Monthly Archives: January 2012

Fontina Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms

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This is a great hearty vegetarian dinner idea that is very quick and easy to make!

Growing up, I was never a big fan of mushrooms.  I don’t think many kids are.  But, a few years ago, I attended baking and pastry school, in which I had to take a basic culinary class.  We used mushrooms in numerous ways and since then, I have loved eating mushrooms; they are a great meat substitution.

Fontina Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms:

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz exotic mushroom blend, chopped
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup mushroom or vegetable broth (reduced sodium)
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk (I use 1%)
1 1/2 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
3/4 cup instant polenta
1 cup (4-5 oz) fontina cheese, shredded

Method:

1.  Heat oil in skillet over high heat.  Add mushrooms; saute 4 minutes.  Add herbs and garlic; saute 1 minute.  Stir in 1/3 cup broth, juice, salt and pepper.

2.  Bring milk and 1 1/2 cups broth to a boil.   Whisk in polenta; cook up to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Stir in half of cheese and dash of salt to taste.

3.  Divide polenta among 4 oven-safe bowls; top with remaining cheese.  Broil 5 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Top each serving with 1/2 cup mushrooms.

Tips and Thoughts:

If you can’t find exotic mushrooms or they are just too exotic for you, you can easily substitute white button mushrooms or additional cremini mushrooms.

If you are serving 2 people instead of 4, you can refrigerate the polenta and mushrooms to serve the next day. The polenta will become firm.  If stored it in a square or rectangular shaped container, you can cut the polenta into strips and then broil them with the cheese sprinkled on top to make “polenta sticks.” This is just another fun way to eat the polenta!

You could also make these into little appetizers or bites by cutting the above strips into cubes and top with just a few mushrooms.

I use dried thyme and oregano,  but you can use fresh if you like.  Slightly increase the quantity since dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh herbs.

From Cooking Light

Chewy Coconut-Lime Cookies

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Here I go again, still baking with citrus.  Lime is the citrus fruit of the week!

At my local specialty grocery store, I used to be able to get these wonderful Sugar Cane Lime Cookies (among other flavors) from Dancing Deer, but eventually the store stopped carrying them.  Luckily you can still order them from the company but when I saw this recipe it reminded me of those cookies and I had to give it a try.

Some people like crispy cookies and some like chewy….I love chewy cookies.  These are my new favorite cookie: chewy, flavorful, sweet, delicious!  I URGE you to try out this recipe!  If you’re not a huge fan of lime or coconut, scroll down to the bottom to see how to make basic Chewy Sugar Cookies.

Chewy Coconut-Lime Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
2 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp lime juice

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.

2.  Whisk flour, coconut (don’t forget to finely chop it!), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

3.  In a medium bowl, place 1 1/2 cups sugar, lime zest, and cream cheese.  Put the other 1/3 cup sugar in another bowl for rolling, and set aside.  Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and stir to combine.  Stir in oil, then egg.  Add milk and lime juice and continue to stir until smooth.  Combine with flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.

4.  Portion dough into small rounds about the size of a golf ball or approximately 1 1/2 Tbsp.  I usually fit 12 per baking sheet, but these can spread a lot so I would recommend trying 9 at first so that they don’t all run into each other.  Roll each ball into the reserved sugar and return to the baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.  Work quickly as the dough can become warm which can cause the cookies to flatten too much when baking.  Bake 11-13 minutes, or until edges are set and just begin to brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Store in airtight container.

Tips and Thoughts:

When zesting citrus, I rarely measure out the quantity specified.  I hate to let things go to waste, so I usually just use the zest from the whole fruit.  (Limes are small anyways!) I have to admit, also do the same for the juice especially if amount needed is a small amount.  In this instance, I did measure the juice from my lime and it turned out to be exactly the 1 Tbsp.

I returned the bowl of dough to the refrigerator between each batch so that it wouldn’t get too warm.  I am lazy and like to use only one baking sheet when I bake, so I have to wait for the pan to cool between batches.

Before baking, you can sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a little more sugar for a little extra crunch.

I thought the method for these cookies was quite strange, different from any cookie I’ve made before, but I trust Cook’s Illustrated because they methodically test out recipes over and over and these cookies turned out great!

If you like these cookies, but want to try them without the lime and coconut, all you have to do is exclude those ingredients (coconut, lime zest, and lime juice) and add 2 tsp vanilla to the sugar/cream cheese mixture.  Now you have a basic chewy sugar cookie!

 

Thai Chicken Saute with Basmati Rice

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I am easily intimidated by cooking Thai food, but this recipe is very easy to make and doesn’t require too many ingredients.  A little hot sauce goes a long way, so I would recommend starting with a small amount and working your way up.


Thai Chicken Saute with Basmati Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
2 large chicken breasts, cut into long strips
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp canola (or vegetable) oil
1 cup sliced onion
2 tsp bottled minced garlic
1 tsp bottled ground fresh ginger
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1-3 tsp Sriracha (hot chili sauce)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
4 lime wedges for serving

Method:

1.  Prepare rice (enough for 4 servings) according to package directions.

2.  Toss chicken with cornstarch and fish sauce.  Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat.  Add chicken to pan and saute for 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside. In the same pan, heat remaining 1 tsp oil and add onion.  Saute 1 minute and add garlic and ginger.  Return chicken to pan with onion mixture and cook until done.  Stir in coconut milk, Sriracha sauce (to taste), sugar, and lime juice.  Cook until thoroughly heated.

3.  Serve chicken with rice and sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 tsp cilantro.  Serve with lime wedges.


Tips and Thoughts:

For an easy shortcut, you can use the boil-in-bag rice or minute rice.  I prefer basmati or jasmine rice, but any rice will work.  Also if you want to be really healthy, you could use brown rice, which I should do more often!

If you are trying to incorporate more vegetables in your diet, you could also add in some green or red peppers, mushrooms, green onions, carrots, or snap peas.

You can use 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders, but I always have chicken breasts in the freezer, so I used those and sliced them up like tenders.

Recipe from Cooking Light

Homemade Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

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Have you ever tried making pancakes from scratch?  If not, you are missing out!

Until the past few years, I had never tried making pancakes from scratch.  I grew up making pancakes from a box, but what a difference it makes!  These are a favorite weekend treat for our family.  Sometimes we like to add blueberries when they’re in season, or mini-chocolate chips, which are my daughter’s favorite.

I do have a secret ingredient…vanilla extract.  It adds that special extra touch that makes these even more delicious.

 

Homemade Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes:
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

Yield:  About 16 pancakes (using 1/4 cup measure)

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1.  Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  In a small bowl (I like to use a 2 cup glass measuring cup) whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.  Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and, and then slowly whisk in butter until just combined.  The batter will be lumpy.

2.  Preheat skillet or griddle over medium heat while batter rests.  This allows the acids in the buttermilk to react with the baking powder and baking soda, which in turn makes all of those little bubbles form in the batter (which equals light and fluffy pancakes).  Prepare pan with a light spray of cooking spray (do not use cooking spray on non-stick pans as it can cause a sticky residue to form) or a small amount of butter.

3.  Using a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup, spoon batter onto griddle and cook until bubbles form all over the top.  Flip, and cook until done.  Be sure to flip only once as repeated flipping can cause pancakes to become tough.  Serve with butter and syrup if you like, and enjoy!

 

Tips and Thoughts:

If your batter is slightly thick, you can add a few tablespoons of milk to thin.

I usually start my skillet on medium heat and then reduce it a bit after the first few pancakes so that my pancakes do not over-brown.

Don’t forget to try these with berries of your choice, or chocolate chips.  *Update:  Recently, my sister suggested adding 1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce to the batter.

My family usually uses half of the batter for one breakfast, and then we refrigerate the rest for breakfast the next day.  (Store in an airtight container.)

 

Orange Glazed Muffins

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It’s the time of year when citrus is in season and I love the scent of citrus fruits.  I am a warm weather person, and they make me feel like it’s just a little bit warmer outside in this cold winter as I anxiously await spring.  With the gorgeous abundant selection of citrus fruits in the grocery store, I decided I had to make something with oranges.

The orange flavor in these muffins is very light and not at all overpowering.  My daughter is quite a picky eater and she even liked these!  To lighten things up a bit, I used 1% milk and low-fat sour cream.

Orange Glazed Muffins
This recipe is slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats.

Yield: about 20 muffins

Muffin Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2 sticks (16 oz) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
zest from 1 orange

Ingredients for the Glaze:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1-2 oranges)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
zest from 1 orange

 

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin pan(s) with 20 muffin liners.  In a medium mixing bowl (or 4 cup glass measuring cup), combine the wet ingredients:  milk, juice, sour cream, eggs and butter.  Whisk to blend.  This mixture can become very lumpy if your butter is hot, so be sure to cool it a bit.  You don’t want to cook your eggs!

