australian desserts: Musings

Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts

Spicy Chipotle Wrap with Smoked Turkey & Mango {& Hidden Valley $1,000 Sweepstakes}

Ever get tired of your same-ol’-same-ol’ lunch? As a 1^st grade teacher, I sure do. I mean, I pack my lunch every day for 180+ days during the school year. Packing lunch … every day, every day, every day.

And now thanks to Hidden Valley, I have four new low fat spreads to help shake up my lunch routine! ... there's Country Herb Ranch, Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan, Smoked Bacon Ranch, and Spicy Chipotle Pepper ... Soooo many possibilities just waiting to be created.

So where did I start creating?

So where did I start creating?

reade more...

Your Top 10 of 2012 {Most Viewed Recipes of the Year - Playground Round-Up}

Well, the Christmas season has come and gone. I spent some wonderful time with my family, relaxed, and ate waaaaaaayyy too much. Now it's time to turn an eye toward healthier eating to make up for all that sugar I ate during the holidays!

It's also time to turn an eye toward the favorite posts of 2012 on The Kitchen is My Playground. I have so much fun going back through the posts of the year to see which ones you've all liked best. It's such a nice little trip down memory lane. Just like 2011's favorites, you all made some great picks.

And so, here they are! ...

Continue Reading >>

reade more...

Thankful ... My Personal Cancer Story {and Chocolate & Cheesecake Cupcakes}

"To everyone who is battling cancer, I hope you are all successful against this disease. I hope that for all those counting down to your dates of being declared *cancer free* that you all celebrate that anniversary with your loved ones. To all those who have never had to deal with this disease personally within your families, I hope that you never do."

~ Paula at Frosting for the Cause

My sentiments exactly.

I originally shared this post on September 23, 2011, over at Frosting for the Cause, a year-long baking adventure to raise money for breast cancer research.

My reasons for re-sharing here on The Kitchen is My Playground are two-fold:

~ Paula at Frosting for the Cause

My sentiments exactly.

I originally shared this post on September 23, 2011, over at Frosting for the Cause, a year-long baking adventure to raise money for breast cancer research.

My reasons for re-sharing here on The Kitchen is My Playground are two-fold:

reade more...

Awww, Shucks - I'm Blushing ... Blog Awards

Yesterday, Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack gave me the Sunshine Award ... thanks sooooo much, Dawn! I'm truly, truly touched!!

Along with the joy of receiving this award came some guilt, though. So, I have a confession to make. I've received awards in the past, too, and ... while I've acknowledged the giver ... I haven't passed any awards along, which is the truly super fun part of receiving one of the blog awards, right?!? So I decided I would rectify that today, and do one big "I'm catching up on awards" post. Thanks to Dawn for pushing me along to clear my conscience! :-)

Now, I'm not going to exactly follow all the blog award rules ... I've always been a bit of a rule-bender like that ... not a get-in-all-kinds-of-trouble rule-breaker, mind you ... but a bender, YES. I've listed the rules of each award ... ya know, so others can follow them ... but I'm going to just stick to the spirit of the rules (which is recognizing awesome and inspiring blogs, right?). Shhhhhhh!! ... don't tell the award police. Okay?

Sunshine Award

The Sunshine Award is an award passed on by bloggers to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” Thank you so much to Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack for passing this award along to me! I'm truly touched to be considered a positive and creative inspiration to others!

Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Pass on to 10 favorite bloggers & leave them a comment letting them know

Sunshine Award questions and my answers:

1. Favorite color: It depends on what we're talking about! For clothes - black. There's about an 85% chance on any given day that I'm wearing black. For house walls - neutral white or beige. I mean, seriously, that way you change up your furnishings and decorations without having to repaint! (Can you tell I'm a practical girl??) For 'just fun' - probably red or bright yellow ... they're happy colors.

2. Favorite animal: Monkeys ... they're fun. And I fed one out of my hand in Costa Rica. And giraffes ... they're pretty. I fed one out of my mouth not long ago. (I'm noticing a trend here...)

(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)

3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.

4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)

5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.

6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!

7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.

8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!

9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!

10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.

Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who awarded you and link back to them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself (see Sunshine Award answers above, or I share a whoooooole lot more about myself on my About page.)
3. Pass the award along to 10 other newly discovered blogs.

Liebster Blog Award

Thanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.

Anita shared that in German "Liebster" means "dear" and the verb "Lieber" is "to love," and that the purpose of this award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. To echo Anita's sentiment about receiving this award, it certainly does make one feel "dearly loved" to receive this award.

