Chocolate cake with raspberries and dark chocolate frosting

Hi! Sorry it's been a while. But to make it up to you, I made a cake! A chocolate one! With a secret layer of raspberry jam in the middle, from the raspberries I picked from the yard. Our new house has raspberry bushes like nobodies business. A giant giant one by the front of the house next to the driveway, and two smaller ones out back. I've been picking about a pint a day, yesterday I picked a pint and a half. I don't even know what to do with that many raspberries. I froze a bunch, and have been eating them out of the freezer as a surprisingly delicious snack.

I used a bunch of raspberries to make a jam which I spread in the middle of a chocolate cake, which I then frosted with easy dark chocolate frosting and promptly devoured. Chocolate cake is so good, you guys. I'm going to bring most of it to work so I don't have to eat it all. Because I will. Don't tempt me.

Chocolate cake with raspberries and dark chocolate frosting


Chocolate cake:
this is the same recipe I've used a few times before, here and here. It's easy, you use one bowl, and I always have these ingredients. 


1 3/4 c rice flour mix
1/2 t xanthan gum
3/4 c cocoa powder
3/4 t salt
1 1/4 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 c sugar
1 c milk, soured with 1 t lemon juice
1 c strong coffee (I use decaf because I'm sensitive to caffeine at night)
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease two 8" cake pans. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and then dump in all the rest of the ingredients. Stir well, then pour into the cake pans. Bake about 30 minutes. I forget how long my cakes baked, it was something like 30 minutes. When the cake starts to pull away from the pan it is done. Cool on racks in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out and let cool the rest of the way.

Raspberry filling
1 pint raspberries (or whatever kind of berry you want, I guess)
1 T sugar
1 T juice or water (I used pomegranate)

Combine all those guys in a little saucepan. Cook on medium-low until all the berries have broken down into a mush and some of the juice has cooked out. This isn't an exact science, you're not really making jam as much as you're making mashed up cooked berry juice.
Or, you can skip this step and just use raspberry jam you buy at the store. If you do that, microwave it for a few seconds so it's soft so you can spread it without tearing the cake.

When the cake is totally cool, place one layer on your cake plate, or if they're all still packed because you moved a few weeks ago, a regular plate. Don't mess around here with waiting until the cake is mostly cool, I mean it. It's so sad when you work so hard to make a cake and then it slumps all over because the frosting melts and squishes out the sides. Spread the jammy sauce on top of the bottom layer. If you're worried about it spreading out the sides when you put the top layer on, pause here for a few minutes and stick it in the freezer to harden the jam. Then top with the second cake layer.

Dark chocolate frosting
This is adapted from Joy the Baker's recipe for peanut butter blondies with milk chocolate frosting, which I'm drying to make. The frosting is killer. It's an easy, quick frosting recipe and makes exactly enough to frost the sides and top of a cake, but not the middle, so it's a good thing we've got that jam. 


6 T unsalted butter, room temp
3 T cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
3 T milk (I used chocolate! I'm crazy!)
3/4 c dark chocolate chips, melted (this might be spectacular with white chocolate....)
1 t vanilla

Beat the butter and cocoa powder and salt together until creamy. Add in 1/2 c powdered sugar and 1 T milk, then beat again. Next, beat in the rest of the powdered sugar and milk. Then dump in the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Now, frost your cake! Then let it sit for a few minutes to firm up, and decorate with raspberries.

Crinkle top oatmeal raisin cookies

I haven't made cookies in a million years, and decided to today. I flipped through my Google Reader starred things and found this recipe. Ok, easy! These are interesting because instead of just sticking the raisins in the finished cookie dough, you run them through the food processor and make a paste. Then you beat them in with the eggs, and have super raisiny cookies. Mine were flat and crunchy and chewy all at the same time, but delicious. I like them. Which is good, because this recipe makes like, a billion cookies. Or five dozen, which is a billion in cookie terms. These might be even more delicious if they had mini chocolate chips in them. 

