What's better than strawberry lemonade?

I'll tell you... strawberry lemonade in the form of a dessert bar! I saw this recipe on a fellow foodie blog called Something Sweet and I knew it would be a perfect match for our Memorial Day cookout last weekend!!

This little babies sure pack a punch of lemon and taste so yummy! they were devoured the minute they hit the table! My only gripe - they did not swirl as I expected them to. The only reason I can figure for this is that I had frozen strawberries in the house (instead of fresh as the original recipe called for) so I used those... maybe too watery? Who knows!

It certainly didn't effect the taste and the two layer look was sort of cool as well!

Enjoy :)

Strawberry Lemon Bars
(adapted from Something Sweet)



Ingredients:
Crust:
7/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Lemon Filling:
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1½ Tbsp. flour
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest, from 2 lemons
2 Tbsp milk
Pinch of salt

Strawberry Puree:
1/2 cup chopped frozen strawberries
1–2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, depending on how sweet the berries are

Directions:
Mix the chopped strawberries with sugar and set aside to macerate for about 30 minutes.

Mix flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add the pieces of butter and, using a pastry blender or your hands, mix until it's a pale yellow and looks like coarse cornmeal. Line an 8x8 baking pan with a sheet of parchment. Press crust mixture into an even ¼-inch thick layer and about ½-inch up the sides. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.

Blend the strawberries in a food processor (for a few seconds) or mash with a fork until there are no large chunks. Cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F and bake crust for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

For filling: Whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and salt in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Then whisk in the lemon juice, zest, and milk.

Reduce the oven temp to 325F.

Pour the filling into the crust. Drop spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture on the surface. Use spoon or knife to swirl the strawberries through the filling.

Bake at 325F for about 20-22 minutes, or until the filling feels firm when touched lightly. Cool to room temperature, and dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Wilton Cake Class... We have homework?!

As mentioned in the "Blondies... or brownies?" post, myself, my Mom, my future sister-in-law and my future mother-in-law are all taking the Wilton Cake I
class on Wednesday nights during the month of May. We really enjoyed the class but really didn't realize that we would have homework each week! To really expand upon our bonding time together, we decided to get together this past Sunday and ice our cakes for our class on Wednesday night... here are some shots of our crazy icing party.

PS: homemade buttercream icing = TO DIE FOR

Here is Jenn (my FSIL & Matron of Honor!) using this fantastic little contraption called a cake leveler to slice through her cake to be able to fill the center with frosting! PS: If you want a great trick to avoid getting the hump in the top of your cake... let me know! It works like a dream!


And here is my Mom icing her cake a lovely shade of purple!


And here is Miss Bette (aka my FMIL) icing her cake white... because she said she isn't a "show off" who needs to dye her icing. I think she is just jealous!


Jenn was having some difficulties with icing hers... she was a little too rough with it. She needed an icing lesson from her Mom!


Here is my cake pre-smoothing... also, I have some great tricks for smoothing too!


My Mom & my cakes after smoothing... now they will wait to be decorated at class on Wednesday night!


And did I mention that Jenn's hubby & Mr. Tana-Licious were at Jenn's house too? Do you think they were cake creating? Oh no... they were hard at work...


Playing Playstation 3!


Stay tuned to my blog for more pictures from this weeks cake class! Wish us luck!!

A taste of Maryland!

Whenever we go out to eat and see Crabcakes on the menu, my Mom & I always giggle a bit and say "bet they aren't really Maryland Crabcakes!

Anyone who is from MD or who has had a true MD crabcake will understand where I'm coming from. In Maryland, crabcakes are an art unto themselves.... packed full of juicy crabmeat, lots of spicy Old Bay seasoning, and just a touch of "filler". Here in RI it's almost the opposite.... lots of "filler, little bits of crab (sometimes imitation... GASP!), and no Old Bay. It's a sad, sad thing!

