Translate

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Holiday Cookies

When I was a child, my mother always baked for the holidays. She made many varieties of cookies, cakes, and pastries over the years. I look back on baking with my mother fondly. I think that is why I enjoy baking. There is something special about baking for me. It feels like warmth and love. For me the holidays don't seem like the holidays until I've baked something for someone.

I baked with my own children while they were growing up. I think it's good to get kids involved in

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Friday, December 9, 2011

Cupcake Inside A Cupcake

This cupcake recipe combines all the flavors of fall and the holidays into one scrumptious cake. A good friend sent me the link to this recipe, and I just had to try it. A cupcake baked inside a cupcake was just so novel! So, adapted from the Cupcake Projects recipe, we have apple cupcakes frosted with brown sugar icing, inside of pumpkin rum cupcakes frosted with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Is your mouth watering yet?

Apple Cupcake Recipe


I ended up with 36 mini cupcakes.

You can find the full recipe at http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/cupcakes/cupcake-inside-a-cupcake-cupcakes/

Friday, November 25, 2011

The 10 Best Gifts For The Home Cook

Personally, I think the best gifts for the home cook are the ones that help he/she to expand their abilities, learn new techniques, or make baking/cooking easier. As a cooking/baking enthusiast, I get excited about new recipes, trying new gadgets for the kitchen, and things that take the effort out of baking and cooking. Even better, I've found some great sales on these items just in time for the holidays!
1. The Polder Digital In-Oven Thermometer/Timer. The probe can stay directly in your roast or turkey while it's in the oven, and will sound an alarm when the preset temperature is achieved. On sale now for only $18.79, a savings of 25%. Takes the guesswork out of baking and roasting. Features a water-tight probe cable. Requires 1 AAA battery (included)
Customer review; "This is a good product for the price . Easy to use intuitive controls , display easy to read , temperature is accurate . There is no on/off button but this isn't a big deal as the battery will probably still last for years even with it always on."
2. Wilton 2104-2546, 53 Piece Supreme Cake Decorating Set A complete tool set for frosting and decorating cakes. If you have a budding cake decorator at home, they will be able to learn cake decorating easily. Set includes tips, icing bags, flower nails and couplers, everything you'll need to create beautiful cakes. Includes a 36-page instruction book illustrating decorating techniques. On sale now for $22.54, a 32% savings. Priced right for the beginner to get all he/she needs to get started making beautiful, professional looking cakes!
3. OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop This is the small cookie scoop. Each scoop holds 2 teaspoons of dough and yields a 2-inch cookie. It also comes in medium and large. A real time-saver in the kitchen it helps to create cookies that are uniform in size which helps them to bake evenly. With a simple squeeze of the soft grip handle the cookie is released on to the baking sheet. No more

Find out more! Go to http://bestmixerreviews.com/the-10-best-gifts-for-the-home-cook/ and shop from the comfort of home!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Extreme Chocolate Banana Bread

I have another extremely large bunch of bananas to be thankful for today. So...I decided to make a double batch of banana bread. I started with a recipe for extra banana banana bread. I adapted it from a recipe I found on For the Love of Cooking. Then, to change it up I added cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and walnuts to the second half of the batch. It turned out very well! Rich and moist, with a nice balance to the chocolate and banana flavors. I've titled it Extreme Chocolate

Rich, moist bread with a nice balance of flavors, get the recipe here http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/quick-breads-extreme-chocolate-banana-bread/

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

The harvest keeps on coming! Now the banana trees have decided to bless us with their bounty! I've been making lots of starfruit products for the last while, as well as using them to garnish drinks and dessert plates. Got through the starfruit crop in pretty good form. Now, I'm back to banana products.

Here is a picture of the bunch of bananas that has been getting ripe this week.

This is just a small portion of a bunch of bananas. I've already frozen the majority of this

To read the full recipe go to http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/cookies-and-brownies-raisin-oatmeal-drops/banana-cookies-with-chocolate-chips-and-walnuts/

Friday, October 28, 2011

Apple and Starfruit Crisp

When you live in the Caribbean there aren't many apple trees. Well, at least not what North Americans would call an apple. We do have a variety of fruits that are referred to as such, like sugar apples and mamie apples which do not taste or look anything like a Gala. What I do have, is a lot of Starfruit. The tree in my backyard is producing enough at this point to feed the whole neighborhood.



