Almond Joy Truffles

Does the thought of making truffles cause you to run to the corner and hide behind your apron? Well, fear not my fellow culinary creators! It's simple. I used a very basic truffle recipe found here to cook up some Almond Joy Truffles. The truffles are so smooth, creamy, and buttery; they really do melt in your mouth (and in your hand, for that matter...so eat 'em up!).

I found that making 20 truffles was not enough--not that I needed more, just that there was too much chocolate in relation to the size of the almond inside each truffle. The almond got lost inside, and every person who ate a truffle was very surprised to suddenly find a tiny little nut in the middle. Instead of working together, the chocolate dominated the flavor of the almond.

All in all this is a delicious recipe that is so easy and takes so little time. Do I have future modifications? Indeed! I want to add some almond extract to the chocolate to help the almond speak up a bit. I also will make smaller chocolate portions so the almond does not get lost. For the calorie-conscious, I will be trying this recipe with milk instead of cream. I have no idea if it will work and be delicious, or if it will fail and be the most disgusting thing ever. But I will post either way!

1/3 Heavy cream

4 T Butter
8 oz dark chocolate (or chocolate of your choice), coarsely chopped

20 almonds, toasted

sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter over medium heat until hot. Stir in chocolate until melted. Chill in refrigerator or freezer for a few hours until it is firm. Make sure it's not too hard but be careful so it does not become to warm and soft. Roll into (at least) 20 balls, placing an almond in the center of each. Roll the truffle in toasted coconut.

Mahlzeit!

-Coriaunty

Happy Birthday and a Newspaper Column

I am (unfortunately) having a birthday this week, but am lucky to have a husband willing take on the task of making a birthday cake. I was going to make my own birthday cake, but he gallantly offered to take on the culinary challenge. So....fine. He had to scrap the original plan when one of our Hungry Puppies became very distressed that the cake wouldn't be black and white (my favorite colors). Dark brown and white-ish were apparently close enough. He made the cake (from scratch, I might add), and I made the filling and frosted the cake (at his request so that it would look edible). The cake was yummy...not bad for my non-baker husband.

He also, unbeknownst to me, wrote a community column spotlighting this blog. I like to fly under the radar. I don't think that this qualifies. However, I do appreciate the free advertising of this blog to the entire region.

Almost White Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Cake:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Chocolate Cream Filling:
One 7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 heaping Tablespoon black cocoa powder
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons very hot water
Pinch - 1/8 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Frosting of your choice (we used storebought (long story) but homemade is best).

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, and one extra pan for the remaining batter (the recipe makes three 9-inch layers, but we did two layers and used the remaining batter for something else. You can do cupcakes, or a separate one layer...whatever.)

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream until well blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and buttermilk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and almond extracts and bead until just blended. Pour 1/3 of the batter into each of the two cake pans (use the remaining 1/3 for something else). Gently drop each pan flat on the counter a couple of times to release some air bubbles and to help produce a more level cake.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

To make the filling, combine marshmallow fluff, shortening, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and beat until well blended and fluffy. Combine hot water and salt in a small bowl, and swirl until salt dissolves. Add salt water to filling, and beat well.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread all of the filling evenly over the layer, then top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with chocolate frosting.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Mommy's Pumpkin Pie

Pie #3 for Thanksgiving was none other than pumpkin. What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? Once again I called up my mommy, who manages to always rescue my cooking can, so to speak. I made the recipe she's been making for as long as I can remember. I haven't found any pumpkin pie I enjoy more than hers. It has a perfect balance of pumpkin, spices, and sweetness, and is also moist and creamy. Mommy's pumpkin pie is the best pumpkin pie you'll ever taste, hands down.

(Makes enough for 2 pies)

4 Eggs

4 Cups pumpkin puree

1 Cup honey

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 Cans evaporated milk

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 25-30 minutes). Serve with whipped topping.

Mahlzeit!

-Coriaunty

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is another Thanksgiving must. This is another one of my mom's recipes, and is absolutely divine. I tweaked her recipe just a tad by increasing the amount of both chopped and halved pecans.

