Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

I am not a morning person. Those who know me would probably argue this statement due to knowing me as a person who gets up to run, but this statement is true. Because of many jobs where I had to get up SUPER early to be at work at 6am during college, I learned how to get up and go. That doesn’t mean I’m a morning person. Trust me. But, knowing I was waking up to make blueberry muffins the other day made me more of a morning person. Because, well, blueberries are so cheerful, don’t you think? Not to mention they make very pretty and artistic messes! All hail the blueberry!
Of course, once added to batter it looks like something from a SciFi movie.

It’s ALIVE!

Blueberry Muffins (from my Mom’s Best Recipes Cookbook)

2 C flour
1 ¼ C sugar
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
½ C melted butter
2 eggs
½ C milk
1 C blueberries (Erika’s Exra: I like to use frozen ones. No rhyme or reason on why.)

Mix dry ingredients. Add milk and eggs, one at a time. Add melted butter. Flour berries; add to batter. Pour into cupcake liners in muffin pan, and sugar generously on top. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until quite crisp. Makes 20.Bake well and prosper!

And the Oscar goes to.....

Whoa! What is that?!!!
I’m sorry. It looks like our regularly scheduled program has been interrupted and replaced with a dessert. *whispering to stage manager* Ah, yes. Well, it looks like we’ll just have to talk about dessert instead of the Oscars.

This is just fine seeing I made a FABULOUS cake for my friend’s Oscar party tonight. I was inspired by someone I would give a food Oscar to for cutest food presentation. Once again, I have been inspired by Bakerella for my dessert this week.

I decided to make my own version of Peanut Butter Cup Cake.

Confession: I've never made a double layer cake. But, if I do say so mayself, I made pretty ones today:

Another confession: I've never made creamy cake icing like this recipe calls for from scartch. I've usually bought it from a can or made something different for frosting. I know....it's shocking. But once again, if I do say so myself, I made a pretty frosting:

*furious whispering to stage manager* What is THAT picture doing up? I was on a whole "pretty" roll!!! *sigh* Yep. Those are my hands after using said pretty frosting for said pretty cake. Pretty, ain't it?

Peanut Butter Cups Cake (from: http://www.bakerella.com/got-milk-i-hope-so%e2%80%a6/)
1 devil’s food cake mix

3 eggs1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups chopped peanut butter cups (plus more for garnishing – I used 2 bags)

8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line with wax paper and coat paper.

In a large bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides after 1 minute. Fold in 2 cups of the chopped peanut butter cups.

Pour batter into pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool cakes completely.

Place chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream just to a boil and then pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts. Add peanut butter and whisk until smooth.

Trim each cake layer so the tops are flat. Place one layer on a cooling rack and pour 1 cup frosting on top. Spread evenly with a spatula. Add second layer and pour remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Smooth out with spatula.

Allow frosting to set for a minute and gently press remaining chopped peanut butter cup pieces all over top and sides of cake. Place in refrigerator for about an hour to set. Remove and serve.

Erika's Extra: I opted not to put the chopped peanut butter cups in my cake dough to cut some of the peanut butter flavor. When putting the cakes together, I put some smaller chunks in the icing in the middle of the two cakes.

Bake well and prosper!

Whoopie!

I’m the youngest of four children so I know all about sharing. I promise I do. But what you’re about to read may come as a shock. The recipe I made this weekend was SOOOOOOOOO delicious that I only shared ONE piece with ONE person. The rest I am eating. Yes, me, the baby of my family. The cute, wouldn’t hurt a fly, wants everyone to feel loved baby of the family is hoarding these all to herself.

As the title of this blog suggests, I made whoopie pies. However, I was considering naming it, “I Have a Serious Problem.” And not just because I make a mess with the simplest tasks like getting a half teaspoon of cinnamon.

(One would think the instructions said “pour cinnamon on counter.” Sheesh!)

No, I have another serious problem other than depth perception. Ergh! I just don’t know how to broach the topic. Here, I’ll come out and say it. *taking a big breath and closing my eyes* My name is Erika Beth, and I am addicted to cookie dough.

*opening one eye and then another* Wow. That wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I mean, it’s not like there’s any evidence that I have a problem.

Well, besides that.

Oh…right. And the spoon.

Oh my. Y’all are not seeing this. No, that isn’t from the mixer…. *sigh* Who am I kidding? Yes it is.

