Little Bits of... Baking, Crafting, & Life

Butter Cake w/ Chocolate Almond Whipped Cream & Strawberries

May 24, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Combinations are a tricky thing. Combine vinegar and baking soda and you have the coolest science experiment for a 3rd grader. Combine my finger and a mandoline slicer and you have lots of blood. Combine berries and whipped cream? That is just a match made in heaven. Adding them on top of butter cake? Butter cake that is coated with a sugary crust? I know your mouth is watering… as is mine… but guess what? This cake is pretty easy to whip together. I chose to make mine in 5 ramekins but you can use any cake pan you like. The more sugary crust the better for me though. Oh and side note: no big deal… this week was my blogs 1st birthday! I can’t believe I have been doing this for a year. I have learned so much and know there is still much more to learn! I also want to thank you so much for reading. As much as I am totally cool with talking to myself, its nice to know you are there. So no birthday is complete without a cake… and within this winning combination there is another one that I hold near and dear to my heart.

Butter and sugar.

Smash it all together.

COAT ramekins or pan. I have little pieces of parchment on the bottom on the ramekins. This heafty coating with create that killer crust.

Make you batter and toss it in the pans.

Bake and until golden and beautiful. Mine puffed up in the middle so I just cut off the puffed part and ate it as fast as possible. This is a very imporant step.

Then I whipped up some cream and folded in Trader Joe’s Chocolate Almond Spread.

Then flip the little cakes over and top with strawberries and whipped cream!

Enjoy!

Butter Cake w/ Chocolate Almond Whipped Cream & Strawberries

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Whole Milk
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons of Chocolate Almond Spread (or nutella!)
Strawberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375.

Line 5 ramekins or 1 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl mix together 1/2 stick of unsalted butter with 1/3 cup of sugar. Rub mixture onto bottom and sides of pan in a nice thick layer. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With and electric mixer or in the bowl of a standing mix, beat the remaining 1 1/2 cups butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and yolk and vanilla, beat until combined. At a low speed, add flour mix and milk alternately until just combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 35-45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick or fork comes out clean. Cook cake in pan 10 minutes then turn out upside down on a plate. Remove parchment paper and let cool.

In a chilled mixing bowl with whisk attachment, add whipping cream and sugar and whip on high until stiff peaks form. Add in chocolate almond spread and fold in with rubber spatula until combined.

Top cakes with strawberries and whipped cream!

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/05/butter-cake-w-chocolate-almond-whipped-cream-strawberries/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_0054-1024x682.jpg

Filed Under: cakes, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: butter, cake, strawberries

Asparagus, Prosciutto & Blue Cheese Frittata

May 21, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Hello friends! How fast has May gone by?? Like a bullet train. Did you know that this month is National Egg Month? I don’t know about you but I can’t cook eggs on anything but Teflon. They must know this is true because they want to show their appreciation for the month with a #TeflonEggMonth sweepstakes! If you go to their facebook page they will be giving away daily prizes and weekly prize packages from cookware products to iPad minis! Their new products are beyond amazing. For this frittata I used their new Technique 3 Quart 11″ Lightweight Cast Iron Open Everyday Pan. See the bottom of the post for more details, but here are the highlights in 3 blurbs. Lightweight. NON stick. Dishwasher Safe!! I was amazed at how great this pan was. And so purty!

This frittata was so simple to make yet had amazing flavor! First chop up 2 cups of Asparagus.

Then grab some beautiful proscuitto.

Melt some butter in your Teflon pan and roast Asparagus for about 8 minutes over medium high heat. They will have a little brown on them, not too crunchy, not too soft. Then chop your proscuitto.

Add proscuitto to pan and cook for another 2 minutes to crisp up the meat.

EGGS! Take 6 eggs and mix them with some salt and pepper.

Then add those eggs to your pan and mix everything up so the veggies and meat are evenly dispersed. Then cook for about 4 minutes or until the bottom is set.

Sprinkle the blue cheese on and pop it under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on top!

Then slip the frittata out of the pan and onto a plate. And if you are using Teflon, trust me it will slip out with ease!

Enjoy!

Details about this amazing pan!

