Superbowl Hooshkadoos

I thought I would do a special post today since it is Superbowl Sunday. I really got the inspiration to chronicle my latest creation and then realized its a great recipe and why wouldn't I want to go ahead and share it.

This year for our annual Superbowl Party I am making Hooshkadoos, otherwise known as Cheesecake Brownies. This recipe comes from one of my best friends from high school and his family. They taught me this recipe and I have been making it ever since. The name comes from my "Late Night Movie" group of friends that will be at the Superbowl Party.

This year I am definitely cheering for Peyton Manning, I mean the Broncos. I have always really liked the Colts, so I was heartbroken when they dropped Manning. I'm excited to watch him play tonight! In honor of what may be his last game, I made this batch of Hooshkadoos Bronco's colors, but you can substitute any color or no color at all.

Hooshkadoos

• 1 box Brownie Mix, made according to the directions (oil, water, eggs)
• 2 8oz cream cheese bricks (room temperature)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Food dye

The first step it to turn the oven to 350 degrees (or if your oven runs hot, 325). Spray a 13 by 9 pan with Baker's Joy or Pam. Make the box of brownie mix according to the directions and pour the batter into the pan. You'll want the brownie batter to be evenly spread through the bottom of the pan, but gravity should take cake of that for you as you work on the cheesecake part!

For this particular batch of Hooshkadoos I made each batch of the cheesecake separately and dyed them (1 brick of cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla). To make the cheesecake mixture mix together the cream cheese and eggs. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar until smooth. Mix in vanilla and any dye you have planned. 

There are a few different methods you can use to get the cheesecake mixture onto the brownies. This time I filled icing piping bags and created stripes on top of the brownie batter. You can also spoon the mixture into the batter, creating wells of cheesecake, and making sure that it is sitting on top of the batter as well. 

The last step to prepare for baking is to swirl the cheesecake and brownie together. Using a butter knife, slowly move through the batter, fist left to right, then back and forth, and finish with one more left to right if it needs more swirl action. The key to this is to find what works for you and to make sure some of the brownie makes its way into the cheesecake. 

Viola! You have a delicious, Superbowl themed dessert! I hope you enjoy!

Dreaming of Cold Weather

You would never know it by the weather here in Dallas, but its still winter. I have always loved the cold weather, especially when there’s snow. I am staying positive and hoping that we will still have at least one winter storm, mainly so we can kill some of the plants causing our family such miserable allergies!

With the hope that winter might still visit us, I am sharing my favorite chili recipe with you today. I think its worthwhile to make a really good chili from scratch and to give it plenty of time to simmer on the stove. Extending the simmering time allows all the flavors to blend and helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Growing up we always ate peanut butter mixed with honey on our chili, but my husband prefers the more traditional corn bread (also, he’s allergic to peanuts, so I don’t eat peanut butter nearly as much as I used to.)

Homestyle Chili

• 2-3 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder (or fresh chopped garlic)
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ oregano
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 46oz Original V8 juice
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 16 oz peeled or crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dried pinto beans

Begin by browning the ground beef in a large dutch oven or stock pot. You will want to make sure there is enough space for all of the ingredients. Drain any fat off the meat when it is fully cooked.

Throw the onions and garlic into the dutch oven with the browned meat and allow to cook until the onions soften. Then dump the remaining ingredients into the pot and bring to a simmer. Once the pot has starting bubbling, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Allow the mixture to simmer for four hours, stirring occasionally.

That’s it! It doesn’t take a lot of work to make, and makes a huge batch. We froze half of the last batch we made so we can enjoy it in the future. If you want to do this, make sure that you allow the chili to cool completely before closing the container and putting it into the freezer.

I hope you enjoy this delicious chili (with or without the cold weather!)

What's the hype about this yellow cake?

Anyone who has ever read my blog, or looked at my Facebook, or spent any amount of time with me, knows I love cake. Cake. Is. Delicious. Period. But I like baking cake even more than actually eating it.

