Vanilla Semifreddo With Raspberry Sauce

This refreshing dessert received oohs and aahs from the family.

Coconut layer cake

I made this lovely cake for my husbands birthday a few weeks ago. He loves coconut so when I found this recipe it was perfect!

Brownie Bites

I was craving something chocolaty today and decided to make a little treat, literally.

Rhubarb Galette

I think a fruit galette is one of my absolute favorite desserts to eat and to make.

Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf

I love the sweet breads they serve at Starbucks. The lemon bread and the pumpkin bread, but most of all the gingerbread loaf.

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Today is a glorious fall day!  It is nice and warm, but there are clear signs that the season undoubtedly is changing.

Peach Galette with Almond Paste Butter

Seeing the abundance of peaches in the produce section of my grocery store right now I had the urge to make a simple dessert using a few.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries

Nothing rounds off a summery meal quite like a show-stopping Pavlova.

Heart shaped Carrot Cake with Raspberries and Lime

Carrot cake may not sound like the most romantic treat  for your valentine.

Easy brownie shortcake dessert

For my birthday I was going back and forth weather to buy a cake from a local bakery or make my own.  I had wanted to make this yummy looking cake for a while and decided it was pretty easy and quick to put together. The cake layers were made with brownie mix from a box, the filling from ready made cool whip and then it was just a matter of piling on the fresh berries. Couldn't be easier!

Raspberry-Rhubarb buckle with almonds

Rhubarb, Rhubarb everywhere! In spring one of the first plants to make an appearance in peoples gardens here in the Midwest is Rhubarb. A plant with long deep red stalks and big leaves. Only the stalks are edible, in fact the leaves are quite poisonous (to learn more go to http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/botanical). Every cooking magazine this time of year has a section on Rhubarb and its uses, which are plentiful: soups, salads, jams, sauces and not to forget the classic Rhubarb pie!

Chocolate Heath bar ice cream cake

This is the Chocolate Heath bar ice cream cake I made for my son's 16th birthday this past week. I know a couple of people who are eagerly awaiting this recipe, so I am posting it ahead of my intended schedule. This cake was a huge hit at my house! Everyone, including myself, were so surprised that you can make your own ice cream and cake that tastes even better than Dairy Queen's! This cake is a take on another Norwegian treat that you are very likely to find at any celebration. It is traditionally called Daim cake, which is the name of the crunchy toffee chocolate used in making it. If you have an Ikea store close by you can purchase it there, if not the Heath bar is an almost exact match.

Heart shaped chocolate ganache cake

As I am writing this I am getting increasingly excited to see the BIG wedding tomorrow. My 13-year-old daughter and I have decided to get up before the crack of dawn to see history in the making. It is also my 17th wedding anniversary on the 29th, so it is a special day for me regardless of Royal weddings. I hope William and Kate's journey through life together turns out as wonderful as Robert's and mine has been, and continuous to be. Best wishes to them and many more for us too!

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with pecans

Spring has finally sprung here in Saint Paul, Minnesota! I spent the weekend doing some spring cleaning and putting away all our winter clothing and gear. The sleds have now given way to bikes and scooters and sidewalk chalk. Ahh- at last! Another sure sign of spring is my dependable chive plant in the back garden, which every year is the first greenery to make its appearance. It smells wonderful! It will grow into a tall beautiful bush by mid summer. I already had some on my cream cheese bagel for lunch today, and I will surely put it to good use in the months ahead.

Beautiful strawberry banana cream birthday cake

Today was my oldest daughter Vilde's birthday. She turned 13! That makes for 2 teenagers in our house, with two more to come. Vilde really likes baking and took an active part in designing this cake. She gave me specifics about what she wanted in it and together we decided on how to put it all together. Wow !! It turned out beautiful and incredibly delicious! This is probably the prettiest cake I have ever made.

Banana cake

Having guests this week end? Serve this moist and fresh banana cake from one of my favorite cookbooks The Silver Palate (Julee Rosso, Sheila Lukins). Their recipes never fail. My kids couldn't get enough of this tasty treat.

Banana Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pans

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring the pans

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, separated

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

 1/2 cup buttermilk

1 t vanilla extract

Cream cheese frosting (below)

1 1/2 to 2 medium-size, firm but ripe bananas, sliced

1 1/2 cups shelled chopped walnuts
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting the top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.
Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add the mashed bananas. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and add them to the butter mixture. Stir until just combined. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.
Cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack for 2 hours.
When cooled, place one layer on a serving plate and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Arrange slices of banana over the frosting; cover with the second layer and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Cover the sides of the cake with the chopped nuts, holding the nuts in your palm and pressing them firmly to the sides of the cake. Dust the top of the cake with confectioner's sugar.

