Valentine’s Day history, Red Velvet cake, and a warning!

Does anyone know what Valentine’s day really is?  There are historical facts and legends and probably a blending of the two is what Valentine’s day is.   

I found out some info on  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day  a little confusing though!

The name St. Valentine was used by more than one Christian person.  They supposedly died as martyrs-so the original celebration was to honor them-no romance involved.  

How did it turn in to chocolates and flowers?  

Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman^] pastoral festival, observed on February 13 through 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility.  Fertility and love are kinda sorta related…

I found out some sobering information about what happened to a Jewish population in Strasbourg on Valentine’s day in 1349:  http://www.jewishhistory.org.il/history.php?startyear=1340&endyear=1349   Scroll down to 1349, February 14.  

It seems no romantic love as we recognize it was associated with Valentine’s day until the author Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem about St. Valentine’s day in the 1300s-when courtly love was popular. Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration.  Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility.   Still not sure why chocolates and flowers became standard...but I'm NOT complaining!!!!

On to the cake! One of my niece’s favorite cupcakes is red velvet-perfect for V-day since red velvet reminds me of royalty's robes.   Until last year I had never made it.  I had a few boxes of white cake mix so I searched for an easy cake-mix recipe and found one on http://southernfood.about.com/od/yellowandwhitecakes/r/blbb610.htm about.com.   I did alter it a bit after reading many recipes from Cookie Madness and other sites. I baked 12 cupcakes (I only have one 12 cupcake pan) and one layer of a 9” layer cake in a 9” pan.  If anyone knows of a good red food coloring replacement, please, please, please let me know!  I was going to order beet powder, but chickened out.

This recipe yields a deep-red, moist cake.  Not too dense.  I love the color..it is perfect in my not so humble opinion!!!   I may try experimenting with beet coloring per Ashleen at The Big Bake Theory.  However, this cake is so tasty with the cheesecake pudding that I may just leave out the red food coloring and call it brown velvet cake!  Or maybe milk chocolate velvet cake.  

    Ingredients:

•           1 box white cake mix (2-layer size)  (I used an 18 oz Duncan Hines white mix)
•         1 box (4-serving size) instant cheesecake or vanilla pudding mix (I use cheesecake to add more flavor-red velvet can be bland)
•         2.5  tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•         1 tablespoon white vinegar
•         1 cup milk
•         4 large eggs
•         1/2 cup vegetable oil
•         1 ounce red food coloring (one bottle)

     Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ·        4 ounces salted butter (1 stick), softened
• ·        8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ·        ½  teaspoon pure almond extract, or 2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon orange extract (extracts have different strengths), or 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ·        1.5 -2 cups  confectioner’s sugar (I used about 1 and ¾ cups-I like a good cream cheese flavor)
• ·        Optional  Red sprinkles and or 1 cup  toasted chopped pecans

Directions and warning:

Make sure you wear “baking” clothing and a smock.  The red coloring is dangerous!

Preheat oven to 350 (or 325 if using dark pans).  Line cupcake pans or spray with Pam for baking.

Mix the 1 tablespoon vinegar into the milk and set aside.  Then pour the cake mix into a large mixing bowl.  To it add the box of pudding, 2 T cocoa powder, and then mix thoroughly.   Break eggs into a separate bowl and look for shells…I always do this because I almost always have shell pieces!  Add eggs, oil, milk, and food coloring to the dry ingredients.   Beat 30 seconds on LOW to incorporate everything.  Then beat 3 to 4 minutes on medium *(make sure to use a spatula a few times in between to scrape the bottom of the bowl)  until smooth 

Bake 24 cupcakes for about 18 minutes or bake (2) 9 inch cake pans for about 22 minutes. 

Frosting:

Beat softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth.  Slowly incorporate powdered sugar and then almond extract.   Beat until smooth.  

Bars, Bars, Bars!

Ok, not the meet people, drink, get tipsy, and dance type,  but the bake, eat, and get tipsy from the sugar high type.  I have a daunting task for which I signed up-no arm twisting or begging was involved.   I need to make 10 dozen NUTLESS bars for a party for my niece Mattie.  Who better to help me decide than Anna at Cookie Madness.   The bars applying for the job need the following qualifications:  They need to cut easily, hold their shape, keep for a few days, and travel well.  I know.  Lofty expectations.  Well, as usual, Cookie Madness did not disappoint!   First of all, I decided to "hire" 4 bars.  The first bars I made were  Iced Lemon Bars.  As usual, I used salted butter and did not add any extra salt.  I also used regular sugar and not powdered sugar. Okay, I also added the zest of one lemon to the batter.  I didn't make any other changes. Okay, I did use a different glaze found here Cookie Madness lemon icing, but that's it!!!   They were still delicious on the third day.  You ask "if they were so good, then why did they last three days?" Well, I wanted to save a few to see how long they would last because I can't (don't want to) make 10 dozen bars in one day.

