Peppermint Chocolate Cake

Marbled cakes look very attractive and adds a more elegant touch to either a bundt cake or tube cake. This cake is fun to make, but requires some time to prepare and bake. I would not recommend making this cake if you are in a rush. It is a very minty cake, with faint traces of the rum and chocolate flavors. The texture is slightly crunchy on the exterior, but moist and soft inside. Serves 16-32 depending on how you slice it.
Ingredients:
2 Cups granulated sugar
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 Large eggs, at room temperature
3 1/2 Cups sifted cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 Cup milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons peppermint flavoring or extract
1/8 teaspoon green gel food coloring, or 1/2 teaspoon liquid food coloring
2 teaspoons rum, or rum extract

1. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease either a 12-cup Bundt cake or 10-inch tube pan with nonstick vegetable spray. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and all of the cocoa; set aside. In a medium bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter on medium speed, gradually adding the remaining amount 1 1/2 cups of sugar for about 3 minutes. Continue on medium speed adding each egg one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. On low speed, add 1 cup of the flour mixture, beat, then add 1/3 cup of milk and beat again. Repeat until all of the flour mixture and milk are blended into the batter. 
4. Pour half of the batter into the flour mixture's bowl, and add the peppermint extract and food coloring. Stir until the green food coloring is completely incorporated.
5. With the remaining batter, beat in the rum and cocoa&sugar mixture until combined, 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
6. Pour 2/3 of the green batter into the bottom of the cake pan, then pour in all of the chocolate batter over the green batter. Layer the remaining green batter over the chocolate batter. Take a small spatula or plastic and cut through the middle of the batter ring to the bottom of the pan. Bring the spatula toward you and then up toward the side of the pan. Rotate the cake pan with your other pan and repeat. You'll do 2 rotations total, and no more.
7. Bake 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on a wire cake rack for 15-30 minutes in the pan, then unmold onto the cake rack and cool completely for 2 hours. Transfer to a serving plate.

From: All Cakes Considered by Melissa Gray

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake is such a classic, so I thought I would share my favorite recipe. Don't worry you won't taste the carrots, so give this cake a try. The texture is soft, and slightly spongy. The flavor is very pleasing, but is a little difficult to describe (or at least for me). This cake has a sweet taste and a wonderful aroma from the sweet/spicy cinnamon and cloves. Serves about 12-15.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, regular ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 pound ( about 6-7 medium) carrots, grated

1 1/2 Cups ( 10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1/2 Cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar

4 Large eggs

1 1/2 Cups vegetable, safflower, or canola oil

For frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool. Don't use fat-free cream cheese.

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool

1 Tablespoon sour cream.

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 Cups (5 ounces) confectioner's sugar

1. For The Cake: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the parchment.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a food processor fitted with the large shredding disk, shred the carrots. Add the carrots to the dry ingredients. Wipe out the food processor and fit with the metal blade. Process both the sugars and eggs until frothy and thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process until the mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated, and no streaks of flour remain.
4. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan  on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
5. For Frosting: When the cake is cool beat the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined. On low speed, beat in the confectioner's sugar until combined. You can either keep the cake in the pan and frost it, or invert the cake onto a serving plate, remove the parchment, and then frost it.

From: Baking Illustrated

Easy Greek Salad

 I love this Greek salad and it is so easy to make.This salad is light, refreshing and perfect for summertime parties. This salad has a variety of textures ranging from soft to crunchy. The flavor is mildly sour, lemony, and peppery. Serves about 4-6 people.
Ingredients:
24 small cherry or grape tomatoes.
3 ounces feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. You can even use mozzarella balls if you prefer.
12 pitted kalamata olives
1/2 small red or sweet onion cut in to 1/2 inch pieces. If the onion is too sharp, rinse the cut pieces with water.
For dressing:
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Table salt ,to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing; set aside. In a medium bowl or serving dish add all of the ingredients and toss carefully with the dressing. Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours.