Crinkle top oatmeal raisin cookies
Adapted from this recipe

2 c raisins
2 c rice flour mix
1 c shortening
2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 c rolled oats
1 t baking soda
1/2 t xanthan gum
1 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
more sugar for rolling cookies in

Preheat oven to 350. Combine raisins and 1/4 c rice flour mix in your food processor, and pulse until a paste forms. If your raisins are kind of old like mine were, add a teaspoon of water of juice.

In the bowl of your mixer, beat the shortening and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs. Beat until well combined, then mix in the raisin paste. In a medium bowl, mix together the rest of the flour mix, oats, xanthan gum, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the shortening/raisin mix just until combined. Using wet hands or a small cookie scoop, roll dough into balls smaller than a ping pong ball and roll in a small bowl of granulated sugar. Place a dozen to a cookie sheet, and bake 13-15 minutes, until just set and starting to brown around the edges. Repeat with all the dough, then bring cookies to everyone you know, because you will have so many cookies.

Blueberry Icebox Pie

Remember last weeks strawberry pie? Me too. This is the little sister to that pie. It has less steps and no fresh fruit, but it will still be the pie of your dreams and will still completely ruin the white shirt you decided to wear when you made it. Also, you can eat it for breakfast and not feel too bad about yourself. It's pie, yes, but full of fruit!!

To make this pie, I used the same recipe I used for the strawberry pie, but with a few changes. I know I said that next time I would make a cookie crumb crust, but I didn't because I had another pie crust to use up. Those ones I buy at Whole Foods come in two packs, and I couldn't leave that poor crust to just sit in my freezer forever. It takes up a lot of room, plus we are moving soon. I'll make it with a cookie crust later, promise.

When I Googled 'blueberry icebox pie' I came up with a bunch of recipes that were the opposite of what I wanted. Most of them were for a gross looking cheesecake-y concoction with gelatin and blueberries and low fat cream cheese. I just wanted a blueberry pie I didn't have to bake! All the ones I found that didn't use cream cheese used cornstarch instead, which a) I am out of and b) I wasn't convinced I'd get a firm enough pie. I wanted to be able to cut a slice, and then not have to scoop out all the filling that oozed off the pie server. This is firm, but not 'ew I'm eating gelatin pie' firm. The texture isn't weird, I promise. It's delicious. 

Blueberry Icebox Pie


3 lbs frozen blueberries (although I guess if you were made of money, and it was the right season, you could use fresh ones)
1/2 c sugar
pinch of salt
2 T lemon juice
2 T water
1 T gelatin
a prebaked pie crust

Cook the blueberries until they're reduced to three cups, over medium heat, stirring a few times. This will take about half an hour or 45 minutes, I lost count. Once that's done, add sugar and salt to the blueberries in the pan. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and water, then stir in the gelatin until it starts to thicken a bit. Stir that into the blueberries, and bring to a simmer and cook for a minute or so. Pour the blueberry mess into your waiting pie crust, and stick the pie in the fridge for a few hours. This is a good pie to make right at bedtime because then you wake up and it's firmed up enough and you can eat it for breakfast.

You could even stir it into your breakfast yogurt like Alex did.

strawberry pie

This is the best pie I've ever made, probably. It has three pounds of strawberries. Three pounds!!

Also, I don't know if I've ever had a strawberry pie before, except strawberry rhubarb pie. I ripped this recipe out of a magazine a while ago and have been putting off making it, thinking this was going to be a big production. After I finished making it, I was all like "that's it?" Really, all you do to make this pie is make a thick jam, add in some sugar and gelatin, stir in some fresh strawberries, and pour into a pre-baked pie crust. 

But you know what? Next time I might not use a pie crust and might do a crushed cookie crust instead. 

