Peeps and Blossoms

My blogging-related laziness has really gotten the better of me. Especially tonight, so you will really have to forgive me for both that and my sentimentality!

But. With the recent surge of felicity and complete bliss over this wonderfully new season, I couldn't resist posting this image of one of our neighboring streets when we lived in Philly during the springtime. How unreal is this?? And nothing about the photo has been 'photoshoped' or color-enhanced. That is a point shooter with an amateur photographer behind it and boom: heavenly blossoms parading a street and drowning out everything out into charades of pink. This picture makes me happy. And I love it. I love Philly; I would live there a hundred times over again. I love back east in the springtime and in the fall time, but not so much the summer; humidity there is like putting me in a suffocating sweaty bag. This year, I'm surprisingly surprised and happy by how many white and pink blossoming trees are blooming right here in my neighborhood in ol' Utah. Last year we were covered in snow practically through May, so I'm not sure if I recalled those fragrant spring-time trees budding. Anyway, you're rambling, Kate. I know. Done about that.

Additionally, I am halfway dunking peeps (marshmallow inflated candy) into melted chocolate tomorrow and then topping the chocolate with sprinkles. Two years ago, I made these chocolate-covered nest eggs shown below (chow mein noodles worked marvelously) and we loved them. Festive, easy, cute, and not-shockingly satisfying for a dessert. We may give them a second go again this year, but for now, it'll be peeps semi-covered in various forms of chocolate.

Because after all, there are two kinds of people in this world: those who like Peeps, and those who do not.

Shame on the latter.

Kidding.

I'll still like you.

Happy Easter Week!

Holiday Peppermint Meltaways

Every time the yuletide season rolls around, I always feel like I have to "up" last year's cookie recipe. It's an odd mental mini-civil war within my head that I cannot with reason, explain logically.

Well, eat your heart out 2010. I think I have my new favorite Christmas cookie recipe: peppermint meltaways with freshly dashed peppermint pieces all over it. Kleenex. Kleenex please my mouth is drooling.

Anyway. Need I fawn more over these?? And have you ever had a meltaway before by the way? They live up most accurately to their name. Melts.right.in.your.mouth. Instantly.

This post shall end here. There is a craving firing within me for another one of these. Must quickly gallop downstairs and answer that craving.

Holiday Peppermint Meltaways

{Land O Lakes}

Cookie:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP butter, softened

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 to 3 drops red food color, if desired

Candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Combine butter, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (30 to 60 minutes).

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand for a couple of minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and just enough milk for desired consistency (I like the frosting thicker) in a small bowl. Stir in food color, if desired. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy.

Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies with Icing

We all have things in times of crisis we turn to for relief, for me, it's always either cookies or running, which, seems a bit paradoxical. But, hey, it's the truth.

Today was a day in particular that was crying for one of these two. A long-anticipated December snowfall gently swept its way over our suburb and was a most welcome sight from my window panes. And seeing that it's halfway through the month (nearly) and I've made no cut out cookies yet seemed alarming and panicking. Anyway, not that you need to know the preface as to why I impulsively made cookies- sometimes a girl just has to bake. And today it had to be without real reason.

This recipe you can find in the December issue of Everyday Food by Martha Stewart- that cute little pocket-size monthly magazine chock full of recipes galore. They are so easy to make it's almost embarrassing how effortless it was (oh, I meant before the frosting scene!) and honestly, if you just make the dough and never get around to baking them off, you'll be quite happy picking at what you have. Soft, incredibly tasty, incredibly-Christmasy-tasting dough. I'm quite content that I saved the second half of the dough for later- and I am equally convinced it will never make it to oven-ville.

My 3 year old helped me frost them tonight. Can you tell? We had fun. He is just as enthusiastic about sweet things, especially frosting, as I am and it makes my motherly blood boil with pride.

Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies with Icing

{Everyday Food, December 2011}

3 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBSP ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

½ tsp salt

¾ cup dark brown sugar (yes, dark brown)

½ cup butter, 1 stick, unsalted butter, room temp

1 large egg

2/3 cup unsulfured molasses

6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

½ tsp egg whites

¾ tsp cream of tarter

Desired food coloring

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and dark brown sugar on high until well mixed. Add the egg and molasses. Gradually add the flour mixture until combined. Form dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1 disk at a time, and stack dough in between parchment paper on a baking sheet and refrigerate again, until firm, for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into desired shapes. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 7-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

To make icing, use a whisk attachment and beat powdered sugar, egg whites, and cream of tarter on low until opaque- about 3-4 minutes. Add water as needed to make a spreadable but still thick icing. Place icing into various bowls and tint according to desired color. Spoon into frosting bags and decorate your heart out.

