Apple Crisp

For a super easy and tasty dessert or even a sweet side dish, try this slow-cooker apple crisp. Use an all-purpose cooking apple like Granny Smith, Fuji, or Braeburn. Cooking with a slow-cooker makes this dish so easy! Just put everything in the slow-cooker pot, stir together, sprinkle the “crisp” topping over top, and let the slow-cooker do all the work. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Source: Apple Crisp, Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients

8 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (about 4 pounds)

1½ cups all-purpose baking mix, divided

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces and divided

Vanilla ice cream

Directions

Combine apples, ½ cup baking mix, ½ cup brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, tossing to coat. Add 3 tablespoons butter. Spoon into a lightly greased 5-quart slow cooker.

Combine remaining 1 cup baking mix and remaining ½ cup brown sugar; cut in remaining 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apple mixture.

Cover and cook on low for 7½ hours or until apples are tender and topping is golden. Serve with ice cream.

Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake

This cake lives up to its name. It is easy to make, smells heavenly as it bakes in the oven, and has all the wonderful flavors of the holiday season. It's great served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. We really enjoyed this Barefoot Bloggers recipe selection.

Source: Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?

Ingredients

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced

½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 tablespoon grated orange zest, (2 oranges)

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 ⅛ teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Panettone Trifle

This trifle is as delicious as it is pretty. Easy to make, it's just a matter of preparing the mascarpone cheese and chocolate mixture, and then assembling the trifle layers in serving glasses.

Source: Panettone Trifle, Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1 pound mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons espresso powder

¼ cup coffee liqueur

12 ounces panettone, cubed

Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

Using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, and espresso powder in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy.

Divide half of the panettone cubes among 6 wine glasses or old-fashioned glasses. Sprinkle half of the liqueur over the panettone. Top with half of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering with the remaining panettone, liqueur, and mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings over the trifles and serve immediately. (The trifles can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let come to room temperature before serving.)

White Chocolate Bark

For the holidays each year, I make Peppermint Bark. This year, I also made the Barefoot Contessa’s White Chocolate Bark, a delightful combination of sweet and salty flavors with the dried fruit and pistachios against the backdrop of the white chocolate. What a tasty treat!

Source: White Chocolate Bark, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?

Ingredients

½ cup whole shelled salted pistachios

16 ounces good white chocolate, finely chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup medium-diced dried apricots

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pencil, draw an 8 x 10-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. Turn the parchment paper over so the pencil mark doesn’t get onto the chocolate and place it on a sheet pan.

Place the pistachios in one layer on another sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place three quarters of the white chocolate in a heat-proof glass bowl and put it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula, return it to the microwave for another 30 seconds, then stir again. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is just melted. Immediately stir in the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often until it’s completely smooth. (If you need to heat it a little more, place it in the microwave for another 15 seconds.)

Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread it lightly to fill the drawn rectangle. Sprinkle the top evenly with the cooled pistachios, the cranberries, and apricots. Press the nuts and fruit lightly so they will set in the chocolate. Set aside for at least 2 hours until firm or refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut or break the bark in 16 pieces and serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

A chocolate craving and two very ripe bananas...apparently these comprise the catalyst I need to make a fresh batch of cupcakes. Some things simply aren’t questioned. And these cupcakes were so worth the effort! The cupcakes were wonderfully moist from the bananas in the batter, and the pineapple cream cheese frosting was a perfect flavor companion. This is a tasty cupcake that satisfies your sweet craving!

Source: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients

22 to 24 paper liners for muffin pans (2 ½-inch size)

2 ripe bananas, sliced (¾ cup)

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil’s food cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in its own juice, well drained

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Place the banana slices in a large mixing bowl. Blend with the electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds or until they are mashed. Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Blend with the electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each liner two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with the finger and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the pan using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting. Pack the well-drained pineapple into a ⅓-cup measure. Set it aside.

Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is combined, 1 minute. Add the reserved pineapple and the cinnamon, if desired. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 1 minute more.

With a long metal spatula, spread frosting on each cupcake until smooth. Serve.

Chocolate Hello Dollies

For anyone who has ever needed to make a dessert at the last minute or when you just don’t have much time, this is the recipe for you. Hello Dollies are also known as seven-layer bars, usually made with butter, graham cracker crumbs, chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk. This recipe changes out the graham cracker crumbs for a decadent chocolate crust.

This bar cookie couldn’t be any easier to make. Seriously, I spent more time cutting the squares than I did assembling my baking sheet for the oven. These were sinfully delicious!

Source: Chocolate Hello Dollies, Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients

1 package (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix with pudding

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Set aside an ungreased 15- by 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

Place the cake mix and butter in a large mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the cake mix with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the bottom of the jelly-roll pan and press it into the pan with your fingertips to form a crust.

