Category: Baking

Baking Recipes

Brownie Caramel Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for “National Brownie Day”. Brownies are a favorite dessert for my husband, but I wanted to put a fancy spin on his favorite.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 package of (dry mix) Dark Chocolate Brown mix
  • 2 eggs (for brownie parts)
  • 4 – 6 tablespoons of water (for brownie parts)
  • 1 (14 ounce) Package of Individually wrapped caramels – unwrapped (salted caramels if you can find them are best)
  • 1 (5 ounce can) evaporated milk
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs (for cheesecake)
  • 1 cup of Hot Fudge Sundae topping

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cut out parchment paper to fit the bottom of your 9″ round spring pan. I cut mine to where the sides when clipped will hold the parchment paper in place.
  3. Grease the bottom of a pie pan.
  4. In a small bowl mix together 9 ounces of the dry brown mix with 1 egg and starting with 2 tablespoons of water, until the brown mix is a thick pourable mixture.
  5. Pour the mixture into your spring pan, this creates the “crust” of your cheese cake.
  6. Mix the remaining brownie mixture 1 egg and starting with 2 tablespoons of water, until the brown mix is a thick pourable mixture.
  7. Pour THIS brownie mixture into the greased pie pan. This creates the brownie bites for the top of the cheesecake.
  8. Bake Brownie pans for 25 min. The brownie in the pie pan will cook faster if you have a large pie pan, you want it firm but not crunchy.
  9. Melt the caramels with the evaporated milk over a very low heat in a heavy saucepan. Stir constantly until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
  10. While the brownie “bottom” is cooling, pour all but 1/3 cup of the carmel over the brownie “bottom”.
  11. Drizzle some of the hot fudge sundae topping over the caramel.
  12. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixture until smooth. Add in your 2 eggs 1 at a time. Beat well after each egg until well mixed.
  13. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the brownie bottom.
  14. Tear off pieces of brownie from your pie pan sheet of brownies, or use a tiny round cutter if you want perfect brownie rounds. Scatter them over the top of your cheese cake, as little or as much as you like.
  15. Bake the cheesecake for 40 minutes. You should notice a “poof” effect when it is done and the top is golden and should have small “cracks”, not big separations.
  16. Quick chill in the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  17. When the cake is thoroughly chilled, loosen the sides by running a knife around the edge and then remove the rim of the pan. Keep in mind, your caramel may be holding on tightly to the rim, edge your knife in carefully to not destroy the outside presentation of the cake.
  18. Heat the reserved caramel mixture and drizzle over the cheesecake.
  19. Heat the hot fudge sundae topping and drizzle over the cheesecake.

I have found that the cake tastes best a day after sitting, the caramel seems to soak into the brownie and the cheesecake more, however, waiting is torture.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I have used this to make several combinations, such as a lemon cake crust with lemon sugar and lemon twists, or adding Rum Dark Cherries in between the dark chocolate brownie crust to have almost a black forest cheesecake. Your only limitation is your imagination.

Until Next Time,

Mrs. Kay Rice

Pineapple Spice Bread

My husband comes up with the ideas, I make them a reality. This one turned out exceptionally well. Enjoy this newly created recipe from our homestead.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup real non salted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp rum flavoring
  • 1/4 cups sweet carrots shredded
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Bravado Spice Co brand Blueberry Ghost Pepper Sauce
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup Brown sugar packed

Directions:

  • Preheat oven 350 degrees Farenheit. Grease & Flour large loaf pan or 9×13 cake pan.
  • Sift all dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. (Not the sugars)
  • In a separate bowl whip together the wet ingredients.
  • Add in the sugars the to the wet ingredients and stir until well mixed.
  • Fold the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients.
  • Add in your carrots and crushed pineapple. Mix well.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Sprinkle sugar down the middle of batter in the loaf pan.
  • Bake for 45 min at 350 degrees F.
  • Check the loaf with placing a toothpick into the loaf. No batter should come back on the toothpick.
  • If not done, bake an add’l 5 minutes then repeat the toothpick test. Repeat until toothpick comes back clean (not wet).
  • Remove from oven
  • Allow to cool on a wire rack in the pan for 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool, bottom up, allowing any additional “moisture” to dry.
  • Turn over, slice & enjoy.
The Rice Homestead Pineapple Spice Bread
The consistency should be that of a moist dessert bread.

