A Copycat Recipe - Olive Garden Breadsticks

Yes, it's time for another copycat recipe!
So far, these copycats that I've done have only been bread.  Hmmm, you think I like my carbs?
The other one, the Texas Roadhouse Rolls, was to. DIE. FOR!
You have GOT to try those!  Like, yesterday!

We are nuts about Olive Garden, their breadsticks and their salad.
Everything is just so delicious and I don't remember ever having a bad meal there.  At least the food wasn't bad.
One meal, our waiter spilled a glass of lemonade over our table and my leather jacket.  The plus side was that we were given a discount on the lemonade laden ravioli and received a gift card for future use.
There was that time when the kids were misbehaving and being too loud, so we left before the meal even came to the table, taking dinner to go.  Not fun when you have to drive 25 minutes to get to the restaurant and then leave before you even eat.  But knowing that other people were looking to eat their dinner in peace we decided it be best if we high-tailed it out of there.
Then there was another meal when we just had our daughters and they were ages 4 and 2.  Yeah, that is one is a keeper, too.  But you'll have to wait for my book to come out for that one.
I can't tell you everything here on the blog.  ;-)

When I found this recipe at Cate's World Kitchen, I just knew I had to make it.
Easy and delicious, at least if you follow the directions correctly.
I still have a habit of doing that, or at least changing things around when I think it will make the recipe better when, in all actuality, it. doesn't.
I'll explain after the recipe.

A Copycat Recipe - Olive Garden Breadsticks - makes 16 breadsticks

1 3/4 cups warm water (100 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (it was less than 2 packets)
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed in between fingers

Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment.
Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix in yeast and sugar and allow to stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

Stir in the flour, 2 tablespoons room temp. butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 cup warm water.  With the paddle attachment, mix on medium until the dough comes together, adding additional water 1-2 tablespoons at a time.

Switch from the paddle attachment to the dough hook and mix for 4 minutes until dough is smooth.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into 16 pieces.  I found it easiest to do this by separating the dough in half, halving it again, and again, etc. until I had 16 pieces.  They were more even that way.  At least the second half of the dough was as you can tell from the picture below.  Haha
Roll them into logs about 7 inches long.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart and cover with a towel.
Allow them to rise for 45-60 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the fine sea salt, garlic powder, and oregano.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush each breadstick with half of the melted butter and sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture on the breadsticks.

Bake for 15 minutes.
Brush each breadstick again with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining seasoning.
Serve warm.

I rate everything I bake make on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks earned 3 rolling pins.

They would have earned 3 1/2 or maybe even 4 if I hadn't have covered them with a damp cloth.  I don't know, just one of those things I told you about when I go changing things, thinking it will be for the better and it backfires on me.

AND...

if I hadn't left them in the oven 4 minutes longer than they were supposed to be.

They were in for 15 minutes exactly and weren't brown enough, so I thought I'd leave them in two minutes longer. They still weren't browning, so another two minutes.

I removed them regardless and the bottoms turned out to be harder than I would have liked.

I think they would have tasted just fine without being any bit of brown and having only been in the oven for 15 minutes.

You live and learn.  

Next time, a dry towel, and only 15 minutes because believe me, there WILL be a next time!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

Attending My First Book Signing

Yesterday, I went with my daughters to see one of my favorite foodie people!
You may or may not know her.
She's got this incredible blog that contains phenomenal recipes, her incredible photography, posts about her garden, her ranch, and even a section about her homeschooling.
She is an incredibly talented and gifted woman.
Oh yeah, she even has her own TV show on The Food Network.  How cool is THAT??!!
Yesterday at her book signing, she told all 600+ of us that she is not very good at public speaking, but we didn't believe her.  She had us all laughing while she showed us a PowerPoint presentation about her, her family, her handsome Marlboro Man, their ranch, and her beloved dog, Charlie.
Believe it or not, she even sang, 'My Endless Love' ~ about Charlie, of course!
The woman I speak of is none other than, ...the one and only, ...Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond!
It was such an incredible experience to be able to meet and thank her for her for being such an inspiration in person.
I was a wee bit, ok, a lotta bit foodie star struck.
I think that's how I would be if I went to a blogging conference.  Haha
Instead of talking to all of these "friends" I've gotten to know over that past year through my blog, I think I'd just sit there tongue-tied and intimidated, not knowing what to say to them, and feeling just a tad bit inferior because of how incredibly awesome they all are.
I am so inspired by so many of them!

