The Cheap Gourmet

Alouette Cheese Gourmet Fall Cheese Party Giveaway

It's not too late to enter the Alouette Cheese Gourmet Fall Cheese Party Giveaway. But, you better hurry because the winner will be selected at midnight on Halloween night, October 31st. My dear friend, Maeme, was gracious enough to open her home and host The Cheap Gourmet's wine and cheese party. It was a huge success and tons of fun. Here's Maeme enjoying one of Alouette's spreadable cheeses.

Kim, shown below, brought two bottles of Chocolate Wine, which was a big hit. After all, who doesn't love chocolate? The chocolate wine is definitely more of an after-dinner dessert wine. A small glass or two is the perfect accompaniment with a piece of dark chocolate and a slice of brie cheese. Thanks for the chocolate wine Kim. It was delightful!

We indulged in a bounty of finger foods, salads, veggie tray, fruit platter, nuts, candies, crackers, breads and cheeses. As you can see, everyone loved the luscious Alouette cheeses and were extremely impressed by the gorgeous cheeseboard that's part of the Gourmet Fall Cheese Party giveaway.

Delane loved Alouette's spreadable spinach and artichoke dip.

Bonnie's favorites included the spreadable Sundried Tomato and Basil and and Creme de Brie.

I have compiled a Wine and Cheese menu which includes several of the dishes served at The Cheap Gourmet's Wine and Cheese party. I hope you enjoy the recipes and wish you the best of luck in the drawing. 

Click here to download The Cheap Gourmet Wine and Cheese Party Menu

The winner of Alouette's Slow Down and Savor Life Gourmet Cheese giveaway will be announced on the blog on Monday, November 2nd, 2009. The winner will be notified via email to confirm the mailing address for their prize. If the winner does not respond within three days, a new winner will be selected at random. Be sure to check the blog and your email to see if you win!

How to Make a Cupcake Cake for any Occasion

How to Make a Cupcake Cake for any Occasion

Last weekend my husband and I attended a birthday celebration for friends who were both turning 60. Being such a milestone birthday, friends and family organized a semi-surprise party and planned a feast for royalty.

In July, I ordered mini cupcake pans from Easy Bakeware, which I had not had a chance to try out. Several years ago, another friend of mine taught me how to make cupcake cakes. The guest list included several children and I thought mini cupcakes would be a great way to keep them away from the "grown-up" cake until it was ready to be served.

I was preparing several dishes for the party and needed to save a little time, so I purchased boxed cake mixes and canned icing. Overall, I baked about 225 mini cupcakes. Although I only had two 12-cupcake mini muffin pans, the Easy Bakeware made the process a breeze!

I used mini muffin paper baking tins and filled each about 2/3rd's full of batter. Baking time per batch was 13 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. I used three types of cake batter - French Vanilla, Dark Chocolate and Butter Chocolate. The Butter Chocolate was by far my favorite; although all of them were quite tasty and addicting!

Next, I cut a cardboard moving box into a 24"x18" rectangle and covered it with foil. I had purchased decorative letters and colored sprinkles at the store. For the cupcakes used for the mini cupcake cake, I spread the icing evenly using a small icing knife, then placed one letter on each mini cupcake.

 

As  you can see, I used white frosting for the cupcakes with letters. It reads: "Happy 60th Birthday Maeme and Carl". I alternated flavors on each row. The first, third and fifth row are French Vanilla cupcakes, while the second and fourth rows are chocolate cupcakes.

Using some of the extra mini cupcakes, I created little islands on the sides to fill in the extra space. I purchased paper palm trees attached to a toothpick. These palm trees gave me fits because they had this teeny-tiny square adhesive covered in paper. The paper had to be removed and the palm trees stretched out and attached to the other side. Considering it was 4am when I was finishing up this cake, not all the palm trees came out uniformly. As they say, it's the thought that counts!

 

I used the butter chocolate mini cupcakes to create the islands and used a piping bag to swirl the icing. I placed 3 to 4 "island" cupcakes together and then placed one on top of the stack to create the illusion of an island. I then used white icing to pipe around the edges of the cardboard and topped with colored sprinkles. 

This was my first attempt at making a cupcake cake and while it isn't perfect, it was certainly a huge hit at the party. I placed the remaining cupcakes on dessert trays and when we departed the party, I noticed only 3 were left. The cupcake cake was completely devoured.

