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

Chocolate Lava DONUTS!!!

What's not to like...warm gooey chocolate inside a nice fluffy donut with...

A cup of hot cocoa or coffee...

A scoop of vanilla ice cream

Can life get any better?

Here...take another look then decide!

So Blizzard of 2010 kept me, my husband, our house guest, and our dog, Tiger, inside of our cozy home...for well...the entire weekend.

I really had no idea of how long we were going to be stuck inside the house since the last time we had a snowstorm this magnitude was in 1996 (Blizzard of '96 with 2 to 4 feet of snow). I had decided I really did not want to hit the grocery store before the weekend started and fight off all the snowstorm crazed people to get a couple of items, so I didn't! Plus, we usually have enough food stored in the house to feed an army...yes, I admit it I'm a compulsive grocery shopper.

So with all that time and hungry men in the house. I decided to use my resources and whip up what I could. On the menu was: hamburger helper - beef & macaroni cheese, fried chicken drumsticks (with my secret recipe), steamed rice with Akai, blooming onion, and while I had the deep fry oil...some Chocolate Lave Donuts! Yum!

(& yes, I fried the donuts in the oil before the onion & chicken)

The RESULT:

PamCake's Chocolate Lava Donut Recipe:

2 cups Bisquick mix

1 egg

1/4 cup of milk

How easy is that? Just mix it together. I just used a fork.

It should come to a sticky dough consistency. You can also use buttermilk or heavy whipping cream if you want a more buttery taste.

Or just purchase Phillsbury Premade Biscuit Dough.

Then dip your fingers into some oil or crisco so you can work the dough without sticking. Form a ball in your hand while inserting a Hershey's kiss into the dough. I used a french truffle. It's called Truffettes de France. Obviously not necessary, it is just my favorite chocolate, you can find it at Costco. Hershey's kiss will be just fine.

Then heat about 2 to 4 cups of vegetable oil depending on the size of your skillet pot. I used the smallest one I could find. Very important for the donut to be able to float. Heat on high then adjust to medium or low to maintain frying temperature. You can do the chopstick test. Dip a dry chopstick into dough then into the oil. If the dough sizzles and cooks then the oil is ready for the donut. If the dough on your chopstick burns quickly, then you've overheated your oil.

Gently drop the formed balls into the heated oil. Let simmer and make sure to use a dry stainless strainer spoon (mine was slightly wet & hot popping oil is not a good situation ~ lessons learned) to move around the donut and flip it if necessary.

Make sure to cook for a few minutes not seconds (or the dough will not cook throughly). You can see the donut turn a golden brown color. Scoop out with strainer spoon. Let rest in plate. It will continue to cook a little more in the plate.

I sprinkled some powdered sugar on top of it. I also let these little delights sit on a paper towel while its hot so the extra oil will get absorbed by the paper.

Then for the chocolate drizzles. You can make some chocolate ganache out of your let over Hershey's chocolate. I used Nutella. Another pantry item that I always have in stock.

For chocolate ganache, there are many recipes and variations. But since I do not know how much ganache you are making. My general rule of thumb is that the amount of heavy whipping cream needs to cover fully the amount of chocolate you have in a measuring cup. Then heat the cream then pour on top of chocolate to melt it by heat. You can add a little butter or oil to make it extra smooth. Or not.

For Nutella, just heat it 5 - 10 seconds at a time until desired consistency. I personally think the Nutella is a better choice because it also gives it that nice hazelnut flavor.

Ready to eat and enter tummy! Cut it open to see the chocolate lava flowing out. Just mouth-watering goodness!
Definitely a season appropriate, wintertime favorite!

So easy & yet soooooooo delicious!

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!

Cookies N Cream

Cookie 'N' Cream
I decided to make some Cookie N Cream cupcakes for a friend's potluck. I made these from white cake recipe and just added pieces of Oreo cookies. The best was the buttercream. It was made from cream cheese with Oreo sprinkles and Oreo halves.

Here's some more luscious pics...

Bon Appetit!

Cookie 'N' Cream Cupcake Recipe:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup baking mix (bisquick)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups water

3/4 cup of oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp white vinegar

Oreo Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients first. Then add the wet ingredients. Also if you don't have bisquick, you can add 3 egg whites and decrease the oil to 1/2 cup. Break all Oreo cookies in 1/4 (so half them then half the pieces again). Or you can be posh & purchase the Oreo Mini's! So after the batter is mixed add the vinegar last. This is "Sprinkle's Cupcakes" secret to a super moist cake (shhhh mine too!) Then you can use a spatula & fold in the Oreo's. Do not overfold.


Then spoon the cake mix into the cupcake cups & BAKE! Inhale in the goodness!

Cookies 'N' Cream Buttercream Recipe:

1 package of creamcheese

1 stick of unsalted sweetcream butter

1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)

1 tbsp clear vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

So for healthy (weight-watcher folks, I know my coworkers will appreciate this). You can substitute the creamcheese & butter combined for Fat Free Cream Cheese + equal amount of Fat Free Ricotta cheese.

Step 1: Make sure creamcheese + butter (substitute) is room temperature

Step 2: Cream butter in mixer on low to medium until a nice creamy consistency

Step 3: Scrape the butter from the mixer bowl, add creamcheese, and continue to cream (not whip)

Step 4: Add the extracts

Step 5: Slowly add powdered sugar to taste (I usually only use 3/4 cup and not the full 1 cup)

***I think this is my secret for a creamy light whipped buttercream.

Step 6: Change your mixer accessory from the "flat beater" to the "wire whip" (see kitchenaid accessories) Whip the frosting until it is a white fluffy consistency or in baking language 'whip until mixture stiffens'

Enjoy & please let me know how the recipe turned out for everyone!

How divine is this with a nice cup of homemade hot cocoa on a wintery/snowy day?

(Check out Giada's Everyday Italian for her recipe on homemade hot cocoas)

Live.Love.Bake!