St. Patrick's Day

One of the many luxuries of being a teacher. Look at this yummiest green cake ball sucker! Thanks Calee!

Sweetest Thing

My husband is the sweetest thing. I was sick this weekend with some sort of flu/stomach bug. It was not fun on top of being pregnant. He brought the best bunch of oragne gerber daisies home to me. They brightened my heart. I love you Ben!

Taylor the Latte Boy

I love Kristin Chenoweth. So when Ben's sister Haylee showed these to me last night I realized I just have to share. Hilarious. Watch both of them. Enjoy! (ps don't you love her hair!)

My Next Cupcake Adventure...

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Let Them Eat Cake & BFMHTY, Dorie Greenspan

Makes about 18 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For red velvet cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces of red food coloring
2 (heaping) tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
2-1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

For cheesecake
Four 8-ounce boxes cream cheese, at room temperature
1-1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream (or combo of both)

cream cheese frosting (canned or favorite recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS

To make red velvet cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.

In a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, cream shortening, sugar and eggs until well combined. Add red food coloring to cocoa to create a paste. Add to shortening mixture. Add cake flour alternatively with buttermilk, starting and ending with dry cake flour. Then add salt and vanilla. Mix together the vinegar and baking soda and fold into your batter mixture.

Fill cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full. Bake for about 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely, then wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to assemble. (Chilling is easier for the assembly process.)

To make cheesecake—
In a stand mixer (or hand mixer), fitted with a paddle attachment beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft, about 4 minutes. While mixer is till running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition to produce a well aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.

Put the foil-wrapped springform pan in the roaster pan.

Use a rubber spatula to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Put the roasting pan with springform in the oven and pour enough boiling water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off the oven’s heat and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.

After 1 hour, carefully pull the cheesecake out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster. (Warning: Be careful, there may be some hot water in the aluminum foil.) Remove the foil and let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.

When the cake is cool, chill the cake in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, although overnight would be better. Remove the sides of the springform.

To assemble cupcakes—
Remove cupcakes from freezer and discard plastic wrap and liner. Using a clean, sharp knife cut each cupcake in half. Set aside. Using a 2-1/2″ diameter cookie cutter, cut circles out of the cheesecake. (Depending on how thick you want the cheesecake section you might want to cut the circles in half horizontally.)

Frost each cupcake half with your favorite cream cheese frosting. (Think of this as the glue that holds everything together.) Place the cheesecake circle between the 2 cupcake halves and pipe more cream cheese frosting on top!

Banana Cream Pie Cheesecake

To make this divine cheesecake I just followed the Lion House recipe for their cheesecake (minus the sour cream topping). Then I topped it with banana pudding mixed with whipping cream, bananas, more whipping cream, and a nilla wafer. Thanks Cheesecake Factory for the inspiration!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pint sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix graham-cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter. Press firmly into a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan or springform pan, lining the bottom and sides. Set aside.
To make filling, place cream cheese in a large mixer bowl and beat well. Add 1 cup sugar a little at a time. Add eggs one at a time. Add 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Combine thoroughly. Pour filling into crust; fill to within 1/2 inch of top to allow room for topping. Bake 55 to 60 minutes at 300 degrees. While cheesecake is baking, prepare topping.

Directions

Topping: Place sour cream in small mixer bowl and whip; add 3 tablespoons sugar gradually. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour filling over top of cheesecake and return to oven; bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 10-12 servings.

Baby Shower

Dawnell's having a baby. I made whale cupcakes for the shower. They turned out adorable!

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

If you've been on a Carnival Cruise you've had their warm chocolate melting cake. If you haven't no need to worry. You can make your own! After our honeymoon I love this yummy warmness almost as much as Ben loves it. I made it for his birthday and I must say, it was perfect. Enjoy!

8 oz semisweet chocolate

1 cup butter (2 cubes)

7 eggs

5 tablespoons sugar

½ cup flour

Preheat your oven to 375

Melt the chocolate and butter

Cool for 10 minutes

In a separate bowl mix 4 eggs with sugar, whisk

Add flour, whisk

Add the other 3 eggs, whisk

Add the mixture to the chocolate

Pour entire mixture into ramekins

Bake until just done, about 15-20 minutes

Interior will be melting

Serve with vanilla ice cream

Makes 8

Happy Day

Happy national cupcake day! I couldn't be happier...

Proudly presenting...

The moment I know you have all been waiting for...

Our new blog!

Enjoy!

benandkristy.blogspot.com

Breast Cancer Awareness

I just saw this video and wanted to share it. This is the kind of cancer my mom died from. I had never heard of it. It's not common but it is deadly. There are some graphic pictures so don't watch it if you have a weak stomach (like I do). If you want more information go to this website.