Key Lime Pie

What a great long weekend.  BP and I had it planned out and it was full of fun and time with friends.  And of course I had to get some baking in as well.  BP's dad has recently moved in with him, and I can't say enough how happy it makes BP to have his dad there.  They are too cute when they are together, and his dad makes me laugh.  I love getting to know him better and enjoy having him around when I'm there.  BP had mentioned that his dad loves Key Lime Pie and could I make one for him.  My answer, of course!!  Any excuse to break out Big Red and bake. 

Saturday we went out and spent some time with friends and caught a movie.  Once that was done, BP went off to poker with the guys and I headed back to the house to bake it up......and I had to do most of it in stealth mode while BP's dad was in the next room.  Happily he had no idea what I was baking, he just knew I was baking.  The pie came together quickly, as do most pies.  The longest part is waiting for it to cool and set up.  So while it was cooling, I started away on some cookies for a BBQ we were going to.  Not just any cookie, S'mores Cookies.  

Now I've made these cookies tons of time in the past, and every time I make them people go crazy for them.  I was a little worried though because BP isn't that big on S'mores in general.  When I told him what I wanted to make for the BBQ, he just gave me a look like "OK Nugget, do your thing".  Oh ye of little faith.  Never doubt my baking skills :) 

Cookies baking away, BP and I were texting back and forth about his dad's pie.  We were like kids on Christmas Eve, getting impatient for it to be ready so I could give it to him.  But in the mean time, I was focused on cookies.  And when I texted BP this picture,

hello friends

his response was amusing.  "Those look interesting".  Oh he had no clue what he was in for.  I mean how can you NOT love a chocolate chip cookie with graham crackers, Hershey bars and mini marshmallows on top?!  I kept telling him how good they were and he asked if they were up to "whoopie pie standard".  All I could say was he would have to be the judge of that when he got home.  Time to get back to work on the pie....

Finally the pie was cooled and ready to top!!  I was so excited. 

so pretty.....ok not really but we can pretend

I had gone the whole time without BP's dad knowing what was going on.  I bring it out to him and tell him I made him a pie - he was so into what he was watching on tv he was like 'oh ok'.  I knew I threw him off from the movie and BP and I came to the same conclusion that he was so engrossed in the movie he wasn't fully paying attention.  But about 30 minutes later, he came downstairs, thanked me for the pie and told me it was delicious.  I couldn't stop beaming.  I wasn't sure if he really liked it, but the next day when BP and I got home from being out and about, the pie was almost gone.  I did a little happy dance in the kitchen.  I was thrilled that his dad loved it. 

Pie = hit.  Cookies?? Let's get back to the cookies and BP.......he got home Friday night and eyed the cookies.  I was eating one and asked if he wanted one.  He said no but he would have a bite of mine.  All it took was one bite.  He was hooked.  Time for the BBQ and I had packed up 2 tins worth of cookies to bring with us.  I turn around with the tins in my hands and the look on BP's face was horror.  "Let's hold up a second - we don't need to bring all of those with us.  Some of them need to stay here with us".  Now, we already had a tin going just for us.  He proceeded to take half of one tin and put it into ours.  You know, to make it through the week.  All I could think of while he was taking more cookies for us was I love this man. 

Weekend came to a close, pie was demolished, a few cookies left.  Amazing time with BP and friends. And S'mores cookies will be making another appearance, maybe for poker night at BP's house. 

Key Lime Pie

makes one 9" pie

 

1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh Key-lime juice
1 tablespoon grated Key-lime rind
3/4 cup heavy cream, chilled

1. Heat oven to 375°. Combine graham-cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, and mix well. Press into a buttered 8-inch pie plate, and bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, and rind. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.
3. Lower oven to 325°. Return pie to oven, and bake approximately 15 to 17 minutes, until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged.
4. Remove from oven, and let stand until cool.
5. Shortly before serving, whip cream until stiffened. Decorate pie with whipped cream, and serve at room temperature. 

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pop Tarts

Time is flying by.  I can't believe it's already the middle of May.  Soon the warm weather will be here and I will be all about no bake items and ice cream.  While the weather is still (somewhat) cool I will be baking away.  Last weekend I made 2 family recipes for BP - Whoopie Pies and Jumbo Raisin Cookies.  Both were a hit.  BP told me that "there wasn't enough whoopie pies made".  I love when he loves things I bake, especially when they are family recipes. 

