French Vanilla Cake w/Cream Cheese Icing

French Vanilla Cake w/Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 cups white flour
1 package french vanilla instant pudding mix
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Mix together all the dry ingredients in small bowl, set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and white sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Alternately add the milk and the dry ingredients into the liquids, starting and ending with the milk. Fold together until everything is well blended.
4. Bake in 12 inch springform pan for 20-25 minutes in preheated 350 degree F. oven.


Cream Cheese Icing:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 block cream cheese (8 ounce)
4 cups icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese, add the vanilla.
2. Add the icing sugar and mix well.
4. Spread over prepared cake and garnish with lemon of orange zest.

Thanksgiving Ideas?

Hello readers!

So, in the time that I have had this blog I haven't written any frustrations down, and I think it's time I add one. Why on earth do almost ALL Thanksgiving desserts have pumpkin or apple in them? I mean, I understand that pumpkings and apples are in season this time of year, and the colours are gorgeous, but why?

Isn't there something else that we could put into recipes that most people have on hand? Or why can't we ever find a recipe that is simple and doesn't have those two things in it, but is still festive? I just don't understand.

So, if any of you actually follow this, which for some reason I doubt it...I have a challenge for you. Try and find a recipe that you love (or create one!) that is still festive, but doesn't involve pumpkin or apples.
I'd love to see what you come up with!


P.S. Have you noticed? I finally learned how to put up a photo with my post! No more "Picture: link"!!!!! I'm excited...and you should be too!

Vanilla Cupcakes w/Buttercream Frosting

Vanilla Cupcakes w/Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. cream

Directions:
1. Cream together the margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Add the flour and baking powder alternately with the cream until fully mixed.
3. Pour into lined muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes in 350 degree F. oven.
4. Once cooled, decorate as desired with buttercream frosting (recipe below).


Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. cream
food colouring, if desired

Directions:
1. Cream the margarine until smooth. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla and cream. Blend together until smooth and creamy.
2. Add desired food colouring and mix well.
3. Decorate over cupcakes and enjoy :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies - With a Twist

Chocolate Chip Cookies - With a Twist
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (1.34ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the pudding mix, eggs and vanilla, mix well.
2. Slowly add in the flour and baking soda, mix until just blended.
3. Add the chocolate chips.
4. Bake in 375 degree F. oven for 7-10 minutes. Enjoy :)

Vanilla Buttercake w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Buttercake
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups white flour
4 rounded tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup milk*
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl with electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add 1/4 cup sugar and whisk on high until soft peaks form (creating a meringue).
3. In another bowl, cream together the butter and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until fluffy. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk until well blended.
4. Gently fold in the meringue so that is stays light and fluffy.
5. Distribute into two 9 inch springform pans and bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes.
6. Once cooled, frost (cream cheese frosting recipe below) and decorate as desired.


*Instead of using milk, you can also you coconut milk. It create great moisture in the cake and adds a unique flavour. You can also use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup of liquid coffee creamer (be sure to stay within the vanilla/nutty flavours, otherwise the colour and flavour would be very off; try using White Chocolate Macadamia Nut flavour :D).


Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2ish cups icing sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar slowly with the vanilla.
2. Frost over your favourite cake or cupcakes!

Turtle Macaroon Brownie

Turtle Macaroon Brownie
Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
3 rounded tbsp. cocoa
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Caramilk Chocolate Bar OR 2 Caramello Chocolate Bars, cut up into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped pecans
caramel sauce (the kind you use on ice cream and such)
whipped cream, for garnish
chocolate macaroons, for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat the margarine in microwave until almost melted. Add the cocoa and stir until blended and margarine is completely melted.
2. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, vanilla, water, eggs, buttermilk, and salt. Mix until everything is blended well.
3. Add the pecans and chocolate bar pieces. Stir slowly and pour into large springform pan. Spread out evenly.
4. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the brownie batter and with a tooth pick or fork, make squiggle lines (as if making a marble cake) so the caramel sauce can blend in, but stay at the surface.
5. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 20-25 minutes. Garnish/decorate with the whipped cream and chocolate macaroons as desired.


*Buttermilk - if you don't have buttermilk, thats okay. For the amount that you need for this recipe, just drip a little bit of lemon juice into 1/2 cup milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. It will do just as good as the buttermilk.

Hors D'oeuvres - My Version

Hors D'oeuvres - My Version
Ingredients:
1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
3 tbsp. red sherry wine
1/4 cup beer (the higher quality, the better)
2 tsp. diced onions
3 tsp. diced breakfast sausage (any kind)
1 spelt flour tortilla (you can use whatever you like, but this is what I used)
1/8 cup shredded marble cheese

Directions:
1. cut the tortilla into squares about 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. bake in preheated 450 fahrenheit oven for 2 minutes, watching carefully.
2. sautee the onions in half of the wine, add the mushrooms and sausage. let the wine cook through. add the beer and rest of the wine. sautee until tender.
3. scoop about 1 tbsp. of mushroom mixture onto tortilla squares. sprinkle with cheese.
4. put in oven on broil, watching closely, until cheese is just barely melted.

Enjoy!