Technique 3 Quart 11″ Lightweight Cast Iron Open Everyday Pan:

Think of it as your own personal sous chef. This everyday pan will be by your side, helping you prepare delicious meals for the entire family. Its lightweight cast-iron construction and nonstick surface ensure everything from frittatas to risottos to roasted chicken breasts are cooked to perfection. From Technique(R) Cookware.

Lightweight cast iron with a porcelain enamel exterior
Stainless steel riveted handle on each side
DuPont(TM) ScratchGuard(R) Ultra nonstick interior is metal utensil-safe
Dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 500F
Measures 11-1/2″Diam x 2″H
Lifetime Limited Manufacturer’s Warranty
Made in China

Make sure to follow Teflon on Twitter and Facebook for more info and for more chances to win these amazing products!

* Teflon® brand sent me this pan to review. All opinions are my own!

Asparagus, Prosciutto & Blue Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped asparagus
3 oz. package of prosciutto
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions

Turn your oven broiler on high. Over medium-high heat melt butter in pan. Add asparagus and roast for 8 minutes. Chop prosciutto and add to pan to crisp for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl mix eggs with salt and pepper. Add eggs to the asparagus and prosciutto and stir to distribute evenly. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until the bottom has set. Sprinkle blue cheese over frittata and place in oven for 2-3 minutes for until slightly browned on top. Enjoy!

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/05/asparagus-prosciutto-blue-cheese-frittata/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_01282-1024x682.jpg

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: asparagus, blue cheese, eggs, frittata, prosciutto, teflon

Mint Coffee Table with Gold Feet: A Makeover!

May 16, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Change is so good. Paint is SO great. Putting a fresh coat of paint on something can change a whole room. I bought this old black coffee table on craigslist back in September of 2012 for 40 bucks. I knew I would paint it at some point but was fine with the black for those winter months. I added glass to the top after I bought it which made it look a bit better, but I just got replacement window glass so it didn’t fit perfectly. I am so excited about this because the colors turned out just how I wanted. First I brought the coffee table outside and prepped my work area.

Matt and I got out our trusty sanders.

We got to work. Matt used the belt sander and it killed it compared to my softer sander.

But we got the job done! We also found this circular sander which worked really well.

We got very tired on sanding and figured we didn’t need to sand everything down perfectly because we were using a 2 in 1 paint and primer. Once it was mostly sanded we cleaned off all of the dust and dirt.

The sun was beating down so this pic is washed out a bit, but this is after a double coat on top and a single coat on the bottom.

Once the whole table was painted, I noticed I didn’t reach the back of the legs well. I thought I would have to turn the table over and paint them upside down. Then I had the idea to paint them a different color to add a pop! I had eyed this Martha Stewart Metallic Golden Pearl paint and knew it was perfect!

After taping the legs off I did a couple of coats of the gold paint.

Once the paint was dried I turned the table and brought it back inside!

Don’t they just add a great little bling?

The glass really finished the look and of course needed a few books, a buddha and some yellow roses!

If you have a weekend and want to revitalize your living room, repaint your coffee table!!

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Recently-Updated11-595x1024.jpg

Filed Under: DIY, Uncategorized

Goat Cheese,Caramelized Onion and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

May 13, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

HOLY GRILLED CHEESE! Let’s have some serious real talk right now. I am officially addicted to Diners, Drive ins and Dives. I watch it on the reg and always get SO inspired! Banana bread french toast with bananas foster and ice cream? French dip with pork, bacon, gruyere? It’s too much. It leaves me in bed at 10 PM making a grocery list for the next day. Inspiration comes from many different places… TV, cookbooks, blogs, and restaurants are just a few! When I thought of making a “grown up” grilled cheese, goat cheese came to mind. It really is an unsung hero of the cheese world. It has a flavor that is not as strong as gorgonzola, but more complex than american. I found this creamy goat cheese and knew it would spread wonderfully on some sourdough. What else would you pair it with? Caramelized onions…. obvi. And fig jam?! Why not? Wow. I am so excited about this one. It had sweetness and salt that balanced with the creaminess of the cheese. Grilled up with butter, this gem will knock your socks off!

Its very simple. Sourdough, butter, goat cheese, onions, fig jam.

