I'm Thirty... A Cake Recipe and *30 by 30* Report

Yesterday I turned 30! I am so excited to be starting a new decade and am looking forward to what my 30s bring! Of course, me turning 30 has been a big thing over the last year with my *30 by 30* list. Before I get to the recipe for this AMAZING cake (which my husband and 2 kiddos made... impressive, right?) let me talk about my project from the past year.

Last September I made a list of 30 foods I wanted to make by 30. Of course I was optimistic that I would be able to finish this list since I baked so much. Unfortunately I didn't take into account the amount of sweets I put on the list... making that many desserts (in addition to baking group requirements) was going to be difficult.

To add to that, about 7 weeks ago my husband and I decided we wanted to be a little healthier and we started eating clean (more lean proteins, fruits & veggies, whole grains, etc). We have always been relatively good eaters but I was no longer feeling good about our diet. We cut out the majority of sugar (we still have treats every now and then) and I feel so much better.

All that to say I didn't finish my list. I have 9 items left and I would love to make them at some point. But, starting out my 30s healthier was much more important than finishing this list. :) And, as you can see by this cake, sugar isn't banned from the house... we just have it less often.

My husband and kiddos made this cake for me and I LOVED it! It is super rich and just a small sliver is all you need. I was super impressed with their baking skills and I am grateful that they put so much effort into this cake.

Chocolate Cake with Nutella Filling & Peanut Butter Nutella Frosting
Cake from Kevin & Amanda's Recipes
Frosting from Foodie with Family
Cake:

1 box devils food cake mix
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips
Filling:

Nutella, warmed in the microwave for easier spreading

Frosting:

 

1 stick butter, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup Nutella

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar

2-4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

For the cake:

 

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything (except chocolate chips). Batter will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased cake pans (I used 9" rounds) and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the frosting.

 

For the frosting:

 

Mix butter, Nutella, and peanut butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

 

To assemble:

 

Layer cakes together with Nutella in the middle. Frost with frosting. Decorate as desired.

4 years of blogging & Petit Fours (30 by 30)

4 years and 855 posts... Happy Blogiversary to me!

A lot has happened in 4 years. When I started this blog I was living in Germany with a newborn and a 3 year old and my husband was deployed. I am now in El Paso with a 7 year old and a 4 year old and we are getting ready to move once again (to HAWAII!!!!!). My posting has changed over the years, too. When I first started blogging I would post daily. Then we moved to El Paso and the blog took a back burner for a while... only a few posts a month. This back and forth has continued and I am back to posting not so often. I am definitely still cooking and baking but after 855 posts I am not always making new foods.

I have had so much fun with this blog. It has been a great outlet for me and I have "met" some fabulous people. I love having a place where I have all my recipes and I've even turned it into a book (well... 2 books so far!). I don't plan on stopping any time soon... we'll see where this blog takes me! Who knows when a daily posting will come back or if it will just be a post here and there. Either way I will be baking and cooking and enjoying life!

Thanks to my readers who have been here from the beginning and thank you to the new readers who are still discovering my blog. I appreciate you stopping by and love hearing from you!

And to celebrate my blogiversary I made some cute Petit Fours! They are from my 30 by 30 list and are so yummy! I won't post a recipe but there are hundreds out there. Pretty basic stuff, though. Take cake (regular or pound cake), cut it into squares, layer with jam, and top with ganache or poured fondant. Easy peasy and delicious!

30 by 30: Bananas Foster

This was a super fun dessert to make... mostly because I got to start a fire! :) Start to finish this takes less than 10 minutes and is SO delicious! Lighting the rum on fire was pretty fun, too!

Bananas Foster
Recipe adapted from Food Network

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise

1/4 cup dark rum

Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring sauce to simmer. Add bananas and cook for 1 minute on each side, carefully spooning sauce over bananas as they are cooking. Remove bananas from pan to a serving dish.

Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add the rum. If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own. If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency. Immediately spoon the sauce over bananas and serve. Serve with waffles, crepes, or ice cream.

30 by 30: Buttermilk Fried Chicken

This chicken was so amazingly delicious... I can't wait to make it again!!!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Recipe from Delish

Buttermilk Soak

• 3 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoonscayenne pepper
• 4 pound medium chicken wings, thighs, and drumsticks

Flour Dredge

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

---

Make the buttermilk soak: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate for 4 hours.

Make the flour dredge: In a large, resealable plastic bag, mix the flour with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and shake to combine.

Set a rack on a baking sheet. Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the buttermilk soak, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing so it adheres all over. Transfer the coated chicken to the rack and let stand for 30 minutes.

