Happy Father's Day!

To all the fathers that have been there for the children in their lives, thank you.

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I have been gone so long. With work getting busier, I could not keep up with baking anymore. I am hoping that I can visit more often and maybe even connect with everyone via Facebook. Yes, I finally joined the crowd, though a bit late. I never could have a regular Facebook because of my profession (therapy) so I decided to make a page about therapy just so I could share in the fun. So I hope I can reconnect. I miss all of you!

English Blueberry Scones

Moist and Delicious Carrot Cake

Ok, it's been forever since I've posted, again. Too much work to do, no time to bake :( But for my brother's birthday, his first one home since retiring from the Navy, I had to make something special. So I shut the computer off and focused on making something memorable for his birthday. He requested carrot cake of all things! I haven't made carrot cake in ages. This recipe calls for so many heavy ingredients I was a bit worried when it came out of the oven without rising that much. But when I added the icing, it made all the difference. Plus all you needed was a small slice since it was so filling! Everyone raved over how rich and moist it was. This cake would be perfect for any occasion. Enjoy!

Moist and Delicious Carrot Cake

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs (I used 1 egg and 1/2 cup Egg Beaters)
2 cups sugar (I used 1 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (Iused 1/4 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Icing

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake


"Love is like a good cake; you never know when it's coming, but you'd better eat it when it does!” ― C. JoyBell C.

Happy Independence Day!

And thank you to everyone who has protected our freedom.

Easy Strawberry Tartlets

When summer started with a bang with those 90 degree days, there was no way I wanted to turn the oven on. Or even think about spending more time in the kitchen than I had to. So when I wanted something sweet, I made these tartlets up (there might be a recipe somewhere, but I'd like to think I'm this creative!). I used those mini Keebler graham cracker shells from the store and filled them with fresh strawberry goodness. Then I topped it with whipped cream. Easy, quick and so good!

Easy Strawberry Tartlets

1 package of mini Keebler (or any brand) graham cracker pie crusts
3 cups sliced and hulled strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon corn starch
pinch salt

Whipped cream

Mix strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and corn startch in a pot on medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir until thickened. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Spoon strawberry mixture into individual shells. Chill through. Top with whipped cream and serve.


"One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Awesome Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

I am trying my best to get in another few posts before the new Blogger interface starts and I have to spend a few months trying to figure out how to post again. Can you tell I'm not so good with computers? ;)

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I am always looking for that perfect biscuit. I've tried many recipes, but I think this one comes the closest to what I have been looking for. It's got those flaky layers, soft inside and crunchy outside. It rises nice and high and tastes wonderful. And it's quick to make, perfect when you are busy getting together the rest of the meal. The recipe comes from Food.com. A reader posted it with very detailed instructions that I found very useful so I'll reprint it as she wrote it. I think you'll love these.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board ( if you can get White Lily flour, your biscuits will be even better)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
1 cup buttermilk (approx) (I make my own from 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice)

Preheat your oven to 450°F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. (I used the food processor- it turned out great)
Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.

If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
Do not overbake.
Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
I have found that a food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of overmixing.
You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit.
Also, you can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month.
When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.


“I think the butter's slipped off your biscuit”- unknown