Cranberry Streusel Cake

There are things in life where words just lack. This cake is one. I can't tell you how crazy good it is and how the people it was served to flipped, including moi. You are just going to have to trust me on this one. It is like those delicious coffee cakes (which don't have coffee in them) you make for the mornings... except better, for some reason- almond extract, sugared cranberries.. a very sophisticated and posh "YOW-sers" is about all I can find in my brain to utter at this time.

I found this recipe on pinterest- link is provided. The recipe instructions weren't phrased as clearly as one might hope, so I (hopefully) delved a bit deeper and tried to clarify things a trifle better (i.e. like dusting the cranberries with a little flour, etc).

Enjoy! Best cake ever! For the holidays at least!!:)

Cranberry Streusel Cake

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 stick salted butter, softened at room temperature for a few hours

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 ½ cups sour cream

2 cups fresh cranberries (yours are probably frozen, allow them to thaw at room temperature for an hour)

3 tbsp sugar

Topping/streusel:

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ sticks, salted butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch round baking pan- grease very well- might I add.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder- set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream 1 stick of butter and the 1 cup sugar until well mixed and creamy. Add in the eggs, one at a time- make sure to use a rubber scraper to stir it all by hand and make sure everything on the very bottom has gotten a chance to be mixed in!

In a small bowl, combine the cranberries with a dusting of flour (so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake while baking) and mix with the 3TBSP of sugar. Set aside briefly.

Add in the extracts, sour cream, and flour mixture- stirring only until combined (again, make sure you dig down and account for everything sitting at the way-way-bottom of the bowl). Fold the cranberries in gently. Spoon the batter into the cake pan. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients until crumbly. Spoon evenly over the top of the cake. Bake until light golden brown, about 50-60 minutes- or just when the center is no longer “jiggly” when shaken.

Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Invert the cake into your hand (hopefully, it’s a big hand you’ve got) and then gently and gingerly put it streusel side up on a plate.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Maple Cake with Brown- Sugar-Maple Frosting

Hello. Why hello.

It's been a scanty few weeks for me in the blogging world! Please excuse moi- holidays, turkey, decorating, family, friends... you know how it is.

I hope you had a truly warm and memorably wonderful Thanksgiving. This is a holiday really worth celebrating- it's a chance to spend every day of the month thinking and pondering on all the many blessings you have in your life- because all we have more than we can count- really, we do. And secondly, it's a day you can pull together with people you like/love, and stuff the heck out of yourself as much as you'd like, practically till you're unable to move, without feeling any real pangs of guilt (if you are counting calories on turkey day, knock it off:)) . And guess what? You'll never guess the startling discovery I made Thursday night around approx 5 pm.......

... I.LOVE.PECAN.PIE.

Love. Not even just "semi-fond of". Love it to the moon and back. Oh it was luxurious and sweet and nutty and flavorful and beaming with every taste that resonated within my palate. We should all feel that way about something on the Thanksgiving dessert menu- I know that many are piously religious about eating a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and I happen to NOT be one of them. I sample everything else. And this year, I took a stab right off the bat at the seemingly unpopular pecan pie sitting there in despair loneliness. From here on out, I could care less about any other dessert that garnishes the table. There, it's off my chest. Pecan pie and me are like long lost friends.

Recently too, I made a maple cake with maple frosting for a Sunday dessert. It was also a major smash within the walls of my junk-food-inclined palate. A very appropriate cake for the time of year. My only major regretful affliction with this baking attempt was overcooking it. Truly, blech. Who in the universe enjoys a bone-dry, arid, barren cake, I ask?

Luckily the frosting came to the rescue and together, it was great. If you can keep your eye on this cake while it bakes and remove it the minute the center of the cake springs back via touch of the index finger, then it will be golden.

You will need to invest in the real maple syrup, however, if you plan on baking this. As much as I love my generic-style maple syrup that only costs a couple green stubs, you know the kind that your kids drench waffles in, it won't do and you'll end up with a really odd cake. So, find the most inexpensive real, grade A Maple syrup out there and then make sure to really enjoy every bite of this kinda-more-lavish cake.