In a deep skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees F. Set another rack over a baking sheet; line with paper towels. Fry the chicken in batches at 315 degrees F, turning once, until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 160 degrees F, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the chicken to the paper-lined rack and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

30 by 30: Cake Pops

I finally got around to making cake pops! I made some patriotic pops for the 4th of July and they were a hit! I have made cake balls a hundred times before but finally put them on a stick! :) I won't be including a recipe because it really is just cake and frosting dipped in chocolate and there are so many tutorials out there that are better than what I could tell you! :) The picture is just proof that I knocked out a 30 by 30 recipe! 

30 by 30: Blueberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Hand pies are a quick and easy way to get the pie flavor without having to make an entire pie. Plus, you can carry these around and not have to worry about a plate & fork! :)

Blueberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies
Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Pie Dough2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 large egg
10 oz frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For Assembly
2 tablespoons heavy cream
sanding sugar

To make the pie dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar and salt on low speed just to combine. Add the butter, and mix, first on low and then increasing the speed to medium low, cutting the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the mixer on low, add the cold water, beating just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface. Divide it in half and shape each piece into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl mix the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the lemon zest and egg until smooth. In a second bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, the lemon juice and flour.

Place one of the disks of pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a square about 1/8-inch thick - don't worry if it's not perfect, just trim the edges. My square was roughly 10x10-inches. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces (so for me, it was four 5x5 squares). Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each square, then top with about 2 tablespoons of the blueberry mixture. Brush the edges of the square with the heavy cream, then bring opposite corners together to form a triangle. Press the edges together, then use a fork to crimp them. Brush the top of the pie with heavy cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Repeat with the remaining 3 squares of dough, then do the same with the second disk of dough, making a total of 8 pies.

{Note - I did have leftovers of both the cream cheese and blueberry fillings - I probably could have made several more pies.}

Transfer the pies to the parchment-lined baking sheets. Cut a small vent or two in the top of each pie. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until the pies are golden brown (the filling may bubble out of the vents a little too). Transfer to a wire rack and allow the pies to cool completely.

30 by 30: Sourdough Bread

I was very pleased with how this sourdough turned out. It had a great sour flavor even though it was the first loaf from my starter. The sourdough starter takes about a week to ferment before you can use it but it gets stronger the longer you feed it. I didn't keep my starter since we will be moving in a few months but I plan on making a new starter once we are settled in our new place!

Sourdough
Recipe from AllRecipes

Starter:

1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast
2 cups water
2 cups all purpose flour

In a large non-metallic bowl mix together starter ingredients. Leave in a warm place to ferment for 4-8 days. When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. (To continue growing the starter, replace with equal parts flour & water... for example, if you use 1 cup starter add in 1 cup water and 1 cup flour with a pinch of sugar. Leave to ferment again). Refrigerate starter once fermented.

Bread:

3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C
1 cup sourdough starter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Mix water and yeast; let sit until bubbly. Add remaining ingredients and knead until smooth and elastic. Let dough rise until doubled in size. Punch down and shape into loaf. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

30 by 30: Lattice Topped Pie

This is one of those items that was on my 30 by 30 list not because of difficulty but because I had never done it and wanted to give it a shot. A lattice topped pie is no more difficult that a regular double crusted pie and it looks so pretty. I used a basic blueberry pie recipe and boy was it good! The pie didn't last long, that's for sure!

Enjoy!

Blueberry Pie
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

3/4 cup white sugar

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups fresh blueberries

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over blueberries.

Line dish with one pie crust. Pour berry mixture into crust and dot with butter. Cut remaining dough into wide strips and make a lattice top.

Bake for 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

 

30 by 30: Risotto

Risotto is one of those things that I have never made but really don't have a reason for not making. I mean, it is super easy and delicious. Yes, it requires more hands-on work since you need are stirring in the liquid a ladle at a time but it is worth it!

This recipe is very basic... a little onion, some parmesan, and parsley. My family inhaled it and I am looking forward to making it again!

Risotto
Recipe from About.com

1½ cups arborio rice

1 qt chicken stock

½ cup white wine

1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Kosher salt, to taste

Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.

Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown.

Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.

Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.

Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.

Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.

Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.

Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt.

Risotto turns glutinous if held for too long, you should serve it right away. A properly cooked risotto should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate. It shouldn't run across the plate, nor should it be stiff or gluey.

30 by 30: Chocolate Souffle

My souffle rose beautifully but as you can see, I didn't get a picture quick enough and it fell. I read it is pretty normal for them to fall after 5-10 minutes but I didn't read that until after it fell. I didn't think I had a short amount of time to take a picture. Oh well! :) It was relatively easy to make and super yummy!

Chocolate Souffle
Recipe from Food Network

7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for preparing the molds

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons warm water

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

8 large egg whites, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Confectioners' sugar for garnish

Directions

Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so
of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.

Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture. (Rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites.)

Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.

Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet. (Level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.)

Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

30 by 30: Popovers

 A popover is an egg dough that puffs up and hollows out. Super easy to make and a lot of fun to eat!

Popovers
Recipe from AllRecipes

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450. Grease popover pan.              

In a medium bowl beat eggs slightly, Beat in flour, milk and salt until just smooth; being careful not to overbeat. Fill custard cups 1/2 full.               

Bake at 450  for 20 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 350 and bake for 20 minutes more. Immediately remove from cups and serve piping hot.

30 by 30: Boston Cream Pie

Mmmmmm... Boston Cream Pie. I mean, seriously, there is NOTHING wrong with this cake. Two layers of yummy butter cake, a TON of pastry cream for the filling, and a chocolate ganache poured over the top. I am glad I made a mini version because had I made the full I would've eaten way more than I should have! :)

Enjoy!

Boston Cream Pie
Recipe from Williams Sonoma

For the cake:

2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temp
2 tsp vanila extract
1 cup whole milk, at room temp

Sift dry ingredients; set aside. Beat butter and sugar untl light and airy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla.

Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 of the dry mixture and mix until incorporated. Next add 1/2 of the milk and mix until incorporated. Continue alternately adding the ingredients ending with the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Pour into prepared 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.



For the pastry cream:

1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP cornstarch
2 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy bottomed saucepan warm the milk unitl tiny bubbles form along the edges. Remove from heat. In a bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar until blended. Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly.

Slowly pour milk mixture back into pan and place over medium heat. Stir just until mixture thickens and just comes to a boil. Pour the hot pastry cream through a sieve placed over a bowl. Add the butter and vanilla and stir until butter melts. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the pastry cream. Refrigerate until well chilled.

For the ganache:

8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter, at room temp
1 TBSP light corn syrup

Place ingredients in bowl on top of simmering water. Stir until melted. Let glaze cool until it has thickened to a pourable consistency.

To assemble:

Place 1 layer of cake on serving plate. Hollow out center. Pour pastry cream into hole and top with other cake layer. Pour ganache over the top and spread to even out.
　

30 by 30: Salt Water Taffy

Taffy is relatively easy to make but it is a process. After the ingredients are boiled until they reach about 250 degrees the taffy then has to be streched by hand to incorporate air. It took about 10 minutes and is quite the arm workout but it was fun!

Salt Water Taffy
Recipe from Vanilla & Lace

Salt water taffy
2 cups sugar
2 T. Cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
2 T. margarine/butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Flavoring oil
(I didn't have flavoring oil so I used a tablespoon or more of Mint extract)


Prepare a heat safe dish by lightly buttering it. If you are making more than one flavor, prep said amount of dishes. Also lightly butter a spatula for each flavor. And have each flavor and food color ready.

In a saucepan, sift together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in corn syrup, water, salt and margarine. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover pan and bring to a boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Uncover, place thermometer in pan and cook to 256 - 266 degrees F. The lower temperature will result in a chewier taffy, the higher a more brittle texture. Remove from heat and add food color and flavoring. Stir gently, pour into prepared dish/pan.

When cool enough to handle, grease hands and pull the warm candy with fingertips, pulling out to about 12 inches at first. Quickly turn candy back from fingertips of one hand to the other hand, then catch center and pull again. This will incorporate air into the candy. Continue pulling until taffy is light in color and has a satiny gloss, about twenty minutes. Pull into a long rope, cut with greased scissors and wrap in waxed paper squares, twisting ends.

30 by 30: Funnel Cake

I was looking through my 30 by 30 list this afternoon to see if there was anything I could make quickly with minimal ingredients. Funnel Cake was the only one left on there that could be done quickly so funnel cake it was! It was so super easy and practically identical to the carnival favorite! I looked through a bunch of different recipes, got an idea for ingredients, and created my own recipe. We loved the way it turned out!

Enjoy!

Funnel Cake
Makes 4 large cakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Vegetable oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Heat an inch of oil in large skillet.

Mix dry ingredients in bowl; set aside. Mix wet ingredients and whisk into dry until well blended.

Pour batter into pastry bag or ziploc bag; cut off corner.

Squeeze batter into oil and cook until golden brown. Flip and cook other side.

Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

30 by 30: Pierogies

Don't my pierogies look so yummy? Wait a minute... there isn't a picture! Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Seriously, I made them, took a picture (a pretty good picture, if you ask me!), and then proceeded to delete ALL the pictures from my camera. I thought I had transferred them all but it turns out I didn't. :( Bummer!

I will post the recipe I used, though, because it was really good. I made cheese and potato pierogies and my family loved them! It was an easy recipe and so delicious!

