My tia makes the best jello cake. She calls them “Pastel de Gelatin.” I personally don’t care what she calls them as long as I get my slice. This year I took my personal stab at it and bought it out in true 4th of July style. One fork in you’ll make jello cakes a part of your summer too!

INGREDIENT LIST:

• 1 – white cake mix
• 1 – 6 oz. box of strawberry jello
• 1 – 6. Oz box of blue jello
• 2 – cups boiling hot water
• a fork
• 1/2 – pint fresh blueberries
• 1 – basket fresh strawberries
• 24 – ounces cool whip

Directions:

1. Bake cake per the instructions on the box in two 8 inch round pans lined with wax paper.
2. Boil water, then place the cherry jello in one bowl and the blue jello in the other bowl. Add 1 cup of water into both bowls. Stir to completely dissolve gelatin. Set each bowl to the side.
3. Remove cakes from oven and poke about twenty holes into each cake with a fork. Then slowly pour 1 cup of the liquid jello mixture over each cake. The first cake gets poured with red, and the second cake gets poured with blue.
4. Place cakes in the fridge to set for 4 hours.
5. Then carefully remove cakes from pan. Remove wax paper from the bottom of the cakes. Place one of the cake layers on a plate.
6. Take a scoop of cool whip and frost the top of the first layer of cake, then top with blueberries.
7. Add the second layer of cake and frost the entire cake. Sprinkle with strawberries.
8. Place back in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
9. Enjoy!

Does this picture excite you with the idea of Mexican candied fruits and a little candy on the side?  I placed my candy guide on Babble.  Click here to see the complete list of all my favorite goodies.

Layered cake is considered something special in my book. I have had the divine pleasure of the black and white indonisian cake. I have had layered berry cakes and the list goes on. I know people make crepe cakes by staking crepes on top of each other with gooey fillings in between. But never have I had a crepe cake with layers of crepes baked into the cake. I decided to make one for myself since chocolate crepe cake was exactly what I was craving. I don’t want you think I’m mad as a hatter, but this was one of the best cakes I ever tasted. Make it for yourself…. it’s a special treat. The peanut butter honey frosting and fresh banana slices will seriously make you a firm believer in this cake. Promise.

Ingredients for honey peanut butter chocolate crepe cake:

• 1 – box Devil’s food chocolate cake mix (use measurements for water, oil, and eggs according to box, and mix into batter)
• 12 – ready made Melissa’s produce crepes
• 2 – cups skippy creamy peanut butter
• 1 1/2 – cup honey
• 2 – bananas (sliced into 1/4 inch slices)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with a non stick baking spray. Then line the bottom of the pans with wax paper.
• Pour 1/4 cup of cake batter into the bottom of each pan. Then with a spatula spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan. 
• Top the thin layer of cake batter with a crepe, then pour another 1/4 batter on top of crepe, spread it out evenly. 
• Continue this layering process of cake batter and crepe until each pan has 6 crepes in each, then evenly distribute the remaining batter between both pans.
• Bake the cakes for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool completely.
• Remove the first cake from the pan and remove the wax paper from the bottom, place on a plate.
• In a bowl whisk the peanut butter and honey together until completely combined. Divide it into two portions.
• Spread the first portion of peanut butter frosting on the top of the first cake.
• Place sliced bananas on top of the peanut butter frosting. 
• Remove the second cake from the pan and remove the wax paper off the bottom of the cake. Place the second cake on top of the first peanut butter frosted cake.
• With the remaining peanut butter frosting spread it on the top of your second cake.
• Enjoy.

Disclosure: I was treated to an afternoon with the CA Strawberry Commission that included dinner and lots of strawberries, I was also given a stipend for my recipe. All opinions and recipe are my own.

I recently went on a trip to an Oxnard, California Strawberry field. I know, that makes you think of the Beatles song “Strawberry Fields Forever.” I couldn’t stop humming that tune to myself the whole day, such a melancholy song in one of the sweetest fields of California…. I learned all sorts of new fun facts about strawberries, and got to spend the day with a few of my good friends. I ran around in the fields looking for the biggest prettiest reddest strawberry I could find and tried to shove as many in mouth as possible.  Picking them fresh and tasting them at the warm temperature made such a sweet difference. I guess I’m use to eating them out of my fridge and cold.  Here are a few interesting facts that Farmer Bill Reiman and The CA Strawberry Commission shared.

• Every day superfruit: 8 strawberries contain more vitamin C than an orange. Low in sugar, with only about 50 calories, strawberries are a great source of fiber, folate and potassium.
• Good for your heart: Potassium found in strawberries can help control blood pressure and fight strokes. Plus, antioxidants, fiber and phytochemicals in strawberries have been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels.
• California’s strawberry farmers are among the most progressive and environmentally conscious in the state. In fact, they have invested millions of dollars in research and sustainable farming practices to reduce pesticide use and environmental impacts.
• There are no genetically modified strawberries commercially grown and shipped. Different varieties of strawberries are developed for different climates and growing conditions. These varieties are developed using traditional breeding methods that involve selecting two parents and crossing them using their flowers.

With all these great facts about strawberries I decided to bake a cake to celebrate strawberries and how much my family loves them.

