Archives for March 2015

Downsized Desserts
Popular dessert blogger shares classic desserts scaled down to serve two in new cookbook.

When it comes to cooking for just two people, scaling down recipes is often a challenge, and finding dessert recipes that serve just two people is nearly impossible. Christina Lane, blogger behind the popular site Dessert for Two, uses this challenge as inspiration in her new, aptly-named cookbook, Dessert for Two: Small Batch Cookies, Brownies, Pies and Cakes.

From classics such as Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Cookies and Red Velvet Cupcakes to new takes on old favorites such as Buttered Grits Cookies with Lime Glaze and Buttered Pecan

Cream Puffs, each recipe is scaled down to serve just two people. Dessert for Two is the perfect cookbook for newlyweds, empty nesters, or anyone looking for a bit of portion control in their lives.

“Making just a small batch of cookies or cupcakes is the perfect way to indulge in a high-quality dessert without over-eating,” said Craig Nielsen, CEO of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. “ Dessert for Two offers the perfect solution with delicious recipes made with high-quality ingredients in the perfect size.”

Lane encourages buying high-quality ingredients with which to bake and uses only name-brand ingredients when recipe testing. “When I use quality ingredients, I know I can trust the outcome of my recipes. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas makes my favorite vanilla extract – I can trust that the sweet, creamy vanilla flavor will shine through and enhance each of my recipes.”

In her Mini Sour Cream Pound Cakes recipe below, Lane recommends using Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Almond Extract to give the cakes a rich flavor. Making just four mini cakes, this southern favorite is perfect for sharing with someone special.

Mini Sour Cream Pound Cakes
Courtesy of  Dessert for Two
Yield: 4 individual cakes

Ingredients:

¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Almond Extract
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons (45 mL) full-fat sour cream
½ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place cupcake liners in four cups along the edge of a muffin pan.

In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the sugar and butter for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat until combined. Next, add the whole egg, egg yolk, and sour cream and beat until combined.

Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, and salt on top of the wet ingredients. Beat until just combined; do not overmix.

Divide the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. It’s okay to remove the pound cakes when moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake, and the tops appear slightly damp. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

I received the Dessert for Two Cookbook and simply love the recipes, beautiful photos and recommend this as a wedding gift! Actually it is a Must-Have for anyone who likes to bake! I also received samples from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and used them to make the above recipe. Too delicious for word! It really is a recipe to try and would be perfect for an upcoming Spring or Easter brunch.

About Dessert for Two
Dessert for Two takes well-loved desserts and scales them down to make only two servings. Author and blogger Christina Lane took her beloved stack of recipes and made them more realistic for her lifestyle (and waistline). Those recipes, many tried-and-tested by fans of her blog, are gathered together with tips and advice on baking small.

Told with a friendly voice that could only come from a Texan, Dessert for Two provides readers with all the information they could need to make wonderful desserts with reasonable serving sizes.

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar, Organic Fairtrade Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Beans.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also offers a full line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are All-Natural, Allergen-Free, and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. www.nielsenmassey.com

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this feature. Photo Credit: Dessert for Two and Nielsen-Massey.

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. is pleased to announce the release of Pigments of Your Imagination: Creating with Alcohol Inks.

Discover magic! Join the vibrant, prismatic world of luminous alcohol inks. Mercurial, versatile, inexpensive, and wildly colorful, alcohol inks are one of the newest mediums to hit the art community. Pigments of Your Imagination is your essential guide for working with alcohol inks, from choosing which inks to use for each project to learning how to maximize your artistic potential with a wide variety of fascinating techniques. Using an assortment of materials and tools, learn how to work on a variety of surfaces, including paper, glass, metal, fabric, and plastic. Find inspiration for your own masterpieces in the step-by-step demos and guest artist gallery. From the beginning craftsperson to the professional artist, Pigments of Your Imagination offers a broad insight into the expansive world of alcohol inks. Explore the limits of your artistic ingenuity with alcohol inks. Jump start your creativity!

I received a copy of this book and love the inspiration this book gives! My favorite thing is all the beautiful illustrations but it really is inspiring and love how the directions are not complicated. I am looking forward to making my own masterpieces soon with the help of this wonderful book!

Visit www.schifferbooks.com  to find this book and to explore their backlist of 5,000+ titles and learn about Schiffer’s exciting new releases. Whatever your passions are, Schiffer Publishing welcomes you to find your niche and scratch it with books from our catalog of specialized titles.

Self Disclosure: I received a free book to facilitate this post. 

On Monday, March 30^th, a week of CURIOUS GEORGE kicks off with the one-hour CURIOUS GEORGE Swings Into Spring special, followed by two new episode premieres later in the week. In these new adventures, George does everything from mending a broken costume for Chinese New Year to exploring the great Amazon!

Building on the series’ curricular focus, the episodes integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts into George’s discoveries in intuitive and fun ways that kids will enjoy. To extend the fun, parents can access a variety of engaging and educational resources, including outdoors-themed games like “ZOOmazing,” and “Animal Scrapbook” and a variety of special activities, printables, and videos on pbskids.org/curiousgeorge.

Episode Airdates and Descriptions (check local listings for air times and more details)

CURIOUS GEORGE Swings Into Spring – Airs March 30 and April 3, 2015
In CURIOUS GEORGE Swings Into Spring, George has a case of spring fever and wants nothing more than to play outside with his best dog pal, Hundley. However, serious “lobby” dogs like Hundley have no time for spring. When misfortune strikes and their building is flooded, Hundley accepts George’s invitation to visit the country. George tries to share the joy of spring with him, but then Hundley gets lost! Will George be able to rescue Hundley — and will they finally get to enjoy spring together?

“George’s Curious Dragon Dance / Bowling for Bobolinks” – Premieres March 31, 2015
George’s Curious Dragon Dance: George and Marco are excited to help their new friend Lily practice the dragon dance for the Chinese New Year parade!  But when they accidentally ruin the nose on the dragon costume, it’s a race against the clock to fix it in time. Can this monkey mend a dragon or will this New Year be out of luck?

Bowling for Bobolinks: Monkeys LOVE bowling, especially when high scores raise money for their favorite songbird – the bobolink!  But when George finds himself dodging runaway balls and flying shoes, he worries the charity event will be a bust.  Could mixed-up bowling shoes be causing the chaos?

“Curious George’s Amazon Adventure / Monkey Senses” – Premieres April 1, 2015
Curious George’s Amazon Adventure: To raise awareness for the rainforest, Professor Wiseman enlists George and the Man with the Yellow Hat to help make a movie about the different plants, animals, and insects that call it home.  But when a frisky tamarin monkey runs off with their camera, the chase is on!  Will George’s jungle instincts lead him to the camera or is the movie over before the big premiere?

Monkey Senses: When George, Gnocchi, Hundley and Steve get stuck in the back of a delivery truck and end up lost, what’s the one thing they have in common?  Their senses!  George’s eyes, Gnocchi’s nose, and Hundley’s ears provide the memory clues they need to figure out the way back.  And with the help of Steve’s brain, home is just hop, skip and boat ride away!

Credit: PBS KIDS.