Here are some pictures from yesterday.
She was so kind and wonderful to personally meet with all of us.
She signed A LOT of her books.
She was signing for at least 4 hours and then signed books for people who weren't able to wait, and some people even went up to her with 5-6 books for her to sign!!  Mother's Day gifts, I suppose.
It was awesome and I'm so very glad I went.
Not that she'll ever read my little ol' blog, but THANK YOU, REE!!!

I was even able to have my picture taken with her Marlboro Man, aka, Ladd Drummond!  It was so sweet that he was there the whole time to support her, meet with people AND sign her book as well.
They've got a wonderful thing going!

I really can't see Mr. 365 doing that if I were ever to do a book signing of 600+ people!  LOL!
My man can't even stand to wait in line at Disney!
There's NO way.  He'd be looking for the nearest golf course!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

Avgolemono Soup

Sometimes there are days when you just want to say...

STOP!!!

in a VERY LOUD voice.

Tonight right after I made dinner was one of those times.

It's been a little challenging around the 365 home lately.

Our middle daughter who is a senior in high school, has senioritis something awful.  But she knows that even though she has been accepted into the college of her choice, that now is not the time to slack off.  There are still AP (advanced placement) tests that she needs to study for and depending on if she passes them and how well she does, she could receive college credit.  So, at times lately, she's been on edge about her upcoming exams and also because she's been taking practice tests in her classes.  It's just a wee bit stressful.  She's just one of those driven personalities who puts a lot of pressure on herself while we just try to lighten her up, de-stress and relax her. One thing that's worked ever since she was a wee little thing, was "goosebumps" on her back.  I'll gently rub my fingers up and down her back giving her chills and goosebumps which just completely makes her melt.

Our son, the youngest and finishing his freshman year, is SSOOO wanting the school year to be over, too.  And who can blame him.  They only have a month left and I remember about this point in time I just wanted to be done already.  He's also had issues in one class in particular where he started the year with a teacher who left in the middle of the first semester consequently leaving him with various substitutes ever since.  His grade is fine, but he's bored and he's also learned that he should have enrolled in some additional honors classes instead of the general education classes.  He's frustrated that those fellow classmates don't care as much as he does.  He may be running at Regions for track, but that has yet to be determined, so he's a little preoccupied with that, also.

Wow, here I am telling you our life story again when I really wasn't going to do this.  But you know me, I start writing and I can't stop.  I'll get to the part where I wanted to scream.  I just have to lay the foundation for you.

Our eldest daughter, who is a sophomore in college, has been living at home since the end of February, beginning of March.  She withdrew because her father and I felt it would be best that she have the support of her family while she was dealing with certain things as opposed to being two hours away without a net to catch her.

It's not a surprise.  I mean, her mother did it.  I withdrew right before finals the first semester of my sophomore year because I just. couldn't. handle. it.  And I went to school only 45 minutes from home.  I was failing my classes largely due to the really horrible place I was in because my parents were going through a nasty divorce.  Being an only child, I became stuck in the middle.  Our daughter's grades were fine, she just needed some time off to be herself and receive some extra love and attention from her immediate family that she wouldn't be getting otherwise.  It's nice to have her home.  I feel blessed that we are able to spend this time with her, that we are a cohesive family unit and able to provide her with plenty of love and support.

