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by snebbu

Baking Gone Wild! Top 10 Over-the-Top Baked Goods for the Holidays

I’ve been sucked in. For some reason, I can’t stop watching The Great American Baking Show. I don’t know if it’s the soothing voices of Nia Vardalos and Ian Gomez, the adorable British version of your grandma in Mary Berry (seriously – even her name), or the hunkish looks and personality (yes, I am comfortable with my sexuality) of Johnny Iuzzini. Whatever it is, I’m hooked. Then I started thinking about the 150 million dozen cookies my wife baked, the bread we are baking for Christmas dinner, the delicious cinnamon buns we have Christmas morning, the list goes on. We are in the heart of the season of baking. Some savory bakes, others totally sweet. Either way – we have it all. After much thought, eating, and more eating, we have the top ten breads, cakes, and bakes for the holidays. You’re welcome.

In no particular order…

10. Rolo Cheesecake Bars

Thank god for bakers, right?

9. Six Layer S’mores Bars

When a dessert is described as “oozing” with peanut butter, chocolate, and marshmallow, I’m in. Don’t tell me anything more.

8. Chocolate and Toffee Pecan Pinwheels

That is puff pastry. Yes, it does make everything even that much better. Carry on.

7. Pistachio Rum Mini Bundt Cakes

Sure, you could make a chocolate bundt cake. But let’s be real – you’re making it from a box and nobody’s going to finish the whole thing. Try these for a change.

by Emily

It’s Fall, Y’all: Persimmon Teacake

Happy first day of fall, y’all! It’s time to cozy up to all things warm, baked, dare I even say… pumpkin–spiced?

But today’s recipe is not about pumpkin at all! (So you’re welcome, PSL detractors.) Today we’re talking about a different P… persimmon. I will be the first to admit that I do not work with this fruit as much as I should, and often ignore this special fruit as I browse the produce section this time of year, msotly because I don’t know WTF to do with it. I feel guilty. I want to change! As luck would have it, I was recently contacted by DEFINE Foods here in Austin, with some creative seasonal recipes.

Co-owner and chef Erin O’Leary Stewart gave me some great pointers on seasonal fall produce and how to integrate it into your recipe planning, including my elusive persimmon!

Erin says:

“My top five favorite fruits and veggies that are in season locally this fall are sweet potatoes, carrots, persimmons, figs, pears, oh and beets… and cauliflower… (Ok, more than 5!).

Persimmon is the most unique and a favorite fruit that you can only get at this time of year that looks like a cross between a peach and a tomato. Its flavor is a blend of apricots, plums and honey. Combined in a moist spice cake, this is the perfect fall weather breakfast or afternoon treat.”

Persimmon Tea Cake

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by Emily

Super Sweet Valentine’s: Strawberry Funfetti Melted Ice Cream Cake

Happy V-Day! Whether single, attached, or somewhere in the middle, there’s one unifying reason for everyone to celebrate the holiday of love: SUGAR. Valentine’s Day is a no-holds-barred marathon of sweets. Chocolates, strawberries, truffles, cupcakes, whipped cream…the sugary possibilities are endless. Personally, I’m a “red wine and dark chocolate” type of dessert lover, but I do have a couple vices when it comes to sweets, and here’s my most guilty one: funfetti. I’m powerless before funfetti. You know what I’m talking about, that boxed rainbow cake you see at birthday parties? I love it.

Anyway, this is a recipe that was sent to me by our friends at Arctic Zero, so it’s festive and sweet but definitely lower in cals/fat than your average dessert made with cream, butter, etc. Meaning you can still feel H-O-T in whatever seductive outfit you want to flaunt after sharing this dessert with your love (significant other, friend, family member, TV screen?) of choice.

The cake itself is cute and pink and rainbow-y, and super moist thanks to using Arctic Zero versus oil or something in the cake batter. It tastes like a homemade birthday cake with a scoop of melted ice cream mixed together. What could be better than that?

Strawberry Funfetti Melted Ice Cream Cake

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by hungry monster

Peanut Butter Toast Crunch Cereal Cake for One

I know this looks weird. It”s not exactly what you would think of when I say super rich and decadent peanut butter cake. But that”s what it is, I swear.

Ever since my resolution, I have not been buying sweets. It”s a sad time, folks. Well, it was a sad time. Until I rediscovered my love for microwave cakes.