Sprinkle the top of the crust evenly with the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over all the ingredients. Place the pan in the oven.

Bake the bars until they are lightly browned and bubbly all over, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

Store these bars, covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or freeze them, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the bars overnight on the counter before serving.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake

This has been a tough month on my diet with the Barefoot Bloggers recipe selections, including this one chosen by Nathalie of Snowbell Jewelry. Don’t get me wrong—McHubby and I love cheesecake! Despite appearances, cheesecake is not difficult to make at all, and the rich, creamy flavor of this one is so rewarding. The jeweled colors of the sweetened mixed berries make a beautiful adornment for the top of the cheesecake. Simply delicious!

Source: Mixed Berry Cheesecake, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

2 ½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature

¼ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

1 cup red jelly (not jam) such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry

½ pint sliced strawberries

½ pint fresh raspberries

½ pint fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands (or a measuring cup), press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

One of the first dishes I remember making in my 8th grade Home Ec class was coffee cake. This Barefoot Bloggers recipe, selected by Gwenn of Cooking in Pajamas, brought back these fond memories and reminded me of why I love coffee cake. This coffee cake is crumbly with a ribbon of cinnamon streusel running through the middle of the cake as well as crowning the top. I almost skipped the glaze for fear of it being overly sweet with the maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar, but the glaze is a perfect topping that complements the delicate flavor of the cake. Delish!

Source: Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups sour cream
2 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional

For the glaze:
½ cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with ¾ cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Fruit and Cheese Platter

One of the Barefoot Bloggers bonus recipes before I joined the group was the Contessa’s cheese platter. I’ve always intended to make this one, though. This “recipe” requires some thought and creativity…it’s not simply a cooking recipe with measurements that must be strictly followed. Rather, this recipe merely offers guidelines, but the rest is up to you!

For my cheese platter, I wanted to have an interesting selection of a variety of flavors, so I chose cheeses made of goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and cow’s milk. The Montchevré Camembert La Chevriotte is a mild and creamy soft-ripened goat cheese reminiscent of Brie. Manchego, a firm cheese with a buttery flavor made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of Manchega sheep, is one of my favorites. Lastly, I chose the Rosenborg Castello Extra Creamy Danish Blue Cheese, which is a mild blue cheese with a rich, buttery, and tangy flavor. I served my cheese platter with an assortment of crackers, local honey, fresh grapes, ripe strawberries, and dried apricots.

Source: Cheese Platter, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
Assortment of cheeses (hard sharp cheeses, soft creamy cheeses, pungent blue cheeses)
Simple seasonal fresh fruit (bunch of green or red grapes, apricots, pears, strawberries, figs)
Dried fruit and nuts (dates, apricots, roasted cashews)
Sliced breads or crackers

Directions
Go to the best cheese shop in town and ask the person at the counter which cheeses are ready to serve. Taste everything; they expect you to. We all know that the Brie may look terrific, but it can be underripe and tough or overripe and ammoniated. You want only the freshest cheeses that are perfectly ripened. Take them home, refrigerate them, and then bring them to room temperature a few hours before serving.

Second, be sure to have a platter or wooden board that is flat and large enough to hold the cheeses without crowding them. Arrange the cheeses with the cut sides facing out, and with several small cheese knives, maybe one for each type of cheese.

Third, to finish the platter, add sliced breads or crackers, and green leaves. I use either lemon or galax leaves, which you can get from your florist. If you have a garden, any large flat leaf like hydrangea looks beautiful, but be sure they aren't poisonous and are pesticide-free!

Overall, the simpler the design, the better the platter looks. Group each kind of cheese together and add one large bunch of green or red grapes in the center to create a visual focal point. Fill in the spaces with lots of crackers or small slices of bread.

Nutella Gelato

I fell in love with gelato during our vacation in Italy a few years ago, and who doesn’t love Nutella? I must confess that I had to make this recipe twice, though, not because I messed up the first batch…it was because McHubby and I ate the first batch too quickly and I didn’t get a proper photo. So, happily, I simply had to make it again, you know, for the blog.

So what’s the difference between gelato, ice cream, and other frozen delights? According to A Big Slice, ice cream is made from cream and varies between 10-15% butterfat. The big difference between gelato and American style ice cream is in the amount of air that is whipped into the product (20% air for gelato and up to 60% air for ice cream). The result is a denser and more intensely flavored dessert.

Regardless of the science behind this dessert, it is perfectly creamy and divine! You’ve been warned, though…be prepared to make a double batch.