Now, I do indeed have more than 200 followers ... but I assure you that these two fine ladies didn't break any rules when giving me this award! Remember my confession at the start of the post??? ... uh, yeh ... I was given this award a loooooooooong time ago ... back when this blog met the followers requirement.

Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award

Now for the super-fun part!!!!

I hereby bestow these blog award honors upon the following fabulously-fantastic and inspiring bloggers, who ... though they may not know it ... encourage and inspire me every day.
Thanks for being awesome, my bloggy friends!

1. Nicole at Heat Oven to 350
Nicole is hysterically funny - her posts will keep you in stitches! She was the first non-family-person to leave a comment on my blog and is a fellow native Vermonter, so she has a special place in my blog-heart. Nicole just welcomed her daughter into the world, so she's a little quiet on the blog scene right now, but there are lots of fabulous posts in her archives that will keep you rolling!

2. Dorothy at Crazy for Crust
Oh my, Dorothy is another hysterically funny one. And she shares fabulously delicious sweets that keep me drooling at my computer screen.

3. Lisa at Shine Your Light
Lisa is so immensely kind-hearted and encouraging. I'm always uplifted by her posts and comments!

4. Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Anita and I began our blogs right around the same time. She's another immensely kind-hearted blogger who makes you want to ask if she'll be your Aunt Nubby, too!

5. Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Lisa is indeed as sweet as a sugar cookie. Lisa welcomed me into the bloggy community and invited me to participate in my first linky party!

6. Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tina is the hostess-with-the-mostest of one of the monthly challenges in which I participate, The Crazy Cooking Challenge. Tina works soooo hard to pull this challenge together each month. Thank you, Tina!!

7. Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is incredibly talented and awes me every time with her home projects. Her creations are so beautiful!

8. Jill at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons
Jill is sooooo immensely creative with her kitchen projects! Seriously, I'm amazed at what she comes up with every time she posts.

9. Dawn at Addicted to Recipes
Aahhhhh, Dawn .... we share the same addiction. Need I say more?

10. Heather & Vanessa at At the Picket Fence
Heather and Vanessa truly 'speak' from the heart, and are so kind and encouraging. I'm always inspired by their wonderful comments!

If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.

(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)

3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.

4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)

5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.

6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!

7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.

8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!

9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!

10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.

Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.

Liebster Blog Award

Thanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.

Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award

Now for the super-fun part!!!!

If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.

reade more...

I'm Joining the 'Ultimate Blog Party 2012!'

Well, I just learned about the "Ultimate Blog Party," hosted by Janice and Susan of the blog 5 Minutes for Mom. The "Party" is an opportunity for bloggers to come together and 'meet' one another ... well, 'meet' in a blogland kind of way - through a huge linky party! I like 'meeting' people. So, hey, I figured I'd join in the fun!

If you're a new visitor here stopping by from the "Party," welcome to The Kitchen is My Playground!

This is me:

I'm Tracey, and I love cooking - especially baking. I consider my kitchen my playground and am trying new recipes all the time. I very rarely leave a recipe alone. I like to tinker with them and explore what happens with the changes. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't ... but it's always a fun adventure. The Kitchen is My Playground is where I share my tinkerings, recipes, and kitchen adventures … well, the successful ones anyway.

I spend most of my time outside the kitchen as a first grade teacher. I absolutely love having the privilege of teaching little ones. My students warm my heart every day. I especially get to see their joy each day when they're out on the playground. When it came time to pick a name for my blog, I immediately equated the joy I experience when in the kitchen to the joy they show me every day playing. And that's how the name The Kitchen is My Playground came to be.

To read more about me and the types of things I post about, please visit my About Me page.
And the Recipe Index is a great way to check out posts that may interest you.

It's nice to 'meet' you! Thanks so much for stopping by.

If you're a new visitor here stopping by from the "Party," welcome to The Kitchen is My Playground!

This is me:

reade more...

My Food Photography Woes

Food photography is hard. Really hard. It may just be my blogging nemesis. My blogging archenemy, so to speak.

I've debated and debated with myself about whether or not to actually write those words in a post. But I've really found comfort in reading other bloggers' posts about their challenges ... knowing others experience similar difficulties and frustrations makes one, well ... feel a bit better. So I decided to share my photography challenges with you. Just in case it makes someone else feel even just a tiny bit better. Or, to at least give you all a little laugh. My behind-the-scenes secrets are about to be revealed!