Enjoy & until next time,

Mrs. Kay Lynn Rice

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups Sifted flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk
  • 1 cup of purified butter ( liquid)
  • 2 tsp real vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large carrot shredded (I use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons)
  • 2 cups of zucchini shredded (press out liquid)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease & flour bread loaf pan (large) & set aside.
  3. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold together until well mixed. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl whisk together the milk, purified butter,vanilla, white sugar and brown sugar.
  5. Fold in shredded zucchini and shredded carrots.
  6. Once well mixed. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until well blended.
  7. Pour batter into the greased & floured loaf pan.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. **NOTE: I start checking at 45 minutes. Moisture in zucchini can change the baking time.
  9. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before releasing from the pan.
  10. Once done, sprinkle top with sugar & cinnamon.

Enjoy warm or cooled.

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Zucchini Bread

Until next time, Mrs. Kay Rice

My Fruit Cake

myfruitcake

I have had requests for this yummy fruit cake several times. This is not the brick that gets passed around as the dreaded white elephant every year at the holidays. No, this is a recipe given to me by my Grandma and it is yummy!

It is also enjoyable ANY time of year! When I was little my favorite way to enjoy it was to have a slice slightly toasted and slathered with fresh butter (the real stuff). The preserves throughout really doesn’t need butter, but when you have southern family, EVERYTHING is better with butter!

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Prep. Time: 2 hours (You can not rush awesomeness)

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 c butter
  • 2 c sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 c flour
  • 1/2 tsp allspice, ground
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 c buttermilk – REAL Honest thick creamy butter milk!
  • 2/3 c cherry preserves — I make my own, perhaps next year I will use my cherry chipotle jam!
  • 2/3 c apricot preserves – I make my own
  • 2/3 c pineapple preserves – I make my own
  • 1 c pecans, in pieces
  • 1 tsp REAL vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Mix Buttermilk with Baking soda and set aside.
  3. Cream butter (or Margarine), Sugar, & eggs until light, Sift dry ingredients together and add creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and baking soda mixture.
  4. Fold in the remaining ingredients.
  5. Bake in a large tube or bundt pan (You can also use the mini bundt pans for sharing sizes) for 1.5 hrs check at 1 hour at 325F. Cool in pan for 15 mins before removing.
  6. I also sprinkle a little powder sugar or some of my lemon sugar over the top for a look of a kiss of frost.

Now the best part! ENJOY! You may not want to share this fruit cake!

Until Next Time!

Lime Dream Pie

This is a simple no bake pie that is sure to wow and please. Perfect for Sunday company or a family gathering.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of real lime juice
  • 1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 cups of whipped topping
  • 1 baked pastry pie shell
  • 3 drops of natural food coloring
  • Thin slice lime and extra whipped topping if you like.

Directions:

  1. Beat lime juice and condensed milk until well mixed.
  2. Fold in softened cream cheese. Fold until no lumps
  3. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping until no lumps.
  4. Add in 3 to 4 drops of natural green food coloring, stir until no white streaks. Add additional drops to your liking of color.
  5. Pour into baked pastry pie shell.
  6. Decorate with thin slices of lime dipped in sugar and or additional whipped cream.
  7. Refrigerate until serving.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Mrs. Kay L. Rice

Triple Berry Cobbler

Nothing says home like an old fashioned cobbler.  They are quick to make and are eaten even faster!  The perfect dessert for a gathering or family.  Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while still warm and you will melt!

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Mrs. Rice’s Triple Blueberry Cobbler

Filling:

  • 4 cups of mixed berries.  I enjoy Raspberries, blueberries and black berries.  However, you can mix this up as you like.
  • 1 cup of raw honey
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of corn starch
  1. In a very large bowl, mix your berries (with your hands) with the sugar and the corn starch.
  2. Once the berries are well coated, add in your honey.  Using a large wooden spoon, fold the berries so the honey coats well.
  3. Pour into a large casserole pan.

