Did you wake up and watch the royal wedding or host a watch party? It was so fun celebrating William and Kate’s big day with Hannah. I have to admit it would have been amazing being there in the middle of the crowd, wearing a big crazy hat and screaming when they kissed on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. I thought it would be yummy to indulge our sweet tooth and share this chocolate biscuit cake, that was chosen as the groom’s cake for the wedding. I heard it has been one of Prince William’s favorite desserts since he was a child.
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Yield: One 9-inch cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Chill Time: 3½ hours
1½ cups plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
30 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or substitute honey)
2 7½-ounce packages lightly toasted butter biscuits (like Le Petit Beurre), coarsely choppedFor Glaze:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Stir the butter and chocolate together in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the cream and golden syrup (or honey). Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped biscuit pieces to evenly incorporate. Pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. To make the glaze, put the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring the cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is slightly thickened but still pourable.
3. Wrap a warm, damp kitchen towel around the cake pan. Remove the pan sides. Invert the cake onto a wire rack set on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Remove the cake pan bottom and peel off the parchment paper. Pour glaze over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides; spread as needed to cover the cake. Refrigerate until the glaze sets, about 30 minutes.
Zoie is my inspiration behind deceptive recipes this month on Wednesday WOW series!! If you have a picky eater, I really want to know how you deal with the craziness with patience and creativity in the kitchen.
Spaghetti Pie From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld
Non stick cooking spray
3 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1/2 pound lean ground turkey or sirloin
1/4 cup broccoli puree
l large egg white
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-2 1/2 cups bottled spaghetti sauce
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup carrot puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander.
3. In a small bowl, mix the ground turkey or sirloin with the broccoli puree, egg white, Parmesan, and garlic. Form 1/2 inch balls from the mixture.
4. In a large bowl, stir the cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, carrot puree, and salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into the pie plate and smooth the top. Scatter meatballs on top and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until the center is firm and the cheese is bubbly, 25-30 minutes.
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I would love for you to link up your favorite recipe today in the comments. If you have a yummy post to share- leave your blog link.
I confess, I really love deceiving my kids by hiding healthy stuff in their food. My crazy kids (Michael, Hannah and Zoie) have three very different eating habits… see if you can guess?
One eats everything in sight- it’s all good!
One eats most things, but small portions!
One eats literally nothing, but french fries and fruit (no meat!)
This month on Wednesday WOW Recipes, I’m going to feature a new Deceptively Delicious recipe. I’d love for you to test it out on your kids and let me know if it’s a winner! You can always leave me, in the comments- your blog permalink if you have shared with bloggers a yummy recipe. I love swapping recipes and learning from you- the mom pros!!
Ingredients
1
cup water
1
cup sweet potatoe, pureed (about 1/2 cup)
1/4
tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (optional)
1
cup pancake mix
1
Nonstick cooking spray
1
tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix the water, sweet potato puree, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if using. Add the pancake mix and stir just to combine – the batter should be lumpy.
2. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, and spoon the batter onto the griddle or pan, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
3. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancades and the batter is set, 2 to 3 minutes. Then use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook them until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes.
Sometimes I try to come up with creative recipes to test on my family. I’m not the best cook in the kitchen, but I love the satisfaction of my son gobbling up a meal and the simple words… “Aw Mom, awesome!” I have made meatloaf for years, in fact, it was the first meal I made as a newlywed. I will never forget the look on his face when I scooped out a mush of meat and plopped it on his plate. Secretly, I was wondering why the meat wasn’t in a pretty neat loaf like the picture in my Betty Crocker cookbook, but had no idea I had made a big mess up. I thought 1 pound ground meat, actually meant baking the meat first. Yep, I cooked the meat before baking the loaf. Even though it was disgusting, Mr. Awesome ate the crumbly loaf with a smile. I think he secretly told my mom what happened, because the next day, I had a meatloaf 101 lesson.
I found this adorable meatloaf recipe on a fun cooking blog, Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy. You can make these “MEATLOAF CUPCAKES for April Fools Day! Succulent and flavorful little “cakes” of meat with a rich and buttery mashed potato “icing” piped on top. Are they not adorable? Are they not brilliant? They are! They are! Now, let me tell you how they came to be.”
You can read more about these delightful meaty cakes here.
I have a new My Crazy Adoption Facebook on the right side bar – just click that you “Like” and you are there to hang out with me and have some crazy daily discussions about love, life, and mommyhood!
My daughter, Hannah has been on a mashed potato frenzy. She learned how to make the creamy side dish when Roger and I were in Africa. This is her favorite recipe and she wanted me to tell you she can do it without nicking her finger on the peeler.
Heat broth and potatoes in 3-quart saucepan over high heat to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving broth.
Mash potatoes with 1/4 cup broth, cream, butter and black pepper. Add additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency.
For an interesting twist: Stir 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (reserve some for garnish) and 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives into hot mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining bacon.
Our sweet friend Sarah Yocum made these yummy Marshmallow S’mores with the girls and we all went crazy! They are to die for, especially if you are snow bound at home, like we are today!
Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13×9-inch pan.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust.
Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 5 to 6 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.
This is one of my favorite WOW recipes, it never fails to impress! It’s easy to make so don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you.
1 cup diced or shredded carrots
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef or turkey
6-8 cups beef broth
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can of condensed tomato soup
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups fresh spinach
1 1/4 cups mafalda or other small pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
In a large stock pot, brown the ground beef or turkey and drain well. Add onions and carrots; saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and continue to saute 3-5 minutes. Add beef broth, tomatoes, tomato soup, and Italian seasoning. Simmer over low heat 25-30 minutes to combine flavors. Add pasta and cook 6-8 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minute.
