Sources & Recipes:
3. Fruit Salad
4. Monkey Bread
Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cake. Show all posts
Friday, May 6, 2011
Mother's Day Brunch & Desserts
Give your Mom five star treatment from the moment she wakes up! Doesn’t she deserve it after all the support, unconditional love, and hard work she has given over the years? Start off with a delightful breakfast. A fruit salad, gourmet iced coffee or a raspberry-orange sunrise, and a muffin or a slice of a quick bread. Try to remember your mom’s favorite foods and serve them for an early dinner. Don’t forget dessert! Try one of these pie recipes below to wow your mom with the final touch of the day. She will be impressed by your thoughtfulness and effort – a sure win!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Cinco De Mayo Desserts
Cinco de Mayo is only two days away. Here are some Mexican inspired desserts to celebrate the day. These cakes & desserts would be great to bring to a Mexican themed fiesta.
Sources & Recipes:
1. “Three Milk” Cake with Rompope (Pastel des Tres Leches con Rompope)
2. Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
3. Margarita Cake
4. Churros
5. Margarita Melon Salad
6. Banana Quesadillas
1. “Three Milk” Cake with Rompope (Pastel des Tres Leches con Rompope)
2. Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
3. Margarita Cake
4. Churros
5. Margarita Melon Salad
6. Banana Quesadillas
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Spring into Dessert
Strawberries (a personal favorite) are finally in season, so stock up and make a special strawberry treat for you to enjoy. Rhubarb is also in season, it's tartness pairs nicely with sweeter fruits such as raspberries or strawberries. Take full advantage of spring by enjoying these wonderful spring inspired desserts.
Sources & Recipes:
1. Strawberry Cream Cake
2. Strawberry Shortcake Jellies
3. Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart
4. Strawberry Panna Cotta with Strawberry Compote
Sources & Recipes:
1. Rum-Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut
2. Plum Oatmeal Tart
3. Fresh Grape and Champagne Sorbet
4. Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp
Sources & Recipes:
1. Lemon Angel food Cupcakes
2. Cream Puffs with Lemon-Cream Filling
3. Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Crust
4. Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie
1. Strawberry Cream Cake
2. Strawberry Shortcake Jellies
3. Strawberry-Almond Cream Tart
4. Strawberry Panna Cotta with Strawberry Compote
1. Rum-Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut
2. Plum Oatmeal Tart
3. Fresh Grape and Champagne Sorbet
4. Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp
1. Lemon Angel food Cupcakes
2. Cream Puffs with Lemon-Cream Filling
3. Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Crust
4. Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Healthier Baking
Everyone loves a little sweet treat. I am not one who believes in cutting out all desserts just because you are watching your waistline. Cravings can be sheer torture and can quickly derail your efforts to maintain a healthy routine. In my opinion, nothing compares to homemade desserts. An advantage of making your own dessert is that you know all of the ingredients that you are consuming and there are no chemicals (artificial preservatives). A few substitutions can be made to your homemade desserts to make them lighter/healthier.
Oils:
Try using canola oil as a healthier oil. Applesauce can be used to replace oil in breads and cookies (it also replaces part of the sweetener due to its natural fructose).
Sugars:
Granulated sugar and brown sugar are better for you than fake sugars. Instead of trying to substitute sugar, rather try to cut back on the amount of sugar called for in a recipe. Molasses, corn syrup, agave syrup and honey can also be used as sweeteners. Just be aware that each can add a different taste/texture to your recipe.
Milks:
Substitute whole milk with skim or 1% milk. Substitute heavy cream with light whipping cream. You can also use the same amount of plain fat free yogurt in place of buttermilk.
Eggs:
Egg substitutes can be an option, or you may want to try only using egg whites.
Peanut Butter:
Soy butter or sesame butter are healthier and more nutritious than peanut butter.
Healthy additions to your dessert: flaxseed, wheat germ, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, oats nuts, dried fruit
Try out one of these lighter desserts:
Sources & Recipes:
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!! Here are some festive green flowers from me to you to celebrate this joyous occasion.
