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Apple Butter Pound Cake

9/30/2022

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I got to spend last weekend with this precious soul.  
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Spending time with his parents isn't so bad either.  😅


Just kidding guys - I love hanging out with the two of you just as much as I do your precious pooch! 
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My weekend with this sweet family of three went by way too fast.  We managed to squeeze a lot of activities into a few short days though - I even did a little baking while I was there.  I know, I know - noone is surprised by that. 😅  
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Homemade apple fritters!🍎Amazing! And now, you're probably asking yourself why this blog post isn't about apple fritters. 🤷🏻‍♀️  The short answer is that I was on vacation and not in the mood to photograph the entire process.  I also kind of love that I have a perfectly acceptable excuse to make them again for the blog though.   😂
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In an attempt to stick to the Fall apple theme - I'm sharing my recipe for a Fall inspired, apple butter filled pound cake.  It's a really simple twist on a classic pound cake recipe and in my humble opinion, it's a perfect Fall dessert.   If you want to make homemade apple butter - you can check out my recipe here, or you can just buy a jar at the grocery store.  
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Apple Butter Pound Cake
1 cup apple butter
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
1 ½ cups butter, softened
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons vanilla

​Icing
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
3 Tablespoons whole milk
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup dried apple chips (optional)
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Beat together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.  
Add sugar and beat another 3 minutes. 
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Beat in eggs, one at a time.  
Gradually add flour and 2 t. vanilla. 
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Stir together apple butter and pecans. 
Stir 1/4 c. batter into apple butter. 
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Pour 1/2 of remaining batter into a greased bundt pan.  
Using a spoon, make a trench in the middle of the batter. 
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Spoon apple butter mixture into trench.
Top with remaining cake batter. 
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Bake cake 80-95 minutes at 325.
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Cool 10 minutes in pan and then remove to cool completely. 
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Bring brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, and milk to a boil in saucepan. Whisk constantly, 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 t. vanilla. 
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​Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. 
Whisk 3-5 minutes until mixture starts to cool and thicken. 
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Spoon over cake. 
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Sprinkle with apple chips. 

I made 2 of these Apple Butter Pound Cakes in 2 days and I was not mad about it. 😅  They make great gifts for neighbors, teachers and friends.  These cakes were actually auctioned off at an old fashioned cake walk.🚶🏻‍♀️ I hope that the winners of my cakes enjoyed them as much as I did.  
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Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
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White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

9/22/2022

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I am notorious for planning exhausting vacations.  If you want to spend your vacation relaxing on the beach with a good book - it's probably best, not to invite me.😅  If you want to see all the boroughs of New York City in a single afternoon - I'll be your travel agent.🙋🏻‍♀️🗽 My family jokes about the training that they have to do in preparation for an "Amy-cation" just so they can keep up with my ridiculous pace.  🏃🏻‍♀️

My speciality is packing a whole lot of adventure into a short amount of time.  Did I mention that we toured Ireland in a weekend? 🇮🇪😅  For me, the litmus test for a good vacation is the level of exhaustion that I feel when I return home. 😅  As you might have guessed, I'm not the easiest person to travel with - I admit that. 😬  Lucky for me, I've got the best, most energetic and tolerant travel partner to accompany me on these crazy vacations.  (I'm pretty sure that was in our wedding vows. 😂)
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My love of packing the maximum into the minimum isn't only a vacation trait for me, though.  It's a characteristic that carries over into my cooking too.   This strawberry cupcake is the perfect example of that.  I managed to squeeze in a serving of fresh strawberries, a handful of frozen strawberries and some heaping spoonfuls of freeze dried strawberries into each cupcake.🍓 This little treat packs a big strawberry punch and it is sooooo good.  
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​White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
1 and 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened 
1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
10 ounces frozen strawberries