When I was in North America, Fall was always a good time to make Apple Crisp. We

To read the full recipe go to http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/crisp/

Monday, October 17, 2011

Halloween Recipe Ideas

Halloween is just around the corner. When my boys were small we used to bake treats for school Halloween parties, and parties we had at the restaurant. Halloween can lend itself to making treats you couldn't make for any other holiday. Spiders, severed fingers, and eyeballs come to mind! It's one of the few times a year that making something gross is a good thing! With kids, the grosser the better! But, cute owls, candy corn, and Jack O' Lanterns are fun too. You can have a lot of

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Thursday, October 13, 2011

The Fruit in my Backyard

I suppose you've already seen the coconut tree picture taken from my backyard on Anne's Coconut Cake Recipe.  Now I'm going to show you the star fruit or carambola tree.
As you can see I'm going to have my work cut out for me trying to use all of these!  I have an idea for a fresh salsa using star fruit, red onion, and jalapeno peppers to put of fresh grilled fish.  I'll let you know how that turns out!
I've also used them with several other fruits in a fruit salad dressed simply with honey and a small amount of sugar and fresh mint leaves.  Really good with banana, pineapple, grapes, and melon.
So, I'm on the lookout for any other recipes using Star Fruit.
If anyone has any suggestions leave a comment. 

Homemade Granola Bars-Salty and Sweet

One of the things that is difficult about living on a tropical island, is that stores only have shipments come in once a week. In addition, they don't always get all the items they order. Sometimes the supply boats are delayed due to bad weather. What this means for me, is that I can't plan a menu, go to the store and find all the ingredients. What I do instead is go to the store, see what they have, and devise a menu based on what is available. I've been making baked goods for

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Friday, September 30, 2011

Anne's Coconut Cake

My niece came to visit my site a couple of weeks ago. She was interested in the recipes and said, "Do you have a recipe for Coconut Cake? It's my favorite!" I agreed to post a coconut cake recipe, but was almost embarrassed. "How is it that I live in the Caribbean and don't have a coconut cake recipe?" ran through my mind. I mean, they grow in my
[caption id="attachment_678" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The coconut tree in my backyard"][/caption]

backyard for gosh

Find the whole recipe at http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/cakes/annes-coconut-cake/

Friday, September 23, 2011

Cooking and Recipe Q&A

Sometimes it's fun to read another person's question about Cooking and Recipes. It's like playing Trivial Pursuit. You read the question, imagine an answer. Then, check to see if your answer agrees with the answer that was voted most popular by readers. I have included questions below. See how many you agree with. Keep score of how many you can answer correctly. If you want, put your score in the comments area below. Have fun!
Cooking and Recipe Q&A
1. Good recipes/ideas for a picnic

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Monday, September 5, 2011

Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling

 

: Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
: These are too good to share with the kids! Rich, moist chocolate cake. Raspberry Filling with just a touch of alcohol. Topped off with chocolate fudge frosting. Sinful!



For the Cake;
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon

To read full recipe go to http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/cupcakes/chocolate-cupcakes-with-raspberry-filling/

Friday, August 26, 2011

Need Money? Start Your Own Home Baking Business

Do you have a passion for cooking and baking?
When people try your baked goods, do they ask for your recipe? Are your goodies the first to sell-out at the local bake sales? Do you love being in the kitchen and creating new recipes? Do you need more money..., but want to be home with the kids? If you answered "yes" to at least two of the questions above, then starting a home baking business might be right for you.

Everybody loves home-baked cookies and cakes...

But, not everyone has

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com/need-money-start-your-own-home-baking-business/

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pizza - The Universal Food

Pizza - The Universal Food

Pizza undoubtedly is one of the most popular and universal foods there is. It may be due to it's long history, or maybe it's just the fact that it tastes so darn good. You can find restaurants that serve pizza in nearly every country in the world!

The initial recording of the word "pizza" was around 997AD in Southern Italy. It's thought to have been derived from the word "pitta", which is a Middle Eastern flat bread. It was made regularly in Naples and typically included a tomato based sauce, fish and cheese. But, it wasn't until 1889 when a chef in Naples baked a pizza for Queen Margherita (and named it "Margherita pizza"after her), that pizza became well accepted. This Margherita pizza was topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Prior to that, pizza was a peasant food. But after being sampled by a queen, everyone wanted to try it, and it became a tourist draw. Naples became famous for pizza and many vendors set up "pizzerias" Pizza went on to become one of the national foods of Italy.

Pizza first started to appear in the United States when Italian immigrants began arriving in the late 19th century. It started to gain popularity in cities such as Chicago and New York, where the population of Italian immigrants was the largest. However, it got it's biggest boost in popularity in the United States in the 1940's when soldiers returning from World War II took their appreciation of pizza back home with them. The troops stationed in Italy, tired of the rations, were on the lookout for good food. Once the soldiers discovered pizza, the local bakers could hardly keep up with the demands for it. Even Dwight D. Eisenhower expressed his appreciation for the dish.

Today's pizza "industry" got it's start in 1958 with the birth of Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas. Pizzerias became very popular in the 50's & 60's and cars would line up for miles just to get pizza. With the rising popularity, pizza chains were born. And that has led to the globalization of pizza.

Today there are 6,000 Pizza Hut restaurants in the United States, and more than 5,600 store locations in 94 other countries and territories around the world. They aren't the only chain that has gone global either. Dominoes claims 15,000 restaurants globally. It seems the world just can't get enough pizza!

Pizza is very easy to make, especially if you own a stand mixer. Using a mixer you can produce your own pizza crust with very little work at all. The mixer does all the kneading for you! If you have the pasta roller attachment with your mixer you can roll out the pizza dough to make a very thin crust. It's also very cheap to make your own.