Not only was the cupcake cake a lot of fun to make, it didn't take much time and the guests absolutely loved it. Homemade gifts are always a great way to make people feel special. Even though I used boxed cake mixes, I could not have been more pleased with the final product.

If you are wondering how I transported the cake, I simply covered it loosely with foil. The palm trees helped keep the foil off the icing. I drive a Toyota Rav4, so the cardboard platform fit perfectly in the tailgate area. We drove extra careful to make certain we didn't need to make any sudden stops or take corners on two wheels ;-)

The possibilities of cupcake cakes are endless. Grocery stores, dollar stores, and party stores carry a wide range of novelty items that can be used to create all kinds of theme cakes. If you don't own a pasty bag and piping tips, you can place icing inside a sandwich bag and snip one corner off. Piping the icing on the cupcakes is considerably more efficient than using an icing spreader.

After using the EasyBakeware muffin pan, I can honestly say that I will be converting ALL my bakeware to this brand. The pans are made from silicone (I think!) and are super easy to clean. The muffins popped out easily and there was little mess to clean up.

EasyBakeware is currently offering FREE bakeware. You can receive any piece of bakeware for free, but will have to pay the shipping cost of $7.95. I've seen this type of bakeware in stores and the average retail price is $19.95 to $24.95 per piece!

If you're like me and love to bake, I highly recommend giving EasyBakeware a try. Click on the banner below and take advantage of the free offer before it's too late.

What's for Dessert? - 7 Simple Gourmet Dessert Recipes

I'll admit it. I have an insatiable sweet tooth. If I don't have some kind of dessert on a regular basis, I get cranky. Just ask my husband. I think it stems from my childhood. My mom always made sweet treats for us. We'd come home from school and the house would be filled with the scent of chocolate chip cookies or a freshly baked cake or pie. No matter how bad our day had been, the desserts always made everything better!

While I love to cook, I love to bake even more. I still hold onto my dream of opening a bakery some day, but for now I am content baking for my friends and neighbors. If I ate everything I baked my cholesterol would be sky high!

Today, I'd like to share my favorite dessert recipes with you. I'll forewarn you -- they aren't low-fat or low-calorie. I highly recommend sharing them with others because they are so tasty you'll find yourself eating way more than you want!

Monday: Mom's Famous "Just Peachy" Peach Cobbler - This stuff is addicting. Even my husband, who isn't a sweets-person at all, enjoyed this dessert. It's tasty served hot, cold or room temperature. It's even better served with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream. Yum! 

Tuesday: Cherry Delight Pie - This is probably the easier dessert you could ever make. It requires overnight refrigeration, so if you want to eat it on Tuesday, you'll need to make it Monday night. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like this pie and it is always a huge hit with co-workers.

Wednesday: French Toast Bread Pudding - All I can say is WOW! If you like french toast, you are going to love this dessert. This sweet treat requires overnight refrigeration so the bread can soak up the spices. It's well worth the wait and will fill your home with the most tantalizing aroma. Talk about a great way to start your day or end the evening. Magnificent!

Thursday: Fudge Pound Cake - This dessert will satisfy your need for chocolate. It's very versatile. You can serve it in thick or thin slices; eat it plain; frost it; spread cream cheese, preserves or jam on it; break it up and mix it in ice cream; and so much more.

Friday: Banana Split Brownie Pizza - This is the perfect dessert for family TV night, slumber parties, girls-night-in parties, soccer parties, football parties, any kind of party! Be careful though - this dessert is highly addicting!

Saturday: Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake - There is no better way to start your day than with this luscious blueberry buttermilk coffee cake. This is by far one of my favorite weekend desserts. And, it's relatively healthy and uses organic ingredients.

Sunday: Chocolate Covered Cherries - When I was a young girl, my grandmother would give me a box of chocolate covered cherries every year for Christmas. When my daughter was a toddler she was cared for by a woman who was a baker. She taught me how to make homemade chocolate covered cherries. Although these require chocolate molds and are somewhat time consuming, they are definitely worth the time. Once you try these delicious candies you will never be able to eat boxed cherries again. These things are almost sinful!

Mom's Famous "Just Peachy" Peach Cobbler Recipe

My husband and I recently discovered the Daytona Flea and Farmer's Market. We've developed a relationship with one of the young ladies who works for a produce vendor. A few weeks ago she offered us a sample of peaches. Seems they had an abundance and were selling them for 59 cents a pound.

These were the sweetest peaches I had ever wrapped my lips around.  I love smoothies and since peaches freeze really well, I decided to buy nearly a bushel of my favorite fuzzy fruit. They don't call me The Cheap Gourmet without good reason. I LOVE a great bargain.

As I was preparing the peaches for freezing, I remembered mom's recipe for her famous Peach Cobbler. Considering I had nearly 10 pounds of peaches, I decided to bake a batch of cobbler.

Mom's recipe was a little vague and unfortunately, I can no longer call her up and ask for guidance. My first attempt didn't turn out so great. In fact, it was kind of a disaster.

The edges were black (as in "burnt") and the center was somewhat gooey. Although it tasted pretty good, it was lacking something. I went back to the drawing board and the second batch of peach cobbler came out much better.

It isn't 100% as tasty as mom's, but it is pretty darn close. Considering I still have about 7 pounds of frozen peaches, I will continue to experiment until I figure out what special ingredient mom included which isn't written on her recipe card. When I do, I'll be certain to update the recipe!

BARB'S "JUST PEACHY" PEACH COBBLER RECIPE:

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Bake Time: 35-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick unsalted Butter, sliced into one-inch pats
1 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour (can use all-purpose, if desired)
1-1/2 cups Sugar (can use Turbinado Sugar, if desired)
1 cup Milk (can use Soy, Almond or Rice Milk, if desired)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground Allspice
4 cups fresh, sliced peaches (or two 15-1/2 ounce cans)
2-3 Tablespoons granulated Sugar, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Arrange butter pats on bottom of 9"x12" baking pan.
3. In medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, milk, baking power and spices. Stir until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4. Pour batter over top of butter pats.

 

5. Arrange peaches on top of batter.

 

6. Bake in 400 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until edges and top of cobbler are golden brown.
7. Remove from oven. Sprinkle top of cobbler with granulated sugar, if desired.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with whipped cream, scoop of vanilla ice cream or simply "as-is".

 

Other types of fruits can be substituted for peaches. Blackberries, blueberries, mangos, plantains and apples make for mega-yummy cobblers. You can increase or decrease the amount of fruit by up to one-cup. Using less fruit will create a cake-like batter, while more fruit will lessen the amount of pastry surrounding the fruit. It's all a matter of personal preference ;-)

Barb's Fall Harvest Pumpkin Bread

Since it is officially fall, I felt there was no better time to share mom's "Fall Harvest Pumpkin Bread" recipe. Mom served this hearty loaf bread throughout the fall and winter season. I remember one time she made the pumpkin bread for the adults attending a Halloween Party. I loved the aromas bursting from the oven and couldn't wait to indulge in a slice. Mom told me the bread was Halloween candy for grown-ups and if there was any left over, I could have it. There was never any leftover!

When I became a mom and my daughter was involved with Girl Scouts, I made mini loaves of mom's pumpkin bread and gave them to the parents. I attached a card that said "Grown-up Halloween Candy" and included the recipe on the back. Everyone loved the idea. With the holidays rapidly approaching, I'd be delighted if you baked mom's "Fall Harvest Pumpkin Bread" and give them away as gifts. Feel free to share the recipe with everyone you love and tell them it is a gift from heaven ;-)

BARB'S FALL HARVEST PUMPKIN BREAD
Yield: 2 bread loaves

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups Sugar
2/3 cup Vegetable shortening
1 1-pound can Pumpkin
4 Eggs
3-1/2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
2/3 cup Water
1 teaspoon Allspice
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease and flour two 8"x4"x2-1/2" loaf pans.

3. In large mixing bowl combine sugar and vegetable shortening. Using hand mixer, cream sugar and shortening together on low speed.

4. Add pumpkin and mix on low for about one minute.
5. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat each egg for 20 seconds, then add another egg until all four eggs are combined with batter.
6. Using the low setting on the mixer, add flour 1 cup at a time until all 3-1/2 cups are combined with batter.
7. Add remaining dry ingredients, except for walnuts. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
8. Add walnuts and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold nuts into mixture.
9. Pour half of the batter in each loaf pan and spread mixture evenly.
10. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack.
12. Cut into 1-inch slices and enjoy!