White Chocolate Strawberry Frosting
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
10 egg whites
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
6 ounces white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
​1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
fresh strawberries coated with 2 ounces melted white chocolate
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Puree 1/2 pound of strawberries.
Simmer 20 minutes over low heat or until reduced to 1/4 cup.  Cool.  
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Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.  
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Beat in egg whites for 2 minutes.  
Beat in sour cream and vanilla. 
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Add dry ingredients until just incorporated. 
Slowly add milk and the strawberry puree. 
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Scoop batter into paper lined muffin cups, filling 2/3ds full. 
Bake 22 minutes at 350.  Let cool completely. 
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Melt white chocolate in microwave. 
Process freeze dried strawberries into a powder using food processor. 
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Heat egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar over a double boiler. 
Beat on high with whisk until thick and marshmallowy.  
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Beat in butter with a flat beater.
Beat in white chocolate, vanilla, strawberry powder and salt. ​
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Frost cupcakes.
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Decorate with white chocolate covered strawberries. 
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Summer may be coming to an end but doesn't mean that I'm ready to stop making strawberry cupcakes.  Enjoy!

​Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
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Moussaka

9/20/2022

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Greek Taverna Favorites is set to repeat on my apple music playlist this month.  I've rewatched Mama Mia and My Big Fat Greek Wedding at least 2 times each.  I'm buying kalamata olives, eggplant and even feta. 😅  Is it obvious that I'm excited about my upcoming trip to Greece?  The only reason that my suitcase isn't already packed is because I'm still wearing some of the clothes that I need to take with me. 🧳 😂

I've also been experimenting with Greek cooking in preparation for our adventure in Greece.  I figured it would be best if I serve my family Greek food before they have a chance to taste the authentic version. 😂  Much to my surprise, moussaka came up as one of the most popular Greek dishes when I did a google search for traditional Greek dishes.  So, naturally, it was one of the first Greek dishes that I decided to tackle at home. ​
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Traditionally, moussaka is spiced beef or lamb cooked in tomato sauce and layered with eggplant and bechamel sauce. 🍆  This dish sounded so good to me - even though I'm not a big fan of ground beef or lamb.  And that's saying something. 😅  But to make it a little more Amy-friendly - I swapped out ground turkey for the traditional meat in the recipe.  

Don't be intimidated by the lengthy ingredient list for this moussaka.  This is most definitely a meal that you can assemble ahead of time.  I put my moussaka together and stored it in the refrigerator overnight.  The following day, I took it out of the frig, popped it in the oven and 30 minutes later - we were eating.
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Moussaka
Vegetables 
3 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 3/4" pieces
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons + 3 Tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into 1/4" rounds

Meat Sauce
1 Tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 red pepper flakes
1 pound lean ground turkey 
14.5 ounce can tomatoes
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Bechamel
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
3/4 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
​3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
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Toss eggplant with 1/2 c. oil, 1 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper.  
Spread into an even layer on 2 greased, foil lined baking sheets. 
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Roast 30 minutes at 450.  Reduce temperature to 400.
Grease a 9x13" baking pan with 2 t. oil. 
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Toss potatoes with 3 T. oil, 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.   
Cover and microwave 8-10 minutes. 
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Transfer potatoes and any liquid to pan.  Cool and then shingle.   
For meat sauce, heat oil in skillet.  Add onion and salt and cook 6-8 minutes. 
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Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. 
Add turkey and cook until no pink remains.  
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Add tomatoes and wine cook 6-8 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  
Stir in vinegar, cover and remove from heat. 
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For bechamel, melt butter in saucepan.
Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. 
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Whisk in milk and bring to a boil slowly.
Remove from heat and whisk in cheese, salt and nutmeg.
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Whisk in egg yolk.
Cover potatoes with eggplant.  Press gently. 
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Spread meat sauce evenly over eggplant.
Top with bechamel. 
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Place dish on baking sheet.   
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Bake 30 minutes.  ​ Let cool 30 minutes before serving. 

I can hardly wait to get to Greece to find out how my turkey moussaka stacks up against the traditional version.  I absolutely loved this version but I'm certain that it won't even hold a candle to the moussaka that we will taste in Greece.  

Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
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Baked Chicken Drumsticks

9/18/2022

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I published my first blog post in July of 2011.  3-4 recipes a week x 11 years = a LOT of blog posts!  One would think that I've said absolutely everything there is to say about chicken in that amount of time.  😂  Turns out - I've got more chicken recipes to share and more stories to tell you about chicken -- and lots more trivial information to share about my life.😅  When you love food as much as I do - you've got a lot to say about the food that you eat.  🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess I was made to be a food blogger.  