Source: Chocolate-Hazelnut Gelato, Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup sugar, plus ¼ cup
4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, crushed, for garnish

Directions
In a saucepan combine the milk, cream, and ½ cup sugar over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar using an electric mixer until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Pour ½ cup of the warm milk and cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir. Add this mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Place a strainer over a medium bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer. Stir in the vanilla and hazelnut spread until it dissolves. Chill mixture completely before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze. To serve, scoop gelato into serving bowls and top with hazelnuts.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

We are making another cookie for our next Barefoot Bloggers selection, chosen by Cassandra of Foodie with a Little Thyme. I knew that McHubby would love these cookies for the coconut alone! The dough, which reminded me of the crumbly texture of shortbread, takes no time to make, and then it needs to chill in the fridge for ½ hour. I used raspberry jam for my cookies, but other flavors would be tasty with the rich, buttery flavor.

Source: Jam Thumbprint Cookies, Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 ¼-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop ¼ teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

It’s been a while since I’ve baked any cookies, so I was looking forward to this Barefoot Bloggers selection, thanks to Leslie of Lethally Delicious. These cookies were so good! Be sure to use room temperature butter and lightly flatten the dough out a bit as the recipe states, though, or the cookie will be a slightly undercooked ball. Next time, I may skip the pecans and raisins and try something else, like dried cranberries or chocolate chips.

Source: Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients
1 ½ cups pecans
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 ½ cups raisins

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

For St. Patrick’s Day today, I made these delicious cupcakes. Brown sugar pound cake is the cake part of the cupcake, a dense but moist cake. They are topped with Bailey’s Irish Cream frosting, a perfect complement to the cake. Yummy!

Source: Brown Sugar Pound Cakes and St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes, Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

Ingredients
Brown Sugar Pound Cakes
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup buttermilk

Bailey’s Irish Cream Frosting
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each ¾ full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. (Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.)

Make the frosting. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 5 minutes total; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds (to aerate frosting).

Add Bailey’s and vanilla, and beat until combined and smooth. Spread generous amounts of frosting over cupcakes, and let set.

Barefoot Coconut Cupcakes

We’ve been trapped in Snowmageddon over the past week, with record-setting snowstorms pounding the DC area. McHubby and I have been digging ourselves out of the snow for days. With our current weather conditions and a few days away from Valentine’s Day, it seems to me like a great time to bake! Cupcakes are so trendy these days. They are the perfect individual sized desserts. Obviously, I was happy to see these cupcakes chosen as the next Barefoot Bloggers recipe selection, (thanks to Jamie of Jamie’s Green Kitchen), especially since McHubby and I both love coconut.

This recipe was pretty easy to make. Just be sure to use room temperature ingredients. And the frosting is definitely worth the effort! These cupcakes are as tasty as they are beautiful. They certainly make being trapped in a snowstorm more fun!

Source: Coconut Cupcakes, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Ingredients
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
nocoupons1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
1 ½ pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

Chocolate Waffles

I wanted to try chocolate waffles, thinking they would be decadent for breakfast served with fresh fruit and whipped cream, or divine for dessert served with ice cream and chocolate sauce. These waffles have a great flavor without being overly chocolatey.

Source: Chocolate Waffles, DIANA38

Ingredients
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ cups milk
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high power for 1 minute, then stir. Continue to cook for 15 seconds at a time, stirring each time until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

When the chocolate mixture is fairly cool, stir in the milk, egg whites, and vanilla. Pour this into the dry ingredients, and mix just until blended.

Preheat the waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Spoon waffle batter onto the hot iron in desired amounts. Close, and cook until the iron stops steaming, and waffles are easy to remove. Repeat with remaining batter.

Lime in the Coconut Pie

I’ve wanted to try this recipe for a while. I’m not sure what I was waiting for, especially now that I’ve tasted it! This is a quick and “easy-as-pie” recipe that takes almost no effort to make. I used key lime juice for a sharper lime flavor. I also added 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the heavy cream and used a piping bag and large decorating tip for the whipped cream.

This pie was simply sublime! The coconut is a lovely subtle complement to the more dominant lime flavor of the pie. I’ll definitely make this recipe again, especially since I have a feeling this pie won’t last very long.

Source: Lime in the Coconut Pie, Danny Boome

Ingredients
1 prepared frozen 9-inch pie crust
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
4 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 to 5 limes)
3 tablespoons coconut rum
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes, divided
1 cup heavy cream
3 thin slices lime, for garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove crust from freezer and let thaw for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl, whisk together lime zest, egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice and rum. Mix well. It may look like it's starting to separate but mix it well and it will come together. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the coconut flakes on the bottom of the crust then pour the mixture into the crust and top with the rest of the coconut.

Bake until the center is set, but still jiggles a bit when the pan is nudged, about 20 to 25 minutes. When baked, cool the pie completely on a wire rack. (At this point the pie can be chilled up to a day ahead and topped when you're ready to serve.)

For the topping, beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Spread cream over cooled pie; garnish with lime slices. Serve immediately.