Aracely Worley: Daytripping Mom
Aracely Worley is the blogger better known as Daytripping Mom. Aracely blogs on family friendly outings, activities and events to connect with her readers through stories that are insightful, witty and heartfelt.
Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. sugar
Filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Raspberry Puree:
1 box of raspberries
2 tbsp. of sugar
DIRECTIONS
To make the crust:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small lightweight and shatter-resistant plastic bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar using a flexible and easy-to-clean silicone plastic spatula, stir together until well blended.
3. Using a heat-resistant, silicone non-stick cupcake pan, press 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake indentation.
4. Bake for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from oven using a heat-resistant plastic silicone quilted oven mitt, and let cool.
To make the filling and raspberry puree:
1. In a medium size plastic mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, add sugar, mix in salt and vanilla. Keep blending until smooth.
2. Add 1 egg at a time and keep blending until smooth.
3. Spoon mixture into cupcake indentations.
4. In a blender, puree the raspberries and sugar.
5. Drop 1 teaspoon of raspberry puree into each cupcake?.
6. Use a toothpick to create a raspberry swirl.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
8. Remove from oven using a heat-resistant silicone quilted oven mitt, and let cool to room temperature.
9. Transfer to refrigerator and let them sit overnight.
Nicole Presley: Presley's Pantry
Nicole Presley’s mom never cooked, inspiring her to learn the “basics” for survival. No longer a novice, Nicole started her blog Presley’s Pantry where she teaches her readers how to cook everything from pizza from scratch to savory salmon cakes!
Choco Flan-Tastic
INGREDIENTS: Chocolate Cake
1/2 cup cajeta (caramel topping)
1 box chocolate cake mix
Water (amount per cake mix directions)
Vegetable oil (amount per cake mix direction)
Eggs (amount per cake mix direction)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a shatter-resistant plastic bowl, combine chocolate cake mix, incorporating water, vegetable oil and eggs according to package directions. Mix for 2 minutes on slow, then bring the speed up to medium high for 2 more minutes.
3. Pour cajeta into the bottom of a heat-resistant and non-stick, 12-cup silicone bundt pan.
4. Slowly pour cake batter over cajeta.
5. Fill a tea kettle with water and place over a high flame. While waiting for water to boil, make flan blend.
INGREDIENTS: Flan
4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
1- 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1 – 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp. almond extract
4 large eggs
DIRECTIONS
1. In a blender add cream cheese, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.
2. Once flan mixture is blended, slowly pour in a circle over cake batter, a little bit at a time. Then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
3. Next take a piece of aluminum foil (enough to cover top of bundt pan) and coat with non-stick baking spray. Loosely place sprayed aluminum foil on top of bundt pan and cover. Then place covered bundt pan in a large baking dish and fill halfway with super hot water from teakettle.
4. Place the covered silicone bundt pan in hot bath in oven on middle rack and let bake for 1 hour. Once cake is baked, remove from hot bath and remove aluminum foil. Let cool in the pan for 2 hours, next run a butter knife along the edge of pan to pull cake away from silicone pan, then flip it over onto the plate of a plastic cake carrier to retain freshness and/or transport to fun, social gatherings!
5. Put it in the fridge for another 6 hours, chill and enjoy!
Liz Cerezo: Thoughts of a Mommy
Liz Cerezo, known in the blogosphere as the woman behind Thoughts of a Mommy, uses her contagious charm and outgoing personality to connect with her readers who follow her for product reviews and fun giveaways.
“Tell Me You Love Me” Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
Cupcake Mix:
1 box of Devil’s Food Cake mix
Water (amount per cake mix directions)
Vegetable oil (amount per cake mix direction)
Eggs (amount per cake mix direction)
Chocolate Mousse Filling:
1 cup of chocolate chips
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1-8 oz. package of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
DIRECTIONS
1. In a shatter-resistant plastic bowl, mix the cake mix with eggs, water, and oil to create batter.
2. Pour cupcake batter into non-stick, easy-release silicone muffin pan and bake in oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 19 minutes or until cupcakes are fully baked.