Strawberry pie

From Cook's Country

1 lb frozen strawberries

2 lb fresh strawberries, divided

2 T water

2 T lemon juice

1 T unflavored gelatin (a little more than a packet of Knox)

1 c sugar

a pinch of salt

1 pie crust, baked and cooled (I used store bought, but here are some recipes to make your own)

Combine the frozen strawberries and half of the fresh strawberries in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the strawberries have broken down and turn into a thick jam. This will take about half an hour, which is a good time to slice the remaining strawberries very thin, or chop them up, depending on if you want strawberry slices or little chunks. Measure out the strawberry goo, you should have two cups. If you have more and are sick of waiting, scoop out some until you have exactly two cups. Set that extra aside to either eat with a spoon or stir into some whipped cream to put on top of the pie. 

Pour the strawberry goo back into the pan and add the sugar and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, stir together the water, lemon juice, and gelatin until the gelatin is dissolved and starting to thicken, then stir that into the strawberry mess. Heat over medium heat just to a simmer, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature-ish. I didn't wait all that long. Once the mixture is cooled, stir in the sliced strawberries and pour the whole red mess into your pie crust. Cool until you can't stand it anymore, at least three hours, to let it set completely. 

Don't wear a white shirt while making or eating this pie. 

New York style coffee/crumb cake

Yaaaaaay! I ripped this recipe out of a magazine and have been looking at it for a few months. I finally made it, and am so glad I did. Back in high school, I used to go to this deli and get sandwiches and coffee cake, and this is pretty close to the coffee cake that I used to love. Hooray! The cake is soft and moist and buttery, and the crumb top is sweet and crunchy and slightly cinnamon-ny.

New York style coffee/crumb cake
From America's test kitchens best-ever recipes

Crumb topping
8 T melted unsalted butter, still warm
1/3 c white sugar
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
3/4 t cinnamon
a pinch of salt
1 3/4 c rice flour mix
1/4 t xanthan gum

Mix together butter, sugars, cinnamon and salt together, then stir in the flour and xanthan gum. Set aside to cool and harden a bit.

Cake
1 1/4 c rice flour mix
1/4 t xanthan gum
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
6 T softened butter, cut into slices
1/3 c greek yogurt
1 whole egg plus 1 yolk
2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Whisk the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in the bowl of a mixer. Add the butter, one slice at a time until mostly incorporated. Add in the yogurt, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium-high until batter is light and fluffy. Scrape into the pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Break up the crumb mixture with a fork, leaving as many pieces that are about the size of a dime as you can. Spread the crumb mixture over the top of the cake, and bake for 40-45 minutes on the shelf on the top third of the oven. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 9 servings.

Mocha pudding cake (vegan!)

So this eating healthy thing is going pretty well. Obviously. The thing about this cake/mess is that I accidentally made it vegan in addition to being (obviously) gluten free. We are trying to drink things like milk alternatives (this week it's coconut milk) and I use Earth Balance instead of butter most of the time because it's easy to spread. This is pretty quick to whip up, should be eaten warm, with ice cream on top. I forgot the ice cream, but didn't feel too bad about it.

Mocha pudding cake
Recipe from here, posted on the Tasty Kitchen site


3/4 c sugar
1 c flour mix
1/4 t xanthan gum
2 t baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 T cocoa powder
3 T Earth Balance or butter alt.
1/2 c milk of your choice, I used coconut
1 t vanilla
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
4 T cocoa powder
1 1/4 c strong coffee (decaf for us!)

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease an 8x8 pan. Combine the first five ingredients and set aside. Melt the Earth Balance and stir in the 3 T cocoa powder. Combine this and the milk and vanilla, then stir into the flour mixture. Spread into the pan - batter will be thick, but that's fine. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining brown sugar and white sugar with the cocoa powder, and sprinkle over the top of the cake evenly. Pour the coffee over the top (seriously), and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Sugar cookies

I wasn't going to make anything today, because I am working like crazy and totally do not have any free time, but then I saw this recipe in Cooks Illustrated and had to. These are good, basic sugar cookies. I would like to drizzle them with a glaze, or sprinkle them with colored sugar or crushed candy canes, but they are good plain as well.

