Friday, September 17, 2010

Asparagus Croissants!

Did someone say Asparagus? Isn't this a baking blog? Look lady, if you start pitching me on asparagus cake, I am outta here!

Calm down. Just because something is green and a vegetable doesn't mean you can't bake it. And yes, it's true my blog has tended toward the sweet and not the savory, but that doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye. In fact, I think it's time for the salty side to be invited to the party.

Here, let me show you a picture....


Mmmmmm! Now don't you want to know how to make that? (You know you do.) Well, asparagus croissants are surprisingly simple! Soooooooooo simple! That's right, simple, savory, and satisfying. Let's get our veggie on people!

Asparagus Croissants
(Makes eight croissants)

Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1/4 lbs of prosciutto
1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 to 4 tbsp of butter or margarine



Directions:
1) Preheat oven to temperature mentioned on Pillsbury crescent roll package. (It's usually somewhere around 350 degrees.)
2)Wash and dry asparagus, and chop off any old or dead ends.
3) Unwrap Pillsbury crescent rolls and unroll dough. Break dough up into 8 equal triangles.
4) Butter the triangles with desired amount of butter.
5) Place strips of prosciutto on top of the buttered dough.
6) Take one to three stalks of asparagus and roll up the croissant. Start with the thick end and roll toward the triangle point.
7) Place rolled asparagus croissants on a cookie sheet.
8) Bake croissants for the normal amount of time listed on the crescent roll package. (It's usually between 8 and 10 minutes.)
9) Serve hot! Mmmm Mmmmmmmm Good!


Thanks again to Russell Gearhart Photography for the mouth watering photographs!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

My First Wedding... (Cake)!


*Cue the Music* Don Don Da Don, Don Da Da Don... Here comes the cake, heeeeere comes the cake!

You didn't think I was getting married did you?! Nope the lovely Erin Sprauge (now Wusterbarth - yes, say that three times fast!) got married two weeks ago. But many months before the two graciously asked me to make their wedding cake.

I was delighted! (I was horrified.) What an honor! (What if I dropped the cake?) I get to be a part of their special day. (What if I added salt instead of sugar? What if little green men abducted the cake the night before the wedding?! Eeeeeek!)

Despite the nightmares I imagined in the weeks leading up to the big day, everything baked-off and iced-on without a hitch. It was smooth decorating! Therefore, I present to you, Erin and Andrew's beautiful sea shell wedding cake:

The happy couple cut the cake!

Me and the finished cake!


Those are all hand made white chocolate shells!


And of course you can't just admire the cake, you've got to eat it too!

Please excuse my amateur photographs. Hopefully I'll be able to get some nicer ones from the wedding photographer in weeks to come. The wedding photographer (by the way) also told the bride that this was the BEST wedding cake she'd ever seen at a wedding! *Ingrid blushes* and then *Ingrid jumps up and does a happy dance.* Wedding Cake Superstar!

Congratulations Erin and Andrew!

Bananas about Banana Bread!


Oh dear sweet baking blog, I know it's been many-a-week since I've posted. You must think me bananas! But I've been rubbing elbows with the flour and the sugar. I swear, I'm still friendly with the fruits and nuts.

So right...back to the blogging thing...

Banana bread was the first baked good I ever made my long-haired long-term boyfriend. And he has been sweet on my baking ever since. So occasionally I have to go back to a classic. So for all the pretty ladies out there who want to drive their boyfriend bananas, it's time to start baking something in the oven. (I'm talking about bread here, people, not babies).


Banana Bread
(makes one loaf)

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ripe bananas

Directions:
1) Preheat oven at 325 degrees.
2) Mix together sugar, butter, eggs, flour, soda, and bananas.
3) Pour banana bread batter into a greased and floured pan.
4) Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Did you say you wanted nuts in your banana bread? Gross. I like my banana bread pure! (But I suppose if you're nutty enough...you could add some.)