Simply Sweet Gourmet Creations

Top Three Things You Don't Know (or care to know) About Me

2009-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

#1
I have not made caramel apples in over two years, but I promise to make them all the time... I should stop promising until I do it first (I loaned my big caramel pot out....need to get that back.)
#2
Out of the million oreo truffles I have made in the past year and a half, I have only eaten 3 whole truffles. No one believes me, but I truth promise I haven't (I don't gaurntee my promises, but you can bet the bank when I truth promise, I won't lie...ask my uncle David)
#3
I am not the biggest fan of chocolate. I like salty things more than sweet...go figure.

Sister Call's Birthday Cake

2009-04-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Growing up, I went to seminary (an early morning bible study class for high school students, typically held at the church meeting house, or in rural areas someones livingroom...)
Sister Call would bake us a cake if it was our birthday week...she would always make the same cake...the chocolate one. I loved getting a ride home from her because she would let me take an extra peice home.....oh how I loved that cake.
I never got the recipe from her, and she has sadly passed away. BUT....her daughter Katri had the recipe. I gave her a breif and very vauge discription of the cake, and she magically knew what I was talking about!!! Oh how sweet life is.....
And here it is for you to enjoy as well....I will rename it to :

Ann Call's Birthday Cake

Cake ingred.:
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Heat butter, water and cocoa over low heat until butter is melted. Let cool. Add to flour and sugar and mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mixing after each addition. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups powdered sugar

Heat butter, cocoa, and buttermilk over low heat until butter is melted. (It looks like a mess!) Add to the powdered sugar and beat well. while cake is still warm, spread with frosting.

Yield: 16 servings (I added powder sugar for the picture, because it sort of looks like my brownie from a previous post)

Monkey Brains

2009-04-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

I made this for breakfast the other morning, it was very delicious...I thought. I had been wanting to try it for a while now, and just got around to do it.
It is called Monkey Brains....or for the tender tummies, you can call it pull-a-parts.

Directions....

Melt butter in one bowl

In another bowl, put equal amounts of brown and reg sugar, throw a dash or two of cinnamon in it.

get a can of biscuits cut each biscuit into pieces.

Dip the pieces in the butter, roll it around in the sugar, then place randomly in a greased bunt pan.

If you want to make a huge pan of it, you can fill the pan till about 2/3 full. I used one can, and it was plenty for my family.

Bake the brains at 350 for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Let it cool for a few minutes then turn it upside down on a plate....

Eat them up!

Eclair Cake

2009-01-29T14:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
Cake:
1 (1-pound) box graham crackers
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Frosting
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Butter the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.
For frosting, blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Cover cake with frosting and refrigerate for 24 hours

recipe found on http://www.foodnetwork.com/

I want this one and that one..

2009-01-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Growing up my dad has always talked about opening up this restaurant or that restaurant. And since we had family friends who owned a Mr. Jim’s Pizza, which was usually the interest my dad has as well. So I believe it is in my blood to desire to open a restaurant.
Although my dad would have loved for me to go to college become a lawyer and put to use my argumentative side…I really have a desire to open my own restaurant.
I think I have shared my desire for a sweets shop; even so I named it Simply Sweet Gourmet Creations. And for short, I would call it Simply Sweet.
This time of year seems to bring the desire out in me more so than the spring and summer. I think this is because I love love love the cool weather, and I want my Simply Sweet to not only serve sweets, but bistro type food as well, you know, soups salads, pot-lucky home style foods…I can spend hours online searching, finding, documenting, and dreaming up my Simply Sweet, but I sometimes get distracted by websites. And today my distraction might be a beneficial one to my dad.
I can help him discover what kind of business opportunities that are waiting for him.I didn’t realize how many businesses are out there to franchise. Not to mention how many I thought were just local joints, but can be considered a Texas franchise (Dicky’s Barbeque anyone?) I have heard of people complaining that there are not too many Carl’s Jr out there….uh hello, go get one yourself, it is available to franchise. The franchise opportunity that are available are crazy.... fast food franchise are really the first kind of franchises that I think of, however, there are lots of franchises to get involved with, that does not require food. A lot of the little tax shops, dollar stores, transmission shops, décor, handyman shops, as well as senior centers. Dude, I did not realize how many opportunities are laying there waiting for me to pounce.

The Famous Carrot Cake

2008-12-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

Jason's Birthday was this week, and I made his favorite....Remember, I am still learning how to make things look fancy....so please excuse the mess of decorations on the cakes....

Granny Burdeaux's Carrot Cake

2 c sugar

1/2 c oil

4 eggs

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

3 c carrots

Combine and bake for 20 min at 350*

Icing

6 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 pkg powder sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c nuts (optional)

(I typically use the small foil baking tins to make a 3 layer cake, I think it is 8 in round pans)

Tammy Wynette Sour Cream Pound Cake

2008-12-02T13:29:00.001-08:00

My boyfriend is a food-scrapbooker. He remembers his favorite people, time of year, or even moments with the food that was served.

For example, his Granny. She passed away two years ago, however her memory is held on strong by things she made, like her carrot cake (recipe and pic to come), and her pound cake.

I had to bug the people of Jason's family to get recipes so I cam make sure Jason is happy.

One of his favorite memories is drinking a glass of cold cold milk and eating a warm peice of Pound Cake. He would do this while chit chatting with his Granny late at night after he got off of work.