Grilled cheese never tasted so good!!

Goat Cheese,Caramelized Onion and Fig Jam Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

2 pieces sourdough bread
1/2 brown onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup goat cheese (depending on preference)
2 tablespoons fig jam
2 teaspoons softened butter

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until caramelized, up to 30 minutes. Take bread and butter one side of each piece. Spread half of the goat cheese on each non buttered side of the bread. Add caramelized onion to one side on top of the cheese, and fig jam to the other side. Assemble sandwich and place on hot skillet. Cook until browned, flip and repeat. Enjoy!

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/05/goat-cheesecaramelized-onion-and-fig-jam-grilled-cheese/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_0120-1024x682.jpg

Filed Under: dinner, Recipes, Snacks, Uncategorized Tagged With: grilled cheese

Roasted Corn and Cheese Dip

May 10, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Chips and dip. You know what I’m talking about.

Tortilla chips and queso.

Ruffles and french onion dip.

Pretzels and ranch.

Pita chips and hummus?!

You catch my drift. Chips and dip just make the world go round. When a dip is so good that you eat it all and just decide not to have dinner… you know you’ve found a winner. My mom discovered this dip and made it for a dinner party a couple weeks ago. Everyone there could not stop talking about “THE DIP”, “OMG THAT DIP”, “WOWWW I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT DIP”. Yeah it was that good. She made it with bacon, which is amazing, but I made it for a group that had some vegetarians so I just took out the bacon part. It is definitely optional though! I also substituted carmalizing sweet corn for Trader Joe’s delicious roasted corn. This dip is really just vegetables, greek yogurt and a little cheese… okay its a lot of cheese, but I think it totally can qualify as a meal. Any who…. It’s Friday so lets make some dip!

First you cook up some peppers, onions, jalepeno, green onions and garlic. Then mix that with your corn.

Then you add your greek yogurt, cheddar and jack cheese and some spices!

Mix it all up!

Divide into small pans or just use one big one!

Cover with a tad more cheese….

Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly! Serve with tortillas chips, crackers or anything else that fits your fancy!

Roasted Corn and Cheese Dip

Ingredients

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped (or 1 tablespoon of olive oil for vegetarian)
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 1/2 cups roasted corn (I used frozen roasted corn from Trader Joes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 sweet onion, choppd
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 (17 ounce) container of 2% Greek yogurt
5 ounces cheddar cheese, freshly grated
5 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

If using bacon, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until crispy and all fat is rendered, then remove bacon and let drain on a paper towel. If not using bacon, start here and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Add roasted corn to the skillet, cooking and stirring until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove corn and add it to a large bowl. Add olive oil to the skillet, then add onions and red peppers with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in jalapeno, green onions and garlic, cooking for just 2-3 minutes. Transfer mixture to the bowl, adding in the yogurt, paprika, bacon and 4 ounces of each cheese. Stir until combined then transfer to serving dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is golden on top. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or crackers.

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/05/roasted-corn-and-cheese-dip/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_0185-682x1024.jpg

Filed Under: dinner, Recipes, Snacks, Uncategorized

Margarita Cupcakes

May 7, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Hola Amigos! How was your cinco de mayo? Mine was just wonderful. I had some friends over and we made tacos, had some tequila and busted open a pinata. Oh and I made these margarita cupcakes. Matt said they tasted like a key lime pie and that I need to make MORE! That is always a good sign. Not only is there tequila in the batter but you also brush some on top of them and add it to the frosting. They are not overly sweet but the sugary and salty frosting add just the POW they need. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like this “festive” cupcake and will be making them again before next year! Enjoy!

That little bowl has lime juice, lime zest, vanilla extract and tequila!

Make sure your cupcake liners are cute. This is very important.

Fill those cups!

Bake then brush with te-kill-ya.

Frosting, lime zest and a straw! So easy to make it look profesh.

Margarita Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Zest and juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons tequila
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk

To Brush the Cupcakes:

1 to 2 tablespoons tequila

For the Tequila-Lime Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¾ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoons tequila
Pinch of coarse salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila. Mix until combined.

Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, rotating half way through, until just slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes ou8. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.

To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes and garnish, if desired, with lime zest and a cute straw!