The week flew by, work is going amazing and I love my job and my coworkers.  Before I knew it, Friday was here and it was time to start our weekend off at one of our favorite places, Top Golf.  After a great night out with friends, it was time to relax and run some errands.  Wandering around Walmart, we stumbled onto a display of pop tarts.  BP made the comment of how he loves pop tarts, and me being the baking nerd that I am said that I have a recipe for those.  He got so excited.  I wasn't even going to bake this weekend, but the look on his face when I said I could make them was just too cute. 

Now, yes this does take some time.  You need to make the dough and let it chill.  You can do the minimum time required to chill the dough and it's still about 2 hours.  So if you want you can always break this up into two days or morning and evening of one day.  And something I love about these is that you can make them the size you want.  I tend to go for a medium size pop tart, this gets you a good number of treats and they are the perfect size. 

Ok - they aren't the prettiest things, but
damn tasty
 

Now, make sure you let them cool all the way before you frost them.  Then let the frosting set all the way - then comes the tough choice.  To toast or not to toast?!  Either way these pop tarts are amazingly delicious.  And the best part is, you can make the filling any flavor you want.  Your options are endless. 

nom nom nom

The time finally came to try them.  BP waited patiently for hours while they were baking and cooling and setting.  And one of his friends was over for dinner and to hang out and he finally got to try some of my baked goods that I make all the time.  Time to chow down - and they both loved them.  I'm a big fan of making things from scratch.  You can control the ingredients and lately I've been baking it up with the baking blends of sugar and brown sugar and you can't even taste the difference.  So if you are looking for a great recipe to tackle that isn't too hard, try this one out.  I mean we all love things from our childhood and this is something we all associate with childhood - so make a treat for the kid in you.  You wont regret it. 

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Pop Tarts

 

For the pastry:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small chunks

4 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

 

For the filling:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 large egg, whisked with a tablespoon of water, to brush the pastries with

 

For the glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

4 teaspoons milk, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preparation:

If you don't have a food processor, you can use your hands.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and salt; pulse a couple times to combine the ingredients. Throw in the cold, diced butter, and pulse 10 more times or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about the size of peas.

With machine running, add ice water through the opening on top of the lid, in a slow, steady stream, one tablespoon at a time,  just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. It should form a ball and come away from the sides. It is very important to  not over process the dough. A way to test the dough is by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still dry and doesn’t come together, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Divide the dough in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into disks and tightly wrap in plastic. Place the disks in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

To assemble the toaster pastries: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow it to thaw for a bit. This will help you roll out the dough, and make it easier to work with. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Trim the sides of the dough so that it measures 9×12 inches in size. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cut each piece of dough into thirds and then each third into thirds again. You should end up with 9 rectangular pieces, each measuring 3×4 inches. Using a ruler will make this process easier.

Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough pieces. This will be the “bottom” of the tart; the egg will help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, making sure to leave about 1/4 inch of space on the edge. Brush the second dough pieces with egg wash as well, and place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Crimp the edges with a fork all around the edge of each rectangle. This will ensure the tarts do not open up during baking.

Gently place the tarts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart five times with a skewer or tooth pick; this will allow the steam to escape, so that the tarts will become light and airy instead of flat pop-tarts. Brush the tops with extra egg wash. Refrigerate the tarts, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. This will allow the butter in the dough to chill and firm up causing a flakier crust.

Remove tarts from the fridge and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they’re golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the tarts cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before glazing.

 

To make the glaze, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until it reaches a spreading consistency. It should be thick but not too thick. Use a butter knife or offset spatula to glaze each tart. Allow the glaze to harden before eating. Store them in an airtight container. To reheat, place in a350° oven and heat for 10 minutes. Or you can pop them in a toaster to warm them for a few seconds.

Homemade Pizza and Carrot Cake

This week was a doozy.  Emotionally draining and it took it's toll on myself and BP.  So what did we have in store for the weekend - nothing.  And it was perfect.  We slept in and just went with the flow of things.  Saturday turned out to be my baking day - we had decided that we would have homemade pizza for dinner Saturday night and BP asked for some Carrot Cake - and I had the best recipe from my aunt. I couldn't wait to get baking. 

