Dear Chase:

A cookie a day makes the blues go away or at least that is what I would like to think...ha! I think cookies are the most universally liked sweet treat that kids and adults can both agree on but the best flavor is still up to the each cookie monster from within. I mean there are so many kinds to choose from.....from sugar to peanut butter to oatmeal raisin to chocolate chip, not to mention snicker doodles to shortbread to the unforgettable raisin pecan cookies I use to have as a child. The list is endless and so is the creativity you can bring to each cookie. The cookie you see above is a shortbread based cookie with a fruity raspberry jam in the middle and rolled in sugar for that extra sweet crunch. The classic shortbread cookie is a combination of flour, butter, sugar and salt and all of the flavor comes from the butter so I always use a organic, high quality butter...it does make all the different. But instead of cutting them into a particular shape, I decided to roll them into balls, dust them with some sugar and placing a thin thin layer of raspberry jam to give it a tart but sweet finish. I served these for your Birthday brunch and they were a huge hit.

The next cookie on my plate will be another jam filled cookie but this one will be rolled in walnuts and baked to perfection.. until next time.

Chase Year Two

Dear Chase:

Happy Birthday to you- Happy Birthday to you- Happy Birthday dear Chasers...Happy Birthday to you!!!

So, I am entering this blog  the week of your birthday and I'm so happy that we were able to celebrate your special day with close family and friends this past weekend. Your dad and I decided to do something a bit different than a party in the park or a recreational center ..we decided to host a day time event, brunch at our house. We had games (that weren't played), prizes, a memorable video of your first two years, a lot of food, presents, joy and laughter. All in all.. I think it was a magical day for everyone, especially me. You see, your birthday isn't just about food, fun and presents, it is the day that most precious and important person came into my life and I am a happier and more complete person. Chase, I love  you more than I can ever express and I certainly do try to show you in every way that I know how. Sometimes, it is with a hug, a thousand kisses a day or being able to cook for you. I cherish ever minute of it and I can't imagine my life without you. So-Happy Birthday to my little man, always remember how much mommy loves you.

Dear Chase:

There are so many trends out there and new things to try but I would say the newest trend is -COCONUTS! Everything from coconut milk, coconut water to coconut desserts. I know I have been making my coconut cream pies for several occasions but this time I wanted to make the classic and super easy to make-coconut macaroons. You know me.. I like to eat my calories versus drinking them so if I have any form of a coconut- it will have to be the ingredient of some decadent or even simple treat. I would consider these cookies a simple but satisfying cookie that can be stored for up to a week.

I like my coconut macaroons with a chewy, dense texture so these fit the bill, perfectly :)

Mini Morsels

Dear Chase:

What you see in the picture above is a large platter full of mini New York style cheesecakes and mini Key Lime pies that I made for a family/friends gathering tonight. You will be busy playing with all your cousins to notice mommy eating her fair share of these beautiful and tasty treats, ha! Every time we have a gathering, I am usually the one that makes the dessert but I have to say that it does get hard to find the perfect dessert that everybody will love For this particular event, I decided to make mini versions of my favorite desserts-creamy cheesecakes and a tart and sweet key lime pie.

Banana Cream Pie

Dear Chase:

Nothing makes me smile more than a big slice of homemade banana cream pie or in this case a"tart". These pies can have either a pastry or a graham cracker crust and their toppings could be whipped cream or a soft and creamy meringue. Forget what you think you know about banana cream pie and learn how to make this super easy recipe. To make a delicious Banana Cream Pie you need to make everything from scratch from the tender pastry crust, vanilla infused pastry cream, perfectly ripe bananas to the fresh whipped cream to bring it all together.

I will post my easy to make recipe shortly....stay tuned.

Lemon Bars

Dear Chase:


I know you are too young to know this but there is an old saying that I have heard my whole life and it is "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...well in my case, I decided to make Lemon Bars, ha! This  phrase means that life is going to toss all sorts of challenges and obstacles your way but it is what you make of it that matters and what will make the ultimate difference in the final outcome. So, no matter what life throws at you, take it all in and make the very best of every situation and everything will be just fine.


Now, back to these amazingly delicious,  super fast and easy to make -lemon bar or sometimes they are called lemon squares too. These bars have the perfect combination of a buttery, tender shortbread crust and it is filled with a tangy lemon filling that makes them so so good! I love how the shortbread crust hold the lemon filling and separates as it bakes for a gooey and moist texture.


Follow this recipe and enjoy!


