Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Creature Comforts

Friends, have you ever had a pumpkin whoopie pie? No? Well then, stop whatever you are doing, go to the grocery store, buy ingredients, and make these little babies. You're in for a treat!

I found my favorite recipe for them on Creature Comforts. And not only does the lovely author offer two filling options, creme cheese frosting and chai spiked icecream, but she also provides adorable print outs you can stick in your baked beauties. What more could a baker want?

I made these for our pumpkin party and they were gone in seconds. Everybody loved them!

Helpful hint: Make sure to buy pumpkin puree and not pumkin pie filling. The filling already contains a lot of sugar and spice and will create a batter that is a little too runny for the perfect whoopie pie.

So, what are you waiting for? Get baking!

Love, Alli

There's Chickens in the Backyard

Katie Lloyd Photo

For a while now, I've dreamed of having chickens in my backyard. Of course, this dream can't come into fruition until I actually own my own home. Who knows when that will actually be, but it's still fun to envision little birds walking and bobbing their heads around my yard.

But, what is it actually like to have chickens in the backyard? Well, Kristina of Lovely Morning wrote a very interesting and informative post on this matter. It looks like there are a lot of cons to having chickens, but Kristina says that the pros definitely outweigh them.

I feel like if the author of Lovely Morning can successfully raise chickens in her small LA backyard, then anybody can be successful in raising chickens. Thanks, Kristina!

Would you ever consider raising chickens? If you already do, what is it like? Has your experience been similar to Kristina's?

Love, Alli

Apple Pie Cookies

Smitten Kitchen

Last night, I got to have some great fellowship with the ladies from my Bible study.  We spent some great time in prayer, but we also spent some great time eating out-of-this-world desserts and sipping some white wine.  It was, in a word, stupendous.

I volunteered to bring one of the desserts, and my first inclination was to bake the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies I've been itching to make. However, I had a ginormous bag of apples in my fridge that I was afraid would go bad before I could eat all of them.  So, I searched for apple recipes and discovered the Apple Pie Cookies on Smitten Kitchen and fell in love.

Just look at how cute they are! Plus, my favorite part of an apple pie is the crust and, I believe, that this "cookie" has the perfect crust to filling ratio.

My cookies aren't as photogenic, and the lighting is horrible, but I had to get proof! I was proud of my little creations.

I had never made pie dough from scratch, and I was a little nervous. I had fun, though! The pie dough making process was easier than I expected.

Though I may have done a couple of things different from Smitten Kitchen's recipe, I still think the cookies turned out rather nicely.

First of all, instead of rolling out the dough with a rolling pin, I pinched off Peanut-M&M sized balls and flattened them out with the palm of my hand. The dough doesn't have to be extremely cold, for this method, and I found it to be easier than the rolling pin. I've never had the upper body strength to roll out  dough as thin as I want it to be.

Also, I have another confession, I didn't cut the apple pieces into circles.  I just cut thin slices off of each side of the apple and threw them between the two dough circles.  Nobody seemed to mind, so I'd recommend this method as well.  It saved me a lot of time and frustration.

I may or may not have doubled the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg mix.  What can I say? I like my sweets.  I also sprinkled the tops of the cookies with more of the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg combo instead of just granulated sugar.

Though this recipe is a little time consuming, I would highly recommend it.  The oohs and aahs your friends will give over these cute cookies will be enough recompense for all your hard work. Plus, once you pull them out of the oven you'll feel extremely accomplished.  Go ahead, give yourself a well deserved pat on the back.

During the baking process I thought I would burn the recipe once I was finished, but I've changed my mind.  I am absolutely making these little beauties again in hopes to surprise even more people with their adorable, fall charm.

Love, Alli

Pumpkin Party

cateomalley

Pumpkin season is almost upon us and my friends and I couldn't be happier.  My sweet friend, Jessie, even came up with the idea of having a pumpkin party!  The idea is to get everyone together early one weekend morning, go pick pumpkins, scoop out the innards, make delicious pumpkin treats, and carve the pumpkins while eating said delicious pumpkin treats.

