Easter just wouldn’t be complete without the presence of an ambrosia salad.  I love this colorful, sweet and creamy salad. Some people make it with fruit cocktail, but my family prepares this little gem of a salad with mostly fresh fruit.  Take sweet fruit and add nuts, marshmallows and cream to the bowl for a super yummy bunny treat. Even the Easter Rabbit will not be able to refuse.  Adults and children alike scramble for the last bite. If ambrosia salad is not an Easter staple for you and yours,  you’re surely missing out.

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for ambrosia salad:

3/4 – cup pineapple chunks (sliced in half)

1 – cup maraschino cherries (cut in half)

1 – cup green seedless grapes (cut in half)

1 – cup seedless tangerines (peeled, and chopped into cubes)

1 – basket strawberries (sliced)

1 1/2 – cups shredded sweetened coconut

1 – cup pear (cored and sliced)

1 – cup fuji apple (cored and sliced)

2 – bananas (sliced)

3/4 – cup almonds (chopped)

3/4 – cup pecans (chopped)

1 – cup sugar

1/2 – teaspoon  vanilla extract

2 – cups sour cream

1 – cup mini marshmallows

In a big bowl combine all chopped fruit. Then add chopped nuts and mix to combine. Set to the side.

In a bowl add sugar, vanilla and sour cream and mix well. Then pour the sweet cream mixture over the fruit. Mix well.

Then add marshmallows to fruit and cream mixture. Mix well and serve!

 HAPPY EASTER!

I recently started working again and I find  it’s fun getting up in the morning, brewing my coffee, grabbing a piece of toast on the way out the door.  I love morning… driving to work, feeling the nitty gritty of the city, greeting my co-workers, having a little spring in my step…. it’s exciting.  Then once 10:30-ish rolls around, my tummy starts to grumble. It’s not quite lunch time but I need a little something to hold me over, something I could pick at while sitting at my desk.  Sometimes it’s fruit, other times it’s a Toblerone, but today it was my peanut butter banana muffin with hints of mexican chocolate.  I made a slew of them to share with my gals in the office.  It was a hero move and for the rest of the week, I’ll have a small army behind my ideas.  Ahhhh the persuasion of food! 🙂

Ingredients for peanut butter banana chocolate muffins:

1/3 – cup oil

2 – eggs

1/3 – dark brown sugar

1/2 – cup sugar

1/2 – teaspoon almond extract

1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

1 – cup mashed banana

1/2 – cup smooth peanut butter

2 – cups flour

1- teaspoon baking soda

1/3 – teaspoon salt

1/4 – cup grated Ibarra mexican chocolate (about half a disk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Ready 11 muffin baking cups on a cookie sheet or line baking cups in a muffin pan.  Set to the side.

In a mixer bowl add oil,eggs, brown sugar, sugar, almond extract and vanilla extract.  Mix on medium for 2 minutes or until combined.

Then add mashed banana and peanut butter.  Mix it on medium until fully incorporated… about a minute or so.

In a small bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, and mexican chocolate.  Mix together then pour into peanut butter mixture all at once.

Mix to combine.  Then take 1/4 cup of muffin batter and fill cups.

Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Eat plain or frost with a cream cheese frosting sprinkled with grated chocolate.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese frosting:

4 – ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 – cup butter (room temperature)

1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

1 – cups confections sugar (powdered sugar)

In a mixer combine cream cheese and butter, and mix for 2 to 3 minutes.  Then add vanilla and mix till combined.  Last add in confectioners sugar a little at a time till completely combined.

ENJOY!!!!!

All photos taken by: Mando Lopez and Nicole Presley

Having a toddler really makes you appreciate your plastic ware….  I can’t tell you how many of my glass measuring cups and spoons have met their demise shattered all over my kitchen floor.  The light bulb went on and I invested in plastic ware instead.  Toddlers also make you realize how your alone time with your Valentine can almost become non-existant unless you carefully plan out an adventure for two.  Me and my honey celebrated V-day early (that’s when we could get a babysitter) with a picnic in the woods….  I of course made one of his favorite treats, Choco-Flan.  Thanks to all the stars in the sky my plastic carrier got the precious cargo from point A to point B in one piece.

Chocolate Cake Ingredients:

1/2 – cup cajeta

1 – box devils food chocolate cake mix (add water, vegetable oil, and eggs according to box directions)

1/4 – cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

In a mixer bowl, combine chocolate box mix cake water,  eggs, and vegetable oil.  Mix on medium for 2 minutes on slow, then bring the speed up to medium high for 2 more minutes.

In a 12 cup bundt pan.  Coat with a non-stick baking spray, then pour in cajeta to bottom of pan.

