Crémé Brûlée

I am on a dessert kick lately. I just can't help it! Desserts are by far my favorite things to make! I fell in love with Crémé Brûlée. I had it at a local restaurant and became slightly obsessed. I went out and bought a little crémé brûlée kit that had the ramekins, and the small little kitchen torch (my favorite part). I do slightly love fire, so when I say the torch is my favorite part I'm not really joking. I would have to be honest and say that the torch comes second only to eating the finished crémé brûlée. There are many recipes that call for straight cream in this recipe but I prefer using half cream and half milk. I don't feel like it compromises the flavor at all, but isn't quite as heavy or greasy feeling.

Crémé Brûlée

Total Time: 3 hr 30 min

Prep: 15 min

Inactive: 2 hr 15 min

Cook: 1 hr 0 min

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 quart heavy cream (I prefer 2 cups heavy cream and 2 cups milk)
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 cup vanilla sugar, divided
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 quarts hot water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.


In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.


Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.  If you don't have a torch you can place them in the oven on broil but watch them very closely for they will burn very quickly.

Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from the Food Network

Reese's Pieces Rice Krispies Treats

A while ago a friend and I were talking about Rice Krispies treat. I kind of really enjoy them. She told me that she loves them with Reese's Pieces in them. Ever since that conversation I have been wanting to make them. I had never had them with Reese's Pieces in them, but I love Reese's Pieces so I figured how could I go wrong? Well after making them I really can say they might be my new favorite way to have Rice Krispies!

Reese's Pieces Rice Krispies Treats

Ingredients:

4 tbsp (56g) butter
5 cups (225g) mini-marshmallows
5 cups (152g) Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup Reese's Pieces candy

Directions:
Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat (don't try and speed up this process they will turn out better if you stick with the low heat). Add marshmallows to the melted butter. Continue cooking over low heat until the marshmallows are completely melted. Add Rice Krispies cereal and stir until marshmallow/butter mixture is evenly distributed. Add the the Reese's Pieces and stir gently until they are evenly distributed. Pour into a greased 9X13 inch buttered pan. With a buttered spatula or a piece of wax paper gently press mixture down into the pan until it is fill the pan and is mostly flat on top. If you desire you can sprinkle more Reese's Pieces on top and gently push down on them to get them to stick. Allow to cool approximately 10 minutes then cut into desired size pieces with a buttered spoon. Enjoy!

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

I'm still a kid at heart. I actually love most foods that children like.  Hot dogs and corn dogs are one of those foods that children often like. I have actually loved hot dogs since I was a young child. To be honest hot dogs were one of the few things that I actually ate when I was young. My poor mom would have to go to special places to find foods that I would actually eat. Well these little corn dogs are definitely something I would have and still enjoy eating. I love that they are baked. It make these a little healthier.

 

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter (4 TBS)
1/4 cup sugar (I use 1/4 cup minus 1 tbs because I don’t like my cornbread very sweet)
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1″ bites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add egg and whisk to incorporate. Add the buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.
3. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Slowly whisk into the wet ingredients.
4.  Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.

Note: I halved the original recipe. You can easily double this if you want more :)
Makes 18-24 mini muffins (original recipe says 24 but I can only get 18 out of the batter)

Blueberry Sweet Rolls

 
There is a certain bakery near us that has the most amazing sweet rolls. People will often bring them for us at my work, or if it has been a while we will encourage our boss to get some on her way in. Everyone loves them. They have a wide variety of flavors including cinnamon, blueberry, raspberry, and orange. Yes I have tried them all, and no I can not pick a favorite. My favorite changes depending on my mood that day, but I can tell you that I always enjoy them. Well this week we found blueberries on sale at Winco. We of course had to get as many as possible. I was really in the mood for some sort of bread and decided that I could make blueberry sweet rolls just like the local bakery. I made them and was so glad that I did. I could have eaten the whole pan. Luckily (for my thighs) I refrained. But needless to say they are delicious!

Blueberry Sweet Rolls

Dough
5 1/4 c. white flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 rounded tablespoons saf-instant yeast
3 T. oil
2c. hot tap water


Filling
2 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs flour
2 tsp lemon juice
3 tbs butter

Browned Butter Glaze
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil or a silpat to help with the clean up process.

For the dough: Mix dry ingredients to bowl of stand mixer. Add oil and water. Mix for 1 minute and check consistency. If dough is too dry, add a little more water, if too wet add more flour. Dough should clean the bowl of the mixer. Mix for 5 minutes. (Do not add flour to the dough after it has finished mixing.) Let dough sit in the mixer for 10 minutes (set a timer if you are like me and most likely would forget about it). After the 10 minutes is up turn the mixer on for about 30 seconds then turn it back off again. Repeat the process of letting the dough rest/rise then turning on mixer 2 more times.  During the down time make the filling.

Filling: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until fruit is blended down and more liquid. I like mine quite blended, but if you like more chunks feel free to only blend it a small amount or add fresh blueberries after the blending process is done. Pour blended blueberry mixture into a medium size sauce pan. Place the pan over medium heat. Heat until mixture thickens. Once thick take off heat and set aside to cool. It is ok if it is still warm, but you don't want it boiling hot when you spread it on the dough.