I couldn’t resist!!! These were the BEST whoopee pies I’ve ever made! (Please note: these were also the FIRST whoopee pies I’ve ever made.)

Now, I AM sorry I didn’t share more of these marvelous, mouth watering, scrum-diddle-umptous tastes from heaven. To make amends, I will share the recipe with everyone so they too, can make their own beautiful bites of bliss.

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies (from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Oatmeal-Whoopie-Pies/Detail.aspx)
Ingredients
2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup shortening

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
2.Cream butter or margarine with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and mix well. Stir in the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, boiling water, baking soda and flour. Mix to combine. Stir in the oats.
3.Drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool then make sandwiches from two cookies filled with Whoopie Pie Filling.
4.To Make Filling: Beat egg white. Mix in the milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat in the shortening and remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat until light.

Bake well and prosper!

What to say....what to say......

Ok. I'm just going to come right out with it. I'm really tired right now. My wit is waning and I want to whimper and whine about why I am wielding to waves of weariness. (That's right! Read 'em and weep! I used 9 "w" words in one sentence. ... Maybe I'm the only one amused by this since I'm exhausted and even a game of curling could impress me and keep me giddy right now.) (Extra points for mentioning an Olympic sport during the Winter Olympics. Go me!)

Back to desserts.

I just had someone mention that I should post a recipe that involved peanut butter and my brain said, slowly, "Wait a minute....I made something on Valentine's Day with peanut butter. Time to post it!"

(Oh, and by the way, not all my messes are ugly. Look how pretty the V-day colored wrappers are!)

(But they DID make a MOUND of a wrapper MESS.)

So, to all those people out there obsessed with PB and chocolate, this one's for you. Oh, and this one: National Pie Day

(Peanut butter .... nom nom nom)

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (I totally found this recipe on the back of a margarine package and had to try it. Thanks Land O'Lakes!)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter/margarine, softened
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mini real semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons sugar
48 milk chocolate candy kisses

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking powder and baking soda. Beat until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pat dough into ungreased 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately press evenly spaced chocolate candies into warm bars. Cool completely. Cut into bars, cutting between candies.

Bake well and prosper!

If you REALLY love someone....

It's Valentine's Day. A day that most people agree is a Hallmark holiday, and yet, people still "observe" it. There's something nice about being all mushy and lovey-dovey. But, if you REALLY love someone, consider making this recipe.

First, a small background. I don't remember exactly how or why I decided to make Monkey Bread at my office, but I did one day. And that day paved the path for the most requests I've ever seen for a recipe.

I've made it about four times within the past 6 months for my fellow workers. Here's the deal though....I only make it on a Friday before a long holiday weekend. In order to make it at the office, I have to come in early. No problem.

I wake up early and prepare the first steps at my place. I pack a bag with the first part and second part and go to work. I place the bag on this shelf, which belongs to this fridge, which belongs to this side kitchen, which is a part of this main kitchen. I know. It's pretty amazing. I'll wait a second.......

Done admiring and wishing your kitchen was like that? Ok. Moving on.

So, I go to the gym and work out. Then, at the end of my work out, I prepare step two, add to step one, and put the Monkey Bread in the oven. Yeah...that one. So, I go shower and get ready. Then I take the sugary goodness out of the oven and serve to my Monkey Bread fanatics in the office (aka coworkers.)

And that, my friends, is how to "make it work" in NYC. ("It" being Monkey Bread in the office.) Oh, and it is also how to create a loyal following for your baked goods. LOL

So, if you REALLY love someone, make this.

Monkey Bread (aka Pull Apart Rolls) (from Mom's Best Recipes cookbook)

2 cans of biscuits (I prefer the extra buttery and fluffy ones)

1 C sugar

2 t cinnamon

1/2 C+ chopped pecans (optional)

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 C brown sugar

1 t cinnamon

Generously grease tube pan with Crisco. In paper bag, put sugar and 2 t cinnamon. Using 1 can at a time, cut biscuits into quarters. Place in paper bag and shake to coat.
(Oh, I see I can't fool you. Yeah, that's not spinach. I actually prefer using a light plastic container because paper bags are messy. I know...I know...I'm opting out of a mess for this one.)

Place in tube pan, sprinkling nuts over each layer except last one.

(Second Part)

Boil together butter, brown sugar, and 1 t cinnamon. Pour mixture over biscuits. Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before inverting. Let guests pull apart.

(You can stop licking the screen now.)

Bake well and prosper!