To serve, place 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in the bottom of bowl and ladle hot soup over the top. Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Garlic bread is a MUST with this soup!
I also like to serve it with Parmesan crisps. To make the Parmesan crisps spread 2 tbsp. of shredded Parmesan cheese thinly into a 4-5 inch circle on a preheated nonstick skillet. (it should look lacy) Cook 1-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. To turn, lift an edge with a spatula, carefully grab with your fingers and turn over. Transfer to a paper towel to cool. These are SO easy to make but look and taste impressive! You can also make these with cheddar cheese. Just make sure to keep the layer of cheese thin so they will be crispy. They are also yummy crumbled over a salad.
I am so honored to be Kari’s guest today.
I am going to share with you my recipe for Fish Tacos, they are CRAZY good! If you have never had Fish Tacos, you may be thinking that they sound strange; but trust me, they are worth trying. I have had a ton of requests for this recipe and everyone who tries them, loves them.
The fish for these tacos is super easy, I buy the Trident ultimate fish sticks from COSTCO. I know it’s cheating but for a weeknight meal you can’t beat them. If you can’t find the Trident ultimate fish sticks then look for a high quality whole fillet fish stick…no minced fish! You could also use unbreaded fish or make your own.
Bake the fish according to the directions on the back of the package. I usually use 1-2 pieces per taco.
This sauce makes the taco!
Cilantro Sauce
1 bunch of cilantro- washed and dried
1/4 cup of REAL mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 clove of garlic peeled
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend away. If you would like a thinner sauce you can add 1-3 tablespoons of milk.
If you really want to impress someone, make this salsa to go on top.
Tomato Avocado Salsa
2 cups plum tomatoes diced ( about 2 med)
1/3 cup diced onion
1 avocado diced
1 jalapeno minced-optional
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well.
You will also need shredded cabbage and warm corn or flour tortillas to make your tacos.
To assemble tacos: Place fish into warm tortilla , top with cabbage, cilantro sauce, tomato avocado salsa and/or hot sauce.
*Quick Tip- Make your cilantro sauce and salsa early in the day and refrigerate. When you need to make dinner, all you have to do it put the fish in the oven and warm your tortillas. EASY! As a busy mom, I’m all about quick, easy, healthful meals that I can get on the table in a hurry. These fish tacos are perfect when you don’t have a lot of time…if you plan ahead.
I hope you all enjoy these tacos as much as we do!
This is hands down, my kids favorite treat for Christmas… Kringle Krunch is easy to make and soooo yummy!!
INGREDIENTS:
40 Saltine crackers or Club crackers (my personal favorite)
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
12 oz. milk chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Line cookie sheet with foil.
Place crackers in single layer.
In a saucepan combine the sugar and the butter. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.
Bake at 375 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Place back in over for 10 seconds!!! Spread melted chocolate. Cool completely and break into pieces. (you can put in the fridge or freezer for added Krunch!)
In a large skillet, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Reviewed: Sep. 28, 2010 truly the best i have ever made. Usually there seems to not be enough sauce but this recipe prepared for a generous amount to keep the noodles covered. My children all raved about it!
Prep Time: 27 minutes Other Time: 15 minutes Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preparation
1. Sauté onion in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, 4 minutes or until garlic is tender and golden brown. Add beans and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with feta. Serve with a slotted spoon.
I LOVE the crazy cake man, Buddy Valastro on TLC Cake Boss! It’s summer and new episodes are already showing off his craziness. If you are not a fan yet, take a peek at this fun clip video of cake bliss and you will be hooked! In the meantime, I want to know if you have ever had a “cake wreck?” Share your crazy story with me. I found this hilarious blog called Cake Wrecks. It shows off some of the best wrecks out there in bloggy land. Her definition of “what’s a wreck?” is messy:
“A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate – you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it’s simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I’m not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.” (Cake Wrecks blog)
I don’t know if Buddy ever had a cake wreck, but we can tune in to find out. The new Cake Boss season is 26 episodes long and will feature a return to the Valastro family’s roots – a trip to Italy. Included in the upcoming crazy cake creations are a cake in the form of a mechanical bull, a cake in the form of the stock market’s closing bell and a cake for National Train Day that was 25 feet long and 10 feet wide.
Valastro said the train cake really pushed the envelope. He takes great pride in all of his team’s cakes this season, calling them “bigger, crazier and, in my opinion, better than ever.”
Get recipes from the cake artists featured on Ultimate Cake Off:
1. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Stir the butter and chocolate together in a large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the cream and golden syrup (or honey). Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped biscuit pieces to evenly incorporate. Pour the chocolate mixture into prepared pan; smooth top. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.
![Wednesday WOW Recipe – Meatloaf Cupcakes [story]](http://mycrazyadoption.org/wp-content/themes/premiumnews/functions/thumb.php?src=images/Meatloaf_Cupcakes_003.jpg&w=100&h=57&zc=1&q=90)
1. Sauté onion in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, 4 minutes or until garlic is tender and golden brown. Add beans and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with feta. Serve with a slotted spoon.
I don’t know if Buddy ever had a cake wreck, but we can tune in to find out. The new Cake Boss season is 26 episodes long and will feature a return to the Valastro family’s roots – a trip to Italy. Included in the upcoming crazy cake creations are a cake in the form of a mechanical bull, a cake in the form of the stock market’s closing bell and a cake for National Train Day that was 25 feet long and 10 feet wide.
