Angel Food Cake Roll with Vanilla Strawberry Filling

This is one of the few things I tried making for a Valentine's Day bake-off competition. I chose my top three from a wide variety of online resources and did a test run. This one came out amazingly delicious, but it is harder than you might think to get it to roll up all pretty. So for aesthetic reasons this one didn't make the cut. If you're curious, the other of the top three were my Dark Chocolate Cherry Truffles, and my favorite, which did win the baking competition, were the I Choose You Pokeball red velvet cupcakes. Anywho, if you don't care what it looks like, but only what it tastes like, or are an expert roller, then please try this! It was splendid.

Ingredients:
1 box angel food cake mix
Water
1 container whipped topping
1 box vanilla pudding mix
1 cup strawberry yogurt
Food coloring (optional)

Step 1: Mix the angel food cake and water (you can make an angel food cake from scratch, and bless your heart if you can!) and bake in a 9x13 pan. It was recommended that you line the pan with wax paper, and I really wish I had because that cake sticks.

 Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix the pudding, whipped topping and yogurt. Add red food coloring if you want brighter pink filling.

Step 3: Let the cake cool a bit, rolled in a wax-paper-covered paper towel. Then unroll, and spread the filling over it. Sprinkle the wax paper with powdered sugar as well.

 Step 4: Roll it back up, and freeze for about 30 minutes. You can leave it in there, just thaw for a few minutes before cutting.

 The filling was just slightly strawberry, light and fluffy without being overly sweet. It was a perfect balance to the airy angel food cake.

I had one slice alone, then another with vanilla ice cream. It would also be delicious with cut up strawberries. I may pull this one out again in the summertime too.

mmmmmm....

I CHOOSE YOU! Red velvet PokeBall cupcakes

When I saw these online somewhere, I knew they HAD to happen! I wish I'd kept the original website I saw these on. Anyway, anyone who grew up roughly in the 1990s-now knows all about Pokemon, and these aDORable poke ball cupcakes will bring back fond memories and warm fuzzies. Complete with "I choose YOU" accents, these would steal the heart of any geek! #GeekLove 
So cute. 

Ingredients:
1 box red velvet cupcake mix (or whatever kind you like)
White frosting
Red food coloring
Marshmallows (mini)
Chocolate icing or black icing

 Step 1: I cheated and used a box mix. Sorry, but a girl's gotta pass classes. Make the cake mix, and pour into a greased muffin tin or use liners.

 Step 2: Bake at 350 for 14-18 minutes, until cooked through and springy to the touch. Cool fully.
 
Step 3: Spread white icing all over the cupcakes. Then put a dot of red food coloring on one side, and smear it carefully over half of the icing to make the two-toned look.

 Step 4: Put a mini marshmallow in the center, then pipe chocolate or black icing down each side to separate the white and red halves. There you have it, an edible, adorable PokeBall.

 

 You could also pipe the words "I choose you" onto a few to make sure the not-quite-as-geeky get it. Just put some icing in a ziplock bag, and cut a tiny corner off. No need for expensive pastry bags.

Seriously. Dying with the cuteness level of this. These are competition-winning cupcakes too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dark Chocolate Cherry Truffles

This is a recipe I tried in preparation for a Valentine's Day baking contest. Everybody loves truffles, I know I do. And my boyfriend loves anything cherry. Therefore I decided to try making some chocolate cherry truffles to share. They were very simple to make, and I'm sure could be customize to whatever dried fruit or flavor you desire. Have fun, and make sure to make enough to share and to keep for yourself!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup vanilla vodka
12 oz dark chocolate (mixed kinds)
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon sugar

Step 1: Soak the cherries in the vodka for at least 30 minutes. They will absorb the flavor and the alcohol.

Step 2: In 30-second bursts, slowly melt the chocolate until smooth. Mix in the soaked cherries.

 Step 3: Form into 1 inch balls and refrigerate until solid. Roll in topping of your choice.

These would also be delicious and adorable if covered in milk chocolate or drizzled with colored white chocolate. In fact, truffles are great anytime, not just for a holiday. Share the love.

What is your favorite chocolate treat?

 

Triple chocolate espresso brownies

Here's a decadent dessert that's sure to satisfy. And it only takes 30 minutes! Triple Chocolate Espresso Brownies. With dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa powder, coffee liquor and a shot of espresso, this complex depth of flavor will wow your taste buds. Make them for yourself, take some to the office, surprise your girlfriend or boyfriend. Warm and topped with ice cream and caramel, these things are to die for. I didn't even bother icing them.

Ingredients:

8 oz dark chocolate

8 oz milk chocolate

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 shot Patron cafe

1 shot espresso

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tbsp butter

Handful large marshmallows

Step 1: Melt the chocolate. You should probably use a double boiler, but I didn't bother I just microwaved in 30 second bursts.

Step 2: Add the coffee liquor and coffee to the melted chocolate.

Step 3: Add the vanilla, and stir in the eggs.

Step 4: Mix in the butter and flour, a little at a time, until it has a thick but liquid consistency.

Step 5: Spray an oven-safe pan and lay the marshmallows on the bottom. Pour the batter over them. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

These were cakey and had such an amazing chocolatey taste with just that hint of coffee. I put some chocolate cherry ice cream over them while hot. O.M.G.

What's your favorite brownie topping?

