Roasted Squash

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to like to take a squash (butternut, acorn, whatever was available), split it open, scoop out the seeds and bake it in the oven for a long time with butter and brown sugar.  She used to call it dessert.  Me, being the "wise" child that I was, refused to eat that mushy garbage called squash that my grandmother tried to lie and tell me was delicious, that it was a treat. (I mean, this is the same woman who told me that eating the crust on my bread would make my hair grow long and beautiful).  Oh, what a fool I was!  Squash made that way is AMAZING!  My friend Mandy grows an fantastic garden every year and I am always a willing recipient of her over stock.  She makes a fantastic pot roast and roasted butternut squash with garlic and butter that is to die for.  I recently made a new recipe calling for roasted butternut squash rather than canned pumpkin that tastes like fall in quick bread form.  I have totally fallen in love with baked and roasted squash.  It's super easy to make and can be added to a plethora of recipes or just eaten on its own.

Roasted Butternut Squash
1. Cut squash in half lenghwise
2. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy bits
3. Place facedown on a pan with sides (I used a jellyroll pan here but I have used a bread pan for small squash)
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until the squash is squishy
5. Remove from oven and ALLOW TO COOL.
6. Scoop out insides or peel off skin
7. Enjoy immediately.  If desired, squash can be frozen for several months or refrigerated for up to 3 days

Fun with Fondant and more Rainbow Cake

I have a nephew now.  He is just over a month old and absolutely delightful.  Never in a million years did I think this miniature human being would move me and my family like he does.  He, of course, is super cute and an honestly good baby.  He cries when he needs something and just hangs out otherwise.

Colored batters

I come from a family of celebrators.  Any excuse to get together and eat cake, we take it.  So, obviously, we would have a one month birthday party for our newest addition.  I decided to seize the opportunity to practice some fondant critters and make rainbow cake.  I have been seeing rainbow cake everywhere and what would be better for a one month birthday celebration than whimsical rainbow cake.  You can see from my previous post that my first try with the rainbow cake didn't fly so well so I just stuck to the recommendations on the back of the cake mix box.  Consequently the batter was a bit thinner than when I added sour cream and it made the finished cake more tie-dye than rainbow, but that was ok.  It looked awesome anyway.  It now seems to be my sister's favorite way to eat white cake.

batter before the oven

Tie-Dye Rainbow Cake
1 white cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup of oil
1 cup water
red, yellow, green, blue, and violet gel food coloring

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and water together.  Separate batter into six different bowls (no Indigo for me, poor lonely Indigo).  Using a toothpick, add desired amount of food coloring to batter.  If using gel colors, remember that it takes some time for the color to reach full vibrancy.  I don't have orange food coloring, not even sure Wilton makes it, so I just mixed red and yellow.

Grease and flour a 9*3 round cake pan.  Scoop 1-2 scoops of red batter into the pan.  Next scoop 1-2 scoops orange batter and put it directly on top of the red batter. Then scoop 1-2 scoops yellow batter and put it directly on top of the orange batter.  Lather, rinse, repeat with the remaining colors.  I had to repeat the pattern about 3 times in total.  The batter will spread itself out.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Frost and decorate as desired.  I used the American Buttercream that my family is so fond of.

cake after baking

American Buttercream adapted from Wilton
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-7 tablespoons of water

Beat together the butter and shortening until smooth.  Add the vanilla.  Slowly add the powdered sugar.  If the mixture gets too thick and your mixer is having trouble, add some water or milk a one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

I only frosted the outside of this cake.  Double the recipe if filling the cake.

Rainbow Fail

Note to self: If the cake mix already has pudding in it, don't add more pudding and then some sour cream.  Too heavy.  Your mother in law warned you against this pudding on pudding situation and you did not believe her.  Believe now.

Darling Husband

I have a wonderful husband.  I have a wonderful husband who is smart.  Because I have a wonderful husband who is smart, he writes really nerdy research papers that get accepted to conferences in Europe that he must attend to present said papers.

I have a wonderful husband who always brings me back something from his travels in Europe.  This trip he went to Germany and Greece.  This trip, because he is a wonderful husband, he brought be back a baking book.

But my wonderful husband, he also has a playful side.  He brought me back a beautiful baking book from Europe...all in German.  I don't speak a lick of German and this whole book is totally in German.

I guess my wonderful husband just wanted to spend more time with me, reading German recipes to me :)  What a sweet guy!

Lemon Pavlovas

 Lately, each Wednesday, my mother, sister, grandmothers, aunt and I have gathered together at one or another's home for what we like to call "project night."  Its an evening where we come together and work on whatever crafty project we want.  My aunt and grandmother crochet, my sister scrapbooks, my mother cross stitches, and I continue hand quilting a Christmas tree skirt that I have been working on for four years.  This gathering is some comfortable, so familiar. 

When I was little, project night occurred each week during the fall and winter months without fail.  Back then I used to latch hook or make endless little loomed pot holders. When I was little, my favorite part was snack time.  Now I am in charge of bringing the sweets each week.  My mother loves pavlovas with lemon filling and so since it was an unseemly 90 degrees out this past September Wednesday, I made a treat that still tastes like summer.

Meringue for Pavlovas adapted from the Joy of Cooking
8 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat the egg whites and cream of tarter together until foamy.  One tablespoon at a time, add the granulated sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Add the vanilla and beat to combine.  Plop spoonfuls of meringue onto cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.  Bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours.  Allow to cool.  Fill with lemon cream right before serving or the lemon cream will dissolve the meringue.  Store in an airtight container.  Do not store in the refrigerator or freezer, the moisture will soften them.

Lemon Cream Filling
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup of lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
5-6 drops lemon oil or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup heavy cream

Put egg yolks and sugar in a medium sauce pan.  Mix together.  Add lemon juice.  Put over medium heat and stir constantly. Do not allow to boil or the egg will curdle.  When the mixture thickens such that it coats the back of the spoon, remove from heat and add butter and  lemon oil.  Strain if necessary and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Beat heavy cream until medium peaks form.  Fold lemon curd into the cream.

Applesauce Cake

Fall is in the air!  The days are getting shorter, the nights crisp, the trees turning fiery.  I  have slow down for farm equipment and the field across the street is now empty, the corn making its way to the grain bins.  This cake tastes like fall.  The cinnamon and nutmeg paired with the tang of the cream cheese frosting.  The way the kitchen smells when this cake is baking is like warm cider.  This is one of my dad's favorite cakes and one of the few that I am confident to make from scratch.

Applesauce Cake
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon all spice
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Cream together the butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating them completely between each egg.  Add in the rest of the ingredients.  If you choose to use the raisins, you can plump them in a cup of boiling water.  Pour the batter in a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45 minutes.  Allow to cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting 
(This makes a "double" batch, I split and filled the inside of the cake.  If you are going to only frost the outside you can split this recipe in half.)
1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
7 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6-7 teaspoons water (as needed)

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Gradually, and I stress gradually, add in the powdered sugar. (Nobody likes a powdered sugar shower).  Add the vanilla.  Add the water as needed by the teaspoonful to reach the desired consistency.

Wordless Wednesday