Sangria

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!  Eat, drink and be merry - there are no truer words.  And this should help that right along...

Cruise right into the new year with this deliciousness!

Sangria

from Mom

1 bottle red wine

1 cup brandy

1 cup triple sec

1 cup orange juice

chopped apples

oranges

juice of one Meyer lemon

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and stir.  Serve cold and/or over ice.

Quick Black Forest Cake

Happy Friday!  Any fun and spooky weekend plans?

There's chatter over something more than just Halloween in my neck of the woods.  Apparently, there's a crazy hurricane on the way here.  This will make 2 years in a row that a freak storm will have ruined October 31st and all that goes along with it.  Some say it's still too soon to tell, but the mobs of people packed into the grocery stores believe otherwise.

I don't know about you, but when there's threat of a massive power outage, I believe it's time to stock up on sweets.  This can be whipped up in an instant, and will definitely keep you safe and cozy while you worry about a tree falling on top of your house :/


Quick Black Forest Cake
heavily adapted from Allrecipes

1 box devil's food cake mix
3 eggs
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix, eggs, almond extract and chocolate chips.  Stir until just combined.  Pour equal amounts into two prepared 9 inch round pans.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let layers cool completely.  Place one layer on serving dish, then top with cherry pie filling.  Add top layer, then frost cake.

Easy Apple Pie

What's better than an easy dish - especially when you have a newborn at home?

That's exactly why I chose to use this recipe for my guest post at The Keenan Cookbook!  Click here to  read more, and be sure to give the Keenans a big congrats on their new addition!

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday

Sweet Cinnamon Crockpot Applesauce

We made our annual apple picking trip last week.  Bella and her friends had fun, even it kind of got old after a little while.  All of the apples were high up in the trees and they couldn't reach much of anything themselves!  Still, we had fun, and brought home a ton of yummy apples...and now the fun REALLY begins.

My friend Nicole had this delicious looking recipe on her blog that I knew I had to try.  The biggest bonus was that it was for the crockpot - perfect while working from home while I'm not able to babysit something over the stove.

Oh and we didn't just get apples from the farm...we got these a-MAZ-ing potato pancakes...because, you know, something had to "go" with the applesauce :)

Make a LOT of this - it'll go fast!


Sweet Cinnamon Crockpot Applesauce
slightly adapted from PreventionRD

12 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Place apples in crockpot and top with remaining ingredients.  Cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Makes twelve 1/2 cup servings.

Frozen Berry Cobbler

Just because berry season is over doesn't mean you can't enjoy them.  If you're like me, you end up with a TON of them over the summer and freeze them since it's basically impossible to consume them all before they go bad.  Which is great, because then you can enjoy deliciousness like this all year long.

And of course, there's always frozen berries sold at your local grocery store.  They'll work just as well :)

The recipe is for a smaller portion than you see above - I tripled it for a large crowd.  Top this off with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and you're good to go!


Frozen Berry Cobbler
from Rachael Ray

3 cups (24 ounces) frozen berries of your choice
1/3 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons AP flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 baking pan.  Mix berries with 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour.  Spoon into baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and 3 tablespoons sugar with baking powder and salt.  Cut butter into flour mixture using pastry blender or 2 knives until it resembles coarse meal.  Add milk and vanilla and stir with a fork to form wet, sticky dough.

Drop rounded teaspoons of dough over berries to cover them.  Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar on top and place dish on middle rack of oven.  Place foil on lower rack to catch any potential drippings while baking.  Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and fruit filling is bubbling up through crust.

Let cool for at least 20 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Lemon-Blueberry Crumb Bars

I know there are people out there who knock down New Jersey.  And I'll assume that those people have never been here...because if they were, they'd know for sure that it's pretty awesome.

The "what exit are you?" jokes, along with the filth/smog/pollution comments, represent a very small part of the state...the part where you're driving a straight line and don't veer off the highway to explore what it's REALLY all about.

The fact that I live just a few miles outside of the greatest city in the world is priceless, without a doubt.  You also have our beautiful beaches and mountains, as well as our farms...farms that produce delicious things like corn, tomatoes and blueberries.

Matter of fact, did you know that the "blueberry capital of the world" is right here in NJ?

My parents were in that capital recently (otherwise known as Hammonton) and brought me an insane amount of blueberries.  I happily stored them in my freezer, waiting for the right recipes to jump out at me.

