Authentic Mexican Flan

Flan is a traditional Mexican custard dessert, it has a delicate and creamy texture and is very sweet, feel free to add fresh orange zest to the custard to give a different flavor and I always finish mine with fresh berries for tartness.
















Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1-12oz can evaporated milk

1-14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
sliced fresh fruit (optonal)

Boiling hot water, enough to come 1/2 way up the dish in the roasting pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a 9 inch circular glass baking dish into a roasting pan and place in the middle rack in the oven to heat up.

1. Heat sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan to medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula to melt all the sugar. This typically takes 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile..

2. While the sugar is melting; add eggs, both milks and vanilla into a blender and blend for a few seconds to ensure a smooth mixture.

3. Once the sugar has melted into a smooth, golden syrup. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, pour sugar syrup into the circular dish and turn the dish around with hot mitts to swirl the syrup across and along the sides. Let sit for a minute and pour egg and milk mixture into the syrup dish and return to the roasting pan. 

4. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to make a hot bath for the flan.

 Return to oven and bake for 60 minutes.

5. Once flan is removed from the oven, let cool and then transfer to your refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

6. After refrigeration, run a knife around the edges of the dish, then place the bottom of the dish onto a shallow baking pan and pour boiling water around it, not in the flan, the hot water will help melt the caramel that will be the topping once inverted. Next, place the plate or serving platter on top of the flan and quickly flip to invert the flan, tap the bottom of the flan dish to help release it.

You can garnish the flan with some whipped cream or some fresh fruit for a contrast in texture and flavor.

Mango Turnovers

I love mangoes, they are such a beautiful and vibrant fruit and so delicious in these mouth-watering turnovers. :-)

Ingredients:
3 ripe mangos, small dice
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tiny pinch of nutmeg
1 egg+1 tablespoon water beat together
1 package puff pastry, thawed
demera sugar for the top


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

1. In a small bowl add mangos, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently stir with a spoon, set aside.

2. Lay out puff pastry sheets, cut each sheet into 4 squares by cutting down the middle then across in half.

3. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling into each square, brush edges with egg wash and fold over, press the edges with a fork, brush tops of turnovers with egg wash and sprinkle with demera sugar crystals

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream or at room temperature.

EASY Pineapple upside-down cake

Pineapple upside-down cake always brings back memories of my Grandmother's kitchen, she loved this cake. She was an amazing cook and always had some kind of dessert and kool-aid popcicle cubes in her freezer :) Make this cake for someone you love.

Makes 1-12in cake 12 slices

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
120oz can pineapple slices
1 jar maraschino cherries, stems removed and halved
1 box duncan hines deluxe pinepple cake mix
11/3 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil or applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1. Melt margarine in a 12-inch cast iron skillet swirling around to coat pan sides on medium heat, once butter is melted sprinkle brown sugar to cover the bottom of the pan.

2. Arrange pineapples starting from the center of the pan to cover the the bottom of the pan, place maraschino cherries cut side up inside of pineapple rings. (Decorate with as many cherries as you like.)

3. In a large bowl mix together cake mix, pineapple juice, oil, vanilla, and eggs beating well after each addition of eggs. Whisk batter until everything is well incorporated, there will be some little lumps but make sure all larger lumps are gone.


4. Slowly pour batter over pineapple and cherries, scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to get all the batter in the pan. Bake on center rack for 40-45 minutes, once a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean the cake is done.

5. Let cake cool for no longer than 10 minutes run a sharp knife along the sides of the cake and quickly invert onto a large plate to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Toffee Cookie Sandwiches

I have been looking for ways to use up some Heath toffee bits I had in the fridge, I also had leftover frosting from cupcakes and I ended up with these! My boys loved helping me make the cookies and the frosting I should have taken pictures of my 18mo mixing the cookie dough and my 3yo fighting over the spoon! LOL. These cookies would be a best seller at a school bake sale as well. But anyways I got this recipe from the Hershey's website check it out for other great recipes using Hershey's products.

Makes about 36 cookies or 18 sandwiches

Ingredients: 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, at room temp (they incorporate a lot better.)

1 1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS 'O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

Buttercream Frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Stir together the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl cream together butter and sugar, next stir in eggs mixing well after each addition, stir in vanilla. Slowly mix in flour mixture. Lastly stir in toffee bits.

3. Drop 1 inch sized dough balls onto a cookie sheet, bake for 8-12 minutes. Until golden, cool for 2 minutes on the sheet then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool.