Pineapple Pancake Syrup

While maple syrup is delightful, sometimes you feel a little bolder at breakfast time. When I get bored or simply want something unexpected, I make up my own syrups. Since I had a huge amount of leftover pineapple upside down cake and sweet potato pancakes from breakfast at Snooze in Denver (which could be a huge post in its own right, seriously GO THERE, it's amazing), I decided to make a pineapple-y syrup to go with them. This would be a great syrup to make and have breakfast in bed for Valentine's Day (or the Saturday following).

Ingredients:

1/2 can pineapple chunks

1/4 cup pineapple juice from can

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

Step 1: Put all ingredients into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 5-20 minutes, until it thickens to your liking.

These were the sweet potato pancakes, so those got extra love: melted marshmallows!

Step 2: Pour over pancakes. Stuff yourself silly, and smile. I bet this would taste great over my Perfect Pancakes too.

What's your favorite way to top pancakes?

Valentine's Day: History, love and misery

As I'm sure you're aware from the deluge of pink and red and hearts, that happy love-struck day known as Valentine's Day is near. For some this means a romantic getaway for two, for some this is just another dinner and a movie with nicer clothes, for some this means getting a sitter for the kids for the first time all year, for some this means a night of eating ice cream and crying, and for some this means absolutely nothing other than the fact that it's a Friday. None of these reactions are right or wrong, and don't let anybody tell you differently. So why is it called "Valentine's Day" and not something simple like "Love Day"?

Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine is the man for whom this sappy holiday has been named, but ironically he both did and did not lead a very romantic life. He lived in a time when society was very lax on relationship rules, polygamy was kind of the norm, but of course the Catholic church didn't like that one bit. They were pretty convinced that to have any 'relations' it should be within the bounds of a marriage, and a marriage was between one man and one woman, period. Unfortunately there was this emperor guy, Claudius, who persecuted the Church at the time, and did not allow people to marry within the church. Well, mister Valentine was like a secret cupid, and for those couples who wanted to be married within the rules of Catholicism, he would marry them. 

As these things often go, Valentine was caught and throw in prison, where he was tortured for contradicting the Emperor. But being such a nice guy, he kept helping people even in prison. There are stories of him praying for a man's blind daughter and healing her, the father was so astonished he converted to Catholicism. Then, in 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution: a beating, stoning, and finally beheading. All because he wanted to unite young couples in love. Under the doctrine of the currently not-in-fashion church beliefs. However, he left his legacy by reportedly writing a letter to that man's no longer blind daughter before his death, and signed it "from your Valentine" (Source: CBN). It should be noted that some sources argue whether this legend of St. Valentine is based on one or two separate people (Source: Catholic.org). His official feast day is of course, February 14.

For more on the history of Valentine's Day, see this Huffington Post article, and History.com.

How to survive VDay financially

Now, this year, Valentine's Day happens to fall on a Friday. It also just happens to be President's Day weekend, meaning the following Monday is a holiday. This is a total jackpot if you want to plan a long weekend with your sweetie. However, it also means that there will be more people traveling, and places which cater to Hallmark holidays such as this are jacking up prices like mad. Hotels, gas stations, restaurants, you name it. Not to mention cards and candy for your kids' classroom, flowers for the wife, dinner, wine, chocolates, and lingerie, and so much pressure. All this spending just as taxes are around the corner and starting to weigh on your mind. How do you survive this without burning a hole in your wallet?

1. Celebrate on your own terms

Just because some Catholic guy got beheaded in Rome a long time ago doesn't mean you need to recognize his sainthood with an over-priced steak. Besides, calendars have undergone a few make-overs since then, so our February 14th isn't even the same. The Wall Street Journal has an article by Brett Arands wherein he calls for a VDay revolution. He makes the splendid point that even by a simple comparison of hotels one week later versus on the big weekend, you can save 25% or more if you simply choose a different day to celebrate. Pick any day you want and shower your sweetie with love. It will probably be even more special, because then you will be the only couple with excessive PDA instead of everyone in the building.

2. Have an at-home date night

Much like a stay-cation, home date nights are a fantastic way to still break your routine and spend quality time together without breaking the bank. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Get cooking or baking, have a movie/Netflix marathon, or play some games together. You could have a nice dinner ready when your special someone gets home from work, like my Male & Female Style Pizza or make my homemade pizza dough from my Vegetarian Pepper Pizza (and top as you wish). Bonus points for making it into a heart shape.

Here are the Top 10 Stay-Home Date Ideas from AskMen, and the Top 50 Date-Night Ideas from Redbook.

3. Get away for cheap

If you are really feeling the cabin fever and want to get out of the house, or take advantage of the extra time off, try getting away but not to your typical hotel. Camping is always a great budget option, and you could look into traveling further south for warmer climates if you've been stuck inside during recent snowstorms. House sitting/swapping is also an option if you're feeling adventurous. Here's a good article on 10 things you need to know about home swapping from USA Today.

Now that you have tons of ideas, get to planning, or even better plan nothing at all. This totally applies if you're single too. Take yourself on a date, go see a movie, make something fancy for dinner, have your own personal wine tasting. If you don't have a "partner" or "significant other", spend the time to shower yourself with love. After all, if you don't love yourself then you can't rightfully love someone else. In fact even if you DO have a partner you should show yourself a little love. No matter what you decide to do, enjoy yourself and anyone else you're with, make happy memories, and be safe.

What's your favorite romantic date idea?