I have been looking for a really great yellow cake recipe for some time now, so when Buzzfeed published this recipe this weekend, I HAD to try it. One day I saw it on Buzzfeed, the next it was all over my Facebook and Pinterest. I just had to know how it stacked up. (Pun totally intended.)

I am happy to report it really was a good cake. But it was just good, not great. It had a good crumb, but it will be quick to dry out. Over time I think I will continue to tweak this recipe to find its perfect sweet spot, but for now why not enjoy a delicious cake because you can!

Below is the recipe as laid out by Buzzfeed, but I am providing my own step by step instructions. I have a few things that I changed, and a few instructions that will help you ace this cake that they left out.

For the Yellow Cake:

• Nonstick spray (like Baker's Joy) 
• 4 cups all-purpose or cake flour 
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk 
• ½ cup vegetable oil 
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 cups sugar 
• ½ cup lightly packed light brown sugar 
• 4 large eggs 
• 4 large egg yolks 

At least 45 minutes before you plan to begin making your cake batter, take your butter, eggs, and buttermilk out of the refrigerator. It's important that all the ingredients are room temperature to make a consistent batter and to help it come together. You will want to separate the egg yolks and whites for 4 of the eggs while they are still cold. (It is so much easier to do when they are cold.) Place the white back in the fridge in a sealed container, and leave the yolks out on the counter. The other 4 eggs do not need to be cracked at this time.

(45 minutest later) Preheat oven to 325° and position one rack in the top of the oven and one rack in the middle of the oven. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray like Baker's Joy, or spread butter/shortening all over the pans using a pastry brush and then coat in flour. [I used an 8 inch pan because that is what I have. I also baked the cake in stages. Do what you gotta do!]

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together; set aside. For extra points, sift the ingredients together. It makes a difference in the texture of the batter. In a measuring cup combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; set aside. Beat together until the mixture is no longer separated.

In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar. Using an electric mixer on high, beat everything together until it’s super light and fluffy. You want the sugar to be losing its crystal texture.

Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating in between additions. Beat the batter until it’s almost doubled in volume and very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You want this mixture to be a pale yellow, and for there to be absolutely no sugar granules. It is important to scrape down the sides of the bowl during this process, and make sure you get all the way to the bottom so no crystals remain in the end.

Now it's time to add the liquid and dry ingredients. The great Paula Deen suggets beginning and ending with the liquid to ensure a velvety texture, so who am I to argue. Start by adding about one fourth of the liquid mixture into the batter and beat on low to slowly incorporate. Then add one third of the dry mixture, and slowly beat into the cake. Alternate with the remaining ingredients until everything is incorporated. Make certain to end with liquid.

Divide the batter into the pans. (Or if you're me with one pan, measure it out following Wilton's handy chart according to what pan you are using.) Be very careful not to overfill the pans, because this cake rises! I almost had a HUGE problem on my hands (which led me to bumping down the temperature from the original recipe.) Each cake will need to bake between 35 and 40 minutes, or until golden, pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for just a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Make sure all the layers are completely cool before icing. Also, don't forget to level the cakes before stacking them!

My mom's Chocolate Buttercream Icing: 

• 1/2 cup butter 
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 4 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2-4 tbsp cream/milk 

Beat together the butter and shortening until smooth. Beat in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the powder sugar, beating the mixture and stopping periodically to scrape down the bowl. Before adding the last cup of powder sugar, add no more than 2 tbsp of cream and beat until well combined. Add the last cup of powder sugar. At this point continue beating the icing until it is smooth and creamy. If the icing is to stiff, add more cream, if it is too soft or will not set up on its own, add a little more powder sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

All in all this was a good cake. Not the best I have ever had, definitely nowhere near the worst. It was a crazy five and a half inches tall! I wasn't sure it was going to pit in my cake stand. Hopefully you'll have a chance to try this recipe and let me know what tips and tricks you used to make this your own. And don't forget to check out more of my cakes and recipes!