Then take cake batter and slowly pour over cajeta.

In a tea kettle, fill with water and place over a high flame. While waiting for water to boil, make flan blend.

Flan Ingredients:

4 – ounces cream cheese (I use Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temperature)

1 – 12 0z. can of evaporated milk

1 – 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 – tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 – tablespoon almond extract

4 – large eggs

In a blender add cream cheese, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Once flan mixture is blended, slowly pour in a circle over cake batter, a little bit at a time.  Then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.

  

Lastly, place the covered pan in hot bath in oven on middle rack and let bake for 1 hour.

Once cake is baked,  remove from hot bath and remove aluminum foil.  Let cool in the pan for 2 hours, next run a butter knife along the edge of pan to pull cake away from pan, then flip it over onto a plate.  Or on the plate of a cake carrier.

Slowly lift pan up away from plate.  There you have it….PERFECT Choco-FLAN!  Put it in the fridge for another 6 hours and eat it chilled.  If you are taking the cake to a party  top with the carrier lid and transport your choco-flan safe and sound.

 Hecho Con Amor!!

All Photos by Mando Lopez

Disclosure:  This post is part of the Plastics make it Possible for Valentine Bloggers Bake OFF campaign.  Thank you Ogilvy Public Relations for making me the featured baker.  I was provided with bakeware to aid this recipe.

 What do I do when my guy asks for a coconut birthday cake?  I think winter wonderland. It’s not my fault his birthday falls in December.  I got to making his cake and instead of going with a traditional decoration I went the holiday route.  In the end I put some birthday candles so he’d have something to blow out…. He didn’t mind, as long as he got his cake!

Ingredients for coconut almond cake:

2 1/3 – cups flour

1/2 – cup sliced almonds (coarsely chopped)

1 – teaspoon baking soda

1/2 – teaspoon salt

1 – cup buttermilk

3 – eggs

1 – cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 – teaspoons almond extract

1 1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 sugar

2 – cups sweetened shredded coconut

Ingredients for the frosting:

16 – ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1 – cup butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 – teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 – cups coconut

1/2 – cup strawberry preserves

Optional decoration:

Holiday cookies

red candies

dried cherries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.

Spray edges of (2) 8-inch round cake pans and place a round piece of wax paper at the bottom of pan for easy removal.  Set to the side.

In a small bowl add flour, almonds, baking soda, and salt.  Mix with a fork and set to the side.

In a mixing bowl add buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, almond extract, vanilla extract, and sugar.  Mix on low speed to combine for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Then slowly add in flour mixture till combined.  Fold in coconut.

Fill both prepared pans with cake batter, make sure to give each pan the same amount.

Bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely.  Then remove from pans and remove wax paper bottom.

Let’s make frosting: In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and butter till smooth for about 2 minutes on a medium high speed.  Then add in vanilla and mix for an additional minute.  Next add in the powdered sugar a little at a time mixing until completely combined and fluffy.

Place one cake upside down on a cake plate and frost with cream cheese frosting, then spread strawberry preserves in the inside leaving a half inch away from the edge.  Then top with the other cake.  Fill with frosting all around the edges in the open space between both cakes.

Then frost entire cake.  Once completely frosted place coconut on entire cake.  If you wish place holiday cookies around the edge of cake and make a border with red candies and dried cranberries or cherries.  Happy Holidays!  Or in my man’s case, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

                                                 All photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Ingredients for peanut butter and jam cookies:

1 1/2 – cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 – cup butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 – cups sugar

1/2 – cup dark brown sugar (packed)

2 – eggs

1 – cup flour

1/4 – cup almond meal

1 – teaspoon baking powder

1/2 – cup jam (I use strawberry or fig….use the flavor of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

In a mixer bowl add peanut butter and butter and mix to completely combine. Then add sugar and dark brown sugar and mix on medium speed for 4 to 6 minutes or until smooth.  Add in one egg at a time till incorporated.

In a small bowl add flour, almond meal, and baking powder. Give it a good stir to ensure all powders are combined.

Add flour mixture  to butter mixture and mix just till combined.

Line cookie sheet with baking mat or wax paper.

Using a tablespoon measure out a dough and drop into your hand an d roll each piece into a ball. Place each ball at least two inches apart.

Then gently press your thumb into the center of each cookie ball to create your dent to fill with jam.

Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 8 minutes, then remove and place on rack for extra cooling. Makes 50 cookies.  Happy Holidays!

 This coming Saturday my community is holding a pre-Thanksgiving celebration for families in need.  I will be in charge of teaching the children how to bake and decorate cupcakes.  This is the recipe I came up with along with the finishing decorating look that screams the colors of fall.  Note to reader: These cupcakes are friggin’ delish and a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie for your T-giving dinner!

