Posts Tagged ‘Vanilla’

With summer FAST approaching us here in AZ (and by fast we have already reached 100 one day in Phoenix) that means a few things to my family…..camping, vacations, swimming…..tons and tons of swimming,

Brick oven cooking (courtesy of my handsome hubby)

And for some reason lemons. Gallons and gallons of lemonade (homemade…no powder junk), lemon bars (or lime) and lemon meringue pie.

Now this is the first time EVER I have made lemon meringue pie….usually we just con someone else into making it

I was (as well as everyone else) pleasantly surprised at how tasty this was.

It wasn’t hard at all.

First, prepare and form your graham cracker crust.

Pop in freezer while you make the filling and meringue.

Zest 1 lemon

Naked Lemon

Slice and juice zested lemon and other lemons

Add all filling into a large sauce pan and simmer over medium heat, until nice and thick.

Pour into crust and pop in your fridge.

Now lets make some of the easiest meringue ever with this stuff

I found this at Williams Sonoma

Once it is ready place on top and spread evenly to the edges.

Pop in your over, set to low broil. Watch it very carefully, you just want the top to brown. Mine only took about 5 min.

Remove let cool and place in fridge. Refrigerate for at least 20 min (best if overnight).

This pie was (yes was) fabulous. The meringue tasted almost like toasted marshmallows. The lemon filling was smooth and refreshing and don’t get me started on the crust……

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups gram cracker crumbs (about 38 crackers)
• 2 ½   cup sugar
• 12 Tbsp melted butter
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3)
• 3 Tbsp lemon zest (from one lemon)
• 3 Tbsp butter, cold
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup meringue powder

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, bring ½ cup water to a boil and add ¾ cup sugar. Whisk until dissolved (1-2 min). Remove and let cool to room temp.
2. For the crust: In a large bowl combine gram cracker crumbs,1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup sugar and the 12 tbsp melted butter. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan. Pop in freezer.
3. For the Filling: In a large saucepan combine cornstarch, 1 ¼ cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, salt. Whisk in 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice and zest until fully incorporated.
4. Add egg yolks and butter. Stir with spatula until butter has completely melted and mixture is nice and thick.
5. Pour into crust and pop in fridge.
6. Turn your oven broiler on to the lowest setting.
7. In the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, pour in sugar mixture from earlier. Add vanilla and meringue powder. Beat on medium high heat until it starts to thicken, then increase speed to high. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form (about 5-7 min).
8. Top lemon filled pie with meringue and pop into a oven with the broiler on low. Watch it very carefully; you just want the top to brown (about 5 min).
9. Remove and stick in fridge for 20 min. For best results over night.

So my incredible goddess of a sister-in-law was just plain evil the other day. For my birthday she got me (among tons of other amazing things) these….

I know mean huh…..

I could eat an entire box in the blink of an eye.

I think she is out to sabotage me trying to lose weight

So I ate about 1/2 the box and decided to try to make something with me. The creative juices were flowing….or was that the sugar rush?

It just so happens that my local grocery store was having a sale on brownie/cake mixes. And since they were on sale I had to buy them. Of course the were supposed to be for much much later.

Oh well…..

So lets do this.

Cut your remaining cookies into quarters (at least 1/2 a box worth or 2 cups). Look at my pretty baby….hey Im not sure I like the way she is looking at that box

Make your brownies according to the box. Only bake for 16 min. Remove and top with cookies and chocolate chips.

I only did half because the hubby doesn’t like coconut.  Crazy man (but he sure is hot)

Pop back in oven for 10 min (or until brownies are done).

Remove and smother with caramel.

Remove and let cool.

There you have it. Pure deliciousness.

I think I will forgive my sister-in-law.

Up close and personal.

Samoa Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 pkg brownie mix (I used the family size 13×9) (typical additional ingredients are eggs, oil and water)
• ½ box Samoa Girl Scout Cookies (cut in quarters)
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350. Make brownies according to package. Pour into a greased and floured 13×9 dish. Bake for 18 min.
2. Remove brownies from oven (when timer dings) and top with chopped cookies and chocolate chips.
3. Bake for 10 more min or until brownies are done.
4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine butter, cream, sugar, corn syrup and slat. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir occasionally.
5. Mix will bubble and darken. Continue to watch and stir until temp reaches 245 on a candy thermometer (or until it forms a firm ball when dropped into a glass of cold water).
6. Remove from heat and stir in Vanilla.
7. Remove brownies and smother with caramel. Set aside to cool.

I know…..Here I go again with cookies. Sorry

But these are so fun and good. Plus my daughter helped me make these 100%. She never helps 100% (unless it is tasting).