2.  In a very large bowl, combine the dry ingredients:  flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk to blend.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined.  Gently stir in the orange zest.

3.  Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full.  Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool 5-10 minutes in pan.  Transfer to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.

4.  To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Add more juice to thin glaze, if needed (or more powdered sugar to thicken).  While the muffins are still warm, gently spoon or drizzle glaze over the top of each muffin.  This recipe made quite a bit of glaze so I reglazed my muffins several times to enhance the orange flavor.  Feel free to use as little or as much as you like!  Allow the glaze to set before storing in an airtight container.

Tips and Thoughts:

If you’d like more orange flavor, you could add a teaspoon of orange extract or use more orange zest.

*One of the most indispensable kitchen tools that I own is a Microplane Zester/Grater.  This tool is great for zesting citrus fruits and finely grating cheese, chocolate, and ginger.  I highly recommending getting one if you don’t already own one!

I recommend using organic oranges if possible.

 

*Another great way to add a little more orange flavor to the muffins (or other baked goods, whipped cream, or yogurt) is to make orange or citrus sugar.*

Citrus Sugar

Cut long strips of orange zest (or other citrus fruit such as: lemon, lime, or grapefruit) from an orange.  Trim any white pith (pith is bitter so be sure you don’t have any on your zest).  Mix into a large airtight container of granulated sugar.  Do not open for 2 weeks.  Use as desired!

 

Polynesian Flank Steak with Lemon Orzo Salad

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Here’s another quick and easy weeknight dinner idea.  You have to plan ahead just a little bit for the marinade but it’s very easy to put together.  Most of the ingredients are pantry staples and flank steak is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat.

As many of you know, I am addicted to Pinterest.  I found this delicious looking recipe for Lemon Orzo Salad and had to try it out.  I thought it would be a great side to my steak, and I just happened to have 2 1/2 boxes of orzo pasta in my pantry that I need to use up before the move.  I love that this recipe includes tomatoes and fresh asparagus, two of my favorite vegetables.


Polynesian Flank Steak

Ingredients:

1 flank steak
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp honey or blue agave syrup
1 Tbsp dried onion
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp)

Method:

Combine all ingredients, except for steak, in a small bowl and stir together.  Score the steak crosswise, which prevents it from curling up as it cooks, and put in a large zip top bag or glass baking dish.  Pour marinade over steak and marinate 3-6 hours.  (I prefer to marinade my steak for 6 hours because it is more flavorful.)  Flip steak after the first half of the marinade time.  Reserve marinade for grilling.

Preheat grill to high heat.  Cook flank steak for 5 minutes on the first side.  After flipping, baste the steak with the reserved marinade.  Cook steak for 5 minutes on the second side or until desired doneness and flip once more.  Baste again on the first side and cook for a couple of minutes.  Allow steak to rest 10 minutes before cutting crosswise, against the grain, into thin slices.

Tips and Thoughts:

I’ve said this before, but I LOVE garlic.  You can use more or less depending on your taste for garlic.  I’ve found it doesn’t make a huge impact on the way the meat is flavored.

The original recipe called for green onions, but I always have dried onion on hand and just started using that.  You can also use dried chopped garlic, which I substitute if I’m being lazy and don’t feel like mincing garlic.  (Love garlic, but hate chopping it!)

I usually buy those six packs of little cans of pineapple juice.  The marinade uses 1/3 cup of pineapple juice which just happens to be half of a mini can.  I freeze the rest for the next time I want to make this marinade.

This may seem strange, but flank steak shrinks down quite a bit when it cooks.  That being said, unless the flank steak is on the small size, I usually cut one in half and freeze the other half for another time.  This is ends up being just the right amount to split with my husband.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Lemon Orzo Salad

Ingredients:

1 (1 pound) box of orzo
1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1″ pieces
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon, zest and juice
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped or 1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 cup of parmesan, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook orzo according to directions on box, adding asparagus during the last minute of cooking.  Drain, and combine orzo, asparagus, and tomatoes in a large bowl.

2.  In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Drizzle over orzo mixture.  Stir in parmesan and sprinkle parsley over the top.  Can be served warm or cold (I prefer warm!)

Tips and Thoughts:

This recipe makes a lot!  It’s great to eat for lunch the following day, or you could half the recipe to make a smaller amount.

This would be an excellent dish to serve in the summer at picnics and BBQs as you can serve it warm or cold and there’s nothing in it that would spoil in the heat.
Source:  Laura’s Delicious Food

Shortbread Cookies

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Since I was a kid, I’ve loved shortbread cookies.  I think I first had them in those tins you get around the holidays.  Walkers makes a pretty good shortbread cookie, but they’re not quite the same as the kind I like to make at home.

When I first moved to the Seattle area, I got a job working at Williams-Sonoma.  I learned a lot about kitchen gadgets and tools and was lucky enough to try many of the specialty foods that Williams-Sonoma carries.  My favorite was a cookie mix for Shortbread cookies.  I couldn’t get enough of these cookies and was devastated when the line was discontinued.  I stocked up on several bags of this special cookie mix and kept them around long after the “best buy” date so that I could continue to enjoy them for as long as possible.  Eventually I used my last bag of mix (Don’t worry, they were still good even after their prime.) and knew I had to find some way to replicate these delicious cookies.  After a long search, I adapted a recipe from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook which closely resembles the mix from Williams-Sonoma.  I am happy with the lovely dense texture and buttery flavor and I hope that you will like them, too!

For an extra treat, you can dip these cookies in melted chocolate.  You could also sprinkle a little cinnamon in with the sugar or add a little cardamom to the dough for a more exotic flavor.  I encourage you to experiment!  Stay tuned for a post on my favorite chocolate shortbread recipe, soon to come!

Shortbread “Fingers”

Ingredients:

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
granulated sugar for sprinkling

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter a 12 x 8 inch baking dish and line with parchment paper.

2.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed for 3-4 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add powered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined and then increase speed to medium for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Scape down sides again, then slowly add flour and salt, and beat on low speed until just combined (scrape sides of bowl as needed).

3.  Transfer dough into prepared baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula.  Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until firm.

4.  Prick dough all over with a fork (you don’t need to go all the way through).  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until light golden brown.  Immediately sprinkle dough with granulated sugar.  While still hot, cut dough into 4 x 1 inch “fingers” and allow to cool in the pan.  Store in an air-tight container.

Tips and Thoughts:

I am somewhat lazy in that I don’t really like to grease baking bans.  Instead, I use a Silpat liner (or you could use parchment paper) on a baking sheet and shape the dough into a free-form rectangle with my hands.

I have found that I enjoy these the most the day after they are baked because they are a little bit softer, and will last about a week in an airtight container.

A great thing about shortbread cookies is that they don’t contain eggs so they are great to make for someone with egg allergies or sensitivities.

You can really taste the butter in these cookies, so I recommend using the good stuff for optimal flavor.

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

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I never intended this website to be completely dedicated to sweets and so here is my first savory recipe.  This is a “go-to” dinner that my family and I have about once every two weeks.  I always have the ingredients on-hand and ready to go, and it comes together quite quickly.  We usually serve it with a side of steamed broccoli, but I think it would also be good with a salad.

Easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon
Serves: 4 

Ingredients:

1 (9 or 10 oz.) package refrigerated, fresh fettuccine (I prefer Cucina Fresca brand)
2 slices bacon (I prefer Niman Ranch Nitrite-free bacon)
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes

Method:

1.  Cook pasta according to directions on package, and drain.  Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water to thin sauce if needed.

2.  While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon in a saute pan over medium heat until crisp.  Remove and drain on a paper towel. Reserve drippings.  Crumble bacon into bits.

3.  Add garlic to drippings in saute pan and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. (Be careful, garlic burns easily and burnt garlic can ruin a dish!) Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in milk and cook over medium-low heat about 8 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and whisk in parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If sauce is thick, add some of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency.

4.  Toss pasta with sauce. Divide among 4 plates.  Sprinkle each plate of pasta with parsley and bacon bits.

 

Tips and Thoughts:

I discovered this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine (one of my favorite magazines) a few years ago and have adapted it to my own taste.

Normally, I’d say go with the real thing and use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, but Kraft Parmesan cheese works just fine in this recipe.

I love garlic, so in my opinion you can never have too much.  If this seems like a lot to you, reduce it to 1 teaspoon.

 

Classic Cake Pops for New Year’s

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Happy New Year!  I wish everyone the best for 2012 and look forward to an exciting year as my family moves from the Seattle area back to Northern Virginia, where we previously lived.  We are very excited and the big move is only 6 weeks away!