We've been adjusting to having a daughter home when she should be away and she's having to adjust to being surrounded by her crazy family 24/7.  She's not working, but is an assistant to the coach of her brother's track team, the coach she used to run for when she was going to the high school.

The kids have been picking on each other at various times as siblings, I'm told, will do. Sometimes it hasn't been pleasant and at various times they have told each other to stop which doesn't always end it.  This bickering is something that has always irked me.  My husband says their rivalry is normal and healthy for them, but being an only child and one who doesn't like confrontation, I can't stand when they don't get along and just want it to stop.

It doesn't.

And today it didn't either.

Our oldest daughter and son came home from track upset with each other because of some things that they'd said between them at practice.  Then they mended fences and things were ok. Right as I was ready to put dinner on the table, my son and middle daughter start going at it because of the TV being too loud and music on the TV not being the right stuff to listen to or something nonsensical like that.

Our family room is part of the kitchen.  The two are connected.  There is no wall.  There is no divider.

I'm in the middle of it.

Sometimes, that sucks.  Plain and simple.

Like tonight.

Mr. 365 had departed the homefront a little earlier to go out with a friend and I suppose the anxiety of me cooking two things for dinner that I'd never made before, and attempting to put them on the table at a decent dinner hour, already had me on a very short fuse.

I was just a. ticking. time. bomb.

"Can you change the channel?  I don't want to listen to this."

Silence from the son who is sitting in front of the TV focused on the laptop, yet having ownership of the remote.  I still have yet to determine if he was just so engrossed and didn't hear her or he was ignoring her on purpose. I'm thinking the latter because he was already slightly aggravated with her.

"You're not listening to me!  Change the channel, I don't want to listen to this song!", as she moves to take the remote from him.

He yells.

She yells.

And that's when I blew.

I had just finished ladling the soup into bowls when I threw the utensil into the sink.

And I didn't toss it gently either.

"I'M SICK OF THIS!!  YOU HAVE ALL BEEN GOING AFTER EACH OTHER, PICKING AND GETTING ON EACH OTHER'S NERVES!  YOU'VE ALL BEEN TELLING EACH OTHER TO KNOCK IT OFF AND NOBODY'S BEEN LISTENING!  ENOUGH ALREADY!!"

"I'VE HAD IT!!!"

With that, I exited the kitchen, loudly shut the door to our bedroom and locked myself in our closet without the light.

Peace at last.

The silence was incredibly comforting and I just needed to sit and get my thoughts together before I headed out to brave the masses.  I just needed some "me" time.

And while I thought, I remembered that there was a Cadbury Creme Egg in my purse.

I enjoyed my final treat of the Easter season knowing that days like this are less likely to occur than when the kids were little.  And one day, when there's silence in the house,...I may even miss this.

Sometimes, there are days when chocolate makes everything better and gives you a different outlook on life.

I'm nuts about Greek food and LOVE Avgolemono Soup.  I've been wanting to make it for a while now, but since it's not something that's baked, it hadn't been on the to-do list until the 365 ended.

I composed this after reading various recipes and reader comments on different blogs, liking what I found the most on Sassy Radish.

Avgolemono Soup - serves 6

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

*or you can use 2 - 2 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken such as a rotisserie chicken

7 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup orzo pasta, uncooked

pepper to taste

3 eggs, room temperature

juice of two lemons

In a small bowl combine tarragon, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Spread over chicken breasts to season.

I cooked the chicken in our George Foreman Grill for about 7 minutes.  You could also prepare the chicken in a skillet on medium-high until fully cooked.

Separate eggs, putting yolks into a small bowl and whites into a medium mixing bowl.

Beat yolks.

Beat whites until light and fluffy.

Set both aside.

With two forks, shred the chicken breasts, put into a bowl and set aside.

Pour chicken broth into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add orzo and cook for two minutes less than required cooking time.

Add chicken and pepper to the pan and cook contents for another two minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low.

With a whisk, begin whisking the egg whites as you slowly pour the egg yolks in.