Ill make this one quick and pain less.

First step, pre-heat oven to 375.

Start by making a basic sugar cookie dough (with some slight modifications).

Pop in oven for 10-12 min and there you have it. Quick, simple, painless and super cute.

Birthday Cake Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½  cups flour
• 1 cup yellow cake mix
• 1.5 oz sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs, vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
4. Add flour and cake mix. Mix until combine.
5. Fold in sprinkles.
6. Scoop by the tablespoonful onto a lined baking/cookie sheet
7. Bake for 10-12 min
8. Remove and let cool.

So in order to get on the best side possible of my darling husband, so that I can get a new camera , I have been making some of his favorites.

The best way to a mans heart is thru his stomach…right

So here is one of his top desserts.

First up, the Oreo cookie crust.

Process 1 package of Oreo’s (reserve 2 cups of crumbs) and mix with melted butter and sugar. Press into the bottom of dish.

After about 10 min in the freezer it is time for the ice cream. This particular time I used plain old vanilla bean, but next time I am going to try a caramel.

Pop back in the freezer to firm up, about 2 hours. Meanwhile make the fudge layer. You are going to want to let this cool to room temp.

Remove ice cream from freezer and smother on chocolate sauce. Then sprinkle with peanuts.

Pop back in the freezer yet again for about 1 hour to 30 min. And top with deforested frozen whip topping (i.e. cool whip)

And sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

Stick in freezer (and store in freezer).

Ultimate Ice Cream Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 pkg ( 16.6oz) Oreo Cookies
• ½ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ gallon ice cream, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup butter
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 ½ cups peanuts
• 1 carton (8 oz) frozen whip topping, thawed

Directions

1. In a food processor, process your Oreos into crumbs.
2. Combine 2 cups of cookie crumbs, ½ cup melted butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom of a 13×9 inch dish. Freeze 10 min.
3. Spread ice cream over frozen crumb bottom. Freeze again until firm, about 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine powdered sugar, chocolate chips, ½ cup butter and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil for 5 min, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temp.
5. Once ice cream layer is frozen and chocolate sauce is cooled, pour chocolate sauce over ice cream. Sprinkle with peanuts and freeze again for about 30 min. or until firm.
6. Spread whip topping over top and sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Freeze once again.
7. Store in freezer. Serves 12-16 people.

Holly cow…some one seriously needs to stop me.

I ate pretty much the entire batch of these.  I saved a few for my hubby and kids to try (I was in a sharing mood)

Hope none of you are on a diet.

Lets get started…..I need to make more of these little devils.

First make a batch of brownies. Let them cool and cut into squares, about 1 inch by 1 inch.

These start out just like the Cake Batter Candies.

First mix up your condensed milk and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Add your peppermint oil (or extract)  and vanilla. Add in remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, until it becomes firm.

Take 1 tsp of your peppermint mix and place it on 1 brownie. Pop in the freezer for about 10 min.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt your chocolate and shortening until smooth.

Take your frozen peppermint brownie concoction and dip it in the chocolate. Rest it on a fork and let any extra chocolate drip off.

Pop in freezer for 5-10 min to set up.

Eat….or send to me

Brownie Peppermint Patties

(adapted from SavorySweetlife.com)

Ingredients

• 1 batch brownies, cooked and cut into 1×1 inch squares.
• 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp peppermint oil (or 1 Tbsp peppermint extract)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 ½ Tbsp shortening

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix condensed milk and 1 cup of powdered sugar until fully combine.
2. Add vanilla and peppermint. Mix well.
3. Add remaining powdered sugar until dough is pretty firm (like play dough)
4. Place 1 tsp of peppermint mix on top of 1 brownie square and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
5. Pop in freezer for 10 min.
6. For the chocolate coating, in a microwave safe bowl add chocolate chips and microwave in 30-second increments, making sure to stir after each. Takes about 2 min total.
7. Stir in shortening until smooth.
8. Remove peppermint brownies and dip into chocolate. Pop back into freezer of fridge to set.
9. Store in freezer

It all started with this stuff. Holly cow. If you don’t know about it….now you do. And please be warned, I went thru a whole jar in one day! It is that good.

So I finally got brave enough to experiment with caramel. This has always scared me; Im not sure why it just has. But I needed my fix

This was my first go and please excuse me as I toot my own horn here, it turned out AMAZING!!! Go me

I made these incredible cinnamon rolls (recipe by the incredible Pioneer Woman) and needed something to top it with.

I didn’t want boring old cream cheese frosting….so……..I made…dun dun dun dun…..Caramel Cream Cheese frosting. Something a bit different, but still the same enough for my husband and kids to want to eat.

