Easy Rum Cake

With the holidays coming up, I have been thinking about what desserts we had when I was a kid. My Grandma used to make this cake for Christmas and I thought it was so fancy and grown up. I couldn't wait until the cake was cooled to eat. Since Grandma isn't here to ask her for the recipe, I had to do some testing of recipes and I think this recipe is very close. After trying the first piece I could remember Grandma and Grandpa's fun Luau parties with all of the guests ending up in the pool. They loved having parties with great food and lots to drink and always wonderful desserts.

The trick for this cake is glazing it while it is hot out of the oven. The recipe for the glaze seemed like a lot to me so I halved it for my cake but you can use all of the glaze, it is your preference. I also chose to use walnuts for this cake and it really is a great combo with the vanilla and rum flavors. I used the cake mix with vanilla pudding in it and I also added another vanilla pudding. I know...really wild stuff for a Friday Night! Grandma and Grandpa would think I was a real dud!

Easy Rum Cake

• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts ( I used walnuts)
• 1 package yellow cake mix 
• 1 (3 3/4-oz.) package Jell-O vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

Glaze:

• 1 stick butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
• I halved this recipe

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 10-inch tube or 12-cup Bundt pan.
3. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.
4. Mix all cake ingredients together.
5. Pour batter over nuts.
6. Bake 1 hour.
7. Cool; invert onto serving plate. Prick top with fork.
8. Spoon and brush glaze evenly over top and sides.

9. Glaze:

1. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar.
2. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove from heat.
3. Stir in rum. You may decorate with whipped cream before serving.

Recipe from Duncan Hines

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

I think I went a little overboard with my purchasing of canned pumpkin. Is that even possible? I bought a case. I really love pumpkin and have had a hankering for Pumpkin Cheesecake. I have been seeing so many gorgeous Cheesecakes on Pinterest. But the thing is, you have to refrigerate your cheesecake and I needed these bars for a party tonight! In my travels, I stumbled upon a very easy recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars. Now when I tell you easy, I mean EEEE-Z. Not easy like you open a pouch of ingredients and add water, I mean easier than a cheesecake easier. Although if you double this recipe, you can actually make a cheesecake if you place all ingredients in a spring form pan. I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand, which makes me happier than all get out. I planned on bringing these to a dinner party at Lily's home, but they were gone in a flash. Note to self, double this recipe next time! These bars are perfect for a snack, dessert or in my case breakfast. I used  chopped walnuts, but you can use pecans or choose to go nut free. Either way, these are a perfect Holiday Bar.

 

 

Here's what you need: flour, brown sugar, butter, chopped walnuts, cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla.

Combine flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup mixture for topping. 

Press remaining mixture into bottom of 8x8x1 1/2 inch baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15  minutes. Cool slightly.

Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla in  large mixer bowl. I used my Kitchen Aid. Blend until smooth. 

Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Makes 12 bars. If you double the recipe and put it in a spring form pan, it makes a wonderful cheesecake ( increase baking time)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

1 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. packed golden brown sugar
5 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. Libby's solid pack pumpkin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine flour and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter to make a crumb mixture. Stir in nuts. Set aside 3/4 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of 8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch basking pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Blend until smooth. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake an additional 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Makes 12 bars. If you double recipe and put in a spring form pan it makes a wonderful cheesecake (increase baking time).

Recipe adapted from Cooks.com 

Apple Pie

I have been wanting to bake since we arrived home from NJ and Philly. I was so happy to see everyone was safe and  sound  after Hurricane Sandy. Baby Ray had surgery today and is on his way to recovery. Sweetest Baby Boy! Thank you for all of your prayers and kind words. All of your prayers have made a difference.

This is a very simple recipe for Apple Pie. It's hubs favorite and since he picked the last batch at the apple orchard, had to make it. If you want your kitchen to smell like heaven, I think this is pretty close to it.