Continue whisking as you slowly add the lemon juice, emulsifying the mixture.

*Emulsify - combining two liquids together which normally don't mix easily. The ingredients are usually oil or a fat like olive oil or egg yolks, and another liquid like water or broth. Acidic liquids like lemon juice help the process by changing the pH of the mixture. The liquids are combined very slowly, usually drop by drop, while beating vigorously, which suspends drops of liquid throughout each other. Bearnaise, hollandaise, and mayonnaise are examples of emulsified foods.- About.com*

While continually whisking, very slowly add about 1 cup of just the broth from the heated pan to the eggs.  I used my famous ladle for this.

You need to make sure that the broth is added ever so slowly so as not to cook the eggs with the heated liquid and to ensure that the emulsion is not broken.

Add the lemon/egg mixture to the soup.

RESIST the urge to stir!  Trust me on this.

Gently shake the pot instead.  It WILL disperse throughout.  I swear.  

This little tidbit was suggested by a true Greek.

Heat over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes without covering.

DO NOT allow the soup to come to a boil because the eggs will curdle.

I forgot to add the pepper earlier, so I added it here. and it mixed in as I served the soup.

Ladle into bowls and serve.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and this Avgolemono Soup earned 3 rolling pins.

I really liked it, but wanted the broth to be a little thicker.  Maybe next time I'll add some cornstarch mixed with some water.

I've read on various sites that this is a soup that is better the day after even though those recipes had been made with rice.

I really like orzo, so I wanted to use that.

I served it with some breadsticks that I'll be posting tomorrow.

These are breadsticks you may have had before.  If not, you may know about them anyway.

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Zucchini

I thought I'd share the beautiful flowers that are blooming on one of our cacti in our backyard.
So pretty, isn't it?
Yes, that's the clearest picture you'll see on this post here today because apparently, I just keep taking blurry pictures of FOOD!
Yes, I'm yelling.  I'm selling.  I REALLY the camera I had been using, my daughter's Nikon D40.
It's back at Nikon waiting for me to give them the go-ahead on a $275 repair to fix the shutter release.
I don't know whether it's better to put that money towards a new camera or get that one fixed.  My fear is that they'll fix it again and it will have to be repaired for the same thing sometime down the line.
Ok, I don't want to bore you with my camera saga.

Instead, let us go over a side dish that I created for dinner last night.
And no, it wasn't nearly as mouth-watering as that unbelievable shredded chicken sandwich I recently ate.
Man, I think I could eat one of those every day for the rest of my life!
With a good dose of chocolate each day, of course.

Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Zucchini - serves 6

3 medium zucchini (I chose ones that were on the smaller side of medium since we aren't big eaters.)
2 tablespoons butter
6 button mushrooms, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian style seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Rinse zucchini and cut ends off.
Place in boiling water to cook for 5 minutes.  Drain and cool enough so that they can be handled.
Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the pulp, leaving a sturdy shell; chop and reserve the pulp.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter.
Add garlic, onion, mushrooms and zucchini pulp.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes until tender.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and Cajun seasoning.
Add contents of skillet and thoroughly combine.
Place stuffing into each zucchini half.
Place into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes.

I rate everything I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Zucchini earned 2 1/2 rolling pins.
They were ok, they just really weren't anything to "write home about".
The Cajun seasoning was a nice addition and gave it that extra little kick.
I don't think I'd make them again because if I were to have zucchini as a side, I'd rather make the Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Sticks.
Yeah, those I need to make very soon.  They were delicious and it's been too long since we've had them.
My problem is that as I used to make the same recipes for dinner week in and week out, I now find myself making the same side dishes like steamed broccoli, salad, steamed peas, carrot sticks and cucumbers, and steamed broccoli.
Yes, we eat a lot of steamed broccoli.  It's good for us, but it gets old after a while since I keep preparing it the same way.
It's time for new side dish creations!