I found this easy recipe (yep, I used boxed cake mix!) and got rave reviews from my family at a party I brought them to.  They can be thrown together in about 15 minutes, and you probably have most of the ingredients right now!

Jaida from Sweet Beginnings is our What's Baking? host for July, and challenged us to bake with summer fruits, so this is my submission.  Check out her blog at the end of the month for a round-up of what I'm sure will be lots of delicious baked goods!

Oh, and one last thing...we aren't all in the mafia.  Trust me.  Come visit soon!

Lemon-Blueberry Crumb Bars
from Kraft Recipes

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 box yellow cake mix
2 eggs
2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
juice of one lemon
2 1/2 cups blueberries, washed and picked over

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 pan with foil (make sure it extends over sides).  Mix butter, one egg and cake mix together until combined.  Press 2/3 of mixture onto bottom of pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar together until well blended.  Add remaining egg, zest and juice and mix well.  Pour over crust, then top with berries.  Pinch small pieces of remaining cake mix mixture between your fingers and sprinkle on top of berries.

Bake 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center of pan.  Cool completely.  Use foil handles to lift out of pan before cutting into bars.  Keep refrigerated until serving.

Watermelon, Feta & Basil Salad

I've been trying to come up with creative ways to satisfy my sweet tooth that aren't too "bad".  Don't get me wrong, I've been loving my ice cream, but sometimes you have to push it aside and behave yourself.

And when it's a dish like this, you don't mind one bit.

I love this salad for so many reasons...it's quick and easy, it's healthy, and best of all it tastes delicious.  Refreshing doesn't even begin to describe it.  And using my garden herbs always makes me happy.

I have to say, although this recipe is terrific, this salad tastes really great even without the extras.  Straight up watermelon, feta and basil is perfect if you don't feel like dressing it up.  Either way, you can thank me later :)

Watermelon, Feta & Basil Salad
slightly adapted from In Good Taste

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 (approximately 8 pound) watermelon, cubed
1 cup feta cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves

Whisk oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add watermelon and feta and toss gently.  Top with basil and serve.

Linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday

Hawaiian Pulled Pork

It's been a scorcher of a summer already!  It pains me to turn the oven on...even the stovetop makes my kitchen hotter than it needs to be.  I don't even want to think about what August will be like!

Time to bust out my trusty crockpot again...

It's been a while since I made my old standby pulled pork recipe.  I was all set to make it when I thought, maybe it's time to try something new.  And we were both glad that I did.  Delicious!

Hawaiian Pulled Pork
slightly adapted from The Experimental Spoon

3 pounds pork shoulder (or butt)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 ounce) can pineapple rings, drained and chopped
salt and pepper
rolls

Place pork in crockpot, followed by onion and remaining ingredients.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low.  While cooking, when meat looks tender enough, shred with 2 forks so it absorbs more juice.

Makes about 6 servings.

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

This time around our recipe swap theme was one of my favorites...burgers (and sandwiches, too).  Frank just isn't a big fan of burgers for dinner at home, or even when we're out.  I mean, don't get me wrong...he'll eat them :) but it would just never be his first choice.  So, I made this for myself for lunch while he was at work.

I was happy to receive a recipe that I hadn't tried before.  Stef from Kickin it in the Kitch submitted it and it was really good!  I had to grill a few extra pieces of pineapple (couldn't resist) but hey, at least I ate it without a bun :)

Thanks for a great recipe, Stef!

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers
slightly adapted from Kickin it in the Kitch

1 cup breadcrumbs
1 can pineapple rings, drained (reserve 1/4 cup liquid)
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 pound lean ground turkey
teriyaki sauce for basting
jalapeno slices

Combine breadcrumbs, juice and soy sauce in a bowl and mix.  Add meat and mix well.  Shape into 4 patties.

Grill for about 10-12 minutes, brushing occasionally with teriyaki sauce.  With a few minutes left, add pineapple to grill and cook for a minute or two on each side.  Baste with sauce if you like.  Plate burger and top with pineapple and jalapeno.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Our latest recipe swap theme was fruit.  Fruit in anything - sweet or savory.  And I was very happy to receive Katie's recipe for these delicious muffins.  Be sure to check out her blog if you don't already know about it...she's got some great recipes!

I LOVED these muffins...they were sweet but not too sweet, soft, fluffy and really tasty.  You could really feel the creaminess from the cream cheese.  And, talk about easy to make.  I brought most of these to work and they were a huge hit with my coworkers.

If you're looking for a last minute addition to your Easter brunch, definitely make these!



Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins
from So Tasty, So Yummy

2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together cream cheese, butter and sugar.  Add eggs, milk and vanilla and mix until just combined.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl and mix until just combined.  Do not over mix.  Batter will be thick, like cookie dough.  Fold in strawberries.

Spoon batter into paper lined muffin pans.  Fill each cup about 3/4 high.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until tops are golden.  Cool on rack for at least 15 minutes.

Makes 24 muffins.

Hawaiian Pork & Pineapple

We ordered Chinese food over the weekend for the first time in a while.  I was beat from a busy day and just didn't want to worry about cooking or dishes.  We were all about chilling out and watching a movie (which, by the way, Bridesmaids was hysterical!).

I like to change up what I order most of the time, but one thing I'm consistent with is rice.  I never eat the rice that comes with my dish.  I guess I'd rather just fill up on the good stuff.  So, into the fridge went my pint of white rice.

Yesterday, while staring at my pork tenderloin, a few ideas went racing through my head over what to do with it.  I had a craving for pineapple, and then remembered the rice.  So, I threw this dish together in a matter of minutes, and I must say I was pretty pleased with the results.  Frank really loved it too.

Speaking of Frank, I asked him what I should name this dish.  His reply, "I mean, come on - pork...pineapple...what else would you call it?"  Well alrighty, then.

Hawaiian Pork & Pineapple
1 (approximately 1 pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups cooked rice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 can pineapple rings, drained and cut into chunks
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (I use Frank's)
3 cups baby spinach leaves

Coat pork with cornstarch, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat canola oil in a large pan, then add pork and cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from pan.

Add rice and onion, followed by sesame oil.  Stir to combine and cook for about a minute.  Add pineapple and stir.  Cook for another minute or two.

Add pork and chili sauce, then stir and cook for another few minutes.  Turn off heat and add spinach.  Stir to combine until wilted.  Serve.

Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream

"The Descendants" takes place in Hawaii, so as part of my 24x24 party last weekend I knew the dish I'd choose to represent it would be something tropical.  Since the movie ends with the family sitting on the couch eating ice cream, I thought merging both ideas would be pretty cool.

And so was the outcome.

All we needed was some palm trees and we would have been all set ;)

Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream
from A Sweet Pea Chef

1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 cup coconut flakes, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple (or canned crushed pineapple)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add coconut flakes and stir.  Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions.  When there is about 5 minutes left, add pineapple.

Freeze in airtight container for at least 5 hours (preferably overnight).  Top with coconut flakes (toast them if you like by baking in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes, moving them around every 5 minutes, on a parchment lined baking sheet).

Linked to: Sweets for a Saturday

Winter freshness

How many of you do the Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve?  Or, maybe you don't, but would like to start?

I plan on sharing some of our recipes with you...I was going to do one big Christmas Eve roundup post but now I'm not really feeling it.  So, I hope you can be patient, which should be fine...after all, you have just about a year to prepare if you want to make it yourself :)

Today's recipe actually doesn't include fish.  It's one of the best side dishes that we serve every year - a nice, light, fresh salad that compliments the fish and pasta very nicely.  It's so easy to make, and really delicious.  It would go well with just about any main dish, really.

We don't normally add grapefruit to it, but thought we'd try something different this year.  It was great!  This is another one of "those" recipes that doesn't include exact measurements...just taste as you go.  You can do it, I promise :)

Citrus Fennel Salad
2 blood oranges
1 large pink grapefruit
2 meyer lemons
1 fennel bulb
black olives of your choice, left whole (I took the picture before adding the olives!)
1/2 large red onion
extra virgin olive oil
citrus vinegar
a few squeezes of fresh orange juice
a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper

Cut unpeeled oranges and lemons into very thin round slices.  Lay them on bottom of serving platter.  Peel the grapefruit and section it.  Line pieces around edge of platter.

Cut fronds off fennel bulb and cut bulb into thin pieces.  Lay on top of oranges and lemons.  Peel onion and cut into thin round slices and place on top of fennel.  Add olives.

Squeeze orange and lemon juice on top, then add a few splashes each of oil and vinegar.  Top with pepper and serve.  This can be served cold or at room temp (we serve at room temp).

Linked to: Back to Basics

Time to improvise

I was excited to make caramel apples for Halloween!  Frank went out and bought a dozen apples, caramels and candies, but couldn't find sticks.  The next day I went to the only other store that was open during our crazy Nor'easter aftermath and power outage.  And of course, no sticks.