Big Red got taken out and away I got on making the cake and pizza dough.  Soon the smell of carrot cake baking away filled the house, and it smelled fantastic - even if I'm not a fan of Carrot Cake.  I love to bake, especially for BP, and even if it's something that I don't like it wont stop me from making it.  This wasn't the first time I made something for BP that I don't like, so when this happens I make sure to get something for myself treat wise.  There's a 7 Eleven right next to BP's house, so we went to get me some ice cream.  They had a bin in the middle of the store full of ice cream bars and cones.  I open the side and reach my hand in, and the whole cart starts wheeling across the floor - with my arm still in it.  Needless to say, BP and I were laughing so hard.....and I wont be going into that 7 Eleven any time soon. 

Now that I had myself a treat for later, back to making dinner and cake.  Cake was cooled and now time to frost it. 

3 layers of deliciousness

Then time to make our pizzas.  I say this every time I post about pizza - if you haven't made your own dough you are missing out.  It's so easy and delicious.  You just need a little time, but if you plan ahead you can actually make the dough and freeze it so you have some ready and waiting for when you want some.

nom nom nom

Pizza was delicious.  Excellent dinner.  Then after a little break, time for dessert.  I had my ice cream cone waiting for me and BP had cake that was calling his name. 

yummers

Cake was a hit - and sorry, this recipe wont be posted on here.  But if seeing it puts you in the mood for Carrot Cake then bake away my friends! 

Bacon Bombs

What a week - the news itself was full of awful things.  A city I loved and have spent a lot of time in had been attacked.  And knowing that many of my friends live in and around Boston it was a very worrisome and stressful time.  The weekend couldn't come fast enough - I was very much looking forward to seeing BP and spending some time with him.  I had Friday off, and spent most of the day at BP's house watching the news and waiting for him to get home from work, and when he got home he had a surprise for me.

sweetest man ever

BP found a great treat both of us were dying to make - Bacon Bombs.  It's the perfect snack for when he has poker night and the guys over.  And of course we had to make them before the guys come over so it was time to test them out - you know, to see if they are good or not.  :)  Well that's what we kept saying.  So off I went to get what we needed.  I couldn't wait for these little nuggets of yumminess.  I mean it has things I love all rolled into one - cheese, biscuits and bacon.  You can't go wrong with these bad boys. 

why hello there!!

Let me warn you - it makes a lot.  This is a great treat for when you have a lot of people over.  I made it through a half a batch and BP and I called it quits.  There are some currently waiting in his freezer and fridge ready to go. 

Gooey goodness

These are fantastic.  If you don't feel like using Mozzarella Cheese, switch it out for your favorite kind then.  You can always bake these in the oven if you don't want to fry them as well.  350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown and bacon is crispy (you may have to broil to crisp up bacon fully).

Bacon Bombs

 

1 can (8 count) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits

1 1/2 pounds cubed Mozzarella Cheese (one 1" cube per bomb)

2 pounds sliced bacon

toothpicks

Oil for frying

 

1. Cube up cheese into 1" cubes.  Cut each biscuit into fourths.  Place one cube of cheese inside a biscuit quarter and shape biscuit dough around cheese so no cheese is showing.  Make sure it's sealed up nice and tight.  Wrap a piece of bacon around it and secure with a toothpick.  Repeat until all bombs are made. 
2. Heat approximately 2" of oil in large pan to 350 degrees.  Fry Bombs in small batches - don't go far while frying, the oil expands so make sure to stay close. 
3. Once golden in color, remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain.  Serve while warm. 

 

 



Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls......again

I was on baking mode over the weekend, maybe a little too much.  I made Cinnamon Struesel Coffeecake, Chocolate Cake, and then on top of that threw in some Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls because I was dying to make them for BP.  I had to work Saturday morning, but had the rest of the afternoon to myself while BP was out on a guys day.  Perfect time for me to bake away, especially since the rolls take a couple hours from start to finish.  These are definitely a labor of love, but the wait and all the effort is totally worth it, especially if you love pumpkin. 

all frosted and waiting to be eaten

Once baked and cooled, time to ice them and let it set.  I went to bed and BP came back shortly after - and loved what was waiting for him in his kitchen.  He was so excited to try one.  Sunday rolled around and we finally each had one.  I knew BP's love for anything pumpkin was going to make this a good choice on my part, and I was right. 