So here is the recipe, try it warm.....it is extra yummy!

Tammy Wynette Sour Cream Pound Cake

Cream Together

1 cup butter

3 cup sugar

6 eggs (Incorporate each egg seperatly, making sure to mix each well before adding another egg)

In a spereate bowl sift together

3 cup flour

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

One cup at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet. When fully combined add the following

1/2 pint sour cream

3 T. lemon extract (or if you don't want it lemony, add vanilla extract instead)

Bake at 325* for one hour

** Funny Story**

When I made the pound cake in this picture Jason was teasing Aaron and my Grandma, saying "you better not eat my pound cake" And so I was trying to let Jason down easy, telling him I didn't think it tasted any good. Aaron then says "Layla, it was soooo good, when I burp I taste it and I am like yummmm"

Gross. ha ha. At least he thought it was good.

Blogs and Sites I am loving.

2008-09-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

I found the following blogs...check them out...yumm

http://boxibilities.blogspot.com
and
http://thesugarflower.blogspot.com/
are brand new sites, but I love them already!

http://www.cakespy.com/
Makes me want to travel the country eating treats!

http://lotsofsprinkles.blogspot.com/
Even in Australia they make yummy treats

http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/
Just food. Beautiful food. FOOD.

http://love-a-cupcake.blogspot.com/
Fun cupcake fun fondent fun fun

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/
She is awesome, she is talented, she has been to Martha Stewart show.

S'Mores Bars/Cake depending on how you eat it.

2008-09-09T20:49:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe as I was blog stalking on Amy's blog. She is a friend of an old friend of mine, but I did enjoy getting to know her via her blog.
We had a set of friends over with their kids, and I made this for the desert...It was a hit, except for the little girl, for some reason she is from outter space, and doesn't like marshmellows, but she did scrape them off and ate the chocolate and graham crackers. This will now be a part of my sweets repitoir. I think you should try it too....Check out Amy's version that I tried to follow, but didn't feel like it was enough...so I improvised. My version is in this blog, her version is here.

1/2 cup butter melted 2 sleeves graham crackers, crushed
1 sleeve crushed and set to the side.
1 bag chocolate chips
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Melt the butter and combine with the two sleeves of crused crackers. smash to the bottom of a 9x13 pan (this will be the crust)
On top of the crust, put the chocolate chips, marshmellows and the other crushed graham crackers.
Pour the condensed milk evenly on all of the mixture.

Bake at 350* for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Immediatly out of the oven, cut away from the edge of the pan. Let bars cool completely before cutting and serving.

These are super sweet, so cut into small squares, so you don't get a sugar headache....Jason is still working on eating his I gave him hours ago!

Field Cookies....aka Westbye cookies.

2008-07-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

A family that I grew up with had a cookie recipe that I love and love and love....then I lost it....a few times...then I get it again....then I lost it again.....then got it again.....and now I am eternalizing them on the Internet so I will never lose it again. Although getting it again, allows me to visit with Elisabet again and catch up with her, when I wouldn't normally because I am lazy like that.....

Make these cookies NOW!!!

Field Cookies

1 lb butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 c brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/ 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
6 c flour

Cream together butter and sugars. Then add eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the butter mixture. After batter is mixed add one of the following...(I usually put a whole bag of resses peanut butter chips and 1/2 bag of milk chocolate)

4-6 c chips
2 c raisins
2 c nuts
1 1/2 c old fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 c coconut

Scoop 1 inch balls and this recipe will make about 116 cookies.

Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes, no longer. Cookies will not look done. They will be fluffy and tall and good!!!

Adding the eggs to the sugar mixture

Kitchen casualty....poor spatula

Right out of the oven...see they don't look quite done.

But they are delicious goodness.....yum!

No Bake Cheesecake uptown style.

2008-07-23T20:15:00.001-07:00

Okay, so even boxed stuff can go gourmet!

I took a box of "No Bake Cheesecake" and made it as the box instructed. While I mixed the batter, I added slices of strawberries. Then after I poured the batter, I decorated the top of it with other sliced strawberries, and then drizzled chocolate on it.

And here is the final picture....before it had been eaten.

Brownies with icing

2008-07-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

These are the BEST BROWNIES EVER!!! I got it from a church cookbook, that I love!
It is not only brownies, but frosting too! Yum!

Brownies:

1 stick of margarine (melted)
2 eggs
3/4 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. cocoa

Mix ingredients thoroughly. Pour into 8 inch square, greased and floured pan. Bake at 350* for 22-25 minutes. Do not overbake!

Brownie icing (can be used for up to 3 pans of brownies) :

1/2 stick of margarine (melted)
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar (add a few more tablespoons to the icing if it is too thin)
1/3 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Add cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk, and powdered sugar. Mix well. Frost brownies when they are cool.

We made these a few weeks ago for a church potluck. They were a hit!

Alyssa was my little helper.....she had a good time!

Whats better than getting a chocolate face from licking the beaters?

The evidence can be washed off!

Foodie

2008-07-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

I want to be a foodie.

I love smell, eat, and make food.

This blog will be mostly about the sweet things I make...and by sweet, not only do I mean sugary...but I mean the Napoleon Dynamite "sweet"...you know, where it means.....wicked awesome....

Stay Tuned.