Let's do the math.  No sticks = no caramel apples.

Sigh.  I really wanted to make something "cutesy" and finger friendly, and still be able to use what was already bought.  This is where the improvising comes in.

I'd say it worked out well.

These little pies are adorable and delicious.  Next time, when I'm better prepared, I'll make them a little bigger...I had to keep them on the small side because I only had 2 pie crusts (had no time to make any more) and had a set amount of people to feed.

Definitely keep these in mind when you need a quick dessert - they were very easy to assemble and take no time at all to bake.  You could even make them ahead and freeze them for later.  Plenty of time left in the fall to enjoy them - even if it looks like winter outside!

Mini Caramel Apple Pies
slightly adapted from Miz Gina's Front Porch

2 refrigerated pie crusts (or homemade)
3 apples, cored, peeled and chopped very small (I used honeycrisp...anything would work)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
caramel candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly flour workspace and roll out dough.  Using a small circular cutter (I used the top of a cooking spray can!), cut rounds out of crust.  Ball up and roll crust out again to cut more rounds, until you've used all the dough.

Place rounds on cookie sheets that have been lightly sprayed.  Put apple pieces in middle of each round, then top with caramel (depending on the size of the candies you get, you may want to cut them).  Place another round on top and press around edge with a fork to make little pies.

*If your rounds are larger, you can fold them over and seal the one side*

Brush tops with a little butter.  Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle on top of each pie.  Bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Linked to: Tastetastic Thursday
                  Sweet Tooth Friday

Making my way through the pile

And now, the obligatory apple crisp recipe.  I mean, come on - if you go apple picking and pick enough apples to fill up your car, you've got to go through the usuals.

So to make it interesting, you have to add a little something special.  Like crystallized ginger.  Mainly because I happened to have some in the pantry :)

Love it.  And SO easy.

I'm guessing apple turnovers will be next.  Stay tuned.

Apple Crisp with Crystallized Ginger Topping
from Heavy Table

5 cups peeled, cored and diced apples (I used Macoun)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour

For the topping:
3/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt (do not use if using salted butter)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pile apples into an 8x8 baking pan.  Top with crisp topping (see directions below) and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling.

To make topping:
Mix all ingredients except butter in a bowl.  Add butter and work in with fingers until mixture is crumbly.  Chill until ready to use.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated for a week, or frozen for 2 months.

Serves 6.

Happy Birthday, Pete and Petey!

We celebrated two birthdays this weekend...my brother Pete, and his son Petey who turned 5.  Petey is a HUGE Transformers fan, so my sister-in-law ordered a special themed cake for him from her local bakery.  As for my brother, he got what you see here.  And right about now, I'm wishing I had another piece.  

This cake screams fall - and the timing was perfect since we'd gone apple picking the day before.  We picked a ton of Macouns before we got caught in a hail storm - crazy stuff!

This is a very dense cake, and the frosting hardens pretty easily...so, it's a little challenging to handle, but the end result is 100% worth it.  Just be careful as you're taking the cakes out of the pans, and take extra care when applying the frosting.  Stir in a little bit of extra heavy cream to loosen the frosting if need be.  I had to add a few tablespoons more as I was icing the cake.

I highly recommend this cake to bring along to a dinner party, to a potluck...even for Thanksgiving.  It's perfect for the season and very impressive!  And of course, it's delicious.  I mean, how could it not be - caramel and apple -YUM!

Caramel Apple Cake
slightly adapted from The Cozy Little Kitchen

For the cake:
3 cups apples, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
chopped pecans (for topping)

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 (16 oz) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans.  Mix sugar into apples and let sit for 15 minutes.

Combine all other cake ingredients and mix.  Add apple mixture and mix until combined.  Pour evenly into pans and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean from center of cakes.  Let cool for about 30 minutes before removing from pans.  Ice cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

To make the frosting:  Melt butter in a saucepan, then add brown sugar and heavy cream.  Bring to a boil, then transfer to mixing bowl.  Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until creamed together well.  Icing will be thick and rich.  If too thick to spread, add a little more cream after you remix before icing cake. Make sure frosting is cool before applying to cake.

Linked to:  Sweet Tooth Friday

A simple bar (Secret Recipe Club)

How was everyone's weekend?  Mine was a busy one.  We had Bella's 3rd birthday party yesterday - a brunch gathering with immediate family.  Lots of fun, and lots of food, as usual!  I'll be showcasing a good portion of it this week, including Bella's birthday cake :)

Month 2 of participation for me in The Secret Recipe Club proved to be fun, once again.  My assignment was Yumsilicious Bakes, a blog that I wasn't familiar with until now.  Avanika is a young woman from Mumbai who has some pretty fun stuff in there that she's baked - make sure to check it out!