After the final resting and turning on the mixer process turn dough onto a well floured surface. Split the dough in half working with one half at a time. Roll out half of the dough into a rectangle. Spread filling on rolled out dough. I found that cutting the dough into long strips with a pizza cutter and then rolling it up was easier and less messy than rolling it up then cutting it, but you can do this step however you want. Place rolled up sweet rolls on prepared baking sheet. Allow about an inch in between pieces to allow for rising, but to still let them tough slightly once baking. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until dough is a light golden brown.


Browned Butter Glaze: Over medium heat heat butter until it is browned. (It starts turning a nice amber color and gives off the most delicious nutty smell) Pour browned butter into a heat proof bowl and add powdered sugar and milk. Mix with a whisk or hand mixer until combined. I like mine to be just slightly thinner than I would make it if I wanted it to be spreadable. Drizzle glaze over warm sweet rolls and enjoy!

French Breakfast Muffins

I'll be honest, I don't know if this recipe is actually french. But then again, there are many recipes that claim to be french, but really aren't. The name does make them a little more intriguing than just breakfast muffins. If I saw a recipe for breakfast muffins I might look at it (mealy because I love breakfast), but French Breakfast Muffins... I definitely am more interested. I got this recipe from a friend, and as soon as I read what was in it I knew I had to try them. Let me tell you that these muffins are delicious! My friend also likes to call them doughnut hole muffins because that is what they remind her of. I am honestly not a huge fan of doughnuts, but these muffins I am huge fan of! I may or may not have eaten them for dinner last night, and lunch today (yes I know somehow I missed breakfast). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. I think I better go eat another one right now!

French Breakfast Muffins

I like to call these “donut hole muffins,” because they taste like cake donuts.

MUFFINS

2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 large egg

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CINNAMON-SUGAR TOPPING

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Heat the oven to 375.

Butter the bottoms only of 12 standard size muffin cups and set the pan aside.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In separate bowl, whisk egg until frothy. Blend in milk, melted butter, and vanilla.

Add wet to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake 15 minutes. Rotate pan and bake 5-7 more minutes. Transfer pan to cooling rack until muffins are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

While muffins cool, prepare topping. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Melt butter in another small bowl.

Quickly dip tops of muffins into the melted butter and then the cinnamon sugar, rolling to cover the entire top. Serve immediately.

Makes 12 muffins

Thanks Melanie for the great recipe!

Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti

Who would have ever thought that spaghetti could get any easier? Spaghetti for many of us is that go to recipe when we don't want to cook anything, or we just don't have time. Somehow this recipe took that concept, and made it even better. Really the only part of this recipe that takes any time at all is cooking the meet. Then you throw everything in and you can continue on your merry way, not worrying about a thing. A few hours later you have the most delicious spaghetti ever! My husband went back for not just seconds but thirds. This recipe will definitely be appearing in our house again! I threw some pureed zucchini in with the sauce. It doesn't change the taste and you get some more  veggies in your meal! This recipe also makes a ton so I have left overs which I love taking to work.

Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or salt
3 jars 26 ounce pasta sauce
2 cups pureed zucchini (optional)
1 pound spaghetti noodles
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
4-8 ounces cream cheese
1-2 cups chicken broth

1. Cook/brown beef in a medium skillet over medium heat until crumbled and browned Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Drain fat from pan if necessary.
2. Pour one jar of pasta sauce and pureed zucchini if using into bottom of crock pot on high heat. Break spaghetti noodles in half and place noodles over sauce. Pour cooked beef over noodles, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with cubes of cream cheese. Pour another jar of pasta over cream cheese, close lid and let cook on high for 3 hours. After 3 hours, give a good stir (will be thick) and add last jar of pasta sauce and 1-2 cups of chicken broth (more if you want a thinner sauce). Close lid and let cook another hour or until ready to serve.
Makes 10-12 servings

Recipe Source: Picky Palate

Chocolate Lava Cake

I love chocolate. I love love love this cake. I pretty much love everything that has to do with this cake. I love that each person gets their own individual cake. I love that they are rich and full of chocolate. But mostly I love that they are ooey gooey in the middle!

I know there are many recipes that call for egg yolks or egg whites. If I can find some that I can make on the same day that is wonderful, otherwise I hate it! I don't like wasting either the yolk or the white. Sometimes I will save them. Sometimes I will make scrambled eggs with whatever extras I have. And sometimes I find recipes like this that I can just use the whole egg instead!

Chocolate Lava Cake

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (or use your favorite 70% dark chocolate bar)
6 oz. Butter (diced, room temperature)
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup Flour
Butter for Ramekins

How to Make It:

Preheat oven to 350°F
1. Melt chocolate on low flame in a double boiler. When melted, take of flame, and…
2. Stir in diced butter, until it melts.
3. In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten.
4. Stir in melted chocolate and then the flour.
5. Butter 4 individual ramekins well, and pour in chocolate batter.
6. Cook for about 10 minutes. (See tips below)
7. Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve.
Voilà!

Tips:

You can definitely prepare your chocolate lave cake recipe ahead of time, and then bake 10 minutes before serving.

In terms of buttering the ramekins: butter the bottoms first, and then butter the sides, wiping from the bottom up to the top. It helps the chocolate to rise even more.

In terms of baking time… well, it depends on how runny you want it! I like it with a super-liquid-oozing center -- so do my guests! For this, you want the top to be cooked through, but the center to be liquid. You can check with a toothpick after 10 minutes of baking.
If you don't like liquid-center chocolate desserts, just cook for a little longer, and you will have an incredibly moist chocolate cake. So, either way, you can't go wrong!

Recipe Source: Famous French Desserts