Epicurean Style

Zucchini Cupcakes

We watched and watered a neighbors garden for a few weeks while they were out of town and as a thank you they brought us some fresh produce from their garden.  With the Zucchini I decided to give these Cupcakes a try....we loved them!

Zucchini Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 
  CARAMEL FROSTING:
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil, orange juice and extract. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in zucchini.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
• For frosting, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm.
• Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes. 

 

Recipe: Fudgy Brownies

Since we had Rachael and Jonathan around on Jonathan's birthday this last friday, a little birdie told me that his favorite treats were brownies, so I whipped  up a batch of these delicious things. These are thick, delicious moist brownies, they aren't a cake type brownie.  

Photo and recipe from taste of home

Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups butter, softened
• 2-2/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners' sugar, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the top is dry and the center is set. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired. 

Recipe: Berry Cheesecake Pie

• I bought a Shortbread crust from the grocery store to make this recipe a little more simple.  I was glad I did.  I don't love graham cracker crusts, but I know many people do, so you could substitute one of those crusts too.  This was delicious and it would make a lovely 4th of July dessert with all the great red and blue colors in it.

   
  

   
  

   (The recipe comes from the taste of home magazine September 2008)

  
  

  Berry Cheesecake Pie

  
  

  Ingredients: 

  • 8 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2  8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 cup strawberry jelly
  • 1 cup whipped topping
  • Sliced fresh strawberries and additional blueberries, optional

  Directions

  • Place one phyllo sheet in a greased 9-in. pie plate; brush with butter. Repeat seven times; trim edges. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)
  • Bake at 425° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (center will puff up). Cool on a wire rack.
  • For filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into crust.
  • Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; cover edges with foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 23-27 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled.
  • In a small bowl, beat jelly until smooth; spread over filling. Spread with whipped topping. Garnish with strawberries and additional blueberries if desired.  

Fortune Cookies

One night we were watching the Food Network on t.v. and saw some fancy fortune cookie shop that was featured. The cookies looked so fun, so instead of paying the big bucks to buy fancy shmancy ones we thought it would be fun to make our own. So we did! 

Step 1: dip in chocolate

 

Step 2: roll in toppings of your choice (we recommend crushed butterfingers, oreos, sprinkles, nuts, etc.)  

Step 3: eat... or just take pictures of them because they are fun to look at 

 

 We tested them out last weekend and they were so fun to make that we decided to make some this weekend to give to Rachael and Jonathan. They looked much better the second time around. The fun thing with those was that we took out the fortunes that came in them and replaced them with our own messages for R & J, wrapped them up, and sent them off with them on their honeymoon!

 

 Enjoy,

Brittney. 

 

Memorial 2010

I have been thinking about Memorial day the last few days.  I really want to do something out of the normal.  I think many memorial days come and go without my acknowledgment, but with kids I have found a new purpose in celebrating even the smaller holidays.  

1. because anything out of the normal everyday routine is REALLY nice and 2. because some of these holidays are important to teach our kids about or to just be reminded ourselves of their importance.  

I came across some great looking recipes and wanted to share them with you. In hopes that they might spark your creativity and excitement too. 

 

1. Patriotic Cupcake

2. Taco Salad

3. Jello Salad

4. Country Living Drink

5. Ice Cream Sandwiches

6. Berry Pie

7. Patriotic Trifle

8. Drink Parasols

9. Red White and Blue Parfaits

10. Vanilla Raspberry Sundaes

Recipe: Monkey Bread

I hadn't tried this until last week, but we loved it.  It was so simple and easy to do that I thought I would share.  I used Frozen Roll dough to especially speed up this recipe. {this is a picture of mine BEFORE it was cooked...it looked a little better after, but I forgot to take one after} 

  

Monkey Bread

2 pkg. frozen roll dough (let dough thaw and rise following pkg directions)

Carmel:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Assembly:

3/4 cup chopped pecans

2 cups sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

For carmel, in a saucepan, bring the brown sugar, butter, and whipping cream to a boil.  Cook and stir for 3 minutes.  Pour half into a greased bundt pan and sprinkle with half of the pecans.   Layer about 20 of your dough balls.  Cover with most of the carmel mixture left and sprinkle with pecans.  Layer another 20 dough balls.  Pour the remaining carmel mixture over top of the dough and sprinkle with pecans.  

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown (while baking cover loosely with foil...if it browns too quickly).  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve warm.

 

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

I snagged a flat of strawberries from Costco for Bennett's birthday bash, but didn't want all the extra strawberries to go to waste, so I tried this recipe.  You must make these delicious little treats!  I can't stop eating them.  

 

 Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Ingredients

Combine and set aside:

2 cups of strawberries, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

2 tablespoons of sugar

Mix:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons of butter
1 cup  of sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
* Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or just use your fingers to 'rub' it in) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the heavy whipping cream slowly until the dough starts to come together. Now stir in the strawberry mixture. Using an ice cream scoop or similar size spoon make balls and place on cooking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.