I've discovered through my blog photography adventures that the natural light in my house stinks. Not just my kitchen, but pretty much my entire house! I didn't know I had this problem until I started The Kitchen is My Playground. There is absolutely nowhere in my kitchen I can take a photo without using a flash. So, all my in-process cooking shots have flash. I know ... cardinal sin of food photography. But sometimes, we just don't have a choice. Well, at least I don't have a choice. Not if I want to share photos of preparation steps. Which I do.

So I've gotten creative and tried some different spots for staging my photos.

Many of my photos are taken outside on my back deck. The light is decent ... not great ... but decent. Depending on the time of day. This, however, does present some other challenges of it's own. Like wind. And carting my dishes and other props outside. And, even outside, light is a huge challenge! Just check out the shade vs. bright sunlight areas of my deck.

Take a photo in direct sunlight? Too bright. Harsh lighting. Shadows. Reflection spots. Like this ...

Post: The BEST Vanilla Cupcake + the BEST Coffee Buttercream

Move to the shade? Not bright enough. Washed out. Like this ...

Post: 1st Bloggiversary! ... & Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcakes to Celebrate

Super hot summer day? Frosting droops, salads wilt, ice melts, beverage glasses sweat. Like this ...

Post: Refreshing Blueberry-Lime Iced Tea

And what to do once cold weather comes and, oh the horror --- daylight savings time when you have a full-time job and can't make it home before dusk?? Well, then the outside photo options are completely gone.

So, I got creative inside. I scoured my house for places, any places, that had decent natural light. I found two. Are you ready for them? You're going to laugh. Or at least smile a teeny bit.

1. Our stairs in the foyer. With a make-shift table set up on a 5 gallon bucket.

Post: Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Butter - 1st grade's been cookin' again!

Do you know how difficult it is to make sure the banister, or carpet, or foyer wall isn't in the photo? On the plus side, the stairs made it easy to get different angles and vantage points from which to take the photos!

2. Our bathtub. Yup, the garden-style bathtub in our master bath. Again, with my make-shift table set up on a 5 gallon bucket. Classy, huh?

Post: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares

(Now you're wondering ... wondering which photos on my site were taken in the bathroom, aren't you? hee, hee)

On days the sun streaming through the big window over the tub wasn't enough, I resorted to augmenting the light with an old lamp.

Post: Chocolate-Almond Flourless Cake

Probably needless to say, neither of these spots were ideal, to say the least. Pain-in-the-you-know-what to cart all my food, dishes, props, etc. upstairs to the bathroom. Frustrated husband when I blocked the stairs for staging. At the mercy of the literally one-hour-per-day that each of these spots had the natural light I needed streaming in through the nearby windows. Which pretty much relegated my photo-taking to Saturday or Sunday afternoons, which is prime spend-time-with-my-husband time. And I really don't like giving that up.

So, I decided to explore purchasing special lighting. Now, I love blogging - don't get me wrong. But it is a hobby, not a profession for me. So, I do need to keep that in perspective. The cost of special photography lighting? Quite a bit. More than I wanted to spend, anyway. But I didn't give up hope ...

I found this tutorial to build your own photography lighting. The perfect challenge for my very-handy hubby!! He didn't want to follow the tutorial, but rather wanted to come up with his own design based on the tutorial concept.

So, after several trips to the home improvement store, my DIY-photo lights were born! Made out of ductwork pieces!!! They look like something out of Star Trek, but, hey, they work... Kudos to my hubby!!

We haven't built bases for the lights yet. So ... the 'base' that light is sitting in is ... a fondue pot! Hey, whatever works.

Now I'm able to do my photo shoots in the dining room, right next to the kitchen. No more lugging my stuff to the nether-regions of my house. Here's a typical set up with my new lights. Still looks crazy, but it gives me much more flexibility with when I can take photos.

Post: Baby Shower White Chocolate Popcorn

I can shoot *pretty much* any time I want. I'm still dependent on having at least a little bit of daylight coming in through the dining room window. I think I would need about three more of these light contraptions to be truly independent from natural lighting. So, at times, it looks about like a house of cards with white poster boards bouncing the light, or creating a sort of make-shift lightbox.

Even with this 'studio' dining room set-up, I'm still cramped in terms of space. My HUGE, most-frustrating challenge!! Since my light is limited in it's reach, I'm really limited in the span of the shots I can take. Which is why most of my photos are close-ups. I don't have the opportunity to take shots with wide spans, gorgeous back-drops and backgrounds, or fully-set tables and place settings.

Oh well.

I'll keep working on my photography. While I am showing improvement (I think), I still have a long way to go. Hopefully ... maybe someday ... I can prove a worthy adversary for this thing called food photography.

