Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Spring is starting to slowly melt into summer here in the Midwest.  I don't know about you, but I mark the start of summer as Memorial Day weekend.  School is out, the leaves are on the trees, flowers are starting to bloom, and the tomato plants have blossoms.  Yes, I have my garden in, the veggies are growing, and we're making our summer plans.  Memorial Day weekend is when my family organizes our lives.  We do those mundane chores that we avoid, sit down with the calendar to plan out our summer, decide where we're going, who we are going to entertain.  We also have a big cookout with friends and family.


Since Noah handles the grill and the smoker, I'm in charge of prep, sides and dessert.  The rhubarb plants are huge right now, and ripe for picking.  I never liked rhubarb as a kid, but wow, as an adult I can't get enough of it!  Rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, and my personal favorite, rhubarb upside-down cake.  While cruising the "Martha-verse" a few years ago, I ran across this recipe and was smitten.  I love upside-down cakes.  This one is amazing, and so delicious.  I hope my readers enjoy this cake as much as I do, and that it's a smash hit for your Memorial Day BBQ.


Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

For The Topping

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar

For The Cake

1 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature, plus more for buttering pan
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut on a very sharp diagonal about 1/2 inch thick
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until moist and crumbly.

Make the cake: Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Dot with 4 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces). Toss rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar; let stand for 2 minutes. Toss again, and spread in pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Beat remaining stick butter and cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in zest and juice. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, until smooth. Spread evenly over rhubarb. Crumble topping evenly over batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top springs back when touched, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting

Happy Birthday to my Great Niece Reese!  Today you turn 2 years old.  You are loved so much, little one!  

In honor of Reese's birthday, her parents have planned a Dora the Explorer party for her.  In our family, I am the resident cake baker.  So, a little Dora cake was needed.  I've noticed that alot of people have no idea how to make buttercream frosting.  A good buttercream is versatile enough to frost cakes, make roses, or top your favorite cupcakes.  Here's an excellent recipe for buttercream frosting.  Hope you all enjoy your day as much as Reese will.


Keep in mind that true buttercream is not white, but is off-white in color.  


Buttercream Frosting


4 sticks salted butter
4 butter flavor Crisco sticks
4 pounds GH powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 TB meringue powder


In a large mixer, combine butter and crisco.  Mix to blend.  Add vanilla and almond extracts, mix well. Mix in 1/4 of the powdered sugar.  Slowly add in the rest of the powdered sugar, and mix on medium speed until combined.  


Makes enough to frost, fill and decorate 1 9 inch double layer cake, or 1 Dora the Explorer cake for Reese.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

First of all, it's my birthday.  My 6th 29th birthday to be exact.  Somehow, I have ended up baking another batch of Mexican brownies, chocolate chunk cookies, and have been conned by my four year old son into making pizza's for supper.  Um, I don't think I'm supposed to be doing this much work on my birthday.  Not to mention that I just cleaned out the fridge, scrubbed it squeaky clean, and got on my hands and knees to vacuum the coils.  What's wrong with this picture?  At least I didn't have to bake my own cake.  Thank you Coldstone Creamery.  I totally have to cash in that free sundae coup that they sent me for my birthday.  Maybe when I come out of the sugar coma that I'll be in for the next week after all this junk food.

So, seriously, deep dish pizza.  Being from the Midwest, I grew up making frequent trips into Chicago.  Whether it was with friends, my parents or visiting family, there was usually deep dish pizza involved.  Really, the whole contest of New York vs Chicago is just ridiculous.  Deep dish is a meal.  Deep dish is King.  When it's made right, the outside of the dough is crispy, the inside is chewy, and for the love of all that is holy, it should be oozing Wisconsin cheese.  Happy Cows are not from California.  They live in the pasture around the corner from my house.  Really, if you have never been to Chicago for pizza, get your ass in gear and head to Gino's East, or the original Pizzeria Uno, or any other good dive with awesome pizza.  Does anyone know of a good dive?  Seriously, I'm always looking to broaden my pizza horizons.  Post a comment and let me know the where, when and awesomeness of said dive.  Until then, give this recipe a try.  I guarantee you'll dig it.


Also, thanks to all my peeps who have bombarded me with calls, FB messages, loot and e-mails with all those birthday wishes.  I'm blessed.  Either that or you just love me for my mad cooking skills.  Either way, I'm grateful for each and every one of you.


Chicago Deep Dish Pizza


Dough recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse


Dough

11/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 teaspoons to grease bowl
1 teaspoon salt


In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.

Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough into 2 equal portions.  Press the dough into a 9 inch round pan, pressing dough up the sides of the pan.  Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.  


