pomegrantes!

Pomegrantes are a powerful healthy snack and the juice has a number of benefits. For instance, did you know that when you compare a glass of pomegranate juice and a glass of red wine, tests found that ounce for ounce, pomegranate juice has 17% more polyphenol antioxidants than red wine. There are more polyphenol antioxidants in POM Wonderful pomegranate juice than other drinks.

A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Cardiology showed improved blood flow to the heart in patients drinking 8oz. daily of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice for 3 months.

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Janny at Pom Wonderful asking if I would like to review some samples of their pomegrante juice. Naturally, I said yes. Because I love samples and I love pomegrantes! A few days ago, I received a box stuffed full of the fruity, tangy nectar! I looked over all the recipes on the Pom Wonderful site and settled on the Pom Velvet Cake. Similar to a red velvet cake, it was moist and tender. The recipe calls for the pomegante juice to be added to the 1/2 and 1/2, apple cider vinegar mixture. I iced it with the cream cheese frosting recipe included on the site with the cake recipe. Together its delicious!



YUMMY!


In the coming days I plan to make some pomegrante syrup, and I also am thinking about something with lamb or pork. Look for those posts soon!

Thanks, Janny and Pom Wondeful.

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

First I made a batch of brownies using my favorite recipe.

Barbie’s Favorite Brownies
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

While the brownies were cooling I mixed the filling.

Filling:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

Spread filling mixture over cooled brownies. Prepare topping.

Topping:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

Melt in microwave, stiring at 30 second intervals until completely melted. Spread over the peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve!

hagen daz sez...

help the honeybees.

in case you didn't know... honey bees are endangered. hagen daz has a new program designed to help raise money for bee research.

if you buy a pint of this

they donate money

if you buy one of these snappy tee shirts


they donate money.

so bee healthy, eat your honey and buy hagen daz!

by the way, that ice cream pictured above is like an orgasm in your mouth.

monkey bread

last night i went to a holiday party with my niece. we made her famous monkey bread. when we made the second batch, i felt like i was doing a food network tv show. i was explaining each step to some of the women that were at the party and wanted to know how to make it. it was hilarous.

monkey bread

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 containers of pillsbury grands butter flavored dinner rolls
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

preheat oven to 400 degrees

mix white sugar and cinnamon in zip-loc bag
cut dinner rolls into quarters and toss in cinnamon sugar mixture
pile up in bundt pan

in small sauce pan melt butter, once completely melted add in brown sugar and stir until mixed. let it bubble away until it is nearly carmelized. pour over rolls in bundt pan. bake for 40 minutes in 400 degree oven. take out and turn over onto serving tray. let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving as the carmalized sugar will be VERY hot.

when exactly did i become a martha stewart wannabe?

last year i made this for the "pumpkin pie" contest at work. they said it didn't actually have to be pie, as long as it was made with pumpkin. i called this my pumpkin - pumpkin cake.


this year i stuck to the rules. i made this from scratch. i cooked the pumpkin, i seasoned it, i made the crust, i cut out those freakin leaves. i did it all.

not exactly duff goldman...

but everyone has to start somewhere. :)

the base of this cake is a family recipe for a chocolate cake. after piping on the dam between the layers i filled it with chocolate pudding and then topped that with heath toffee bits. then i put the top layer back on and iced it.


next i learned how to do the shell border and the sweet pea flowers & bow. finally i added the star border to the top and it looks like this.


this is a close up of the sweet peas on the top.


next week we will be learning roses!! yay!

Better Than Sex Chocolate Cake...

my neighborhood block party was held this past saturday night. one of my neighbors brought this cake as a dessert to share. it is SO good and easy as pie! i made it last night to bring to work today.

BETTER THAN SEX CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 (18 1/2 oz.) pkg. German chocolate cake mix
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 jar caramel sauce
12 oz. carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 Heath bars, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9x13x2 inch pan. Prepare cake mix as directed on package; pour into prepared pan. After 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle with chocolate chips. Continue baking until cake is done.
While cake is still hot, poke holes in it with handle of wooden spoon. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake; let cool. Top with caramel sauce, then whipped topping. Sprinkle with candy bars. 12 to 16 servings.

Ginger Apple Galette

Ingredients
1/2 of a 17-1/2-ounce package (1 sheet) frozen puff pastry
1 slightly beaten egg white
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
2 tablespoons butter
3 large apples, halved, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
Whipped cream (optional)
(ed note: i used honey sweetened mascarpone instead of whipped cream.)
Crystallized ginger (optional)

Directions
1. Thaw puff pastry according to package directions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to a 14x11-inch rectangle. Trim to a 12x10-inch rectangle. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick pastry with a fork. Build up the sides slightly by folding in about 1/2 inch of pastry on edges. Brush edges with egg white. Crimp or decorate edges with cutouts from pastry trimmings. Brush again with egg white.
2. In a small mixing bowl stir together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ginger, and lemon peel. Cut in margarine or butter until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle half of the ginger mixture over pastry. Arrange apple slices on top, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with the remaining ginger mixture.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree F oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until pastry is golden and apples are tender. Serve warm. If desired, top each serving with whipped cream and additional crystallized ginger. Makes 8 servings.

Kahlua Cheesecake...

1 1/2 c. chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
1/3 c. butter melted
1/4 c. sugar
CAKE:
2 eggs
4 tbsp. Kahlua
1/2 tsp. vanilla
12 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sugar
TOPPING:
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Blend together crust ingredients in a mixer or food processor. Press into an 8- 9 inch springform pan. (ed note: I don't have a spring form pan so I used a foil pie tin and it worked just fine.)
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs. Add sugar and vanilla. Break cream cheese into small pieces and add to mixture one piece at a time. Blend well. Add Kahlua. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Blend together topping ingredients. Spread on top of cake while still warm. Bake 3-5 minutes at 450 degrees. Cool and chill overnight or all day before serving.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ravioli

16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup Nutella (Chocolate Hazelnut spread)
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.

Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)


Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.

Frosty Latte Dessert

2 cups whipping (heavy) cream
¼ cup coffee liqueur
½ cup chocolate-flavor syrup
½ cup butter or margarine (firm)
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
½ cup finely chopped nuts

1 . Place whipping cream, liqueur and syrup in large bowl; refrigerate.
2 . Heat oven to 350ºF. Cut butter into flour in medium bowl, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until evenly mixed. Stir in nuts. Press evenly in bottom of ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Bake about 15 minutes or until light brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3 . Beat whipping cream mixture with electric mixer on high speed until stiff; spread over crust. Cover and freeze at least 4 hours until firm. For serving pieces, cut into 3 rows by 3 rows; garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint, serve immediately. Store covered in freezer.