Bailey's Chocolate Mocha Loaf

I haven't really baked in a while, like, seriously bake. And it felt lovely to put on my apron, put on the music, and bring out the Bailey's. Lately I've had a strange obsession with it, and I've thought of many ways to use it in different recipes. One of them being Bailey's Irish Cream, Chocolate & Peanut Butter Rice Crispie Squares. I made them last week and they turned out lovely. I took them on my grad camping weekend, and let's just say I took none home.

So, with that, here's another Bailey's recipe.


Bailey's Chocolate Mocha Loaf
Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ounce Bailey's Irish Cream (I used original, but you could do flavoured)
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tbsp. baking powder
two large handfuls of chocolate chips, or more

Directions:
1. Cream together the margarine and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time.
2. Add the vanilla, Bailey's, milk, and coffee granules, mix well.
3. Gradually add the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add the chocolate chips at the end.
4. Baking in 9x5 loaf pan (or mini loaf pans, or cupcake pans) for approx. 1 hour (loaf), or 40 minutes (mini loaves, cupcakes).
5. Top with Bailey's whipping cream and enjoy!


Bailey's Whipping Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 ounce Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions:
In small bowl, whip all ingredients until light and fluffy. Scoop onto Bailey's Chocolate Mocha Loaf and love!

Julie & Julia (& Julianna)

 

 today I bought and watched the movie Julie & Julia. while watching I was baking up a batch up peanut butter cup chocolate cupcakes, and I felt as though I could relate completely and totally to Julie Powell. so as I was baking my cupcakes and hearing Meryl Streep (Julia Child) say "Bon Appétit" many, many times, I remembered back to when I first watched the movie when it came out (2009). I remembered that that was the reason I started this blog. I knew it would never be anything big, but I loved to cook and bake. I loved coming up with new things and experimenting at the cost of my mom's groceries. I figured I'd start posting, just for myself to see what would happen. and here I am, two years later with only 35 (now 36) posts, and 11 followers. it's a miracle, really. I never thought I would even have followers. so I guess in a way this is a thank you to those of you who do read this. I love this blog. I don't bake/cook as much as I used to, but my passion has grown. cheers, to Julie & Julia. p.s. it was a little ironic that I started this blog because of that movie/life of those two, all the while having the name Julianna.

Pizza Pancakes

Yes, you read right. I came across this recipe a few months ago and always wanted to try it. So, tonight I decided I would make my own version, and my goodness. They were so good.

Excuse the photo, I took it on my phone, and it's really hard to make these pancakes look as good as they taste.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
50 grams pepperoni, chopped
5 small mushrooms, sliced thin
3/4 cup shredded cheese
pizza sauce

Directions:
1. In medium sized bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients and blend well.
2. Add the pepperoni, mushrooms, and cheese, mix.
3. In heated frying pan or skillet, scoop batter out in even amounts (I used a 1/2 cup muffin scoop to do so) and spread out. Flip when bubbles appear on top.
4. When finished, top with hot pizza sauce and enjoy!

Cheesy Parmesan Muffins

Cheesy Parmesan Muffins
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup margarine, melted
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated marble cheese
1/8 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. basil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix together the egg, yogurt/sour cream, milk and margarine.
3. Add the flour, parmesan cheese, sugar, baking powder and basil.
4. Scoop even amounts into lined muffin tins.
5. Sprinkle the grated marble cheese evenly over each muffin.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Cake Contest & Recipe

This week in my town we're hosting a contest called "You bake the cake" and I figured I'd enter! So, here's the photo of my cake, along with the recipe below. Enjoy!

Citrus Cream Cake
Ingredients:
2 3/4 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk or light cream
1 tsp. vanilla
orange zest & juice from one orange

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In microwavable bowl, melt the butter and add the milk.
3. In large bowl, whisk together to egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, again, until soft peaks form.
4. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture, in about 3 parts, beginning and ending with the flour, folding in.
5. In 9-inch springform pan, line with either parchement paper, or grease with non-stick spray (ex. Pam). Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
6. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling wrack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 block cream cheese (8 ounce), softened
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. squeezed orange juice
Enough icing sugar to give the consistancy you desire.

Directions:
1. Cream together to butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
3. Gradually add in the icing sugar, mixing well until all is incorporated.
4. Spread over cake and garnish with orange slices, orange zest, or whatever your heart desires :)

Chocolate Nutella Espresso Mug Cake

So I originally found this recipe here and I instantly fell in love. It's such a wonderful idea for a snack for one or two and look how cute it is! So I figured I'd make my own version.

For one mug:
1 egg
1 1/2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. milk
3 tbsp. Nutella
1 heaping tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee powder (less if you're not into a strong espresso flavour)
3 tbsp. cocoa
2 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. flour

Directions:
1. With fork, whisk egg and add coffee powder and oil, mix well.
2. Add cocoa and coffee powder, mix well, again.
3. Add the Nutella, and really mix well, because it's thicker.
4. Add the sugar, flour, and milk, mix until creamy.
4. Microwave on high for 2.5-3 minutes. Once cooled add whipped cream and strawberries or some white chocolate and caramel. Enjoy!

the cookie jar - what's wrong with it?

For as long as I've been baking (about nine years now, wow!) never have I ever been able to succeed in making a cookie just right. They always, always are either too flat, too puffy, and always, always dry out after the first day. This problem though, has only ever lived within my kitchen. When I was a culinary student my subconscious gathered that what I was doing was going to be judged, and decided to turn out wonderfully. Sadly, that was the first and only time that happened.

So, when I found yet another recipe for the simple chocolate chip cookie, I figured I had nothing to lose if I tried it out (except for all those ingredients that my mother bought...so nothing to lose!) Once again, I was highly disappointed with my ability (or more so lack of) to make chocolate chip cookies.

I used Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe because it looked absolutely delectable. But, even though the delicious tingling taste bud sense was there, they looked awful. I followed all the instructions to the T, but I got flat cookies. And even though they were supposed to be flat, I'm sure they weren't supposed to be crepe flat.

So, if you happen to make this recipe just for kicks (or any other favourite cookie recipe for that matter), would you mind telling me your little secret to success? It would be so lovely!

Some day when I'm married and have children, my children will be the most deprived when it comes to cookies if their own baker of a mother can't make a simple chocolate chip cookie.

P.S. I found a new blog that's got sooooo many wonderful recipes! She collects them and posts all on her blog page with photos galore! It's like you just walked into a buffet line and you don't know what to pick first to eat (or in this case, make). So, go check out FoodGwaker and tell me your favourite new treasures!