INTRODUCING: Make-It-Simple Recipes

So I got to thinking...

Who has all the time in the world to go to the grocery stores and hunt for rare-finds like the fresh mascarpohne cheese that I drool over watching Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian. I mean, isn't there a reason that us working professionals "WATCH" these shows and rarely find anytime to bake these all-time favorites that are just sooooo much better than store bought.

I mean I want everyone to be able to "BRING IT" as it "Bring it HOME"! I'm craving some of my favorite wild berry cobblers right about now. But not the type with over sugared, over fattened, over perserved that look dry and sad at the grocery store (or my work cafeteria..shhh don't tell them I said that). I want the type that I baked with yummy berry fumes that fills my house topped with cold real whipped cream that I had in venice...last time I had the time/energy to make this was in Dec of '09. Just dreaming about that warm gooey berry cobbler bubbling in my oven with the kind of golden pie crust falls apart in your fork and in your mouth.

I've gotten the pie from my cafeteria with whippedcream pipped from the can & saw it melt down into hydrogenated oil & air. You know what I'm talking about...

SO! Why are you reading this? I am INTRODUCING: PAMCAKES MAKE-IT-SIMPLE RECIPES. All of your all-time favs from pamcakes...with Step-by-Step Recipes...MADE SIMPLE!

So What? (as my fav paster, Lon Solomon would say) What does this mean to me???? Big whoop!?!

This means, YOU TOO, can be a Domestic Goddess (or domestic-macho for those baking/cooking men out there) in your own Kitchen! We'll call you: Domestic DIVAS!!!!

PamCakes Make-It-Simple Recipe:

Filling:
24 to 32 oz Frozen Berries
2 tbsp of Sugar
1 1/2 tbsp of Cornstarch

Crust:
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1/3 cup of crisco shortening
3 tbsp of cold water

Topping:
1 cup of heavy whipping cream (8 oz)
1 tbsp of honey

Make the Crust: Mix all flour + salt. Then add in crisco (using mixer add in small pieces) or mix by hand. Then slowly add in water one tablespoon at a time until mixture forms into dough. Roll into ball & set aside. (Cheat-tip: You can skip this step if you buy the boxed pie crust mix & just add water. Brands: Jiffy, Betty Crocker, Krusteaz).

Berry Filling: Defrost frozen berries & pour into large mixing bowl. Mix with spatula: sugar + cornstarch into the bowl. The juices in the berries will disolve it. Then immediately pour into bakeware.

Roll the pie crust dough out then cut into long pieces & weave on top of the berry mixture in bakeware. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust goldens & berry filling bubbles.

Optional Topping: Use cold heavy whipping cream right out of the fridge into mixing bowl, add honey then whisk or mix on high until mixture peaks. Meaning, it will look like whipped cream.

Then Serve. Enjoy~

& Relish in the fact that you, too, are a DOMESTIC DIVA!
*And reward yourself with a little wine! :D

Holy Spumoni Cannoli!!!!

Don't bake? But want yummy dessert shipped to your door?

Special occasion? Or just hosting a party at home?...
How 'bout some SPUMONI CANNOLI CAKE! Holy goodness have I got the best one for you. You can also order it right in the comfort of your computer! Yes, gourmet awesomeness in a cake that ships to your door! Can it get any sweeter than that?

Filomena's version of the Italian favorite age old Spumoni Ice Cream. First green pistachio mousse (laden with pistachio nuts) followed by a layer of fresh strawberry mousse, then the center of cannoli cream with chips of chocolate and red cherries. Beautiful, Colorful, Delicious! Feeds 6-10

The only thing this website lied about was the serving size. Hubby took me to the restaurant that serves this cake for a belated Valentine's celebration. We ordered "a" serving and got a humongous slice. I guess the Italians likes their servings of heaven in generous mounds! This was truly AMAZING. Pistachio + Cannoli cream! OMG! Yum!

For only $30+ dollars, it'll arrive at your house...ready to impress your friends or dinner party guests.

There's other flavors too: Tira Mi Su Cake, White Chocolate Macadamia Mousse, Raspberry Mousse, Triple Chocolate Mousse...Need I say more? http://www.filomenadesserts.com/

Live in the DC area? Bug a girlfriend, loved-one, or the hubby to Filomena Ristorante in Georgetown for some authentic Italian food & marvel at their display case full of delectable Italian cakes like we did! The only thing I woulda done differently was wear some stretchy pants! Yummo!

Enjoy some of our "undercover" pictures of these wonderful desserts:

Ya see what I mean? Huge portions!

Our dessert also came with complimentary shots of either Amaretto or Sambuca.

Can't say no to complimentary liqour :)

Our waitor said, 3 coffee beans in your shot glass means good luck! So "tre" it was!

Ahhh the aftermath! Yes, it wasn't pretty. But I can tell ya, I haven't stopped dreaming about it since!

Love Bird Desserts

Ever since St. Valentine risked his life to protect the gift of love around 270 A.D., we have been celebrating a day out of our busy year to celebrate love!

So I decided to prepare some simple steps to making a strawberry cheesecake mousse dessert that looked fancy and complex, but was easy and simple to make. It only took a few ingredients and a few steps. You too can create something delectable and special for your loved one.

Ingredient List:

Package of No-Bake Cheesecake Mix

Package of White Cake Mix

Pre-made Whip Cream (or 1 Container of Heavy Whipping Cream)

Fresh or Frozen Strawberry

Raspberry or Strawberry Jam

So to start off, you'll need to bake the white cake (either from cake mix or reference the "Cookie N Cream" white cake recipe):

I simply carved circles using a small cup as reference out of the baked cake. Then generously apply the jam over the cake.

I then wrapped a waxed ribbon around the cake. Making sure it was a snug fit before filling the cheesecake mousse.

You can also use a clear glass or plastic cup.

I then pipped the no-bake cheesecake into the molds. You can also use a spoon and making sure to press into the cup or mold.

Finally, top it with the whipped cream & strawberry. Since I used a frozen strawberry, I also dipped the strawberry in the raspberry jam. It came out gorgeous with a hint of tanginess.

Make sure to let it set in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving it to your special someone. It was light, fluffy, and a special treat!

I made these for some sweet girlfriends and added the special touches just to show that they were 'made with love'. Thank you St. Valentine for a reason to celebrate!

Giada's Simple Berry Cobbler

The holiday season got me into the mood making just a very simple berry cobbler. I happened upon Giada De Laurentiis' Everyday Italian episode of her berry cobbler recipe. It was so simple I decided to give it a try and it turned out extremely yummy and refreshing. It didn't take long before my husband and I devoured the entire pie. At least we know it is filled with natural ingredients and no preservatives! Instead of the sugar Giada uses try substituting with pure honey or sugar-in-the-raw! For the recipe check out 'Everyday Italian'. Enjoy!

Giada De Laurentiis' Upsidedown Berry Crostada Recipe:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
5 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed (about 30 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons honey

Directions
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball then flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Stir together the berries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a 10-inch diameter round baking dish. Roll out the crust to a 14-inch diameter circle. Place the crust over the berries in the baking dish. Fold the crust over itself until it fits just inside the baking dish. Cut a 2-inch slit in the center of the dough. Bake until the crust is golden and the berries are bubbly, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip together the mascarpone, heavy cream, and honey. Cover and reserve in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To serve, scoop out the crostada into serving dishes and top with the whipped mascarpone.