Header Photo Collage Posts:
Gingerbread Cookies (taken on the stairs)
Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies (taken in the bath tub)
Pizza Spaghetti Bake (taken in the dining room 'studio' with my hubby's DIY lighting)
Granola {Oven & Microwave Methods} (taken outside on the back deck)

Take a photo in direct sunlight? Too bright. Harsh lighting. Shadows. Reflection spots. Like this ...

Post: The BEST Vanilla Cupcake + the BEST Coffee Buttercream

Move to the shade? Not bright enough. Washed out. Like this ...

Post: 1st Bloggiversary! ... & Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcakes to Celebrate

Super hot summer day? Frosting droops, salads wilt, ice melts, beverage glasses sweat. Like this ...

Post: Refreshing Blueberry-Lime Iced Tea

Post: Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Butter - 1st grade's been cookin' again!

Post: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares

Post: Chocolate-Almond Flourless Cake

Post: Baby Shower White Chocolate Popcorn

reade more...

1st Blogiversary! ... & Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcakes to Celebrate

Today is The Kitchen is My Playground's 1st blogiversary. Wow, what a year it's been! I thought it would be fitting, on this day, to share with you the story of how The Kitchen is My Playground came to be.

It all started with a snowstorm.

As have several big changes in my life. For example, that's how I ended up moving to North Carolina. See ... I had every intention of moving back to Vermont after finishing graduate school in upstate New York. Then it snowed. In late March. Enough to completely bury my car so it wasn't even a slight bump in the vast sea of white. In very. Late. March. Now I live in North Carolina.

I guess snowstorms make me think. Or give me time to think, perhaps. That's probably more the case. Plans and normal routines get put on hold. And there's time. Time to do what you weren't planning to do. During one such snowstorm late last January, this was the case for me.

Trapped in my house by a freakishly big storm for North Carolina (that led to school being cancelled for a week, mind you), I watched the movie "Julie & Julia" - you know, the one about a woman named Julie who decides to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook and start a blog about it? Well, I had just published a family cookbook and given it as a Christmas present to all the ladies in my family. Inspired by Julie, I decided I should cook my way through my own family's cookbook (though not as ambitiously as Julie, who only gave herself a year!).

To get myself started, I made a list of recipes to get to during 2011 (my "50 for 2011" list) and shared it out with my Facebook friends. They then, in turn, requested updates and that the recipes be shared as I worked through them. I tried sharing the first couple of recipes (that very same week - yes, quick turn-around, but remember school was canceled for a week and I was bound to my house), and, well ... decided perhaps a blog would be a better way. I mentioned the idea to a few friends, and they whole-heartedly encouraged me to start a blog. I wasn't yet convinced.

On the evening of February 5th, 2011, while watching TV with my husband, I decided to just poke around Blogger for a bit and explore these things called blogs. I clicked a few design buttons ... thought, hmmmm, I might be able to figure this out ... thought, I wonder what this button does? Thought, what would I call my blog?

Around 10:00, my husband Mark said goodnight. I replied, "I'm going to play around with this blog stuff just a little bit more. I'll be up soon." At about 3:00 in the morning of February 6th, The Kitchen is My Playground was born. The inaugural post? ... "50 Recipes for 2011" Project - I better get cooking!

Now, though I haven't done very well working through my "50 Recipes for 2011" project list, I've had tons of fun taking on many other cooking adventures throughout The Kitchen is My Playground's first year. I've had tons of fun ... and, sometimes, a bit of frustration (especially with the photography part!!) ... trying to figure out this adventure called blogging. I've had tons of fun 'meeting' readers and other bloggers. Thank you so very much for reading my little space in blogland. And thank you for all your wonderful comments. I truly read and appreciate each and every one, and treasure them like gifts. I'm excited to see what adventures The Kitchen is My Playground's second year holds!

Now, let's celebrate The Kitchen is My Playground's first blogiversary with cupcakes! Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcakes, to be exact.

These are a moist, decadently rich, and deliciously coconutty cupcake selected from my "30 Recipes for 2012" Project. Loaded with butter and sugar, I wouldn't consider them to be "everyday cupcakes" ... I would save them for more of a special occasion. I thought my 1st blogiversay was just such the perfect special occasion! And oh. my. goodness. - these are so good. A great selection for my celebration! I love that there's coconut both in the batter itself and on the top of the frosting. Yum, yum, yummy. And the hint of almond extract gives these a fabulous flavor.

