About This Blog

My Precocious Yorkshire Terrier, Dolly, has graciously given me a corner on her website. Here I may vent and generally just ramble, but I also will share my interests with you. Hope you like at home with D in "D's" Corner.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Zucchini Lemon Almond Glazed Cake & a Pot of Tea


Zucchini Lemon Almond Glaze Cake
I got this basic idea from the internet, but then I never can leave well enough alone.  I feel that if something is good it can still be better, so I added my own little twists to the recipe.  The finished result is a very moist and delicious Loaf Cake that will keep you talking.  First of all there is NO; I repeat NO substitute for fresh ingredients.  Secondly, if you are going to make a homemade cake, don’t buy a box cake and call it homemade.  It does not take a whole lot longer to make it from scratch.  Thirdly there are two basic appliances that make life easier, i.e., a Stand Mixer (no not a hand mixer) and an Emersion Blender (you will only need the stand mixer for this recipe).  Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment.  Learn the basics then play.  You remember when you were a kid in your Grandmother, Aunt or Mother’s Kitchen, don’t you?  You weren’t afraid to experiment then and making a mess is still a lot of fun.  OK OK, I understand the dishes….don’t write me letters.  Anyway, this is a little off track, back to the cake.


Ingredients:
Cake:
2 cups of Flour
2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
½ teaspoon of Salt
2 eggs
½ cup of Walnut oil
2/3 cup of sugar
½ cup buttermilk
Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
1 Cup Grated Zucchini
Glaze:
1 1/2 Cups of Confectioner Sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
2 Tablespoons of Melted Butter

Instructions:
Grease and Flour a 9x5 loaf pan.  Pre heat oven to 350 degrees
Put Flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl blend and put aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs till foamy, reduce to blend speed then then add the oil and sugar and blend well.  Next add the buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and blend well.  Reduce speed to stir and stir in the Zucchini until mixed well, but don’t beat or over stir.  Finally add the dry ingredients that you have set aside and stir until well mixed but don’t overdo it.  Pour all of this into a 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes at 350.  Check with a toothpick.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, remove to a rack to completely cool. 
Glaze Prep:  In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, juice, butter and extract until smooth, pour or spoon over the finished cake.  (should not be too thin add a little more sugar if necessary) Served best when cooled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but if you can’t wait, go get a cup of tea and reward yourself.

Earl Grey Creme Black Tea
Here is my favorite Tea
I buy loose tea from Teavana:  (Once you buy loose tea you will never use another teabag.)

I make my tea as follows:
My wonderful Cast Iron Hobnail Tea Pot
·         2 teaspoons Earl Grey Crème Black Tea
·         1 teaspoon Mountain Jasmine Tea
·         16 ounce of water (bring to a boil then let sit for 1 minute, it will be the right temperature at that point)
·         Pour over tea leaves and let seep for 4 minutes ( I like strong tea, less time if you don’t)
·         1 tablespoon of honey
·         1 packet sweet and low
·         1 teaspoon of heavy cream

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Cream Cheese Tart (no bake)

No Bake Cream Cheese Tart

Spring is around the corner and this is really easier than it looks to make.

Ingredients
1 cup graham crackers (crushed)
1 cup ginger cookies (crushed)
3 tablespoon sugar
8 tablespoon melted butter
8 ounce cream cheese (room temp)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon banana or other extract (use your imagination)
1 cup heavy cream

Steps
1. In a large bowl mixed together cracker crumb sugar and melted butter.
2. Press into a well-greased 11 inch tart pan with removable bottom.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
4. In a separate bowl whip cream to soft peaks.
5. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, add sugar beat until fluffy add extract.
6. Fold in whipped cream.
7. Pour into crust and smooth the top.
8. Refrigerate one hour.
9. Add topping and chill several hours or overnight.
The specific tart in my FB posting has
a. Blueberry (make with fresh and some sugar cooked or buy canned)
b. Strawberry's marinated in sugar and Kirschwasser (Cherry flavored brandy)
c. Sliced Kiwi marinated in sugar and Kirschwasser
d. Cherries marinated in Absinth (licorice flavor liquor)
All arranged in a nice pattern.
You really could top the tart with anything that strikes your fancy... like marinated peach slices in Brandy and Sugar, if you’re from the Georgia.
Good luck and don't forget the booze for the cook while assembling.....

Dave

Dolly, My Yorkshire Terrier

Dolly and I at Wheaton Village, in Millville, New Jersey
Running for CCSPCA “Dog of the Year”
 Vote Here
100% of your donation goes to the Animals
Dolly, Before and After
Dolly, before  i adopted Her
Dolly is my adopted dog, from the SPCA shelter in Vineland, New Jersey, and she is excited, to have been selected to be one of twelve dogs chosen to be a finalist in the 4th Annual Cumberland County SPCA, 2012 “Dog of the Year” fund raiser campaign. The Fund Raiser will take place between April through September of this year, throughout South Jersey. The first event is at Parvin State Park on Rain Date, Sunday April 29th. She is being sponsored by “Bobs Little SportShop” in Clayton, New Jersey. The SPCA fund raiser will kick off in April with their Petwalk in Parvin Park. Her photo, as well as her sponsor will be on donation boxes, the CCSPCA website, at 25 of the SPCA Events on a voting stand, at their main building in Vineland, NJ, and in their newsletter to over 5000 subscribers. Dolly and I will make a personal appearance in at least one event, to monitor the voting board. If she wins, she gets to be their ‘Dog of the Year”, as well as be in a parade and will receive a $300 gift certificate. She will give all the details of how and where to vote, as well as the locations of the donation boxes, on her social pages, twitter and website as she gets them. Keep coming here for the latest. 
 This, of course, is a fund raiser and votes are tallied by your donations to the CCSPCA. The winning Dog will be the one who obtains the most donations and 100% of the donation will go to the care of rescue animals. The CCSPCA will have voting links on their website and will accept your credit cards. Please, if you can only spare even a dollar, every little bit helps from the friends that love her. Of course if you can spare a Million Dollars, that would make her a shoe in.

Dolly Today
Dolly is a happy little girl now.  Please Make the other animals happy by Voting for Dolly. 

Friday, April 20, 2012

Sweet Tooth Passion (Oatmeal Cream Pies)

Here is a Diabetic Nightmare, but I can't help myself.  I love Little Debbie Cakes and these are the closest thing to them.  I made a batch last week and I am hungering for another batch.  For those of you that don't have to watch what you eat, enjoy the recipe:

Home Made Oatmeal Cream pies
Oatmeal Cream Pie
(makes 18 -24 cream pies)

Pie (recipe)

1 ¼ cup Softened Butter
1 cup (packed) Brown Sugar
½ cup Regular Sugar
1 ½ cups flour
3 Cups Quaker Oats
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp salt (if using salted butter omit)
¼ tsp Cinnamon
Pre Heat oven 375 degrees
Beat the butter and sugars until creamy
Add Vanilla and egg and continue to mix.
In a separate bowl, combine the Flour, Salt, Baking Soda and Cinnamon, then
Add the oats and mix well.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the Butter and Sugar mix a little at a time
Until well incorporated.
Use a small ice-cream scoop (2 inch) and drop onto cookie sheets lined with Parchment paper
Allow 2 inches between mounds.
Bake 10 minutes at 375.  Allow to cool for several minutes then transfer to wire rack to
Finish cooling.

Cream Filling

½ cup Softened Butter
2 Cups Confectioner Sugar
2 tsp Whipping Cream
1 tsp Almond extract (or vanilla)
Mix ingredients in a bowl then beat on high until fluffy.

Spread 1 tsp of cream filling between 2 cookies to complete.