Family Bites: February 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Baked Cheese Sticks

7:42 AM |

Posted by Shannon |

|

Edit Post

Mozzarella cheese sticks are pretty high on my favorite appetizers list, however I rarely get them when we go out. The hubby isn't really in love with them and then that would leave all of them for me to eat, which would end in both of us looking at each other in disgust. When I had a craving for cheese sticks one day, I decided that I could make them at home and even better, bake them.

Now, I'm not going to say that these are exactly like the cheese sticks that are deep fried to a golden, crispy, ooey, gooey delicious-ness that you find at the usual restaurant. However, they do hit the spot when you have a craving and they don't leave you feeling disgusted that you ate 2 (or more).

Baked Cheese Sticks

adapted from allrecipes.com

3 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons water

1 (8 oz.) package mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a medium sized baking pan with foil. In a large shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, oregano and garlic salt. Place the flour into another small bowl. In another small bowl, beat the eggs and water together.

Cut the mozzarella cheese into 12 sticks approximately 2 3/4 inches in length. Dip the cheese sticks in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat dipping in the egg and breadcrumb mixture to ensure a complete coating. Arrange cheese sticks on the baking pan. Allow the sticks to set for 30 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven about 8 minutes until cheese is soft and sticks are lightly browned.

Labels: appetizer, cheese |

2 comments |

Friday, February 4, 2011

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

7:07 AM |

Posted by Shannon |

|

Edit Post

I'm glad it's February. My January didn't go as smoothly as I thought it would. My mother had double knee replacement, something she has been needing for a while, and I've been going down to her house (two hours away) every weekend since her surgery to assist in laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. On my second weekend visit, hubby and I went out for lunch, something we RARELY ever do. We shared a BBQ Chicken Pizza and we each had one beer. It was a nice day and it was great to get out with hubby. Little did we know that later that evening, 8 hours later to be exact, we both would feel the wrath of that BBQ Chicken Pizza. Food Poisoning!!!! BOTH OF US! My worst nightmare had come true. Both of us totally unable to care for Lady H. and my mother. Oh the horror!!

The hubby still calls his mother when he is sick. I'm not making fun, I totally do it too. As we lay in bed, I can hear her ask hubby if she needs to come and get Lady H. I immediately say, "Yes, please Lord yes". So, my wonderful mother-in-law, father-in-law, and brother-in-law jump in the car and drive 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the night to my mom's house to come and pick up my 19 month old daughter. WOW! Words cannot express how thankful we both were when they arrived. Of course, I was totally out of it, so I had no idea when they got there.

So, since words can't express my gratitude, I made these for them to show my appreciation and love. I have a stellar family-in-law! Of course, I owe them like a thousand more treats, but I think they enjoyed these as I came back from their house with an empty container.

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

from Bakerella

1 box Red Velvet Cake Mix

1/2 C. butter, softened

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients until combined. Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about two inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool.

For the cream cheese filling:

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 8oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1lb box of confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add sugar and mix until combined and smooth.

To assemble cookies, spoon a small amount of frosting on the flat side of one cookie. Take another cookie and press together until frosting is flush with the edge.

*I used a small ice cream scoop and I got 24 cookies/12 sandwiches.*

Labels: cookies, desserts |

1 comments |

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling & Raspberry Buttercream

10:26 PM |

Posted by Shannon |

|

Edit Post

Photo Courtesy of Leah

I was very excited to make these cupcakes. Yeah, they were a process but definitely worth it for two reasons. One, because they are totally delicious and two, they were to celebrate a birthday.

I've known for months now that I was going to bake my friend, co-worker, and fellow foodie Leah cupcakes for her birthday. I mean, she made some killer cupcakes for my birthday so of course I had to come up with something that measured up. Luckily, a couple of weeks before her birthday, Leah sent me a list of possible cupcakes that she would like to have me make. I am so glad these were on her list. Something about the combination of chocolate and raspberry is pure magic. The frosting is equally amazing. The seedless raspberry jam really shines through and takes regular buttercream to the next level.

Photo Courtesy of Leah

Devil's Food Cupcakes

from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

3/4 C. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 C. hot water

3 C. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt

1 1/2 C. unsalted butter

2 1/4 C. sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 Tbl. plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over med-low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on med-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 min. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filing each 3/4 full. Bake until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 min. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Once cooled, then core the cupcake and fill with raspberry filling. I have a cupcake corer that I used to make a hole for the raspberry filling. If you don't have one, you can gently cut out a circle in the middle of the cupcake and then use a piping bag or small spoon to fill the cupcakes with the filling. Then frost with raspberry buttercream.

Raspberry Filling

from Smitten Kitchen

(I cut the original recipe in half since I was only making 2 dozen cupcakes)

1 10oz bag of frozen raspberries, thawed

1/4 C. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

Puree the raspberries in a food processor, blender or immersion blender. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, removing the seeds. Heat the puree in a small pot with the sugar and cornstarch until mixture boils, stirring constantly. As it boils, it should quickly thicken.

Raspberry Buttercream

from Annie's Eats

16 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 C. powdered sugar

1/2 C. seedless raspberry jam

To make the frosting, place the butter and jam in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium-high speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Labels: cupcakes |

21 comments |

Baked Cheese Sticks

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling & Raspberry Buttercream

Blog Design By