Iced Lemon Shortbread Bars

10 dozen bars. Whew!   I thought: how can I make this process easier for me? I have an idea!  Let's see if I can make jam bars with the same shortbread dough I used for the lemon bars.  Guess what? You can and I did. I thought they turned out great plus my reviewers texted me saying they liked the jam bars better than the brownies they love.  I followed Anna's recipe with my changes above including the zest.  I substituted about 2 cups of plum jam (which I first put into a bowl and hand mixed until it was smooth) for the lemon mixture.  I spread it evenly over the pre- baked crust while the crust was warm, added the streusel topping, and baked them for another 20 to 25 minutes. After completely cool, they cut like a dream!
Here is a picture of my dreamy jam bars.  You can use any flavor jam.  The plum jam reminds me of a garnet jewel.

Dreamy Plum Jam Shortbread Bars

Well, my third choice needed to have some chocolate in it because my niece would be disappointed without it.  I chose an EASY Toffee Bar recipe from Allrecipes.  The only changes I made were:  Used a 9 x 13 pan, lined it with nonstick foil, substituted 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla (for the party I won't use almond extract because that qualifies as a nut), and used about 5 ounces of semisweet chips and 5 ounces of butterscotch chips to melt on top of the hot crust.    They were a hit with my reviewers, but they would prefer to have less butterscotch and more chocolate on the top so I would go 70% semi sweet and 30% butterscotch next time.

Easy Chocolate Butterscotch Toffee Bars

My fourth bar ended up being boxed brownies (cringe).  However, to a 9 x 13 pan I added about 4 inches of mashed banana, an extra tablespoon of Hershey's cocoa, 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, and about a 1/16 of a teaspoon salt, or a big pinch.  Most of that odd box mix flavor disappeared.  No pictures of this brownie, but here are a few pictures from my trip to Florida.

Roseate Spoonbills splashing around Sanibel Island

More spoonbills..I am infatuated with them!

Great Blue Heron in front of my condo. 

Me "roof" hopping in FM. 

Enjoy "bar" hopping!

Tiramisu, kugel recipe, and hello from Fort Myers!

I've been away from the kitchen for a while, but please don't leave me!  I will be back!  First, I want to say thank you for reading my posts even though I've been away.  I also want to post the Kugel recipe (Jewish creamy noodle pudding) I never posted..Sorry about that Cotton Floozy!!!
Also, I've taken a picture of a Tiramisu cake I found at Fleamasters Flea Market in Fort Myers.  They were not forthcoming with the recipe. I need to study the cake and try to make it at home...I bought the whole cake because they were all out of slices.   BAD IDEA because it is the best tiramisu I have tasted.  I've been eating it for breakfast AND dessert.  Since it has coffee and cream in it, it is breakfast food, right?

Tiramisu layer cake

The top layer is an espresso cream of some sort, then there is a layer of yellow cake, then a layer of mascarpone whipped up with something, then a layer of the espresso cream, then a layer of cake.  It looks like the bottom cake layer is soaked with Kahlua or espresso or something...not sure.  If you have any ideas, let me know.

Next, I went to a Fort Myers River District restaurant called  The French Connection.  I had the most delcious hot fudge crepe ever!  It had a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream inside.

Hot fudge crepe

On to the kugel recipe which can be easily altered for diabetics.  I took a recipe from allrecipes.com  and altered it. It is Jewish comfort food, but you don't need to be Jewish to love it!!!   This is not a low calorie health food dish. 

I'd rather have a small piece of something fabulous than a large piece of blah! 
That being said, you can easily use lower fat ingredients and use sugar alternatives.

