Willow Bird Baking - Page 50 of 127 - lessons in life & kitchen confidence

Raspberry Açaí Prosecco Cocktail

Thanks, Trop50, for sponsoring this post.

Today was one of those days. Not a bad day by any means. In fact, it was my favorite kind of day: A SUPER BUSY DAY.

It was the kind of day where you teach every period except lunch. The kind of day where you and 5 students work like lightning to wrap your new literary magazine and get it off to the printers. The kind of day where your entire creative writing workshop — the class that has renamed itself Feisty Narwhals for the remainder of the year — stretches to finish their elaborate homages to Jonathan Swift’s poem, “The Lady’s Dressing Room.” The kind of day where you have a practice debate, field trip planning, and a conference all on the schedule. The kind of day where you make a Raspberry Açaí Prosecco Cocktail when you get home just because.

Raspberry Açaí Prosecco Cocktail

I had some Trop50 Raspberry Açaí juice in my fridge and an unopened bottle of Prosecco waiting for recipe development. No time like the present, am I right?

Trop50 juices have 50% less sugar than regular juices, so I knew they’d be perfect for a nice “Girls’ Night In” beverage: not too sweet, not too dry. Sure enough, this cocktail was delicious. It went stunningly with my frozen meal and an episode of Star Trek. What can I say? I’m fancy.

Now, time for an ill-advised late afternoon nap before I continue working. #teacherlife

For more girls’ night in cocktail inspiration, you can check out this Trop50 collection on Foodie.

One year ago: Flan Tres Leches Cake
Two years ago: Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake
Three years ago: Mini Doughnuts for Your Coffee Cup (a creative use for yeast dough scraps!)
Four years ago: Pasta Carbonara

Raspberry Açaí Prosecco Cocktail

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: varies

I love a good fruity cocktail. I recently threw this Prosecco cocktail together and drank it with dinner — no special occasion needed! It’s just slightly sweet, but not overpowering.

Ingredients:
1 part chilled Trop50 Raspberry Açaí juice
1 part chilled Prosecco
berries

Directions:
Pour the juice into a pitcher. Add the Prosecco (If you pour the Prosecco into the juice and not the other way around, there’s no need to mix, so you preserve bubbliness.) Drop a few berries into each glass, pour the cocktail over them, and serve.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Trop50 via Glam Media. The opinions are all mine, though, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Trop50.

May 7, 2014 by Julie Ruble | 3 Comments

other

Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)

Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)

I AM SO EXCITED.

GUESS WHAT I GOT. JUST GUESS.

Here’s a hint: What do snapshots of my raisin toast, the book I’m currently reading, selfies, and my dog have in common?

The Perfect Grilled Cheese

Not much. Except that these snapshots were all taken with MY NEW iPHONE 5C:

The Perfect Grilled Cheese
Welcome to this millenium, Julie.

It’s pink and it’s beautiful and it’s got apps and now I know what apps are and I named it Elsie and I now have an INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT and…brb, have to jump up and down some more.

The Perfect Grilled Cheese

This phone was darn expensive, but I should’ve made the investment long ago. It really does change your life in an instant. I wish everyone could own one.

For instance, speaking of life-changing, I’ve been walking around playing Plants vs. Zombies nonstop for three days. Ahem. Okay, nevermind that part.

The Perfect Grilled Cheese

To add icing onto the iPhone cake, I made the best lunch ever! This has to be the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich. Buttery, toasted sourdough bread is topped with my absolute favorite chili, razor sharp cheddar cheese, a runny fried egg, cilantro, and green onions. When that runny yolk sauced the sandwich, oh goodness, it became pure luxury. You have to make this. HAVE TO.

And then snap a photo of it to share with me on INSTAGRAM, OBVIOUSLY.

What apps do you love for the iPhone? What should I download?

One year ago: Flan Tres Leches Cake
Two years ago: Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Three years ago: Maple Bacon Doughnuts
Four years ago: Assorted Truffles in a Chocolate Bowl

Open Faced Chili Grilled Cheese with a Runny Egg (The Perfect Grilled Cheese)

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with chili recipe adapted from Cooks’ Illustrated, as found on Brown Eyed Baker. Sandwich inspired by BS’ in the Kitchen.
Yield: 4 servings

This meal was insaaane. Turns out, the perfect grilled cheese requires the perfect homemade chili. You can use any leftover chili for this sandwich, but it’s so worth it to make the chili linked below; it’s the best I’ve ever had, hands down. It looks complicated, but it’s actually a cinch to prepare and can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble your sandwiches. The recipe below makes about three times the amount of chili you need, but I make the whole batch because I know I’ll want to freeze some for other uses.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
lots of butter (around 1/2 cup), softened to room temperature, plus more butter for cooking
2 slices of a sourdough bread boule (about 1 inch thick and 8 inches long)
about 3 cups homemade chili from this recipe
sharp cheddar cheese, sliced thin
2 eggs
salt and pepper
2 green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped
optional serving suggestions: guacamole, sour cream, avocados, salsa

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Mix softened butter and mayonnaise in a small bowl and spread a good layer on both sides of each slice of bread.

