Soccer Ball Graduation Fondant Cake

by penji1

Another fabulous and funny friend and neighbor Pam, who also subscribes to my blog (Hi Pam, love you too!), called and asked if we would make a graduation cake for her daughter Kenzie who played soccer in high school and got a scholarship to play soccer at Idaho State so we made her a soccer graduation cake.  It is a double layer “Chocolate Sour Cream Cake” (under the blog as “White Almond Sour Cream Cake with chocolate instead of white and vanilla instead of almond), vanilla buttercream frosting and Satin Ice Buttercream Fondant.  The cap is also a chocolate chocolate chip muffin covered with the buttercream fondant and the diploma is also made out of the buttercream fondant.  Congratulations Kenzie, we’re so proud of you!

Softball Graduation Fondant Cake

by penji1

Our wonderfully funny friend and neighbor Sharron, who subscribes to my blog (Hi Sharron, we love you!), called and asked if we could make a graduation cake for her granddaughter Andrea who played softball in high school and is going on to play softball in college so we made her a softball graduation cake.  The cake is the Chocolate Better Than _ _ _ Cake (which is under the blog as “Chocolate Better Than _ _ _ Cake with Penuche Frosting”) with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and Satin Ice Buttercream Fondant.  The little graduation cap is actually a chocolate chocolate chip muffin (under the blog as “Triple Chocolate To Live For Muffins”) with the top cut off and then covered with frosting and chocolate fondant.  The mortarboard for the cap is a piece of cardboard covered in chocolate fondant.  We tinted the frosting purple and Courtney piped it onto the cake in a softball pattern and she also did the “2011”.  The diploma is a piece of the buttercream fondant rolled into a scroll.  Happy Graduation Andrea!

Baked Penne

by penji1

I got this recipe off a package of Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  It was delicious and very easy to make!  My two favorite things!  🙂

1/2 pound extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup each onion and green peppers

1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 (10 oz) tub Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

3 cups cooked penne pasta

1  Brown meat with vegetables in large skillet.  Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella; cook and stir 2 – 3 minutes or until mozzarella is melted.  Add pasta and mix lightly.

2  Spoon into 2 quart casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella.  Cover.

3  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through, uncovering after 15 minutes.

Zebra Striped Hot Pink Topsy Turvy Birthday Fondant Cake

by penji1

Our first “topsy turvy” cake for Courtney’s friend Janessa who is turning 18 today!  She wanted chocolate so the cake is the “White Almond Sour Cream” cake recipe (with chocolate instead of white and vanilla instead of almond), my go to Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe and several different kinds of fondant – the white and teal are both the Satin Ice Buttercream fondant which I ordered on line from “Global Sugar Art” and the pink and black are both Duff Goldman’s Buttercream fondant (yes that Duff from Charm City Cakes as seen on “Ace of Cakes” on the Food Network – love that show!) which we bought at Michaels craft store.  The dangly things and baubles both came from Michaels as well and they are from Duff’s line of cake decorating supplies too.  I also ordered these topsy turvy pans from Global Sugar Art.  They are “Fat Daddios” brand if you are looking for some to play with like us!  Happy Birthday Janessa!

Tres Leches Cake

by penji1

Courtney and I love the Tres Leches Cakes at Cafe Rio and Costa Vida and this, I think, is probably about as close as we’ll be able to get.  It was so good!  Homemade cake with 3 kinds of milk drizzled on top then homemade whipped cream topped with fruit, what could be better than that?  Perfect cake for summer!  MAKE THIS!  YOU WILL LOVE IT!!  (This recipe came from a cooking magazine but I’m not sure which one.)

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

5 eggs

1 cup sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 cup whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

5 cups fresh fruit, optional, such as oranges or berries, for serving (I used a combo of sliced strawberries and whole blackberries)

1  Heat oven to 350.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ pan.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and 3/4 cup sugar on high until pale and thick, about 4 minutes.  Add vanilla and beat to combine.  With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat to combine.  With a rubber spatula, fold in melted butter until incorporated.  Transfer batter to dish and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 – 35 minutes (unless using a metal pan then the cooking time will be about 20 minutes), rotating dish halfway through.

2  In a medium bowl, whisk together milks.  Poke warm cake all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick, then pour milk mixture over top and let cool to room temperature about 1 hour.

3  Whip cream and 1/4 cup sugar to medium peaks.  To serve, spread whipped cream evenly over cooled cake.  Top with fruit if desired.

