One of my absolute favorite people had a birthday this week, and it just happened to be Sweet Sixteen! We made some simple turtle sundaes in her honor, but she REALLY did it up for the family bash!
Sharing a few pics of her creations, and let’s just leave this here: she knows her way around a cake pop! Drop me a comment below and I’ll share recipes, tips and tricks from the baker if you wish.
Most of all: HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBY!
Meet the aspiring cook of my neighborhood…..Gen! She and her sister, Gabby, have perfected their video and TikTok skills over the last few months, and her latest creation is a copycat Chick-Fil-A Milkshake. Not sure about you, but anything ice cream/cold, etc., during these super hot days is welcomed! Oh yeah, and the standard ingredient will be sprinkles – not a bad idea. I invite you to check out her You Tube channel here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcXmPF1jzCE . You can also check out her grilled peaches which I made with Gen and Gabby a few years ago. My original post and recipe is here but Gen’s recipe on her YouTube channel is better! Stay cool!
~Connie Kaye
The tradition at my place of employment is sorta strange — the person having the birthday brings the treats for everyone else. Weird, huh? Well, anyway, my big day is Tuesday, and I’ll be traveling to D.C. for work. So, I’m thinking better brew up something for tomorrow, AND I realized I had never shared this amazing recipe. This won’t feed the everyone, but my team is going to be in cream cheese heaven!
Some might say that the frosting is what it’s all about. Frankly, I’m not sure, but it’s easy peasy, quick and delish!
Also, my Easter Sunday has involved changing out all the batteries in our smoke detectors – I encourage you to do the same!
Enjoy!
~Connie Kaye
3 cups shredded carrots
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
Frosting
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened(
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
3 3/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
I am a fan of Boston Creme Pie, although I don’t eat a lot of sweets. However, I am not a baker (even though that’s my maiden name). I cannot even make decent chocolate chip cookies, but my roommate (a.k.a. Mike) kicks it to the moon with his! I ran across this recipe posted by Life, Love & Sugar, and thought I’d give it a whirl.
I actually made everything from scratch, although while I had the hubs whisking for a second, he (possibly sarcastically) said, you know, you could just use a yellow cake mix. Yep, I had already thought of that, and actually looked at the options in my cupboard. But I figured I was going to do this the recommended way. I did read some of the comments, and one person suggested that instead of making the filling, use a 50/50 ratio of whipped cream and vanilla pudding. I figured it was just as much trouble to make the pudding as it is to make the filling, so what the heck, just go for it! As far as the cake mix idea, you could certainly use the shortcut of a butter yellow cake mix.
The only other recommendation that I have would be on the ganache frosting — make it FIRST! I was doing all of this in anticipation of watching the KSU Wildcats play (eek out a win, and make it to the Elite 8) and I got to the last step which is the ganache frosting and it has to chill for an hour or two. Therefore, I ended up hurrying around to get the cupcakes iced. I admit that I tried to use my pastry bag to pipe the icing, but remember, I’m NOT a baker, and I ended up with ganache on anything within reach on my kitchen counter (even my salt shaker). Therefore, I iced the little devils! Took them to work, and wow, what a great way to start a Friday.
So, if you like Boston Creme Pie, I encourage you to make these, and if you have tips or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below! Happy Weekend!
~Connie Kaye
Vanilla Cupcakes
6 tbsp, unsalted butter
3/4 cups sugar
6 tbsp sour cream, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
6 tbsp milk
2 tbsp water
Pastry Creme Filling
2 egg yolks
6 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup + 2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp light corn syrup
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Let’s Do This
try this cheesecake on for size! I made it to celebrate a colleague’s completion of her master’s degree, and it was a huge hit. Turns out the toughest thing about it is not gobbling up the berries as you are making the cheesecake – they are sooo delicious now!
A pic of this delish final product:
As we were snarfing it up, she mentioned being able to now just read a magazine, surf the web, and watch TV, instead of homework. Man, I remember how great that feeling was! So Charmine, here’s to you – enjoy and congrats again!
~Connie Kaye
Ingredients:
2 pkg crisp, sweet cookies (such as Pepperidge Farm Boardeaux)
1/4 cup salted butter, melted
1 cup each fresh or frozen raspberries and blueberries
3/4 cup plus 2 tsp granulated sugar, divided
2 tbsp water, divided
3 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 sp salt
2 lg. egg whites
1 lg. egg
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Puttin’ the party together:
Preheat oven to 350. Process cookies in a food processor until finely ground, then drizzle melted butter over cookie crumbs; pulse well a couple of times to mix. Press crumb mixture into bottom of lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 325.
Meanwhile, combine raspberries and 2 tablespoon each of the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to mash raspberries, until thickened, about 6-8 minutes. Place raspberry mixture in a fire wire-mesh strainer over a bowl; press mixture until there are about 3 tbsp. raspberry puree in bowl. Discard solids in strainer. Cool puree completely. Repeat exact process with blueberries.
