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Friday, February 3, 2012

Bake Me Happy...Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecake (for two)



I’m just going to say it…I’ve never been a huge fan of Red Velvet Cake.

There, I said it.  It’s out there and now I can’t take it back.

Whew!  It feels so much better to just let it out.

I’ve been feeling weird or like something is off with me with all the Red Velvet recipes blowing up the Internet on blogs and Pinterest and me NOT wanting to take part in the hoop-la.  I mean EVERYONE seems to LOVE this Red Velvet craze.

Except me.

Then, I came across this recipe at Angie's Sweet Natured Things for Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecakes for two.  Ummm…I totally love cheesecake…AND white chocolate.  And these are just so stinking cute.  How could I NOT want to make them???  I showed the recipe to Mr. AKM all excited to make it for the two of us to have after a romantic dinner for TWO.  I’m thinking candle light…a bottle of wine…me an my man dining al fresco on our patio surrounded by twinkle lights…maybe some Chris Issak or David Gray playing in the background the smell of fresh roses in the air (hint, hint babe)…are you with me here ladies?

Like I said, I showed him the recipe thinking he’d be all like “Yea babe, that’s awesome…everything you make tastes like heaven in my mouth”.  That would be the appropriate thing to say in my opinion.

That’s not how it happened.

Instead he says (and I quote) “sure, make it but I HATE Red Velvet…it tastes like CRAP!”  Whah?  My entire romantic setting just flew off the table and smashed on the floor.

Hate is a pretty strong word here peeps.  I mean, I don’t love it, but hate????  WOW!

And in that instant I knew…I had to make it my personal mission to “change” him.  I had to…no I needed to prove him wrong!   Sure that’s not the mature thing to do but after 14 ½ years of marriage I feel that I’m entitled to proving him wrong occasionally.

And guess what???

I DID!  In fact, I even got my little cheesecake "hating" son to fall in love with this minature piece of Red Velvet and White Chocolate Heaven on earth!

I'm just THAT awesome!

I won't lie...making this was a bit time consuming. I was fooled into thinking that making 2 "small" cheesecakes would equal less time in kitchen...not that case.

But so completely worth the effort. 


Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecake - For 2

by Angi McCarthy at AKM designs and delights
Keywords: White Chocolate Cream Cheese Red Velvet cake

Ingredients (2 - 4/12" Cheesecakes)
    White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
    • 1 ounce white chocolate
    • 1 ounce heavy cream
    • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Red Velvet Cake
    • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1 egg white
    • 1 teaspoon red food coloring
    • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
    • 1 ounce white chocolate
    • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
    • 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
    • 2 tablespoons sour cream
    • 1/8 teaspoon white vinegar
    Instructions
    White Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
    Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Butter two wells of a small cheesecake pan. (I recommend this one).
    Melt white chocolate with heavy cream either in a double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.
    Beat together cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing on medium-low speed until well blended. Finally, add melted white chocolate and mix on low until incorporated.
    Divide batter between the two cheesecake wells. Bake until set, approximately 15 minutes.
    Allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least two hours
    Red Velvet Cake
    Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two wells of a mini cheesecake pan.
    Cream together butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add egg white and continue beating until thoroughly combined.
    With mixer off, add food coloring and cocoa powder. Mix on low until incorporated, then beat on medium-high for two minutes.
    Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix together vanilla extract and buttermilk. Alternate adding half of dry ingredients with half of buttermilk/vanilla mixture to the butter mixture, beating on medium until combined after each addition. Mix in sour cream and vinegar on low speed until combined.
    Divide batter between the two prepared wells. Bake until cakes test done with a toothpick, 20-25 minutes. Allow cakes to cool for about five minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to complete cooling.
    White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
    Melt white chocolate together with heavy cream in either a double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second increments. Set aside to cool.
    Beat together cream cheese and butter until thoroughly combined. Beat in melted white chocolate. Add powdered sugar in batches, beating with each addition. If a stiffer frosting is desired, add additional powdered sugar.
    Assembly
    white chocolate shavings
    powdered red food coloring (optional)
    cocoa powder (optional)
    If necessary, level mini-red velvet cakes, then cut each cake into two halves using a serrated knife.
    Place one chilled cheesecake layer between two layers of cake.
    Cover each cake with a thin crumb coat of frosting to lock in any loose crumbs, then chill for at least 30 minutes. Apply a final coat of frosting and garnish with white chocolate shavings. If desired, sprinkle with powdered red food coloring or cocoa powder.
    Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    Powered by Recipage

    In the spirit of love, go forth and make this cheesecake for someone you love.  You will be glad you did!

