough balls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool on rack.

*Our favorite fruits to use are chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries.