Busy Brunette Bakerista

This is no written recipe for this so it's been a secret until now. It was handed down to me when my kids where in Kindergarten from another mom. I made it for my daughter’s birthday when she was little and it was such a big hit I make it every summer!   Secret Ice Cream Cake 24 ice cream sandwiches 1 container of regular Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream) chocolate syrup caramel syrup chopped up chocolate candies such as Butterfingers, Snickers, Kit Kats, or Skor or Heath toffee bars strawberry for garnish Unwrap candies and chop up into bite-size pieces and set aside.  Unwrap ice cream sandwiches as you layer…place the first layer of   ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a large casserole or baking dish (9” x 13” size).   Cut up sandwiches to fill in narrow spaces.  Spread a layer of Cool Whip topping to cover entire layer of sandwiches.  Next, drizzle chocolate syrup in one direction over...

After reading the entire New York Times Cookbook , I decided to try the most requested and published recipe from the Times archives. Initially a Purple Plum Torte, I made this instead with peaches and it was easy, sweet, and moist. I can see why it is so popular! Great for fancy parties or casual sleepovers.  Peach Times Tart 1 cup all-puporse flour 1 teaspoon baking powder large pinch of salt 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon depending on the tartness of the fruit 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 2 large eggs 12 peaches (sliced and pitted) 2 teaspoons fresh lemon nice 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Cream 1 cup sugar and softened butter into a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add sifted dry ingredients and then the eggs.  Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan (the kind you use for making cheesecak...

The perfect dessert for summer! This cake is so fresh, sweet, and tastes just like a banana split with ice cream. It is worth every minute of preparation. This is my  “go-to” cake for birthday parties and neighborhood pot-luck gatherings. My former  co-worker Amanda tasted it and said, “oh yes, this cake rocks!”  So of course I had to rename it after her.   Amanda’s Banana Split Cake 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs (you can either buy them in a box or chop them up a food processor. See steps in instructions below). 1 ½ butter, melted 2 (8oz.) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature 1 ½ cups of sugar 5 bananas, sliced (1 large can of crushed pineapple, drained – optional) 1 – 2 large cartons of strawberries, sliced 1 large container of Cool Whip topping Chocolate syrup Caramel syrup - optional Chopped peanuts or ice cream nut toppings - optional Measure out 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs. If you are using w...

Just as the name states, this dish is simple and so tasty! I promise when you make it, your house will smell like Thanksgiving no matter what time of year it may be. The consistency of the chicken thighs helps make the apple mixture soft and the perfect addition as a sort of “chutney” to the chicken. Serve along side some rice, biscuits, or even at Thanksgiving. Fall Chicken Thighs with Roasted Apples and Garlic About 1 ½ pounds of Braeburn, or other crisp apples, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 / 8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 or 5 garlic gloves, skin removed and crushed or chopped ½ teaspoon salt, divided 8 chicken thighs, boneless, skinned (about 2 pounds) ¼ teaspoon black pepper Cooking spray Preheat oven to 475 degrees (yes, that hot). Line a rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Combine chopped apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and garlic in a large bowl and stir gently. Add ...

When I worked at a local nonprofit, one of my co-workers was Ms. Alyson. She was a native Georgia girl who had moved out to California a few years back and missed her mama’s cooking.   This bread reminded her of home and I ended up baking two…one for her and one for the staff!  Oh one more little thing,   Alyson was Ms. Wheelchair California in 2009   and runner up at Ms. Wheelchair America. Yes, I do know some celebrities…check out her   blog !   This is adapted from one of Paula’s recipes. Alyson’s Banana Bread ½ cup of butter at room temperature 1 cup of sugar  ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon maple flavor or extract 1 ½ cups flour (sifted) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 ripe bananas ¼ cup to ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips  cooking spray Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a (9” x 5”) or (11”x 4”) loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix together the but...