There’s a woman I must tell you about. Now, you probably don’t know her but you should. Because just knowing her makes you a better person. She has taught me to be brave in situations that I think I can’t handle, to love when it seems impossible to, to give until there’s nothing left to give, and to be strong during the toughest storms. She has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen and I am thankful everyday that I have her in my life.
She is my mom.
Summer is almost here y’all and that means time break out the grill! My family is just a little obsessed with grilling. When Friday rolls around the grill is fired up, music is whaling, the cooler is full, and our patio is packed with friends and family. In my opinion any weekend with a grill lit is an amazing one!
As a kid, fruit leather was one of my favorite snacks and now I laugh when I see my daughter have so much fun eating it with her hands. She begs to have one in her daily lunch box and I don’t mind giving it to her because it’s a great all-natural fruity treat. Sweet and tangy, this recipe is simple to create and a perfect one to make with kids!
It’s spring and all I can think about is cooking with lemons. I’m addicted and when I ran out of the traditional recipes to use with lemons, I started making excuses to bake with them. Like this amazing, creamy, decedent, must go to the gym afterwards lemon roulade or lemon roll if you aren’t wearing your fancy pants.
Lemon Roulade with Honey Mascarpone Buttercream is tangy and bright and absolutely impressive. It was gone in seconds as it was shared with everyone in our neighborhood. They must read my facebook feed as there were suddenly knocks on the door when I posted a sneak peak.
Is it the easiest cake to make?
uh…ehh…ahh…
Well I’ll say this, it’s simple to make but a little nerve racking to assemble. Might want to drink a glass of wine while the cake is cooling to calm the nerves. Cheers!
Lemon Roulade with Honey Mascarpone Buttercream
makes 8 to 10 servings
for the cake
for the filling
you will need: parchment paper, jelly roll pan, and cooking oil spray
Notes: To make in advance, prepare the cake but do not dust it with the confectioner’s sugar. Wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, dust with the confectioner’s sugar and slice. Can be made 3 days in advance and can also be frozen for longer storage. If frozen, set out at room temperature to thaw.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 15″X10″ jelly roll pan by lining it with parchment paper that is sprayed with cooking oil spray and dusted with flour. This will help you get the cake out of the pan with out tearing. Don’t forget to take your anxiety pills or a little glass of wine and certainly don’t be talking on the phone to your friend, burn your hand, and squish the cake when you flip it out after baking. uh yeah, I did no such thing.
In a medium bowl, mix to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,and salt. Set aside until needed.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine eggs and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light yellow and thickened. Next, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the four. Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake until the edges turn golden and the top springs back when touched, about 10 to 12 minutes.
On a board or heat-resistant table lay down a clean tea towel or parchment paper and sift a good layer of confectioner’s sugar on top. When the cake is finished baking, carefully flip the cake over onto the sugar coated towel or paper. The sugar will keep it from sticking. Carefully, pull the parchment paper off of the cake. This is where the wine comes in handy. You know just to calm the nerves a bit.
Now, you may notice in the photo that I’m using a cooling rack. I did this as I new technique I read about but honestly it was much more trouble than the sugar coated towel or parchment technique. I don’t recommend cooling your cake on a cooling rack as it will stick horribly!
Cover immediately with a damp cool towel. This will keep the cake moist while your’re making the buttercream and letting the cake cool.
While the cake is cooling, combine mascarpone cheese, confectioner’s sugar, honey, cream, and salt into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until combined and fluffy. Once the cake has cooled completely, remove the damp towel and spread the buttercream evenly on the cake with a spatula. It’s very important to spread the buttercream evenly. You’re in no rush so take it slow, ace. If prettiness doesn’t matter to you than go right ahead and slop it on. Warning this might be affected by the amount of wine you had in the previous step.
Starting at one end, roll the cake up as evenly as possible until the entire cake is a roll. With a large bread knife, trim the ends to make a neat edge.
Place additional confectioner’s sugar in a sifter and cover the entire cake with sugar. Go for it haus, pretend it’s Christmas!
Slice and serve. All sorts of happiness is rolled up in there. Enjoy!
Lemon Roulade with Honey Mascarpone Buttercream
makes 8 to 10 servings
for the cake
for the filling
you will need: parchment paper, jelly roll pan, and cooking oil spray
Notes: To make in advance, prepare the cake but do not dust it with the confectioner’s sugar. Wrap with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, dust with the confectioner’s sugar and slice. Can be made 3 days in advance and can also be frozen for longer storage. If frozen, set out at room temperature to thaw.
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a 15″X10″ jelly roll pan by lining it with parchment paper that is sprayed with cooking oil spray and dusted with flour. This will help you get the cake out of the pan with out tearing.
2. In a medium bowl, mix to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,and salt. Set aside until needed.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine eggs and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light yellow and thickened. Next, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the four. Mix until just combined.
4. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake until the edges turn golden and the top springs back when touched, about 10 to 12 minutes.
5. On a board or heat-resistant table lay down a clean tea towel or parchment paper and sift a good layer of confectioner’s sugar on top. When the cake is finished baking, carefully flip the cake over onto the sugar coated towel or paper. The sugar will keep it from sticking. Carefully, pull the parchment paper off of the cake. Cover immediately with a damp cool towel. This will keep the cake moist while your’re making the buttercream and letting the cake cool.
6. While the cake is cooling, combine mascarpone cheese, confectioner’s sugar, honey, cream, and salt into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium for about 1 minute until combined and fluffy. Once the cake has cooled completely, remove the damp towel and spread the buttercream evenly on the cake with a spatula. It’s very important to spread the buttercream evenly. You’re in no rush so take it slow, ace.
7. Starting at one end, roll the cake up as evenly as possible until the entire cake is a roll. With a large bread knife, trim the ends to make a neat edge. Place additional confectioner’s sugar in a sifter and cover the entire cake with sugar. Slice and serve
©2013 Meredith Steele | insockmonkeyslippers.com
Roasting the strawberries in this parfait recipe brings out their natural amazing flavor and creates a luxurious syrup while still maintaining a firm texture. This is a natural snack at it’s best — perfect for young and old alike.
This recipe was gone in litteraly seconds. I had kids and adults with yogurt covered faces and big eyes saying, “more!” Quick, simple, and beyond good.
This recipe was written for Disney’s Spoonful.com.
View more of my recipes and articles for Disney here.
Made with ground green tea leaves called matcha and fresh strawberries, these cookies are a delicious sweet treat! The actual ground tea leaves have much more antioxidants than a cup of green tea and it’s said to boost metabolism! Besides the calories from the butter and sugar, these cookies may actually be good for you! ;)
This recipe was written for Disney’s Spoonful.com. See all of my recipes here.
Stop. Before we go any further, I have to say these are irresistibly delicious and I’m actually a little mad that my husband took them with him on his 3 day trail running race this weekend.
It’s spring break. I have taken on a few extra clients this month and doubled my work load just in time to have Mia at home all day every day for a week. Makes complete sense, right? No one ever said I was smart. Monday, I thought I was going to get through. With deadlines looming I just took my computer wherever Mia and I went. I worked – she played. I worked – she tried to erase my phone while I wasn’t looking. I worked – she did erase my phone. I worked – and she was kidnapped by her loving grandmother. Tuesday went about the same. So by Wednesday, I brought Mia into the kitchen and she became my sous chef. Keeping her busy is easy as long as she can do something with her hands. This is her recipe as she came up with the idea all on her own.
The kid’s got talent. They are fabulous (and outstanding with brie)! Chocolaty with the surprise bite of sweet cherries and salty sunflower seeds these slightly chewy crackers are terrific snacks on their own or an elegant addition to a cheese tray. Cheers!
Chocolate Cherry Sunflower Crackers makes 30 crackers
* I use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour just because I want to cut down on my white flour intake. This recipe will work with 1 cup of white all-purpose flour if omitting the wheat flour.
In a food processor, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Pulse to combine.
**Note: This can be done in a large mixing bowl by hand. When it comes time to add the butter, cut it in with a fork (as you would do when making a pie crust).
Place the cubed butter in the food processor and give it a few pulses until the mixture resembles wet sand. The colder your butter is the flakier your cracker will be. I freeze mine 10 minutes prior to making this recipe. Add milk and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together. You don’t want an overly wet dough but you want it to be sticky.
Next, add the cherries and sunflower seeds. Pulse just a few times until everything is incorporated.
Pour the dough out onto a work surface. Gather and squeeze it into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the dough is firming up in the freezer.
On a well floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter (or cut into squares with a knife). Place crackers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gather the leftover dough and repeat. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until firm.
Once baked, place the crackers on a cooling rack. Cool and watch them disappear fast!
Chocolate Cherry Sunflower Crackers makes 30 crackers
* I use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour just because I want to cut down on my white flour intake. This recipe will work with 1 cup of white all-purpose flour if omitting the wheat flour.
1. In a food processor, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Pulse to combine. Note: This can be done in a large mixing bowl by hand. When it comes time to add the butter, cut it in with a fork (as you would do when making a pie crust).
2. Place the cubed butter in the food processor and give it a few pulses until the mixture resembles wet sand. The colder your butter is the flakier your cracker will be. I freeze mine 10 minutes prior to making this recipe. Add milk and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together. You don’t want an overly wet dough but you want it to be sticky. Next, add the cherries and sunflower seeds. Pulse just a few times until everything is incorporated.
3. Pour the dough out onto a work surface. Gather and squeeze it into a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F while the dough is firming up in the freezer.
