australian desserts

Red Velvet Cake Hearts

So Valentine's Day is coming up & I knew I wanted to make something festive for you all, as well as for my cute family. I whipped up this Red Velvet Cake Roll & shaped it into a heart. It turned out pretty nice, I must say! Wouldn't this be fun to put in your kids' school lunches on Valentine's Day? Or just to serve your hubby after a special dinner, just the two of you? My 3 year old LOVED the heart shape. He also told me, "Mommy, this is the best cake!" What a cutie! I am glad that he enjoyed this fun little cake & I am sure your little ones or significant other will enjoy it too!

Red Velvet Cake Hearts

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp skim milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice)
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, cold
6 Tbsp butter, lightly softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease 15x10" jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease & flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, kitchen towel with approximately 1/2 cup powdered sugar (a heavy coating.)
In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip eggs on medium speed for 5 minutes. Slowly add sugar & oil. Beat until combined. Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, & red food coloring. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
Immediately loosen & turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Roll up cake & towel together from each end meeting in the center. Turn cake onto it's side so both rolls are stacked one on top of the other. Gather ends & tie shut using a rubber band. Allow cake to rest on it's side on a wire rack until cool.
To make the filling: Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese & butter until incorporated & smooth. Should not take more than 1 minute. Add vanilla & powdered sugar all at once. Mix until combined.
Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cake leaving a generous amount down the seam where the two rolls meet (this will be the bottom point of the heart, so you want extra icing there.) Re-roll each end as tight as you can until both ends meet in the center. Stack rolls on it's side, one on top of the other, & slice. If needed, gently help shape the cake into a heart & serve.

Yield: 15-16 slices

Red Velvet Cake Hearts

Recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp skim milk with 1/2 tsp lemon juice)
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, cold
6 Tbsp butter, lightly softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease 15x10" jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease & flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, kitchen towel with approximately 1/2 cup powdered sugar (a heavy coating.)
In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, & salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip eggs on medium speed for 5 minutes. Slowly add sugar & oil. Beat until combined. Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, & red food coloring. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.
Immediately loosen & turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Roll up cake & towel together from each end meeting in the center. Turn cake onto it's side so both rolls are stacked one on top of the other. Gather ends & tie shut using a rubber band. Allow cake to rest on it's side on a wire rack until cool.
To make the filling: Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese & butter until incorporated & smooth. Should not take more than 1 minute. Add vanilla & powdered sugar all at once. Mix until combined.
Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cake leaving a generous amount down the seam where the two rolls meet (this will be the bottom point of the heart, so you want extra icing there.) Re-roll each end as tight as you can until both ends meet in the center. Stack rolls on it's side, one on top of the other, & slice. If needed, gently help shape the cake into a heart & serve.

Yield: 15-16 slices

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Black Bottom Peanut Butter Icebox Pie

This year for Christmas Eve dessert, Mom decided we would have a 'pie bar.' Each of us ladies in the family was to bring a pie. How fun is that?? I had the. hardest. time. deciding what pie I was going to bring. I just couldn't pick from all the amazing pie ideas around! Finally ... and I do mean finally, after about two weeks of staring at my pile of pie recipes ...

Continue Reading >>

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Blueberry Crumble Cake

So once a month you will see this special header in my blog posts. I was invited to start a Surprise Recipe Swap with some of my blogging buddies & this is the first month for all of us! It was so exciting to get my email with the blog I will be baking/cooking from. Just a little info about the swap if you are also a fellow food blogger & might be interested in joining. You must have 50 recipes on your blog & be willing to do one post on the 20th of every month making a recipe from another blogger. Easy right? Click on the "I participate in the SRS" button at the bottom of this post to sign up.

So this month my surprise blog is Bibi's Culinary Journey!!!

This gal has loads of recipes to choose from, it was so hard to pick one. She has some great Slovak recipes to try as well. So if you want to expand your culinary genre go take a peak & try some of the unique dishes she has to offer.

Since I have been going soup crazy & making other savory comfort foods, I decided it was time to bake something up. I haven't made anything sweet since last month's 12 days of Christmas Sweets & I am officially having sugar withdrawals.

This recipe is fruity & sweet. I loved the crunchy streusel topping. The recipe made a lot of crumb topping, so if you are trying to save a few calories you might want to cut that part in half. But, if you are not trying to save calories, I can see this dish being perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream too. Delicious! It would also be great for a summer party, & I am totally looking forward to summer already even though we have all of winter & spring to get through first. Anyway, try this cake & go visit Bibi & tell her Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! sent you!

Blueberry Crumble Cake

Recipe from Bibi's Culinary Journey & lightly altered by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (or Splenda or Equal)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup skim milk + 1 tsp lemon juice; let sit 10 minutes before using.)
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs (I used plain panko)
1 lbs fresh blueberries (I used 3 cups frozen)

Crumb Mixture:

1/2 cup butter, cold
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease a 11x13" baking pan.
Prepare crumb mixture: In a bowl, cut up cold butter, sugar & flour. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat together butter & sugar until light.
Beat in eggs one at a time & add vanilla. Scrape bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt & baking powder.
On medium speed, mix flour alternating with buttermilk into butter mixture.
Spread cake mix onto greased pan. Evenly coat with breadcrumbs & then top with washed blueberries.
Sprinkle the top with crumb mixture & bake for 20-35 minutes (less time if using fresh blueberries, more time if using frozen blueberries) or until the edges are brown & a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow cake to cool before you cut it.