As I browsed through her recipes, I realized that I needed something additional to make for Bella's brunch.  Something sweet...something non-chocolaty...something to satisfy the sweet tooth with a small bite.  The bars that I chose seemed to be the perfect solution.

I made several changes to the recipe that Avanika posted, which are all reflected below.  Obviously, you can use whatever flavor preserves you like.  I chose apricot, well, just because.  And I'm glad I did.  Yum.

Apricot Walnut Bars
heavily adapted from Yumsilicious Bakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, slightly softened
1 cup AP flour
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (approximately) apricot preserves (I used reduced sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 square pan.  Combine all ingredients besides preserves in a bowl and mix.

Press half of the mixture into the pan, forming a crust.  Add the preserves evenly over the top.  Sprinkle remaining mixture on top.  Bake for about 35 minutes.  Cool before cutting.

Short cuts (What's Baking)

Go ahead and judge me, but there are times when the prepared cake/cookie mix is the only way to get it done.  You know it's true.  Don't deny.

I always keep some in my house, just incase.  And honestly, it rarely lets me down.

These were delicious and couldn't be ANY easier!   They're great for dessert, or even in the morning with your coffee or tea.  One little square is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

For this month's What's Baking challenge, Cara from The Boys Made Me Do It chose the theme "Something For Mother's Day".  Although I didn't bake these for Mother's Day, I know that my Mom would have enjoyed them.  I know I did, and I'm a Mom, so that counts for something :)

Raspberry Streusel Bars
from Betty Crocker

1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons AP flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (I used Trader Joe's reduced sugar variety)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine cookie mix, butter, flour, almond extract and egg until dough forms.  Press half the dough into bottom of pan and bake for 15 minutes.  Spread jam on top of dough, then crumble the rest of the dough over it and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let cool completely before cuttting into bars.

Linked to:  Sweet Tooth Friday

Happy Birthday Nina! (What's Baking)

My spunky, adorable niece had her cake picked out 2 months ago.  She knew right away that she wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and raspberry filling.  Great!  I already have a great recipe for the cake that I used for my Mother-in-law's, and the frosting that I used for my Mom's, so I just needed to add the filling.  Piece of cake, right?

Wrong.

I'm guessing the cake should have baked just a few minutes more, because both layers broke.  Yeah, I wasn't a happy camper.  No time to bake another one, either.  So, I used the frosting as "glue" and just dealt with it.

Plus, my local market was out of fresh raspberries, which I planned on using as a garnish for the top of the cake.  FAIL.  

Good thing it tasted pretty awesome.

At least it looked a little better after it was cut...

There were no complaints :)  

Leanne from The Martin Family is the host for our What's Baking? group this month, and the theme she chose was Spring baking.  I figured this was a good submission for it, given the raspberries.  Thanks for hosting, Leanne!

And happy 9th birthday to my gorgeous (and no longer little) niece Nina!  

Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

*see above for links to cake and frosting recipes* (use two round 9 inch baking pans)

For the raspberry filling:

3/4 cup frozen raspberries, thawed

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Put all ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat.  Stir and cook until mixture boils.  Set aside and let cool.

To assemble the cake:

Place first cake layer on plate and top with raspberry filling (use it all!).  Add second cake layer, then frost the top and sides of the cake.  Top with fresh raspberries for a nice garnish...which was my original plan...

Linked to: Sweets For A Saturday
                  Valentine's Day Blog Hop

Yay or nay?

Goat cheese - people either love it or hate it.  Do you agree?  I know so many who feel very strongly about it, one way or the other.  I love it and don't see how anyone can hate it...or any cheese, for that matter!

If you say yay, keep this one in mind the next time you need a quick appetizer recipe.  These are delicious and very easy to make.  I think they're great for spring...nice and light!

Goat Cheese, Grape & Pecan Truffles
Red seedless grapes, stems removed, cleaned
1 log goat cheese
Crushed pecans (or whatever nut you choose)

Cover grapes entirely with goat cheese, then roll in crushed nuts.  Let chill for at least 45 minutes before serving.

Linked to: What's on your Plate? hosted by Good Cheap Eats
                  Cheese Blog Hop