Banana Oatmeal Cookies

·        ¾ margarine (or butter, or shortening, or oil)

·        1 cup sugar

·        1 egg

·        1 ½ cups Flour

·        1 ½ tsp baking powder

·        1 tsp salt

·        1 tsp cinnamon

·        ¼ tsp nutmeg

·        1 ¾ cups oats

·        1 cup mashed ripe banana ( 2-3 medium bananas)

Optional:

·        ½ cup raisins or nuts or chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients until combined.

Place on cookie sheet.

Bake @200C (400F) for about 12-15 minutes.

So GOOD! Enjoy!

Nutella Cookies

I LOVE NUTELLA! I grew up in France and in Germany and this is probably something that I ate every. single. day. without fail! It's delicious, if you haven't tried it, go to the store and get some, it's good on ANYTHING! Trust me!
In my house I often make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and my husband suggested I try making Nutella cookies, what a great idea! So I tried and they are amazing and SO easy to make!

You'll need:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips (these are optional, and if you're like me you'll use bitter sweet!)

First cream the butter, Nutella, and sugars. Then mix in the egg. Mix the baking soda, powder, salt and flour and then add that mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips! And voila! That's it!

Make 1 inch balls or scoops, what ever you like... :D

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then ...

Enjoy!

Yogurt

Alright, making your own yogurt is SO easy I can't believe I didn't know about this sooner! (This makes about 64oz).

Here's what you need:

• 1 gallon of milk
• 1 cup of yogurt (with live active cultures) this is your starter

optional:

• 1/2 (or 1 cup) sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

The tools you need:

• big sauce pan
• thermometer (I use my candy thermometer)
• Crockpot, or big glass bowl, or big casserole dish
• strainer
• dish towel

So what you do is put your milk in a big sauce pan (if you want sweeter yogurt this is when you would add the sugar) and have it on medium high heat and when it starts foaming turn it to medium low until the milk reaches 180 degrees. 

Then cook it at 180 for 10 minutes. 

Take it off the heat and let it cool to 110 degrees. This takes about 45 minutes (it depends on the temperature of your house).

Then in your crockpot or glass bowl or casserole dish beat the yogurt (the starter or store bought yogurt). Here you can add Vanilla if you want (or even almond extract). Then slowly beat in your warm milk a little bit at a time.

Then cover with plastic wrap or a lid if you have one. Place in your oven (I leave the light on to provide a little bit of warmth) and if you're using casserole dish or glass bowl wrap in a towel or blanket.

Leave in the oven for 15- 20 hours.

Take it out of the oven and place a damp dish towel over your strainer and let the yogurt strain for 1-3 hours (3 hours for Greek style yogurt). Then put in a container and refrigerate! 

Keep a cup in a separate container so that you can have a starter for the next time you make yogurt.

Peanut Butter Cream Pie

This is so delicious. When I was pregnant, I craved chocolate and peanut butter, so I came up with this idea and it's SO GOOD! Hope you enjoy as well!


First make the crust:

• 15 oreo cookies
• 4 TBSP butter
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

put all these threw your blender and press onto the bottom of a 9" pie pan. Bake at 375 for about 12-15 minutes.

Then the filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups cold milk
• 4 eggs (separate the yolks and the egg whites)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 Tsp butter
• 3/4 cup peanut butter (you can add more if you want)

Mix the sugar, corn starch and salt. Slowly add the 3 cups cold milk. Heat over medium heat until boiling. (You'll want to stir constantly).
In a separate bowl mix the egg yolks. Add about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks and mix well. Then add the egg mixture to the milk mixture and boil for about2 minutes. Add the vanilla and the peanut butter.

Pour filling into pie crust.

Then bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Finally the chocolate topping:

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 2tbsp butter

Melt these and drisel over the pie. Refrigerate for about 4 hours. 

ENJOY!

Eclair au Chocolat

Éclair au Chocolat

Puff Dough
· ½ cup (whole) milk
· ½ cup water
· 8 Tbsp butter
· 1 Tbsp sugar
· ½ tsp salt
· 1 cup flour
· 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
Bring milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.
Add flour to boiling mixture all at once and stir stir stir on low heat for about 2 minutes.
Then let the dough cool for about 5 minutes in a bowl.
Add eggs to mixture one at a time and beat until incorporated. (it will be shinny and gooey)
Place on baking sheet in the shape you want (I like one big dough scoop)

Bake at 375 F (190 C) for about 20-25 minutes until they are brown and “hard”. Let cool before filling.


