How to Eat a Cupcake: A Cozy Day Inside

I just filled my sugar and flour containers... what does that mean?

TIME TO BAKE

So on today's agenda, Banana Bread, Caramel Creme Brulee, Cranberry Bliss Bars
&
Catching up on my blogging!

Banana Bread

2 cups flours

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

5 overripe bananas

1 tsp of each: cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, cloves and freshly ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 350 F or 175 C & grease your bread pan. I am in love with the Baking Pam! Mix banana, spices, butter and sugar. Add the dry ingredients and pour into pan. Bake for 1 hr and cool for 10 minutes.

Caramel Creme Brulee
Makes 8

2 cups heavy cream, divided

1/4 cup coffee grounds

1 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

2 cups half and half

8 egg yolks

1/4 tsp. salt

8 tsp. raw sugar

Bring 1 cup cream to simmer in small saucepan (I placed the grounds in a tea bag and threw the whole bag into the cream). Remove from the heat, and let steep 20 minutes-1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Boil without stirring until syrup is a deep amber color, swirl the pan occasionally, this takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and turn the stovetop to low heat. Add the remaining 1 cup heavy cream, mixture will bubble up and harden. Place back on the low heat and stir until caramel is smooth. Stir in half and half. Stir in the coffee cream. Whisk yolks, salt and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Gradually whisk cream mixture into yolks, and pour custard into your ramekins. Add enough water to your pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake custards until just set in center 65-70 minutes. Transfer individually to refrigerator, chill uncovered until cold 3 hr up to 1 day.
Sprinkle top of each custard with raw sugar, broil until sugar topping melts and browns, 2 minutes. Refrigerate custards until sugar topping hardens, 30 minutes to 1 hr. Serve cold.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup diced dried cranberries

6 oz white chocolate chips

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

4 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. shortening

Preaheat oven to 350 F or 175 C. Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger & salt, beat well. Mix in flour until smooth. Add cranberries and white chocolate by hand. Pour into a greased baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until light brown.

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. When cake is cool spread frosting over the top of the cake, sprinkle the cranberries over the frosted cake.

Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and shortening together and drizzle over the cake.

Allow cake to sit for several hours then slice lengthwise, and then across making 8 bars. Slice each bar into a triangle, creating 16 bars.

Salmon with Harissa sauce and Veggies

I tossed a 12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers in the blender with 1/2 tsp. cayenne and a clove of garlic. We grilled the Salmon on our beloved George Foreman and poured the sauce on top.

I roasted the carrots and potatoes for 30 minutes after drizzling some olive oil and tossing them with salt and pepper. The spinach i sauteed in 1/2 Tbsp. butter and topped with some parmesan.

Apple Stuffed Chicken

I chopped up one fuji apple and mixed that with some bread crumbs, thyme, orange juice, salt and pepper and stuffed that into the chicken breast with a slice of mozzarella on top. I placed all of the chicken breasts in a foil lined pan and poured chicken broth, and apple cider in the bottom, i mixed some dijon mustard into the wet mixture and baked for about 15 minutes. I steamed brussel sprouts and asparagus on the side.

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Chop your basil FINELY, mix in parmesan and olive oil until it is the consistancy that you want. Spread tomato sauce over pizza, add oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic. Spread an italian cheese blend on top, then dot with your homemade pesto. Place mozzerella balls on top, with chicken and tomatoes. Bake until cheese is bubbly.