    Wednesday, February 1, 2012

    Reclaimed Wood Art Display




    About a year ago a came across a picture in a Pottery Barn Kids catalog of a canvas with a caterpillar on it.  While the canvas was adorable in itself what caught my eye was the manner in which it was displayed.  The canvas was on a "frame" made of reclaimed barn wood or pallet wood.  Sah-WEET!  I was enamored with this display instantly.  (cue the floating hearts here)

    Since that time, I have been (1) trying to determine a place in my home where I could use this type of display for a print and (2) trying to find a print I would want to use.  These things take time people...you understand.  You can't just rush into these things all willy-nilly like. 

    Well, a few weeks ago when I was playing around in some Linky Parties and you know once you do that you get sucked in for like hours looking at all the awesome-ness that OTHER people come up with and(shhhh...don't tell Mr. AKM) I came across some super fabulous Kitchen Wall Printables here at Over the Moon.  SWOON!  I IMMEDIATELY knew that these were the prints that my heart has been longing for.  And that these would be so sweetly displayed on some reclaimed wood frames. 

    Squealls!!!

    After deciding that I wanted the prints to be 11 x 14 (due to some art canvas's I already had on hand, i.e. no need to spend money) I sent the file off to Shutterfly and eagerly awaited the receipt of my prints.  While I impatiently waited, I started the process of making my displays.  We had some reclaimed wood from a deck that Mr. AKM ripped apart so...I cut 3 planks for each display to the size I desired.  Then sanded and stained each using this new shade of Minwax Stain - Weathered Oak.  Have you seen this color?  LOVE IT!  It is my new fav stain!  It has kinda a gray/brown tint to it....like weathered oak.  Go figure?!

    This is what the planks looked like after sanding and staining.



    Isn't that color AWESOME!  Sigh...

    Then we Mr. AKM cut down some 1/4" plywood we had on hand for support for the back...



    He went kinda crazy with the screws...he likes to use his my son's new drill.  I was gonna add some silly quip about how he likes to "screw" things but I'm not in the mood for hate mail...but we are all grown-ups here right? 

    After he "screwed" the backing on, I added some picture hanger thingies (yes, that is the technical term) so that I could attach it to the wall.  Like, duh! 



    Then my pictures arrived...OH HAPPY DAY!

    I grabbed my little jar of Mod Podge and a sponge brush...


    Slapped it on the front of some art canvas and stuck my picture right on to it.  Easy Peasy!

    I was so excited that I forgot to take a picture of this.  Bad blogger...I know.  I am hanging my head in shame as I type this out to you. 

    So I stared at my finished canvas's for 'bout an hour trying to figure out how I was going to get them on my display board.  And then I had a major A-HA! Moment!  I can use those totally cool little Command Strip thingies (again, yes, that is the technical term).  That way if I ever want to change them out, oh say to put holiday specific pictures up..I TOTALLY CAN!  Wooohooooo!  Can I get a HELL YEA here ladies? 

    3M Command Mounting Strips 2 Pack

    Don't you love these things?  They so totally ROCK!

    I put one set on the top and one on the bottom and...





    I so totally heart them!  My heart is all a-flutter even now.  Swoon!



    Total cost - $18.00!  Not bad for some serious eye candy if you ask me!

    What do you think?  Is this something you would make for your house?  Where would you use it at?

    
    You may find this post partying in the following places:





    I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog). 

    Monday, January 30, 2012

    Bake Me Happy...Thin Mint CookieTruffles


    Easy Thin Mint Truffles
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    I did a bad, bad thing. 

    I bought a box of Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies...and then I ate them.  The whole. stinking. box!  Yup, I sure did. 

    And you know what else?  I don't feel bad about it.  I have NO guilt what.so.EVER!  NONE!  With every bite I took, I reminded myself that I was supporting a great society by eating them.  A society that EMPOWERS girls to do more...to get involved in their community and to help others.  So essentially, I was helping others by eating cookies.  I like the way that sounds, don't you? 

    And since I am SUCH an awesome supporter of the Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies Society, I not only bought from one Girl Scout but TWO!  Yea, I'm awesome like that.  Which means that I now have enough cookies to feed a small army. 



    My first thought was to freeze them in hopes that I would forget about them but quickly realized that the freezer only makes the cookies cold which actually inhanced the flavor.  UGH!  This simply will not do!  I CAN NOT have these in my home or I will proceed to eat every last box of them necessitating the need for more TRX classes (which you can read about here).  Again...this simply will NOT do!

    Soooo....I had to come up with something I could do with them ASAP! 

    And I did what any good food blogger would do.

    I jumped on Pinterest. 

    Oh yea I did!  Then I proceeded to waste an hour of my life looking at all the things that other people create and suddenly felt inadequate.  So I soothed myself with a few more Thin Mint Cookies...again HELPING a great society.  Did you know that there are like a meell-ion recipes out there for Thin Mint cookies?  I had NO idea!    GHAH!

    I came across one for Thin Mint Truffles and knew that those were the ones to make (mostly because its the only one I had all the ingredients for).

    Add then I made them...and we ate them! 




    End of story!