 

 

Buttercream Frosting

When you need a delicious and sturdy buttercream frosting this is great for decorating cookies, cakes, etc. It pipes perfectly, I used neon pink and neon purple gel coloring to get the light magenta color.

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream

gel food coloring, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl cream butter, shortening, cream, and vanilla using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, add powdered sugar. Mix until well combined, add in food coloring if desired.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This frosting is very sturdy, it's fluffy and thick! Great for decorating cookies, cupcakes etc. If you are looking for a good thick frosting here it is.

The cake I made for these was very moist chocolate cake

*Makes enough to frost at least 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. With a hand mixer, mix all ingredients except for water. Cream until smooth, add water to desired thickness.

Vanilla Bean Frozen Yogurt

My step-son Kaiden is absolutely crazy for ice cream, and yogurt. But this was our first attempt at frozen yogurt, he watched the ice cream maker the entire time it was turning!  I love making frozen treats in the Summer months and as you can see by the look of Kaiden's face, we will be making frozen yogurt more often. :-)

Ingredients:

6 cups plain greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean pod

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine yogurt, sugar, and vanilla extract until sugar is dissolved.

2. Slice into the vanilla bean length-wise and scrape the seeds using the back-side of a pairing knife, discard bean and  add beans to bowl stir to combine.

3. Freeze in your ice cream maker using the manufacturer's instructions.

Top with fresh fruit or sauces if desired.

                                         

Creamcicle Jello Shots

Adult Jello

Ingredients:

1 package sugar-free orange Jello powder

1 cup hot water

1 cup cold vanilla vodka

Directions:

Combine jello powder and hot water, whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved stir in vodka and pour into a glass dish or small Dixie cups. let set for 3-4 hours.

Cheesecake Bites

Little cheesecakes are fun to eat and are perfect for bake sales and potlucks.

 

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham  cracker crumbs

1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

5 teaspoons melted butter

Filling:

2 8oz packages cream cheese (softened at room temp)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Berry Topping Sauce:

1 cup fresh or frozen berries

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:

1. Heavily grease mini muffin pans.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon sugar, and melted butter until completely blended.

3. Place a teaspoon of crust mixture into the pans, firmly pack the mixture evenly at the bottom of each cup.

Filling:

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

2. Scoop a tablespoon amount of filling and place in each muffin cup it should come almost to the top.

3. Put them in the oven and let cook for 20 minutes, once they are done let them cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.

4. To remove from pans trace each cup with a sharp knife removing them from the edges, then place a baking sheet on top the tin and flip it over, if they are still in the pan tap the bottom of the pan to loosen them up.

Berry Topping Sauce:

1. In a small sauce pan combine sugar, vanilla, and berries over medium heat.

2. Cook until the mixture has thickened, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Once the sauce is bubbly and thickened, puree in a blender/food processor, cool in refrigerator then pour on top cheesecakes once cooled.

Cream Cheese Wontons

What's fun is trying out different folds and shapes of won tons you can make ravioli shapes, triangles, or even little purses, I adore cream cheese won tons for dessert and company always enjoys this bite-size dessert . Won ton wrappers can be found in the produce section in most grocery stores, near the tofu.

Ingredients:

1 8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 pkg won ton wrappers

1 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves for dipping ( lemon curd is also good for dipping)

oil for frying

water for sealing the won tons

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan at medium-high heat.

2. In a medium sized bowl mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg until creamy.

3. Place a won ton wrapper on a flat surface and moisten the frame of the won ton.

4. Put a small spoonful of filling in the center of the won ton wrapper and fold however you like just make sure you seal the edges really well, you do not want any yummy filling escaping.

5. Add won tons to the pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, they cook very quickly.

6. Heat fruit preserves in a microwave or over the stove until warm

These can be served warm or cold. Dip them in the warm sauce.

Frozen Peanut Butter Cream Pie

A few weeks ago I made vanilla pudding from scratch and had a craving for a peanut-buttery chocolatey concoction and this pie was born. Its quick, easy and definitely a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

2 cups homemade vanilla pudding or prepared store bought

1 cup marshmallow fluff

1 cup peanut butter

15 Chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

4 tablespoon butter, melted

whip cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix cookie crumbs and butter until well combined then pour into a 9in pie dish and press evenly with the back of a spoon, place in freezer for 15 minutes.

2. In a medium sized bowl mix peanut butter, marshmallow, and pudding with a hand mixer until completely blended.

3. Pour into pie crust and return to freezer for 1 hour.

Thaw for 10 minutes before serving and garnish with whip cream.