So this month my surprise blog is Bibi's Culinary Journey!!!

Blueberry Crumble Cake

Recipe from Bibi's Culinary Journey & lightly altered by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Cake:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (or Splenda or Equal)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup skim milk + 1 tsp lemon juice; let sit 10 minutes before using.)
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs (I used plain panko)
1 lbs fresh blueberries (I used 3 cups frozen)

Crumb Mixture:

1/2 cup butter, cold
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease a 11x13" baking pan.
Prepare crumb mixture: In a bowl, cut up cold butter, sugar & flour. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat together butter & sugar until light.
Beat in eggs one at a time & add vanilla. Scrape bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt & baking powder.
On medium speed, mix flour alternating with buttermilk into butter mixture.
Spread cake mix onto greased pan. Evenly coat with breadcrumbs & then top with washed blueberries.
Sprinkle the top with crumb mixture & bake for 20-35 minutes (less time if using fresh blueberries, more time if using frozen blueberries) or until the edges are brown & a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow cake to cool before you cut it.

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Six Sisters' Stuff My Recipe Magic Launch Party

So I am a follower of the Six Sisters' Stuff blog & they had an open invitation to attend their My Recipe Magic launch party for any food bloggers or food lovers. I saw it & thought I should go, but wimped out because I am a stay-at-home mom, what if I forget what it is like to socialize? What if I look like a creepy stalker when I talk to the sisters? Blah, blah, blah. Even though my husband nudged me to go I made a million excuses why I shouldn't.

Then, I got a message on facebook from Camille, eldest sister of the Six Sisters' Stuff, saying that she liked my blog, saw that I had put recipes into My Recipe Magic & that she wanted to invite me to the launch party. She also mentioned that she was an Aggie, go USU! So I thought, okay, that was really nice, so I better just suck it up & go. I was totally an RA (Resident Assistant) in college & you have to be bubbly & outgoing for that job, so it shouldn't be hard to be that person again right? Despite my currently cooped up stay-at-home mom type ways, I decided to go. Thankfully we have some friends that lived close to the event location so my husband & kids could play while I attended the launch party for the evening.

What a great party! We got lovely bags with coupons, they had a made-to-order crepe bar, prizes, & lots of bloggers. I got the chance to chat with Camille when I was in line for the crepes & she is so sweet. She even recognized me & she has the cutest little baby girl. Those sisters are so nice & their dad is super funny. You can tell they are just a great, loving family which probably helps make them so successful. Anyway, I had so much fun I have decided I am going to their Build Your Blog Conference in February. If you are a fellow blogger in Utah & want more information, click on the link I have in my sidebar. It is going to be amazing I just know it!

Anyway, I can't finish this post without showing you the fun ladies I met while I was there.

Meet The Real Housewives of Riverton! These ladies are a hoot! They shared lots of stories & are great friends. Their blog has a little bit of everything. Go check them out & tell them Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! sent you.

Lastly, meet Alexis from We Like to Learn As We Go! She is a mom sharing her adventures & tips as her kids grow. She has lots to share. Go check her out & don't forget to let her know I sent ya!

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Hot Onion Souffle Dip

Ya know ... sometimes the simplest things are the best things. Like sleeping in on a Saturday morning. A leisurely breakfast. A few minutes sitting in the sunshine. These are some of life's simple pleasures for me. Oh, and let's not forget this super-easy, super-tasty, 4-ingredient Hot Onion Souffle Dip! Yep, for just 4 ingredients ...

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Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe

I love good hearty soups all year round, but everyone knows they're best during the cold months.

Speaking of cold, I had forgotten how cold Arkansas can get.

We've had multiple nights in the upper-teens the past few weeks......I don't know if Virginia ever got that cold the entire nine years we lived there.

I have love the Olive Garden's Soup and Salad all you can eat lunch for years....and Pasta e Fagioli has always been my favorite. (although never mind asking me to say it properly. I just point to it on the menu. Don't laugh.)

So I was super excited when I saw that Jaclyn from Cooking Classy had posted her version of the soup. I had to try it out the very next week.

We absolutely loved it.

So positively delicious. While I haven't eaten soup at the Olive Garden in a few years, I am certain that this soup is superior. And it's healthy, too.

Win-win.

Thank goodness we liked it, because this made a huge batch.

Grant's only complaint about it was the red kidney beans. He thought they looked really nice, but

they're just not a bean he cares for too much. So next time I might

substitute in another bean for him....but I liked the kidney beans just fine.