Cherry Delight Pie

As mentioned in an earlier post, "In Honor of My Mother, the Cooking Queen", my mom passed away on June 26th. She had a love for sharing food with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Everyone who indulged in her desserts, casseroles and home cooking always asked for her recipes.

While I intended to present mom's favorite recipes throughout the month of August, I simply wasn't able to bring myself to open her recipe box. Today, is the first time I have been strong enough to peruse mom's recipe collection.

The first recipe in the box was for Cherry Delight Pie. Mom absolutely loved this dessert because it is super simple to make, it's affordable and everyone who eats it goes bonkers for it. I hope it becomes one of your favorites!

CHERRY DELIGHT PIE
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Refrigerate Overnight

INGREDIENTS:

1 - 9-inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust
1 - 8-ounce package Cream Cheese (use low-fat, if desired)
1 cup Confectioner's Sugar (powdered sugar)
3 Tablespoons Milk (whole or 2-percent works best)
1 cup Whipped Cream (mom used Cool Whip)
1 - 15-ounce can Cherry Pie filling

DIRECTIONS:

1. In medium mixing bowl, add cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and milk. Beat until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Transfer to graham cracker pie crust and evenly spread mixture.

3. Top cream cheese mixture with an even layer of whipped cream.
4. Top with cherry pie filling.
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Cut into 8 wedges and top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired

*Cherry Pie filling can be substituted with blueberry, raspberry, strawberry or blackberry.
** Double ingredients to make 2 pies

Dessert University: Cook Like a Chef, Even If You Can't Boil Water

Dessert University is the coolest thing I've ever seen! This multi-media collection includes over 100,000 recipes and step-by-step videos you can download to your computer and access at any time. The Dessert University package includes chocolate recipes, vanilla recipes, dessert recipes, candy recipes, sweet recipes and cooking lessons.

With Dessert University you can learn how to make any dessert known to man (or woman!). Expert videos will teach you how to make brownies, torts, truffles, cakes, exotic desserts, international desserts, death-by-chocolate desserts, gourmet quality desserts, and even health conscious desserts. You will be the envy of your friends, family and neighbors and everyone will invite you to their pitch-in events. With the click of a button you can quickly and easily become a master in the kitchen!

By now you're probably wondering how much this culinary training course will cost you, right? Believe it or not, Dessert University is currently available for only $34.95. Yes, you read that right -- you can have access to mouth-watering, tantalizing-tastebud sensations for a mere $34.95. There are no limits and no recurring fees. Once you pay the $34.95, you will have instant access to the entire Dessert University program.

This all-in-one package includes:

• The complete Dessert University Digital Download System
• The official Dessert University eCourse featuring 50 pages of step-by-step directions
• 1500 downloadable Video Tutorials
• Thousands of original recipes perfect for any party or social gathering

Order today and you'll receive Special Bonuses including: Candy Recipes, Unlimited Updates and FREE Membership to Dessert University Members group, which includes Live Personal Support.

If you're like me and LOVE desserts, you are going to go bananas over the Dessert University package. And, if for any reason you aren't completely satisfied with your purchase, it's covered by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

What more can I say? I love Dessert University and think you will too. Dessert University normally sells for $97, but if you hurry you can grab your copy for only $34.95. Don't delay or you'll miss out on this special price!

Click here to learn more and ORDER your copy of DESSERT UNIVERSITY.

Bone Building Strawberry Sorbet

Strawberries are an excellent source of Boron; a micronutrient that protects bone density. By using frozen strawberries, this sorbet is ready to eat without freezing. It's at its peak flavor when it comes directly out of the food processor.

Bone Building Strawberry Sorbet
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound frozen unsweetened Strawberries
19 ounces Silken Tofu
1/2 cup all-fruit Strawberry Jam
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Lemon extract
12 fresh Mint leaves, optional

Directions:

Place all ingredients in workbowl of food processor or blender.
Process until thick and creamy.
Taste and add more vanilla or lemon extract, if desired.
Transfer to serving bowls, top with 3-4 fresh mint leaves.
Serve immediately.