 

Apple Pie

Ingredients

• Pie Crust (for a double crust pie)
• 2 1/2 pounds  apples, sliced ( I am so lazy, I don't peel apples!)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
2. Give everything a toss and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring a few times.
3. Meanwhile roll out your pie crusts.
4. Fill the crust with the apple mixture. Scatter the butter over the top of the pie.
5. Cover the top with the second crust. See, you can’t even tell how ugly my bottom crust is.
6. Cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
7. Bake the pie for 30 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven. Slip a baking sheet underneath of it, and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Bake until the fruit feels just tender when you poke a knife through one of the steam vents. The juices will thicken and they will bubble through the vents.  It should take another 30 to 45 minutes more. Foil edges of crust so that it doesn't get as brown as mine did.
8. Recipe adapted from Baked Bree.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

This was supposed to be a weekend of catch up. But life doesn't always work like that.  Since there is a world record  storm coming up this way, FRANKENSTORM, worst storm since 1938, that is a priority. So we have been buckling down, getting the generator ready, putting away boats, furniture, draining pipes, and I have been been baking up my own kind of storm. Since I used most of my flour last week, I cut this recipe for Vegan Pumpin Bread in half, unfortunately, because this is such a delicious moist pumpkin bread, no eggs, no dairy, perfect storm bread!  The only ingredient that I switched was walnuts for pecans, still very good! If you would like the recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Bread, make sure to check out Joy the Baker Cookbook for so many amazing recipes including this one. Nettie

Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting < Sunday's With Joy>

Our grandson was born last night. Our sixth grandchild, Baby Ray.  The sun is bursting from behind the clouds and I am thinking of you Baby Ray! Since we are miles away from our family and were not able to be at his birth, I baked him a BIRTH CAKE. Happy Birthday Baby Ray. We are so excited to meet you and hold you and kiss you, sweet baby boy.

This week, our group Sunday's With Joy, is baking up a Peanut Butter Cake. I have never baked a Peanut Butter Cake and I have been missing out! Peanut Butter is such a wonderful ingredient to bake with, it is dense and flavorful. I decided to make a Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting to go with the Peanut Butter Cake, kind of like a peanut butter cup, but even better!

What a great choice, the peanut butter and the chocolate combination are just delicious. Not an overwhelming flavor, very subtle. A perfect birthday cake to celebrate the birth of Baby Ray!

If you would like the recipe, click HERE

PUMPKIN BLACK AND WHITE COOKIE < Sunday's With Joy >

 

We are having a magnificent fall, the weather has been cool at night and beautiful and sunny in the day. The colors of the leaves are at their peak, with vibrant oranges, yellows and reds. I just want to sit and admire the trees as I am hurried running errands. But today, I took a leisurely walk and enjoyed the smells of fall. The tide was low and calm and the trees looked perfect reflecting on the water's movement.

Neighbors are already decorating for Halloween. We decorate the day of Halloween to surprise our kids. That's my excuse, we aren't as organized as our neighbors. Pumpkins are abundant. Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin cakes, pumpkin cocktails, pumpkin soup, I see it on Facebook, Pinterest and  Twitter.

Today, I made Pumpkin Black And White Cookies. I have never tried a Black And White Cookie, I have seen them before in the New York City bakeries, they are the size of my hand. But today I baked Joy The Baker's Recipe of Pumpkin Black and White Cookies. This is a soft cookie, with a wonderful chocolate and cinnamon glaze, hence the black and white. To get the recipe click HERE .

SWEET POTATO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE < Sunday's With Joy >

 I have been baking sweet potato pies. We had a lovely Pie Festival here in our little town in Maine. I won the MOST BEAUTIFUL PIE CONTEST with my Raspberry Peach Pie Crumble last year and I was asked to donate a pie for the auction this year. My pie was sold at auction for $35.00, can you believe it?? I was shocked! I hope the buyer really enjoys their sweet potato pie a LOT!! Since I keep using up the sweet potatoes for baking and cooking, I am a bit behind in posting JOY THE BAKER'S Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Cookie post. This is a delicious cookie, I think it is more like a muffin cookie, a flatter muffin. I really like the combination of chocolate and sweet potato for a cookie, it's really quite brilliant. If you would like the RECIPE, CLICK HERE.

Banana Spice Cake

When I was a little girl, my favorite cake to bake was a Spice Cake. I thought it sounded so fancy, with lots of  exotic spices. Of course I baked a lot of cakes using cake mixes, it was easy for me to do by myself, add water, oil and an egg. 20 minutes later, you have a cake! Miracle of miracles. I haven't thought about spice cakes in years. But today, something just triggered that memory as I was looking at my very ripe bananas. BANANA SPICE CAKE....this tiny little girl's voice said to my brain! It has been rainy and cold and when it is rainy and cold, baking is my emotional therapy. It grounds me and makes me feel like all is well in my little world. The aroma of the spices bring me back 40 years. Wait 40 years? Yes, 40 years! It's time to make a Banana Spice Cake. This is long overdue. This cake is a tribute to the little girl who loved to bake cakes. This is a treat for me who loves to eat Banana Spice Cake! 

Cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer or a Kitchen Aid.

Mix dry ingredients and spices together.

Add mashed banana, milk,vanilla and eggs to butter sugar mixture.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until flour mixture is completely wet. Bake in a greased pan for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees . Let cake cool for 10 minutes before taking it out of the pan and placing it on a cooling rack. You can frost this cake if you like but I prefer to sift powdered sugar over the cake.

 

 

Banana Spice Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 large egg
• 2 to 3 bananas, mashed, about 3/4 cup
• 1/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 scant teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour an 8- or 9-inch square pan. In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg, milk, vanilla, and mashed banana until blended. Combine remaining dry ingredients and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the first mixture until moistened. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger. 

Frost with a cream cheese frosting or sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Sausage and Peppers Roll

Being a food blogger, I look at recipes all day and make a mental note to try the recipe. I read through the ingredient list and then go on my merry way. That is what I did with this recipe from Walking On Sunshine. After going to the market and starting to make this recipe, I noticed that I had forgotten three key ingredients, but that is the great thing about making this Sausage and Pepper Roll, you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, you can do a meat and veggie and cheese combo or a veggie and cheese combo or a just plain cheese roll. I chose Hot Italian Sausage, jack cheese, Parmesano Reggiano Cheese, Onions, Green Peppers combination. This was a dish that I will make again, next time I will do a veggie combo with cheese.

This recipe makes a very large roll in a bundt pan. About 14-16 slices.

 

 

 In a skillet, break up and mash Hot Italian Sausage with a fork, brown on medium heat. Drain fat after browned. Set aside in a bowl.

 In the same skillet, brown 1 chopped onion and 1 green pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

 Roll out pizza dough.

 Shred Jack and Parmesan Reggiano cheeses to make one cup.

 Add browned sausage on top of rolled out pizza dough, on top of the meat, add browned onions and peppers, add cheese on top of veggies. Roll up all ingredients length wise. Bring ends together. Carefully place in an oiled bundt pan. Let rise for 30 minutes.

 Roll up the sausage and pepper roll carefully.

 Bring ends together. Place in an oiled Bundt Pan.

 Looks perfect. Let cool for 2 minutes before taking out of Bundt Pan. Let cool for 1 minute before slicing. Perfect with a side salad and a glass of Chianti! Ciao Nettie

Sausage and Peppers Roll

Ingredients:

1 Package of Hot Italian Sausage

1 Onion chopped

! green pepper chopped

1 cup grated Jack and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheeses

1 package pizza dough

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Directions:

1. In a skillet, brown sausage removed from casing. mash with a fork. Drain fat after meat is browned. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Brown onions and bell pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside after browned.
3. Roll out pizza dough to make a large rectangle shape.
4. Place sausage on pizza dough, place veggies on meat, place cheese on top of veggies.
5. Roll the pizza dough, being careful not to tear dough.
6. Brush Olive oil inside of Bundt pan.
7. Carefully place roll in Bundt pan.
8. Let rise for 1/2 hour, covered with a towel.
9. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown all over.
10. Let set for 2 minutes before removing from pan. After flipping out of pan, let cool for a minute before slicing.

This recipe is inspired from Walking On Sunshine Food Blog.

Knock Your Socks Off Brownies

KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF BROWNIES

       It's been like mourning the death of a friend, ever since my oven started sparking and then caught on fire. I guess it was a sign that I have been baking too much....seriously, I didn't realize how much I cooked and baked, um yeah, I forgot...I am a Food Blogger. So what do you do when your baking element breaks in your oven? You broil everything, which can be challenging and even dangerous, do not answer your phone when broiling or your door for that matter...result...burnt garlic bread..I'm just warning you...

I know, I know, there are a lot of friends out there that really don't care for cooking and baking, I get it, kind of, well not really, I am all about food. A great day for me consists of reading cookbooks, cooking magazines, cooking TV shows, Food Blogging, Facebook blogging on my food page, Twittering about food, saving recipes on Pinterest, deciding my meal plan for the week and Food shopping! Don't forget cooking and baking in between all of this, only if I feel like it, not because I have to, because I want to. Plus I would be happy to go out for dinner every single night and still spend my day saving recipes.

So this is the first dessert that I baked after my oven was repaired. Knock Your Socks Off Brownies! This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. I saw Ree make these brownies one late night on TV and have been dreaming about these chocolate caramel dream of a brownie ever since. Do you ever do that? See someone bake something and you just can't get it out of your head. I do and these brownies are worth dreaming about! Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix ( Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.
Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.
Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.