12 servings, each serving = 510 calories

Crunchy Coleslaw

by penji1

As mentioned in the previous post, my niece Heidi and her husband Mark are here visiting this weekend from Idaho and Heidi’s sister Amber and her husband Taylor and their little boy Noah are coming over for a big family dinner today.  I was hoping for warm weather so that we could eat out on the deck but the forecast said it was going to be rainy and cold although right now it looks sunny out so I guess we’ll see how it goes.  We’re having pulled pork over rice or on buns (recipe already on blog),  chips, watermelon and this coleslaw which smells divine!  I think the recipe came from an “All You” magazine but I’m not positive.

dressing:

2/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

slaw:

3/4 head green cabbage, shredded (about 5 cups)

1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 bulb fennel, finely shredded (about 1 cup) (couldn’t find fennel at the grocery store)

1/2 jicama, cut into thin strips (about 1 cup)

1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into thin strips (about 1 cup)

1  Make dressing:  Whisk together all dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

2  In a large bowl, toss together all slaw ingredients.  Pour dressing over and mix well.  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Serves 8, each serving = 215 calories

S’mores Cookie Bars

by penji1

This recipe comes from the May 20, 2011 issue of “All You” magazine.  My niece Heidi and her husband Mark are here visiting this weekend so it was time to fill up the cookie jar!

2 cups flour

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups marshmallow topping (such as Marshmallow Fluff) (I used marshmallow creme)

2 cups milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped, toasted almonds, walnuts or pecans (optional)

1  Heat oven to 350.  Line 9 x 13″ pan with foil, leaving 2″ overhand on 2 sides.  Mist foil with cooking spray.

2  Combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt in bowl and mix well.  In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly beat flour mixture into butter mixture.  Divide dough in half.  Press half the dough into pan until it is uniform and flat.  Spread with marshmallow topping and sprinkle chocolate chips on top followed by nuts if using.  Scatter remaining dough over in clumps.  Don’t worry about covering the top; marshmallow and chocolate should peek through.

3  Bake until golden brown, 30 -35 minutes.  Place pan on wire rack to cool completely.  Remove from pan, peel off foil and cut into bars.  (To make it easier to cut bars, cover and refrigerate them for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.  Use the foil overhang to remove them from pan.  Peel off foil, place on a cutting board and slice.)

Ham and Cheese Biscuit Sandwiches

by penji1

This recipe came from http://www.Pillsbury.com.  It couldn’t have been any simpler to make and they tasted really good, like a glorified grilled cheese.

1 cup cubed cooked ham

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (I used cheddar)

1/2 cup finely chopped peeled apple (Bob ate the last apple!)

1 (12 oz) can Pillsbury Grands Jr Golden Layers refrigerated biscuits (I used the regular size Grands not the juniors)

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon water

1  Heat oven to 375.  Lightly spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Mix ham, cheese and apple.  Separate dough into biscuits.  Press or roll the biscuits into 4″ circles.

2  Place about 1/2 cup ham mixture onto center of half of the biscuits.  Top with remaining biscuits.  Press edges with fork to seal.  Mix egg and water; brush over filled biscuits.

3  Bake 13 – 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Pampered Chef Giveaway!

by penji1

I think it’s time for a giveaway!  This will be a subscribers only giveaway to thank you for subscribing to my blog so all you have to do is subscribe and you will be entered into the drawing and if you are already subscribed then you are already entered!  Since summer is fast approaching (hopefully!) I’m going to give away this cool Pampered Chef Manual Food Processor so you can start making some salsas!  I’ll also include the following recipes for you to try with your new food processor:

Chicken with Fresh Herb Chimichurri

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Mango Confetti Salsa

Strawberry Ice

Turkey and Pesto Ravioli with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Warm Chocolate Ginger Cake

YUMMM!

The Pampered Chef Manual Food Processor is valued at $49 but it can be yours for free for subscribing to my blog!  The deadline to be subscribed by is next Saturday, June 5 by midnight.

Good luck and thank you for subscribing to my blog!

Graduation Cap Fondant Cake

by penji1

Here is Carl’s other daughter Kelsey’s graduation cake.  Kelsey loves chocolate and her favorite color is blue.  This cake was made in the Pampered Chef Batter Bowl (the recipe for how to do this is on the blog under “Barbie Doll Cake”) with a Dark Chocolate cake mix.  It has the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting on it and then Chocolate Fondant.  The top of the cap is a piece of foam board covered in the chocolate fondant with a Buttercream Fondant tassel.  Congratulations and Happy Graduation, Kelsey!