The Academy Awards

Today my girlfriend had her annual Academy Awards party.  The evening always promises laughs, good drinks and food.  To match all the gorgeous gowns and attire at the awards, I tried to dress up my dessert.  Each strawberry was dressed in a 'tux' or a 'gown with pearls'.  It was pretty funny!

This would be fun to do for a bridal shower or engagement party.  The 'girl' strawberry could have a white chocolate dress to look like a wedding gown.

Kings Cake

Ahhhh, a King Cake.  A sweet treat typically served on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans and across our country.  I tried my first King Cake after visiting New Orleans quite a few years ago.  It is sweet, moist, and has a great flavor that makes it hard to have just one slice.

I saw a recipe in our newspaper for a King Cake and decided to give it a shot.  This dish is not for someone who is short on time or is afraid to use yeast.  Because you'll need a lot of time for King Cake so the dough can rise.  Twice.  And yeast is necessary for the Brioche base.  Its worth it though - take a risk and give it a try!  The end result was everything I had hoped it would be.  Tender, sweet but not too sweet, and colorful due to the sprinkles in honor of Mardi Gras official green, gold and purple colors. 

Side note - King Cakes usually contain a mini plastic baby hidden inside.  Whoever ends up with the plastic baby in their slice is traditionally in charge of bringing the King Cake to the next year's Fat Tuesday gathering.  Because I didn't want to go and buy a mini baby and I didn't want anyone in my family swallowing said baby, I excluded it.  A friend suggested using an almond as a baby alternative next time - great idea!

After rising once, the dough is rolled out and scored down the center...

Then the cream cheese and apple fillings are added.  Fold the sides back up to create two tubes, side by side and still attached to eachother (due to scoring and not cutting the rolled dough).

Twist and shape in to a ring.  Let rise again.

Brush with an egg wash before baking.

20 minutes later and my King Cake was done.

Apply the cream cheese glaze while the cake is slightly warm, then cover with traditional Mardi Gras colored sprinkles (or any colors of your choosing).

And slice up and serve!  This makes for a great dessert or breakfast item.

Mardi Gras King Cake with Cream Cheese and Apple Filling, courtesy of Los Angeles Times
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes, plus rising times
Servings: 12 to 16

Note: The cake can be adapted to any occasion by substituting or eliminating the colored sugars. Colored sugars and plastic king cake babies are generally available at baking supply stores, as well as online.

Apple filling
2 tablespoons butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch slices
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, just until the apple starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes (the slices should still be crisp). Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and toasted pecans. Spread the apple mixture onto a baking sheet to stop the cooking process and allow the apples to cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate until needed.


Cream cheese filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
½ beaten egg (save the other half to make the egg wash for the cake)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese with the vanilla, salt and sugar. Add the beaten egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.


Cream cheese glaze
2 ounces (1/4 of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt until completely combined. With the mixer running, add the sifted powdered sugar, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.


Brioche dough and assembly¾ cup milk, divided
1 package (2 ½ teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
2 eggs, plus ½ beaten egg (use the remaining half egg leftover from the cream cheese filling), divided
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
3 ½ cups (15.75 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon salt
Apple filling
Cream cheese filling
Cream cheese glaze
Purple, green and yellow colored sugars for decorating
Plastic baby, if desired (or you can use an almond)

In a small pan, heat one-half cup plus 2 tablespoons of milk over medium heat just until warmed. Remove from heat and pour the milk into a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar, then set aside until the milk is foamy and the yeast is activated, about 10 minutes.

Whisk the 2 eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in the yeast mixture and remaining one-third cup of sugar until fully incorporated.

If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and somewhat silky (it's a rich dough and won't be entirely smooth), 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, make an egg wash: Combine the remaining beaten half egg with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk.

When the dough is doubled, punch it down (it will be very smooth and elastic) and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into a 10-by-28-inch rectangle. Lightly score the dough lengthwise to divide the dough into 2 equal halves.

Spoon the apple filling down the length of one side, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on the top, bottom and sides. Repeat with the cream cheese filling down the other side of the dough, leaving a 1 ½-inch border on the top, bottom and each side. Lightly brush the edges and center of the dough (along the score) with the egg wash to moisten. Gently and carefully pull the dough over the cream cheese filling, sealing the edge of the dough along the score mark. Repeat with the apple filling. Press the sealed edges, making sure they are secure (otherwise the fillings could spill out while the cake bakes).

