We can all blame SteakandPotatoKindaGurl for ruining our post-Halloween I-ate-too-much-candy diets (just kidding!). These easy peanut butter cups were incredibly easy. And really good too. You melt chocolate. You melt white chocolate with peanut butter. You layer these two in the cups.  I only had one problem with them. They stuck to the mini cupcake liners and were impossible to get off. I would buy actual candy cups if I made these again.  I think I would try these with dark chocolate because that would be absolute heaven. The name does not lie – they are very easy. And they were very good!

We can all blame SteakandPotatoKindaGurl for ruining our post-Halloween I-ate-too-much-candy diets (just kidding!). These easy peanut butter cups were incredibly easy. And really good too. You melt chocolate. You melt white chocolate with peanut butter. You layer these two in the cups.  I only had one problem with them. They stuck to the mini cupcake … Read more →

This week’s project was chosen by yours truly: Chocolate Beet Cake (from November Living, not online yet). Wow! The gold standard for chocolate cake in my house is my grandmother’s Miracle Whip cake and this was just as good. It was incredibly moist and you would never know there were beets in it. It just tasted like a delicious, very moist chocolate cake – it looked just like a chocolate cake too.

I don’t know how often I would make this though, because beets are just a pain to work with! You have to peel them, then cut into pieces then boil then puree. I have an off-white Corian sink and was totally paranoid about it getting stained. I was able to find a pair of medical gloves to wear so I didn’t stain my hands. I peeled the beets on top of newspaper. I drained them out in the yard to avoid the sink issue entirely.

Other than the beets, the cake was easy to make and had an easy chocolate glaze, only one layer which I appreciated. It was so good I sent it away with Mr. MarthaAndMe this morning – can’t have that in the house AND the Halloween candy!

As you can see, I took it out of the oven a smidge too early – the very center didn’t quite cook all the way. I took it out with5 minutes remaining because it seemed done. I should have tested it with a cake tester.

I’m wondering if this would work with roasted beets (where you roast them whole, then just rub the skin off with a paper towel), or even canned beets so you wouldn’t have to cook them yourself at all.

This week’s project was chosen by yours truly: Chocolate Beet Cake (from November Living, not online yet). Wow! The gold standard for chocolate cake in my house is my grandmother’s Miracle Whip cake and this was just as good. It was incredibly moist and you would never know there were beets in it. It just … Read more →

Pru at Perfecting Pru chose Lighter Chicken Potpie for today’s recipe. Pru has never had chicken potpie before! Well, Pru, what did you think?

I had a little trouble with the recipe. First off, I quickly poached some chicken breasts but did not use the poaching water as directed – I used chicken broth, but that was just my cheat for the recipe. Secondly, as I was making it, it seemed like there was not enough liquid, so I increased the broth (and increased the flour). It was nice and thick when it went in the oven, but it came out looking like soup, so it was pretty disappointing. My family did not like the tarragon in this, something I don’t normally use. The phyllo dough was nice and I thought the flavors were fine otherwise. I don’t make chicken potpie often because I find it to be messy. I always think I would like it better with a bottom crust, but even when I make it that way, it all still runs all over the place. I’m posting a recipe for chicken and biscuits later this week and that is my version of chicken potpie that I like the best.

Pru at Perfecting Pru chose Lighter Chicken Potpie for today’s recipe. Pru has never had chicken potpie before! Well, Pru, what did you think? I had a little trouble with the recipe. First off, I quickly poached some chicken breasts but did not use the poaching water as directed – I used chicken broth, but … Read more →

I’ve got my life back together! The cookbook was submitted today and I am breathing again! I not only made today’s project, but I started a batch of sauerkraut, as per the recipe in Oct Living, so I’ll be reporting on that in a few days once it ferments. I’ll also be once again posting lots more here, and over at the NoPotCooking blog.

Now, as for today’s project, baked apple wedges, (chosen by Sassy Suppers) what did everyone think? I have to give this one a thumbs down. I don’t quite understand what it was supposed to be really. You bake apple quarters but you don’t bake them long enough for them to get really soft. I also did not understand why the recipe said to sprinkle brown sugar on the baking sheet. All it did was make a sticky mess that was hard to clean up! I did like the oats, brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and almonds, but would enjoy it much more on an apple crisp.

I’ve got my life back together! The cookbook was submitted today and I am breathing again! I not only made today’s project, but I started a batch of sauerkraut, as per the recipe in Oct Living, so I’ll be reporting on that in a few days once it ferments. I’ll also be once again posting … Read more →

It was my turn to pick this week and I chose the section in July Living with the chocolate chip cookie desserts. I made the chocolate tart with the chocolate chip cookie crust. I knew going in that this was going to be a lot of work – first you have to make the cookies, then you use them to make the crust, then you make the filling and bake that. You could definitely just buy pre-made cookies to make this crust if you wanted to.