All photos taken by: Nicole Presley 

Ingredients for Pumpkin Coconut Mini Cupcakes:

3 – cups of sugar

4 – eggs

1 – 15 ounce can Libby’s Pumpkin Puree

1 – cup vegetable oil

2/3 – cup water

3 1/2 – cups all purpose flour

1 – teaspoon salt

2 – teaspoons baking soda

1 – teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 – teaspoons ground ginger

1 – cup shredded sweetened coconut

Ingredients for Cream Cheese frosting:

8 – ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1 – cup butter (room temperature)

1 – teaspoon vanilla extract

2 – cups confections sugar (powdered sugar)

Optional:

1/2 -cup dried cranberries

1/2 – cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

Line mini cupcake sheet with cupcake baking cups. Set to the side.

In a mixer combine sugar, eggs, Libby’s pumpkin puree, vegetable oil and water. Mix until well combined about 2 to 3 minutes.

    

Meanwhile in a medium bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger together. Once all dry ingredients are combined add in coconut and mix well.

Now add flour/coconut mixture to the pumpkin mixture a little at a time with the mixer set to medium low. Make sure to mix well.

    

Fill each mini cupcake baking cup with 1 tablespoon of mixture. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Once cupcakes cool…. make the cream cheese frosting.

In a mixer combine cream cheese and butter, and mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add vanilla and mix till combined. Last add in confectioners sugar a little at a time till completely combined.  Spread cream cheese frosting on top of each cupcake and decorate with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for a festive holiday look.  ENJOY!

Makes 72 mini cupcakes.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 I don’t know if you’ve ever worked with Korean Pears  before , but it can be quite a task if you’re doing anything other than eating them fresh.  I had it in my mind that I wanted to create a pear tart using asian pears for Thanksgiving, but the truth is Korean Pears don’t change much in texture if you bake them.  After experimenting in my kitchen lab with a few Korean Pears I came up with a final dessert that made my Momma swoon.  She said “Your little candied yam korean pear squares taste like a treat someone would offer you at a friend of a friend’s house during the holidays.  You would gladly take a square gobble it down, think it was unlike anything you ever tasted yet embodied all the sweet flavors of late Autum.  Then you’d sit there looking at your plate…. dreading you didn’t eat it slower. Wishing you could ask for another piece, but your manners get the best of you so you don’t.”  She said this as she served herself another slice in the comfort of her daughter’s home.

All photographs taken by: Mando Lopez

Ingredients for candied yam Korean pear squares:

2 – Melissa’s produce- Korean pears (peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)

2 – sticks of cinnamon

2 – cloves

1 – cup brown sugar

1 – tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 – cups water

3 – cups yams or sweet potato ( peeled and cut)

1 – stick of butter (melted) plus 2 tablespoons (room temperature)

2 – tablespoons orange juice

10 – graham crackers (each cracker has the ability to become two squares-20 squares total)

1 3/4 – cups whole pecans

1/2 – teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 – teaspoon ground ginger

1 – cup mini marshmallows

Let’s start with the Korean pears.

In a saucepan over a medium flame add 1 stick of cinnamon, cloves, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.

In the meantime peel and cut your Korean pears.

Remove cinnamon stick and cloves from boiling brown sugar mixture, then add cut pears and boil for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pears can easily be pierced with a fork.  Remove from flame, and set to the side.  Reserve brown sugar liquid for a later use.

Lets’s move on to the yams.  Peel and cut yams or sweet potatoes.

In a large sauce pan filled with water halfway over a medium flame add a cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Then add yams and boil for 15 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce through. Drain.

Place drained yams in a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher. Then mix in 2 tablespoons of room temperature butter, orange juice, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar liquid that pears poached in, 1/4 cup brown sugar. Set to the side.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

Let’s make a crust. In a food processor, add graham crackers, pecans, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and ground ginger. Pulse until crumbs are formed.

Remove 1/2 cup of crumb mixture for a later use and set to side. Then add melted butter to the remaining crumb mixture and pulse to combine.

Spray an edge brownie pan or a metal 8×8 pan with a non-stick spray, then fill with crust mixture. Using your fingertips press down to form crust to the bottom of pan.

Place crust in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Then remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Next evenly spread in the layer of mashed yams.

Remove all Korean pear pieces from any remaining liquid and  place on top of mashed yams.

Place back in the oven for 25 minutes.  Then remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of reserved crust crumbs.

 Then top with marshmallows.

Place back in oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Then turn off the oven and put under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until marshmallows turn golden brown. Remove from broiler and serve warm or cold.

Happy Thanksgiving!