When she shared this idea with me I was so excited!  There is only one thing I love more than walking through a pumpkin patch, and that's eating pumpkin baked goods!

Here are some of the tastiest looking recipes I've found, so far.  Try some and let me know how it goes!

• Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate
• Melt in Your Mouth Pumpkin Cookies
• Gingerbread Pumpkin Waffles
• Pumpkin and Nutella Swirl Bread
• Pumpkin Doughnuts or Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts
• Brown Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Shortbread Crust
• Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies
• Pumpkin Spice Palmiers
• Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup

Enjoy!

Love, Alli

Mini Cake

panini happy

How would you like to eat a mini birthday cake made on a panini press?  That's right, I said a panini press!  I didn't believe it either, but the folks over at panini happy showed me just how it's done.  Find the recipe and instructions here and get to baking!

Imagine the oohs and aahs your friends will sigh and the newfound respect they'll give you based on your baking.  Yup, you'll be their resident Julia Childs.  Nobody needs to know how easy it was.

Love, Alli

Soup Time!

Aaron and I made a delicious tortilla soup with pork...it's pretty perfect and easy to make, but forewarning, it will make you want fall weather.

Recipe from William-Sonoma Simple Suppers

Ingredients 

Roast Pork, 1 1/2 cups (9oz/280g) shredded

Corn oil, 2 tablespoons

Red onion, 1 small, chopped

Garlic, 2 large cloves, minced

Chipotle chiles in adobo, 1 tablespoon finely chopped

Chicken broth, 6 cups (48 fl oz/1.5 l)

Diced tomatoes, 1 can (14 1/2 oz/455g), with juice

Fresh cilantro (fresh coriander), 4 tablespoons (1/3 oz/10g) chopped

Queso fresco, 1/2 cup (2 oz/60g) crumbled

Avocado, 1 small, halved, pitted, peeled, and finely diced

Lime, 1, cut into wedges

1. Make the soup base in a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is softened, 4 - 5 minutes. Stir in the chile, broth, and tomatoes, then stir in the pork. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
2. Finish the soup stir 2 tablespoons of the cilantro into the soup. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and the cheese, avocado, and tortilla chips, Accompany with the lime wedges. 

love, Mollie

Take That, Chicken!

Big News!

Remember how I talked about my irrational fear of handling raw chicken in a previous post?  Well, I conquered it.  I finally thawed out the chicken that had been sitting in my freezer since June and cooked it.

You may say, "What's the big deal?"  I say, "I'm now Queen of everything. That's what."  Needless to say, my spirits are pretty high.

What spurred me enough to  touch raw chicken and risk causing a salmonella epidemic? The boyfriend.  He started a new job and I really wanted to cook an extra special meal to celebrate. So, I scratched my usual pasta entrees and searched Jamie Oliver's website for an easy recipe.

I came across his roasted chicken breast with cherry tomatoes and asparagus and had to try it.  It is now one of my favorite recipes!  It is so easy, but looks very difficult and fancy.  I think it's the sprigs of rosemary give it that special touch.

You know, raw chicken really isn't that gross.

Success! At least, nobody has died yet.

Though, while eating, I was fearful the chicken wasn't cooked enough and I examined each bite for any inkling of pink, I'd say my phobia of raw chicken is behind me.  I'm exited to try more recipes starring chicken!

Later, for desert, I prepared something that everyone must try, S'mores Cake in a Jar.  It was so good it left the boyfriend speechless.  One jar, however, is definitely enough for two; this dessert is very rich.  I found this amazing recipe on how Sweet it is and plan to use it often.

Oh so good.

Though I probably could've crammed more marshmallows on top, I was very happy with the way they turned out!  Believe me, you want to try this!

What are some new, fun recipes you've stumbled upon recently?

