More Fun with Fondant

So, I made this cake yesterday. I'm going to meet my friend's baby today. (Her name is Adi, as you can see from the top of the cake.) I'll be making dinner for them and I wanted to have a special dessert, too. This is what I came up with. (I really hope Heather doesn't check my other blog and see this post before I can surprise her later.)

It looks pretty darn good from these first two angles...

but here you can start to observe the "pumpkin effect." Ya know how pumpkins aren't perfectly round? Well apparently, neither are my cakes! So annoying!

The reason being, I used a boxed cake (which is a little thicker batter than the homemade recipes I've tried) because in the past I've had better luck with them not sticking to the pan. Well, not this time. And of course, even a little un-eveness rears it's ugly head when you have a border with straight lines.

Because this is a mini cake (I think the bottom tier is only 6 inches in diameter) I had to use my pyrex glass bowls to bake the cake layers in. You should have seen how uneven the layers were when they came out of the oven! Oye. (What gives, anyway? Air bubbles? Batter too thick? If you have any ideas, leave a comment...)

So I did the best I could as far as letting them cool, chilling them, evening them out, doing a crumb coat, and then frosting the final time. (That crumb coat is a thing of genius, I tell you! So glad I saw that tutorial. [A crumb coat is just a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake and then giving it time to set up by placing it in the freezer for about 30 min.] It really made frosting it to coat SO much easier.)

I'm hoping that the recipients won't mind that it's not totally perfect. It sure does taste good! ( I outta know. I ate the pieces I trimmed off the top, even though I told myself I wouldn't...)

I'm also hoping that it's one of those situations where because I am intimately familiar with the cake I see EVERY imperfection and everyone else will barely notice...???

Lessons learned: 1) I need a mat and ruler if I am ever going to do ribbons again. Too frustrating trying to use the roller as a guide for the cutting tool. 2) I'm going to start putting parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and making the batter from scratch. (Because that should keep it from sticking and the homemade recipes are thinner, hence no super- duper, un-even, pointy mound on each layer that is impossible to trim evenly. 3) After I mixed each color I rushed rolling it out. I need to remember to let it chill in the fridge for at least 15- 30 before working with it. 4) To make the ribbons easier to apply to the cake, maybe I can chill them before I apply them. Maybe they won't flop all over if they're a little cooler? 5) I should just give in and take a class. (But I'm too cheap, so I won't.) Besides you learn more from your failures than you do from your successes, right?

On the plus side, look how nice my gumpaste bows turned out! (Just extra practice, not part of the cake project.) I'm getting better all the time.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Got this one from The MIL. So awesome. (Picture still to come.)

Twice baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 6 - 8 big russet potatoes

• 1 stick butter

• 1 container french onion dip

• ¼ c milk (maybe more, can't remember)

• ½ package bacon

• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

• pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash potatoes and pat mostly dry. Bake directly on rack at 350° for 1- 1 ½ hours (or until soft inside). Meanwhile cook bacon on the stove top. Cut into small pieces when cooled. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Using a pot holder, cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, mix all ingredients (except the cheddar and bacon) using a mixer. Stuff the mixture back into the skins, put them on the cookie sheet, and top with shredded cheese and bacon pieces. Stick 'em back in the oven for about 10 or 15 minutes under the broiler. For a yummy change you can also top with a shredded meat for and instant meal.

Royal Icing, Three Different Recipes

I just can't seem to memorize this, so here we go. The first is the most popular recipe I've come across, the second is an eggless option, the third is less popular and (I think ?) better for candy making. At any rate, now I don't have to do a Google search every time.

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:

2 large (60 grams) egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Directions: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until combined. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap

when not in use.

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups (440 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

3 tablespoons (30 grams) meringue powder

1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lemon, almond)

1/2 - 3/4 cup (120 - 180 ml) warm water

Directions: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water. To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the cookie with icing, the proper consistency is when you lift the beater, the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface of the icing for a few seconds before disappearing.

The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

Makes about 3 cups

Other Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• food coloring (optional)

Preparation:

1. Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature before beginning.

2. In the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer, place the egg whites, powdered sugar, and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, beat all together on low speed until combined. You can use a hand mixer if you desire, but it will likely take longer for the icing to reach the right consistency.

3. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Restart the mixer and beat the mixture on medium speed until very thick, shiny, stiff and white. This should take about 7-10 minutes.

4. Check the texture to ensure that it is suitable for your needs. If you require a stiffer icing, add a little more powdered sugar at this point.

5. If you want to dye your icing just one color, you can add a few drops of food coloring into the bowl and mix it for a few seconds until the coloring is evenly distributed. If you want to make several different colors, divide the icing into several different bowls and stir in the food coloring by hand.