I am looking forward to going to the St. Patty's parade in NYC today. Do you have any fun plans for today? If so, please share! In the meantime, take a look at these creative cake creations in honor of today:
Sources:
Green Red Velvet Cake Balls
Beer Mug Cupcakes
source: flowers
I am looking forward to going to the St. Patty's parade in NYC today. Do you have any fun plans for today? If so, please share! In the meantime, take a look at these creative cake creations in honor of today:
Source: Shamrock Cake
Beautiful rainbow cake with a hidden shamrock inside!
Green Red Velvet Cake Balls
Beer Mug Cupcakes
Love the wonderful shades of green inside this cake!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Authentic Irish Desserts
The following dessert recipes will bring you back to your Irish roots. These recipes are based on traditional Irish desserts. Although not well known, many typical Irish dessert ingredients include either: fresh or dried fruit (especially apples), lemon curd, whiskey, or sweet potato. Enjoy your culinary trip to Ireland!
Sources & Recipes (horizontally from top left to bottom right):
Sources & Recipes (from left to right):
Sources & Recipes (from left to right):
3. Irish Scones
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Valentine's Day Cakes
Valentine's Day is fast approaching. You may consider putting in a little effort to make the day as wonderful as it possibly could be. You may want to follow one of these cake recipes which are sure to bring a smile. These would be great to share with that special someone, bring to a Valentine's Day bash, office party, or family gathering. Have fun!
Sources & Recipes:
Blackberry-Raspberry Truffle Cake (I tried this one and it was delish!)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Spicing Up Life with Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a good source of manganese, iron, fiber and calcium. Just 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon daily lowers blood sugar, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides, which is especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood, which means that it can help improve circulation. It can even act as a preservative when added to food by inhibiting food spoilage.
Studies have shown that if you consume a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast it can significantly relieve arthritis pain... so much so that after a month of following this simple regiment, one can walk without pain. Studies have also shown that smelling cinnamon can boost both cognitive function and memory.
To get your daily dose of cinnamon, try sprinkling it on oatmeal, applesauce, yogurt, sweet potatoes, and grilled fruit. Here are some cinnamon inspired recipes to try:
Recipes:
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Dark Chocolate Has Health Benefits!
I cannot live without chocolate. But not any kind of chocolate, I only crave dark chocolate. The reasons we all love dark chocolate is because it obviously tastes wonderful, it stimulates the production of endorphin (makes you feel good), it has stimulants such as caffeine, and it contains serotonin (acts as an anti-depressant). But dark chocolate has many more benefits, in particular health benefits; it has many essential minerals including magnesium, copper, potassium, manganese, and most significant, flavonoids (antioxidants). Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (8 times the amount found in strawberries). A small portion of dark chocolate everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Studies have shown that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and also lower cholesterol by up to 10 percent.
PS – for best results, don’t have your chocolate bar with a glass of milk. This combination has been proven to prevent the absorption of antioxidants into your body.
Rich chocolate desserts are also a great way to show your loved one how much you love them on Valentine's Day. Here are some great dark chocolate inspired desserts.
Recipes:
Friday, January 14, 2011
Power Fruits - Part 2
The BLUEBERRY
Studies have shown that the antioxidants in blueberries make it a potent protector against heart, brain and age-related maladies. Blueberries are one of the most potent antidotes to oxidative stress, a process that ages you. Blueberries also help your brain produce dopamine, a chemical that enhances memory, coordination, and feelings of well-being.
Recipes:
The CHERRY
Cherries are a top source of perillyl alcohol, which kills cancer cells but spares healthy cells. Cherries are also believed to reduce inflammation. Tart cherries (particularly Montmorency) contain significant amounts of melatonin, a hormone that helps normalize your sleep cycles. Melatonin also scavenges free radicals (molecules that attack healthy cells), and having low levels of this hormone has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Oregon-Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Fresh Cherry Tart
Tiny Cherry and Almond Tea Cakes
Cranberry-Cherry Crumble
The STRAWBERRY ! (my favorite)
Strawberries have many nutrients, such as: vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. They also have added benefits of fighting cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis -- and they keep you in optimum health for decades to come.