As I did with the 365 endeavor, I am going to continue to post recipes that may not work, so you can still see what I'm doing here in the kitchen.
I've heard various comments that some people view it as a challenge to take some of the recipes that I haven't had success with and recreate them.  I say, go for it!
Besides, what I may rate as a 2 may be someone else's 4, and vice versa.
That's what makes everyone so great, we all have different tastes and views.  Life would be boring otherwise!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!

Crockpot BBQ Root Beer Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

Do you like beer?
Do you like Root Beer?
Me, I personally prefer Root Beer.  I honestly can't stand the taste of beer.
Yeah, I often dream of having "a nice cold one" on a hot day, but ICK!  I really don't like the taste.
I'm one for hard liquor.
Fruity drinks.
Drinks that go down so easily you don't even realize you're drinking alcohol and then before you know it, you realize you aren't going to be able to walk to that all-important bathroom.
Oh well.

There I go again, off on a tangent.
I start typing one thing, start talking about something else and then forget what I was originally telling you about.
It must be a sign of age...

See who came to visit today?
I was washing dishes and looked out onto our back wall and there he was.
He was a fast little critter, too.  He wasn't too keen on me snapping a picture of him as he quickly scooted away when I moved closer to him.   Fortunately, I had decided to go with the telephoto lens before I made the move across the yard.
He's cute, hunh?

I found this recipe on Jessica's blog, How Sweet It Is.
Have you visited her?  She is so talented and so funny.  I really think you should take a moment to check her out.  Go now.
Don't worry, I'll be here when you get back.

I was looking for a dinner I could make in the crockpot.  I LOVE that thing.
Our son had a track meet in the afternoon, so there was no telling when we'd be home.  I wanted a meal that would be finished when we walked in the door and one that would also be ready whenever those who hadn't gone to the track meet were ready to eat.
I found this chicken recipe and couldn't pass it up.
The one change, the beer.  Jessica originally put beer into her recipe, and I was going to use it, but decided to go with the Root Beer instead.
This was mainly because it was 7 am and I wasn't sure what time the store started selling alcohol because I really never buy the stuff.  Especially that early in the morning.

Crockpot BBQ Root Beer Chicken - serves 8-10

6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 oz. Root Beer
32 oz. barbecue sauce
8 - 10 sandwich rolls
2 cups shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese
caramelized onions
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped


In a small bowl, combine onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Spread seasoning mix generously on each chicken breast and place in crockpot.

Pour in Root Beer.
Add barbecue sauce.
Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring a few times during the day.

The chicken seemed to be really done when it was floating in the sauce.

Meanwhile, you can caramelize the onions
Caramelized Onions - made enough for 5 sandwiches, so you may want to double or triple if you really like them.
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, sliced and separated into rings
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high.
Add onions and garlic.
Saute until translucent.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I like my onions really quite brown, close to burnt, but it's a matter of personal preference, so keep an eye on them.  They'll be done when you decide they are.

After 8 hours, remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
Return chicken to crockpot.

Mix it thoroughly with the barbecue sauce, and cook for another
15-30 minutes until sauce is more absorbed.
Place chicken on rolls, cover with about 1/4 cup of cheese, add caramelized onions, and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

OH YES!!!
You DEFINITELY need to add the cheese, caramelized onions and cilantro to this sandwich.
IT. IS. THE. BOMB.
I feel funny saying that, but I cannot tell you how good this was.
I want one now.
Look at that chicken oozing out of the bun with the cheese melting into the barbecue sauce  You'll savor the extra deliciousness of the caramelized onions sitting on top and then you'll get another layer of flavor from the sprinkled fresh cilantro.
Hungry now?
I am.
Fortunately, there are leftovers.
I rate everything I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Crockpot BBQ Root Beer Shredded Chicken Sandwiches earned 4 rolling pins!
Mr. 365 absolutely LOVED them.  So did the rest of the family.
These are a KEEPER!!!!!!
I added this recipe to Cast Party Wednesday at Lady Behind the Curtain.  Go check out the other delicious recipes that are up!
It's also been added to the Weekend Potluck #17 and there are also some incredible recipes there, too!