Sugar cookies
From Cook's Illustrated nov/dec 2010


2 1/4 c rice flour mix
1/2 t xanthan gum
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 T butter, melted (still warm)
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 egg
1 T milk (I used eggnog!)
2 t vanilla
sugar for rolling the cookies in

Preheat the oven to 350. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine sugars in another bowl, then add cream cheese. Pour the butter over, and stir until combined. Add oil, stir, then add egg, milk, and vanilla. Stir this into the flour mixture until combined. Chill the dough 10 minutes, then scoop small balls onto a plate covered with sugar. Roll gently in the sugar, then place on a cookie sheet, about a dozen per sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, until just starting to brown on the edges, then cool 5 minutes on the pan before removing them to a wire rack. Makes about three dozen, depending on how big you make them.

Butterscotch cookies

I'm going to a party tomorrow, and could not decide what to make to bring. First I was going to make some sort of cake, then I was going to make another sort of cake, and then I was going to make cookies, and I just couldn't decide. Then I saw this recipe. I love butterscotch things. For example, this super great family favorite (butterscotch brownies). These taste kind of like butterscotch brownies, and not at all like those gross butterscotch chips that sometimes people use for things. Or sometimes eat straight out of the bag when no one's looking. Whatever, I'm not judging you.

Back to these cookies. They're good. I ate one warm, to see how they were right out of the oven, then I ate some once they'd cooled completely. You know, just to make sure they're still good. Also, the dough tastes good. So I guess these cookies pass the test. I made them a little bigger than Elise did in her recipe, and came out with an even three dozen. Maybe no one at the party will like these and I can bring them home and eat them all. Maybe with some vanilla ice cream.

Butterscotch cookies
Recipe adapted from Elise's at Simply Recipes

12 T unsalted butter
1 3/4 c dark brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1 yolk
1 T vanilla
2 1/2 c flour mix
3/4 t xanthan gum
1/2 t baking soda
a heaping 1/4 t baking powder
Rolling sugars:
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Melt 10 T butter in a pan, and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown. Don't let it get burned! There are pictures on how to brown butter here. When the butter is browned, add the other two tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Dump the butter in the bowl of your mixer, then add the brown sugar and salt. Mix until combined, then add the whole egg, the yolk, and the vanilla (I could see using rum instead...) and mix on low until combined. Stir together the flour mixture, xanthan gum, baking soda and powder. Add the flour mixture into the sugar-butter-egg mixture in three parts, until fully mixed. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 c brown sugar and the 2 T sugar. Roll the dough into small balls (about a tablespoon/smaller than a golf ball) and then roll in the sugar mixture. Place on a greased or lined cookie sheet, about two inches apart. These will flatten and spread a little bit as they cook. Cook 10-12 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges, then cool a minute on the pan then remove to a cooling rack.

Peppermint chocolate crinkles

These are a family favorite, but I've never made them peppermint before. They're really good! Next time, I might smash up some candy canes and toss them into the powdered sugar before rolling the cookies in them. YUM. I also didn't have any bakers chocolate so I used cocoa powder and vegetable oil, which worked out well. These are a little crunchy outside, and soft and brownie-like inside.

Peppermint chocolate crinkles
3/4 c cocoa powder
2/3 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 t peppermint extract
2 c rice flour mix
1/2 t xanthan gum
1/4 t salt
1 1/4 t baking powder
confectioners sugar, for rolling

Combine the cocoa powder and the oil, stirring until combined, then microwave for a few seconds until smooth and melty looking. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla and peppermint and stir well. Combine the flour mix, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder in a small bowl, then stir into the chocolate mixture. Chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. When you're ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 350. Roll into small balls and coat with confectioners sugar, then line up on your linked baking sheet. Leave some space between, but these won't spread that much when they bake so don't worry. Bake 10-12 minutes, until they hold their shape when you poke them gently. Makes a whole bunch, a few dozen.