Pie Crust Top:

This is a very basic pie crust, and my husband says he prefers a “drop crust” which to me is not a cobbler, but to each his own.  A drop crust is like sweet drop dumplings, which I am not going to cover here.

  • 1 1/4 cups of lard
  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 tbsp of sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 to 2 tbsp of water
  1. In a large bowl add your flower, sugar and salt.
  2. Add in your lard and “cut” into the flour mixture (I use two butter knives to cut) until there are “marble sized” balls.
  3. Finish mixing with your hands, adding in the water if need be.  You do not want your dough too dry or too wet.
  4. Using parchment paper, sprinkle some flour on the bottom parchment paper add the ball of dough, a dusting of flour on the top and the top parchment paper.
  5. Use a rolling pen to to roll until thin and wide and long enough to cover your casserole dish corner to corner on the inside (not over the edges).
  6. Add the dough to the top of your fruit.
  7. Cut slits or designs into the top of your crust so the juices can nicely escape and not cause an overflow on the edges.
  8. Sprinkle the crust with a light dusting of sugar.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until the crust has a pretty golden glow to it.

Serve hot or cold.  Warm with vanilla ice cream is my ultimate favorite.

Until next time,

Mrs. Kay L. Rice

 

Sour Dough Biscuits

I nearly always have sour dough starter fermenting in our kitchen. It adds up quickly. A great way to use the starter without baking bread is to make biscuits.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup of real butter softened
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour dough starter

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 F
  • Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. This helps prevent burning on the bottom.
  • Mix all ingredients together until well mixed.
  • Sprinkle some flour on your board.
  • Roll slightly with a rolling pin. You don’t want thin biscuits.
  • Cut circles with a round cookie or biscuit cutter. I prefer to use a canning ring.
  • Place on parchment papered pan.
  • Bake for 15 min
  • Serve hot or cooled.

Makes 4 large or 7 small biscuits.

Enjoy and until next time,

Mrs. Kay Lynn Rice

Old-fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies

My momma was the best cookie baker I knew along with her momma, my Grandmama Inez. Her patience and perfection on every step made the outcome well worth the wait as the kitchen filled with the smell of butter and sugar.

One of my favorites has always been the simple little Snickerdoodle. Basically a butter cookie covered with cinnamon.

Here is my recipe.

You’ll need two bowls. One medium one larger.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In the large bowl:

  • Cream 1 cup (2 sticks) of Real Butter.
  • Fold in 1 1/2 cups of sugar.
  • In a small bowl, whip 2 whole large eggs until the are fluffy.
  • Fold in your eggs with your butter mixture.

In your medium bowl sift together:

  • 2 tsp of cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 3/4 cups of flour.

Add your flour mixture to your butter mixture a HALF CUP AT A TIME. Fold in completely to not have any lumps. When you have about a half a cup of flour left, you may want to switch out your spoon and use your Clean hands to knead in the remaining flour.

In a small bowl put in 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Stir until well mixed.

Take your cookie dough scoop, with a Mellon scoop or small spoon, roll the dough into a tight ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon mixture place on your cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. They will spread out a bit.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Place on a paper towel to cool. And enjoy!

Until next time,

Mrs. Kay Lynn Rice

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recently, I baked one of my favorite stand-by cookies to share with friends and coworkers.  Upon receiving many requests to pass on the recipe, I decided to post it, so here it is.  It is a very basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, however, here is the secret.  REAL BUTTER and DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS.  Yup, that’s the secret.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

Wet ingredients mixed in one large mixing bowl:

  1. Cream 1 cup (2 sticks) of REAL softened butter.
  2. Slowly whip in 3/4 cup of white sugar (or raw sugar)
  3. Slowly add in 3/4 cup of dark brown sugar (molasses sugar)
  4. Slowly fold in 1 tsp of real vanilla (imitation vanilla does not have the same flavor)
  5. Off to the side in another small bowl, whip 2 eggs until ‘fluffy’ and add into the wet mixture by folding the eggs in until well disbursed.
  6. Add in 3 cups of dark chocolate chips (4 cups if you use the small (mini) chips)

In a separate bowl, sift together your dry ingredients.

