Baileys Irish Trifle

This was fun for St. Patrick's Day. I had to take out a lot of alcohol to make it everyone friendly. I thought this was VERY SWEET, but everyone else seemed to like it. 

Ingredients

• 1 box of Devil's Food Cake (I used Pillsbury)
• ingredients as per box instructions (except the water)
• 2 8 oz. bars of cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 c. Bailey's Irish Coffee Creamer
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 2 c. cool whip
• 1 bag (27-29 pieces) of baking caramels (I used Werthers but Kraft would work fine as well)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x13 pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Prepare cake according to package directions. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.
3. Prepare the cream filling by placing the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl and mixing until soft and creamy. Add the Bailey's creamer and the powdered sugar and mix until blended. Carefully fold in the cool whip by hand. Set aside.
4. Make the caramel drizzle by placing the caramels unwrapped in a medium pan with 3 TBLSP of cream. Over low heat, whisk together until smooth. Add 2-3 more TBLSP of cream and whisk together until desired consistency and taste is achieved. Set aside.

Cut up the cooled cake into pieces. Assemble the trifle by using a medium trifle dish and covering the bottom with cake pieces. Next, add a layer of the cream filling and then drizzle with caramel sauce making particular attention to the sides of the dish so the layers all show. Continue the layers again and finish off with a cake layer on top and covering it with the remaining cool whip from the container. Save one piece of chocolate cake to crumble on the very top and finish it off with a caramel drizzle.

1. ·  Alternatively, you could layer individual clear plastic cups for a different type of presentation.

Cannoli Cream

I found a blog post for cannoli cream. It worked really well. She recommended buying the cannoli shells and that was perfect! We did this for Easter.

• ½ cup whipping cream
• 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese, strained
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Place the cream into a small bowl and set aside.
2. In the same mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Fold in the whipped cream and chocolate chips.
3. Chill the cream for at least 2 hours before filling the cannoli shells.

Individual Blueberry Crumbles

These were very tasty served with ice cream.

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup oats
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
4 cups mixed berries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Equipment: 6 (6-ounce) ramekins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt and oats. Using a pastry blender, a fork or your hands cut in butter. Keep cold until ready to use.

In a large bowl combine berries, 1/2 cup sugar, and cornstarch; toss to coat. Evenly divide the fruit mixture between the 6 ramekins. Top with crumble topping. Bake until top is golden and fruit is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Pressure Cooker Risotto

I have an Instant Pot, which is a combo pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker and more. It's been really fun playing with this new appliance. So if anyone is still reading this blog, I'm about to start putting pressure cooker recipes on here. Brace yourself.

This came from hippressurecooking.com

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups of Arborio Rice (can be substituted with "Short Grain White Pearl" rice)
• 4 cups (or 1L) of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 swig of white wine
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the pre-heated pressure cooker on medium heat add the oil, and onion. Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. Add the rice and lightly toast it to release the starch. When you add the Arborio rice to the onions, the rice will turn from solid white to translucent as it absorbs the oil and onion juice, then in about a minute back to white. Wait until just a couple of grains look golden and your rice is toasted!
3. Add a swig of white wine and un-stick any grains from the bottom of the cooker with it and stir the rice until the wine has fully evaporated.
4. Add the broth (or broth and veggie mixture), mix and close the top immediately.
5. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker.
6. For electric pressure cookers: Cook for 7 minutes at high pressure.
   For stove top pressure cookers: Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure, lower to the heat to maintain it and begin counting 7 minutes pressure cooking time.
7. When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure. For electric pressure cookers cook for a minute less (since the release takes longer) and remove the inner pot from the cooker immediately to keep the rice from over-cooking .
8. The risotto should appear just slightly too wet. Stir, and the rice will continue to absorb the extra liquid in about 30 seconds. If the rice is still very wet, put the open pressure cooker back on a medium flame, without the lid, and finish cooking it this way - stirring often- until it reaches the right consistency.
9. For a classic finish, melt a tablespoon of butter and grated cheese and stir in right before serving.

Baklava

I found this recipe off delciouslyyum.com. It was pretty easy, it's just time consuming to make this. I changed minor things, but followed this recipe pretty closely.

Ingredients:

1. 1 (16 oz.) package phyllo sheets, thawed
2. 1 lb. (about 4 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
3. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4. 1 cup granulated sugar
5. 3/4 cup water
6. 1/2 cup honey
7. 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted (I ended up using closer to three sticks.)