Sweet potato pie

We had two pumpkin pies at our Thanksgiving, and since I wanted something similar but didn't want to be the only person eating it, I made a sweet potato pie. I followed the recipe on the back of the can (shame on me), but with more spices and rum. I might have had a little too much wine and not taken a picture of a slice with whipped cream on top, sorry. This is delicious! Especially cold the day after.

Sweet potato pie


1 pie crust (I used store bought, lazy me)
1 can sweet potato puree (15oz or so)
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 t nutmeg
3/4 t ginger
a tiny pinch of cloves
1/4 t salt
1 T rum
1 c evaporated milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425. Mix everything together, pour into the pie crust, and bake 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to 350 and bake another 35 minutes or so, until set. Cool before serving. Top with whipped cream or a little ice cream.

Chocolate pecan pie

Holy crap. This is delicious. It's like, pecan pie, but CHOCOLATE. You can't beat that. This was just a side note in the Joy of Cooking after the pecan pie recipe, but it caught my eye. The recipe called for semisweet chocolate, but I didn't have that so I did some finagling and used cocoa powder. This is so good that I ate it for breakfast this morning.

Chocolate pecan pie
From the Joy of Cooking


1 pie crust (I used frozen, but you can make one from scratch pretty easily)
2 c pecans
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c corn syrup
5 T melted butter
1/2 c plus 1 T cocoa powder
1 T rum (or 1 t vanilla)
1/2 t salt

Preheat the oven to 375. Toast the pecans for 5-10 minutes. Beat the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, cocoa, rum and salt until completely combined. Sprinkle the nuts over the pie crust, then pour in the chocolate egg mixture. Bake 35-45 minutes, until edges are firm but the center is set but still a little quivery (like Jello). Cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream or just as is!

Coconut milk rice pudding

My favorite thing to do with leftover rice, besides eat it plain with butter, is make rice pudding. I'm kind of shocked I've never posted a recipe for rice pudding, because I make it so often. This is a variation on the kind I usually make with milk, which I guess I'll post some other time. I discovered a can of coconut milk in the cabinet (don't you love that?) and have been thinking about rice pudding. I couldn't find a recipe, so I made up my own.

Coconut milk rice pudding (vegan!)
1 can coconut milk (I used original full fat, you can use low fat if you want)
1 c cooked rice
2 T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Combine everything in a small pan. Cook over super low heat for 10-15 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Let sit for a few mins, then dig in. If it's too thick, add a tiny bit of milk or coconut creamer or milky beverage of your choice. If it's too thin, cook a little longer.

Chocolate tres leches cake

Remember a few months ago I made a tres leches cake? Ever since I've been thinking about it, but wondering if I could make it into a chocolate cake. Oh boy, I sure could! It's (obviously) a totally different flavor profile, but still just as good as the regular one. I searched all over the internet and couldn't find a recipe that sounded like the one I was looking for, so I just winged it. I wanted a dark chocolatey cake, a chocolatey milk mixture, and chocolate whipped cream. I settled on one of my favorite cakes, Richard's chocolate cake. The rest I fudged. Ha!

Chocolate tres leches cake
I'm not going to post the whole cake recipe, but here's the process. 


1 recipe Richard's famous chocolate cake
1 can condensed milk
2 oz chocolate (I used dark but I might use unsweetened next time)
1 can evaporated milk
1 pint heavy cream
2 T sugar
2 T cocoa powder


Bake the cake according to the instructions. When it's cooled, poke holes all over the top with a fork. Don't worry if it's messy, the top to this cake is a little sticky. You're going to cover it with whipped cream anyway. 


Combine the condensed milk and the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat for a minute or two in the microwave, until the chocolate melts in the warm milk when stirred. Add in the evaporated milk and 1/4 c heavy cream. This is going to make about twice as much milk as you need, but just go with it. Save the extra chocolate milk for hot chocolate or adding into your coffee. Slowly pour over about 2 cups of the chocolate milk mixture and let sit. 


To make the whipped cream and finish the cake, combine the rest of the cream with the sugar and cocoa powder and whip until thick. Spread over the top of the cake and serve. Store in the fridge, this cake is even better the second day. Or the third. 