Approved by queens, presidents, and people world-wide you can't go wrong with pizza!

Come to my website and I'll give you the recipe that was passed down to me for pizza crust. It's been used in my restaurant, and several others owned by members of my family. This recipe has served 1000's, and kept them coming back for more! You can find my recipe for pizza crust here http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/pizza/pizza-crust-pizza/. If you would like to find more recipes follow this link http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_C_Woodard


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6509547


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

The Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

2-Cups all-purpose flour
2-Cups sugar
1-teaspoon baking soda
1-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon baking powder
3/4-Cup brewed coffee(cooled)
3/4-Cup evaporated milk
1-tablespoon lemon juice
1/2-Cup shortening
2-large eggs
2-teaspoons vanilla
4-ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate (cooled)

1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Grease and flour baking pan 13x9x2 or two9inch rounds or three 8 inch round layer pans

3. Measure out the evaporated milk and mix in the lemon juice. Let stand while you gather the rest of the ingredients.

4. Measure all remaining ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, baking powder, shortening, eggs, vanilla, and melted chocolate) and place in the bowl of your stand mixer. Start the mixer on slow speed to start mixing the ingredients. Add the 3/4 Cup brewed coffee to the milk mixture from the previous step. The lemon juice will have caused the milk to look slightly curdled. This is what you want. Gradually add the milk coffee mixture to the rest of the ingredients in the mixer bowl. Should be added in 3-4 additions with the mixer running.

5. Beat 30 seconds on low speed to moisten the ingredients. Scrape down bowl as needed

6. Beat 3 minutes on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally

7. Pour evenly into pan(s)

8. Bake oblong pan 40-45 min or layers 30-35 minutes. Or, until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean

TIP: You can make this cake even more decadent by adding 3/4 Cup chocolate chips to the mix at the end of the mixing time. This cake is great for a 2 or 3 layer cake but is too delicate to use for torting layers (dividing the layers to create more layers)

Frosting and filling recipes are not included in this article. I use a Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling between the layers. For the frosting, I use a cooked Chocolate Fudge Frosting. You can find both of these recipes on my website. Really, any favorite frosting recipe you have will work well. I just like that particular combination of flavors because it gives a different taste to each chocolate used. Coffee enhances the flavor of the cake, the cream cheese adds a twang to the filling, and the frosting is a deep, rich chocolate taste. I have also used a raspberry filling with this cake and it was very good. Coffee frosting with this cake recipe is very good as well.
Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30-35 minutes for layers. 40-45 minutes for a single pan.

Number of servings (yield): 12

I hope you enjoyed this recipe if you would like the recipe for the Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling you can find it on my website at http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/fillings-chocolate-cream-cheese/
If you would like the recipe for my Chocolate Fudge Frosting you can find it here http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/frosting-fudge-frosting/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_C_Woodard


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6509507

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Banana Muffins With Chocolate Chips

: Banana Muffins With Chocolate Chips
: This makes breakfast almost sinful! These muffins are moist, rich, and flavorful. Bake a batch and you've got breakfast for the week!



1-3/4 Cups flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 to 2 cups mashed banana
1 Cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips




Preheat the oven to

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com/category/recipes/muffins-recipes/banana-muffins-with-chocolate-chips/

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Cake-The Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

The Best-Ever Chocolate Cake
This is the recipe that got me started in the baking business. Once someone tasted it, they told someone else, and so on. Eventually I started making it for a local restaurant that had people coming in just to try a piece of this cake. It's not a difficult recipe, and it produces a cake that is rich and moist.



2-Cups all-purpose flour
2-Cups sugar
1-teaspoon baking soda
1-teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon baking powder
3/4-Cup brewed

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Monday, August 15, 2011

Top 3 Tips To Improve Your Baking Results Today!

Have you ever tried baking a cake from scratch and had the resulting cake function better as a doorstop than a cake? Or...try to make meringue and find you can't get the egg whites to form stiff peaks? Maybe you baked a cake and then destroyed it trying to get it out of the pan? Read my Three Tips and I promise you'll start getting better results!

1. For lighter, fluffier cakes. When mixing your cake batter for a butter-based cake let your butter come to room temperature first. If

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Need Help Deciding On A Stand Mixer?

Buying a Stand Mixer can be a tough decision. You don't want to spend more than necessary. You want a machine that will last for years. But... what features should you look for when faced with the enormous number of makes and models on the market. Before you buy, it's a good idea to learn what these features are, and to decide what it is that you will be using the mixer for.

In this article I will be discussing the general features of Stand Mixers. For information about specific

Read more at http://bestmixerreviews.com

Friday, August 12, 2011

Welcome to Kitchenaid Headquarters!

I'll have more information posted here soon!  This is what you can expect to find on my blog; Reviews of KitchenAid products, Baking Tips, Recipes, and helpful articles.  Check back and see what you find!