So, if you've got a special occasion coming up or just feel like indulging in some coconut deliciousness, I highly recommend giving these beauties a whirl. Thank you for joining me on my blogiversary!

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2 c. sugar

5 eggs (at room temperature)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. buttermilk

14 oz. package sweetened shredded coconut, divided

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 lb. cream cheese (at room temperature)

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 lbs. confectioner's sugar

Directions

Prepare the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two muffin pans with paper liners.

2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

3. Fill each cupcake paper about 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the tops are light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Prepare the Frosting:

4. With an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until smooth.

5. Frost each cupcake generously with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with the remaining 7 ounces of coconut.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Savvy HomeMade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party hosted by Mrs. Fox's Sweets, Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Friday Favorites hosted by Simply Sweet Home, Friday Food hosted by Mom Trends, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, A Themed Bakers' Sunday hosted by Cupcake Apothecary.

Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2 c. sugar

5 eggs (at room temperature)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. buttermilk

14 oz. package sweetened shredded coconut, divided

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 lb. cream cheese (at room temperature)

3/4 lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 lbs. confectioner's sugar

Directions

Prepare the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two muffin pans with paper liners.

Prepare the Frosting:

4. With an electric mixer, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until smooth.

5. Frost each cupcake generously with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with the remaining 7 ounces of coconut.

Enjoy!

reade more...

Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake & My "30 for 2012" Recipe Project List

Happy New Year, everyone! I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions, are you? I don't really like to make them because then I feel like a failure when I don't follow through ... which is usually the case. Instead, I like to set up little project goals for myself at the start of the new year ... things I'd like to get to ... but that I won't stress out about if I don't.

Like my "30 for 2012" Project - 30 recipes I've picked out to make in 2012 (click on the link or scroll to the bottom of this post to see the entire list). Last year my project list included 50 recipes, and I only got through about half of them. So, I decided to scale the list back for this year. Thirty should be doable!

And guess what?! I've already done one of the recipes on the "30 for 2012" Project list! ... this rich-and-delicious Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake. I'm so proud of myself for already tackling one of my project goals.

Chocolate flourless cake is one of those desserts that I've always seen on restaurant menus, but had never attempted myself. I don't know why ... I just hadn't. So, I decided to put it on "my list" this year.

One of my other goals this year is to incorporate more whole grain baking into my line-up. Mark and I switched over to all whole grains in our pastas and other store-bought goods a few years ago, but I haven't really made great strides in incorporating whole grains into my personal baking yet. So, I've decided this is one of my project goals for this year ... more whole-grain baking ... not a resolution, mind you (remember, I don't make resolutions) ... just a goal. And since you use finely ground nuts in this cake and no flour, this cake counts as whole grain!

Start this cake by finely grinding some almonds in a food processor. Or, if you are able to purchase almond meal in your local store, use that. I totally had some almond meal from Trader Joe's in my freezer and completely forgot about it until after I had already ground up my almonds. Oh well.

Finely ground almonds serve as the "flour" for this cake

Combine the ground almonds with melted semi-sweet chocolate (yum!), some sugar, egg yolks, sour cream, and a few other things ...

Semi-sweet chocolate & other good stuff

... and then gently fold in some beaten egg whites.

In go the egg whites ... be gentle

Bake it up in a springform pan, and you'll end up with a rich-and-delicious cake with a texture reminiscent of a light, fluffy brownie. Mmm, mmm, it's good. Do be aware though, you'll "feel" the almond pieces when you're eating this.

Yummy rich chocolate cake

The cake will rise up quite a bit while it's in the oven, but then fall drastically once removed from the heat. It'll be only about 1 or 2 inches thick once it falls. It's supposed to be like that.

This is how thick the cake is once it's fallen

Serve up slices with a dusting of powdered sugar, a few fresh raspberries, and a sprinkling of slivered almonds ... and, voila! ... you've got a beautiful dessert all dressed to impress.

An adorned slice

Then dig in! I dug right in during my photo shoot ... couldn't wait until I was all done staging the pictures.

Digging in during the photo shoot

The photo shoot slice didn't even make it back to the kitchen.

All gone!!

Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake
Source: Adapted from Prevention Healthy Cooking: Lose Weight the Smart Low-Carb Way's Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake

Ingredients
2 T. butter
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
1/2 c. almonds, ground (or a little bit less than a 1/2 cup of almond meal)
8 T. sugar, divided
3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream
2 egg yolks
1 T. amaretto
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
5 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh raspberries, slivered almonds, and powdered sugar for garnish

Directions
1. Generously coat an 8" or 9" springform pan with about 2 teaspoons of the butter and dust with 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder. Do not tap out the excess cocoa powder - leave it in the bottom of of the pan.