Tres leches cake

Back to business! This cake is killer. I just remembered that I love condensed milk in my coffee, then I remembered I should probably do other things with it besides just stirring it into coffee. Somehow I remembered this recipe, and it's been on my mind for days. 

So I went out and bought a can of evaporated milk and some cream, since I had everything else. I got out of work early, and even though it was 90 degrees (still? Isn't summer over?) decided it was a good idea to bake a cake. I was right. It was a good idea to bake this cake. I should have gone with my gut and halved this, because it's a real big cake. At my house, it's just me and Alex. Even if we eat a lot of cake it will take us a long time to finish this. I might freeze half. 

Anyway, this cake is pretty easy, as long as you're not afraid of beating egg whites. You make a quick sponge cake, let it cool, pour a bunch of milks all over it, and top with whipped cream. As long as you have a stand mixer, this cake is, well, cake!

It is delicious, I must say. I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it, since I don't like soggy things. Don't get me started on soggy cereal. Ugh. I did like it! So much that I might even forget to eat dinner and eat another piece. 

Tres Leches Cake

Adapted from the Pioneer Woman

1 c flour mix

1/2 t xanthan gum

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

5 eggs, separated

1 c plus 3T sugar, divided

1 t vanilla

1/3 c milk

1 can condensed milk 

1 can evaporated milk

1 pint heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350, and grease a 13x9 pan. Stir together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 c sugar until light yellow, then stir in the milk and vanilla. Stir into the flour mix and set aside. Beat the egg whites until it holds soft peaks. Add in the 1/4 c of sugar, and beat to stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the yolk-flour mixture gently and spread into your greasy pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until the cake starts to pull away from the edges of the pan, it's golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool the cake, then prick all over with a fork. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/4 c cream in a bowl. Pour about 2 cups of the mix over your cake, slowly, letting it absorb. 


Here's where I disagree with the Pioneer Woman - she says to toss the rest of the creamy mixture, I say keep it and stir it into your coffee in the morning. 


Anyway, let the cake stand for half an hour or so. It will absorb almost all of the liquid, if not all. Dump the rest of the cream into a mixing bowl with the remaining 3 T of sugar. Beat on high for a minute or three until the cream and sugar turn into whipped cream. Plop the cream on top of your cake and spread around over the top and down the sides. 


Eat. 

Rice crispy treats NEW AND IMPROVED!!

We all know rice crispy treats. Apparently I already talked about them this year, but I'm going to talk about them again, real quick. I've been eating rice crispy treats my whole life. Butter, marshmallows, crispys.

This time something magical happened. I stirred in some peanut butter. WHAT!! It was awesome. I feel like I've been missing out my whole life. Did you guys know about this?

Chocolate crispys + marshmallows + butter + peanut butter = <3<3

Chocolate and peanut butter crispy treats

2 T butter

1 bag marshmallows

1/2 c peanut butter

5 c rice crispys (I used Erewhon chocolate ones)

Melt butter and marshmallows in whichever method you want. I like to use the microwave, but if you use the stove don't forget to stir constantly. This is hard work. Once your marshmallows and butter are melted, stir in the peanut butter, then the crispys. Press into a buttered pan and let cool, then try not to eat all at once.

Lemon curd

Remember the angel food cake from the other day? A good thing to serve it with is lemon curd. I like to cut a slice in half, smear it with lemon curd, and eat it like a delicious sandwich. I've made lemon curd a bunch of times, but never this way. Normally, you combine the ingredients and cook them slowly, then strain. That's the worst! Straining lemon curd is messy and the last thing you want to do after you've been standing over the store stirring it for 15 minutes. This recipe is a little easier, you do the blending ahead of time and once you're done with the cooking, you're done.

Lemon curd

From Fine Cooking

6 T butter, room temp

1 c sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2/3 c lemon juice (I used 3/4)

zest from 2 lemons

Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and yolks. Mix in the lemon juice. It will look curdled, don't worry. Pour the lumpy mixture into a heavy saucepan, and cook slowly, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the zest, pour into a bowl, and press plastic wrap over the top to keep a skin from forming. Cool before serving, store in the fridge.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Sorry I haven't been around lately - things are happening. Alex and I got jobs in Connecticut, and we're moving in the next few weeks. This is a big move. Alex has lived in Philly for over ten years, and I've been here for five. We're moving out to the country, kind of. I will try to update, but I've barely been home (driving back and forth to CT to look at apartments/have job interviews, etc) and haven't been cooking. But I whipped these up last night, since Alex cooked dinner.

You all know how I love brownies, right? Because I do. Love them. Love love love love brownies. Especially warm, with ice cream and caramel sauce on top.

These brownies do not have ice cream or caramel on top, but they're still good. These are what I call deluxe brownies. They are not plain, but have toppings. Toppings of marshmallows and chocolate and nuts. Next time they will have peanut butter.

Mississippi mud brownies

Brownies:

From Simply Recipes.

8 T butter

1 c sugar

3/4 c plus 2 T cocoa powder

pinch of salt

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 c flour mix

Preheat oven to 350, and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the sugar and the cocoa and salt. Stir in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, then stir in the flour mix. Beat by hand for a minute or two, then pour the batter into the pan. Bake 30-40 minutes until set.

Marshmallow and nut layer

3/4 c mini marshmallows or marshmallow fluff

1/2 c chopped nuts, such as pecans

Drop the marshmallows over the top of the brownies, or carefully spread the fluff over. If using fluff, drop spoonfuls on top of the hot brownies and let sit for a minute or two, to melt the fluff, then spread carefully. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Chocolate layer

6 to 8 oz dark chocolate

1 T butter

1 T cream or milk

Microwave the chocolate, butter and milk together, stirring every 10 seconds or so, until melted. Pour over the marshmallows and nuts.

Let cool fully before serving.

Richards famous chocolate cake (and kahlua whipped cream)

My mom's boyfriend makes this fabulous chocolate cake. He hasn't made it gluten free yet, so I did to prove it's possible. This is a good cake. It's not too sweet, quick to whip up, and serves a crowd. You should use some good quality cocoa, but if all you have is something crappy that's fine too. I used Hershey's. It was fine, but could have been better.

Richard's famous chocolate cake

1 3/4 c rice flour mix

1/2 t xanthan gum

3/4 c cocoa powder

3/4 t salt

1 1/4 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

2 c sugar

1 c milk, soured with 1 t lemon juice

1 c strong coffee

2 eggs

1/2 c oil

1 t vanilla (or kahlua)

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan (I use glass). Mix together the dry ingredients, and then in another bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Fold together, pour into the pan, and bake 45-50 minutes until the cake starts to pull away from the sides a little and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Kahlua whipped cream

1 c heavy cream

1 t kahlua

1 T confectioners sugar

Combine ingredients, and beat to stiff peaks. Serve on top of chocolate cake.

Rice crispy treats

Rice Krispies are not gluten free. The only ingredient that makes them unsafe is 'malt flavoring', that and Kellogg's do not make any products that are gluten free. Hey Kellogg's, take a hint from General Mills!

Who cares though, because there are a few gluten free krispies alternatives. I used Nature's Path Crispy Rice, but I sometimes use the chocolate Koala Crisps. Both are delicious options. Kraft Marshmallows are gluten free.

All you need for rice crispy treats are most of a box of crispy cereal, a bag of marshmallows, and a little butter. They're pink today because I used strawberry marshmallows, which are delicious!

Rice crispy treats

a bag of marshmallows

2 T butter

5-6 cups of rice cereal*

Lightly grease a 13x9 pan and set aside. Melt butter, then add marshmallows. Stir until smooth, remove from heat, and stir in the cereal. Spread in the pan and pat down with a lightly greased spatula. Cool and eat, not all at once if you can help it.

*I like to use less cereal sometimes so everything is more marshmallow-y. That's a word, right?