Cupkakes ala Kate

What is it about cupcakes? I dunno.
Maybe they're like crayons, they take us back to simpler times.
I have so rarely eaten them in my adulthood.
There was always something special about getting
cupcakes for a birthday, or a special occasion, something
that a big ol cake just didn't do. Maybe it was their size.
Good things in small packages...n wot not.

Now I know there's lotsa folks out there
in the adult world eating cupcakes.
I know because I've drooled over your cupcake pictures.
Admired the fact that you baked them from scratch.
Envied your cupcake artistry when it comes to decorating.

I don't have a cupcake recipe for you.
In fact I only made these for the frosting.
And well, Hannah only ate the frosting.
The cake was good don't get me wrong
even tho they maybe a little unevenly shaped.
I like things a little imperfect.

Yes I used a box mix.
Hey...HEY.....HEY....nothing wrong with Betty Crocker.
The chocolate Devil's Food cake is killer.
[ ha at my unintended pun ]

So for these cupcakes follow the directions on the box.
As for the frosting...
C'mere.

Kate's Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese
1 stick softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar
[ okay maybe...no definitely more ]


Whip cream cheese and butter together.
Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time.

I know that was hard.
Take a break you deserve one.

And I do decorate.

With sprinkles. : )

Cheesecake,Strawberries, and Whip Cream

Sounds like a hot date doesn't it?
What it is...is a really good dessert.
And I almost never make desserts.
Hannah sure liked it.
That's all that matters.

The Cheesecake
New York Style

Ingredients:


1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eight ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla


Preparation:

(Preheat oven to 350)

In a large mixing bowl,
beat sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.
Blend in cream. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each egg is added.
Mix in sour cream , flour and vanilla until smooth.

(yes crazy fool that I am, I used a bundt cake pan and no crust)

Bake for one hour in preheated oven.
Turn oven off and let cake cool in oven for about 5 hours.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

The Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 stick of butter
1 package of strawberries
(slice in half)
1/2 cup of sugar, no maybe a whole
(this is me remember, I don't measure)


Preparation:

Melt the butter in a saute pan.
Add the strawberries and sugar.

Simmer on low until sugar is melted
the strawberries have softened,
the liquid should be more like a syrup.

Let cool a bit.
Take a glass put a strawberry at the bottom.
The next layer is cool whip.
Chunk out your cheese cake and place that on top of the cool whip.
Ladle the strawberry mixture and layer that on top of the cheesecake.
Top with cool whip.
Let Chill in the freezer for a few.

~Yeh, we're happy girls tonight~





: )







.

A Berry and a Nut

Grilled Strawberries with Sweetened Mascarpone Cheese and a Pecan

Lightly sugar the strawberry halves.
Then broil for about five minutes
just until the edges started to brown.
(it's winter and no grill, broiling works just fine)
All I did to sweeten the mascarpone
was add powdered sugar.
Beneath the strawberry is a balsamic reduction.