Love, Alli

My Irrational Fear

Magic Island

The other night the boyfriend had a long day at work and I thought it'd be nice to try to cook for him.  As I had been putting off going to the grocery store for a couple of days, my cupboards didn't have much more food than a box of cereal and a couple of Oreos.  There was, however a package of frozen chicken in the freezer just waiting to be eaten.

Now, I don't know if you know this about me, but I have an irrational fear of raw chicken.  I'm scared to touch it; I just know that if I try to do anything with it I'll end up spreading salmonella all over the house and kill everyone I come into contact with!

Ridiculous, right?

So, I gingerly grabbed the frozen packet from the freezer with my thumb and index finger, held it at arms length, and dropped it in the sink.  I stared at it for about five minutes and ended up quickly throwing it back in the freezer.

I bought the boyfriend a takeout instead.

This outrageous fear is a shame as I LOVE chicken.  Not only is it delicious and nutritious, but there are so many things that can be done with it!  I really want to begin to cook more and explore different recipes, but I feel that my fear of chicken is holding me back.

Do you, friends, have any suggestions?  Do you have any irrational fears of your own?

Love, Alli

How To Make 10 Cakes For Your Friends' Wedding and Not Die

Tartelette

Mollie and I are in that time of life where everyone is getting married.  I mean, everyone!  I truly believe that there is something in the water.  Mollie herself has been bitten by the matrimony bug and ties the knot early August.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am very excited for this season! It's just weird making the leap from unrealistically dreaming about china patterns and actually helping your friends pick them out.  Am I really that old?

The next step: baby showers.  That'll surely bring some gray hairs.

Anyways, in order to graduate from high school, all those years ago, I was required to complete what was called a "senior project."  We were supposed to learn a new skill that we could hopefully use down the road.  This was at a time when all the cake reality shows were becoming big and made me want to become the next big Food Network star.  Though one teacher professed that cake decorating was too easy and shouldn't be a viable option, I boldly traveled down the road of recipe perfecting and fondant making.

One afternoon my mom said, "You know Alli, this really will come in handy when all your friends get married.  You could make their cakes for their wedding present!"  I brushed her comment off with a "Sure, Mom," thinking that's not possible since it wouldn't be time for my friends to get married until a billion years from now.

I was wrong.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I made ten cakes as a present for my friends' Candace and Kyle's wedding.  Though the task was a lot more difficult to tackle than I had initially anticipated, I came away with some helpful knowledge that will hopefully help guide you on your quest to make an absurd amount of dessert for a friend.

1. Bake the cakes several days in advance and freeze them.

Don't feel bad, this is actually what a lot of bakeries do in order to keep up with the high demand that is placed on them.  Candace and Kyle's wedding was on a Sunday afternoon, so I did all the baking on the Wednesday and Thursday before.

Simply let your cakes cool completely on a cooling rack, wrap in plastic wrap, and stick in the freezer.  This will also make frosting easier; not as many crumbs will pop up.

2. Go crazy with the cake flavors, but limit the number of frosting flavors.

Since you're able to make the cake in advance it's not too difficult to try and tackle different recipes.  However, since frosting tastes best made the day before or the day of, many different recipes can create chaos.

I tried to do this.  I wanted to crawl in a hole.

If variety is your spice of life, try thinking of two or three frosting flavors that could compliment several types of cake.  For example, vanilla frosting could be placed on lemon, yellow, red velvet, and coconut cake.  Bam.

Also, try to stay away from varieties that may spoil such as recipes with cream cheese in them.  We don't people leaving the party sick.

3. Try your best, but remember that your friends will be grateful no matter what.

One little crumb peeking it's head through the frosting isn't going to ruin your friends' wedding day.  I mean, they're getting married for goodness sake.  Nothing will ruin their day of bliss!

This is something I needed to remind myself of constantly.  I wanted everything to be perfect so their day could be perfect and their life could be perfect and produce perfect little children and have perfect vacation photos.

My cakes did not make or break their wedding day.  It was a greatly appreciated addition, but if they had been absent, the day wouldn't have been all for naught.