4. On a well floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter (or cut into squares with a knife). Place crackers onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gather the leftover dough and repeat. Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until firm. Once baked, place the crackers on a cooling rack.
© 2013 Meredith Steele | insockmonkeyslippers.com
What?! Another raisin post?! I’m sure that’s what you are saying to yourself but don’t you worry it’s worth it.
My husband is a lucky man. Not only is he married to one of the most awesome women ever but with me being a California Raisin Ambasador he has unlimited access to his favorite running fuel, raisins. For those of you who don’t know, my crazy, insane, and absolutely off his rocker husband of mine is an ultra marathon trail runner. He is so insane in fact that he was excepted into the highly regarded Western States 100 mile trail race this June. Yes, that’s 100 consecutive miles. I said crazy, didn’t I? Of course, he’s in strict training mode right now and most everything I make has to be low-glycemic and high-protein. That’s where raisins and these tasty healthy snack muffins come in.
Because not only are raisins all-natural and dried by the sun, but they are low-glycemic. The Glycemic Index refers to the rate at which foods cause blood sugar to rise after you eat them. Those that cause a slow rise prevent performance-sapping drops in blood glucose – maintaining energy longer than a refined sugary snack or sports drink. Plus they have antioxidant power, a great amount of fiber, and as I mentioned all-natural with no preservatives.
To make this snack nutritious, high in protein, and low-glycemic I’ve used almond flour. Almond flour is high in protein and is a good source of fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium. Sweet Potatoes are added because, believe it or not, it’s one of the most nutrient dense vegetables around.
Raisin and Sweet Potato Snack muffins are a delicious, moist, and nutritious snack when you want something a little more than an apple for your family (especially when you have a runner or athlete eating you out of house and home). Sweet and delectable — I don’t mind when Mia, the resident four year-old, and her play dates asks for thirds.
Raisin and Sweet Potato Snack Muffins makes 24
* To achieve the highest nutrient value for this recipe use the almond and rice flours. These flours can be found at major grocery stores or specialty markets. 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour can be substituted.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a mini muffin tin by lining the tins with mini muffin liners or lightly spraying with cooking oil. In a medium bowl, sift almond flour, brown rice flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. I’m using brown rice flour to help lighten up the texture of the muffins.
In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, maple syrup, and the egg. Whisk until blended.
Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until just combined.
Shred the potato with a cheese grater until you have 1 cup of shredded sweet potato.
To the batter, add sweet potato, raisins, and shredded coconut and stir until combined.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin tin. Place the muffin tin into the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to remain in the tin for 3 minutes. Once the muffins are stable, carefully remove the muffins and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Once the muffins are cool enough, serve. Enjoy!
Raisin and Sweet Potato Snack Muffins makes 24
* To achieve the highest nutrient value for this recipe use the almond and rice flours. These flours can be found at major grocery stores or specialty markets. 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour can be substituted.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a mini muffin tin by lining the tins with mini muffin liners or lightly spraying with cooking oil. In a medium bowl, sift almond flour, brown rice flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, maple syrup, and the egg. Whisk until blended. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until just combined.
3. Shred the potato with a cheese grater until you have 1 cup of shredded sweet potato. To the batter, add sweet potato, raisins, and shredded coconut and stir until combined.
4. Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin tin. Place the muffin tin into the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to remain in the tin for 3 minutes. Once the muffins are stable, carefully remove the muffins and place on a cooling rack to cool. Once the muffins are cool enough, serve. Enjoy!
© 2013 Meredith Steele | insockmonkeyslippers.com
My daughter is obsessed with pink. pink. pink. pink.
… and more pink.
There are days that this neutral and earthy color loving mom can barely stand it. I mean really, there’s only so much pink that I can take. I clinched my teeth when she said she wanted to paint her room pink, cringed when she asked Santa for a pink bicycle, and shook my head when she said I should wear a pink dress to a James McMurtry show but there is one think I will never say no to and that’s pink cupcakes.
Made with all natural ingedients and free of red#40, these Beet Orange Cupcakes are sweet, delicious, and in retrospect, more nutritious than your standered cupcake. I know what your thinking — beets…in a cupcake…that’s never going to fly with my kid sock monkey slipper girl. You may be right but like my mom says (and I’m sure yours does as well) you will never know if you don’t try it.
Beet Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are sweet, delicious, and packed with just enough beets to provide the perfect pink hue and just a touch of awesome vitamins that beets have to offer without an overwhelming beet taste. This recipe is 100% Mia (the resident 4 year old) approved but she warns that they will turn your belly into the color of a pink sunset. Thank you Pinkalicious.
Beet Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting makes 12
for the cupcakes:
for the icing:
beet puree:
You will need 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon of beet puree for this recipe. Since every beet is practically different at anytime of the year, I can not say an exact amount of raw beets cooked and pureed will result in exactly the amount needed. Sometimes it takes 1 beet at a certain weight to make 1 cup of puree and sometimes it doesn’t. So it never hurts to make a little extra. I find using 2 large beets for this is always good backup and if you have extra puree, freeze it for another use (like pancakes!).