However, fear not my friends... I have a amazing crabcake recipe that is my secret that I am willing to share with ya'll... and it is the easiest recipe to make. And the results are delicious! You can eat these with or without sauce... I usually serve them with cocktail sauce as well as tartar!

My biggest tip: don't skimp on good crabmeat. I'm not advocating that you steam your own crabs & pick the meat from that (far too much work!!). I usually head to the grocery store and get a can of fresh packed crabmeat claw meat. It's usually in the seafood section. The 1 lb. can is just enough for 7-8 palm sized crabcakes.

Enjoy! :)

Crabcakes



Ingredients:
2 slices white bread, crusts removed and crumbled into small pieces
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning
2 teaspoons of fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoons yellow mustard
1 egg, beaten
1 pound lump crabmeat
Extra virgin olive oil (for browning)

Directions:
Mix bread, mayonnaise, Old Bay, parsley, mustard and egg in large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in crabmeat. Shape into patties of your desired size. Sprinkle each patty with a bit of Old Bay on each side for an additional hit of flavor.
2Broil 10 minutes without turning or fry until golden brown on both sides. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay, if desired.


Tartar sauce
Pickle relish
Mayonaise

Combine relish & may until you reach your desired flavor & amount to make.


Cocktail sauce
Horseradish
Ketchup
Hot sauce (option)

Combine horseradish & ketchup until you reach your desired flavor consistency. Add in a couple of dashes of hot sauce for an extra kick.

I'm coconuts for my Mom!

This pie was truly a labor of love... I decided to take a stab at my first ever Coconut Cream pie for my Mom for Mother's Day. Both my Mom & I salivate at anything with coconut in it! There is this small diner back home in MD called Gleasons that makes the BEST pies and on our recent trip back, the coconut cream was not ready. Needless to say, we've been hankering it since then!

However, I was really unaware of the extended period of time it took to make this pie! And let me tell you, it was mighty tough to not dig in to the bowl of filling prior to the pie assembly! But we persevered and let me tell you, it was so worth it! The filling is smooth and creamy and the topping has a small hint of coconut!

The only changes to this recipe I made are that I subbed in some coconut milk for the regular milk in the filling... I think it really gave it another punch of coconut.

Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie
(Adapted from epicurious.com)



Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cups whole milk
¾ cup coconut milk
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/16 teaspoon coconut extract
Topping
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon coconut extract

For filling:
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolk, and flour in medium bowl. Bring milk and coconut to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return to same saucepan; cook until pastry cream thickens and boils, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and coconut extracts. Transfer pastry cream to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent formation of skin. Chill until cold, 24 hours. Transfer filling to crust. Cover; chill overnight.
For topping:
Toast coconut in heavy small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Cool completely.
Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, and coconut extract in medium bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream all over top of filling. Sprinkle evenly with toasted coconut. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Serve cold.

Blondies... or brownies?

So I came across this recipe for Cinnamon Toast Blondies on Robin's blog and knew I would have to make it ASAP. Mr. Tana-Licious is seriously obsessed with anything that his cinnamon in it! So much so that I'm currently concocting a cinnamon cake recipe to make for his birthday... but I digress!

I decided to make these blondies for dinner tonight at my future in-law's. As I'm making them, I'm noticing that the color isn't so much blonde, as it is brunette. Hmmm, only thing I can attribute this to is that I used a dark brown sugar... maybe Robin used a light brown sugar? Not to worry avid tana-licious blog reader's, I will find out and let you know! (NOTE: I was right... Robin used light brown sugar... but as you can see, the dark worked well too!)

In any event, these blondies/ brownies are AMAZING. I just cut them to plate and they are still a bit warm but mmm, delicious! It tastes just like cinnamon toast!

Enjoy :)

PS: Last night was night # 1 of the Wilton Cake class that I'm taking with my Mom, future mother in law and my matron of honor! I plan to bring my camera next week to catch a bit of the insanity! I must say, I want to go buy EVERYTHING that has label that says "Wilton" or "cake". 'Hi, I'm Tana and I have a serious baking obsession!"