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

I know I couldn't have made it through the long night before the ceremony without the help of my friends.  I would have gone crazy.  Don't think it's selfish to ask for help.  People want the bride and groom to have beautiful cakes just as much as you do!

5. Enjoy the reception. 

Once you place the cakes in their designated spot leave them behind.  It's done, finished.  Don't waste a perfectly enjoyable time with your closest friends worrying about the slight crack in the fondant on the right backside of cake #5.  Nobody will notice, I promise.  Have fun and celebrate your friends' entering a new life together.

Love, Alli

10 Cakes and a Wedding

image by: 41starsstudio

Happy Tuesday, friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing long weekend.  How did you celebrate the 4th?  Mollie and some of our friends and I got together and had a cookout filled with a rousing game of Signs, sparklers, and delicious food.  There is nothing I love more than eating hotdogs with loved ones, but my thoughts kept returning to the previous weekend.

Why, do you ask?  What could be better than stuffing your face with delicacies from the grill and watching red, white, and blue fireworks explode in the sky? I'd say witnessing two people make a life changing covenant before your very eyes wins by a long shot.

The two lovebirds making their getaway.

Last weekend my friends Candace and Kyle tied the knot in a quaint, white chapel accented with yellow daisies.  I never thought I'd be one of those people that cried during a wedding ceremony, but I was very wrong.  The moment Candace emerged from the aged wooden doors in her lace gown the tears started flowing and didn't stop until long after their first dance.

I was honored to play a part in their day by baking the wedding cakes!  Candace and I got together and decided to display a variety of ten different cakes the guests could then choose from for their dessert.  Though the night before the reception was very long and I thought I'd never want to look at another cake again (coming in a later post), I was able to give Candace and Kyle a heartfelt wedding gift.  Because wedding cakes can be a little pricy, I was not only able to give them something that meant a lot to me, but was able to save them a pretty penny!

If some of your friends are getting hitched and you're not entirely sure what to get them, you should consider offering your DIY services for the ceremony or reception!  Creating centerpieces, being the charismatic DJ for the night, or playing the guitar as the beautiful bride walks down the aisle is a perfect way to showcase your feelings for the couple.  Gifts such as these create a more intimate, memorable and personal ceremony.

A gluten-free vanilla cake for the happy couple.

Mollie's wedding is quickly approaching in a little more than a month, and I can't believe it!  I've already bought water-proof mascara and started to think about the toast I'm going to give at the rehearsal dinner.  Do you have any toast do's and don'ts? Do any of you recent brides have advice for Mollie as the date draws near?

Love, Alli

Monday Brunch: Maple-Pecan Scones

I attempted to bake scones for the first time yesterday.  The first batch was made from a Bisquick recipe and, while they turned out okay, they tasted like every other baked good made out of Bisquick.

Now, don't get me wrong, Bisquick and I are old and devoted friends.  Its quick biscuit recipe has saved me several times when I was given the task of preparing the buttery delicacies for a family get-together and I will forever vow that Bisquick pancakes are the absolute best.  However, if I spend a lot of time on something like a scone, I want it to be something special.

I think the round two scone recipe fits the bill: Maple-Pecan Scones!  My mouth is watering just thinking about them.  This delightful recipe came from the Food Network Magazine.

I used to be intimidated by scones and have always heard that they are very difficult to make.  But now I'm on a scone cooking rampage!  I encourage you to try it out too.  I just wish they weren't so unhealthy, but we don't have to think about that.  Enjoy!

Ingredients


3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-pupose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.

Put the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Add butter and continue to pulse until the mixture looks like fine meal.

Add the pecans and pulse once.  Add the buttermilk mixture and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until the mixture is just moistened.  Do not over mix or the scones will be tough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until it just forms a ball. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and pat into an 8-inch round, about 3/4 inch thick. To make individual scones, cut into 8 wedges and space apart on the baking sheet.  Brush with buttermilk and bake until golden, about 25 minutes.  Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Mix the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the scone. Cut into wedges.

Love, Alli


image courtesy of: Steve Giralt