Gently twist the length of the dough to form a braid-like shape. Wrap the dough so it forms an oval wreath and gently press the edges together. Carefully transfer the wreath to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush the top of the wreath lightly with egg wash and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until almost doubled in volume, 45 minutes to an hour, or loosely cover and refrigerate the dough overnight, removing it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking for the dough to come to room temperature.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the wreath with any remaining egg wash and place the sheet in the oven.

Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the toothpick will remain moist if it hits the cream cheese filling, but there should be no crumbs sticking to it), about 30 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Allow the cake to cool slightly before it is frosted (if it's too hot, the glaze will run off the cake and not adhere). Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, then lightly sprinkle on the colored sugars. If using the plastic baby, hide it somewhere in the cake (press the baby in through the bottom of the cake so as not to disturb the top or sides of the cake). Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

Only read this if you don't scare easily...
Each of 16 servings: 387 calories; 7 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 22 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 86 mg cholesterol; 20 grams sugar; 224 mg sodium.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a fun day to get creative.  Cut your kids sandwiches in to the shape of a heart.

Make thin slices of apple and use a small cookie cutter to make a heart. 

You can make heart shaped quesadillas, heart shaped pancakes, hamburger patties, cakes... 

And my favorite part of Valentine's Day are the desserts!  Today I dressed up some strawberries.

These tuxedo berries aren't too tough.  Just dip the 'front' side of the strawberry in a little bit of white chocolate.  Let it set for an hour or so on the counter (do not put in fridge or they may sweat, making it difficult for the chocolate to 'stick').  Then dip both sides of the strawberries at an angle to create a white 'V'.

To add the bowtie and buttons I put some of the remaining melted chocolate in a small ziploc baggie.  Cut a very tiny hole in the corner of the bag.  And the smaller the hole, the easier it is, so cut off just the very tip of the corner!  Make two little triangles to make the bowtie shape and then you can use the tip of the bag to gently fill the triangles.  For the buttons I lightly touched the bag to the berries.

I'd have photos for you if I had three arms.  Piping is a two hand job! :)

Valentine Sweets

Today I made a batch of cookies and cupcakes for a bake sale taking place tomorrow.  The sorority I belonged to in college was hosting the fundraiser and I love helping to only support the active members, but to know that all the money would be going towards a great mentoring program for 50 Seattle area middle school girls.

I tried out a cupcake recipe that I saw on pinterest.  It was a big risk hoping that the recipe was not only as good as it said, but that it made as many as it promised.  The final result was an extra moist cupcake and was a big hit with not only myself, but the Kappa gals and my kids too!  Best part?  The base of the recipe starts with white cake mix!  I ended up with about 30 cupcakes from the recipe.  You can find the cupcake recipe here as well as the buttercream frosting I used, both are from the Recipe Girl blog.

To make the cupcakes stand out a bit, I added some pink coloring to the batter and topped each finished cupcake with a conversation heart.  Tomorrow is Valentine's Day after all.

The next project of the day was helping my son create his Valentine's for school.  I had him write "Happy Valentine's Day" and sign his name.  I then scanned the message and printed on to little labels that were stuck on to lollipops.  I cut out mustaches and lips and we slid them on to lollipops to make the person sucking on the lollipop look as if they have a mustache or big pink lips.  Pretty comical.

Birthday Pie!

My son who is obsessed with chocolate and all things covered with frosting threw me for a loop.  Instead of his usual birthday chocolate cake with chocolate frosting request he asked for birthday apple pie!  Say what?  Is this what happens when your 'little' boy turns 5 and suddenly seems so grown up?

This new request wasn't all bad.  It meant I didn't have to blow his past birthday cakes out of the water (airplane theme and train theme) and didn't have to deal with any frosting.

Extra pie dough is your friend.  I always use leftover dough to make patterns for the top of the pie using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife to cut out letters. 

The birthday boy even received his own personal apple pie...

Baked and ready for five candles and a birthday serenade!

The desserts... And yes, I made chocolate brownies as an emergency backup.  My son has never requested pie when given any dessert option.  I wanted something chocolate in case we had a birthday party meltdown.  In the end, it was my daughter who had a meltdown about pie... 

One very happy 5 year old! 