2. In a food processor, process the almonds with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until very finely ground. (If using almond meal, you can omit this step. Use just a little bit less than a 1/2 cup of the almond meal.)

3. In a small saucepan over very low heat, or in the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate and remaining better, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and place the chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the almond mixture, sour cream, egg yolks, amaretto, vanilla, cinnamon, 5 tablespoons of sugar, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Stir until well blended.

4. In another large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to beat the egg whites and salt until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, beating until the egg whites make stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted.

5. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten the chocolate batter. Then, gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The cake is done when it has risen, is dry on the top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs. As the cake cools, it will fall to be about 1" to 2" thick.

7. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife and remove the springform pan sides. Serve each slice with a dusting of powdered sugar, a few raspberries, and a sprinkling of slivered almonds.

Enjoy!

Here's my "30 for 2012" Project list... 30 recipes I'd like to make by the end of the year.

Stay tuned for posts about the ones that turn out okay. And I'll update this list on my "30 for 2012" Project tab with post links as I work through them.

1. Mango Salsa
2. Spinach Cheese Swirls
3. Chocolate Chip "Puffins" (Pumpkin muffins, get it??)
4. Granola
5. Honey-Whole Wheat Biscuits
6. Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Waffles
7. Sourdough Bread (Oh my! This one scares me!!)
8. Caramel-Rum Squares
9. Coffee Thumbprint Cookies
10. Salted Cashew-Crunch Cookies
11. Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcakes
12. Neopolitan Cupcakes
13. Persimmon Cupcakes & Frosting (With wild persimmons from my mother-in-law's farm - yum.)
14. Baked Bananas with Rum Sauce
15. Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake
16. Coconut Pie
17. Fudge Pie with Peanut Butter Cookie Crust
18. Maple-Brown Sugar Pudding Cake
19. Shoo Fly Pie
20. Whole Wheat Gingerbread
21. Crab, Shrimp, & Wild Rice Casserole
22. Kiwifruit & Pineapple Marinated Chicken
23. Green Bean, Walnut, & Feta Cheese Salad
24. Mushroom Gouda Chowder
25. Stovetop Chicken Lasagna Soup
26. White Corn & Rosemary Soup
27. Dill Pickles (canned ... I've never canned before. I'm a little bit scared.)
28. Mashed Squash Casserole
29. Sauteed Cabbage
30. Sherried Fruit Bake

This post is linked with Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Savvy HomeMade A to Z, Market Yourself Monday hosted by Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Blessed by Grace, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tasty Tuesday hosted by iBlog4Me, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Crafty Lassie Tuesday hosted by Sew Stylish Boutique, Wow Me Wednesday hosted by Polka Dots on Parade, Watcha Baking Wednesday hosted by Cajun Sugar Pie, Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party hosted by Mrs. Fox's Sweets, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Friday Favorites hosted by Simply Sweet Home, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Show and Tell Saturday hosted by Be Different ... Act Normal, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, The Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Mingle Monday hosted by Add a Pinch, BFF Open House hosted by The Answer is Chocolate, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking.

Finely ground almonds serve as the "flour" for this cake

Combine the ground almonds with melted semi-sweet chocolate (yum!), some sugar, egg yolks, sour cream, and a few other things ...

Semi-sweet chocolate & other good stuff

... and then gently fold in some beaten egg whites.

In go the egg whites ... be gentle

Yummy rich chocolate cake

The cake will rise up quite a bit while it's in the oven, but then fall drastically once removed from the heat. It'll be only about 1 or 2 inches thick once it falls. It's supposed to be like that.

This is how thick the cake is once it's fallen

Serve up slices with a dusting of powdered sugar, a few fresh raspberries, and a sprinkling of slivered almonds ... and, voila! ... you've got a beautiful dessert all dressed to impress.

An adorned slice

Then dig in! I dug right in during my photo shoot ... couldn't wait until I was all done staging the pictures.

Digging in during the photo shoot

The photo shoot slice didn't even make it back to the kitchen.

All gone!!

Chocolate Almond Flourless Cake
Source: Adapted from Prevention Healthy Cooking: Lose Weight the Smart Low-Carb Way's Chocolate Hazelnut Flourless Cake

reade more...

Your Top 10 of 2011 {Most-Viewed Recipes of the Year}

Well, here they are! Your top 10 of 2011 ... as 'voted for' by your clicks. And I must say, you all have great taste. Hee, hee.