Recipe from: Giada De Laurentiis

Oreo Cake

Oreo cookies are some of my favorite, and I thought I should make an Oreo cake. The cake is light, moist and has a somewhat velvet texture.  The cake's flavor tastes like an Oreo, but with a mild coffee flavor. The frosting tastes very similar to the Oreo creme, except it is fluffy. I highly recommended using black cocoa, for the cake will taste similar to an Oreo cookie. Serves about 12-14.
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder. For a more Oreo like flavor, remove 2 Tablespoons of the unsweetened cocoa and replace it with 2 Tablespoons of black cocoa*.
1 Cup strong coffee, cooled
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 Large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For frosting:
24 Oreo cookies, scrape the filling out and set aside; reserve the cookies for decoration.
1/2 Cup of Confectioner's sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Cup heavy cream, chilled in the freezer for 5 minutes before using.

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with nonstick parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa(s) and coffee until smooth; set aside. In a large bowl, mix on medium speed the butter, and gradually add in the sugar. Beat 3-6 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and mix for 15 seconds.
3. In medium bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together. Add in half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat, then add the coffee mixture and beat again, about 1 minute total. Scrape down as needed. Beat the remaining flour on low until smooth 30 seconds. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake 22-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
4. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then unmold onto wire baking racks. Let the cakes cool for 2 hours.
5. For the frosting: Beat the chilled heavy cream on medium-high until soft peaks form. Gradually add in 1/2 Cup of the Confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks form. Beat in the Oreo filling and vanilla extract to the heavy cream mixture until smooth. Frost your cake and store it in the fridge until ready to serve. Keep leftovers in the fridge.

The cake recipe was based on a recipe from: All Cakes Considered by Melissa Gray

*Black cocoa is usually found online.

Salty Oat Cookies

I used to not like oatmeal cookies until not that long ago, but now I do. The texture of these cookies are chewy, yet crunchy around the edges. The flavor is a buttery caramel, and of course a little salty. For the ones who aren't chocolate fans, you will find these to be tasty. Makes about 24 cookies.
Ingredients:
1 Cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 Cup packed (1 3/4 ounces) light brown sugar
1 Large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 Cups (10 1/2 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt ( Don't substitute with another kind of salt.)

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with nonstick parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the oats until just incorporated.
4. Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie to a 3/4-inch thickness with your palm. Sprinkle a few grains of the coarse salt over the flattened tops of each cookie.
5.  Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy, 15-17 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking.
6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

From: The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Grilled Jerk Shrimp

The weather is becoming nicer (or at least where I live) and I thought this would be a great recipe to share.  Almost anything with the jerk spice is delicious to me. The flavor is a beautiful combination of spiciness (not too spicy though.), a touch of smokiness, and traces of the distinct allspice flavor (not sure how I would describe allspice in one word.), which makes jerk shrimp special. Serves about 4-6 people.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground Cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground dry thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds peeled, deveined large or medium shrimp
Other things: skewers, wood or metal. Make sure to soak the wood skewers for about half an hour or more.

1. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; whisk or stir. Combine the oil and shrimp together in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the shrimp; toss to coat
2. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers and set aside. Spray your grill with nonstick vegetable oil.  Place the skewers on the grill. Grill shrimp for 3 minutes then turn the skewers and grill for another 3 minutes.

From Cooking Light

Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Other than chocolate chip cookies these are my second favorite. Coffee lovers you are going to love these cookies. The coffee flavor is strong in these with little hints of the rum and vanilla flavors. The original recipe didn't have any chocolate chips in them, but I felt that a little chocolate was needed. Makes about 60 cookies.
Ingredients:
1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 Large or extra large eggs
1 teaspoon rum extract or pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2-2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, depends on how much you would like. (optional)

1. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Heat milk in a medium bowl in the microwave for 10-15 seconds on high. Add the coffee granules and stir until dissolved. Add the milk mixture along with the eggs, rum extract (or vanilla), and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat at medium speed until well blended. 
2. Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl; stir to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed after each addition until just combined; stir in the chocolate chips (if using).
3. Shape dough into 2 logs, about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. (Use a little bit of flour if needed). Wrap each log in plastic wrap; refrigerator overnight or freeze for about 2-4 hours, or until very firm.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line cookie sheets with nonstick parchment paper.
5. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. (Keep unbaked logs and sliced cookies chilled int the freezer or refrigerator, until ready to bake. Bake 8-12 minutes. (8-9 minutes for soft cookies, and 10-12 minutes for harder cookies.) Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. You may need to let them cool on the cookie sheets for a minute or two.

From The Great American Cookie Cook Book