Enjoy!


Cheese & Potato Pierogies
Recipe from About.com

2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra to serve with the pierogi

1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces

butter and onions for sauteing

ingredients for filling of your choice (potato & cheese filling recipe below)

Preparation:

Pierogi Dough

To prepare the pierogi dough, mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Each batch of dough makes about 12-15 pierogies, depending on size.

Prepare the Pierogies

Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick. Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle. Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.

Boil the perogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Rinse in cool water and let dry.

Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft. Then add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy.

Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling:

Peel and boil 5 large potatoes until soft. Red potatoes are especially good for this. While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop 1 large onion and saute in butter until soft and translucent. Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and 4-8oz of grated cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you want your pierogies), adding salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, chives, or other enhancements if you desire. Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1" balls.

30 by 30: Pita Bread

I made this pita bread over the weekend and loved how easy it was! While mine aren't perfectly round they were perfectly delicious! It was kind of a last minute decision to make the pitas and so I ended up going with a recipe that I could make right away. There was one recipe I really wanted to try but the dough had to sit overnight in the refrigerator. I still plan on trying that recipe, though, because it will enhance the flavor. :) But this was a great, quick recipe and if I ever need pita bread in a hurry again I will definitely make it!

Pita Bread
Recipe from AllRecipes

1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine, select Dough setting and start. When dough has risen long enough, machine will beep.               

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope. With a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 to 7 inch circle. Set aside on a lightly floured countertop. cover with a towel. Let pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place 2 or 3 pitas on a wire cake rack (I used a pizza stone). Place cake rack directly on oven rack. Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown. Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft. Once pitas a softened, either cut in half or split top edge for half or whole pitas. They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 or 2 months.

30 by 30: Homemade Oreos

There are roughly 20 weeks until my 30th birthday and I still have 23 recipes on my 30 by 30 list to complete! What that means for me is that I need to get down to business and make a few a week to catch up! :)

My daughter wanted to bake with me yesterday so we looked through my list and decided on homemade Oreos. The best part about this recipe is that it is so easy! You would think that it would be time consuming filling the cookies but it took about 5 minutes (with a 6 year old doing the filling!) to fill all the cookies. Seriously... easy peasy!

They tasted great, too! They are a little softer than the original but still crunchy enough to dip in a glass of milk. We will definitely be making these again!

Homemade Oreos
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

30 by 30: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is one of those recipes on my 30 by 30 list that isn't necessarily fancy or complicated. It's just something that I realized I have never made and wanted to give it a shot.

There are SO many pineapple upside down cake recipes floating around out there. Honestly, I couldn't decide which one to use so I ended up just creating my own recipe.

It was AMAZING! So delicious, so juicy, and the fresh pineapple put it over the top. We inhaled this cake and I will definitely be making it again!

Enjoy!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Topping:

5 TBSP butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3 egg whites
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup pineapple juice
7 TBSP butter, melted

Fresh pineapple, sliced


　Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Mix brown sugar, butter, and pineapple juice; pour into cake pan. Top with pineapple slices.

In a bowl stir together the flour, salt, white sugar, and baking powder.

In large mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff.

In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks until lemony yellow. Stir in extracts, pineapple juice, buttermilk, and butter. and remaining melted butter. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold in the egg whites. Pour batter over the top of the brown sugar and pineapple rings.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert cake onto serving dish.

30 by 30: Grilling (Balsamic-Garlic Pork Tenderloin)

When I made my 30 by 30 list my husband had some ideas of what to put on it. This is one of his additions. My husband is a grill master and makes the most amazing food! I take care of the inside food and he takes care of the outside food. He loves grilling and wanted to share his knowledge with me.

The funny thing is with all I have accomplished in the kitchen I have NEVER cooked on a grill before. Not even hot dogs. It was definitely time to learn!

I started the fire, prepped the coals, and cooked the food. I made a pork tenderloin, baked potatoes, and campfire cones (chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs inside an ice cream cone). Everything turned out really good!

The pork tenderloin was AMAZING! Seriously one of the best tenderloins I have ever had. The balsamic and garlic was perfect. I was quite proud that I made such a wonderful meal outside and was even prouder that I was able to impress my grill master hubby!

Make this tenderloin... you won't be disappointed!

Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Recipe from Kitchen Confidante

4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!

Grill preparation:

Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.

Oven preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.

Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.



30 by 30: Homemade Noodles

No recipe today... just proof so I can check another thing off my "30 by 30" list. :) Making noodles was SO easy and so much fun! I have an attachment for my Kitchenaid that makes fettuccine and spaghetti. All I have to do is make the dough and then run it through my attachment. Easy peasy and the results are delicious! Homemade pasta is the way to go!