3. Remove cupcakes from oven with a heat-resistant plastic silicone quilted oven mitt and let cool.
4. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the chocolate mousse filling.
5. To make mousse filling, use an angled plastic measuring cup to measure out the chocolate chips and melt over the stove, stirring frequently with a nylon spoon that won’t scratch nonstick pans. Once chocolate chips are melted, put to the side and let cool. Then mix the heavy whipping cream with a stand or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped cream until well combined.
6. Transfer the chocolate mousse batches into piping tube (or cut the corner off of a sealable plastic bag for a quick and easy solution).
7. Insert piping tube or plastic bag into cupcakes and squeeze mousse filling.
8. Once all cupcakes are filled, it’s time to make the frosting. Start by mixing the cream cheese and butter in a lightweight, dishwasher-ready plastic bowl.
9. Once the mixture is creamy, add the powdered sugar. While the butter and cream cheese are mixing, have the heavy whipped cream ready to be incorporated into the mixture.
10. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the butter and cream cheese mixture. Make sure to not over mix.
11. Scoop spoonfuls of frosting into piping tube, plastic bag or other decorating tool and begin frosting to create professional looking cupcakes.
12. Let your creativity shine! This Valentine’s Day, I used red and gold sprinkles, chocolate hearts candy and sugar candy hearts.
13. BAKER’S TIP – Planning, hosting or attending a Valentine’s Day party? Transport your goodies in a convenient and chic carrier. A plastic holder will ensure your homemade desserts make it to your destination in one piece while retaining its freshness, making you the hit of the party!
Sheryl Aronow: Mama's Gotta Bake
Sheryl Aronow started her blog Mama’s Gotta Bake as her love for everything food unfolded. In her personal blog, Sheryl shares simple recipes, anecdotes, photos and experiences to connect with her followers.
Orange Cardamom Shortbread Sweet-Hearts
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Zest of 2 oranges
1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 tsp. vegetable shortening
Plastic lollipop sticks from craft store
Heart-shaped decorations
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium-sized plastic bowl, add flour, salt and ground cardamom. Use a silicone plastic whisk to incorporate all the ingredients and set this bowl aside.
2. Slice the butter into 1″ pieces and let it sit out until room temperature. Do not microwave. Using the paddle attachment on the electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, scraping down the sides with a silicone plastic spatula as needed.
3. Add the sugar to the butter, beating for several minutes to incorporate. Then add the vanilla and continue to beat a minute longer. With the mixer on low-medium speed, add the orange zest.
4. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture just until incorporated and a dough begins to form.
5. Take the dough out of the mixer bowl and press dough into a rectangular shape on a non-stick cookie sheet. Flatten out the rectangle with a non-stick rolling-pin and then wrap in plastic wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
7. When dough is chilled, roll out dough turning the dough 1/4 turn to achieve consistent thickness of the dough. Using an easy-to-clean plastic cookie cutter, cut heart shapes. Cookies should be on the thicker side so that the sticks can be inserted into cookie.
8. Gently maneuver the sticks into the cookies. If the stick pops through in the back, patch with a piece of scrap dough. Chill cookies on a non-stick silicone baking mat for 20 minutes
9. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and bake cookies 9-11 minutes, or until edges turn lightly brown.
10. Remove cookies from oven with a plastic silicone quilted oven mitt and let cookies cool on sheets for 10 minutes, then place cookies on cooling rack.
11. When cookies are completely cooled, gently melt chocolate over a double boiler, or in the microwave. Add the vegetable shortening and stir until dissolved.
12. Dip cookies half way into melted chocolate and then place cookies on non-stick baking mats until chocolate is set.
13. Use a plastic dessert decorating pen to add designs to your cookies or add chopped nuts, sprinkles of other garnishes while chocolate is still wet.
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