6. Royal icing dries to a very hard consistency, and it will begin setting as soon as it is made. To prevent the icing from getting hard before you use it, thoroughly wet a paper towel and place it over the top of the icing in the bowl. It is very important to keep the icing covered! Likewise, if you are using a pastry bag and piping tips with the icing, twist the back end of the bag tightly, and wrap a wet paper towel around the tip when not in use so the icing will not dry in the tip.

7. Depending on the temperature, humidity, and amount of icing used, royal icing should harden within 15-60 minutes of application. Do not refrigerate products with hardened royal icing, as the icing can become soft and sticky.

Simple Tuna Melt

Tuna has been on sale recently, so I stocked up. Later I realized I don't know what to do with it. So, I had Trav look online for a tuna melt recipe. He found this one on allrecipes.com and we both thought it was excellent. And no fuss whatsoever. (We were out of honey dijon, so we substituted spicy brown instead.)

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• 2 teaspoons chopped dill pickle
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bread slices in the oven to toast while it preheats, and while you make the tuna salad.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the tuna, mayonnaise, salt, balsamic vinegar, mustard and dill pickle until well blended. Remove bread from the oven, and pile the tuna mixture onto one slice. Sprinkle cheese over the other slice of bread.
3. Bake for 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and tuna is heated through. Place the cheese side of the sandwich on top of the tuna side. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Updates...

Finally posted a pick for the first post- Crackpot Chicken.

Edited the ingredients for the Yellow Beans recipe.
(It's the Table Blend by Mrs. Dash, not Original. Oops.)

Egg Substitutions for Baking

1 egg = 2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp oil + 2 tsp baking powder

(I'm experimenting with this one as I type.)

The following were listed as other options, but without measurements. I guess if I was to try them I'd estimate visually?

• applesauce
• pureed prunes

Melissa's Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

These recipes are a variation of my mom's. When I moved into my own apartment, I wrote down her recipe and used that for the four years I lived there. Somehow, when I moved into the rental house from there, I misplaced the recipe. You'd think after making it every time I ate spaghetti I would have it committed to memory, but I guess being an 'overtime' student with a full-time job takes a toll on your brainpower and you don't really remember things you don't have to. Anyway. I remembered all of the ingredients, just not the exact amounts of each, so I began estimating and seeing how it turned out. (I refuse to buy a jarred sauce because I have tried to save time this way and just end up disappointed in the meal.) Here's what I came up with.

For the record: Any and all generic brands can be used for all ingredients except the Great Value brand peeled, crushed tomatoes in puree. The texture is just not right.



Melissa's Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 large can (I'll check the amount) tomato juice
• 1 medium, short and fat sized can (" ") peeled, crushed tomatoes in puree
• 2 small (or 1 regular size) cans tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp oregano leaves
• 2 -3 (depending on the size) cloves minced garlic (it must be fresh or it will not be even half as good!)
• 3 -4 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• (Sometimes I also add a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. If the mood strikes me. I'm not sure how much of a difference that even makes because I've made it without more times than with and can't seem to tell the difference. It just makes me feel chef-like, I guess.)

Directions:
[*If you don't want to piss off the person who cleans up after dinner, I recommend two things. First, clear anything on your counter tops about a foot and a half away from the pot on the stove and use the deepest pot you've got. It's a pain in the neck to clean up the carnage (as Trav calls it) off of things like the tea kettle and baking canisters, but the extra deep pot helps. I don't know how many quarts mine is, but it's literally at least 12 inches deep. I would check but I'm on a roll here and don't feel like getting up.]
Combine all ingredients in a deep pot on the stove over medium heat. (I do not, under any circumstances, recommend a heat higher than that to save time. The one time I turned it to high, I burned the sauce on the bottom of the pot so badly that it took me (LITERALLY) 2 weeks of scrubbing with a steel wool pad and soaking in extremely hot water and soap to get it clean. Not worth it.) Bring to a bubble (it's not quite a boil) and stir very often for around 20 minutes. The goal here is to cook out a lot of the water to thicken the sauce. Turn down to low for 3 hours. Stir every 30 minutes or so. Makes enough for a pound of pasta one night, a pound of raviolis another night, enough to top 1 1/2 pounds of Chicken Parmesan, and even a little that I never quite use up. It freezes well, too. Definitely budget friendly!

Melissa's Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 -1 c bread crumbs
• 1/2 - 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove minced garlic (again, it must be fresh garlic!)
• 1/4 c parsley
• 1 tsp ground oregano, if you so desire (Sometimes I add it, sometimes I don't. Again, just depends on my mood.)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together by hand. Roll into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Cook over medium heat in a nonstick pan until cooked through. (I don't add any oil...they render their own fat.) Honestly, I still don't know how long I cook them. I think around 20-25 minutes? I usually keep turning them and cooking them until all sides look a little too done. Then, I cut one open to see that they are a consistent gray color all the way through, and not any lighter in the center. Then I let them hang out in between paper towels to get the excess fat off. (Same as you would with your breakfast bacon.) Last, I put 'em in that sauce and scoop out a giant helpingt to top my pasta. Yum-my. Now I'm hungry.