Peace, hope, and joy to you and yours this weekend.

Maple Cake with Brown Sugar/Maple Frosting

{Everyday Food, November 2011}

Nonstick cooking spray

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup

3/4 cup whole milk

1 cup chopped walnut halves, toasted

For The Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp maple extract (this was a Kate addition- I needed a little more maple flavor)

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with cooking spray. Flour parchment and sides (tapping out excess); set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on medium-high, add maple syrup in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in walnuts (Kate note: we left these out and used a few only for garnishing the top of the frosted cake).

Divide batter between pans; firmly tap pans on a flat surface several times to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks, 15 minutes, then invert onto racks; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on racks. With a serrated knife, trim domed top from each cake to make a flat surface.

Make frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Assemble cake: Place one layer, top side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread top evenly with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with second layer, top side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and around sides of cake.

Witches' Finger Cookies

WITCHES FINGERS..

Disgustingly delicious. Creepy and sinister. Freakishly fun.

Seriously, I had way more fun making these than I’d like to confess. Crushed oreos for the dirt is the icing on the cake in terms of presentation! My green and black food coloring was out- so I used a dark blue for the "fingernails" and purple for the flesh. I think it turned out pretty cool!!

You still have 12 hours to knock these out- just sayin’!

Go here for how-to and recipe.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (snack cake)

Three words:

Moist.

Soft.

Dizzingly good.

I went ga-ga for these little pumpkin snack bar thingies- although I would argue they are more like small pieces of cake than actual bars. Whatever they really are, the texture is so wonderfully the opposite of dryness, and they are studded with oozing chocolate chips and bursting with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. I just can't say enough good.

I could eat this for breakfast the rest of my life. Or lunch, or dinner.

You might wanna make a bee line for the store today and get the ingredients.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars (aka, snack cake)

{Martha Stewart}

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Pumpkin Trifle

Could there be anything better than a pumpkin trifle?? Let's talk about this.

There isn't anything better. Conversation over.

If having Heath-bar bits, pumpkin cake, AND butterscotch pudding all together in the same bite is too much for you, then swap out the Heath bar bits for something else.

But how could it be too much? This dessert screams autumn.

Enjoy. I know there won't be a problem doing so!:)

Pumpkin Trifle

1 recipe pumpkin cake, baked and cooled (recipe follows)

1 carton whipped cream, whipped, OR 1 big tub cool whip

2 smaller packages butterscotch-flavored pudding made according to package directions

1 bag Heath toffee bits

In a trifle bowl, layer as follows: chunks of pumpkin cake, butterscotch pudding, whipped cream and toffee bits. You should have two of these layers. Finish with toffee bits on top of whipped cream. Refrigerate leftovers. Serves a LOT.

Pumpkin Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 cup canned, mashed pumpkin

1 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup oil (or applesauce)

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp all cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix on high speed for at least 2 minutes. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 glass dish (or a bundt cake pan works too), and bake until done.

First Up: Pumpkin Doughnuts. For Reals.

Welcome to Pumpkin Week...where all your greatest pumpkin recipes will hopefully/maybe/maybe-not come true!

Today’s first recipe will make you fatter and happier than life itself: pumpkin donuts (yes, slang spelling, I know I know)... and yes they are as good as it sounds.

These taste like pure Autumn in the most casual way possible. I have no other idea of how to explain it. You know how good a donut from the local joint can taste straight from the mill? Try a homemade one, spiced with fall’s essences and pumpkin, fried up before your eyes, then mercilessly dipped in either sugar/cinnamon or a delicious glaze. I really had to stop myself cold from eating more than I was.

Our niece and nephew, S & C, came over to help us. Oh we had so much fun making these. Perhaps too much. And it further concluded in my mind that if you make these in your home, please have people around to help you and to laugh with joy along with you when that boiling oil gives birth to your first homemade pumpkin donut. It’s a memory you won’t want to relish alone. Homemade donuts are made for people who love each other and want to spend time with each other. This recipe is, no doubt in my mind, going down as a Halloween tradition from this time forth. You heard me!

Here’s a few pointers to hopefully assuage any anxiety about making these:

+You don’t need a fryer. Use a large saucepan and leave the oil only 2-3 inches deep.