I've posted a lot of chicken recipes over the years.  Mainly because I eat like a pesce-pollotarian.  No worries if you're unfamiliar with that term.  I just learned it myself -- and I'm one of them. 😅  Pesca-pollotarian is the technical name for vegetarians, like me, who eat chicken and fish but avoid red meat and pork.  
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If you want to avoid dinner invitations from friends, tell them that you cook for a living and then inform your host that you're also a pesca-pollotarian.  😅  Only your true friends are willing to overlook all of that and take on the task of preparing food for you despite of it.  Thankfully, I've been blessed with great friends who have accepted my weird eating habits and willingly cook for me anyway.  

Vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free - all words that ignite pangs of stress and anxiety in the heart of even the most seasoned host and hostess.  Throw in an obscure term like pesca-pollatarian and you're almost guaranteed to be served a single, uncooked carrot for dinner. 🥕😂 

Even as a person who has a whole lot of experience in food preparation - I've done my share of google searches while menu planning for guests with special dietary needs.  Google is a really good resource but, if you need extra help - reach out to me.  I've got lot's of great recipes for all kinds different dietary needs.  Especially great chicken recipes like Baked Chicken Drumsticks that are perfect for Tuesday night dinners or to serve at a formal dinner party.  They're pesca- pollotarian, dairy and gluten free.  You're welcome.  
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Baked Chicken Drumsticks
3 pounds chicken drumsticks
1/3 cup sliced oil packed sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons herb de Provence
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon pepper

Sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
​2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
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Toss together the first 9 ingredients.  
Place drumsticks in marinade.  Cover and refrigerate 1-24 hours.
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Place chicken in a skillet.  
Pour remaining marinade over chicken.  
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Bake 55 minutes at 400.
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Transfer chicken to a platter. 
Whisk together water and cornstarch.
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Whisk into pan juices. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes until thickened.
Remove from heat.  Whisk in butter and parsley.  
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Spoon sauce over chicken and serve. 

This is one of those cases where the final product didn't photograph nearly as well as I wanted it to.  The pictures just don't do it justice.  You'll just have to take my word for it that my Baked Chicken Drumsticks were super flavorful and tender or make them and see for yourself.  😉
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Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
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Raspberry Belini

9/16/2022

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I learned recently that a Bellini was originally an Italian cocktail made with Prosecco and peach purée. Legend has it that it originated at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. 🍑🍾 I should have known.  Venice is one of the coolest places that I've ever travelled to.  
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The food and the drinks in Venice were just as amazing as I imagined they would be.  Linguini with clams, margherita pizza, fresh seafood platters and tiramisu - all of it - incredible.   
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Oh, and the Italian wine - not so bad either. 😅🍷
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I'm just a little disappointed that didn't know about the infamous Harry's Bar belini before I went to Venice.  (The bar is still open, by the way - I checked. 😉). But now that I know that the birthplace of the belini is in Venice - I think I need to go back and make a stop at Harry's Bar.🥂. Until next time, Venice.  
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A classic belini is made with peach puree and Prosecco and even though I live in the peach state - I've had terrible luck getting good peaches this summer.  So, I decided to swap the peaches out for raspberries and make a raspberry belini.  Trust me when I tell you that it was just as deliciously refreshing as it looked.  
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Raspberry Belini
½ cup raspberry sauce 
1-2 teaspoon simply syrup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 bottle rosé/pink champagne or sparkling wine
Fresh raspberries
Fresh mint leaves
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Make raspberry puree by microwaving raspberries on high for 4 minutes.  Press through strainer. 
Stir lemon juice and simple syrup into the raspberry sauce. 
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Spoon 1 T. raspberry mixture into each champagne glass.  
Fill glass with champagne.  
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Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint.
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The original recipe for this red belini wasn't very sweet.  Probably because I chose a dry champagne to pair with my tart fruit instead of a sweet sparkling wine.  This may have been the perfect combination for some people but I tend to like my drinks on the sweeter side so I added a teaspoon of simple syrup to my belini.  It was just enough to make my raspberry belini the perfect combination of sweet and sour. 

​Ciao!
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
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