2 Egg yolks

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 T flour

1/4 Cup melted, cooled butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Cup dark corn syrup (I used light)

2 Egg whites

1 Cup chopped pecans

1 Cup pecan halves

In a large bowl combine egg yolks, sugar, salt, cinnamon, flour, butter, vanilla, and syrup. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Fold into other mixture. Fold in chopped pecans. Pour mixture into a prepared pie crust. Arrange pecan halves on top of the pie in circles, starting at the outer edge of the pie. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, checking periodically to make sure the pecans do not get too brown.

Mahlzeit!

-Coriaunty

Mincemeat Pie

When I was little my mom would make mincemeat pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I loved them! Unfortunately, one year, long long ago, she stopped making them and I soon forgot all about mincemeat pie. This year, however, was different. My sister and I were in charge of the whole Thanksgiving meal, and while we were making our list of scrumptious dishes to deliver, I suddenly remembered mincemeat pie. Quickly calling dibs on pie making, I started preparing.

I called my mom up and asked for her recipe; she told me to just go to the store, get a jar of mincemeat, and plop it into my pie crust. Needless to say, that was a bit of a letdown. So I decided to spice it up a bit. My pie spun off of an AllRecipes recipe. My childhood memories joined forces with a set of now older and wiser taste buds to create the following:

1 Jar mincemeat pie filling

1 1/2 Cups chopped walnuts

2 Apples, chopped

1/2 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 Cups packed brown sugar

1 T Vanilla

1 T Lemon juice

Double pie crust

Combine ingredients (minus the pie crusts, of course) in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Pour into pie shell, cover and crimp with top crust. Be sure to slit the top so the pie can vent! Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar on the crust. Bake for 10 minutes. *Watch your crust. You may need to tent it in order prevent overbrowning (aka burning).

Mahlzeit!

-Coriaunty

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Popcorn

I found this recipe several weeks ago and made it today on a whim. We had a snow storm over the weekend and are due for another tomorrow, so with all the snow it is really starting to feel like the Holidays. This recipe seemed like the perfect pre-Thanksgiving treat to munch.

The almonds aquire a nice toasty flavor, and you can taste a nice hint of orange wrapped up in all that caramel. My hungry puppies can't get enough. This recipe is modified slightly from one found in a Better Homes and Gardens digital magazine, found here.

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn

12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped)

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon orange zest

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 275F. In a very large bowl or roasting pan, combine the popped popcorn, cranberries, and sliced almonds. In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then add the orange zest. Continue to boil over medium heat for two minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda (the caramel will foam up).

Pour the caramel over the popcorn mixture in the bowl or roasting pan, and stir to coat well. Transfer to a 16x12x1 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes and again at 20 minutes. Transfer the caramel corn to a large sheet of wax paper or greased foil, and cool completely. Store in a large airtight container at room temperature. Makes 20 (1/2 cup) servings.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Today is my older sister's birthday. I would have loved for this to be her birthday cake, but she lives a thousand miles away. So I have no choice but to send her a birthday cake, after a fashion. Happy Birthday, Sister!

This cake was so nice and refreshing. It was nice and light with a clear lemon flavor, and the frosting was soft and not too sweet. The cake and the frosting balanced each other very well. I will definitely be making this cake again. I adapted this recipe from the one found here.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, scant
2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
2 egg whites + 1 whole egg

Lemon Syrup:
4 Tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup water

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 vanilla bean
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, an poppy seeds. Beat on low speed to gently blend the ingredients. Add the buter, lemon zest, and buttermilk to the flour mixture (in that order), beating on low to combine. Once blended, increase the speed to medium and beat one to two minutes. In a small bowl, gently beat egg and egg whites, then add to batter and beat only enough to incorporate, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour the batter evenly into cake pans. Bake cakes for about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpic inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 mintues while you make the lemon syrup.

For the lemon syrup: Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside. Turn the cake layers out onto cooling racks and generously brush the warm cakes with the hot lemon syrup. Let cool completely.