I also added it to the Gooseberry Patch Recipe Round-Up for Best Back To School Recipes!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

Butterfinger Rice Krispie Treats

It's time for the monthly Secret Recipe Club Reveal!!

I've been participating in The Secret Recipe Club since last August.  I think.

It is a wonderful club started by Amanda of Amanda's Cookin' back in April of last year, so she has just celebrated the 1 year anniversary of the Club!  Happy Anniversary, Amanda!

Our group's hostess is Angie, from Big Bear's Wife.  These two women along with the other hostesses (because there are now 4 reveals a month) along with the the other people who assist Amanda with the club, work so hard and deserve a BIG huge round of applause for all that they do.

THANK YOU, ALL!!

The Secret Recipe Club is based on Secret Santa where you are assigned a blog in your group.
You pick a recipe that you want to make and then reveal on your assigned day.  BUT, you have to keep it a secret!  The blogger whose site you've been assigned isn't supposed to know that you have them ~ that's the immense fun of the reveal!

Since I've joined, it has been so much fun getting to know other bloggers, enjoying their sites and making new recipes!  I've LOVED it!  So if you're interested, check out The Secret Recipe Club!

For the month of April I was assigned to Erika's blog, 

The Teenage Taste!

Can I just tell you how amazed I am with Erika?  She is a fifteen year old high school sophomore who initially learned to cook from her mom when she was little.  Now, every Saturday and Sunday morning the family kitchen is "closed" from 7-11 so that Erika can create.  I love that she has the ability to do this and that her parents are so supportive.  But then again, what parent wouldn't be if their child were cooking meals for them.  I think I missed that boat somewhere and let my kids set sail.  I suppose it's never too late to get them involved though.

Another thing I love about Erika is that she is so very active.  She runs on her school's cross country and track teams (fell in love with her immediately because two of my three kids have done and are doing the same), has received her black belt in karate and recently completed her first half-marathon!  

WAY TO GO, ERIKA!!!  That is such an awesome accomplishment and you are such an inspiration!  

I am so happy that I was able to get to know Erika and browse through her blog.  Not only is she an inspiring young woman, she is also a very talented cook and it is clearly evident in all of her recipes.

Erika, keep up the great work, girl!  You are destined for greatness!  It has been my pleasure going through your blog!

The recipe I chose to make was Butterfinger Rice Krispie Treats.

We absolutely LOVE Rice Krispie treats here as you can tell from these Cake Batter Krispie Bars, so I was sure the one's from Erika were going to be a hit.

I made a couple of changes.  Having a family of 5 with each of us being addicted to these delicious bars, I increased the amount of butter by 2 tablespoons, used 6 cups of cereal instead of 5 and used 3 large Butterfingers.  I had to make sure there was going to be enough to go around otherwise I would have been in the doghouse!  And as it was, the entire pan was gone within a half hour.

Butterfinger Rice Krispie Treats - makes on 9 X 13-inch pan

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 10.5 oz. package marshmallows

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

3  2.1oz. Butterfinger candy bars

Prepare a 9 X 13-inch baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.
Place Butterfingers into a plastic bag to crush. (I tried the efficient way of crushing them in their wrapper and it turned out to be more of a mess - chocolate stuck to the wrapper and it sort of exploded all over the oven as I went to open the wrapper even though I did it slowly.) So, USE THE BAG!
In a large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter.  Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, stirring constantly until it has melted and is thoroughly mixed.

Mix in crushed Butterfingers.

Pour contents into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a greased rubber spatula.

Allow bars to cool completely before cutting.

I rate everything I make on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and these Butterfinger Rice Krispie Treats earned 3 rolling pins.
You already know that the family loved them because I told you they scarfed them down.
Geez, I just can't make plain Rice Krispie treats anymore because I've now spoiled my family.  :-/
Oh well.