Since I had baked like a mad woman, we were left with too many sweets.  BP brought a plate of the cinnamon rolls into work with him Monday morning.  Halfway through the day I get an email from BP, the cinnamon rolls were a hit with his coworkers.  They told him if I love to bake they will happily take some off his hands.  Music to my ears :) 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

I have to admit, I love making things for BP - and this includes making treats for the poker crew when he has the guys over to play.  So far they've gotten some Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, Pizza Bread and Coffee Ring.  So as I was sitting there with BP the other night the talk of me making treats came up and I said that I loved to make treats for his poker nights.  Well his face lit up and out came the cookbooks.  It was so cute to see him flip through the books and pick things out for me to make later (a direct quote from him - Page 111, not for tomorrow night but for at some point).  He found something great online and all I needed to get was chocolate chips and some pecans.  Easy. 

Friday morning rolls around and BP heads off to work.  I sleep in a little longer and then got my butt in gear. Did a load of laundry and ran an errand and then it was time to make the bars.  This recipe is so easy.  It does call for a strange sized pan, so you can either go with a small 8x8" pan or a 9x13" pan - which is what I went with. I love quick and easy things to make - and it's even better when they end up being tasty. 

Yummies

Once the bars were cooled and set I cut them up and put them on a plate for BP and wrapped them up.  It was all ready for him when he got home.  I had sent him a picture of the finished bars and he couldn't wait to try them.  The text I got from him was great - 'the bars are fn awesome'.  Always a great thing to hear and puts a smile on my face. 

I posted this pic on YCB's Facebook page and was floored by the response.  It's the most views I've had for a photo I've posted ever - over 150 at this point.  Amazing considering there are only 43 of you out there that follow my Facebook page. 

So the bars were a hit with the poker crew.  Everyone loved them, and one comment that was passed along to me was 'loved them, but it's no coffee ring'.  That made me laugh so hard - that coffee ring is one of my favorite things to make and am floored at the response it always gets from people. 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

 

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

topping:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 11x7" baking dish.  Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  Add flour and oats, mix until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips and mix until distributed evenly.  Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through, or until lightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips and let stand for a couple of minutes until chips are almost completely melted.  Gently take a spatula and spread chocolate evenly over the top.  Sprinkle with nuts and let stand until fully cooled.  Cut into bars.

**If you want the extra oomph - toast the nuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes or until you smell the nuts.  When you smell them, they are done**

Easter Treat for BP

Easter was here over the weekend, and I can't have Easter without making a Coffee Ring.  Now, BP has never had it before, and my trying to explain it to him (or anyone for that matter) never does this any justice.  It's something that not a lot of people have had before so people usually picture something completely different when I mention it.  I've posted about this many times in the past, but I keep posting about it because it's one of the things I truly love to make the most.  Family recipes are the best things for me to make - so much love and history behind them. 

Friday rolled around, and after a long day of cleaning BP's house and multiple loads of laundry, I wanted to get my bake on.  BP had some guys over for poker and it was the perfect chance for me to get my bake on.  Big Red now has a new home at BP's house, and he got some good use making the dough.  By the time it was ready to roll out and form the ring, the guys were deep into playing.  Once I started baking away, the smell of the ring made their way downstairs.....and the guys kept telling BP how good it smelled.  I had no idea I was torturing them upstairs until one of them came up to get some coffee and made a comment.  Well at that point the second ring was in the oven and the first one was cooling....little did the guys know that I would offer them some when they were both ready to be frosted.  Finally it was time to frost them - and when they were done (complete with fun sprinkles) I texted BP the following picture......

Ba-zing!

......quickly I heard all the guys make comments about how good it looked.  I went downstairs and asked if they wanted some - I mean there was no way BP and I would eat 2 rings by ourselves.  They all quickly said yes so I went to cut it up and heat up the slices for the guys.  Before I knew it they were all upstairs ready to eat - and everyone loved it. 

Easter Sunday we had lunch with BP's dad - and of course he had to get some as well.  BP was in love with the coffee ring, and when he tried to explain it to his dad at lunch he had a hard time too. Bottom line, his dad was excited to try it out.  After some great laughs and an amazing lunch, we handed off the coffee ring to BP's dad and off we went.  Later we got a text saying how good it was.....it was official - BP and BP's dad approved (along with the guys from poker night).  Needless to say I look forward to making this when the holidays roll around, but now that BP and his dad have experienced it I'm really looking forward to making it again.