My Christmas Chicken Cutlets

The first Christmas in our house, I wanted to make dinner and have the family over. I wanted something non- traditional that my mom and grandma had never made for me before. I made this chicken (along with some long grain and wild rice and asparagus topped with a goat cheese sauce that I whipped up off the top of my head and haven't been able to recreate since. (I hate that!) Anyway. I'm getting side tracked here. This is adapted from yet another Rachael Ray recipe. She titled it Spanish Chicken Cutlets. Everything is exactly the same except for the type of nuts used. She used peeled almonds, I used walnuts. It's just what I had in the pantry at the time. Can it still be classified as Spanish? I dunno. That's why I re-titled it. I'm not going to take any credit away from the master, though. She's my hero!

(Sorry there's no photo. I can't seem to copy and paste the one from foodnetwork.com.)

Ingredients:
* 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups walnuts
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs
* Generous handful flat-leaf parsley
* 1/3 cup dry sherry, eyeball it
* 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat about 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over low heat in a large skillet.

From the rounder, thicker side of the breast, cut into and across but not through the breast meat and butterfly the breast open. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour flour, smoked paprika and salt and pepper onto a dish; beat eggs in a second dish with a splash of water. Grind nuts, bread crumbs and parsley in food processor to combine. The nuts should have the same consistency as the bread crumbs. Start the processor in pulses then turn on to combine. Pour nut mixture onto plate. Coat the chicken in flour, egg then nuts. Wash your hands.

Raise heat under the skillet to medium-medium high. When oil ripples, add the chicken and brown on both sides, and finish in the oven until deeply golden and cooked through.

Remove chicken to a platter and add sherry to the pan then stir in butter. Spoon pan sauce over chicken and serve with rice alongside.

(On a side note... as I was reading through the recipe just now, I was reminiscing and remembered that I was pregnant with Katie that Christmas and didn't know it yet. Seems like a long time ago.)

Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Dijon Pan Sauce

Another Rachael Ray hit!

Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:20 min
Serves:4 servings

These bundles are a healthy twist to a Cordon Bleu chicken - ham and cheese stuffed breast meat breaded and sauteed.

Ingredients:
* 2 (6-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 thin slices provolone cheese
* 4 thin slices prosciutto cotto
* 12 thin spears asparagus, trimmed of tough stems and blanched in salted water
2 minutes, drained
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
* 1/4 cup chopped, flat-leaf parsley, a handful

Directions:
Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets.

Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag (with slider tab). Add a tablespoon of water to each bag and pound into1/8-inch thick cutlets.

Arrange the 4 cutlets on work surface. Season cutlets with salt and pepper on the side facing up. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice cheese and 1 slice ham. Starting on 1 side of the breast, place a small bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Wrap and roll the chicken around the asparagus. Wash hands.

Heat about 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, using tongs, add the chicken roll-ups to skillet with seam side down. Season the roll-ups with salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil and cook 4 to 5 minutes, turn roll-ups over and cook and other 4 to 5 minutes. Remove cooked roll ups to a serving plate. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons flour Stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard, scraping up any drippings from the bottom of the pan, and simmer 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley and spoon over chicken.

*I know it's weird, but I didn't like the idea of my asparagus inside a raw piece of chicken (yuck!), so I just broiled it separately in the oven. This was such a yummy dinner. The pan sauce was TO-DIE-FOR! If you've been reading other posts, you probably figured out that I doubled the sauce; it's what I do. (And I'm not really a huge fan of dijon, so that's saying a lot!)Oh- I almost forgot... I substituted ham slices for the prosciutto cotto because I'm cheap. It was still excellent.)

BLT and P (Bacon, Leek, Tomato and Potato) Soup

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

"Bacon, Leek and Tomato Soup is a soup for any season! It is surprisingly light and colorful and full of vegetables. It makes a simple, flavorful, special lunch or supper that warms you up, soul and stomach. It is especially delicious on rainy days or nights! I first made this for my mom because she and I both LOVE Oscar's bacon and we wanted a whole pot full of soup that tasted like it! We ate a pot of it while watching movies curled up in the living room of the cabin."

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Well, I've made my fair share of soup in my time, but never from scratch. This was a first for me and we loved it! The only thing I can say is remember to remove the bacon after it's browned (or it gets soggy) and if the grocery store is out of leeks that day, DON'T substitute extra celery. It was overload, let me tell ya. Other than that, it was soooo good!

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

• 6 slices lean, smoky good quality bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

• 3 small ribs celery from the heart of the stalk, finely chopped

• 2 small to medium carrots

• 3 leeks, trimmed of rough tops and roots

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and pepper

• 3 medium starchy potatoes, such as Idaho, peeled

• 2 quarts chicken stock

• 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

• Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• Crusty bread, for dunking and mopping

Directions

Heat a medium soup pot or deep sided skillet over medium-high heat. To the hot pan add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and the bacon. Cook bacon until brown and crisp. Add the chopped celery. Take peeled carrots and lay flat on cutting board. Hold each carrot at root end and use the vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips of the carrot. Chop the thin slices into small carrot bits or carrot chips, 1/2-inch wide. Add the chips to celery and stir. Cut leeks lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch half moons. Place the leeks into a colander and run under rushing cold water, separating the layers to wash away all the trapped grit. When the leeks are separated and clean, shake off water and add to celery and carrots. Stir veggies together, add a bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. While the leeks cook to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes, slice the potatoes.

Cut each potato across into thirds. Stand each piece of potato upright and thinly slice it. The pieces will look like raw potato chips.

Add stock to vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add potatoes and tomatoes. Cook 8 to10 minutes until potatoes are tender and starting to break up a bit. Add bacon and parsley and stir. Adjust seasonings. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

French's Crunchy Onion Chicken

Named for the main ingredient, this is one of the easiest recipes I've come across. I saw it in with the Sunday coupons a couple of months back. It's very budget friendly, too. Next time I might try their 'zesty tip' or even make it into chicken nuggets. We'll see.

Ingredients:
2 c French's French fried Onions
2 tbsp flour
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Crush the onions with flour in a plastic bag. Dip the chicken into the egg, then coat in onion crumbs. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees F (or until cooked through.)

*Zesty tip: Substitute 1/4 cup any flavor French's mustard instead of beaten egg.

Formerly Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

I got this recipe from Kirsten's food blog. (I was her son, Zach's, kindergarten teacher the year I was pregnant with Katie.) The link to her blog has the "story" behind the dish. It's such a yummy meal. A crowd pleaser for all ages! I haven't modified it at all because it's perfect the way it is. Although, one time I forgot to pick up long grain and wild rice and had to substitute my good ol' jasmine rice. It was still good, but the long grain and wild rice makes it great.

(Picture to still to come. I am just trying to record as many recipes as I can right now. I refuse to move stacks of paper!)

Ingredients:

2- 6.2 oz boxes Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice, prepared

4 to 6 chicken breasts, seasoned (salt, pepper, all-purpose seasoning, whatever)-cooked and cubed or shredded

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 package (tube) Ritz crackers, crushed

1/2 cube butter, melted

poppy seeds (optional)

Directions:

Bake and cut up chicken breasts, set aside. Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with Pam. Prepare rice and evenly spread on bottom of baking dish. Layer chicken evenly over rice. In separate bowl, mix together soup and sour cream, spread over chicken. Sprinkle crushed Ritz crackers over soup mixture, drizzle melted butter over crackers. Optional- sprinkle poppy seeds over Ritz crackers before drizzling butter. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Classic Pot Roast

Another good recipe from parents.com...
but next time I'm going to double the amount of carrots and mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup baby carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 rib celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 boneless chuck roast (about 3 pounds), tied
• 1 teaspoon olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms OR: 1 package (8 ounces) sliced white button mushrooms
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound egg noodles

Directions:

1. In 5- to 5 1/2-quart slow cooker, layer onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Rub the roast all over with the 1 teaspoon olive oil; season the roast with the salt and pepper. Scatter the mushrooms over the vegetables in the slow cooker, and place the chuck roast on top. Tuck thyme sprigs and bay leaf into mixture.

2. In medium-size bowl, whisk together beef broth, wine and tomato paste; pour over meat.

3. Cover slow cooker; cook on high heat for 6 hours.

4. Remove chuck roast from slow cooker; keep warm.

5. Pour the liquid with the vegetable mixture from the slow cooker into a medium-size saucepan; remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil.

6. In a small cup, stir together the 2 tablespoons olive oil and flour until well blended and smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the liquid in the saucepan. Boil, stirring, until liquid is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

7. Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of lightly salted boiling water following package directions. Drain the noodles well.

8. Slice pot roast. Serve with gravy and cooked noodles.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 10 servings
• Calories 545,
• Total Fat (g) 30,
• Saturated Fat (g) 10,
• Cholesterol (mg) 130,
• Sodium (mg) 433,
• Carbohydrate (g) 34,
• Fiber (g) 2,
• Protein (g) 33,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet