End of the Year Baking Cleaning Spree

So, its the end of the year again! Gosh, another year went by super fast and I decided to clean up my baking stash and bake some goodies for the holidays with what I have. Well, one of my cleaning spree baking  ingredients, the wheat flour, was taken away by my clumsy and lovable dog Rudy; yup, that's him below.
I would make the homemade wheat bread; but, thanks to Rudy, there was a change of plans there.

Rudy got in my baking supplies the other night and had some fun with the wheat flour bag. He woke up during the night and decided he was bored; so, he went straight to my baking ingredients. I woke up to a room full of flour all over the navy blue carpet; thanks Rudy for the "woof" morning mommy! But, I still love him, look at that face!!

So, getting back to my baking cleaning spree for the end of the year. As I am writing this blog I also have a banana bread baking in the oven; which is making my kitchen smell delicious! I decided to bake the banana bread to finish up the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free all purpose flour I had and use some more of the Xanthan Gum as well. The banana bread is a recipe from the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free flour bag. When I want to use up an  ingredient and I don't know what to do, I just look at the package and see what's the recipe suggested; it's a great way to use up left over ingredients. 

This is the banana bread in the oven. I can't wait until it's done :-)

The banana bread recipe also let me use some more baking ingredients, such as walnuts, which I finished the bag, raisins that I also had in my cabinet and other usual baking ingredients.

For Christmas dinner, I am making Tiramisu for dessert which will allow me to use the bag of ladyfingers that has been in my cabinet for a few months now. In addition, I will use some of the brandy I also have for a while and cocoa powder. I still have a few chocolate cake mixes that I also want to use, but those will have to wait until next year; it's enough sweets for now.

So, just take a look in your kitchen cabinets and check the baking ingredients you have there; make sure you check the expiration dates and start by using the ones that will expire first. This is my end of the year baking cleaning spree suggestions... from my kitchen to yours :-)

Happy Holidays and a an even better New Year!!

Final product ... the delicious banana bread!

PB&J Cupcakes

Last weekend I decided to turn one of my husband’s favorite sweet treats, PB&J sandwich, into a cupcake.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 box of white cake mix, you can also use butter cake mix
• 2-3 cups of Peanut butter spread; I used Jiffy’s reduced fat
• 3 eggs
• 3-1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (oil substitute)
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of milk (water substitute)
• Grape or strawberry jelly
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
  

Directions:

1. Cream about ¾ cups of peanut butter with ½ stick of butter
2. Just follow the instruction of the cake mix box, but make the substitutions listed above.
3. Add to creamed peanut butter - cake mix, eggs, vanilla extract, 1 stick of butter, sour cream, milk
4. Fold in chopped peanuts
5. Bake according to cake box instructions
   

After cooled, inject the jelly into each cupcake with a piping tip and voila! Now, it’s ready for icing.

Peanut Butter Icing

Mix about 1-2 cups of peanut butter with 2 cups of confectioning sugar; taste it to make sure it’s not too sweet and make sure it stays at a good consistence for decoration. Not too hard and not too soft.

Well, it turned out delicious and I even had extra for a little cake.

If you like PB&J sandwiches, this is a must. I am sure you will love it!

Family recipe - Tiramisu Cold dessert

This is a delicious cold dessert my mother and gramma used to make. I tried a few times but had no luck. Then, finally asked my gramma for the correct recipe; it turned out delicious. In Portuguese, this dessert is called "Pave Gelado" similar translation would be "Cold Dessert"

Ingredients

• 1 can of condensed milk
• 1 can of milk you can use 2% but full fat is always better
• 1 can of table cream
• 4 eggs - separate egg whites and yolks
• 2 packs of ladies fingers wafers
• 4 tbps of sugar
• 1 cup of chocolate milk

Directions

Freeze the table cream for one hour before using, to eliminate liquids. Place condensed milk, milk and 4 egg yolks in a sauce pan ; stir it until you get a thick consistence. Place the thick cream in a glass dish, 11'x8" approximately. Dip ladies fingers in chocolate milk and sugar and place two layers of the wet wafers over the thick cream.

Beat the 4 egg whites until peak and add table cream, from freezer (make sure there is no liquids on the top layer), add 4 tbps of sugar. Mix is all and pour it over the wafers' layer. Cover with aluminum foil and place it in freezer for at least 2-3 hours.

Enjoy!

Tips -

1. you can add some instant coffee to bottom or top layer to give it a bit of tiramisu taste.
2. if you like coconut, sprinkle some coconut flakes on top of the last layer and/or shaved chocolate like I did