Easter Bunny Ice-Cream

Time to share another fun find.How cute is this?They are all made out of ice-cream,and available at http://www.stclairicecream.com/ .You can choose from a variety of flavors!Love these!

Chocolate Sour Cream Loaf

    This is such an easy recipe,and tastes great!It is a very moist cake,and is not too rich.Nice chocolate flavor with a hint of sour cream.I like to finish it off with a little dusting of powdered sugar,but it is also great warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream!
Ingredients:
5 tbsp. butter melted,and cooled
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. plus 2 tbsp. sour cream
1 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl.In the bowl of your mixer,mix together the butter,sugar,egg,and sour cream.Slowly add in the dry ingredients.Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes.Test with a knife to see if it comes out clean.Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cake Bars

   This is a recipe from Taste of Home Magazine,and it is a real treat.Easy to make,and fun for the kids.Tasting  it while it is warm is a must,with an ice cold glass of milk!
Ingredients:
2/3 c. butter,softened
2/3 c. peanut butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
  In the bowl of your mixer,blend the butter,peanut butter,sugar & brown sugar together.Add the eggs,one at a time.Add the vanilla.Mix in the salt,baking powder and flour.Stir in the chips.

     Lightly grease a 13x9 square baking pan and pour the batter into the pan.Spread the batter,and then bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.Let cool,and cut into squares.
***Adding some peanut butter chips to this batter would be a great addition!

Potato Leek Soup

Well,it is March,so why not post some potato recipes?This is a versatile soup that may be eaten hot or cold,which makes it perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients:
4 large red potatoes(skin on),chopped
2 leeks,cleaned and sliced
1 large zucchini
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
6 c. chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbsp. cream or milk
4 slices bacon,cooked and crumbled
    In a large stockpot,melt the butter and add the olive oil.Add the leeks and saute for about 5 minutes.Add the potatoes,zucchini,chicken stock ,salt & pepper.Bring to a boil,then lower the heat to medium and let simmer for about 25-30 minutes.The potatoes should be tender.
   In the bowl of your food processor,or blender,puree a third of the mixture at a time.After pureeing a batch,place it in a seperate bowl,while you puree the rest.After it is all pureed,return the soup back to the stockpot and add the cream.Season again with salt & pepper.Serve warm with bacon crumbled on top.
***Leeks grow in sand,so after chopping them,I soak them in cold water to make sure there is no sand in them.
***If you prefer a chunky soup,only puree half of the mixture.

Irish Soda Bread

    This is one of my favorite breads.Traditionally,it is made with currants or raisins,and even sometimes caraway seeds.I am not a fan of any of those things,so I make  mine plain.If you are a fan,feel free to add 1/3 c. of raisins or currants to the batter,and as many seeds as you  like.I am also going to give you a second version that is a touch sweeter than the traditional.You decide which one you will serve on St.Patrick's Day!
Ingredients:
2c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 tbsp. butter
1 egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg ,beaten
powdered sugar(optional)

   Mix together the baking soda,baking powder and salt.With a hand held mixer,or in the bowl of a stand mixer,blend in the butter.Add the egg and buttermilk.Add the flour and only mix until the dough comes together.

     Form the dough into a round loaf,about 6 inches wide.With a knife,cut an "X" on the top.Brush with the beaten egg.Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes.The loaf should be golden on top.
Cool on a rack and Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Sweeter Version:
3 c. all purpose flour
1 c.cake flour
1/4 c. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tbsp. unsalted butter(softened)
1-1/4 c. buttermilk
1 egg,beaten
powdered sugar(optional)
Mix together the dry ingredients.Using your hands,work in the butter until batter is crumbly.Add the buttermilk & egg.Form a dough usng a fork,and gently form into a round loaf,without working the dough too much.Make an "X" on the top of the bread.Bake for about 40 minutes.If desired,brush with melted butter when it comes out of the oven,and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Just sharing a pic of some fun cookies I made with my children for their Dr. Seuss birthday party in school today!Thanks to Dr. Seuss for endless hours of entertainment!

Chocolate Chip Madelines

On a trip to Disney World a few years back,I had the most delicious madeleines at a patisserie in EPCOT Center.They were filled with rich chocolate chips and I was hoping that I would be able to make them myself.Well, I finally found a recipe for them through Godiva,and they are so good.A nice,cake-like cookie,filled with chocolate,and perfect for a brunch or just with a cup of tea.Traditionally,they are made in a special pan,which you can find at almost any store that sells bakeware.
Ingredients:
1 stick of unsalted butter,melted and cooled
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
3 eggs,room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chocolate chips

  In a bowl,mix together the flour,baking powder and salt.In the bowl of your mixer,beat the eggs and sugar until the eggs turn a pale yellow,and become slightly thickened,as shown above.Add the vanilla.
Gently fold in the flour,a third at a time,until incorporated.Slowly fold in the melted,cooled butter.Add the chocolate chips and fold in gently.Cover the mixture,and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

    Lightly grease and flour the madeleine pans.After 30 minutes,remove the mixture from the refrigerator,and place one tbsp. of the mixture into each well in the pan.Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.The cookies should be golden and slightly puffed up.Remove the cookies from the pans,and let cool slightly(although they are delicious warm)! Serve plain,or dusted wth powdered sugar,or even dipped in chocolate!

***These can be kept tightly wrapped for 2-3 days,or wrapped well and frozen for one month.