Orange Marshmellow Buttercream Frosting ~ Orange Julius Frosting ~

I think I have finally perfected the frosting for my Orange Cake. The Orange Cake is a new favorite, simply because it's so fresh tasting. The lemon and orange peel, pulp and juice add so much to the taste of the frosting or glaze. I call it the Orange Julius frosting.

The Marshmallows with the Orange Juice make it taste like an Orange Julius. A smoothie made with creamy milk and citrus flavors. Yummm....

Juice from 2 Oranges or Lemons or combo, pulp included
Lemon and Orange peel
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter - cut into small pieces
1/8 cup milk (optional)
1 box confectioner's sugar (powdered)
2 cups marshmallows

Take the juice from the citrus and pulp and mix with sugar in small sauce pan, heat together. Add small amount of butter and melt into sweet orange mixture. Heat and then add Marshmallows to heat and melt. Once melted, turn off heat.

In a medium bowl, combine butter with orange marshmallow liquid - blend with a hand mixer. While blending - you can add a little milk to thin to a glaze or leave it alone. As you are beating the frosting, add your powdered sugar and let it thicken up.

This time I put a little more orange juice and milk which thinned out the frosting, making it like a sweet glaze on the outside of the cake. I kept pouring glaze over and chilling the cake in the fridge so that the glaze built up a nice layer.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hate to brag, but these are some of the best cookies I have ever made. Some people have said that they are the best chocolate chip cookies, because of the blended oatmeal. They are unique, but easy to make. These soft hearty cookies are best when made bigger. You can add walnuts or different flavored things like toffee chips or white chocolate chunks.

You can really put some love into it if you grate your own chocolate from quality chocolate and the flavor comes out.

1 cups butter
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cups granulated sugar
1 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder)
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated) or Chocolate Powder
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1.5 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet..Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Heart Shaped Banana Pancakes

Heart Shaped Banana Pancakes

These baby heart shaped pancakes are sweeter than syrup. Although Bananas make for lumpy hearts, I couldn't help but make a stack of Heart Shaped Banana Pancakes. He loves Banana Pancakes, I miss him so I make a whole stack for my brekky. They were delicious and easy. xoxo

Pancake Mix Receipe
1 cup Bisquick
3/4 cup Skim milk

1 egg
1 Banana diced into small pieces
Sprinkled Cinnamon

or Pancakes from Scratch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Banana diced into small pieces
Sprinkled Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk and oil. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
3. Pour or scoop the batter onto the hot griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Only thing sweeter than these pancakes is the love that went into them.

xoxo, Bekah

Savory Lentil Soup with Pancetta

Savory Lentil Soup with Pancetta

* 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
* 1 cup of pancetta, diced into small pieces
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 large celery stalks, chopped
* 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 6 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 8 cups of water
* 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
* 1 package of lentils, rinsed
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Start with diced pancetta and olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Orange Cake with Orange Syrup and Icing

Orange Cake with Orange Syrup and Icing

After the Lemon and Strawberry Cake, my nephew asked for me to make him an Orange Cake. I had a few Tangelo Oranges and thought I'd make a cake from scratch using a basic cake recipe. The Orange Syrup seeps through the cake leaving the sweet orange juice flavor. Perfect Coffee Cake.

Cake:
* 3 large eggs
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* Zest of 1 orange, minced
* 1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Syrup:

* 1 1/2 cups orange juice
* 1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides, then dust with sugar and flour.

Beat the eggs with the sugar to pale yellow ribbons. Beat in the milk, oil and orange zest. In a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture a tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition.




Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until middle of cake springs back when lightly touched. Remove cake from oven, let cool slightly on a rack, then invert and cool completely.

In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, and thin orange strips. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until a thick syrup. Strain the syrup and reserve the orange strips, along with 1/2 cup of the syrup. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of the cake, then pour the warm strained syrup all over the cake so that it soaks through.

Wait until glaze soaks through and lightly ice cake with simple frosting.

Strawberry Cake with Coconut Buttercream Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Cake with Coconut Buttercream Cream Cheese Frosting

One of the Best Cakes I've made, very delicious and pretty like a Red Velvet but made from Strawberry Cake.

Unfortunately I can't take credit for the Cake mix. I purchased a Strawberry Cake mix and prepared as directed and put into a 8" Oval Pyrex Casserole instead of a baking pan. I find that this makes for thicker fluffier cakes.

The frosting however is my evil little receipe. I keep modifying it based on what I'm baking and what I have, this time I used:

1/2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup shredded coconut

Blend together with hand mixer on medium for 2-4 minutes or until fluffy. Ice Cake with frosting and then cover the cake in shredded coconut.

Strawberry Cake ;)