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap washed beets separately in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes until the beets can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Unwrap the beets and under running water peel the beets with your fingers. The skin will slip right off by simply rubbing it and your fingers will not be stained because of the water. Nice tip huh?
Place the beets in a food processor or blender and puree for 1 minute until extremely smooth. Reserve 1 cup + 1 tablespoon for the recipe. Any remainder can be stored in a freezable container or bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. This puree can be made up to four days in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Now on to the cupcakes!
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, orange zest, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium-high until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Then add beet puree, cream cheese, orange juice, and vanilla. Once everything is incorporated, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this point or you’ll end up with a tough cupcake. PINK! This is the point where Mia starts to scream.
Line a cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners (I’m using parchment paper squares because they’re purdy). Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill the liners with the batter. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until cooked through (a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean). Carefully remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a stand or electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and beet puree on high until combined and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. At this point you can put the frosting in the refrigerator to set a bit or go on and start icing the cooled cupcakes. The icing can be made a day in advance.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spoon or piping bag to frost the top of the cupcakes. Serve immediately.
Soooo Pinkaliciously good! With this cupcake, I don’t mind if Mia has two. Cheers!
By the way if any of y’all are wondering… the foundation of this cupcake recipe is based off of Meyer Lemon Cupcakes from The Family Meal. It’s my favorite cupcake recipe base and I use it for every cupcake recipe I make. Love it!
Beet Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting makes 12
for the cupcakes:
for the icing:
beet puree:
You will need 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon of beet puree for this recipe. Since every beet is practically different at anytime of the year, I can not say an exact amount of raw beets cooked and pureed will result in exactly the amount needed. Sometimes it takes 1 beet at a certain weight to make 1 cup of puree and sometimes it doesn’t. So it never hurts to make a little extra. I find using 2 large beets for this is always good backup and if you have extra puree, freeze it for another use (like pancakes!).
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap washed beets separately in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes until the beets can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Unwrap the beets and under running water peel the beets with your fingers. The skin will slip right off by simply rubbing it and your fingers will not be stained because of the water.
Place the beets in a food processor or blender and puree for 1 minute until extremely smooth. Reserve 1 cup + 1 tablespoon for the recipe. Any remainder can be stored in a freezable container or bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. This puree can be made up to four days in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, orange zest, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium-high until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Next, add beet puree, cream cheese, orange juice, and vanilla. Once everything is incorporated, slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this point or you’ll end up with a tough cupcake.
3. Line a cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill the liners with the batter. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until cooked through (a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean). Carefully remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.
4. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a stand or electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and beet puree on high until combined and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. At this point you can put the frosting in the refrigerator to set a bit or go on and start icing the cooled cupcakes. The icing can be made a day in advance.
5. Once the cupcakes are cooled, use a spoon or piping bag to frost the top of the cupcakes. Serve immediately.
Tea Cookies, Snowballs, or Mexican Wedding cookies – It doesn’t matter what you call them, these shortbread ball cookies are delicious and fun to make especially with children. I make them every year for Christmas but this year I’ve added a twist by throwing in a pinch of cardamom and a splash of rose water. The combination is nothing short of heavenly and provides layers of delicate flavor. Perfect for holiday gifts or to nosh on anytime of year, these Cardamom and Rose Water Tea Cookies are amazingly good.
Cardamom and Rose Water Tea Cookies makes 20 cookies
Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, walnuts, sugar, and cardamom.
Add the vanilla extract, rose water, and butter in small pieces. With your hands (think of it as a luxurious hand treatment), combine everything together until it resembles a coarse meal.
Form the dough into 1 inch balls by gently squeezing the dough together and rolling it between your hands. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Once the cookies are finished baking, carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly.
Place the powdered sugar on a plate for rolling. Once the cookies have cooled but are still warm to the touch, roll the cookies in the sugar until evenly coated. Return the cookies to the cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them once again in the powdered sugar for a second coat.
Serve, enjoy, and plan on making a second or third batch as I do every year.
Cardamom and Rose Water Tea Cookies makes 20 cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, walnuts, sugar, and cardamom. Add the vanilla extract, rose water, and butter in small pieces. With your hands, combine everything together until it resembles a coarse meal.
2. Form the dough into 1 inch balls by gently squeezing the dough together and rolling it between your hands. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Next, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Once the cookies are finished baking, carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly.
3. Place the powdered sugar on a plate for rolling. Once the cookies have cooled but are still warm to the touch, roll the cookies in the sugar until evenly coated. Return the cookies to the cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled completely, roll them once again in the powdered sugar for a second coat. Serve