Instructions

1. Thaw phyllo sheets. I usually take mine out of the freezer an hour before I'm ready to start making the baklava.
2. 1. Meanwhile, using your food processor, chop walnuts into small pieces. Add cinnamon and give it another quick pulse to incorporate. Set aside.
3. Next, combine sugar, water, and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring frequently. Once mixture has come to a boil and sugar is completely melted, reduce heat and simmer mixture for 4 minutes. Remove from the stove and let cool completely.
4. Next, melt butter.
5. Before you're ready for assembly, butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove phyllo sheets from the packaging and trim sheets according to your baking pan. My phyllo sheets were about 1" too long, so I just cut them accordingly. This varies depending on the brand of phyllo sheets you purchase.
6. 2. For the assembly: {Step 1} Add one sheet of the phyllo dough to the baking pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat process with another 9 phyllo sheets. Until you have a stack of 10 buttered phyllo sheets. Top with 3/4 cup of the chopped cinnamon walnuts. {Step 2} Top walnut layer with another phyllo sheet, butter and repeat until you have a stack of 5 buttered phyllo sheets. Top with another 3/4 cup of the chopped cinnamon walnuts. Repeat {STEP 2} 3 more times. Finally {Step 3}, add another 10 phyllo sheets, buttering each sheet between layering and spreading the remaining butter on top. (6 layers of phyllo all together.)
7. (I watched a tutorial on cutting the Baklava and it helped a ton to watch it. It suggested chilling the Baklava before cutting, which I can see be very helpful, but I didn't do this.)
8. 3. Cut baklava lengthwise into four 1 1/2" wide strips. Then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Place baking pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks. Immediately pour cool honey syrup over the top and let cool completely. 
9. (Another recipe suggested letting the flavors mellow for at least six hours before eating. I did this and it was a great idea.)

Notes

1. Can be stored at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Chocoflan

Chocoflan

 

--This recipe is from Rocio Huffman. It is also in the ward cookbook I made last year. It is the best Mexican dessert I've ever eaten.

 

½ cup cajeta (goat milk caramel)

1 can (12-oz.) evaporated milk

1 pkg. (8-oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

7 large eggs, divided

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

½ cup Sour Cream

1 cup thawed Whipped Topping

--Heat oven to 375º. Pour cajeta into 12-cup fluted tube pan sprayed with cooking spray. Blend evaporated milk, cream cheese, 4 eggs, vanilla and sugar in blender until smooth. Beat cake mix, water, oil and remaining eggs with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Pour over cajeta in tube pan; gently ladle flan mixture over cake batter. Cover pan with foil sprayed with cooking spray, sprayed-side down. Place in larger pan. Add enough water to larger pan to come halfway up side of tube pan. Bake 1-1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate 2 hours. Loosen dessert from side of pan; invert onto plate. Remove pan. Serve dessert topped with cool whip.

How To Unmold Chocoflan:

Place serving plate over cake pan. Invert dessert onto plate. Gently remove pan; spoon any remaining caramel left in pan.

Substitute

Caramel sugar is a great substitute for cajeta. Simply mix 1/2 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in saucepan; cook on medium heat 7 min. or until sugar is deep golden brown. Pour into prepared pan; continue as directed.

Tinga

This is a recipe from Isela Garcia. My nephew, Josh, requested authentic Mexican food. So I asked a Mexican for help. She is great and this is very good.

This can be adjusted for larger groups. It's a great party food.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 clove garlic
salt to taste
1 1/2 onions, sliced
6 tomatoes, cubed
1 can whole chipoltes (read directions! You don't need the whole can.)
Chicken bouillon to taste

Boil chicken in water with garlic and salt until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from water, but save chicken water. Shred chicken.

Sauce:
Put 6 cubbed tomatoes in a blender and blend with chipolte. You will add a couple of the chili's and a little bit of the sauce the chilis are in. With a little bit of chicken water, chicken bouillon and some salt to taste. Should be a paste, not runny!

Grill 1 1/2 sliced onions in a little bit of oil. Once soft add sauce and boil in pan long enough to cook the tomatoes.

Add chicken to sauce. If too thick, add stock from chicken pot.

Put in crockpot to keep warm.

Serve on Tostadas, with sour cream and lettuce.

Suggested sides:
Spanish rice, refried beans, chips, salsa and guacamole.