Ingredients for Strawberry Blueberry PoppySeed Olive Oil Cake:

• 3 1/2 – cups flour
• 3 – teaspoons baking powder
• 1 – teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 – teaspoon salt
• 2 – cups sugar
• 1 – cup whole milk
• 5 – extra large eggs (or 6 regular sized ones)
• 1 1/3 – cup extra virgen olive oil
• 3 – tablespoons poppyseeds
• 2  – cups fresh strawberries (chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)
• 1 – cup fresh blueberries

Ingredients for Strawberry Icing:

• 1/2 cup strawberry puree (about 8 to 10 strawberries)
• 3 – cups confectioners sugar

Directions for Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Spray a 12 cup bundt pan with non-stick baking spray, and set to the side.
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl, and mix to combine. Set to the side.
4. In a mixer add in sugar, milk, eggs and olive oil. Mix to combine for 5 minutes on a medium speed.
5. Then gradually add flour mixture to sugar/olive oil mixture, mix until completely combined.
6. Add poppy seeds, strawberries, and blueberries to batter and mix to combine. 
7. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and back for 60 minutes. 
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 3 hours. 
9. Then pull cake away from the edges of the pan and center.
10. Invert cake onto a platter.

1. In a blender add strawberries and blend until completely liquified.
2. Then using a sieve strain strawberry puree into a cup.
3. Pour confectioners sugar and strawberry puree into a bowl together and mix with a whisk or fork until completely smooth. Icing with be slightly thick.  
4.  Then slowly pour icing over cake and allow to harden for a minimum of 2 hours.
5. Slice and ENJOY!!!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the field trip!

Ericka and I being greedy with our strawberries, and hoping nobody catches us!

Thank you CA Strawberry Commission for a fun and sweet day!

This giveaway is officially closed! Congrats to Candy!!!!

For a chance to win the gorgeous teapot pictured below, leave a comment on how you enjoy strawberries, and for an extra chance to win share this post with your facebook friends. Winner will be chosen by random.org. Contest ends Sunday May 12th at midnight PST.

I have to admit the truth, I’m having a full on affair with lemon pastries these days.  Let me apologize to my friends in advance (A-dre, Emma, Kristen and Ericka) these ladies have been trying to get me to eat lemon desserts for YEARS, and I would turn my nose up and act like they had offered me the worst thing on earth.  I should of listened to you girls.  I Don’t know why the thought of lemon pastries just repulsed me.  I had somehow convinced myself I would hate it.  Recently I was in Miami and had my first slice of Key Lime Pie, and it was as if the heavens had opened up and let me lick the sky….. I LOVED IT!  Now I’m going lemon pastry crazy.  Here is my first dessert I ever made using lemon anything.  I’m happy to share it with you.  My family (especially my Mom) went bonkers for it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for No Bake Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake:

• 12 – honey graham crackers sheets (each sheet has 4 crackers in it)
• 3 1/2 – tablespoons butter (melted)
• 12 – ounces of cream cheese
• 1 – 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 5 – ounces of coconut flavored gelatin (I use D’Gari) (if you are unable to find coconut flavored gelatin- substitute with one cup of sugar and 1 individual packet of Knox gelatin)
• 3 – cups of boiling hot water
• 6 – ounces Lemon flavored jello mix
• 1 – cup of fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. To make the crust…. place all graham in a food processor and pulse till completely grounded up into crumbs. Then pour in melted butter and pulse again to incorporate.
2. Pour buttered crumbs into a springform pan. Press crumbs into pan to form a crust. Then place in the fridge while you make the next layer. 
3. In a mixer add cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk and mix on medium till they cream together smooth. Set to the side.
4. In a medium sized bowl mix coconut gelatin mix and 1 cup of boiling hot water together, mix until gelatin is completely dissolved. Set to the side to cool for about 25 minutes mixing with a spoon occasionally.
5. Once coconut gelatin mixture is cooled enough, pour it a little at a time into the cream cheese condensed milk mixture, and mix with mixer on medium till completely combined. It will start to thicken up right away so work fast.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust lined springform pan. Then place in fridge for 2 to 3 hours.
7. Then in a medium bowl add lemon jello mix and 2 cups of boiling hot water, mix until completely dissolved. Set to the side to cool for about 30 minutes.
8. Once lemon jello mixture has cooled, remove pan from fridge and add fresh blueberries to the top of the the cheese cake layer. 
9. Then slowly pour the cooled lemon jello mixture on top of the blueberries. 
10. Place back in the fridge for one hour. Then when ready to serve, take a butter knife and run it along the inner edge of the pan. Then release the springform pan and cut and serve. Enjoy! 

I’m always craving a good hearty empanada, something I could sink my teeth into and relish every minute between bites.  I have those moments where I stare into my empanada as I softly devour it, knowing the end is near.  BUT there is always another one waiting for me on the plate until they are all gone.  These potato empanadas unfold a new level of love before me all neatly wrapped in a pie crust dough.  Have them for dinner tonight or take them on your next picnic.  Either way, here is a simple way to make these tasty little gems using left over mashed potatoes.  Watch the video to see how.

Ingredients for Potato Empanadas:

• 1 – box store bought pie crust
• 1/2 – cup of cold left over mashed potatoes (made with Idaho Potatoes, butter, garlic, and onion)
• 1/4 – cup chile strips (I roasted and peeled anaheim chiles)
• 1/4 – cup grated pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 – cup grated cheddar cheese
• egg wash (1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water mixed together)

Disclosure: This video/post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission (which I am very proud the be associated with). The recipe and opinions are my own. Thank you for watching.

Some people call this super yummy treat “crack candy” as a nickname since you need to reach 285 degrees on a candy thermometer when making the candy portion, which is the soft crack temperature. I just think it is one of the best snack foods around. I decided to make Planters Peanuts the star of this show and they performed so well. Standing ovations are in order! Find the recipe on Babble by clicking here!