Cinnamon Toast Brownies (I'm calling them brownies... you can call them whetever you would like!)



1 c. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
7 tbsp. butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. pecans, toasted and chopped

Topping:
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Whisk the flour, salt, and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar with the melted butter. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Stir in the pecans. Spread batter into a greased 8×8 baking dish.

Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Sprinkle this mixture over the batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t over-bake. The brownies may seem underdone, but will set as they cool. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Booze & dessert? A win-win combo!

For my future father in law's birthday I decided to try my hand at tiramisu. Let me tell you... I was incredibly surprised at how simple it was and how yummy the results were! The addition of Kaluah to the dessert really gives it a deeper flavor and the cream mixture is so smooth.

Devour this tiramisu with a big cappuchino and you'll swear you're at a street cafe in Italy!

Enjoy :)

White Russian Tiramisu



INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup ground coffee
1-3/4 cups cold water
1/4 cup Kahlua (coffee-flavored liqueur), divided
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) mascarpone cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
24 ladyfingers
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided


PREPARATION:
Place ground coffee in coffee filter. Add cold water to coffee maker, and brew to make 1-1/2 cups. Combine brewed coffee and 2 tablespoons liqueur in a shallow dish; allow to cool.
Combine cheeses in a large bowl.

Beat at high speed of a mixer until smooth. Add sugars and remaining liqueur, and beat until well-blended.
Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Quickly dip 24 ladyfinger halves, flat sides down, into coffee mixture; place, dipped sides down, in the bottom of an 8-inch-square baking dish, slightly overlapping ladyfinger halves. Spread half the cheese mixture over ladyfingers; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cocoa. Repeat procedure with remaining ladyfinger halves, coffee mixture, cheese mixture and cocoa.
Place 1 toothpick in each corner and 1 in the center of tiramisu (to prevent plastic wrap from sticking to cheese mixture cover with plastic wrap. Chill 2 hours. Be sure to remove toothpicks before serving.

Breakfast yum yum's!

Anything that Paula Dean makes you know is going to be # 1: delicious, and # 2: be incredibly rich & sinful!

I made her French Toast Casserole before for a "Breakfast at Tana's themed ladies night with a few of my bridesmaids a while back and it was a hit so I figured that it would be perfect for our Mother's Day brunch at my future in-law's house this past weekend.

The only adaptations I make to this incredibly yummy recipe are that I cube the bread instead of laying it in slices because I feel it soaks up more of the sweet eggy mixture this way!

Some say you don't need syrup with it... other's say bring on the sweetness... all up to you! No matter how you have it, understand it makes a huge dish & serves a crowd!

Enjoy :)

French Toast Casserole
(Paula Dean)



French bread, ends discarded and the remainder cubed (20 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into cubes. Arrange cubes in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.


Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Breakfast yum yum's!

Anything that Paula Dean makes you know is going to be # 1: delicious, and # 2: be incredibly rich & sinful!

I made her French Toast Casserole before for a "Breakfast at Tana's themed ladies night with a few of my bridesmaids a while back and it was a hit so I figured that it would be perfect for our Mother's Day brunch at my future in-law's house this past weekend.

The only adaptations I make to this incredibly yummy recipe are that I cube the bread instead of laying it in slices because I feel it soaks up more of the sweet eggy mixture this way!

Some say you don't need syrup with it... other's say bring on the sweetness... all up to you! No matter how you have it, understand it makes a huge dish & serves a crowd!

Enjoy :)

French Toast Casserole
(Paula Dean)



French bread, ends discarded and the remainder cubed (20 ounces)
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup

Slice French bread into cubes. Arrange cubes in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.


Praline Topping:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup
chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Oh Rachel Ray... sometimes you are a rockstar.

Since I have this unhealthy Obsession with chicken, I'm always looking for new ways to cook it! New sauces, marinades, coatings... you name it, I'm on the constant search for it!