Sauce
1 15 oz can Red Gold crushed tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1 tsp Penzey's fines herbs
splash of red wine


Combine all ingredients and mix well


Pizza
1 dough recipe, divided and pressed into pans
1 sauce recipe, divided
4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
pepperoni or sausage
additional favorite toppings

In each pan, over the dough layer 1 cup of cheese, meat topping, additional favorite toppings, and then 1 cup of cheese


Top pizza's with sauce, covering to the edges.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 475 for 30 minutes.  Allow pizza to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven.  Run a knife around the edges, move to a large cutting board, and cut into slices. 


Enjoy!

Mexican Brownies & Vanilla Whipped Cream

Cinco de Mayo. Yup. I'm doing what we should all be doing today. Embracing the culture, my kinda, sorta roots, drinking tequilla, and eating Mexican food. There's a worm with my name on it, so without further ado...

Mexican Brownies

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground Mexican cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon or cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick tinfoil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.


Melt the 2 sticks of butter over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.


Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 vanilla bean, scraped

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Mix ingredients on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Chill and serve.

Easter Ham

Easter ham.  That's all I can think about.  My Mom's Easter ham.  Yeah, I know. Easter should be about jellybeans and chocolate bunnies.  Oh, don't even get me started on the whole bunnies leaving eggs thing.  Here's the deal.  I like Easter.  I love putting on an egg hunt for our friends and family every year.  I enjoy breaking bread with my family for the holiday.  The simple fact is, I'm selfish.  It's all a means to an end.  That end is my Mom's Easter ham.  Everyone in the family starts salivating for it the day after Christmas.  It's just that good.  My sister and I know how to make it, but the truth is, nobody makes it like Mom.  Oh, and the gravy!  Have you every had ham gravy?  I would bet you that only a few of you have.  Most people are shocked when I talk about the ham gravy.  Sort of sweet from the brown sugar, savory from the ham.  Oh, it's like a heavenly little party in your mouth.

Last year I begged Mommy dearest to write down her ham recipe.  I was informed that it's not a recipe, it's just done, it's eyeballed.  Well, I get it.  I make lots of things the same way.  You just know it by look and taste.  I begged some more.  Frankly, I begged for years.  Finally, she succumbed.  Mom wrote it down as she made it.  I'm sharing it with you, dear readers.  The only problem is that no matter how good any of us get at making it, it will never be the same as hers.  Maybe it's the love.

Mom's Easter Ham

1 - 22 Pound Hillshire ham (yes, you'll need a big one.  LEFTOVERS!)

6 C water

1 Can ginger ale

1 Can 7-up

1 can pineapple slices

1 small jar maraschino cherries

whole cloves

1 jars Heinz Homestyle Pork Gravy

4 TB brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 

Place ham in a large pan with the water.  Bake, covered with foil for 2 1/2 hours.  While baking, mix 1/4 C of the juice from the pineapple slices with with brown sugar, adding more sugar as needed until it is thick.  Remove the ham from the oven.  Score the top, lay the pineapple slices on the ham.  Spoon the glaze over the the slices and the rest of the ham.  Place cherries in the center of each pineapple slice.  Stud ham with whole cloves.  To the pan, add the rest of the pineapple juice, 7-up, ginger ale and the gravy.  Mix slightly, cover ham, bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Remove the foil from the ham, bake for an additional 45 minutes in order to brown the ham.  Add more water to the pan if needed.  

Remove ham from oven, tent with foil and allow to stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Oh, and don't forget to use those fabulous drippings to make the most incredible ham gravy you will ever taste!

New Kitchen-Aid, No Vanilla and Baking Powder Biscuits

Life has been a little busy for the last couple of weeks.  My Mom was expecting alot of company, so being the amazing daughter I am (don't laugh!), I thought I'd be helpful by making sure she had lots of baked goods in the house.  Plans were made for me to make yet another large batch of Strawberry Muffins (which I am officially tired of making), coffee cake, cookies and cheese straws.  The first thing I did was start the dough for the coffee cake.  Part way through the kneading process, my faithful Kitchen-Aid mixer gave a nasty sound, and quit working.  Not only did the motor get hotter than sin, but if met with any resistance, the spinning mechanism that causes it to whip, beat or knead wouldn't work.  Thank God my kids were not inside the house for the string of expletives that came out of my mouth!  I mean, that's not supposed to happen with those mixers.  Especially when I have a million things to do.  So, after searching through storage, I found my old hand beaters, and mixed up everything else that I needed to, cursing the whole time, and realizing how lost I would without my mixer.  It may not seem like a big deal to some, but I use that mixer at least once a week, frequently more than that.  My darling husband, who loves and understands me, told me to buy a new one.  I blinked once, and started searching for the rock bottom prices.  I knew I wanted to upgrade, and I know the darn things are expensive.  Noah loves me, and he loves the goodies my mixer turns out, but I'm sure the tune of $500 would have given him a slight heart attack.  Thank goodness one of the local department stores was having one of their biggest sales of the year, and I was able to obtain the holy grail of Kitchen Aid's, the Professional 600, for under $300.  Now ensconced on my kitchen counter is my shiny new mixer.  Maybe not the color I wanted, but when in a hurry, beggars can't be choosers.  

