Colorful Red Velvet Cupcakes

The cupcakes are decorated with cream cheese frosting that has been dyed in bright neon colors.

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche-How to make an amazing Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

I came upon this recipe one Friday afternoon recently looking for something to make for dinner that did not have meat in it because it is currently the Catholic season of Lent and on Fridays we are not supposed to eat meat.  I immediately liked this recipe by looking at it because it was simple and easy plus I had all the ingredients in my house.  So I thought I had read the directions completely, but to my surprise, I had not and when I put the garlic, onions and broccoli in the saucepan, I did not put the butter in because I had failed to read that butter was listed twice, separately. Ooopsies! It must not have been my day because then I chose a pie crust and pan that was too shallow and when I started to pour the liquid over the vegetables, it overflowed!  Whoops!  Thank god for my trusty assistant, mom, otherwise it would have been a huge castastrophe besides a huge mess.

Broccoli Quiche

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add onions, garlic and broccoli.  Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.  Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Combine eggs and milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Lemon Poppyseed Bread - How to make a simple and delicious Lemon Poppyseed Bread

Lemon Poppyseed Bread is something that I just absolutely love and have always been looking for a simple and easy recipe to make myself.  So imagine my delight when I happened upon this recipe and had all the ingredients on hand in my house.  So excited!  I love lemon and I especially love lemon poppyseed anything. 

So the same day I made the chocolate depression cake, I also made this bread and could not stop eating it because of how moist and sweet and scrumptious it was!  Wish I had a piece right now!  Hope you enjoy this recipe for lemon poppyseed bread as much as I did!  Happy baking!

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Lemon syrup

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.  Butter and flour (or spray with non stick spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan ( 8x4x2 1/2 inch).  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and milk.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppyseeds until combined.  Add the softened butter and half the egg mixture and mix on low speed until moistened.  Increas the speed to medium and beat for about one minute.  ( This aerates and develops the cake's structure.)  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in two batches, beating about 30 seconds after each addition.  (This will strengthen the structure of the batter.)

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  You may have to cover the bread with buttered foil after about 30 minutes if you find the bread over browning.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack.  Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with about half  the hot lemon syrup.  Cool the loaf  in the pan for about 10 minutes then invert onto a greased wire rack.  Brush the remaining syrup onto the bottom and the sides of the loaf.  Reinvert the bread so it is right side up and then cool the bread completely before wrapping.  Store at least overnight before serving to allow the lemon syrup to distribute throughout the loaf.

Note: Do not make the syrup as soon as the bread goes in the oven because it will get cold and then when you go to heat it up it will start to get thick.  I also made the mistake of thinking it needed to be thicker, but it doesn't because then it will not soak the bread as it should.  I also didn't do what it said to when taking the bread out of the pan and putting it on a greased wire rack and bread turned out just fine.



Chocolate Wacky Depression Cake-How to make an easy chocolate cake

Chocolate cake is not one of my favorite desserts, but it is one of my family's favorite desserts.  So one day while looking at recipes online like I love to do, I came across this recipe for Chocolate Wacky Depression Cake and was intrigued by it.  The thing about this recipe that caught my eye is that it does not have any eggs or butter in it.  About a week or two ago, I decided to give this recipe a try and was pleasantly surprised.  Chocolate cake is something I shy away from and usually don't consume, but I liked this one.  Even after it had been sitting in an airtight container for a few days, it was still moist, much to my and my dad's surprise and delight.   So I decided to share the recipe for Chocolate Wacky Depression Cake with you, hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients to gether by hand.  Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until well combined.  Pour into an 8 by 8 square pan that has been prepared with non stick spray.
Bake for 30 minutes until done or when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before serving.

Note: When it says that the salt is optional, I say definitely put it in because salt brings out the flavor in anything especially when you are baking.

Vanilla Bean Biscotti - An easy and delicious biscotti recipe

Biscotti cookies are a traditional Italian cookie that have been a part of my life since I was kid and my Auntie Ida would make them every Christmas from scratch.  She is no longer with us and I unfortunately, do not have her amazing biscotti recipe.  So it has been my mission and goal for years to find a really good and not so complicated biscotti recipe.  Then, all of a sudden this past year while looking for cookie recipes to make for Christmas to pass out to people, I happened upon this recipe and decided to give it a go. Helllooooooo! I have found an amazing biscotti recipe that earned me so many compliments this year, followed with "you'll have to give me this recipe."  Happy baking!

Vanilla Bean Biscotti

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoons butter, melted

If using a vanilla bean, scrape seeds from pod; discard pod ( or put the pod in sugar to make vanilla sugar).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets; set aside.  In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture.  Add melted butter and vanilla seeds or extract; stir until dough starts to form a ball.

Divide dough into 3 portions.  On a lightly floured surface, shape each portion into a 14-inch loaf.  Place loaves 3 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets; flatten slightly until about 1 1/2 inches wide.

Bake in preheated oven on 2 oven racks for 25 to 30 minutes or until firm and lightly browned, switching pan positions halfway through baking.  Cool on cookie sheets for 15 minutes.

Using a serated knife, cut loaves diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.  Place slices on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Turn slices over; bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until crisp and dry.  Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.  Makes about 72 cookies.

Note: Definitely follow the directions to the t because biscotti cookies are a very labor intensive cookie for a reason: they are heaven when done right.  When I made these cookies, I set a timer for each part including when it said to let them rest.  When you are cutting them with a serated knife, the knife has to be serated or they will break when you cut them.  Also when you are cutting them, use a careful sawing motion so as to have as little breakage as possible.  Definitely use a vanilla bean if you can find them (Costco sells them) because it makes them so much more delicious. There is a part where you are supposed to stir until it forms a bal, it's much easier at that point to use your hands instead of a spoon.  Also when it says to add the butter and vanilla seeds, add the seeds to the butter because it is much easier for the seeds to incorporate evenly then when you don't put them in a liquid.  You could also put the seeds in eggs instead of the butter. Bake them until they are golden, not burnt because biscotti are supposed to be crispy anyways.

Food porn website

I love to bake and am now starting to dabble in cooking, but one of the things I love to do the most is browse websites looking for recipes.  One of the best websites to find recipes on or to just look and gawk  at food porn (yes, that's right, food porn) is http://www.tastespotting.com/.  It has some of the most amazing pictures of food you have ever seen in your entire life and a collection of some amazing recipes and websites/blogs.  If you are ever bored or looking for fun and new recipes to try, then definitely go check out http://www.tastespotting.com/ because you will have a blast looking through the pages upon pages of pictures to make your mouth water and recipes to fill collection; you will not be disappointed!