*note: If you choose not to use alcohol, replace with vanilla extract.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/05/margarita-cupcakes/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DSC_01261-1024x682.jpg

Filed Under: cakes, Recipes, Uncategorized

blog lovin’!

May 6, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Happy Monday! I am on Bloglovin now and would love for you to follow me! Click on the link above to follow me and thousands of others awesome blogs. Have fun

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Friday Favorites

May 3, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

Happy Friday friends! Today like most Fridays I wanted to share with you some laughs, books, desserts and puppies!

Friday Favorite Youtube Clip: *warning there is bad language!***

Friday Favorite Book: The Art of Fielding

Friday Favorite DIY book: Young House Love

This couple is so cute. I got this book for my birthday and then found their blog and absolutely love it! Check it out > http://www.younghouselove.com/

Friday Favorite dessert: CPK’s Butter Cake. I will try to recreate this!

Friday Favorite Cinco De Mayo Puppy! and 15 other pups! http://www.buzzfeed.com/sauza/16-puppies-who-are-definitely-ready-for-cinco-de-mayo

These pups who are ready to be the life of the party:

Have a great Cinco De Mayo weekend!!

http://www.bookstores.umn.edu/images/system/product/28590.jpg

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Olive Oil Tortillas

April 29, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

So I finally did it. Tortillas are one of those things that taste so much better when they are fresh. I know I love when restaurants make them fresh but it was always one of those things I thought was best to leave to the experts. Traditional flour tortillas are made with lard but I did not have that on hand and knew olive oil was probably a bit healthier. The mix of all purpose and wheat flour give the tortillas a nice flavor and a nice dollop of guacamole doesn’t hurt either! I had to find something to roll out this weekend because I got a beautiful rolling pin for my birthday from my bestie Lindsey from Fundamentally Wild! These are delicious fresh but you can keep them in an air tight container/ bag and heat them up before eating as well. You might read this and think “that seems like too much work, i’ll just go get some at the store!”. Please don’t do that. Make these and you will impress yourself!

First mix together your dry ingredients then throw in some olive oil.

Then mix in warm water and let the dough sit for about 15 minutes.

Take one big ball and turn it into about 12 little balls.

Flour a cutting board.

Roll out each ball into a very thin disc.

Once your pan is nice and hot, throw your disc on and watch it bubble up.

Once you flip it the tortilla with fill with air! Just poke it with a fork and make sure the other side cooks.

Voila! Now you have made tortillas.

Now get some guac…

Oh yes!

Olive Oil Tortillas

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup warm water

Directions

Mix both the flours, salt, baking powder well in a bowl. Add olive oil and stir to combine. Gradually add required warm water and knead to a smooth dough. You may need to add a bit more warm water, you want the dough to be smooth, not to sticky and not to tight. You can rest the dough for 15 minutes. Divide into 10 or 12 equal sized balls.

Roll into thin discs, dust when ever needed with all purpose flour. Heat a pan and toast the rolled tortillas on both sides in medium flame until slight golden dots starts to appear. It should be about 1 minutes on the first side and 30 seconds on the other time. Just wait for those golden dots!

http://littlebitsof.com/2013/04/olive-oil-tortillas/

http://littlebitsof.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/DSC_01161-1024x682.jpg

Filed Under: breakfast, dinner, Recipes, Uncategorized

Dark and Stormy

April 25, 2013 By Kelsey Leave a Comment

I am officially 24! Not that I was ever unofficially 24… anyways, my birthday was on Tuesday! I love birthdays. Not only because everyone showers you with love and presents… okay I guess thats basically why. But also because it is an excuse to go out to dinner and indulge a bit. Matt and I went to Tommy Bahama in Laguna Beach and had a wonderful night! I started off with a Mai Tai and Matt got a Dark and Stormy. I had one sip of his drink and was blown away. I’m more of a beer and wine kinda gal but when I try a great cocktail it’s hard to beat. After our macadamia nut encrusted goat cheese appetizer I decided to get one for myself and savored every sip. The next day I thought it was appropriate to run right to the store after work and get my hands on some ginger beer, dark rum and limes. A simple cocktail and my new favorite! Try it for yourself!

Squeeze of lime.