The Best Buttercream

Have you ever had to suffer through a grocery store birthday cake?  While the cake itself isn't that bad, what the heck do they make the icing out of? Pure vegetable shorting? Whatever it is,it doesn't taste good at all!  Here's a recipe that I hope you'll use for all your frosting needs.  It's creamy, not too sweet, easy to work with and holds up well in high humidity.

The Best Buttercream

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening

1/2 cup Butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

4 cups Icing (Confectioners) Sugar, sifted

2 tbsp Milk

1 tsp Cornstarch

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the shortening and butter with an electric mixer until light & fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix well.

2. Slowly add the sugar.  I sift it in about 1/2 cup at a time.  Mixing well in between.  Remember to scrap the sides & bottom of the bowl often. Once all the sugar has been combined the mixture will appear dry

3. In a small bowl stir the milk and cornstarch together until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add to the icing and mix on medium speed until light & fluffy.  Add any colouring at this point and decorate your heart out.

NOTES:  

             1.To change up the flavour a bit and to match your cake flavour feel free to substitute the vanilla for almond, orange, or mint extracts.

             2. This recipe will nicely cover a two layer cake.  If you're having more than two layers or have extensive piping/decorating plans I suggest doubling the recipe.  The cake pictured is 3 layers with thick icing in between the layers and light piping. I used a double recipe and had very little left over.

            3. This pink icing pictured is strawberry flavoured and not tinted at all.  I added a 1/4 cup of strawberry puree to about a 1 1/2 cups of the finished icing.  If you add a puree to your icing you may need to add more icing sugar to it just to keep the firmness.

Stay Sweet!

Tammy

Strawberry Cake

Up until I was asked by my cousin to make her wedding cake, I had never had strawberry cake before! I know shocking!  Growing up any occasion cakes were either chocolate or vanilla. Or if it was a super super special occasion it would be lemon. Colour me surprised when I had my first taste of strawberry. I loved it!  You will too and adding a little colouring to make it ombre just adds to the cuteness.

Strawberry Ombre Cake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups White Sugar
½ cup Butter, softened
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups Cake Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
½ cup Milk
1 cup Strawberry Puree
Red Food Coloring

Directions:

1. Mix strawberry puree, butter, and sugar until well combined.  Add the eggs one at time, combining well in between.  Stir in the vanilla.  If you're not going to do an ombre cake, add the colouring now.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl. Then add to the sugar/butter mixture in 3 parts - mix until just combined.
3. Stir the milk in gently
4. For the ombre effect separate the batter equally into 3 bowls.  In the first bowl add a small amount of colouring, then slightly more for the second, and even more for the third.
5. Pour the batters into a greased and floured cake pans.  Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 20 minutes  or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  If you're doing a regular 2 layer cake bake for 40 minutes.
6. Frost with icing & enjoy!

Stay Sweet!

Tammy

Music Monday

Kenny Chesney - Wild Child

No Scrubs?

Anyone that knows me in real life can attest that even at almost 40 years old I will get asked for ID more often than not when getting into clubs or buying anything that requires me to be the age of majority (for my area that's 19).  Honestly! It happened last night when I went to pick up some wine at the LCBO (for my out of province/Canada readers that is where we, in Ontario, have to buy our liquor.) And let's get this straight - from the signs that are posted, if a person looks under 25 they are required to ask for ID.  So I take from this that I look between the age of 18 & 25.  Not so bad really, I love the look of shock on people's faces when I tell them I have 18 year old daughter.

What's my secret?  Staying hydrated is important, of course. But that's usually not enough if you're like me.  My skin gets soooooooo dry, especially in the harsh winter's, that I itch like crazy.  It was so bad that I've woken in the morning and I've scratched my legs raw WHILE I was sleeping! Not pretty. AT. ALL. Part of my routine to combat this problem is using The Body Shop 's Body Scrub .

I was lucky enough to get this jar of chocolately goodness as a birthday gift from my BFF.  She knows me too well <3 . There's an amazing selection of other scents if chocolate isn't your thing.  I love all things that smell like chocolate, vanilla, shea butter so it blends well with my other beauty products.  But if you're more of a citrus/fruity lover try the Pink Grapefruit or Mango, yum! Click the link above and find your fav - you won't regret it!

The best way I've found to get the optimum results is take the jar into the shower with you and scrub while you're in there before using you body wash.  You only need a small amount so don't over do it. Give your legs and arms a good scrub and concentrate on your joints, knees, ankles, elbows.  And don't forget your upper chest and lower neck.  Nothing will age you faster than a dull upper chest.  It's one of those places that you don't think about until it's almost too late. Rinse, wash, and shave as usual.  Pat yourself dry, NEVER scrub, and moisturize.  You'll be silky smooth and smelling fab!  