For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese and butter. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds gently with the point of a knife. Add the seed paste to the cream cheese and butter, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides. Continue to beat until very fluffy, add the vanilla extract and beat well.
To assemble: Place one cake layer upside down on a serving plate. Spread some frosting over the layer, and top with the second cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Bagels

What is better than bagels? Homemade bagels, of course. I haven't made bagels in a while, and these definitely hit the spot. The crust was thick, crunchy, and chewy, while the center was still very tender and soft. I will be trying a cinnamon swirl-raisin variation on these bagels soon. This recipe is adapted from two different King Arthur Flour recipes. You can find the original recipes here and here.

Homemade Bagels

Starter:

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached bread flour

1 cup (8 ounces) water

1/16 teaspoon (or pinch) instant yeast

Combine the flour, water, and yeast; mix until well combined. Cover and let rest at room temperature overnight.

Dough:

All of the starter

2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) unbleached bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon malted milk powder

1/2 cup (4 ounces) water

Water Bath:

Enough warm water to fill a 10 - inch diameter pan about 1 - inch deep

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Combine all ingredients either by hand or in a mixer, and knead vigorously, by hand for 10 to 15 minutes, or by mixer on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. The dough will be very stiff. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise until puffy (may not double in size) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough into 16 pieces (for about 2 1/2 ounce bagels), or 8 pieces for larger (roughly 5 ounce) bagels. Roll each piece into a round, smooth ball. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.

Poke a hole with your finger in the middle of each dough ball, then twirl the dough with two fingers to stretch the hole until it is about 1 1/2 inches. Place each bagel on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes.

While the dough is rising, heat the water and brown sugar to a gentle boil, and preheat the oven to 400F. Transfer the bagels ( about four at a time) to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes on one side, then carefully flip them over and cook for 1 minute longer.

Sprinkle the wet bagels with any seeds of your choice ( I used a mix of sesame and poppy seeds). Bake the bagels for 20 to 25 minutes, then cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Makes 16 small bagels, or 8 large bagels.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials - Chocolate Chip Jumbos

We will be ending our Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials with round four, and Chocolate Chip Jumbos. I have made these cookies quite a few times in the past, and really enjoy them. It is a clipping from a magazine, origin forgotten by now. These are very large, solid cookies. They are both crunchy and chewy, unless you overbake, which will turn these cookies very dry, very quickly.

Phase 1, dough: Again, your basic chocolate chip cookie dough, but I had to be sure, didn't I? Phase 2, baked: Retained a good shape and height. The texture is not too gooey, but the cookies are still soft with a good crunch on the edges. Phase 3, chilled: I didn't enjoy these cookies chilled as much as fresh out of the oven. They firmed up quite a bit, and were almost too solid for my taste. I left out the nuts, but these cookies are very adaptable, and you can play around with different add-ins.

Chocolate Chip Jumbos

3 large eggs

1 pound (4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1 package (16 ounces) brown sugar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages (12 ounces each) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bag (16 ounces) chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. In a very large bowl (a stand mixer works best, as you may burn out a hand mixer), with mixer on medium speed, beat eggs 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. reduce speed to low; beat in butter, sugars, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts (mixture will be very stiff).

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by level 1/3 cups (or use a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop), 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake cookies 23 to 26 minutes or until golden around the edges, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Stor cookies in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer up to 3 months. Makes about 3 dozen (very large) cookies.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials - Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Round three of our Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials features Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was incredibly excited for this recipe, because I really enjoy whole wheat recipes, and was intrigued by its application in a chocolate chip cookie. I was incredibly underwhelmed, however, as the recipe did not go over well.