Shortbread Crust:
1/2 c. Unsalted Butter, room temperature
1/4 c. Powered Sugar or icing sugar
1 c. All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt


Lemon Filling:
1 c. Sugar Cane Sugar
2 Large Eggs, plus (1) yolk
1/3 c. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. Lemon Zest
2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour


Start off by pre-heating our oven to 350 degrees and spray your pan with a non-stick vegetable spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add all of the flour and salt at once and beat on medium speed until the dough starts to come together. Take the dough and press it into your prepared pan and bake for 18 mins or until the edges are lightly brown. Remove form the oven and allow to cool while you make the lemon filling.


Lemon Filling: Beat the sugar and eggs together until smooth. (I just use a whisk and a bowl for this step). Then, add the lemon juice, zest and stir to combine. Fold in the flour and pour the filling over the cooled shortbread and bake for 18-19 minutes or until the filling is set. Do not over bake, the center should still be quite soft. 


I must warn you that these are very addictive...I should know I had three in one sitting, ha! Enjoy!

What a Peach!

Dear Chase:


You are probably thinking that this is just another pie recipe and what makes this pie so different or special. Well, I have to start with the super ripe peaches that I bought over two weeks ago and if I didn't use them today, then I would have to throw them out...what a waste! So, I decided to make this pie using homemade pie dough from the freezer and 8 white peaches that were just ripe for the baking.


One of my favorite ways to have peaches is in the form of a pie. I combine two layers of pastry with fresh peaches, a little sugar for sweetness, a few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, cinnamon and ginger plus 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken juices.  What could be more perfect on a warm summer's night or any night for that matter, ha!


Here is the easiest recipe for a dessert that will satisfy the masses.



Follow my recipe for a perfect pie crust with the peach filling recipe below:


8 Medium Peaches, peeled and sliced
2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/8 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Ground Cardamon


Fill your pie and bake for 45-50 mins at 350 degrees until you have a nice golden brown crust and the fruit is soft when you test it with a fork or knife.


Tip: To ensure that you get a nice golden brown crust, brush the top of your pie with egg whites prior to baking. 

Chocolate, Pecans and Coconut- OH MY!

Dear Chase:

German Chocolate Cake is an impressive looking cake not to mention one of my favorites. You start off with layers of moist chocolate cake that are stacked, one on top of another, with a sweet and gooey caramel like frosting , rolled with toasted coconut and pecans. This is not your typical chocolate cake with a semi-sweet chocolate frosting that usually covers the entire cake. A German Chocolate Cake leaves its sides bare so you can see both the frosting and the cake. For this particular recipe, I decided to make German Chocolate cupcakes with a decadent coconut, pecan frosting scooped on top. I always like a bit of history or trivia to go along with my desserts so the name "German" Chocolate Cake seems to suggest a tie to Germany but in fact the name refers to the type of chocolate used to make the cake.  Walter Baker & Company employee, Samuel German is the one who developed the chocolate back in 1852.

For this recipe, I did not use the "German" chocolate that is traditionally used for this cake but instead I opted for a less sweet option; unsweetened cocoa powder. I think it tastes much better but let's be honest, the coconut- pecan frosting is what makes this cake or so good!


Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe:

2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Eggs  plus (1) egg yolk 

1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2  C. Heavy Cream

1/2 C. Whole Milk
1 C. Canola Oil
1 tsp Vanilla
1 C. Hot Water

Pecan- Coconut Frosting:

1 C. Heavy Cream
1/2 C. Butter, softened
1/2 C. Sugar
3 Egg Yolks
1 C. Shredded Coconut
1 C. Chopped Pecans

You can't eat just one or at least I didn't, ha! Enjoy!

Perfect Pie Crust

Dear Chase: 

My newest and latest obsession is making, baking and of course eating pie crust. I don't know what it is but whether it is savory or sweet, I have been making pies of all kinds as my dessert of choice. I just hope all of my friends and family aren't getting tired of all my different pie recipes. Ha! You know I heard someone once tell me, that the mark of a good baker is whether you can pull a pie crust from out of your back pocket. I must say that until recently I felt making your own pie dough was a bit daunting and not necessary if you can buy it in your near by frozen food isle. I mean with all that flour and making sure the dough isn't too tough, too thick or thin or heaven forbid not flaky enough. But after tasting my first homemade pie crust and learning how to make it from the Ultimate teacher (my mom), I am no longer afraid of making my own pastry dough. This Pie Crust recipe, also known as Pate Brisee (pronounced paht bree-ZAY), which make a deliciously rich and buttery flavored pastry with a crisp and flaky texture. In my many tested recipes, I prefer using half butter and half shortening. The butter will add flavor to your pie dough and the shortening will give it that flaky and tender texture that you are looking for in a pie crust. 

This dough is great for savory pies such as chicken or turkey pot pie and for the sweet pies, well the list goes on and on but I have to say that my new favorites are coconut pie, banana cream pie and blueberry. I still love the all American Apple pie but I do like to keep things interesting and mix it up a bit. 