Noodle Kugel (pudding)

Recipe:

Noodle mixture:

1 (8 ounce) package medium or fine egg noodles (medium or fine is the noodle size)

8 tablespoons SALTED butter, sliced

6 large eggs

1/2 cup white sugar (or use 1/4 cup splenda and 1/4 cup agave syrup)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons sour cream

1 (16 ounce) container of cottage cheese, creamed (in a food processor or blender)

3/4 cup golden or regular raisins

 Orange liquor and apple juice or just apple juice for soaking raisins (or any sweet unsweetened fruit juice)

Topping ingredients:

8 tablespoons SALTED butter (1 stick), melted

1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar

1.5 cups crushed cornflakes or 1.5 cups rice crispies, not crushed

Optional:

1.5 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 cup white sugar.

Directions:

First, take the enough apple juice and orange liquor to cover the raisins and put it in a microwaveable bowl.  Heat on high for about 2 minutes or just until hot, but not boiling.  Add raisins and leave on counter soaking for about 15 minutes.   I usually use just apple juice unless I have orange liquor handy.  Then I go half and half.

While raisins soak,

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and stir in 8 tablespoons sliced butter.
3. In a medium bowl beat sugar and cream cheese until smooth, then beat in eggs; stir into noodles and add sour cream, creamed cottage cheese, and salt.  Drain raisins and stir them in.  Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
4. In a small bowl combine melted butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, and corn flakes.  Sprinkle over noodle mixture.  Combine cinnamon and 1/8 cup of white sugar and sprinkle on top of corn flakes.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.    Tastes good warm or cold.  Store in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Mousse Double-Layer No Bake Pie!

But first, if you like photography and voting, please visit this site and vote for my pictures if you find any you like.  This picture in particular Maple leaf veins is only 3 votes away from 100 and will win a special "award" when it hits 100!
To vote you need to register (simple on the site above) and click DIG IT or NIX IT. 

Ok, on to the pie!!!
My favorite non-traditional pumpkin pie is silky and creamy with a nutty, buttery graham cracker crust..if you have not tried it, you should!  People are usually impressed with the flavors and especially the crust...

The recipe is adapted from an old Cool Whip recipe and Honey Maid Graham cracker crumbs.   I apologize for the less than spectacular pictures....I was in a hurry!!!

Here is the recipe!

Crust:

1 1/4 cups finely-crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans

5 Tablespoons melted butter

Or you can use a store-bought graham cracker crust if you don't want to turn your oven on!

Bottom layer:

4 oz cream cheese, softened (I use whole fat, but lower fat would probably be ok)

1 Tablespoon 1/2 and 1/2

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups Cool Whip  or sweetened whipped heavy cream

Pumpkin mousse layer

3/4 cup half and half (you can use milk or heavy cream also)

2 (3.4 ounce) packages of vanilla flavored instant pudding.

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*

1  Libby's canned pumpkin 15 ounces (I find other brands too watery)

Directions

In a medium-size bowl mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nuts, and then stir in the melted butter to combine. Press mixture into a 9 inch pie plate and bake in a 350° preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes.   Remove crust from oven and cool to room temperature.  

While crust is cooling soften the cream cheese in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power for about 30 seconds .  In a medium-size bowl mix the cream cheese, 1 tablespoon half-and-half, and 1 tablespoon sugar with a wire whisk until well combined. Carefully fold in the 1 1/2 cups of Cool Whip.  Spread this layer on top of the pie crust and refrigerate while preparing the pumpkin topping.

In a large bowl mix the dry pudding mix and pumpkin pie spice to combine.  Then add the 3/4 cups half and half  and mix thoroughly and quickly-the pudding will start to set up so you want to add your pumpkin quickly.  Then whisk in the pumpkin and make sure there are no pudding lumps.. whisk until smooth-it will be thick.

Remove the cooling pie from the refrigerator and top with pumpkin mousse mixture.  Refrigerate for approximately 4 hours or until set.   Enjoy!!

*  you can substitute the following spices for pumpkin pie spice to make approximately 2 teaspoons:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Cinnamon rice crispy treats

I have not been posting lately because I've been taking and entering photos in a photo contest called  Capture Minnesota (see some photos at the end of this post).   However, I still look for baking bargains when I'm out shopping for staples.. I perused the baking aisle at Target the other day looking for nut sales and these caught my eye:

Yup, not nuts.  Cinnamon Bun marshmallows-I had no idea they existed!  I ate a dozen before thinking they would be better for me mixed with vitamin-enriched cereal!!   I substituted them for regular marshmallows and they were a hit! 

They came out a bit more golden than regular rice crispy bars, but they tasted great!  The cinnamon was not too strong...