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe (adapted slightly from Cooking Classy)

2 lbs lean ground turkey, ground beef, or Italian sausage

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 large carrots, diced

3-4 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced finely

32 oz. tomato sauce (approximate - can be a little more or less)

1 quart vegetable broth (beef or chicken work well also)

1-1/2 cups water

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

3/4 tsp. dried majoram

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1-1/2 cups ditalini pasta, uncooked

1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large stock pan over medium high heat. Crumble in ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Drain meat and set aside. In the same pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute carrots, celery, and onion over medium-high heat until tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Reduce heat to low; add tomato sauce, broth, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, cooked meat, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover with lid and allow to simmer at a low boil 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are soft. Add pasta to pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add beans and cook 5 minutes longer, or until pasta is tender.

Serve warm with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.

Note: The longer the soup sits, the more liquid the pasta will absorb. Thin it with additional broth if desired.

I ended up adding an extra 8 oz can of tomato sauce with a couple of cups of water and a little more spices to the leftovers the second day, as it had become more like a casserole. It was still super delicious.

Linked to Crumbs and Chaos/Seasonal Inspiration

I love good hearty soups all year round, but everyone knows they're best during the cold months.

Speaking of cold, I had forgotten how cold Arkansas can get.

We've had multiple nights in the upper-teens the past few weeks......I don't know if Virginia ever got that cold the entire nine years we lived there.

So I was super excited when I saw that Jaclyn from Cooking Classy had posted her version of the soup. I had to try it out the very next week.

We absolutely loved it.

So positively delicious. While I haven't eaten soup at the Olive Garden in a few years, I am certain that this soup is superior. And it's healthy, too.

Win-win.

Thank goodness we liked it, because this made a huge batch.

Grant's only complaint about it was the red kidney beans. He thought they looked really nice, but

they're just not a bean he cares for too much. So next time I might

substitute in another bean for him....but I liked the kidney beans just fine.

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe (adapted slightly from Cooking Classy)

2 lbs lean ground turkey, ground beef, or Italian sausage

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 large carrots, diced

3-4 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced finely

32 oz. tomato sauce (approximate - can be a little more or less)

1 quart vegetable broth (beef or chicken work well also)

1-1/2 cups water

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

3/4 tsp. dried majoram

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1-1/2 cups ditalini pasta, uncooked

1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving

Directions:

Serve warm with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.

Note: The longer the soup sits, the more liquid the pasta will absorb. Thin it with additional broth if desired.

Linked to Crumbs and Chaos/Seasonal Inspiration

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Caesar Pasta Salad

So this whole week has been leading up to this recipe. Ciabatta made into croutons just to top this yummy salad! My husband saw this on our menu for the week & he kept telling me he couldn't wait until I made this. He was not disappointed & neither was I. This salad is full of wonderful textures & flavors. We loved it! It's probably more of a summer dish for potlucks/parties, but we were really excited for this salad. Too bad it was snowing like crazy the day we made this, we probably should have had soup to warm up. Haha. That's okay because this salad was wonderful & really quick to whip up. Putting this on our make again soon list!

Caesar Pasta Salad

Salad inspired from For the Love of Food & Caesar dressing slightly altered from Our Best Bites: Savoring the Seasons Cookbook by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Caesar Dressing:

2 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced or roughly chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup pure or light olive oil (not extra virgin)

Salad:

1 1/2 cups, fussili pasta, uncooked (can use any small pasta about 6oz)
1 1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix (or 1/2 store-bought Italian Seasoning Packet)
1-2 heads romaine lettuce, torn (about 12 cups)
1 1/2 cups croutons
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare dressing by combining mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt & pepper in a blender & process until smooth. With blender running on low speed, slowly pour olive oil in a steady stream just until fully incorporated. Place dressing in refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain & then rinse the pasta under cold water until pasta is no longer warm. Drain thoroughly. Place pasta in a LARGE bowl. Sprinkle the pasta with the Italian seasoning. Toss.
To the bowl of pasta, add torn lettuce, croutons & parmesan cheese. Drizzle with prepared caesar dressing & toss lightly with salad tongs. Serve immediately.

*Yield: 6 servings.

Caesar Pasta Salad

Salad inspired from For the Love of Food & Caesar dressing slightly altered from Our Best Bites: Savoring the Seasons Cookbook by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Caesar Dressing:

2 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced or roughly chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup pure or light olive oil (not extra virgin)

Salad:

1 1/2 cups, fussili pasta, uncooked (can use any small pasta about 6oz)
1 1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning Dressing Mix (or 1/2 store-bought Italian Seasoning Packet)
1-2 heads romaine lettuce, torn (about 12 cups)
1 1/2 cups croutons
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Prepare dressing by combining mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt & pepper in a blender & process until smooth. With blender running on low speed, slowly pour olive oil in a steady stream just until fully incorporated. Place dressing in refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain & then rinse the pasta under cold water until pasta is no longer warm. Drain thoroughly. Place pasta in a LARGE bowl. Sprinkle the pasta with the Italian seasoning. Toss.
To the bowl of pasta, add torn lettuce, croutons & parmesan cheese. Drizzle with prepared caesar dressing & toss lightly with salad tongs. Serve immediately.

*Yield: 6 servings.

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