Recipes:
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Power Fruits - Part 1
More than half of Americans don’t eat enough fruit. (As a fruit lover, I can say with certainty that I am not in the 60 percent). But many people do find it hard to have the recommended amount of two to three cups of fruit per day.
Eating fresh fruit will deliver the best nutritional value compared to many fruit products that claim “made with real fruit.” These so called fruit products such as: pop tarts, fruit juice, sorbet, fruit leather, chocolate-covered fruit, fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, and even dried fruit have added sugars and calories and can skimp on other nutritional values when compared to the fruit in its pure form. Fresh fruit, canned and frozen fruits that don’t have any added sugars or syrups offer the best nutrients. Keeping a variety of fruit is best since each kind offers different benefits.
Eating fresh fruit will deliver the best nutritional value compared to many fruit products that claim “made with real fruit.” These so called fruit products such as: pop tarts, fruit juice, sorbet, fruit leather, chocolate-covered fruit, fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt, and even dried fruit have added sugars and calories and can skimp on other nutritional values when compared to the fruit in its pure form. Fresh fruit, canned and frozen fruits that don’t have any added sugars or syrups offer the best nutrients. Keeping a variety of fruit is best since each kind offers different benefits.
See below for descriptions of the powerful benefits of fruit. For those of you who find it too hard to have a fresh piece of fruit, I have included some fun recipes that go along with each fruit.
The POMEGRANATE
Pomegranates are an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and have cancer-fighting antioxidants, specifically polyphenols. One glass of pomegranate juice has the same polyphenol content as two glasses of red wine, four glasses of cranberry juice, or 10 cups of green tea.
Recipes:
The APPLE
Apples contain an ample dose of fiber (two-thirds of which is in the peel), some potassium, and a modest amount of vitamin C. Eating apples regularly reduces the risk of stroke and chances of dying from a heart attack. Studies have shown that apple’s antioxidant flavonoids and fiber can help lower cholesterol & that apples are the best fruit source of catechins (cancer preventive substances). An apple a day CAN keep the doctor away!
Recipes: The CRANBERRY
Cranberries have moderate levels of vitamin C, dietary fiber as well as other micronutrients. Cranberries are also a good source of polyphenol antioxidants, which can help reduce cholesterol. Drinking 100% concentrate cranberry juice can help fight bladder infections by preventing harmful bacteria from growing. Cranberry juice can also prevent bacteria from adhering to teeth.
Recipes:
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Pound Cake
Every family has different traditions and food preferences. These preferences may have become standard fare at your family gatherings around the holidays. When I asked my fiancé what dessert made him think of the holidays, his immediate response was "Pound cake." This was a surprise to me since I have never seen pound cake during one of my family’s parties. This made me realize how different celebrations and food choices can be. So, here it is… pound cake!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Breakfast
Christmas morning and the day after Christmas are two days when my family enjoys a relaxing breakfast with the whole family. My aunt, cousin and grandma usually stay over for Christmas weekend and I always look forward to breakfast. On our breakfast table we have: eggs, bacon, toast, an assortment of fruit, cranberry bread, an apple coffee cake with a high amount of cinnamon (my father has an extreme addiction to cinnamon), and some leftover Christmas cookies. Below are some great recipes to accompany your breakfast meal.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Hot Chocolate Desserts
Cold weather makes me wish I had a fireplace in my apartment to sit next to and keep me warm. Of course, if I did have a fireplace I couldn’t imagine sitting there without a nice hot cup of hot chocolate. However, instead of enjoying a cup of hot cocoa, take a look at some of these desserts inspired by this favorite winter beverage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)