Apple Pie Cashew/Almond Butter

Back when I lived in Minnesota, I loved the peanut butter at Hell's Kitchen. When I moved back to California, I then started making my own in this style. Life was good until one day I was wandering the Brentwood farmer's market. There was a nut butter stand which mixed dried fruit in their nut butters, Banana & Chocolate (almost like a nutella) and my latest obsession Apple Pie!!!

2oz Apple Chips
1c Cashews, roasted
1/4c Almonds
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbs Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Mace
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
2-3 tbs Grapeseed oil

Put all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until desired even smoothness.

Almond Peach Upsidedown Cake

I order CSA boxes and every week I get an assortment of seasonal fruits and vegetables. What you get in the box is always a little bit of a surprise. Summertime is the BEST because there are usually more fruits. I've been getting Peaches in the last few, so for the latest BBQ, I use a couple in an upside-down cake. 

The inspiration for this round was this picture on pinterest, which came from the blog use real butter. I liked how they laid out the peaches in a cast iron skillet but made a few adjustments to the recipe in my version.

Fruit:

4-5 Ripe Peaches, medium sized and sliced evenly

1/2 c Brown Sugar, packed

1 tbs Rum

Cake:

1/2 c Butter

3/4 c Granulated Sugar

4 Egg Yolks

1/3 c Milk

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 tbs Almond Extract

1 c All purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tbs Cornstarch

1/4 tsp Salt

Since I buy organic fruit, I leave the skin on when cutting them into slices. Then toss the cut fruit with brown sugar and Rum in a large bowl until evenly coated. Place arrangement in the cast iron skillet and pour excess syrup over the fruit.

Cream the butter and Sugar. Add wet ingredients and stir in the dry ingredients. Pour cake batter on top of the arranged fruit. Bake at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until done.

Flip over on a plate and let cool.

Butternut Squash Polenta with Mushrooms + Leeks

Polenta
3/4 c Cornmeal
2c Chicken stock (or water and bullion)
1 c Butternut squash
1 tsp Salt
2 tbs Butter
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

1 c Mushrooms, assorted sliced
2 cloves Garlic
1 stalk Leek
1 Shallot
1 tbs Olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Rainbow Cake

While having an edible one night, a friend requested that for her upcoming birthday, she wanted a rainbow cake. I decided she needed a double rainbow cake instead. 

After the birthday, I got so many requests, here are the directions how to make it.


Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6oz dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
1/3c heavy cream
1/4c butter, room temperature
2-3c confectioners sugar

Cake
1 box yellow cake mix, follow directions on the box to make the batter.
OR
1c butter, softened
1/2c vegetable shortening
3c granulated sugar
5 eggs
3c all purpose flour
2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
1/2c whole milk, room temperature
1/2c buttermilk, room temperature
2tsp vanilla extract


For the frosting, melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add cream to make a ganache let cool to room temperature. Place ganache and butter in a stand mixer and beat until mixed well. Add sugar.

To make the cake, once you've made the batter, separate into bowls and mix with food coloring, pouring them by color into a parchment lined pan. By pouring the batter in the center, it will push the colors out and form the rings.

Bake the 2 cakes and let completely cool. Trim the top off to make cake flat before frosting. 

Lemon Bars

My grandmother had a lemon bar recipe which she would make for almost every gathering. This was her go-to dessert, but as a kid I almost never ate it. It was *shocking* too sweet for me. I've since adjusted the proportions for my taste :P

Crust
1/2 c Powdered sugar
1 c Butter
2 c All purpose flour

Filling
2/3 c Lemon juice
1 c Sugar
4 Eggs
1 tsp Baking powder
1/3 c All purpose flour

Mix the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9x12 pan. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes and remove from oven.

Meanwhile, mix all filling ingredients in a bowl. When the crust is ready, pour ingredients on top and place back in the oven at 350º for another 30-40 minutes, until set. Remove from oven and let fully cool at room temperature before cutting. Sprinkle with powdered sugar after the bars have been cut.

Double Double Cake

I have a friend who LOVES box cake. To go with her non-traditional wedding, she had mentioned that all she would want is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting, But they were going to forego cake all together. So, at the non-traditional bridal shower...We played laser tag and went out for lunch and had this---->


CAKE  
1x Yellow Cake box mix; follow box directions
1x Devils Food Cake box mix; follow box directions
1/2 tsp Sesame Seeds

FROSTING
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6oz dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
1/3c heavy cream
1/4c butter, room temperature
2-3c confectioners sugar

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
6 oz white chocolate
1/3c heavy cream
1/4c butter, room temperature
2-3c confectioners sugar

Bake both cake mixes into 9" round cake pans. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of one of the yellow cake mixes.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler, add cream and stir. Put ganache in a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, and butter. Add powdered sugar, set aside.

Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, add cream and stir.
Put ganache in a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, and butter. Add powdered sugar. Stir in green food coloring. put in a pastry bag and set aside.

Leave the sesame layer as is, this will be the top bun. Take the other cooled cake and cut in half. Alternate yellow cake and chocolate cake, Stacking each layer with chocolate Frosting on the bottom. When you get to the final chocolate cake, pipe out green frosting on top. Place 'bun' layer on top.

Blue Cheese Shortbread Cookies

4 oz Butter, softened
6 oz blue cheese, softened
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 C flour

Blend blue cheese, butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add flour until mixture just starts to come together and forms a clump. Gather dough and place on a piece of plastic. Roll into a log and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 2-3 hours. 

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Slice the log. Transfer to the baking sheets. You want the dough to remain cold, so work quickly.

Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden.