Rhubarb Cake

I was gifted a large bag of rhubarb, I was excited the first bag of the season!  I chopped and froze several cups of rhubarb but wanted to use some right away AND wanted a new recipe.  When I mentioned to my mom wanting to make something using the rhubarb she recalled my aunt's recipe for rhubarb cake....I started digging into my recipe box and I found the recipe she was talking about!  I have no idea where the original recipe came from so if it's yours way to go because it is yummy and super EASY!  We actually ate some for breakfast.

Rhubarb Cake
Roughly 2-3 cups of chopped rhubarb, enough to layer the bottom of a 9x13
1 boxed white cake mix
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup hot water

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  I buttered my 9x13 pan and layered the chopped rhubarb on the bottom.  Sprinkle the white cake mix over the top of the rhubarb.

 (this is a pic from underneath)

Drizzle melted butter then water over the top of rhubarb and cake mix.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  Check the center of the cake by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean.
* Next time I will stir in those little peaks of dry cake mix that didn't get hit with the melted butter and water, they left a bit of dry cake mix after it was baked.

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture before we dug in.

Apple Galette

Now I am not really positive what a Galette is but I made it and it was yummy!  This is the recipe I used, click here.  And this is how it turned out for us.  I was a great recipe to do with kiddos.  Noah helped with:

rolling out the dough

 shaking up the sugar, cinnamon and apples in a sealed bowl

arranging the apples onto the crust

folding the crust up and sprinkling with sugar

This turned out delicious, hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Can I just say YUM-O.  

I found this little recipe in a magazine and I just had to try it out.  Our little guy will go for anything that has doughnut in the description, okay I'll admit so will I!

for the batter:

10 T. unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for the pan

3 cups flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree (I used a 15 oz. can)

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 large eggs

for the sugar coating:

3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour muffin cups.  Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.  In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed.  With mixer on low, add flour mixture and pumpkin mixture (alternating a couple spoonfuls at a time).  Beat to combine.

2) Spoon into muffin cups and bake until toothpick comes out clean.  Meanwhile, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and melt butter in another bowl.  Let muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Working with one at a time, remove muffins and brush all over with butter, then toss in sugar mixture.  Store in an airtight container, up to 1 day.

** To freeze:  freeze muffins after cooling for up to 3 months.  Reheat in a 350 degree oven, then coat in butter and sugar.

Recipe says is make 12 muffins and to bake for approx. 30 minutes.

I made mini muffins and it made 55 mini muffins and I baked them for 15 minutes.

My Aunt Celia's Caramels

Every Christmas my Aunt Celia would make these homemade caramels so in honor of her I made them this year and to share with some of my very dear friends!

 Caramels

2 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

1 c. milk

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. butter or margarine

4 t. vanilla

Combine all the ingredients into a large sauce pan.  Cook slowly (low to medium heat), stir constantly (wooden or silicone spatula) until 248 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Pour into a buttered 9x13 glass dish.  Cool completely.  When firm turn onto board, cut into small squares and wrap individually in wax paper.

*Be prepared to stir for atleast 30-40 minutes*

DELICIOUS!!

Upside Down Berry Cornmeal Cake

This is super yummy and great with fresh basil and fruit!!

2 - 2 1/2 cups fresh berries (blueberries and red raspberries are our top choice)
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 T. basil
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Grease 8" round pan and arrange 1 1/2 cups berries. Combine these dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

In a second bowl whisk these ingredients.  Add to flour mixture.
Pour mixture over berries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Cool.  Loosen sides, put serving plater on top of pan and flip.  Top with remaining berries and whipped topping!

It is a summer favorite in our house, enjoy! (Ignore the spot that didn't get berries)

Fruit Turnovers

1/3 cup sugar                                          
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 t. cornstarch                                         
all-purpose flour, for work surface
1/2 t. coarse salt                                     
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
3/4 lb. fresh or frozen fruit, cut into 1 inch pieces if necessary         
2 large egg yolks
coarse sugar (optional)

1.  In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Add fruit and lemon zest; toss to coat.  on a lightly floured work surface, roll each sheet of pastry into an 11 by 18 inch rectangle and cut into eight 4 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch rectangles.
2.  Dividing evenly, place filling lengthwise on one half of each rectangle, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Combine 1 egg yolk with 1 t. water.  Brush border with egg wash; fold dough over filling and press edges to seal well.  with the tip of a sharp knife, cut vents into pastry.  Freeze turnovers. (see below)
3. To serve, preheat over to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.  Place desired number of frozen turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Combine 1 egg yolk with 1 t. water; brush egg wash onto turnovers and sprinkle with coarse sugar (if using).  Bake until turnovers are deep golden brown and juices are bubbling, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.

To freeze: Freeze turnovers on a parchment lined baking sheet until firm.  Layer with wax paper in a resealable container or freezer bag.  Store in the freezer, up to 1 month.

*If using frozer fruit, increase sugar to 1/2 c.

*Recipe found in Everyday Food: A Martha Stewart Magazine (March 2010)

Bread Pudding

A few weeks ago I went out to lunch with the ladies I work with. We had a wonderful lunch and for dessert we shared a bread pudding. I had never actually eaten bread pudding before and had always imagined it to mushy and not so yummy. But when it arrived at our table it was beautiful plus there were chocolate chips in it, YUMMY. I came home and searched for recipes and made a bread pudding of my own, if I don't say so myself it was very good! I got the bread pudding recipe from momswhothink.com:

2 c. whole milk (or 2 c. half & half)
1/4 c. butter
2/3 c. brown sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. bread, torn into pieces

1/2 c. rasins (optional)

1/2 c. chocolate chips (my own customized ingrediant, optional)

1. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk just until film forms on top. Combine butter and milk, just until butter is melted. Cook to lukewarm.

2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 1 min. Slowly add milk mixture.

3. Place torn bread pieces in a greased 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish.

4. Sprinkle with raisins and/or chocolate chips. Pour milk mixture over top.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 mins, or until set. Serve warm.

Moist White Cake

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs
1/2 c. shortening

Mix shortening, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk. Then mix flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Add dry ingrediants to other mixture. Pour into greased 9x12 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

*I used this recipe for Noah's 2nd birthday dinosaur cake I had to make 2 batches for two 9 inch round pans plus I got about 6 cupcakes too. I found this recipe at cooks.com.

Little Chef: Banana Boats!

Ingrediants:

Whole Banana

Mini Marshmellows

Chocolate Chips

This is a camp favorite that I forgot about until the other day when I wanted to share a special dessert with my boys! (plus it is EASY)

Peel the peel off one side of a banana and set the banana in a little foil (it kind of looks like a boat too). Take a spoon and spoon out some banana and fill it in with marshmellows and choc. chips.. Set the banana boat in a heated oven for 5-10 minutes until the marshmellows and choc. chips are all melted and gooey and dig in!

Hope my instructions make sense, ENJOY!