Heat a heavy, oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Toast one side of the bread in the hot skillet until golden. Flip the bread and pile on the chili. Top with cheese strips and place the skillet immediately under the broiler to melt for 2-3 minutes, watching closely. Pull the skillet out of the oven when the cheese is melty and remove the sandwiches to a plate.

Melt another tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat and break two eggs into it. Cook the eggs just until you can flip them, cooking them only slightly on the other side. Remove the over-easy eggs to the tops of the waiting sandwiches and top with salt, pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa if desired.

May 4, 2014 by Julie Ruble | 9 Comments

other

8 Cinco de Mayo Recipes from Willow Bird Baking

Thanks, Foodie, for sponsoring this post, 8 Cinco de Mayo Recipes from Willow Bird Baking!

Mexican and Tex-Mex food is my all-time favorite. I love Thai, Indian, Japanese, Greek, French, Cuban — I could eat my way through just about every country — but Mexican is the cuisine I always crave. Want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with a Tex-Mex feast? Above are some of my favorite recipes from around the webz, and below are 8 of my own Tex-Mex creations! Enjoy!

Easy Taco Grilled Mini Pizzas

This is the quick and easy way to get Tex-Mex deliciousness on your table. Difficulty level: Easy.

Sweet Tater & Chorizo Hand Tarts

Tender pie pastry with a delicious sweet potato and chorizo filling! Difficulty level: Intermediate (includes a quick and easy adaptation using ready-made crescent rolls!)

Creamy Chicken and Green Chile Enchiladas

I made this recipe a LONG time ago before I took very good photos, but trust me: these things are so good! A ready-made rotisserie chicken makes this a quick and easy choice. Difficulty level: Easy.

Naked Vegan Tacos with Corn Relish and Cilantro-Lime Slaw

Bright, healthy, and so delicious! Difficulty level: Easy.

Taco Stuffed Crescent Rolls

Again, don’t let the old photo fool you. This is one of the BEST recipes on Willow Bird Baking! So quick, easy, and incredibly delicious! Difficulty level: Easy.

Cheap and Simple Taco Pockets

Want some taco pockets, but don’t want to use ready made dough? Here’s an all-homemade version! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

Savory Sweet Potato & Chorizo “Cinnamon Rolls”

These savory cinnamon rolls are so delectable with dinner! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

Sausage & Corn Chile Con Queso Taco Ring

My all-time favorite Willow Bird Baking Tex-Mex recipe! The filling in this baby is INSANE. The ring itself also looks impressive but is so easy to make! Difficulty level: Easy

Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle

Don’t forget dessert! If you love coconut cake and tres leches cake, you’re gonna want to throw yourself face first into this. Difficulty level: Intermediate.

Flan Tres Leches Cake

Can’t decide between flan and tres leches cake? I got ya covered! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

April 28, 2014 by Julie Ruble | 1 Comment

cakes

Strawberry Doughnut Cake (and a creative giveaway!)

Strawberry Doughnut Cake

Thanks, Zazzle, for sponsoring this post!

I BOUGHT A DOUGHNUT CLOCK. This should not be surprising if you know me or if you’ve been following along on Facebook, but I should fill the rest of you in.

First, a very serious question: are you a cake doughnut or a yeast-raised doughnut kind of person? This may affect our compatibility as friends, so think long and hard before answering.

Strawberry Doughnut Cake

Raised, right? Totally raised. ME TOO. Something about the light-as-air texture covered in glaze convinces me that I’m not eating, like, half my daily calorie allotment in one sitting.

But when it comes to cuteness, no doughnut does it better than a cake doughnut with a thick strawberry glaze and bright rainbow sprinkles. When Zazzle, the marketplace where you can custom design just about anything, contacted me to work together, splashing DOUGHNUTS all over household goods was my first thought. Don’t look at me like that.

Strawberry Doughnut Cake

I ended up with the most adorable set of strawberry doughnut coasters on my coffee table and a crazy cute chocolate doughnut clock on my wall. I’m smitten! The products all came out so perfect, and they jive well with the rest of my colorful food-centric decor (Mike didn’t know what he was getting into when he married me. Let’s just say I have three giant food prints and a huge jar of gumballs in my apartment. And obviously, a doughnut clock.)

Zazzle
My new doughnut goodies with an example of my other colorful decor

Zazzle also has a huge market of designs from other creators to choose from in case you’re not too artsy yourself. Just to give you an idea of the breadth, I typed “macaroni clock” in the search bar and there were at least three results. You can find anything! Right now I’m really diggin’ the Mother’s Day gift ideas and I have a friend who would love the Military Mom ideas.

They also sell cute custom designed phone cases and since I finally joined this millennium and bought a smartphone, I’m eyeing this one. Doughnuts, obviously.

Want to create or buy a Zazzle masterpiece? Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate!