+You will want a candy thermometer. Promise. It’s the only way to determine if the oil is at the right temperature- believe me- if it’s too hot, you’ll not just fry the donut, you’ll kill it, but if it’s too cool, the donut won’t fluff up properly. And you don’t wanna do the “finger” test to see if the oil is hot. You’ll need that finger in the future!

+The cinnamon/sugar topping as well as the glaze are imperative. They MAKE the donut what it is. And they are both winners. I highly recommend preparing both and seeing which one you like best. Personally, I found the sugar mix was fabulous with the donut holes and the glaze fit perfectly with the actual donut.

+You don’t need fancy biscuit cutters or fancy cookie cutters to make these- you may use the rim of a drinking glass to cut out donut shapes from your dough (which is what we did). You may also use the edge of a frosting tip to cut out the middle of the donut hole… this worked wonderfully- then use those little dots for donut holes. Yum!

+Don’t wimp out! Try it! Try it! Try it! The oil burning at 350 degrees is nothing to be too scared of!

Pumpkin Doughnuts

For the doughnuts:

3½ cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

Canola oil or peanut oil, for frying

For the cinnamon-sugar:

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the spiced glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Dash of ground nutmeg

Dash of ground ginger

Dash of ground cloves

2 tbsp. milk

To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat until well blended. Stir in the egg, then the egg yolks, and then the vanilla until incorporated. Combine the buttermilk and pumpkin in a liquid measuring cup and whisk together. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the pumpkin mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Once the dough is mixed, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or until firm.

On a well-floured work surface, roll or pat out the dough to a ½-inch thick round. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Using a 2½ to 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Use a smaller cutter (or a wide pastry tip) to cut a hole out of the center. Reroll and cut the dough scraps as necessary.

Add oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2-3 inches. Attach a thermometer to the side of the pan and heat the oil to 365-370˚ F. Add the rings of dough to the hot oil so that they are in a single layer and not touching. Fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and doughnuts are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes total. Use a skimmer/strainer to remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined rack. Bring the oil temperature back up to the target range before repeating with the next batch of doughnuts. Use the same process for the doughnut holes, frying for a shorter time.

To make the cinnamon-sugar, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish and whisk to blend. When the doughnuts are just cool enough to handle, dip half of them in the cinnamon-sugar to coat completely, shaking off the excess.

To make the spiced glaze, combine the powdered sugar and spices in a small bowl. Add the milk and whisk to combine, until a thick glaze is formed. If necessary, add a bit more milk to thin the glaze out. Dip the remaining half of the doughnuts in the glaze. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Ahhh... can't wait to make them again. See ya in '12 beautiful pumpkin pastry!

July 4rth Flag Cake

Happy Fourth to you!

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of lusciously rich cakes. I mean, happiness. Or cake.

I decided to conquer the Flag Cake in the wee hours of 7/04/11- since we eat with our eyes first, this cake, so beautifully photographed in Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook, has had my attention for a long time and the cake gods were sending me vibes that this was the year to do it.

In life in general, I tend to bloom a little late on most things. It usually takes me at least a try or two before my confidence is brimming at the top and this cake was no exception. Having now made it all the way through once, I could do it again, feeling positive it would turn out far better.

For instance, I ditched Ina's instruction of baking it in an 18x13x1.5 inch pan (Sorry, Ina!) and sought my 9 x 13 glass cake pan instead- thinking that the former would produce a wimpy, thin, and dinky cake. I like my cakes to have a little height and depth, or so I thought and the 9x 13 worked, but but but....... rest assured, the cake was dry- like, there's -a -sock -in- my- mouth-dry. Because it was so very thick in that pan, the outer edges were baked far sooner than the middle of the cake was and as soon as the middle was just barely dry to the touch, I removed it from the oven. The outcome? Dry edges and just barely done middle. Tough combination.

The second thing I would do is serve this on a completely flat serving ware. My cake was inverted onto a favorite porcelain serving piece that will be timeless until the year 3000 but the cake was just barely too big and as a result, the center of the cake collapsed within a few hours of cooling. Shucks.

The third thing I would do differently, and it's far easier said than done, would be to take more time in carefully making straight streaks of frosting across the cake (you note my frosting job looks a bit like a wobbly hand was in charge). Having two squirmy, squirrly, active children pulling at my legs didn't help the situation much- and since frosting cakes perfectly isn't in my natural skill set, it must needs be that I need perfect solitude and all-encompassing attention given.

