Flan

My Mom is the Queen of Flan.  If you are not familiar with flan it's a Mexican dessert very similar to Crème Brule or custard. Mom makes several flans a week for family, friends and pot luck gatherings.  She makes different flavors and is very much a pro!

I've been trying to duplicate her recipe and success for the last several months.  To make a long story short, let's just say I've cracked a few dozen eggs in the process of getting it right.  After several tries with my own cookware, she gave me hers when we went to visit in August.  Then, two attempts ago, we did Facetime on the Ipad so she could coach me on caramelizing the sugar. My last three attempts have been close and this week I finally got it.

Tada, here is my perfect FLAN!

I made it to take to a potluck meeting I had with the Texas Daffodil Society and it turned out just like my Mom's.  I am so proud. 

I felt like it needed a little garnish and didn't have anything besides grapes and carrots in the refrigerator.  I improvised by thinly slicing grapes and using a "Red Hot" for the center of the flower.  I am so happy with this that I had to share! 

Now that I finally got this right, this will be one of my "go to" recipes for potlucks and gatherings.  Hope you're having a great weekend. 

Oreo Truffles

Made Oreo truffles (aka Oreo balls) for Christmas Eve's Eve.  I had never made these before but had tried them when one of the interns in my office brought them during the summer.  OMG are these good!  I don't even want to think about the calorie count!  It's so difficult to just eat one or two or three!

I followed this recipe at Better Homes & Gardens, but the same recipe is available at many different websites. 

The recipe yielded 36 balls for me, I guess I made them a little bigger than one inch. I added red sprinkles and put them on a green dish.  They were a hit with the familia.  These were so good, I'd love to make them for different holidays with fun sprinkles. 

Another good, easy recipe to add to my file.  Try them, you will love them too!

Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh Apple Cake, ala Rose.
This recipe is from my Cousin Juanita, she has made this cake since I was a teenager, which is a very long time. I had not made it in years.

Fresh Apple Cake

1.5 cups oil
2 eggs

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar!

3 cups flour

1 cup chopped pecans

5 peeled, chopped/sliced apples

1 cup raisins (optional-- I don't add these)

Highly recommend a KitchenAid for this recipe.

Cream oil and sugar. Add all dry ingredients including pecans. Mixture will be very dry. Add apples a few at a time. As mixer mixes apples, the juice will soften the batter to normal 'cake batter consistency. Pour in tube pan and bake at 300 degrees for 90 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Happy Baking!

Summer Dessert #1

This was dessert tonight, Fruit Pizza. I had not made this in well over ten years. I decided the other day that I am going to try to make a fun, semi fancy, easy- dessert at least once a week. So here is the dessert for week #1.

Nothing to this. The crust is Sugar Cookie dough. I used Betty Crocker mix that comes in a pouch, added the stick (gulp) of butter and egg. After baking it on a pizza stone, I spread on strawberry flavored cream cheese and added sliced strawberries, bananas, kiwi and dotted with a few blue berries.. Very fun, quick and impressive for my five year old.

ps: There are many variations to this just do a search on Pillsbury or Betty Crocker website. You can do frosting for the spread and add candy like M & M's or marshmellows too, I was trying to be sorta healthy so I went with fresh fruit. If you make one, add a comment and include the link to your blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Dessert Tonight

We're having a few people over for dinner tonight. I've already made the dessert. I am usually not this far ahead.

This is Super EASY!. Line up ice cream sandwiches side by side in a glass dish. Spread fudge icecream topping over sandwiches. Add another layer of sandwiches. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with fudge and caramel. Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!