Phase 1, dough: The dough was good. It was grainy, where regular chocolate chip cookie dough is creamy and smooth, but that is to be expected with the whole wheat flour. Phase 2, baked: This is where we started having problems. The recipe calls for the dough to be scooped into mounds of about 3 tablespoons in size, and baked from 16 to 20 minutes. I scooped my cookies smaller (a heaping tablespoon), and still had to bake them for 16 minutes. They did not hold a shape, and spread a lot. They were very thin. After pulling them out of the oven, I let them sit on the baking sheet for several minutes to set up. They would otherwise not have made it off the baking sheet. The flavor was good, but the cookie did not hold together well. Phase 3, chilled: I haven't actually tried a chilled cookie. I was so unimpressed that I don't really have a big desire to eat another one. Kind of sad, a little dissapointing, but I will not be thwarted. I will not post the recipe here, but it is a recipe from Fine Cooking, and you can find it here.

-Cardamommy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Round two of our Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials features...(drum roll please)...Chocolate Chip Cookies. I found this recipe (please don't laugh) on a box of Reynolds parchment paper. The photo on the box looked fabulous, so I dissected the box to see if they provided a recipe. Surprise! They did, so here we are. I don't usually gather recipes from the backs of food boxes, cans or bags, but I'll try anything once. Well, maybe.

Phase 1, dough: Can you really critique this phase? Phase 2, baked: Pretty basic. They were soft and gooey, but did not have that crispiness of the Chocolate Chip Cashew Cookies. They had good height, and didn't deflate as they cooled. Phase 3, chilled: Tender, and chewy, with almost a fudgy (can you say that if it isn't chocolate) inside. These cookies were good, but not my favorite.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 12 ounce package chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

Preheat the overn to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.

Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a alrge bowl, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually to butter mixture and beat until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoonfulls onto prepared sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire cooling racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Trials - Chocolate Chip Cashew Cookies

I am continually searching for a really good, always successful chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have occasionally found the really good, but have trouble (a lot of trouble) with the always successful part. So, we commence the chocolate chip cookie trials. I am going to test out some different recipes, and post the results, even the failures. Cookie testing is a big deal for me, and includes phase testing. Phase 1: The Dough. If the dough doesn't taste good, you might be in trouble. Phase 2: Fresh Baked. How are the taste and texture right out of the oven. And Phase 3: Chilled. How do the taste and texture hold up after being chilled or frozen. It is a tough job, but I will sacrifice myself in the name of science -or cookies.

This recipe is one that I have made several times before, and is my current go-to recipe. Oddly enough, it is a shortening based recipe, and I hate shortening based cookies. Oh well. Sacrifices. I have adapted this recipe from one I found on the back of a Crisco can. It has a good flavor, and the texture is perfect. It is crisp/crunchy on the outside with a slightly sandy texture, and chewy on the inside, like a bakery cookie. It is also a nice looking cookie, not wafer thin. Phase 1, dough: You are lucky to see subsequent phases. Phase 2, baked: Crisp outside, soft, warm, gooey inside. Phase 3, chilled: Chewy, but not tough, and still has the crisp bite. The cashews provide a nice, slightly different touch, which I really love. Take note of this because I don't like nuts (except cashews) and you will never find nuts in my cookies. Next time I will try white chocolate chips with the cashews.

Chocolate Chip Cashew Cookies

3/4 cups butter flavored shortening

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup coarsley chopped cashews

Preheat the oven to 375F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides, then add the egg and beat well. Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and mix on low until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfulls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Noon Rogani

Warning: This bread is addictive. By making this bread, you run the serious risk of destroying your self control, expanding your waistline, and ruining your tastebuds for any other bread. This bread is absolutely amazing. It is kind of like a giant, unsliced, spiraled cinnamon roll, but oh so much more. This bread has the perfect blend of textures: flaky, chewy, and crunchy, and the butter and cinnamon-sugar inside is perfect. It does not overpower the flavor of the bread, and does not muddy the many layers of dough with sticky goo (not that I usually mind sticky goo).

This recipe may look daunting, but don't let that fool you. It is actually quite easy, and not too time consuming (besides the rise time). This bread actually comes from Azerbaijan, and is traditionally a breakfast bread. The bread is twisted and coiled to resemble a turban. Although my hungry puppies think it looks like a coiled snake. I have adapted this recipe from King Arthur Flour.