Other than those little faux pax's, it's a real dandy cake to have on July 4rth- the cake is very pound-cake like in both taste and texture. The frosting is divine, and everyone gets as big a piece as they want. See? Perfect. Furthermore, as a bonus for all your labor, your work will be greatly validated with oooh's and awww's for it's presentation, even if the frosting job is a bit wobbly and the cake itself has prematurely collapsed.

And since we are basically celebrating the 4rth all month long, it's not too late to bake this for your next BBQ extravaganza!

Flag Cake

{Ina Garten}

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature

1 cup sour cream at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:

2 half-pints blueberries

(Kate note:have all the berries thoroughly washed and dried long before you plan on using them for cake to prevent any "bleeding" onto the frosting)

3 half-pints raspberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth (Kate note: you may need a splash of milk or whipping cream to get your desired texture- whipping cream makes a killer good addition).

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

Kate note: I would personally store the cake in the fridge and then let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before distributing.

Throwing some Pizaaz into your Patriotism

{picture of a beautifully charming red brick row home in Philly, proudly waving the American flag, July 4rth, 2010}

Happy (almost) Fourth of July-very close to being a very top favorite holiday- how can you not feel anything but complete affection and love for it? Summer is in full swing, the air is warm (perhaps a bit too much?), children are playing outside and squealing with delight all over the place, the sun stays out until my bedtime, pools are open, people are giving their grills a mighty good work out, and having a shirt stained with watermelon drips and teeth chock full of corn on the cob remnants is socially acceptable. I love it. Oh, did I mention fireworks? Those sparklers that are so exciting at first and then nearly burn off your fingers?? Red-white-blue? Neighborhood breakfasts? Cabin?? All of that too. Equally loved.

The 4rth of July really has snuck up on me this year, darn thing. I hope next year my brain isn't so cramped with other busy to-do's so that I can throw parties and plan to bake more 4rth of July goodies for neighbors and friends. Tomorrow night for dessert I shall attempt the flag cake found in Ina Garten's Family Style Cookbook- blueberries as stars, raspberries as stripes, and a whole heckuvolat of frosting and cake in the middle. Yum. You note I said, "attempt". Yes, that is the perfect verb for my undertaking.

If you still have time, here are some other 4rth of July ideas that I love and have found successful/ or hope to find successful in the future!

Happy Freedom Day to you!

1.Thumbprint Cookies

2.Ribbon Jello

3. Orzo Salad

4. Pretzel Sparklers

5. Buttermilk Blueberry Tart

6. Skewers and other food ideas (lovin' this whole party quite frankly)

7. Patriotic Cake Pops

8. Star Cookies

9.Vanilla-Raspberry Sundaes(this makes me drool uncontrollably it you needed that tmi)

10. Fireworks and Sand Centerpiece ( We have something very similar on our kitchen table right now and I am loving loving it)

Glazed Cornmeal Cookie- the best

Another cookie recipe that I am ga-ga over. Sounds professional doesn't it??

Well really. I had my doubts. Cornmeal cookie? The last one I ever made was this and seriously.

Seriously: major low- blow disappointment.

So from then on out, cornmeal had very little to do with any of the cookies that popped out of my kitchen. For Valentines Day treats though, I was really aching to experiment with something other than a traditional sugar cookie-- which- don't get me wrong, I love more than anything- but I needed something different.. and when the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Everyday Food arrived, and in usual Kate-fashion, I hastily flipped to my favorite section of the entire magazine, (ahem, the "Cookie Jar" section to be exact) and felt the kitchen inspiration to give these cookies a shot. Boy, am I ever glad I did! The cornmeal in this recipe doesn't have much taste power but it surely gives it some gritty good texture-in a positive way- and rolled in raw sugar.....slathering drool down my chin is all that comes to mind. The vanilla extract comes out in every bite too- what can I say- there is just a motley of different textures and tastes going on within each bite and it's just pleasant and delicious. I can't wait to make these again in a few weeks, minus the heart shape.

You just gotta try them and I really really can't stress enough the improvement of having each little dough ball rolled in raw sugar-- yes, raw- comes in a brown sack at the store in your baking section: turbinado is the name and it's worth investing 2 bucks in.