1. Funfetti Cake Balls - By farrrrrrr your most clicked post. This post was viewed a whopping 7 times more than the #2 post. Boy, who would have thought that one of my biggest 'oops' of the year would turn into such a fabulous-little-favorite treat. One reader even called me "the MacGuyver of the kitchen" for this recovery of a flop ... I'm so flattered!

2. Salted Chocolate Cake Pops - Oooohh, this one brings back such a wonderful memory ... an entire day this summer spent making cake pops and cake ball truffles with my friend Jenny. Thanks so much for giving me this walk down memory lane!

3. Nutella French Toast with Maple Syrup, Bananas, & Strawberries - I've definitely been on a Nutella kick this year. Yum.

4. The BEST Vanilla Cupcake + the BEST Coffee Buttercream - Thank you for coming along on my quest for the BEST vanilla cupcake! It was surprisingly difficult to find a vanilla cupcake that I was truly happy with.

5. Stovetop Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese - This one holds a special place in my heart, because it was created for the first ever Crazy Cooking Challenge, the brain child of and hosted by Tina of Mom's Crazy Cooking. I love participating in the Challenge with Tina and the other 80-or-so participating bloggers! (Hey, check us out on January 7th when we'll be going live with a Chicken Noodle Soup Crazy Cooking Challenge ... I know, I know, shameless plug.)

6. Margarita Cupcakes - a.k.a Top Shelf Margarita Cupcakes. These were a July creation that were just perfect for summer.

7. German Chocolate Chip Cookies - These tasty little beauties were also made for a Crazy Cooking Challenge ... the 2nd one, featuring chocolate chip cookies. I decided not to submit these as my entry though, going instead with Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies (which also made the top 10 list at #9). Looks like you all liked these even better than the Nutella Chocolate Chippers ... maybe I should have gone with these for the Challenge!

8. Black Bottom Cupcakes - Chocolate & cheesecake together in a two-or-maybe-three-bite-sized cupcake. What more could we ask for? This is the post in which I included a blast from the past ... Animal of the Muppets singing "mnah-mnum" ... love that little puppet guy. This is also the sweet treat I featured in my personal cancer story post for 'Frosting for the Cause' in support of breast cancer research.

9. Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies - My 2nd Nutella-based treat to make your top 10. These little tasties were baked up for the Crazy Cooking Challenge. Delish.

10. Margarita Cake Ball Truffles - Margarita Cupcakes' little sister! This post even features a visit from Elvis.

And I would like to include my favorite find from 2011 in blogland ... S'More Pralines, adapted from Bakergirl's Graham Cracker S'mores Candy. Incidentally, these made Bakergirl's 2011 Top Ten! Believe me, these are absolutely scrumptious.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by my little spot in blogland this year! I truly appreciate you reading, your comments, your support, and your encouragement. Happy New Year to you!!

I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!

Tracey @ The Kitchen is My Playground

This post is linked with Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, Creative Juice hosted by Momnivore's Dilemma, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Countdown to 2012: Best Desserts of 2011 hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Feature Yourself Friday hosted by Fingerprints on the Fridge, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence.

3. Nutella French Toast with Maple Syrup, Bananas, & Strawberries - I've definitely been on a Nutella kick this year. Yum.

6. Margarita Cupcakes - a.k.a Top Shelf Margarita Cupcakes. These were a July creation that were just perfect for summer.

9. Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies - My 2nd Nutella-based treat to make your top 10. These little tasties were baked up for the Crazy Cooking Challenge. Delish.

10. Margarita Cake Ball Truffles - Margarita Cupcakes' little sister! This post even features a visit from Elvis.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by my little spot in blogland this year! I truly appreciate you reading, your comments, your support, and your encouragement. Happy New Year to you!!

reade more...

Corn Pudding from Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House

Last summer my husband and I took a trip to Tangier Island, Virginia ~ a small historic island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, 12 miles off shore and accessible only by boat or small airplane. So why am I writing about a summer trip now, in the Fall? Because I think this corn pudding dish we discovered while there is a perfect Thanksgiving side! With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I figured now was a great time to share this find.

But before we get to the scrumptious corn pudding, let me tell you a little about this unique and interesting island.

Approximately 500 people make 0.2 square-mile Tangier Island their home. There are no cars (well, we saw two), no city sounds, no traffic lights, no rushing around, no chain restaurants. There are narrow quaint streets, lots of marshes and seagrass, the beautiful sounds of boat engines and waves, a laid-back atmosphere, bicycles and golf carts for transportation, and crabs. Lots of tasty crabs. This quiet island is certainly not for everyone. My husband and I? - we loved it.