Writing Awards and New Recipes

As you may already know, I am a Content Producer for Associated Content. My current portfolio contains 117 articles on a wide variety of topics, but until recently I had never posted any recipes. Last week I received an email from another AC writer, congratulating me on my reward. Funny thing is, I didn't know I had won an award.

I logged in to my account and lo and behold, what do I see but a shiny star with "Top 1000" printed on it. Rumor has it that AC has around 100,000 content producers. If this is fact, that places me in the top one percent. Not bad for a girl who barely graduated from high school, eh?

Associated Content recently brought back one of my favorite features, known as Call for Content (C4). The staff requests articles on specific topics, which makes it much easier to know what type of material they want. This past week they had several requests for various types of recipes. You can bet I was all over that!

I submitted three of my favorite recipes:

Napa Valley Chicken Salad ~ A tender chicken salad perfect for people who don't like mayonnaise. Moistened with a poppyseed dressing, this chicken salad includes sweet red grapes and crunchy pecans for a sweet and savory flavor combination. It's excellent wrapped in lettuce leaves, stuffed inside a tomato or as a topper for crackers or gourmet breads. Once you try this recipe, you'll never want regular chicken salad again!

Vegetarian Boca Burger Salisbury Steak ~ This tastes so much like "real" meat that even the meat lovers in your family will have a hard time telling the difference. Boca Burgers are a soy based product and have the texture of hamburger. The flavors of the gravy, onions and pepper infuse into the Boca Burger, giving them an authentic salisbury steak flavor. This dish screams for mashed potatoes, green beans and dinner rolls.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Patties ~ My grandmother made these no-bake cookies for me when I was a young girl. She never baked and rarely cooked, so this was a big treat for me. I recently updated the recipe by using dark chocolate instead of unsweetened cocoa. You can whip up a batch of these cookies in less than 15 minutes. They are super rich and will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.

Associated Content provides you with the option to email these recipes to yourself or a friend. You can also print them directly from the screen. Please take a moment to vote for the recipes or post a comment. If you'd like to be notified when I post new articles, click on the Subscribe button under my photo.

Bon Appetit!

French Toast Bread Pudding

Earlier today, I discovered French Toast Bread Pudding at Windy City Restaurant Hopper; a fabulous blog with amazing recipes! This blog has archives dating back to September 2006 and categories include appetizers, chicken, lobster, seafood, shrimp, wine pairings and more.

I think the thing I enjoy most about blogging is connecting with other passionate foodies who are eager and willing to share their secrets. I left a message at Windy City Restaurant Hopper and asked if I could post her French Toast Bread Pudding recipe. Robyn, the founder of the blog, contacted me within a few hours, granting me permission. Let's all give Robyn a round of applause and a great big THANK YOU! And, by all means, please stop by Windy City Restaurant Hopper and browse around. You'll be glad you did!

Please note the photograph below was "borrowed" from Windy City Restaurant Hopper. You can also obtain the recipe for French Toast Bread Pudding by clicking here.

French Toast Bread Pudding
Serves 6
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
*Requires overnight refrigeration before baking

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
8 large Eggs
2 cups Half-and-Half
1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
Maple syrup, if desired

Directions:

• Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs).
• Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.
• Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.
• Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) Butter
1 cup packed light Brown Sugar
1 cup chopped Pecans
2 tablespoons light Corn Syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

Unusual Crockpot Recipe: Caramel Apples

My friend, Jo, shared an interesting Crockpot recipe with me the other day. It's really quite ingenious and I wish I would have thought of it a few months ago. You see, it's a Crockpot recipe for Caramel apples! I made four dozen caramel apples for Halloween. This technique could have saved me a LOT of time.

If you've ever made caramel apples, you know they can be kind of a pain. You have to be somewhat careful while melting the caramel. It's easy to burn and it's easy to keep too cool, which in turns make it setup, then it's hard to get it to adhere to the apple. I usually break out the double-boiler, but even still it's hard to control the proper temperature to sustain the smooth consistency required for coating apples. That's where the Crockpot comes in! It keeps it at the same temperature for a long period of time.

The following caramel apple recipe is so simple, you're going to love it! And, clean-up is a snap too. As you probably already know, the Crockpot is one of the easiest things to clean. Baked on food just slides right off. I love it!

Anyhoo, I digress. Let's get down to business. Here is the Crockpot Caramel Apples recipe...