So, here I am with this beautiful new mixer, and I am itching to make something.  Thanks to all the muffins I've had to make in the last 3 weeks (8 dozen at least), I have run out of vanilla, and do not have time to make a run up to Penzey's.  What to do?  I have to make something!  There's a shiny new toy that I have coveted for years in my kitchen!  So, I started taking stock of my ingredients, realizing I really need to clean out the baking cabinet.  It hit me.  Baking Powder Biscuits.  I love biscuits.  I don't make or eat them often, but oh, do I love them.  With a little strawberry jam, warm from the oven with honey butter, dipped in soup, you name it, I love them.  They're incredibly easy to make, and versatile enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  In fact, since it's cold out today, I'll pull some soup out of the freezer, and serve with the biscuits.  Voila, instant supper.  I know, I know.  I'm a freaking genius!  I'm also done taking requests to make Strawberry Muffins for everyone for at least a month.  I posted the recipe, and I know that the readers who requested them, have the recipe, even if they haven't signed up to follow this blog.  No more muffins!  At least, not until I cave under pressure from puppy dog eyes.

Baking Powder Biscuits


2 C all purpose flour
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 C Crisco Butter Flavor shortening
1 C Whole Milk (2% works as well)


Preheat oven to 450


Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment or silpat. 


Put flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, stir to mix.  Add shortening, mix on low until irregular clumps form.  Add milk, and stir on low just long enough to moisten the flour.  Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 10 to 15 times, until dough comes together and is no longer sticky. 


Pat dough down into an oval, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 inch cutter, cut biscuits out of dough.  Place on baking sheet, close together.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops start to brown slightly.  

Apologies and Strawberry Muffins

I apologize, dear readers.  I have woefully neglected posting on this blog for over a month now.  I have no excuses.  Well, I have lots of excuses, but none that would really hold any water.  Instead, I have a peace offering.  Strawberry Muffins.

I've been thinking alot about my Grandmother lately.  She was an amazing woman, matriarch to this enormous family, keeping everyone in line and happy.  Grandma knew how to cook.  Specifically, she could bake.  I can still smell her bread coming out of the oven, taste its freshness.  Whenever I would come for a visit, she would make me a root beer float and sandwich with thick slices of summer sausage, butter and her homemade bread.  Oh, what I would not give for a slice of her bread!  For dessert, there was always a fresh pan of muffins on her kitchen table.  Moist and fluffy.  Grandma made delicious muffins.  I cherish each memory I have of that wonderful woman.  I can still hear her voice, her laughter, and feel the love that was shared with each dish around her kitchen table.  I am so proud to have her strength in my blood.  Blessed by my grandmothers love, I think of her often.  Grandma was such a good cook.  I often wish I could share my love of cooking with her.  Show her what she passed to me without even realizing it.  Today as I was working out my muffin recipe, I was thinking of her.  Wondering if she learned from her mother, or her grandmother.  I can still see her in the kitchen, pouring in the milk, adding the fruit.  I think she'd be impressed with these strawberry muffins.  I think she'd be pleased that I'm sharing them with those that I love.  Whenever somebody dies, we hear the familiar phrase that 'those we love are never really gone from us'.  Grandma will never be gone from me.  I think of her often, smile at her memory, and remember afternoons gone by, full of bread, root beer and muffins.


Notes about muffins:


I had to do some toying to make these muffins as moist as I wanted them.  I love scratch recipes, but well, sometimes boxed just seems better.  I wanted these to be as moist as the boxed recipes, but with better flavor.  After really doing my homework, I found that the key to moist muffins is not just the high fat content, but not over mixing the batter.  It's better to have a few lumps of dry ingredients in the batter.  It will just bake out.  Over mixing works the gluten, and you end up with dry muffins.  Most muffin recipes do not call for heavy cream.  However, I really wanted to increase the fat content, but did not want to use sour cream in this recipe.  I found that a 1/4 cup of heavy cream worked to really add moisture without making the muffins too cake-like.  While we're at it, let's talk substitutions.  I have stressed often enough not to substitute butter, so I won't go there.  However, most of us don't have a carton of buttermilk in the fridge.  A wonderful substitution for buttermilk is to make your own by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk.  Allow it to thicken on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes.  Voila!  Buttermilk.


Strawberry Muffins


1/2 C butter, room temperature (1 stick)
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 C buttermilk
1/4 C heavy cream
1 pint strawberries, sliced


Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.


In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand-held mixer on high setting, cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract.


In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.


With a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into creamed mixture. Gradually stir in lemon peel, heavy cream and buttermilk until dry ingredients are just moistened; do not over-mix. Gently fold in the strawberries.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin cup full. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar or streusel.


Bake muffins at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Gently turn strawberry muffins onto the rack. Serve strawberry muffins warm.