Chocolate Filling
· 2 cups (whole) milk
· 4 large egg yolks
· 6 Tbsp sugar
· 3 Tbsp corn starch
· Pinch of salt
· 7 oz (200 gr) bitter sweet chocolate (melted)
· 3 Tbsp butter at room temperature
Bring milk to boil.
In a bowl whisk yolks with sugar, salt and corn starch until thick and well blended. Add about ¼ cup of boiling milk to the yolk mixture and stir well. Then add the yolk mixture to the milk and mix well. Boil this mixture for about 2-3 minutes.
Add melted chocolate and butter to mixture.
Cover and refrigerate mixture until cool. (if you need it to cool quickly, then stick it in the freezer for a few minutes.)

Once cooled take this mixture and stuff the puffs that you made. (You will want to put a lot in each puff, don’t be shy!)

Chocolate Glaze
· ¾ cup heavy cream
· 9 oz (240 grams) chocolate (cup up very small)
Bring heavy cream to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for about 30 seconds, then stir it around until fully melted.
Brush this mixture over the puffs. Then refrigerate them for a couple hours before serving! ENJOY!

Galette des Rois

I know January is over, but this is a favorite at my house any time of year! And it's not too hard! First you'll need to make a

Pate feuilletée:

You can either make this easy one: Pie Crust Or the real deal: Pate Feuilletée

Divide the dough in two and place one rolled out in your 13" pie pan and roll the other one out, we'll need it later as a lid. Then you'll need to preheat your oven to 450F Now we're going to make

Almond Creme:

You'll need:

• 400 gramms of almond paste (frangipane)
• 3 eggs
• 100 gramms of sugar
• 2 Tbsp of Almond extract

Blend together with a blender and set a side. (Make sure there are no lumps) Now we make

Crème pâtissière

1/3 L of milk, bring it to a boil
Mix in a bowl to the side:

• 3 egg yolks
• 100 gramms powdered sugar
• 50 gramms flour
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Add this mixture about a cup of boiling milk to the mixture and mix well, then mix it all in with the milk and let it all boil for about 2 minutes (Until it's a thick pudding) Add the crème pâtissière to the almond cream and mix them well. Put the mixture in the pie pan, add your fève (little porcelain figurine) and cover with the remaining dough.

To finish it off mix:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

and paint the sealed pie with this. (If you want with your knife you can make fun designs on the pie)

Bake at 450F for 5 minutes, then at 380 for 25 minutes.

Let it cool for 10 minutes and then and hope to be the one who gets the fève and is then King or Queen for the day.

ENJOY!

Zucchini Mini Muffins

You'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• Optional: 1/2 cups walnuts and/ or 1 cup chocolate chips

Beat the butter, and sugar. Then add the egg, vanilla, zucchini. Mix flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture. If you want you can now add the nuts and/ or chocolate.

Get your mini muffin tin ready with paper or grease. Fill each cup with about 1 Tbsp of mixture.

Bake @ 350 for about 15 minutes

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie

This recipe has two ways of being done, first the easy way:

You'll need:

• 1 package of spice cake mix (or carrot or yellow cake)
• 15 oz of pumpkin puree (I use homemade, but store bought will work as well)
• 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips

makes about 2-3 dozen cookies

Mix and scoop on cookie sheet and sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake at 375 for 10-14 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

OR

You'll need:

• 1 cup (about 7.5 oz) pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (if you love butter, you can use butter here)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tsp baking powder
• 1 Tsp baking soda
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1 Tsp milk
• 1 Tsp vanilla
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Beat the oil (or butter) with the sugar, vanilla and egg. add the pumpkin and all the spices and milk. Mix the flour, baking powder and soda and then add to the pumpkin mixture. Here you can either mix the chocolate chips in or sprinkle them when you put them on the cookie sheet.

Place 1" balls on the cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Peanut Butter Cups

You'll need:
2 cups peanut butter (divided)
3/4 cups butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups chocolate chips (divided)
Optional: 3 cups graham cracker crumbs (or cheerio, or oreo, ...)

Yields about 5-6 dozen

beat 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and 3/4 cups butter till creamy. add 2 cup powdered sugar (in half cup increments) and 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 3 cups graham cracker crumbs.

