Piping Multicoloured Buttercream Swirls

Let’s be honest…..kids LOVE colour!

Hec….Adults love colour!

But colour can get messy….so there is nothing better than a quick, easy and efficient way to pipe clean and colourful swirls.

I LOVE this method. You just need a bit of cellophane (saran wrap) and a piping bag and nozzle and you’re good to go.

I know….I know….you want to know why I don’t use loads of piping bags. Well first of all…that gets costly…but more importantly it gets very hard to pipe. Once you are up to 3 or 4 colours you just can’t get the pressure you need and your wrist will drop off! Try it if you want….but don’t come crying to me if you are missing a wrist and have sloppy swirls.

And whilst I’m getting all bossy on you…don’t go using a fancy, complicated buttercream if you haven’t piped before. Start with a simple basic recipe so you know what consistency works….there’s plenty of time to play with the big boys later.

So here’s how:

1. Lay out a sheet of cellophane and place your first batch of coloured buttercream in the centre.

2. Roll the cellophane around the buttercream to form a sausage.

3. Gently coax the buttercream into a longer shape and cut one end neatly making sure that the buttercream squeezes out.

4. Repeat with 2 or 3 further colours.

5. Assemble all the ‘sausages’ together and insert into your piping bag fitted with your piping tip. I’ve used a Wilton 1M

6. Tease all the colours down with your hand to start the flow and …..pipe away.

That’s it. Easy Peasy!

Have a go….show me what you make…..

REESE'S STUFFED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Good luck just eating one of them. I dare you!

Reese's Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies - my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe stuffed with a peanut butter cup! So easy to make!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• About 28 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, unwrapped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Note: This dough requires chilling!
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, about 6 minutes, until it becomes brown in color. It will foam, reduce, then foam again. Once it’s done cooking the foam is a light brown and it will dissipate after you remove it from the heat. Once it starts to brown, keep stirring so it doesn’t burn. Let sit for about 5 minutes to cool.
3. Pour butter into an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. (You can also use a hand mixer.) While still hot, add both sugars and mix on low until combined. Let sit to cool for a few minutes, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour until mixture is just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough and wrap a peanut butter cup in each one, rolling between your hands to completely conceal. Place balls on cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter, you’ll be chilling the dough. Cover cookie sheet with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours (but overnight is better.)
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cookies 2” apart on 2 cookie sheets and bake (while the balls are cold from the refrigerator) for about 12-15 minutes or until they just begin to turn brown and are no longer glossy on top. Cool at least 5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing.
6. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Reese's Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

• 19.5-oz. box chocolate fudge brownie mix
• 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 12 oz. Reese’s Pieces candy
• 12-oz. bag milk chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 12 large Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions. Spread the batter in pan and set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with hand-held mixer until fluffy. Add condensed milk and peanut butter and beat until smooth. Stir in the Reese’s Pieces candies. Spoon the mixture over the batter. Spread evenly.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until cheesecake layer is set and edges are golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes and refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and whipping cream for 1 minute, or until chips are melted. Stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake layer. Sprinkle Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pieces over top. Store covered in the refrigerator….

Torta Ricotta & Spinaci

Ingredients
2 Roll puff pastry
1 lb -  Spinach boiled, drained well
1 cup -  Ricotta

1/4 cup grated parmesan or imported romano cheese
2 eggs
Salt
Black pepper

Preparation
In a bowl mix spinach, ricotta,  grated cheese,  salt,  pepper and eggs then stir.
In a baking dish with parchment paper roll out the puff pastry and add the mixture then cover with other puff pastry.
Bake 400°F for 20 min.
Serve.

MAGIC CUSTARD CAKE

 :

4 eggs (whites separated from yolks), room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 stick butter, melted/125g

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk lukewarm

powdered sugar for dusting cake

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease and Line 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish with parchment.

Separate eggs and add the egg whites to a mixer and beat egg whites stiff. Place egg whites in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks & sugar until light. Add butter and vanilla. Beat for two mins. Add the flour and mix it in until fully incorporated.

Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together. Add the egg whites, a third at a time and gently fold them in using a spatula, repeat until all egg whites are folded in. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for approx 60 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. Cool and dust heavily with powdered sugar.

Shrimp & Veggie Stir-Fry

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 bunch broccoli florets
1 small onion, chopped...
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 large mushrooms, quartered
4 T. butter
1/2 tsp. my house seasoning (equal parts garlic powder, onion powder and pepper...combine and store in an airtight container)
sesame seeds (optional)
Melt 2 T. of the butter over med. high heat in a skillet. Add in the veggies and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften, but still be crunchy. Remove from the skillet. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet and add in the shrimp (make sure the shrimp are dry, I use a paper towel to do this). Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes or until pink. Add the veggies back to the skillet along with the house seasoning and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Toss to rewarm the veggies for a minute. Serve with rice.

Greek Inspired Summer Veggie Skillet

{A DELICIOUS idea for all those Fresh Garden zucchini!}😋

Ingredients:
1 medium garlic clove, minced
3 tsps extra-virgin olive, or avocado oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1.5 pounds zucchini (about 6-8 small fresh squash), trimmed and cut into 1/2" rounds
1 red onion, sliced
3-4 medium ripe garden tomatoes, quartered
2 cups marinated(drained), jarred artichoke hearts(Costco carries an awesome product)
2-4 Tbsp capers (I LOVE capers, & can't get enough)
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsps fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsps grated all-natural parmesan(optional)

Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and onion to the hot pan and toss until coated with oil. Let cook undisturbed until the bottoms of the zucchini are golden brown, about 1 minute, then stir & cook until crisp-tender...about 1 more minute. Add fresh tomatoes, artichoke hearts and capers. Toss about 1 minute more, just to slightly warm artichokes. Remove the pan from heat and sprinkle with lemon juice, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dishes and add a touch of grated Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately
.