When I saw this recipe on Rachel's show a few weeks ago, I knew it would be the perfect summer marinade for amazing grilled chicken! The recipe calls for fresh herbs, which are of course, more fragrant and vibrant, but I used the dried herbs that I had in my pantry and it worked out just fine! I also added the juice of one lemon into the marinade.

For sides, I made steamed broccoli (my favorite veggie!) and my no fail Lipton Onion Soup roasted potatoes! They're always a huge hit!

Enjoy :)


Lemon Herb Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Lipton Onion Soup Roasted Potatoes



Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken
(adapted from Rachel Ray’s recipe)

4 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt
2 lemons, zested
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 heaping teaspoon of dried thyme
1 heaping teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 heaping teaspoon of dried parsley
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Grate the garlic onto a cutting board and add a couple teaspoons salt, mash into paste with the flat of your knife.
To the garlic, add the lemon zest, fennel seed, thyme, rosemary, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and some black pepper. Stir with a fork to combine then add chicken pieces and coat evenly.
You can let chicken sit in marinade in the refrigerator to absorb the flavor or cook right away (your choice)
Grill chicken 12 to 15 minutes until juices run clear.


Lipton Onion Soup Roasted Potatoes

1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4-6 potatoes, cubed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss potatoes in a bowl with olive oil & onion soup mix.
Place potatoes in a singe layer on a 9x13 baking sheet.
Roast for 35 minutes, turning occasionally.

Cheesecake & chocolate? A match made in heaven!!

In anticipating of going to my matron of honor's house tomorrow night for some serious Wii playing, I decided that I would bring dessert! I baked off a batch of these yummy cream cheese brownies which are basically cheesecake brownies.

The layer of cream cheese filling on top is soft and gooey and the chocolate brownie is incredibly fudgey and rich. Mmmm, I've found a hit!

I'm thinking that next time I make these, I will swirl the cheesecake layer into the chocolate one for a bit of a swirled look! I guess that means I will be forced into making these again. Darn ;)

Enjoy :)

Cheesecake Brownies



Brownies
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Chocolate Lovers'
Double Fudge Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Topping
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 lb confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 13 X 9 pan.
2. Combine all of the brownie ingredients (including fudge packet from mix) and stir with spoon until well blended. Spread into pan.
3. Beat cream cheese in large bowl at medium with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, sugar, vanilla until smooth. Spread over brownie mixture.
4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until edges and top are golden brown.
5. Cool completely and the refrigerate until well chilled.

What to do when you're missing a key element of the recipe?

IMPROVISE!

So I was planning to make Giada's Mini Mascarpone Cupcakes today since I had 4 oz. of mascarpone cheese leftover from my White Russian Tiramisu (pictures to come soon!)... I went and picked up the other elements that I needed for Giada's recipe (strawberries, 10x sugar) and I assumed that I had a box of white cake mix here at home.

I get home from shopping and head to the pantry to grab the white cake mix... I'm looking and looking... no white cake mix in sight! There is red velvet and spice and yellow and lemon and carrot. You've got to be kidding me! Instead if panicking I decided that I would change the recipe up a bit (ie: omit the strawberry & 10x sugar glaze) and go with a lemon flavor w/ a drizzle of lemon icing.

Needless to say, these are little bites of joy! The lemon & the mascarpone marry for a sweet & tangy relationship that makes these cupcakes so very moist!

The moral of the story kids, don't assume you have your pantry fully stocked... and don't panic when faced with a recipe predicament!

Enjoy :)

Mini Lemon Marscapone Cupcakes
(Adapted from Giada DeLaurenitis recipe Mini Marscapone Cupcakes)



4 ounces mascarpone cheese (about 1 cup), softened
1 egg white
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/2 box lemon cake mix
1/2 cup water
Lemon frosting (pop a little bit into the microwave to thin it out before drizzling)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the mini tins with paper liners.
In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg white and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the mini cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.
Drizzle the top of the cupcakes with the slightly melted lemon frosting.