My next pie to make is a caramel apple pie for a family dinner coming up soon and with peaches and so many other fruits in season, I am thinking of a peach/raspberry pie is worth a try. 

Stay tuned.... and check out the recipe below

Follow this recipe below and starting making your very own pie crust at home. 

Pie Crust Recipe:

2 1/2 cups  All-purpose flour

1 teaspoon  salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into small cubes 

1/2 cup All Vegetable Shortening or Butter Flavored

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl (chill the blow for 15 mins in the refrigerator, if possible)  Add 1/2 c. Butter (cut into pieces and chilled) and 1/2 c. shortening (cut into pieces and chilled). Using a pastry blender or even your fingers, blend the fats into your flour mixture. The mixture should resemble coarse meal with a crumbly texture. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of ice water in slowly and start to blend using a fork or even your hand until the dough starts to clump together when pinched. If the dough is dry, add the remaining water. 

Turn the dough out onto your work surface and gather it into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten each portion into a 5 inch  cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes, or until firm enough to roll out. (This will chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax).

Cheesecake Factory

Dear Chase:

For anyone who knows me knows that I am not really a fan of many cheese based products  but these mini cheesecakes are one of the few exceptions to my many rules. I didn't really like cheesecake growing up as a child and I always turned down anything I was offered if there was any form of cheese in it. But cheesecake is very different in my book. This particular recipe is very similar to a New York style cheesecake, smooth, full of flavor and texture with just a hit of lemon and a tang of sour cream. I made these to serve at our monthly family gatherings and they are a huge hit!

Daily Dose

Dear Chase:

The word of the day is "Inspiration"- a stimulation or arousal of the mind, feeling, or even to special or unusual activity or creativity. Inspiration can come from any action, influence or idea that propels or entices one to act. That is how the dictionary defines "Inspiration" but I define it with visual images or captivating stories that really makes me think or "snap to" as they say. My lasted dose of  "Inspiration" comes from a very talented woman that is not only a wonderful mother, great cook but one of my favorite actresses...."Gwyneth Paltrow" and her first ever cookbook, "My Father's Daughter". I loved her stories about how she learned to cook with her father, testing recipes and really using those times to build this amazing bond between them. That is how I feel about you and the bond that we share. I know you don't remember this but I  use to bake a lot with you when I was pregnant with you and  I would test out all sorts of recipes in hopes of cooking all these delicious dishes that you would be able to enjoy someday. (little did I know how picky of an eater you would be, ha!) I know I have been really busy lately and I havent' been baking as much but since learning about this new book, I can't wait to get back into the kitchen and test a few of "Gwyneth's" favorite recipes. 
  
Stay tuned as I will try out (3) of her favorite recipes and taste test them myself. I do tend to take any recipe that I find and modify it and make it my own but I will make all these recipes true to the ingredients and see how they turn out. I already know that I will try her pancake recipe and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. I did always think that any batter somehow works better after the dough or batter has time to settle. We shall see... or should I say "eat".

Morning Glory

Dear Chase:

I must say that this is absolutely without a doubt the best banana bread that I have ever made. It is light, moist, full of banana flavor with just a hint of cinnamon. I was once again spending my entire Sunday night in the kitchen making lunch for you and your dad for the week and I was about to throw away these bananas that looked pretty rotten. Instead of tossing them away, I decided to not waste such a perfect ingredient or opportunity to make some delicious banana bread for my breakfast tomorrow and possibly the rest of the week! You know when it comes to using fruit in baking, the more ripe the fruit, the better the end result will be. We will both enjoy these tomorrow together, you with a bottle of milk and I will enjoy a slice with my cup of Joe.

Coco-Nutty!

Dear Chase:

It looks like bananas are not the only thing in season right now.. it seems like pies are all range for our household. This pie is the 6th pie that I have made since the super popular banana cream pie. I don't know what it is but there is just something so warm and spring-like about pies. I love pies so much, that I don't really even have one favorite. I love all sorts of pies, from apple, blueberry and peach to chocolate, pecan, or any other pie you can think of. The newest pie to hit our island is this super creamy, decadent yet light as air, coconut cream pie. I would have to say that the inspiration for this recipe started when I came across this article about the many health benefits of coconut water. The article talks about the many benefits of coconut water from increased metabolism, better hydration, promotes weight loss to boosting your immune system. Your grandmother has always told me how the juice from a young coconut is good for your health but I never really thought much of it until now. It really sparked my interest as well as the inspiration for this particular dessert. I'm not saying it is the same thing by any means but my baking inspiration does come a lot from seasonal ingredients to a specific ingredient that I want to try.  This coconut cream pie is so easy to make and there is no baking required. Follow my simple recipe below and give it a try....

