Creaming Butter and Sugar

I hope today's link works! (If not PLEASE) let me know in the comments.

Sometimes Saucy and I forget that we have been baking and cooking for a while and that there may be some people new to the kitchen.

So I was thinking for my portion this week I'd do some more back to basics. Saucy is hoping to join us this week and I'm very excited to see what she has "cooked" up for us!

I remember when my Grandma had her old mixer out and was making cookies for the bazillion grandkids and I loved to watch. She also cooked for a Rotary Club and I would sometimes go help set tables and pray she had extra bread leftover!

Sorry memory side track - can still smell that Rotary Club and see those men's faces when they would take a plate full of her food!

Any way she taught me how to cream butter and sugar. I didn't think it was a huge deal at the time, since then I've learned that it makes a huge difference in your desserts. This video is one I liked as the results at the end are exactly what you should see in your mixing bowl.

Now excuse me while I go try to find a deal on a new mixer as I have worn mine out!

https://youtu.be/mRBX-4KRRkI

Brown butter bourbon spice cookies

Still sick so I'm just going to give you one of the best cookie recipes for the holidays. That is of course next to my Papa's Date cookies that I refuse to share the recipe with anyone!

As always check out the credits!

Brown Butter Bourbon Spice Cookies Recipe
Yield: 14-16 large cookiesPrep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 25 minutes
A fall-inspired cookie recipe with warm brown butter, sweet bourbon and spicy hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice.
ingredients:
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned (see note below) & cooled
2 1/2 cups (11 1/4 ounces by weight) flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces by weight) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces by weight) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces by weight) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. Bourbon
directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with a Silpat liner or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice together until blended. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all of the sugars, along with the cooled brown butter and, using a paddle attachment, mix until well-blended. It won't be creamy like a normal cookie batter. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer on low sweet, add the bourbon and mix until it is distributed.
Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Using a 2 3/4-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are just done on the edges.
Cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Cassie's Notes:
To brown the butter: place butter pieces in a small sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, stir with a wire whisk and continue to whisk constantly. The color will begin to change and you'll see some brown flakes on the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir until the butter has a nutty fragrance and is golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir until the foam subsides. The whole process will take 8-10 minutes. Be patient!
This delicious recipe brought to you by Bake Your Day
http://www.bakeyourday.net/brown-butter-bourbon-spice-cookies/

Raspberry Butter Cake

HAPPY THURSDAY! At least that's what Saucy would tell you. She's always got a good out look on life for everyone! She is off doing her thing, so she sent me this recipe to share with you. I hope you enjoy and have an amazing weekend ahead! Saucy's brother in law is headed to mh house for the Sturgis Motorcycle rally. So, I am off to get stuff ready for that and to get my kids moving on their chores for the day.

RASPBERRY BUTTER CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
  
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter + 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 10" round baking pan (a 9x12 pan works, too).

1. Sprinkle the brown sugar in the bottom of the pan. Pour 6 Tbsp. of the melted butter evenly over the brown sugar, then lay the berries evenly on top.
2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the 1/2 cup of butter and the granulated sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well.
3. Fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the butter mixture. Stir in the cream and vanilla until smooth.
4. Spoon the batter evenly over the raspberries.
5. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven; transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
6. Run a knife blade around the edge of each cake to loosen it from the ramekin. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Lightly tap the bottom of the pan to loosen the cake, then lift the pan.
7. Serve the cake warm and top with whipped cream if desired.

Cheddar Biscuits

Hello Crazies!  I hope your week is going well.  We have been experiencing snow, blowing, snow, icy roads and our section of interstate was even closed for a short time.  there were over 40 accidents in our area on Monday as well.  Welcome to winter in SD!  I know I have lived here my entire life, but I still don't like it when it comes.  Mainly because I know my driving abilities and accident prone self should not be out on those roads! 

The head resident was a little off his rocker yesterday singing and teaching the children strange things.  I think he had been home too long!  He did have 5 days off (4 of those with our children).  It is enough to make even the sane go crazy!

We have been invited to the neighbors for chili and I thought these would make the perfect side! Make sure you check in tomorrow for Saucy's version of these biscuits! We were on the same cookbook page this week...

Cheddar Biscuits

Similar to Red Lobster.

4 cups bisquick

1 cup cold water

2 sticks of butter

1 1/2 cubs shredded sharp cheddar

(I have used Colby Jack, and marble)

2 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp garlic powder 

(I shake a little more in)

1 tsp Italian seasoning 

 

Pumpkin Butter

So things are actually going pretty sane at my Asylum!  Which has me scared to death!  When things go this well for this long, something has to give.  My hubs accuses me of always looking for the bad so of course I am going to find it!


I also realized we haven't been sharing much of the crazy because the crazy is keeping us busy!  My kiddos are back to school, hubs is back to his regular work schedule (which is crazy in itself) and I am holding down the fort (or Asylum in this case).  One of the things that drives me the craziest is meal planning and having a decent healthy meal on the table for my family.  That is why we created this blog!  Saucy and I both love to cook/bake and wanted to expand our horizons and maybe share some great food with great friends along the way.


We found out yesterday we have readers in other countries as well (I am sure we look certifiable to you) thanks for joining us on this crazy adventure!


Today, I figured you would need something to put on Saucy's Pumpkin muffins!  So I thought I would share a quick and easy pumpkin butter recipe.  The recipe says it is good to freeze as well!  I have never tried it as it doesn't make it that long for me!  I also double this recipe to share with a neighbor!



Slow Cooker "Spicy" Pumpkin Butter
skinnyms.com
Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) OR
• 15 oz. freshly baked and pureed pumpkin
• 1/3 cup 100% apple juice (no sugar added) (this is optional as I have made it without and it was great, just replace with water)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I used pancake syrup)
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

Stir all ingredients together in a 1 or 1 1/2 quart slow cooker and cook until it thickens (about 5-6 hours) on low.

While hot, it will still be runny, even after thickening. Place in a heat-safe container and chill overnight in the fridge.

More honey can be added for sweetness if desired.

NOTE: This is a "spicy" pumpkin butter. If you like a milder version, simply cut the ginger, cloves and nutmeg in half. (you can always add them back in later)

Storage: Keep in fridge for up to 2 or 3 weeks. Freezes well.

What is great about this recipe is you get that homemade taste of canned pumpkin butter without having to can it!

Pssst....Want to know how I get the labels off of the jars?  Head over to my other blog and find out!  I don't think Saucy will mind since I share this blog over there too!