I did find that instead of removing the pan from the heat and continuing to keep it on low as I mixed in the cereal, it was easier to mix.  Otherwise, it's too taxing on my wrist and everything begins to harden too quickly.

Thank you, Erika, for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!  I look forward to trying more recipes from The Teenage Taste!
Be sure to visit the links below to see what other delicious recipes my fellow bloggers have made!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!

Lemon Meringue Cardamom Crepe Cake

I have to share.
Yesterday, I got into my car and a smell immediately took me back to April 28th, 1981.
It was like I was slammed into a brick wall, it hit me so hard.
I was 12 years old and my mother, father, grandmother, and aunt were gathered in my grandfather's hospital room waiting for him to pass away.
The smell was just so unmistakable, and something you may not understand unless you've experienced it.
It was stale, old, contained death and yet at the same time, was a scent I cannot accurately describe.
I hated being there, watching his shell of a body struggle with every shallow breath, watching my grandmother put on a brave face when I was sure she was crumbling inside, seeing my mother and aunt struggle with their emotions, and waiting.
Just waiting.
I got into the car yesterday to go pick up my daughter at school and that smell literally paralyzed me for a moment.
It was so bizarre.
Tomorrow is his birthday.  If he were still living, he would have been 99.  And next Saturday, the anniversary of his death.
It was definitely an unexpected moment yesterday and brought back a boat load full of memories.
A moment like that gives us the reminder that we very often take for granted: that the ones we love are with us only temporarily.
Hug them tight and tell them you love them.
Our time here is short and very precious.

So here we have the dessert recipe that I thought I was going to be posting earlier in the week, but due to that wonderful (and I am saying this sarcastically) migraine, things didn't go as planned.
But here we are on a Friday and you need a dessert to start you off on the weekend.

I LOVE to make crepes and they really are not all that difficult after you get the hang of it.
This video is a great tutorial of how to do it, but follow the recipe I have for the crepes, not the one in the video.

If you remember, I recently did a guest post for Jane over at The Heritage Cook.  I made our family favorite Cheese Blintzes with Strawberry Sauce.

I've seen various crepe cakes on the internet and in the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine.  I LOVE that magazine!!!  It is my absolute favorite!!  I HIGHLY recommend it (and no, this is NOT a paid endorsement)!

So while making these blintzes, I decided that I would come up with my own crepe cake flavor.

And so I did.

The lemon curd and meringue topping are from my Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Thirteenth Edition, pp. 642, 677; author, Marion Cunningham; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-394-56788-9.  

The crepe recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit Favorites! Classic Recipes.

Both the lemon curd and crepes can be refrigerated up to two days beforehand if you are not going to assemble right away or if you should happen to be the victim of a migraine.

Lemon Meringue Cardamom Crepe Cake - serves 6

Lemon Curd - makes 2 cups (that should be PLENTY - I made 3 just in case and didn't use all of it, and left half of it on different plates during assembly.  You'll see.)

Grated zest of 2 large lemons

6-7 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

Put the zest, lemon juice, butter and sugar in the top of a double broiler or in a bowl over simmering water.  Take care to not let the water boil.

Stir occasionally until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.  You can test this by rubbing some in between your fingers (cleaned, of course).

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.

Whisking constantly, ladle  a small amount of the hot mixture into the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture into the lemon mixture, again while whisking constantly, and continue to cook until curd is thick.  This may take up to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator.  I placed a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the curd so that it a skin wouldn't form as it cooled.  It can be kept for up to 2 weeks.

Cardamom Crepes - makes about 23

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups or more of milk

3 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Prepare a work space by lining it with wax paper to allow the crepes to cool after cooking.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon zest, cardamom and salt.

Add 1 1/2 cups of milk, eggs, and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, and whisk until smooth.

Heat a 6-inch diameter crepe pan or skillet over medium-high heat.

Brush the pan lightly with a small amount of the remaining melted butter.

Working quickly, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into the pan, tilting and swirling the pan so that it just coats the bottom. 

*When I say scant, I mean fill the 1/4 cup measurer about 3/4 full.*

Return remaining batter to bowl.

Cook crepe until bottom is brown, about 2 minutes.

As it cooks, loosen the edges with a metal spatula.

Flip the crepe over and cook for another 30 seconds or so until it is lightly golden.

Place crepe on prepared counter.

Repeat with remaining batter.

If batter should thicken, add a small amount of milk to thin.

Adjust heat and brush pan with additional melted butter if necessary.

These can be prepared 3 days ahead.  Store them in a plastic bag, separated by squares of wax paper, and refrigerate.

I used 15 or so crepes for the cake.  The rest...I...uh...kind of ate...here and there.

Meringue

3 egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Put the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and place the bowl in a pan of hot water.

Stir constantly until the eggs feel warm and the sugar has dissolved.  Again, test this by rubbing mixture between two fingers.

Add salt.

Remove the bowl from the hot water and return it to the electric mixer.

Beat until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Assembly

I'm gonna be honest.  This part really STUNK!

SEE??!!  It fell over!
This was the original plating and then I moved each individual crepe to another plate so that it would somewhat resemble a cake.

And this STILL didn't work.

I'm not going to lie and pretend putting this puppy together was a piece of cake because I was having some serious issues mainly due to the fact that I may have put too much curd in between the layers.

Hmpf.

Yeah, it was pretty darn ugly.

Ok, here's what I did and you can decide what would work best for you and believe me, I am ALL open to suggestions as to what might make this concoction look like a halfway decent crepe cake like they have in the movies.

No, I haven't seen one in the movies either, but I'm sure if I did, it would be a perfect one.

Unlike mine.

Place one crepe on a plate and spread 1-2 tablespoons of curd over the crepe.

Repeat with remaining 14 crepes.

*Note:  You may want to place each individual crepe on a plate and THEN spread the curd onto it as opposed to spreading it on the crepe while it is sitting on top of the cake. *  I really think that may have been my problem because the pressure I applied when spreading created all the previous layers of curd to ooze out the sides and then the doggone thing was looking like a big lump of curd and crepes.

After all layers have been completed, top with meringue.  

With a small torch, lightly brown the meringue.  

I didn't place mine under a broiler, so I'm not going to tell you to do that.

You can try, but I'm signing a waiver so that I'm not held responsible for your crepe cake melting into your oven should you decide to do so.

I did think about putting it into a springform pan, but the crepes were about 2 inches smaller than the pan, so it still would have slipped, only on a smaller scale.

I also think that refrigerating it to allow it to solidify slightly would be a good idea before putting the meringue on top.

You know what?  I have a brilliant idea!!

Better yet, why don't you place the crepe on a plate, place 1-2 tablespoons onto the crepe, roll the baby up and place it into a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.  

THEN, after you have all of the crepes rolled and placed in the dish, place the meringue on top and brown it.

Yeah, I think that might work better.  It won't be a "cake", but it will hold together MUCH better and save you a heck of a lot of trouble!  

You'll thank me.

I rate everything I bake on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best and this Lemon Meringue Cardamom Crepe Cake earned 3 rolling pins.

And you know what?

Nobody tried it for 3 days!

I hate to tell you that, but it's true.

I had the migraine for two days and the day I started feeling better, I had absolutely NO desire to even slightly taste it.

Funny, hunh?

Then I ate it.  Well, not ALL of it, but a good slice of it.

It tasted really good even though the the crepes were quite soggy from the lemon curd and the meringue was now chewy.  Quite chewy.  

But I like chewy.

And even though it was a few days old, I'm still giving it a 3.

If you make it, I would LOVE you to post pictures on to the 365 Days of Baking Facebook page.  PLEASE post them, I want to see your lovely creations!!

I give you BIG baking hugs and muffins!!