Heart-Glazed Cornmeal Cookies

{Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011}

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature (unsalted!)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 drops pink food coloring

1/2 cup raw sugar (or granulated) for rolling

Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry stuff: flour, cornmeal, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until very creamy and add the egg and 1 tsp of the vanilla. Gently combine the dry and the wet ingredients together until combined.

Place the 1/2 cup raw sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and coat with sugar. Transfer to parchment-lined or greased cookie sheets. With the bottom of a glass ( I do recommend flouring the bottom of it so no "sticking" occurs), gently flatten each rolled ball of dough into a disk. Using a 1-inch heart shape cookie cutter, slowly imprint that into each flattened cookie, making sure not to break through the dough entirely. Bake for 8-10 minutes (mine were done in about 7), and allow cookies to cool on a wire rack completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and food coloring-- then mix in 1 3/4 tsp cold water. With a small spoon, glaze inside each heart. Let set for 15 minutes.

Nutella Valentine Cookie

It wasn't until this weekend that I recalled why I have, for years now, abandoned purchasing and housing Nutella, the famous European (yes, started in Italy in 1963 to be exact) chocolate-hazelnut spread that is deadly good and deadly addictive. And curse: it now resides next to our large tub of PB to torment me further. Since making this Nutella cookie recipe just a few days ago, I've been guilty of all sorts of Nutella transgressions: slathering the wicked stuff on toast in the AM, into my oatmeal, apple slices dunked into it, and worse ever, pretzel rods dipped.

I tell you: if you are trying to watch your sugar intake, don't even think about making Nutella your friend.

Except then, for cookies like these, especially a dainty little heart-shaped one around LOVE day, Nutella becomes so wonderfully welcome. One reason why I really like these cookies is because you can make them as large or as small as you wish (depending on what heart-shaped size cookie cutter you own) AND the chocolate hazelnut spread pairs oh so well with the oatmeal brown sugar cookie that is fragile yet flavorful. Ooh yes. It's good. Okay, Nutella, you may stick around.

Happy Love to you on Monday.

Nutella-Oat Sandwich Cookies

{Martha Stewart Jan/Feb 2010}

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread or jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in flours and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium until fluffy. Add vanilla; beat to combine. Scrape down bowl. Add oat mixture; beat until blended. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 2 hours (*Kate note: If your dough seems dry, add another 1 Tbsp of softened butter to it—that’s what I had to do!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/8 inch thick, dusting lightly with flour as needed. Cut out cookies with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter; place 1/2 inch apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden around edges, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling if too soft (reroll and cut scraps). Spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; top with remaining cookies. (To store, cover and keep at room temperature, up to 2 days.)

Peanut Butter & Jam Heart Cookies

If there is one thing in this world that is a guaranteed smash in my mouth, it's peanut-butter related. And with a little jam added, all is swell. Hmm.. drool.

And these cookies fit all the perfect criteria for Valentines day: love-related, heart-festive, delicious, darling, and an easy, but unique way to show someone you "heart" them. Yup.

That's it.

Peanut Butter and Jam Heart Cookies

{Martha Stewart, Feb 2011}

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1/3 cup raspberry jam, stirred to loosen

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in peanut butter, then egg. Reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture until dough forms. If dough is sticky, refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. Press into 1 3/4-inch rounds. Press hearts into centers using your fingertips. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and reshape hearts using your fingertips or the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill indentation of each with a generous 1/2 teaspoon jam to form a heart. Bake until cookies are firm, 6 to 7 minutes more.

Cake Bites

Who was the brilliant master mind who took crumbled baked cake and a tub of frosting, combined it, and then rolled it up into balls? Is it YOU? Because I'd love to seriously hug the life out of this genius who created it. The best part, for me at least, is that the combinations are practically endless. The last few days my stomach and mind have teamed up to come up with some in-the-near-future- concoctions: I'm envisioning red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting with dark chocolate drizzles, chocolate cake with dark chocolate frosting and white chocolate drizzles, and I won't bore you any further.

Valentines Day may have been created for lovers, I concur, but it was definitely created for those with hefty sweet tooths (not quite a word, I know!) as well. I hope to experiment this next week with a few other "love" appropriate sweets that would be fitting for that one special apple of your eye.

XOXO- Ciao.