Apparently, I was a little impatient, or it was just so dang hot that the cookies never really cooled, so when I whizzed them up in the Cuisinart with the melted butter, the whole thing turned chocolate since the chips were not set.

The tart filling was not hard to make and baked up nicely.

Here’s the recipe for the tart (I didn’t think there was anything special about the cookies):

16 choc chip cookies, finely ground, 2 cups

2 tbsp melted butter

for filling:

1 cup heavy cream

8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp butter

Mix cookie crumb and butter then press into a 9 1/2 inch tart shell with removable bottom.  Refrigerate 30 min. Then bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Make the filling by bringing cream to boil and pouring over chocolate. Stir in other ingredients after chocolate has melted. Pour into the shell and bake at 300 for 20-24 min until the edges are set.

This looked pretty and cut nicely. It was way too rich for me though, like eating candy. We cut one small slice, everyone had a taste, and off it went to Mr. MarthaAndMe’s office for others to enjoy. It was very good, but not something I could ever actually eat more than a couple little bites of.

It was my turn to pick this week and I chose the section in July Living with the chocolate chip cookie desserts. I made the chocolate tart with the chocolate chip cookie crust. I knew going in that this was going to be a lot of work – first you have to make the cookies, … Read more →

Perfecting Pru chose this. Loved this! I halved the recipe and mine baked in far less the time indicated, but it was very good. And that’s saying a lot because I like my mom’s shortcake, which is more like a shortbread. I served this with some whipped cream. Very yummy! The shortcake was crunchy on top and soft in the middle. Delicious! Local strawberries are coming this week. I may have to make this again!

Perfecting Pru chose this. Loved this! I halved the recipe and mine baked in far less the time indicated, but it was very good. And that’s saying a lot because I like my mom’s shortcake, which is more like a shortbread. I served this with some whipped cream. Very yummy! The shortcake was crunchy on … Read more →

Sassy Suppers chose this week’s project, which was timely due to the heat wave we’ve had! The project was Honeydew Cream Pistachio Popsicles.  I had popsicle forms years ago when my kiddos were little, but no longer have one, so I just made these in little bowls – kind of a popsicle without the stick. They were easy to make. I just dumped everything in the food processor (except the pistachios). I made the mistake of using salted pistachios which was not good in this! I thought they were interesting, but I didn’t care for them much. Somehow the melon and cream tasted weird to me. Mr. MarthaAndMe liked this, which is weird since he has recently declared he does not like any melon other than watermelon. The kids would not taste it!

Sassy Suppers chose this week’s project, which was timely due to the heat wave we’ve had! The project was Honeydew Cream Pistachio Popsicles.  I had popsicle forms years ago when my kiddos were little, but no longer have one, so I just made these in little bowls – kind of a popsicle without the stick. … Read more →

Megan’s Cookin’ chose this week’s project and after several of you suggested having a general category where you pick your own, we went with the ability to choose your own project from the list of quick breads. I made Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Very simple to put together. I enjoyed this, but I think I expected it to be a bit more carrot-y and moist like carrot cake. It was good for a tea cake, but honestly the frosting was what made it so good. Without it, it would be sort of blah. What did everyone else make?

Megan’s Cookin’ chose this week’s project and after several of you suggested having a general category where you pick your own, we went with the ability to choose your own project from the list of quick breads. I made Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Very simple to put together. I enjoyed this, but … Read more →

Steak and Potato Kinda Gurl picked Corn, Bacon and Scallions for today’s project. You can’t go wrong with bacon. This tasted great , but I would probably not make it often because of all the bacon fat. It was really easy to make though and the corn and scallions looked great together. Did you make this?

Steak and Potato Kinda Gurl picked Corn, Bacon and Scallions for today’s project. You can’t go wrong with bacon. This tasted great , but I would probably not make it often because of all the bacon fat. It was really easy to make though and the corn and scallions looked great together. Did you make … Read more →

I chose this week’s project, Poppy Seed Danishes with Cherry Cream Cheese Filling. This recipe is from May Martha Stewart Living. I used strawberry jam instead of cherry. I had some trouble with the folding. I probably should have stuck my dough in the fridge, but scraping it off the counter and doing that was just too much work. I thought these were really good, but they were a bit big and doughy, so if I made it again, I would roll it out thinner to make more. That’s my only criticism, otherwise they were a hit here. I thought they were pretty and had a very nice flavor. I liked the cream cheese with the poppy seeds and the strawberry jam was just great. I had to bake mine longer than the recipe said, but I almost always have to do that! My oven must not be calibrated correctly.  I’ve never made a danish before, so this was a new one for me! How did this turn out for everyone else?

I chose this week’s project, Poppy Seed Danishes with Cherry Cream Cheese Filling. This recipe is from May Martha Stewart Living. I used strawberry jam instead of cherry. I had some trouble with the folding. I probably should have stuck my dough in the fridge, but scraping it off the counter and doing that was … Read more →