I just followed the recipe on the rice crispy box, but I did add 5 T butter rather than 4.
If you try them, let me know what you think!  They also have pina colada marshmallows..wonder what they would taste like in a rice crispy bar??????

Photos-all were taken at my house and in my yard...

Noodle pudding-kugel

Monarch "straw"

Lantana berries

Fall leaves abstract

Dying aster

Sugar maple on fire

Sunflower center

Sugar free biscotti (vegan too!)

They say necessity is the mother of invention. A family member of mine has type II diabetes so I'm constantly trying to figure out how to make sugar-free desserts from the desserts I like which are never sugar-free! So I made my vegan cupcakes processed-sugar free by substituting two thirds of a cup of Splenda and a quarter cup of Agave syrup for the 1 cup of white sugar.  The recipe makes enough for 18 cupcakes, but I only have one cupcake pan which serves 12 so I always have leftover batter.   Hmm ... what to do with the left over batter?  Usually I just pour what's left into an 8 x 8 pan and bake it and eat it.   I had biscotti on the brain because I was reading Cookie Madness post Red Velvet Biscotti not too long ago. I figured if Anna could use a cake mix type batter and make biscotti, then I should at least try to do the same. They were excellent and I could not tell they were sugar-free!  Because of the oil they have a crispier texture, not hard and crunchy.  They won't crack your crowns! Also, because no eggs are involved they are just plain easy to make, cholesterol free, and it doesn't matter if the cake is under-done!!!!  
Here is what they looked like, but please don't judge their looks too harshly. They were an afterthought after all!  

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (I used lemon juice)
1 1/4 cups cashew milk or other nut milk (or regular milk if you are not vegan)
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup AP and one cup whole wheat pastry-next time I'd use all ap or add some regular whole wheat..they didn't stay together well enough with the pastry flour)
2/3 cup granulated splenda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup agave light syrup
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon orange extract 
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds optional


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Coat a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray or line with nonstick foil.  Set-aside.


Put the one tablespoon of lemon juice into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with milk to make 1 and 1/4 cups. Let stand until curdled or about 10 minutes. 
Soak raisins in a hot liquid of your choice for about 10 minutes-then drain.  I use a combination of Capt. Morgan's rum and Triple Sec!   (You may want to drain into a mug to enjoy later!)
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl whisk together the nut milk lemon mixture, oil, and extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.  Mix in the sliced almonds and raisins. 
Pour batter into your 9 x 13 pan. (*Note:  For the cookies pictures here I poured the batter into the pan, did not spread it out, refrigerated it for 15 minutes, and then baked it.  It stayed higher in the middle and thinner towards the edges.)  Here's the tricky part: Bake for 15 minutes and check. When using Splenda baked items seem to get done quicker.  When a toothpick comes out clean they are done. Let the cake cool about an hour. This is a delicate cake so it will crumble if not cool.
Turn oven down to 300°
Slice the cake into biscotti size pieces, lay them on a cookie sheet so the cut edges are facing up and bake for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven, turn them over, and bake for another 15 minutes. I ended up baking mine a little bit longer, but every oven is different.   Your diabetic friends will thank you for this!

Poppyseed Onion salad dressing

Just a quick post about my FAVORITE salad dressing!  I had a strawberry chicken salad at a local restaurant called Crossroads Deli.  It came with their house poppy seed dressing.  It was love at first bite! When I arrived home I went on a quest to duplicate the dressing.  I succeeded.  I found a recipe in Portal to Good Cooking which tasted exactly like the Deli salad dressing on my first try!
As usual I did modify it just a little to suit my tastes.  It is sweet and savory at the same time.  Who would have thought onions and sugar would go well together?
This dressing goes well with a savory salad such as chicken over greens or with mandarin oranges and toasted pecans over greens.   It goes well with sliced strawberries in a garden salad also.   You must try it!

Recipe:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vinegar-I use cider vinegar or regular vinegar
1/2 of a medium onion quartered
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
1 cup salad oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:
In a blender blend  the sugar, vinegar, onion, salt, and dry mustard until mixture is smooth.  At this point you can taste it to see if you need more onion.
Add salad oil. Only blend for 10 or 15 seconds-if you blend it much longer it will get too thick.   Add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and blend another 5 seconds or so. Refrigerate for an hour before using, but if you run out of time it will be fine to use this dressing right after blending is complete.
Enjoy!