This doesn’t have to be just for these fabulous cinnamon rolls. You can put it on and in everything (cupcakes, cookies, or just on a spoon and straight into your mouth).

First up make the caramel.

In a medium to large pot, combine brown sugar, butter, salt, corn syrup and vanilla. Cook until it is nice and bubbly. Add in cream and cook a bit more.

I don’t have a candy thermometer so I used a trick I learned back in middle school cooking class. Put some water in a small bowl and you can test the doneness of your candy (or in this case caramel) by dropping just a little bit in the bowl. Take it out and test it. You want what is called a Firm ball. The syrup is formed into a stable ball, but loses its round shape once pressed. It should be just like a nice soft chewy caramel.

In a medium bowl cream your softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 stick of butter. Add vanilla and mix until nice and smooth.

Pour in your caramel and stir until fully combine.

There you have it. Not to hard to make.

It is crazy amazing on top of cinnamon rolls.

Give it a try. Have it on the weekend, so the calories don’t count

Caramel Cream Cheese

Ingredients

• 9 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ cup cream
• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• ½ stick butter
• 3 Tbsp Powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a medium-large pot, over medium heat, combine 9 Tbsp butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, 2 tsp vanilla and salt.
2. Cook until mix begins to bubble. Add cream
3. Turn heat to low and cook until temp reaches 245-250 (firm ball stage on a candy thermometer).
4. In a separate bowl cream ½ stick of butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add remaining 2 tsp vanilla.
5. Stir in caramel until fully incorporated.
6. Enjoy!

If you haven’t noticed my problem with Oreo and with Pancakes.

My kids LOVE pancakes so I really try to switch it up for them. And Oreos, well they are just plain good.

I can not, for some strange reason, stand to eat Oreos whole. I have to break them apart and eat the inside….then and only then I will put them back together and eat them as a sandwich. Weird I know. The super funny thing is though that my kids eat them the exact same way.

Any ways enough of my ramblings on to the goods.

Here is your line up….

I picked some of this up at Trader Joes and wanted to give it a try.

It gave the pancakes a nice chewy texture. I was worried it would make them taste funny, but I couldn’t taste it at all. The back of the bag says you can substitute 1/2 of the flour in your recipes with this stuff. AWSOME!!!!! Great for watching your carb intake.

Good stuff.

So first up, pre heat your griddle. I did mine to 300; or just put your pan on low if doing it on the stove.

Then put all your dry ingredients into a large bowl (except the Oreos).

Add your wet ingredients and mix well.

Fold in your Oreos until fully incorporated.

Pour about 1/3 of a cup on to your heated pan/griddle.

Cook….flip and cook some more until done.

Stack on a plate and enjoy with your favorite syrup.

They got a double thumbs up from the kiddos.

Oreo Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour

¾ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup Almond Meal/Flour

1 Tbsp Honey

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup Oreos, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat your griddle or pan (I preheated mine to 300)
2. In a large bowl combine your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, Almond meal and salt). Gently stir until combine.
3. Add your wet ingredients (honey, vanilla, eggs, milk)
4. Mix and stir until fully incorporated. You may need to ad a bit more milk until desired consistency.
5. Fold in Oreos.
6. Butter (or oil) your griddle and pour about 1/3 cup of batter on to griddle.
7. Cook until bubbles start to form and flip.  Cook for about 2 more min. Remove.

I must admit, I have never been a huge fan of cheese cake. That is until I got married. My mother-in-law makes this amazing no bake cheesecake that everyone loves. It is so light and yummy.

Because I cant leave well enough alone, I had to go and switch it up. I decided to try to make a brownie cheesecake. It doesn’t compare to her original but it is pretty darn good. My kids gobbled it up.

Hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Here is your line up…..

First make your brownies according to the package instructions for 9×13 pan size. Reserve 1/4 cup of batter. Remove from oven and let cool.

Next prepare your gelatin in hot water.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (with the whisk attachment) whip up your cold can of evaporated milk until it starts to look like whip cream. This take a few minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the remainder of your ingredients (the cream cheese, vanilla, almond and sugar)

To this add to this the gelatin mix.

Now fold in your whipped evaporated milk.

Pour this mix on to your prepared brownie

Take your reserved brownie batter and drizzle on top.

Using the tip of a knife swirl around batter into cheesecake.

Pop into the fridge for 4 hours, no less.

