Shortcuts

Sometimes you just have to take shortcuts and yesterday was just one of those days.  Pat was looking for something sweet (he has a serious chocolate sweet tooth) and with it being 90+ degrees here already I just didn't want the oven on for long and couldn't get the oomph I needed to make chocolate chip cookies!

The cupboard included a couple of boxes of cake mix (I like to keep them on hand just in case) so I was able to mix up a quick batch of chocolate cupcakes.  Now what to do about icing them.  I just didn't want the usual powdered sugar or chocolate buttercream.  Let's see what else is in the cupboard.....ah ha!  Peanut butter -check, unsalted butter - check, powdered sugar - check...Peanut butter Butter cream to the rescue!

So here goes an easy, shortcut to something sweet.  The cupcakes were ready in 25 minutes start to finish.  Let them cool, butte cream took all of about 5 minutes (once the butter was softened).  So if it's something quick, chocolate and peanut butter gooey your after, this one will do it!

Peanut Butter Butter Cream

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

In the bowl of your stand mixer on medium speed, cream peanut butter until light.  About 2-3 minutes.  Add softened butter and cream together until well incorporated.
Begin adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat well.  (If you prefer a stiffer/sweeter buttercream, just add more powdered sugar.

Enjoy your cupcakes....We did!

Peanut Butter

Easter is Coming!

Wow!  The past couple of weeks have been trying and a true test for us here.  The good news is that the daughter is on the mend.  We definitely have a long road ahead, but considering what she has been through she is doing darn good!  That being said it is time to get back to the world and start living each day with more than just trips to the hospital.

The hospital food isn't too terrific (down right nasty to hear her tell it) so we have been bringing her some treats every day.  Dad even made her a spice blend to add to her food to make it at least palatable.  And since Easter is upon us shortly I have been thinking about things to make that she would love.  With all that has been going on I wasn't even going there, but my brother said that I should make some of her faves and bring them to her.  I'm thinking that even though she won't be here for dinner Stuffed Artichokes are a must, maybe Pizza Rustica (an Italian Cold Cut and Cheese Pie for Pat) along with her favorite Easter dessert, Grain Pie (Easter morning tradition in our house starts with a slice of Grain Pie and a hard boiled egg) .  Now for those of you not familiar with this pie, it's something that is out of this world!  There is one big difference in the way Mom made the Grain (Wheat) Pie versus the standard recipe......Anisette!  Yup, you read that correctly.  The traditional recipe calls for Orange Blossom Water but Mommy always used Anisette.  So as I said, don't mess with tradition!

Another Easter dessert standard in our house was Chocolate Rice Pie (a personal favorite of mine).  This is a very unusual pie and not one you find in many Italian-American households.  It's rich and more of a bitter sweet chocolate flavor, but absolutely amazing with an ice cold glass of milk or Espresso!  Maybe I'll make just one of those for me!  We will see.  So for now I am in the planning stages and will be off to the market for supplies.

I'll posting some of these recipes over the next couple of days, so please check back tomorrow for more updates!

Birthday's and Buttercream

Besides cooking, I love to bake - cakes, cookies, those special holiday recipes!  Any one who knows me can attest to this fact, especially chocolate!  Well this weekend I was busy with Grand baby Jayla's very 1st birthday cake.  The bottom tier was done with 2 10" round yellow cakes and the top tier was 2 8" inch round chocolate cakes filled with butter-cream. The sides were decorated with those little candy coated chocolate candies and on top was a small chocolate bear that was Jayla's cake.

Her Mommy (our daughter) wanted the cake covered in butter-cream icing.  So that's just what I did and thanks to my wonderful husband (he gave me a wonderful 7 quart mixer for my birthday/anniversary) that made mixing up all of that icing a breeze.  I whipped 2lbs of butter, all that vegetable shortening and almost 4lbs of confectioner's sugar in no time.

"Is that all for me Mommy?"

Even though I love to bake, I hate anything overly sweet (butter-cream is not one of my favorite things), so I have adapted the standard butter-cream icing recipe more to my taste buds and everyone seems to love it!  However, if you plan on using it for decorating you will need to add more confectioner sugar for the firmness.  The cake was a hit with everyone (about 40 people) especially Jayla!  And to my husband, Thank You dear, I love my new toy!

My Butter-cream Icing

1/2 cup unsalted butter - softened
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
3 1/4 cups confectioner sugar (sifted)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. salt

In the the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and shortening with paddle attachment until well blended.  Add vanilla and mix.
On lowest speed of mixer begin adding sugar until completely blended.  Add salt.  Turn mixer to medium and beat well for about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, add milk and mix until well blended.
Scrape down sides of bowl and paddle.  Switch to the whip attachment and on medium high speed, whip for about an additional 5 minutes until very creamy.

For chocolate buttercream, add unsweetened cocoa to taste at the same time as the sugar.