Ingredients:

2c. Heavy Cream
1c. Whole Milk
4 Large Egg Yolks
1/2 c. Cane Sugar
1/4 c. Cornstarch
1 Vanilla Bean, scraped or Vanilla Extract
1 c. Shredded Coconut
1 Pre-made pie crust or you can use my pie crust recipe



Directions:

Filling:
In a large pot, simmer the (1c.) heavy cream, milk, sugar and cornstarch all together. Add egg yolks one at a time and slowly whisk together. Continue to stir at medium heat but do not let the mixture come to a boil. As you stir, mixture will start to get thicker forming a custard-like consistency. Remove from heat and stir in your vanilla bean or vanilla extract. Let cool before putting into pie crust.

Pie Crust:
Take crust out of the packaging and bake in the oven for 12-15 at 350 degrees, until golden brown.


Take your cooled pie crust and pour your custard filling and smooth the top. Next toast the coconut on a sheet try in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-8 mins. Then, whip the remaining heavy cream in a mixer at high speed until the cream thickens and top off the pie with a big dopple of whipped cream. Lastly, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the pie and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

DAMN!

Dear Chase:

I'm guessing you are wondering if mommy is using a bad word or is there another meaning to these four letters. ...and the answer would be "YES" In almost any other case, this is not a word that you or anybody should be using except for this one purpose. Your father and I have a love for movies ...comedies, dramas, and even an occasional horror film but most of all we love kicking back and spending some time watch a great film. Your dad likes to watch his movies with a nice glass of wine and his i-phone in hand. I, on the other hand like to watch my movies with a decadent, calorie-filled dessert that I had prepped the night before. We started do this more so after you turned "1" and we actually had the energy to get through an entire movie..ha! So, soon after "DAMN" Fridays were born....aka- "Dinner and Movie Night". Your little cousin Cody, Auntie Vanessa and Uncle Jeff now join us for movie nights and it has become somewhat of a tradition for the past two months. We very much look forward to seeing them after a long week at work and it gives you a great opportunity to play and get to know Cody more and more plus it gives me an audience to share with two other dessert lovers!

Enjoy this time with your cousin Cody....you are building so many memories together without even knowing it.

Twix

Dear Chase:

It seems like forever since I baked my last dessert but all it takes is a birthday party, a gathering of friends and family to bring me right back to the kitchen and become one again with my beloved mixer :) I know you have seen me make this dessert several times in the past months but I have to say that they are just as addictive to make as they are to eat.The best way to describe these decadent little chocolate-caramel tart-lets is to compare them to a candy bar. There are so many different candy bars out there....from almond joy, snickers to butterfinger and kit kat but I have to say my favorite is still  "Twix". The perfect combination of a cookie and candy bar all rolled into one. The secret to this recipe is the homemade caramel sauce that give each tartlet this chewy/moist texture.

For my recipe on this must have treat, you can email me at sweetjoysf.com

Two men and a cake

Dear Chase:

Tonight was one of those perfect evenings....good food, great wine, engaging conversation and a sweet ending that makes a night like this so memorable. You must be wondering what I mean, Chase. Well, to start we haven't had any company over in quite some time and you know how much we love to entertain so we invited over the whole family over to celebrate two very important birthdays. Your grandfather's and Uncle Nelson, two very special men. As always, I was in charge of making the desserts but unlike any other dessert addition, mine was going to be the main attraction..."The Birthday Cake".  I must admit that I did feel a bit of pressure and a little stressed when thinking of what to make. I went through all my recipes and finally decided on a fresh banana cake with a whipped vanilla cream. The picture above is the masterpiece in all its glory, right before we blew out the candles and devoured very last slice. It was such a "hit" that some family members have even requested that I make it again for yet another gathering. You can't get a better compliment than that, so if you are looking for a sure winner...give this recipe a try.

Just a taste!

Dear Chase:

Below you will see the dessert menu that I will be making for your Grandfather and Uncle Nelson's Birthday Celebration this coming week! I am so excited to get back into the kitchen and whip up some delicious treats for everyone to try. Stay tuned.....

 Dinner Dessert Sampler


Ginger Cake
Cream Cheese Vanilla Frosting

Mini Éclairs
Dark Chocolate Glaze

 
Pecan Shortbread
Dusted with Powered Sugar

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
Cocoa Katifi, and Chantilly Crème

Chocolate Caramel Tartlets
Sea Salt Sprinkle

Taking a Break

Dear Chase:

I know it has been awhile since I have written to you but I will get back on track as the end of January approaches. We all had such a wonderful holiday season with family and friends.....sometimes it can be hard to get back into your normal routine. I do plan on having a decadent dessert party on the weekend of Valentine's Day but until then...I will be make some goodies here and there to share with you. I think my next item on the menu will be homemade coconut marshmallows. Stayed tuned...... YUMMY!