    So heres the recipe...Now go make your own and be a GREAT supporter of the Girl Scouts!

    
    Easy Thin Mint Cookie Truffles
    Ingredients
    • 1 (9 ounce) package Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies, divided
    • 1 (4 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
    • 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER’S Dark Chocolate Baking Chocolate, melted
    Directions
    • Crush cookies to fine crumbs in food processor. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.)   Add cream cheese; mix until well blended.
    • Roll cookie mixture into balls, about 1-inch in diameter.  Place on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
    • Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    • Dip balls in chocolate using toothpicks; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs or your favorite sprinkles immediately after dipping.
    • Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator. Yea, like there will be an left to store.  Uhm...NOT!
    So tell me, what do you do with your Girl Scout cookies?  Do you just eat them straight from the box or do you conjur up some new recipe?

    You may find this post partying in the following places:





    I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog). 

    Tuesday, January 24, 2012

    Bake Me Happy - Cinnnamon Chip Banana Bread

    Best Banana Bread EVER
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    (infused with Cinnamon Chips)



    So I baked banana bread...and then Gremlins ate it. 

    True Story.

    I had the intentions of getting up this morning and taking pictures of my beautiful creation whilst the morning sunlight was streaming though the windows casting a sort-of "ethereal" glow. 

    That didn't happen.

    Instead, I got up this morning and this is what was left.


    WTH?  Do I have gremlins that sneak into my kitchen at night and devour my food while I sleep?

    I'm seriously concerned about this now people.  When I left the kitchen last, there were only TWO slices missing...TWO!  This morning I come in and there are only two slices REMAINING! 


    Ummm....I am hopeful that this bread was so stinking good that the 3 men in my life could not resist the temptation to WAIT until I was able to take some photos of it and that I do not need to be concerned about midnight prowlers in my kitchen.

    And that is what I am going to go with...that this is the BEST banana bread EVER! 

    How did it come to be you ask? 

    Well, I had 3 rotten bananas sitting in my fruit basket. My intention was to make chocolate chip banana bread; however, when I went to get out my chocolate chips.  There were none.  I'm blaming that one on my gremlins too.  It wasn't me that ate them...I swear it!  Instead, I found a leftover bag of cinnamon chips from when I baked these.  Yumm-ERS!

    So I tossed in a cup of the cinnamon chips and there you have it folks...the Best Banana Bread EVER!




    Cinnamon Chip Banana Bread
    (adapted from Cooking Light)

    Ingredients:
    1 c. sugar
    ¼ c light butter – softened
    3 mashed, ripe bananas
    ¼ c. milk
    ¼ sour cream
    2 large egg whites
    1 c. wheat flour
    1 c. all purpose flour
    1 tsp. baking soda
    ½ tsp. salt
    ½ c. cinnamon chips (optional)


    Directions
    1.       Preheat oven to 350°.
    2.       Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add banana, milk, sour cream, and egg whites; beat well, and set aside.
    3.       Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beating until blended.
    4.       Spoon batter into 4 (5 x 2 1/2-inch) miniature loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Let cool completely on wire racks.
    5.       Note: To make one 9-inch loaf, spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray; bake at 350º for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Yield: 1 loaf, 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice).
    You may find this post partying in the following places:





    I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog). 
    

    Monday, January 23, 2012

    First project of 2012 - FINISHED!!

    Painting the Front Door
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    (Project...COMPLETE)



    Cue the angels singing...I have FINISHED the front door!  My first project of 2012 COMPLETE!  Wow...gosh...I just didn't think it would ever happen.  Oh my gosh...who do I thank first?  Let me see...my husband, Mr. AKM for always standing by me and supporting me when I'm being so totally OCD that no one else can stand me...my kids for telling me that the color is AWESOME even though they would prefer that I paint it camouflage or orange or any other color besides turquoise blue :)  But most importantly I want to thank Wagner for making the most incredible paint sprayer like EVER!  Seriously, having that paint sprayer made this project soooo totally worth my time!  LOVE IT!  You can read all about this little piece of paint spray heaven here.  It took me all of 10 minutes TOPS to paint this door.  It sprayed on like velvet.  2 coats and it was over...I almost felt a little cheated that I didn't get to spend more time getting to know my paint sprayer better. 

    So here is a before in case you forgot what it looked like...

    and now...lots of photo love for you....

    Remember these nasty scratches???


    TOTALLY GONE!  Isn't that awesome?  I so love this color!  I want EVERY door in my house this color! 

    Check it out in all it's glory...


    I love how the colors from the rug are all tied together now.  I was a bit nervous when I saw the door finished leaning against the wall in the garage but having it hung up in my entry...I. AM. IN. LU-OVE!  I just love the pop of color it gives to the space don't you?

    So tell me, what do you think of it?  Do you think you could bring a bright pop of color to an area in your home?

    You may find this post partying in the following places:





    I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog).

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