Happy Day

I don't know about the rest of me, but my feet are ready for the game tonight!
GO BIG RED!!

Baking for my Mom

The baking bug has bit me, and I have been letting it have its way! I feel like I have been on a baking spree lately, which seems to be fine with everyone around me, and HEY butter is on sale so it is all good.
I love this time of year. Baking for others seems to be more acceptable during the winter months. I wonder why that is? Doesn't bother me at all.

For a two weeks this month, I did cakes. And not just box mix cakes like I usually, not that there is anything wrong with a box mix :). But I will all out with Dorie Greenspan cakes.
I have had the book Baking from My Home to Yours since May and I have only made a few recipes out of it, I thought this was the perfect reason to use it!

The cake in this post is her Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake. You can see the recipe here, if you don't own the book.
I must note that this length of this recipe may make you think this is a difficult cake to make, but this is seriously easy if you can measure. I busted this cake out on a Thursday evening, just the cake part though, the frosting came the next night as I like to chill my layers before frosting.
While the book gives several options for frosting, I went with the chocolate malt buttercream, and it was a dream buttercream. My mom and I were sampling it before it made it on the cake by the spoonful.
The trick to this cake, which is quite elementary, is storing it in the fridge and taking it out to get to room temp before eating. There is a HUGE texture difference in the chilled cake right out of the fridge to the one that results from being out for at least 30 minutes. Either way you eat it, this is one heck of a cake, but it does have a better texture when warming up. I wouldn't say nuke this, but just let it rest and you will be happy you waited.
I should add for those of you who are not chocolate lovers, this cake is not for you.

Halloweeny treats

I don't know that these insanely easy cookies are new to the world or just my circle of friends. It seemed like the bark covered Nutter Butters turned into ghosts were all the rage this year. And you know why....they are easy and they have almond bark. Seriously, doesn't everything taste better with bark?
Putting these cookies together is as simple as buying ingredients (or using up last years Christmas baking bark), melting said bark and dipping the cookies. Add a few mini chips and you are good to go.
I guess it would be nice to wait until everything is set to eat, less mess and all.

I think this holiday season I am going to be doing quite a few bark covered things. What do you do with bark?

Saturday Update

go big red

I am so happy right now.

A perfect Saturday in Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love to look at the changing colors of the leaves and so enjoy the cooler temps, cool but still fun to be outside!.
If you have been reading here awhile, however, you know that the perfect Saturday for me concludes with a Husker win. We are into the big games now, at least in my mind. See I am a die-hard Husker living in the heart of Kansas. I live 30 minutes from KU and 60 from K-State. I have many friends and co-workers who cheer for their respective schools and give me grief in the mean time. We are able to co-exsist in Kansas until the next two Saturdays. Today my beloved Huskers take on KU and then next Saturday K-State will travel to Nebraska to take them on.
For a Husker fan this could be good or bad. I have lived here through the good and the bad. I was here when NU lost to KU in Lawrence and while I don't remeber the complete score, I know that KU had 76, ouch! Ever since that game, I always worry when the Huskers come to Kansas.
Now most will admit the Jayhawks started off strong this year, but have trickled off. The Huskers on the other hand go back and forth (hello losing to ISU and then beating OU).

I am very interested, but also racked with worry, about today's game. I hope that we come out with a win, but I am also hoping for a good game. I get over the win/loss pretty quickly and am not a sore winner or loser, I would just much rather be a winner.

Super Simple and delish!

But so not healthy. I think it is pretty hard to call something healthy that has been drizzled in almond bark, however, how could you not love the stuff? I have found that you can make a snack to fit any holiday just by using almond bark, popcorn and pretzels. Add some color with M&M's or candy corns and you are set. So simple it is silly.
In this Halloween mix, I used
1 bag Lite Vic's Carmel Corn
3/4 bag of Candy Corn
1/2 jar of honey roasted peanuts
1/2 bag of pretzels
1 tray of almond bark

Put the first 4 ingredients on a tray covered with foil, mix together. Melt almond bark in microwave. Pour over items on tray and mix.
I put this is cute little treat bags and brought them to my friends at work. Everyone seems to enjoy it. The only way to see it as healthy is to eat very little of it!

A little kick!

I have declared this year the YEAR of the SLOW COOKER, well at least in my house. To do this, I am going to make an effort each week to make something in the slow cooker. I have realized how easy this makes my life when I get home and dinner is ready to serve! I love it and it couldn't be simpler. Now I just need to keep being diligent about getting the recipes.

I have a go to recipe that I am sure I have posted before. It is a chicken tortilla soup and it is simple and fabulous and lasts the 2 of us most of the week with lunches and dinner.
Now I am ready to add to the list of go to slow cooker recipes. Here is one that I did this week. While it isn't necessary a slow cooker recipe, well at all, I did put it in there and it turned out fabulous.

black bean salsa chili
cooking light
2 can black beans, rinsed drained and divided
2/3 c water
1 t dark brown sugar
cooking spray
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 c chopped sweet onion
1/2 c chopped green bell pepper
1/2 c chopped red bell pepper
3 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 1/2 T chili powder
1T ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 c mild salsa
3 T tomato paste
1 can fat free, less-sodium beef broth

Combine 1 1/2 cu beans, 2/3 c water and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth. combine bean puree and remaining beans in a bowl.
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove turkey from pan.
Add onion, bell peppers, and bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until bacon and onion are lightly browned. Return turkey to pan. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper to pan; stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, salsa tomato paste and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*In my version after everything was browned and cooked, I added everything to the slow cooker and turned it on low for 8 hours. Delish!