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips Recipe

There's nothing better than banana bread with chocolate chips on a cold winter morning. This easy-to-prepare recipe is the perfect choice for Christmas morning breakfast, holiday brunch or any holiday celebration. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread makes a fantastic gift for teachers, mail carriers, neighbors, co-workers, family and friends. Simply wrap individual loaves in colored plastic wrap, tie with ribbon, stick on a festive bow and voila!, you'll have a gift everyone will enjoy!

Banana Bread with Chocolate chips pairs well with a cold glass of chocolate milk or a cup of steamy Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa . For an exotic flavor, try SBS Teas Chocolate Flame Chai or Winter Frost coffee, a delicious hazelnut coffee rolled in white cocoa powder. Now is the perfect time to indulge in Winter Frost coffee, as SBS is offering a 10% discount during the month of December.

To obtain more servings and offer guests "finger food", slice the banana bread in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1-inch slices. Serve plain, top with ice cream or whipped cream, or slather on a layer of peanut butter and put two slices together to create a decadent chocolate chip peanut butter banana sandwich. Yum-O!

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Yields: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose Flour
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup ripe Bananas, mashed (about 3 small or 2 medium)
1/2 cup shortening or solid Coconut oil (Coconut oil will add a rich coconut flavor)
2 Eggs
1 cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Pecans or Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease bottom only of two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2-inch loaf pans.
• In large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and nuts.
• Blend ingredients well using a hand-held electric mixer set on medium speed.
• Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Pour into prepared loaf pans.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Fudge Pound Cake Recipe

The following Fudge Pound Cake recipe is one of my all-time favorites. But, before I share the recipe I'd like to share a story with you. Last week I made numerous baked goods for the company my husband works for. They were exhibiting their product at a trade show and provided holiday treats for everyone who visited their booth. It was especially important for the baked goods to leave a lasting impression.

Since the fudge pound cake is so scrumptious, I decided to quadruple the recipe. For some reason, I ended up with considerably more batter than I needed. I made the mistake of adding a little extra to each loaf pan. To make matters worse, I also forgot to turn on the kitchen timer. When I opened the oven door, I was aghast to see this...

At first glance I thought all was lost. After all, it's a little "crispy" on top and certainly isn't very appealing. The extra batter I added caused the pound cake to overflow, which turned out to be good for me. As I surveyed the damage, I noticed most of the outer edges could be trimmed off. First, I trimmed the edges while the pound cake was still in the pan.

Next, I flipped the cake out of the pan and trimmed up all the edges. It's looking much better, wouldn't you agree?

After trimming the pound cake, I then sliced it in half

Then, I sliced each half into 1-inch thick slices, which make for perfect finger food!

When making pound cake or other baked goods, keep in mind that just because the top is burnt doesn't mean the entire cake is a loss. Once the burnt pieces were trimmed away, this fudge pound cake was baked to perfection. Slicing it into smaller pieces is a great way to serve at any function or holiday gathering.

Below is the recipe for this decadent Fudge Pound Cake. I recommend making one batch at a time to avoid the problems I encountered ;-)

FUDGE POUND CAKE

Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1-3/4 cups granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
3 Eggs
1-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose Flour
2/3 cup Cocoa powder
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Sour Cream (substitute with Light or Low-fat, if desired)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda.
• Blend one-third of flour mixture into butter mixture; then 1/3 cup Sour Cream. Alternate until ingredients are incorporated.
• Pour batter into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Tis the Season for Holiday Desserts

It's that time of year where holiday desserts are offered at office parties, home parties, school parties and family gatherings. The next few weeks, The Cheap Gourmet will focus on providing a variety of recipes that you can serve or take to holiday gatherings. No worries, I'll also be including low-fat, low-calorie desserts along with appetizers and a variety of healthy party foods!

Today, I'd like to share one of my favorite holiday dessert recipes with you - the Banana Split Brownie Pizza. This recipe is super easy to make and perfect for any party. You can take it to the office, serve it at parties or give it as a gift. It tastes so yummy that you might want to make an extra just for YOU!