Cucumber Feta Rolls

Pinterest is a new addiction of mine. It has all sort of projects that are totally cute but in reality, I will never have the time or energy to do them.  But when it comes to food I have found some really good recipes.  This one for Cucumber Feta Rolls is adapted from a recipe I discovered in Pinterest.  Its not too difficult, but the finished product packs an impressive visual (and flavorful) punch.

Some chopped dill and red pepper...

Added to crumbled feta cheese, greek yogurt and lemon juice...

Mixed together and set aside while you cut cucumbers.

Use a mandolin (or cheese slicer, or steady hand and a knife...), to create thin strips of cucumber.

When you get close to the center of the cucumber, the seeds will make your slices a little fragile.  I was able to use some of these strips with seeds, but they're a little harder to work with.

Lay your slices out on a paper towel to help dry off the cucumbers.

You'll have to experiment to get the right portion, but put about a tablespoon of the feta mix on to one end of the cucumber slice and roll up. 

Secure by inserting a toothpick through the roll.

Cucumber Feta Rolls, courtesy of Jodi

2 cucumbers

6 ounces crumbled feta
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of pepper

Thinly slice cucumbers on a mandoline at approximately 2mm thick (most mandolines have thickness setting). Then place cucumbers slices on paper towels to help remove some of the liquid.

Mix the feta and yogurt together.  Then add the bell pepper, dill, lemon juice, and pepper to the bowl. Mix well.

Place 1Tbsp of the feta mix at one end of a cucumber strip and roll up, then secure with a toothpick. Keep refrigerated until you serve.  Do not make more than a few hours in advance.

Chocolate Covered Fruit

What is better than fruit?  Chocolate covered fruit, of course!

Thanks to Pinterest, I had a great idea for tonight's Superbowl game.  Add a few dashes of white chocolate to chocolate covered strawberries and you've got cute little 'football' strawberries!  They taste even better then they look.  But chocolate usually tastes better than it looks. 

To dip fruit in chocolate, don't wash the fruit!  If you do, you need to make sure the fruit is totally dry before you start.  Strawberries, apple slices (pat dry with paper towel), dried apricots, bananas, are all great options.  But today we're talk'n stawberries! It also helps if your fruit is at room temperature.

I did this recipe by guessing measurements because I wasn't sure how much I'd need for a two pound container of berries. So, don't complain if you have a bunch of leftover melted chocolate (who would complain about that anyways!?). Extra chocolate means you can dip everything in sight...banana slices (see below), graham crackers, your fingers, or just a spoonful put directly to your mouth...

I melted one bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler on the stove, adding about a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the mix as the chocolate begins to melt.  This addition of veggie oil will help smooth out the chocolate and make it a little easier to dip.  It will also ensure that once the chocolate hardens on the fruit it won't turn to rock and crumble when you take a bite.  Place your dipped fruit on a cookie sheet covered with parchment or a silpat liner. Let cool and solidify on strawberries.

As the chocolate on the dipped strawberries hardens, begin to melt about one half cup of white chocolate chips in a double boiler.  Use low heat!  I've found white chocolate is very tempermental, and high temperatures will leave you with a mess.  Add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to the mix and stir until melted.  Spoon the white chocolate in to a small ziploc bag.  Snip a VERY tiny piece off one corner of the bag and use this as a homemade pastry bag to pipe the white chocolate on to the berries.  You might want to practice a few football lace patterns on to plain parchment to get the hang of it.

Let your finished product sit in a cool place, but not the fridge!  Cold temperatures will make the fruit sweat.  You can store leftover chocolate dipped berries in the fridge, but they will only last a day or so.  But seriously.  Why or how could you have leftovers!?  Just eat them... its healthy because there is fruit inside!!

Chocolate Covered Bananas
I had some melted chocolate left over after dipping the strawberries so I sliced two bananas and started dipping them. As well as my fingers.

Then it hit me.  What could make chocolate covered bananas even better?  Peanut butter! I grabbed the PB and smeared some on top of the slices.  Then I dipped those too!  Note - you have to work fast with the PB bananas because the warm chocolate will start to melt the peanut butter.   

Once you are done, pop these little guys in the freezer and let them chill for a bit. Or, you can just store them in the freezer and eat them like little bon bons!  Again, it can't be that bad for you... there is fruit in the center and protein in the peanut butter.  Am I right, or what?