Brownie Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box (19.9 oz) brownie mix (typical additional ingredients are eggs, water and oil), prepared according to the 9×13 pan size
• 1 oz unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup hot water
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, cold
• ½ cup sugar

Directions

1. Prepare brownies according to directions on box. Reserve ¼ cup of batter.
2. Remove brownies and let cool completely
3. Add gelatin to hot water and mix to dissolve. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer (with the whisk attachment) whip up cold evaporated milk; until it begins to look like whip cream. About 5 min.
5. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla, almond extract and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
6. Add gelatin to cream cheese mix.
7. Fold in whipped milk.
8. Pour on top of prepared brownie
9. Using a spoon, drizzle reserved brownie batter over cheesecake.
10. Take the tip of a knife and swirl around.
11. Pop in fridge for 4-6 hours. Enjoy.

Because today is my (gulp) birthday…dun dun dun dun….I am going to enjoy and indulge on these little angles.

Oh me oh my these little guys are fab-ooo

I had my little kitchen helper help me out too.

First step…. Make the filling…The Oreo truffle filling (drool).

Next make up your cupcake batter. This is HANDS DOWN the BEST batter ever. I will take on anyone with this one.

Then place one scoop of this batter into each lined cupcake spot in your cupcake pan.

Place about 1 Tbsp of you delectable Oreo Truffle (if you haven’t eaten it all already) on top.

Top with another scoop of cupcake batter.

Carefully spread this out so the truffle is fully enrobed.

Bake them for about 18-20 min. Remove and let cool.

While these are cooling lets get the frosting ready.

Place the other 1/2 of your Oreos into a Ziploc bag and give them a good crush. Get your frustration out on them.

Fold the crushed up Oreos into your frosting. And dump into a gallon Ziploc bag.

Snip of one of the corners and squeeze out to frost each cupcake.

If you have any crushed Oreos left you can sprinkle them on top

Pure delicious heaven……

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

• 1  package (16.6oz) Oreo Cookies
• 1 package (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped to remove seeds
• 2 Tbsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 Tbsp Milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line muffin/cupcake tin.
3. In a food processor blend ½ of the Oreo cookies and all the cream cheese until fully incorporated and a paste forms. Add in your chocolate chips and process until fully incorporated. Set aside in the fridge.
4. In a large bowl cream butter sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond and vanilla bean.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
6. Slowly incorporate dry mix with wet mix.
7. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula
8. Mix in Milk.
9. Place about 1 Tbsp of batter in each cup. Remove Oreo Truffle mix from fridge. Take about 1-2 tsp of Oreo mix and place on top of batter in each cup. Add another tablespoon of cupcake batter and spread out to encase the truffle.
10. Place in oven and bake for 20 min.
11. Remove the cupcakes and let cool. Frost when completely cooled

Best Frosting Ever

from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ a pkg of Oreo’s, crushed

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
2. While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don’t want any sugar graininess left.
3. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.
4. Fold in the crushed Oreo’s.
5. Place any frosting that you haven’t eaten, into a gallon size Ziploc bag. Snip of a corner and squeeze out to frost.

To kick of my birthday week, these little morsels were created. The sad thing is that they are so easy I was mad at my self for not making them sooner.

The first thing I thought and said out loud, when I tried one was “Where have you been all my life?”.

I know I have said it a few times before….but THESE are by far, hands down A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. So good that I should probably put a disclaimer on them.

Disclaimer: These are highly addictive and out of this world good. Eat under supervision.

There I hope that helps.

Here we go……are you ready……..This is your main ingredient.

Pour about 3 cups of oil into a pot/sauce pan

Take the Cinnamon Rolls out of the tub and cut into quarters. I found using a pizza slicer works really fast.

Once your oil has heated (to about 350)…carefully place your pieces into the oil.

Cook/Fry for 10 seconds and turn it over and cook/fry for 10 more seconds. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.

In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll around each piece to coat.

In another small bowl scoop out your icing and microwave for 10 seconds. If you have the regular icing (not the vanilla almond) just at 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of almond extract.

Drizzle over doughnut bites

There you have it. Super easy and insanely delicious.

Now you see it…..

Now you don’t.

Cinnamon Roll Doughnut Bites

Ingredients

• 1 can (12.4 oz or 8 count) Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls
• 3 cups veggie oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat oil to about 350
2. Remove rolls from container. Set icing aside
3. Cut each roll into quarter.
4. Gently and carefully place each quarter in the hot oil. Fry for 10 seconds and turn. Fry for 10 more seconds and remove.
5. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
6. In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.
7. Once all pieces have been cooked, roll in cinnamon and sugar mix.
8. Place icing in another small bowl and microwave for no more than 10 seconds. Add vanilla and almond and mix.
9. Drizzle over bites and dig in.