This recipe requires the use of Parchment paper and a baking stone. If you don't have a baking stone, you can use a regular pizza pan. However, do not attempt to make this without the use of parchment paper or you'll end up with a big mess in your oven. You can purchase parchment paper in most grocery stores at a cost of around $3.50. Once you use parchment paper in your baking endeavors, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it! It makes things slide right off and eliminates sticking so you'll always have perfect desserts!

Banana Split Brownie Pizza
Serves: 16
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (21-ounce) package Brownie Mix
1/2 cup Applesauce
1/2 cup Water
1 Egg
1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened (use Light Cream Cheese, if desired)
1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 medium Bananas, sliced 1/2-inch thick and tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning
1 cup fresh Strawberries, sliced
1 (8-ounce) can crushed Pineapples, drained
2 Tablespoons Walnuts, chopped
4 Tablespoons semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, applesauce, water and egg. Mix by hand as per package directions.
3. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of a 15-inch Baking Stone or pizza pan.
4. Pour brownie mixture on top of paper and spread into a 14-inch circle.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix by hand or using an electric mixer until smooth.
8. Using an icing spreader or butter knife, spread cream cheese mixture over top of brownie crust.
9. Slice bananas and dip in small amount of lemon juice to prevent browning. Drain excess lemon juice and place banana slices on top of cream cheese mixture.
10. Slice strawberries length-wise and place on top of of brownie pizza.
11. Add crushed pineapple to pizza.
12. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips on top of fruit.
13. Chill for at least one hour; longer if possible.
14. Cut into 16 wedges and serve.

For those watching their calorie intake one slice of Banana Split Brownie Pizza contains approximately 250 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Announcing: The Healthy Holiday Recipe Collection

It's official. The holidays are rapidly approaching and it's time to start thinking about what we'll be serving for holiday meals, social gatherings and office parties. Since many of us are attempting to eat healthier foods, I wanted to share my collection of healthy holiday recipes. Best of all, it's free! ;-)

The Healthy Holiday Recipe Collection is a 25-page report that includes a Holiday Menu Planner that is super easy to use. Simply select one recipe from each category, along with two side dishes and you'll be well on your way to creating a delectable, tasty holiday meal everyone will be talking about!

Categories include:

• Appetizers
• Soups
• Salads
• Entrees
• Side Dishes
• Beverages
• Desserts

Recipes Include:

• Artichoke and White Bean Dip
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• The Great Pumpkin Soup
• Quinoa Soup with Greens and Potatoes
• Quinoa Apple Salad
• Persimmon Mesculin Salad
• Roasted Turkey
• Baked Honey Ham
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Quinoa Stuffing
• Asparagus with Lemon Butter
• Pumpkin Dumplings
• Pumpkin Pie Smoothie with Homemade Whipped Cream
• Orange Coconut Frost
• Creamy Pumpkin Pudding
• Rice Pudding with Cranberries

Healthy Holiday Recipe Collection is a PDF file and requires Adobe Reader to view. If you do not have Adobe Reader installed on your computer, you can download it for free at www.Adobe.com.

Click the underlined link below to download your free copy of
Download Healthy Holiday Recipe Collection

Banana Spice Loaf Cake

Personally, I love loaf cakes more than just about any type of dessert. They are easy to prepare and can be served with nearly any meal. Loaf cakes make a terrific snack or stand-alone dessert. They can be topped with ice cream, whipped cream, berries or fruit toppings. You can add fruits, veggies, nuts, flavored syrups and liqueurs. In essence, loaf cakes are probably the most versatile dessert on the planet.

The following Banana Spice Loaf Cake was developed by me when I worked at a famous Country Club. We would cut it into thin slices, slather one slice with a delicious cream cheese spread and place another slice on top. Then, we would cut the loaf cake "sandwich" diagonally to create four triangles. This technique makes the perfect appetizer or bite-size snack.

Banana Spice Loaf Cake

Yields: 3 loaves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 very ripe Bananas
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Applesauce
1/2 cup Butter, unsalted
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1-1/2 cups Golden Raisins, Raisins or Currants
1-1/2 cups Pecans, Walnuts, Almonds or Hazelnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Lightly grease 3 loaf pans with butter.
• In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork, then add olive oil and applesauce. There is no need to mix ingredients. Set aside while making cake batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar using electric mixer set on medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in banana mixture and mix well.
• Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to banana mixture.
• Stir in raisins and nuts and mix thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into loaf pans and place in oven.
• Loaf cake is finished when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool on baking rack for 15-20 minutes.