I only have to use the scrub once or twice a week but if you have really dry skin and you're just starting out, use the scrub every other shower for the first week and then once a week after that. A full size jar lasts me about 4 - 5 months so don't let the $20 price tag scare you off.  It's well worth it and they go on sale quite frequently for the budget conscious of us. Plus, the Greenie in me loves that The Body Shop is environmentally and animal friendly.  

Another bonus to the all natural products the The Body Shop uses is - if you have sensitive skin, like me, you'll be less likely to have a reaction.  Of all the products I've used I've never had to worry about breaking out with anything I've bought from them.

Stay Sweet!

Tammy

Disclaimer: The views in this post are all my own and is not endorsed in any way by The Body Shop.  All trademarks belong exclusively to them.

Parmesan Pork Chops

Are you ever at a loss when it comes to preparing pork chops?  Sure, you can add some sweet & sour sauce or Shake 'n Bake them and call it a day.  But why not try something a little different?   The combination of mayo & parm in this recipe adds a little zing that your taste buds will thank you for!

Parmesan Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 Pork chops

2 tbsp Mayo

2 tsp grated Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp Parsley

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Thaw the pork chops and place in a roasting pan with a little water in the bottom.  This will help keeping the pork moist. 

2. Spread about 1/2 tbsp of mayo over each chop.  You just want it lightly covered so you may need a little more or little less depending on the size.  Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of the Parmesan over the top. Again a little more or less may be required.  Finish off with a light dusting of parsley and the salt & pepper to taste.

3. Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 40 - 50 minutes.  Enjoy!

Stay Sweet!

Tammy

Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

I should really have one category for chicken on the side menu bar.  But as I said in a earlier post, we have a lot of fowl in our diet.  This is one of our all time fav's!

Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup sliced White Button Mushrooms
1 tbsp Butter
1 cup Vegetable Stock
3-4 drops Gravy Browning
Garlic Powder
Parsley
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
Water

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375*. Place the chicken in a roasting pan and lightly sprinkle the garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper over the breasts and add about 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Roast for about 45 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan saute the mushrooms in the butter with a little salt & pepper and a small dash of garlic powder.

3. Once the chicken is done.  Remove the breasts from the roasting pan and cover with aluminium foil.  Pour the remaining liquid into the sauce pan and add the vegetable stock.  If you don't have vegetable stock use a cup of water from your potatoes.  Bring to boil.

4. While the stocks are coming to a boil prepare your slurry.  In a gravy shaker combine the flour and an equal amount of water and shake until there's no lumps - you may need slightly more water than flour, you want a pancake batter consistency.  If you don't have a gravy shaker you can whisk the flour & water in a 2-cup measuring cup.

5. Reduce the boiling stock to a simmer and slowly whisk the slurry in.  Remember to have a continuous pour.  This will reduce the chance of lumps (or if your in my mother's house dough-boys). Add a few drops of gravy browning for a nice light colouring. Continue to whisk until the gravy thickens.

Stay Sweet!
Tammy

Skor Chip & Chocolate Drizzle Cookies

This one for the cookie monsters in your house.  I have 3 1/2. I only count myself as a half monster because I can show self control, whereas the rest of the inhabitants of my abode cannot.

An alternative title for this post is "How to Smoke Your Mixer" because I forgot how dense this batter recipe is and my poor little hand mixer just wasn't up to the job :( .  So there's the smell of wonderful cookies wafting through the house mixed with a tinge of burnt electrical.  Heads up peeps, if you have a cheap under-powered hand mixer it's best to stir in at least the last bit of the flour mixture by hand & spoon.

Skor Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

1 cup Butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

1 cup Skor Bits

40 - 50 Chocolate Wilton Candy Melts wafers (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In your mixing bowl combine the butter, vanilla and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at time and mix well after each.  Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until well combined.  If your mixer is working too hard finish up with a spoon - a smoked mixer is a bad thing!

3. Stir in Skor bits. Once combined drop by the heaping spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9 - 11 minutes or until lightly browned.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

4.  To add the chocolate drizzle.  Heat up your double boiler, or if you don't have one they are simple to put together. All you just need a small sauce pan with an inch or two of water in the bottom and a metal mixing bowl that sits nicely on top of the pan without touching the water inside.

5. Bring the pot of water to a boil, without the bowl on top, then reduce the heat to low.  Place the bowl on top and add half of the chocolate wafers.  Gently stir until completely melted and transfer to a squirt bottle or a piping bag (remember if your using a piping bag it will be hot so use mitts to squeeze if your hands aren't heat immune).  Drizzle over the cookies and melt the second half of the wafers. Let completely harden before storing.  

NOTE:  You can melt the wafers in the microwave but you need to be extra careful; some colours will burn very quickly. Nook for small amounts of time, at a time and stir in between.

Stay Sweet!

Tammy