Noon Rogani

Dough:

1 1/4 cups warm water

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon instant yeast

Filling and Topping:

4 Tablespoons melted butter, divided

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste (I use a 1/2 cup or slightly more)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine all dough ingredients in the bucket of your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer, and set to run a dough cycle. If you don't have a bread machine, you can combine the water, sugar, and yeast and let it stand for about 5 minutes, or until the yeast has dissolved. Then add the salt, oil, and flour, and mix the dough until it comes together, then knead the dough on the counter top until the dough is smooth and elastic, and slightly tacky to the touch. Let the dough rise in a covered container about 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy.

After the dough cycle is done (or the bread has risen 30 to 40 minutes) turn the dough out onto a large floured surface and roll it out into a 23 inch square (it will be very thin). In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough. Roll up the dough, jelly roll style, and pinch the seam to seal. Continue rolling the rope of dough until it is five feet long. There may be tears and holes in the outer layer of dough, but this is normal. Twist up the entire rope of dough similar to the way you would ring out a towel.

Grease a large baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Coil the rope loosely (as not to impede the rise) into a round spiral, like a coiled snake. Brush with the remaining melted butter, then cover loosely and set aside to rise for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffy. While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the Noon Rogani for 30 to 45 minutes (mine takes just 30 minutes), or until deeply browned. Remove bread to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Makes one 10 to 12 inch spiral loaf.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Polenta Lasagna

I came across this recipe at my Mom's house over the weekend, and could not resist giving it a try. This lasagna uses many of the classic ingredients, ricotta, mozzarella, a red sauce with sausage, with one exception. There are no lasagna noodles in this dish. Instead, it asks for prepared polenta cut into slices and layered with the other ingredients. I have never worked with prepared commercial polenta before, and so decided to prepare my own to use as a substitute.

This recipe turned out very well. You could taste all of the lasagna components, and the flavor of the polenta also came through very well. 5 minutes was not long enough to let the lasagna set up. As I had two Hungry Puppies waiting at the dinner table, I cut it anyway so it was very messy and sort of oozed when I served it. This problem can be solved simply by giving the lasagna more time to set up after taking it out of the oven. I also wish that the polenta had a little more bite to it, as I felt it to be a little mushy. I think that this can be overcome by preparing a stiffer polenta.

Polenta Lasagna

2 18 ounce tubes prepared polenta (I used homemade polenta, recipe at the end)

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

1 1/2 cups jarred pasta sauce (use your favorite, or homemade)

6 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 400F. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish (I used a 9x9 and it was very full) with non-stick cooking spray. Slice each tube of polenta into 9 rounds. Arrange 9 rounds in a single layer over the bottom of the casserole dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, egg, garlic powder, black pepper, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. In a separate bowl, mix pasta sauce and sausage. Spread the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the polenta. Spoon half of sauce over the ricotta mixture and spread evenly. Arrange 9 remaining rounds of polenta in a single layer over the sauce. Top with remaining sauce, then sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese over the top.

Cover tightly with a greased piece of tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna for 20 minutes more, until cheese is lightly browned. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes before serving (Let it set up for 15 minutes). Serves 6

Homemade Polenta (Better Homes and Gardens)

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cold water

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a saucepan, bring 2 3/4 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, cold water, and salt in a small bowl. Carefully add cornmeal mixture into boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture returns to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally. Pour polenta into a lightly greased 8x4 inch loaf pan. Cool, then cover and chill for several hours, or overnight. Remove from pan and slice as desired.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This year I took both my jack-o-lanterns and made them into pumpkin puree for future pumpkin deliciousness. This is the first of (hopefully) many experiments with pumpkin. The result: a moist pumpkin cookie full of fall spices that immediately plunge you into the Thanksgiving spirit and leave your taste buds begging for more. A word of caution: hide these cookies soon after baking, or they'll be gobbled up before you know it.