Cake Bites {the LOVE version}

1 box strawberry cake mix (yes, it exists)-OR any flavor of your desire

1 tub (16 ounces) of vanilla frosting- ""

Melted chocolate (I used white, and dyed it pinkish for full love effect)

Make AND bake the cake according to package directions, baking it in a 9 x 13 pan. Remove from the oven when it's finished and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Once the cake is cool, crumble it into a large bowl. With your room-temperature frosting, begin spooning it into the crumbles and incorporate the two until the frosting is all gone and your cake mixture is "sticky".

Roll into balls (it is a little messy and goopy for your hands, warn you)... and place between sheets of wax in some large piece of tupperware. Stick in the freezer for 4-8 hours, until it's pretty darn frozen. At this point, it may be easier to roll them again into smoother balls if you had a difficult time before, like I did..... and at this point as well, you can either dip them in melted chocolate* or drizzle melted chocolate over them, or BOTH.

Keep in freezer until your ready to serve them (I suppose alternatively, you can store them in the fridge, but I wouldn't recommend keeping them at room temp).

*I highly recommend adding a little canola oil to the chocolate you decide to melt- AND use a double broiler. Those two tips will make a big difference in the melted chocolate's success and texture!

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

I will unabashedly tell you that there need not be a special occasion in my or anyone else's life to knock out a treat. When a woman craves, a woman craves and though barbaric measures may be taken, that craving must be satiated. Usually instantly if possible.

Such is me. With eggnog "curing" for who knows how long in the blackhole of our refrigerator, it was time to do something about it! I had mentioned earlier that eggnog cheesecake bars were supposed to be added to our Christmas cookie/holiday festivus/merry-treats-gluttonizing; they did not. However, be it Jan 7th or December 7th, eggnog cheesecake bars are a welcome treat in my home anytime the snow falls. Not only is this the simplest cheesecake recipe you will ever put your hands on, it is, I dare insist that these may be the best cheesecake holiday concoction I've ever had. Simplicity, people, is why. You don't need a rock pile of organic hazelnuts or naturally-picked currant berries or whatever, in order for this to be a deluxe addition to your dessert bar. It's graham crackers. It's cream cheese. Some sugar, eggs, and butter, and whala. Will not break your food budget into smithereens.

So, thank you to some person in the Martha Stewart Kingdom for this. We LOVED it (I say, "loved" because they have all been eaten- in 22 hours. Every last buttery crumb).

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

Vegetable oil cooking spray, for pan

12 graham crackers, finely ground (1 1/2 cups)

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

3/4 cup eggnog

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for dusting

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Stir together graham crackers, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the melted butter. Press into bottom of pan. Bake until crust is just brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, the eggs, yolk, eggnog, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt; beat until smooth. Pour filling over crust. Set pan in a roasting pan, and add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of baking pan. Bake until just set, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove baking pan from water bath, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight (the refrigeration step is really important!!).

Cut into 1 1/2-by-3-inch bars. Lightly dust tops of bars with freshly grated nutmeg just before serving.

So, So Good: Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies

If you are doubting the goodness and sweetness of a grapefruit cookie, doubt no more! Most people think they are simply a lemon-flavored cookie, and if that doesn't bother ya, well, you will fall hard for this recipe. It is almost better, than a lemon cookie, why I am not exactly certain, but these made me smitten-dizzy.

One of my many mandatory winter correlations happens to deal with Ruby Red grapefruits. I just don't eat them well or with as much zest (get it?? Bwah har) as I do in the winter time. Hence, for me personally, this is one of the most pleasing and perfectly palatable winter cookies. It's fantastic for your holiday treat plate-giving and goes well for parties. This I promise!

And like usual, most the frosting was gone before I had even slathered up one cookie. Cough cough*.

Another favorite cookie to add to the pre-existing, lengthy list!!

Happy twenty-eleven/two-thousand eleven!!

Pink Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies

{Martha Stewart, Baking Handbook}

Grated zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 large egg yolks

Pink Grapefruit Cream Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice

Zest of one Ruby red grapefruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine zest with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in reserved zest-sugar mixture. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.

Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out disk to 1/8 inch thick using a lightly floured rolling pin. Using a lightly floured 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place about 1 inch apart on prepared sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.

Using an offset spatula, spread 1 tablespoon filling onto flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping flat sides down. Once filled, cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Making the Frosting:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in zest and honey. Add juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until filling holds together and is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to use.