 

I love to bake all sorts of things but would like to share with you my current obsession, cake pops…

I first heard about cake pops about a year ago from some friends, who were getting them from a big chain coffee shop.  I tried one at a friend’s house and thought they were good but didn’t really think about them again until this past summer.  They were becoming increasingly popular and I was seeing them everywhere: in various magazines I receive, cake pop maker commercials on tv, and several websites and blogs.  I decided to look up the popular book by Bakerella and order it online.  A few days later I had a cake pop at another friend’s birthday party and I thought to myself, “I should try making these for myself at home!  I think I could do it.”  When I got home from the party I did some more investigating and got my supplies ready to go.

I started experimenting with different flavors and testing them out on friends.  Most of my friends now just assume whenever we have a get-together, I will be making cake pops so it was only fitting that when I was invited to a friend’s house for a New Year’s Eve party, I bring some over!

I have found that the flavor favored by most (and the easiest to roll and shape) is the classic yellow butter cake dipped in vanilla candy coating.  Feel free to experiment with various cake and frosting flavors. The dipping step can be time consuming, but they are actually quite easy to make.  I’m sure you will see many cake pops on here in the future!

Here’s the Basic Cake Pop Method:

You will need:

  • 1 box of cake mix, any flavor (and required ingredients)
  • 1 cup of simple buttercream frosting (*see recipe) or store-bought canned           frosting
  • 1 pound of candy melts, any color and flavor
  • Vegetable shortening
  • 4 or 6 in lollipop sticks
  • Sprinkles, sanding sugar, or other candy to decorate
  • Flower foam or styrofoam blocks to allow the candy coating to harden.

 

1.  Follow directions to prepare cake on any boxed cake mix.  I use a 9 x 13 glass dish.  Allow to cool completely. Trim any crusty edges or dark spots on the cake.

2. Using your hands, crumble cake into a large bowl.  Add frosting: you can either use 1 cup of a simple buttercream frosting or about half of a small container of store-bought frosting. I would recommend starting out with about 3/4 cup frosting and then add more if needed.  You will want the “dough” to just come together, and you will probably have to stir for several minutes before this happens.  Be careful not to use too much, or your cake “dough” will be very gooey and difficult to roll into balls.

3.  Shape “dough” into small balls about the size of a ping-pong ball, or approximately 1 Tablespoon of “dough.” I use a very small ice cream scoop to produce consistently sized balls. Roll in the palms of your clean hands to create a smooth ball.  You might need to wash your hands a few times during this process if they get sticky from the “dough.”  Chill at least two hours.  (*You can also freeze these for future use if you do not want to make a whole batch.  Thaw in the refrigerator before dipping.)

4.  In a deep microwave safe bowl, slowly melt the candy coating in the microwave for 30 second increments until smooth.  I use a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup. To thin the candy melts, add tablespoons of shortening until desired consistency, depending on how much coating you are using.

5.  Dip the tips of the lollipop sticks in the melted coating and insert into the chilled cake pop balls.  This helps them stay on the stick when completely coated.  After they have hardened, you can start dipping the cake pops.

6.  To dip the cake pops, lower the cake balls into the melted candy coating and completely coat the outside.  Be sure not to move the pop around too much in the coating because this can loosen the cake ball from the lollipop stick and they can fall off.  Gently tap the stick on the edge of the bowl to allow any extra coating to drip off.  Decorate immediately and insert the lollipop stick into the floral foam or styrofoam to allow the coating to harden.  Be sure to space them far enough apart so that they don’t touch during the cooling process.

7.  You can store these at room temperature for the day and refrigerate overnight.  If refrigerated they will stay fresh for about a week.

Yield:  30-40 cake pops

*I found all of the supplies I needed at my local craft store and use Wilton candy melts.

 

Simple Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick butter, room temperature (I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted)
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

1.  Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment until smooth and creamy.

2.  SLOWLY add small amounts of the powdered sugar and beat on low until combined.

3.  Add 3 Tbsp milk and vanilla, if using, and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add more milk if it’s too thick, until desired consistency.  If you add too much milk, just add a little more powdered sugar.  Refrigerate any leftover frosting.

Yield:  about 3 cups

Many recommend sifting the powdered sugar, but usually I’m too lazy to do that, and I’ve found that it doesn’t make a big difference, especially when using this buttercream for cake pops.