To be honest, Mark was immediately comfortable on Tangier, but I was a bit apprehensive at first. It took me a couple of days to settle into the island way. But Tangier certainly grew on me. It's not easy to describe the island, it's people, the Tangier way of life, or exactly why we loved it. And I'm sure I won't even come close to doing it justice. But here are a few snippets of Tangier life to give a tiny glimpse into this unique place.

Water & Quiet:
I think these pictures speak for themselves!

The beach ... in JULY!! If you want a private beach, here you go.

How beautiful is that? And a beach in July with nobody on it? Not many other places you can find that!

There's an airport on the island, accessible for small aircraft - it's quiet, too. Have you ever walked to the beach on an airstrip? Well, Mark and I have! That's how quiet the airport is. You simply need just look up in the sky before embarking on your walk to the beach. All clear? Then go ahead!

Our feet on the airstrip, walking back from the beach

Super-Fresh Crab:
Crabbing is the way of life on Tangier. In fact, Tangier is referred to as the soft shell crab capital of the world. I had crab in some form or another for every meal while we were on Tangier. I love crab, and could eat it every day. I swear I could.

Thanks to Ooker, a local waterman and mayor of Tangier, we had the pleasure of visiting a crab shack and learning about the soft shell crabbing industry. From what I could tell, being a waterman is tough work, but also a tradition and labor of love for the residents of Tangier.

Crab shacks

Tourism:
During the summer, a couple of ferry boats come to the island each day, allowing passengers to explore the island. The tiny streets would bustle with activity for a few hours each mid-day while these short-time guests visited the island offerings.

Ferry coming in

Golf carts (one of the island's modes of transportation) would buzz visitors around ...

Island transportation

... and then the visitors would board back on their ferry boats and the streets would return to their 'normal' quiet.

Quiet street

Unique Dialect:
One of the most intriguing experiences on Tangier Island was hearing the unusual accent of the residents. Because of centuries of relative isolation, the islanders still speak in a unique island way that is similar to the speech spoken when Tangier was settled in 1686. The accent is still strong enough that some people are not able to understand everything that is said. I was one of these people. After several days on Tangier I was getting much better at conversing with the residents, but I admit that I had to concentrate. Many videos and documentaries have been made about the island, highlighting the unique island dialect, if you'd like to learn more. I've included one brief video here - an ESPN commercial filmed on the island (this, and a couple of others, were actually filmed the week after we left the island) - so you can hear a bit of the dialect.

Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House:
And, finally, let's talk about Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House, one of the three inns on the island, and the only inn also serving lunch and dinner. Family-style. With lots of food. Yummy home-cooking kinda food.

John Crockett settled Tangier island in 1686. Many of the inhabitants still have the surname Crockett - and I can only assume Hilda Crockett was descended from the island founder. Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House was started in 1939 by Hilda herself, and is now run by Denny and Glenna Crockett.

Thankfully, Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House is willing to share it's recipes. And, as you know if you're a frequent reader of this blog, I am a totally-obsessed recipe collector! So, naturally, I gathered all the recipes I could while visiting Tangier. I've made many of the dishes I learned about during our visit, and Hilda Crockett's Corn Pudding is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it's smooth-and-creamy, sweet-and-tasty deliciousness as much as I do! Thank you to Hilda and her family for graciously sharing her wonderfully scrumptious recipe.

(Visit Wikipedia to read more about Tangier Island.)

Corn Pudding
Source: Adapted from Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House, Tangier Island, Virginia

Ingredients
3 T. cornstarch
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 (14.75 oz.) can cream style corn
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. butter, cut into small pieces

Directions
1. In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and sugar with a whisk. Add eggs and beat well. Add corn and evaporated milk; mix well.

2. Pour into a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Dot with butter pieces.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour, until set and golden brown.

Enjoy!

This post is linked with Must Try Monday hosted by My Favorite Finds, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Savvy Homemade Monday hosted by Home Savvy A to Z, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Tasty Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, and Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round-Up.

The beach ... in JULY!! If you want a private beach, here you go.

Our feet on the airstrip, walking back from the beach

Crab shacks

Ferry coming in

Golf carts (one of the island's modes of transportation) would buzz visitors around ...

Island transportation

... and then the visitors would board back on their ferry boats and the streets would return to their 'normal' quiet.

Quiet street

Corn Pudding
Source: Adapted from Hilda Crockett's Chesapeake House, Tangier Island, Virginia

reade more...

Pages