8 or more portions

Cream cheese frosting:
(This is great on carrot cake as well.)
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 t vanilla extract
juice of 1/2  lemon (optional)

Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
Slowly stir in the confectioner's sugar and continue beating until fully incorporated. The mixture should be free of lumps. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice if desired.
Makes enough for a 2 layer cake.

Quick tip: Put pieces of parchment paper around and under the edge of the cake to catch spills from frosting. Pull out when you are done and Voila! Clean serving plate.

Fancy pre-superbowl Sunday Brunch

Superbowl Sunday is here! Yohoo! OK, so I am just trying to sound enthusiastic and adapt to American culture.Truth be told, after having lived her in the US for more than 17 years I have never become hooked on football. I think it is a game that is hard to love if you have not grown up with it. Huge guys piling on top of each other, and too much stop and go. Give me a fast paced soccer game or handball game. I can understand that! (handball you say? Google it!).  My guys will be watching though. My family and I are exited, however, that the Black Eyed Peas will be performing during the half time show, with rumors of other surprise acts. We will be glued to that. But first we will host a family brunch with Robert's parents and other relatives. I have put together a really tasty menu, most of which can be prepared a day in advance. That makes the day of, so much more relaxing. Two of the recipes, the Crunchy Zucchini rounds and the strata, comes from this beautiful cookbook I found at Cooks. It is simply named Brunch! 100 fantastic recipes for the weekend's best meal, by Gale Gand. Great inspiration and photos of almost all the dishes makes this book a treat for a food nerd like me.

Here is the menu (all recipes to follow):

Sunday Brunch menu

Crunchy Zucchini rounds

(with roasted tomatoes and goat cheese)

Bacon, cheddar, mushroom

 and tomato strata

Green salad With apples and Parmesan

Carrot cake

Crunchy Zucchini rounds With roasted tomatoes and goat cheese

2 medium zucchini

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Oven roasted tomatoes (see below)

3 oz fresh goat cheese

2 T chopped fresh chives

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch-thick rounds and lay them flat on a platter (about 24 slices). Sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Place 1 piece of roasted tomato on each zucchini slice. Pinch a bit of goat cheese on top of each tomato piece. Sprinkle with the chopped chives, drizzle with the olive oil, and serve.

Oven roasted tomatoes

(Can be made up to 4 days ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready for use. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Makes 24 pieces

6 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters lenghtwise

1/4 cup olive oil

2 t herbes de Provence

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground pepper

Lay the cut tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for about 2 hours, until the tomatoes are dried and wrinkled and their edges look lightly toasted (mine became a little too dark, so check them occasionally!)

Bacon, cheddar, mushroom and tomato Strata

5 cups cubed French bread (with crust)

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon (6-8 strips)

1 cup sauteed sliced white or shiitake mushrooms

1 cup chopped tomatoes

10 large eggs

1 Qt whole milk

1 t dry mustard

1t salt

Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Put the bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle them with the cheddar cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Combine the remaining ingredients (bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes) and sprinkle over the egg mixture and fold them in gently. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Uncover the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes, until the mixture has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top, and the strata doesn't shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan. Tent the dish with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

(recipes adapted from Gayle Gand's book Brunch!)

Baby greens with apples, toasted pecans and Parmesan

10oz baby greens salad mix

1/2  small red onion, thinly sliced

1 apple, quartered and sliced thin

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

Sweet apple vinegar

Fresh parmesan shavings

Toast pecans in dry pan until fragrant, about 4 minutes.

In large salad bowl, mix salad greens, onion and apples. Toss with apple vinegar. Sprinkle  with pecans and parmesan shavings on top.

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Cake:

Cooking spray

9 T butter, softened

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 t vanilla extract

9 oz all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

2t baking soda

1t ground Cinnamon

1/4 t salt

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

2cups finely shredded carrot

Frosting:

1/2 cup (4oz) block-style fat-free cream cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 t vanilla extract

1/8 t salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1 T orange sugar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 t vanilla extract.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 t salt; stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 t vanilla, and 1/8 t salt in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. Cover and chill 10-15 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

(recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine/Quick baking)