This recipe was adapted from foodnetwork.com.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light brown suar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder (the original recipe calls for soda)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger (I used freshly ground ginger)

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 cups (12 oz bag) chocolate chips (of the sweetness of your choosing)

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in white and brow sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a separate large bowl, whisk four, baking powder/soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together. Slowly add the flour mixture into the mixture. Do not stir too much! Add the chocolate chips and mix until chips are evenly distributed. Drop the cookie dough in heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are brown around the edges. When done, remove cookies from the oven and let rest on the pan for 2 minutes.

-Coriaunty

Nutella No Bake Cookies

I remember when I was younger, around the holidays, my Mom would bring home Nutella. She would help us spread it on still-warm Belgian waffles and we could enjoy this special treat. Now as an adult, I usually keep Nutella in the house all the time, but it still holds a reservation for occasional savoring. I have never cooked with Nutella before, and was excited to try out this recipe.

These cookies are exactly like the traditional no bake cookies except Nutella is substituted for the peanut butter. These cookies are perfect with the fudgy almost candy-like texture of the chocolate, and the chewiness of raw oats. I would definitely make these cookies again, perhaps reducing the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup in hopes of bringing out the Nutella flavor just a bit more.

Nutella No Bake Cookies

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups rolled oats

Combine sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and continue to boil for 3 minutes, constantly stirring.

Remove the chocolate mixture from heat and stir in the Nutella and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the oats and mix well. Quickly drop spoonfuls onto a sheet of wax paper and let cool completely before removing from paper. Makes about 2 dozen cookies (depending on size of scoop).

Enjoy! -Cardamommy

Pinwheel

This is my go-to recipe for get togethers and parties and such. It's fast, extremely easy to make, and everybody loves it; it's gone within minutes and leaves people begging for more. You may adjust the measurements to fit your taste and it will still turn out fabulously. It's fail-safe!

I got this recipe from my mother and have changed it (as I always do) to fit my liking.

Pinwheel

1 loaf bread dough (I use the Egg Bread recipe from Better Homes & Gardens)

1 pkg cream cheese (I use light cream cheese)

2 tsp minced garlic

thinly sliced ham

parsley flakes

poppy seeds

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick). In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and garlic. Spread over dough, up to the edges. Sprinkle desired amount of parsley flakes. Lay ham slices on dough up to the edges. You may add multiple layers of ham, depending on how much you want. Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll and seal the edges. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Make slices in the roll 3/4 of the way through, about 1 inch apart. Pull the pieces apart slightly to separate. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the roll. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

-Coriaunty

Root Beer Chocolate Cake

This cake has been on my "To do..." list for quite some time. There is something about an out-of-the-ordinary recipe that just sucks me in. Classic pumpkin pie? Plain white cake? Probably not in my kitchen. Granted, this kind of recipe definitely has its place, even in my kitchen upon occasion, I just can't resist trying something new and different. This cake definitely fell into that category.

The cake was very easy to make and came together fairly quickly. The recipe noted that the batter would be lumpy, which mine was, but upon slicing the cake, small pockets of flour were visible. Although subtly different from your traditional chocolate cake, the flavors didn't wow me. This cake was still moist the second day, and I felt that the Root Beer flavor was more pronounced the second day. I probably would not repeat this recipe unless it was specifically requested. This recipe is adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.

Root Beer Chocolate Cake

Cake:

2 cups non-diet Root Beer

1 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, beaten

Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray, or generously butter and flour your pan.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat just until the butter melts. Add the sugars and stir until dissolved, then remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

When the root beer mixture is cool, whisk in the eggs until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the root beer mixture. (The batter will be lumpy - as noted above).

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake in the pan to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, carefully invert onto a serving plate an frost with Root Beer Fudge Frosting.

Frosting:

2 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup root beer (or more for desired consistency)

2/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, combine melted chocolate, butter, and salt. Beat until smooth and combined. Beat in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and root beer. Spread over the top of the cake, and let set. A thinner frosting can be poured over the cake to run down the sides.

Enjoy! -Cardamommy