I have two secrets I”m gonna let you in on. This cake took me 1 minute to cook and like one more minute of prep time. Also, it ended up being less than 120 calories (Obviously it depends on the ingredients you use; Mine was 112 calories–score!).

Oh, also. You know how cereal is awesome? I”m sure you know. I may have bought three boxes of this goodness (I”m a weak human, folks, it”s true).

Here”s the method to my madness.

Peanut Butter Toast Crunch Cereal Cake for One

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by Miss K

My One-Item Christmas Gift Guide

Christmas is coming, which means that it’s time for many of my favorite blogs, especially the food ones, to give me their annual list of suggestions for the foodies in my life (see here and here, for example). Now, I enjoy reading what other people like as much as the next guy, but the problem with lists like these, for me, is twofold. Uno, the things are often super-specific. I can already tell you that my mom will not like tea that tastes like pine trees, or even sounds like it might taste like pine trees. Two, the gifts on these lists tend to offend my delicately frugal sensibilities ($24 for 12 oz. of olive oil? Seriously? In my dreams.)

And so, ESers, I bring you the only food gift you need this holiday season: the classic cast iron skillet. Here are five reasons why it makes the perfect gift:

1. Everyone needs one, whether they know it or not, and if they already have one, they probably need it in another size. (Come on, so cute!)

2. It’s perfect for a tight budget. They are a good value to begin with, and I find them often at thrift stores where, after simple re-seasoning, they are at least as good as new.

3. Not only functional, if you hang it on the wall, it makes you look like you know what you are doing in the kitchen. Just be sure to use wall anchors.

4. It offers endless cooking adventures. My new fav: cake baking (see photo above and recipe below).

5. Even for the non-cook, cast iron skillets always come in handy:

Skillet Apple Cake

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by snebbu

100 Ways to Use Beer in Food and Drinks: #14 Cake

Upon skimming through the latest version of Cooking Light, we fell upon a “breads” section—correction—“quick breads” section. You’re wondering why I’d be skimming through Cooking Light? The gf has a subscription and you do know I’m watching my girlish figure… Anyway, we decided to go with the maple stout “quick bread” recipe since I had some of my homebrew stouts left.

But first: I’ve come to the conclusion that the jerks at Cooking Light have some gall to call this thing bread…er “quick bread.” I have no f’ing clue what the hell quick bread is, but this thing is cake…and I’m proud of it. I’m not doing research on what quick bread is either—I don’t want to know. Okay, now we can move on.

I got out my Vanilla Cafe Con Leche Stout and we started baking. Typically, when the two of us do some form of cooking/baking, there is an ample amount of bickering (and in my case, exaggerated *sighs*) occurring. However, this time we did well as a team; I had a good feeling about this.

The cake came out really well, with rave reviews from the fam. Probably the best of these cooking with beer recipes to date. I claim fame to this recipe for two reasons:

in Desserts / Drinks / Recipe 2 comments

by snebbu

Apple Cider Gone Wild! Top 10 Cider Recipes

I had my first real fall moment of the year this morning: drinking apple cider. The crisp, cool, thirst-quenching drink is the perfect inauguration for autumn. You can have it with any meal, for a snack, or warm it up and froth it if you want to go frou-frou. But did you know it can be enjoyed in more than just a glass?

10. Apple Cider Gravy

Though a bold choice for Thanksgiving, a little sweetness may go a long way with your savory turkey. Not convinced? Have you ever put apples or cranberries in your stuffing? Or enjoy spreading some sweet cranberry sauce on your turkey sandwich? Well now your gravy can do you a personal, sweet, favor.

Recipe: Nourish Network

9. Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

Summer is over. Pineapple is no longer the seasonal fruit, and apples are in. So what do you do with that huge bag of apples sitting in your garage? Make cake…apple cider upside-down cake.

Recipe: Mid-Century Menu

8. Apple Cider Caramel Cake

More cake. This time, adding some creamy icing and caramel will make this a true dessert. Think of it as an alternative to carrot cake. No chunks of orange…just smooth, sweet and creamy cake. Does it feel like fall for you yet?

Recipe: Simply Fine Living

in Desserts / Featured / Fowl / Lists / Recipe / Top 10 Lists 3 comments