  • 2 1/4 flour
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • 1 tsp of salt

It is very important to thoroughly sift your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before adding to your wet ingredients.

Next, fold in your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients a half cup at a time.  Yes, you read that correctly, a half cup at a time.  fold in making sure the wet and the dry combine evenly, so that the only lumps are your chips.

Once you have all of your ingredients mixed together in one bowl, set to the side.

Cover your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

I use a melon scoop so that my cookies are pretty even in size, but you can use a tablespoon or even a regular silverware spoon.  I scoop the dough and roll them into tight little balls.

Place the balls on your cookie sheet, make sure there is plenty of room in between because they will spread out a bit as they cook.

Bake for 10-11 minutes (until golden brown) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove them from the paper and let cool on a paper towel (or cookie towel-thin weave towel).  Don’t put in your cookie jar or container until completely cooled.

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Sometimes I’ll add a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, sometimes I’ll mix in a cup of mint chips as well, this is to your taste and mood at the time.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know how you liked it!

Until Next Time,

Mrs. Kay Lynn Rice

 

 

Sourdough Flatbread (& Sourdough Starter)

Rarely will you walk into my kitchen and not see a quart (or gallon) mason jar tucked away on the dark part of the kitchen counter filled with sourdough starter.  I use this starter for everything from breads, biscuits, pancakes pretty much anything bread based.  Wheat and raw flours work much better than bleached white flour but you can use that too.

If you don’t know how to make your own sourdough starter:  Here you go.

BASIC SOURDOUGH STARTER

In a mason jar (gallon or quart, nothing less), add in 1 tablespoon of plain real greek yogurt (this is your cultures), 1 cup of your flour (I like wheat), 1 cup of warm room temperature water.  Stir but do not whip. Cover with a cheesecloth over the top, and screw on a mason jar ring.  Tuck away in a nice warm dark spot on your counter.  NOW Here is the important stuff  EVERY DAY at the same time you MUST FEED your starter, kinda like a pet.  It will die if you don’t.  To feed it you add in 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm (not hot, not cold) water.  Stir do not Whip, put the cheesecloth and ring back on set aside.  Do this for 7 days.  You should see “bubbles” and it should expand a tad and have a nice ‘sour’ smell to it.  It’s ready to use in your sourdough recipe of choice. If you have to let it go to sleep (aka not feed it for a few days) put it in the refrigerator where it will go to sleep.  To wake it up, bring it out of the refrigerator and start feeding it again (you do not need to re add the yogurt).

Now onto the FLATBREAD.

But today, I thought I would share with you how to make flatbread.  I love flatbread, it can be used as a soft sandwich shell, you can dip it in hummus or other dips, or use as a “slice” of bread with soup, stew or eggs.  My favorite are whole wheat, and honestly from what I’ve seen in the stores around here, it’s expensive for all it is.

NOTE:  Make your dough the night before, it needs to “rise” at least 8 hours to be perfect.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 7-8 flatbreads):

  • 1 1/2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/4 cup of lard (yes, I use lard, you can use crisco or coconut oil if you prefer)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups of sourdough starter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Fold all of your ingredients together.
  2. Form into a large “ball” in a large greased bowl.
  3. Cover with a “bread towel” and set in a warm place in your kitchen (not on direct heat) and leave it alone overnight (or 8 hours).  Overnight is best.
  4. The next morning, Punch your dough down and form a new ball and let it sit for about 5 minutes or so.
  5. Take a mess of dough about the size of a small fist and form it into a ball.
  6. Place on your rolling mat with a sprinkle of flour (as to not stick to your board or rolling pin) and roll out with your bread rolling pin until round and about 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Carefully lift your dough and place it on a HOT skillet (a cast iron skillet greased is best).  Cook for 30 seconds, flip over and cook for another 30 seconds, flip again, cook for another 30 seconds, and flip a final time and cook another 30 seconds.
  8. Do steps 6 and 7 until all of the balls of dough are done.
  9. They are great to eat immediately, or store them in a bread bag and eat throughout the week.

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

Mrs. Kay L. Rice