You can leave the loaves in the pans, or remove them and transfer them to a serving plate. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen cake. To freeze, double wrap cakes in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. To retain freshness, always cover cake in plastic wrap, waxed paper or store in airtight container.

Banana Spice Loaf Cake makes a great holiday gift. Wrap in colored plastic wrap and tie with festive colored ribbons. Write the recipe on an index card and insert inside the recipient's holiday card. They'll love you for it!

Sweet Cream Cheese Spread

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese, room temperature
3 Tablespoons Confectioner's Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:

• In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat ingredients until well-incorporated and creamy.
• Cover and store in refrigerator until needed.

If you're using this spread on loaf cakes, let it warm up a bit before trying to spread it. Otherwise, the bread slices will crumble. Leftover cream filled loaf bread sandwiches need to be refrigerated.

Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Almonds

Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Almonds
Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (or all-purpose white)
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp Nutmeg, ground
1/4 tsp Ginger, ground
1/4 tsp Cloves, ground
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted Butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 cup Pumpkin, canned, solid pack
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup dried sweetened Cranberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted Almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
2. Butter 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Line bottom and long sides with waxed or parchment paper.
3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until blended. Set aside.
4. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy.
5. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until blended.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
7. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat on medium-low speed until ingredients are well incorporated.
8. Slowly add one-third of of dry ingredients and one-third of buttermilk into pumpkin mix. Repeat two more times.
9. Fold in cranberries and almonds.
10. Pour batter into loaf pan.
11. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar, if desired. 
12. Place loaf pan in oven and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean; about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
13. Cool bread in pan on baking rack for 15 minutes.
14. Cut bread at short ends of pan to loosen. Turn bread out onto rack; peel off waxed paper.
15. Cool completely before serving.

*Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Almonds can be made up to two days in advance. Securely wrap loaf in plastic wrap and store in cool, dry area. Bread can be frozen up to 3 months if wrapped in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Let thaw at room temperature.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie

'Tis the season for pumpkin recipes and I have an abundance of recipes for you! This week, I'll be sharing some of my favorite pumpkin recipes including pumpkin dip, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup and an oh-so-delicious baked stuffed pumpkin.

On Friday, you'll have access to "The Pumpkin Patch Recipe Collection" - a collection of pumpkin recipes you can serve for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and party fare. If you haven't already done so, be certain to subscribe to "The Cheap Gourmet Newsletter" to be automatically reminded when the report is ready. Additionally, you'll receive all kinds of useful cooking tidbits, product reviews and a chance to win gourmet cooking gifts!

Let's kick off the week with one of my favorite pumpkin pie recipes. This no-bake pie can be prepared in 15 minutes (or less), but needs to be refrigerated overnight or for at least 6 hours. Top it off with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream for a bewitching tastebud sensation!

No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie
Serves 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 6 hours minimum, overnight preferred

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 (8-ounce) package Cream Cheese, softened
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Butter, softened
1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, add sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla and spices. Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on medium-high setting for 1-2 minutes, until mixture is fluffy.
2. Add pumpkin and using a wooden spoon, stir by hand until blended.
3. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
4. Place in refrigerator and chill 6 hours or overnight.
5. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

*Individual spices can be replaced with 1 tsp pumpkin spice

Vanilla Whipped Cream
Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 3-5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add ingredients to a chilled, medium mixing bowl.
2. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat ingredients until soft peaks form.

New to Making Homemade Whipped Cream? Click here for step-by-step directions and whip cream tips.

Red, White and Blue Recipes for the 4th of July!

It's not too late to plan a bodacious red, white and blue menu for your 4th of July celebration. The Recipe Zaar offers an abundance of deliciously delightful concoctions that are certain to please your family and guests. You'll find everything from 4th of July Margaritas to Red, White and Blue Burgers and plenty of tastebud exploding desserts!

If you've never been to Recipe Zaar, you are missing out! Not only will you find thousands of mouth-watering recipes, you'll also be able to interact with other home cooks and chefs in the Recipe Zaar community, share your own recipes, and save recipes in a personal cookbook. Go check them out at www.RecipeZaar.com and sign-up for your free account today!

Photo by RecipeLink.com