Beat softened cream cheese, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg whites and egg, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream, flour, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until smooth. Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth top.
Drop level teaspoons of raspberry and blueberry purees all over the top of batter; gently swirl with a knife.
Bake at 325 until cheesecake is almost set (center will still be a little jiggly when dish is touched), 25 to 28 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen, and cool on wire rack 1 hour. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight. Cut into bars and dive into deliciousness!
I found this recipe a few years ago in a Kraft Food & Family magazine, and for you lemon lovers, it’s delish. All you need is a yellow cake mix, some lemon pudding mix, and the standard stuff you already have.
The recipe is located here and I know you’ll enjoy!
~Connie Kaye
I LOVE creme brulee — actually, I love custard-type desserts. I don’t make them often, but dinner at a friend’s house called for a little yummo action.
I wanted to share this super easy recipe, because it’s not at all complicated, and many of them are. Vanilla beans – pish, posh — real vanilla (mine’s from Mexico) and some Grand Marnier and you’re good to go. I also have the little kitchen torch, but if nobody’s looking, just grab your grill lighter and it will work in a real pinch 🙂
Give it a try – you’ll be glad you did! Happy Friday Friends!
~Connie Kaye
1 extra-large egg (large eggs work fine)
4 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
3 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it’s very hot to the touch but not boiled (be careful that you don’t end up with scrambled eggs). With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into ramekins or small custard dishes until almost full.
Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken (they get kinda bubbly on top). Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.
Pineapple Poke Bundt Cake. Catchy name, huh? I actually stumbled across this recipe in the Sunday coupon ads (of course I didn’t use the coupon) but the cake is delicious. I thought I would share because it’s easy. quick, moist and delicious!
I snapped a quick pic before it was attacked! Enjoy as we are and thanks, Dole, for the recipe!
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple
1 box yellow layer cake mix
1 small pkg vanilla instant pudding
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 TBSP vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp butter, melted
(confectioners sugar glaze recipe below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Drain pineapple; measure 3/4 cup juice to use with cake mix, reserve remainder for soaking mixture.
Beat cake mix, pudding mix, 4 eggs, oil and 3/4 cup pineapple juice. Add 1 tbsp vanilla, beat, and then fold in crushed pineapple. Pour into pan and bake for 38-42 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Combine remaining pineapple juice, powdered sugar and melted butter in a small bowl while cake is baking. Add remaining 1 tbsp vanilla.
Remove cake from oven and set on wire rack. Poke holes at 1/2 inch intervals with a skewer while still hot and in pan. Pour mixture over cake slowly with a spoon. You may need to poke additional holes. Advice: just go crazy with the skewer the first time. Allow to cool in pan 30-40 minutes, then flip upside down on serving platter. Cool completely then drizzle with glaze.
Confectioner’s glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp cold milk. Whisk completely.
You’ll notice that in my Recipe Box, I’ve added a new category called “Cooking with Kids”. Why, you might ask? Well two of my favorite cooks were at it again last night, and we happily sampled their creation! Here’s the final product:
This is a super fun way to let kids be creative, and since there’s no certain method of placing the fruit, other than just plopping it down, everybody’s a winner! Start with sugar cookie dough and small bowls of your choice of fruits:
Ice the baked “cookie” with a combo of cream cheese, whipped topping and confectioners sugar:
Gab and Gen in their creative mode!
And then turn it over to the kids! This was super delicious, and healthy because we can just gobble up the leftover fruit! Be sure to check out the Cooking with Kids section, and if you have a good recipe that works great with kids, email me at conniekayeskitchen@gmail.com and YOU can be my next guest! Until then —-
~Connie Kaye
1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Assorted chopped fruit
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
12 oz. whipped topping
1/4 cup confectioners sugar, or to desired consistency
Bake sugar cookie and let cool. Beat together cream cheese, whipped topping and confectioners sugar; ice cookie. Throw (or arrange neatly) fruit on and have at it!
I first ate this delicious chicken after a long day on the lake…..Stacey had it simmering low and slow on the dock and it was oh so good once we returned from swimming in the cove. Don’t let the pepperoncinis scare you away….use the chopped ones, and they aren’t spicy at all. With the italian salad dressing mix and the seasoning, it all comes out delish. As with my bbq pork steak recipe, you can eat solo or throw on some buns, and it will be a crowd pleaser. And it’s very economical (cheap)!
This pic shows some peppers, but typically they shred even more while cooking, they aren’t hot, and this is a delicious meal to come home to. We love it on individual cocktail rolls. Thanks for taking a break and hangin with me!
~Connie Kaye
1 bag frozen skinless chicken breasts
1 jar chopped pepperoncinis
1 package italian salad dressing mix
Garlic herb seasoning salt
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook low and slow for 6-8 hours, depending on amount of chicken. Shred for sandwiches.
Cooking up good food and welcoming you into my kitchen
Connie Kaye's Kitchen 