Get your mini muffin pan and fill it with the mini muffin papers. Take about 1Tbsp of the peanut butter and put it in each cup. (use all the peanut butter mixture, makes about 5 dozen)

Melt 3/4 cups peanut butter and 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips. (you'll want to constantly stir) pour about 1 Tbsp over the peanut butter mixture in the mini muffin tin and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

enjoy!

German Chocolate Cake

So this is my husbands favorite cake ever, I have made it about a hundred times since the 2 and a half years we've been married and have come up with a great recipe that's pretty simple.

You'll need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cups cold water

for frosting you'll need:

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• optional: 1/2 cups chopped pecans

First beat the butter till smooth, then add the cup of sugar and vanilla. Then add the egg yolks one at a time.

In a blender blend the 2 cups flour, 1/2 cocoa, salt and 1 1/2 tsp baking soda.

Slowly add the flour mixture and the cold water to the butter mixture alternately.

In a clean bowl beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form, then slowly add the 3/4 cup sugar to that.

Fold the beaten egg whites into the badder.

Bake in two 9 inch pans @ 350 for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

For the frosting:

Beat the egg, stir in milk, sugar, and butter. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, make sure to stir constantly.

Stir in the coconut and pecans. Cool and then spread on first cake, put the second cake on top of first cake and then cover as well.

Personally I like this cake in the fridge over night and then eaten cold the next day.

Darkest Chocolate Crepe Cake (aka Ashley Cake)

So this cake was supposed to be like Martha Steward's "Darkest chocolate Crepe Cake" but along the way I decided that Martha Steward and I are not friends, and I don't think we'll be friends any time soon. So this definitely has a Jessica touch to it. While making it I just could not stop thinking about my sister Ashley, hence I think this cake should be called the "Ashley Cake". All her favorite things in one place, Yum!

So there are 4 main parts to making this cake, and I'm not going to lie, it might be hard and confusing and very time consuming.

PART I making the crepes

You'll need:

• 3/4 cups butter (cut it up into 2 Tbsp pieces)
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• dash salt
• 2 1/2 cups milk (I used whole milk, 2% could work just as well)
• 6 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

bring the 1/4 cup of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan and then add the butter one piece at a time. Once all the butter is melted remove from heat and add the 8 pz of chocolate. let cool.

in a bowl mix the flour, sugar, salt. in a separate bowl whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the wet to the dry mixture. Then add the chocolate mixture until smooth. You'll need to drain the mixture. I just did that in my salad drainer.

Refrigerate the mixture for at least 3 hours.

Now it's time to make the crepes.

Take your mixture out of the fridge and get your crepe pan hot. Pour 1/3 cup of the mixture on the pan and cook both sides about 45 seconds, or until done. Let cool on cooling rack.

PART II the filling

You'll need:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 6 large eggs whites
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 /3/4 cups butter (melted but not hot)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup Nutella

Beat the heavy cream and then refrigerate for an hour.

Then take it back out of the fridge and set it a side while you prepare the rest.

Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. (Same process then meringue) Slowly add the sugar to it. Then add the vanilla and the butter slowly as well. Now add the Nutella slowly as well. Once well mixed (don't over do it) fold in your heavy cream.

This needs to be used immediately.

Get your crepes ready. Lay one down on your cake tray (what ever you like to serve cake on). then put some of the filling on it, don't be shy, the crepes will absorb some of the filling so you need to make sure you have enough so that it still looks good when you serve it.

Top with another crepe, then filling, then crepe, then filling, you get the picture.

make sure you finish with a crepe on top.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

PART III the frosting

you'll need:

• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
• dash of salt
• 10 oz semi sweet chocolate

Bring the heavy cream, syrup and salt to a boil. Then remove from heat and mix in the chocolate until smooth. Make sure you let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Now cover your cake with it.

PART IV sugared hazel nuts

You'll need:

• about 16 hazel nuts (more if you LOVE hazel nuts, less if you not such a fan) on skewers
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• drop of vanilla sugar

Boil the sugar, water and vanilla on medium heat for about5 minutes. then dip the hazel nuts in the mixture and let them dry. I do this over my counter and let them drip off on newspaper.

Once dry I just cut them up and sprinkle them on to the cake.

and Voila! Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and serve fresh!