Strawberry Doughnut Cake

In honor of my Zazzle purchases, I made you SUCH AN AMAZING CAKE. Seriously, this case isn’t just cute; it was so incredibly delicious. I blanketed an almond-scented bakery-style sheet cake with a luscious, dye-free strawberry glaze. And added sprinkles, obviously! Another huge bonus is that this cake was super quick to make. Enjoy!

One year ago: Rustic Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms
Two years ago: Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Three years ago: Chocolate Birds’ Nest Cupcake Toppers
Four years ago: Coffee Cookie Dough Fudge Cheesecake

Strawberry Doughnut Cake

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking with strawberry glaze adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Yield: 8-10 servings

You’re going to be shocked by how delicious this super cute and super quick cake is. SHOCKED, I tell you!

Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Glaze Ingredients:
5-6 strawberries, chopped
1 tablespoon strawberry jam
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter and water to a boil. In the meantime, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the cake flour and sugar before adding the eggs, sour cream, almond extract, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. While mixing, slowly pour in the boiling butter and water mixture. Mix to combine completely. Your batter will be very runny. Pour the batter into a 10-inch cast iron skillet (alternatively, I think this would work fine in a 8-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper.)

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several places comes out with a few moist crumbs (don’t wait for the top to get golden brown, necessarily — mine stayed pale). Cast iron skillet cook times can be variable, so check early and often. Cool completely.

To make the glaze: Put chopped strawberries and jam into a food processor or blender to puree. Pour into a medium bowl and mix in milk and vanilla extract. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar. Pour glaze over the cake to cover (I used most but not all of it) and top with sprinkles.

April 27, 2014 by Julie Ruble | 32 Comments

cakes

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

Thanks to Baker’s Joy® for sponsoring this post!

If you could be any dessert, what would you be? Are you a sweet but tangy lemon meringue pie, with a sarcastic edge to every quip? Are you a cloying maraschino cherry cupcake, sweetening the day of everyone you encounter? Are you a simple vanilla scone? A boozy rum cake? An organic paleo gluten-free granola tart?

An intense chocolate mocha cake?

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

Baker’s Joy® just created the sweetest (ha ha pun intended) “Which Sweet Treat Are You?” quiz to help you figure out your dessert alter-ego. Each personality result is a delicious “sweet treat” recipe — if you’re super amazing, you might even get my Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake as a result. As a bonus, you can take the quiz as many times as you want, and each quiz is an entry into their giveaway. Daily winners will win $50 Visa gift cards and a year’s supply of Baker’s Joy®. One Grand Prize winner will win $500 Visa gift card, a KitchenAid mixer, and a year’s supply of Baker’s Joy®. Whoa nelly. That’s a lot of good stuff.

The quiz starts today and you can keep quizzin’ until May 5th to try and win.

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

I think I’m out of the running for the prizes ’cause Baker’s Joy® is sponsoring this post, but I still had to take the quiz to see which dessert matches my baking personality.

I’ve been sick and cranky all day, so I wonder if there’s a sick-and-cranky dessert result? Maybe this cake?

Thankfully, I ended up with something a little cuter. My result was On-the-Go: “Nothing can slow me down! I love a challenge and am always on-the-go. […] I’d much rather be the captain of the team than sitting on the sidelines.” Given by current crazy to-do list, I’d say that’s about right.

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

No matter what results you get, you have to make this incredible snack cake. It’s so quick to whip up (the longest part of the recipe is waiting for the frosting to reach peak spreadability!) and is seriously, hands-down one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten. YOU GUYS, I don’t say that kind of thing lightly. Okay, so I have one more cake post coming this week that I’m going to say that about, too, but that’s just because the recipes are both SO stellar. Really!

Which sweet treat personality did you get? Take the “Which Sweet Treat Are You?” quiz here.

One year ago: Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Two years ago: Brownie-Bottom Coconut Chocolate Cream Cake
Three years ago: Banana Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Four years ago: Coconut Cream Tart

Intense Chocolate Mocha Cake

Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with frosting adapted from Martha Stewart
Yield: 9 servings

This easy snack cake packs an intense mocha punch! The espresso powder deepens the already fantastic chocolate flavor of the cake and smooth-as-silk frosting. Be sure to pour a tall glass of milk with this cake (or maybe a nice cup of coffee?)

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Frosting Ingredients:
7 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
7 tablespoons warm water
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
coffee ice cream (for serving)

Directions:
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with Baker’s Joy® nonstick cooking spray. Place a square of parchment in the bottom and spray this with Baker’s Joy® as well.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and water to a boil, whisking to mix. After it boils, whisk it into the dry ingredients until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs (a clean toothpick means a dry cake, so be sure to pull it out before then!) Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes before cooling the rest of the way in the fridge. When your cake is completely cool, invert it onto a square plate or platter.

Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa, espresso powder, and warm water. In a separate bowl, beat together butter, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the melted, cooled chocolate and the cocoa mixture. Let this sit for exactly 30 minutes (no really, exactly 30!) before you use it to obtain the perfect spreadability. Pile the frosting on the top of the cake and smooth it out to an even, thick layer. Cut into slices and serve with coffee ice cream.