Baking My Way: Orange Caramel Spritz

(I didn't have a cookie press so I used just a piping bag without a head. It still gave the general idea of the cookie I think)

Well I usually love anything with cream cheese in it but to be honest I sort of felt like this was a waste of my cream cheese. I didn't like the end result of the cookies and I didn't find I even tasted any caramel which I was really disappointing in. Again, still glad I tried it and another recipe done in the book.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 1/4 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon colored sugar

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add brown sugar and orange peel; beat until light and fluffy. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and salt; blend well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.

Fit cookie press with desired template. Fill cookie press; press dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle cookies with colored sugar.

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Recipe Source: Pilsbury.com

Alfredo Sauce

There aren’t a lot of options in the grocery store for Alfredo sauce, and the options that are out there are super expensive (to me at least). I’ve never really been good at sauces so I started to give up when I got a few wrong, but I had a lot of confidence I couldn’t screw this one up so I tried it the other night. It turned out great! It’s really easy, and sort of fun, and you can add whatever sort of spices you want and it seems to just make it better (sort of like a blank canvas for sauces). So give it a try and see if you like it!


1/2 cup Cream Cheese (or sour cream)
1 cup Milk 0-2 %
3 tbsp. Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
3 tbsp. Dry Parsley or 1/2 cup fresh

The best way to make this consistent is to use a blender. Put cream cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in blender. Blend until there are no clumps, pour into saucepan on medium heat, cook for about 10 minutes (or longer to make the flavour really take!). While cooking add parsley (if fresh chop finely) and save some for garnish.

Have any good ideas, or substitutes for this....share them, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!!

Cooking Goal: Creamy Lemon-Herb Pasta

Doesn't this look wonderful?! I think I could eat a lot of this one! 

Check out the recipe here at Sweet Luvin' In The Kitchen

Triple Berry Cheesecake

 This cake is so tasty! (Sorry the photos aren't better, I forgot my camera at home so iphone it was!) It's light, very fruity and perfect for summer! The cake it's self isn't very sweet so the frosting adds a little treat to the cake.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pkg (each 8 oz/250 g) cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup mixed berries


Crust:
10 graham crackers 


Frosting: 
1/2 whip cream
1/4 icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons berry liquid


Preparation

1. Crust: Layer the graham crackers at the bottom of a 7'' spring form pan

2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until softened. Gradually beat in sugar; beat for 3 minutes or until smooth and light, scraping down bowl twice. Using low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl often. Blend in lemon juice, vanilla and salt, then sour cream. Pour over crust.

4. In a small sauce pan heat sugar and berries until you get a berry sauce. Add berry sauce, minus 4 tablespoon liquid, to the cheese cake by the spoonfuls. Mix in if desired or let there be areas with more berries then others etc.

5. Bake in centre of oven at 325°F (160°C) for 1-1/4 hours or until shine disappears and edge is set yet centre still jiggles slightly. Let cool.

6. Make frosting by whipping the whip cream, until soft pecks form, then add berry liquid, then adding icing sugar, a bit at a time to get the desired consistency.  Spread frosting on cooled cheese cake.

Baking Goal: Red Currant Walnut Sheet Cake

Doesn't this look great! Can't wait to try it!

Check out the recipe at Catalina Bakes

Triple Chocolate Cookies

 These cookies are seriously good! If you want a good decadent chocolate hit these are the perfect option! I feel like they should be more of a chocolate cake, in a fancy bakery then a cookie. They are that decadent and rich. I had taken a different recipe and made some changes to it because, well, I simply wanted more chocolate! I hope you love them as much as I do!


INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and egg; blend well.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in white chocolate and dark chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375°F. for 8 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets.

Candy Coated Pecans

I haven't tried out this recipe yet but it looks really good! I make candied nuts all the time for salads and I just love it! It's such a nice addition and it makes me eat more greens which is always a good thing!

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• 4 cups pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Spray the wax paper with cooking spray.
2. Beat egg white until stiff. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Mix in pecans and stir until coated. Pour the nuts onto the prepared cookie sheet.
3. Bake until browned, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.