Martha's Peanut Butter Cups...YUMMY!

I hate processed food & candy so when I can recreate something that is usually bought at the store, I jump at the chance! Tommy's sweet tooth has been active lately and I thought I would make one of his favorite sweets for in his bag lunches everyday. I also needed a mental break from the business planning...so its either running or baking and I already ran today...soooo...baking it was! I found these in my Everyday Food Magazine and they were a huge hit! Here's the recipe!

Ingredients
Makes 24
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

• Line two 12-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate and peanut butter. Microwave, until almost melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, place semisweet chocolate in another microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring once or twice, until almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Dividing evenly, use a spoon to layer semisweet chocolate and peanut-butter mixture into liners, beginning and ending with chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts.
• Place muffin pans in freezer until peanut butter cups are firm, about 15 minutes. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  

salted or unsalted?

I found myself in a baking mood today and thought I'd clear up a common question.

Q: When baking, do you use salted or unsalted butter?

A: UNSALTED. Why? (and how do you remember???) Baking is such a precise process that most bakers like and often need to control the exact amount of salt that is added to a recipe. Therefore, save the salted butter for your bread. Go for unsalted when ya bake. Unless otherwise specified.

Made anything good lately? Today's recipe for me is fabulous scottish shortbread. I know I blogged baout it the last time I made it....here it is.

Daily Candy

As someone always looking for the latest, greatest, chicest, innovative-ist (not a word) I have fallen fast & hard for daily candy!

Delivered to your email box every few days (you can set the settings) is a new product or service sure to knock your socks off. 13 major cities feature daily editions, so if you live in a big one you are in luck! But...there is a nationwide edition that is worth subscribing for. Here's a sneak peek at this week's finds:





Cyberclean...interesting...









Individual pie pans...fun!

Martha's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Miss Maggie & I were committed to what would [sadly] be our last baking date in Omaha...and we decided to tackle not just one, but TWO Martha Recipes! This was the first, a birthday cake for Sandy. We were joined by the lovely Annie, who kept us entertained with tidbits from the latest publication of Good Things.

So, the cake...we made it from scratch. Since we ended up with 9 inch cake pans instead of 8 inch, we had to settle for a four layer cake instead of a six layer. What fun! Once the layers were baked, I sliced the top dome off to flatten the top layer off. Alex lended me his AMAZING Wusthof Baker's knife that I would just die for. I am sooo jealous he snagged it for an incredible bargain at Sur La Table...ahhh someday! I bought a cake slicer to experiment with. Once I got the wire in (started the slice with the knife) I could run the wife pretty effortlessly. It worked great!



All four layers, stacked & ready for frosting.

We had a slight oversight when we went to make Mrs. Millman's frosting (had to be at the party in 45 min) and realized that it took 30 minuted to combine & over 2 hours to cool...WHOOPS! I put in a thin layer in a roasting pan and threw it in the freezer to expedite cooling and was able to get it cool enough to frost in about 1:30. Not too bad...but we were soooo late! I snapped a quick picture of it before we left, and one more of the last slice left when we got home. It was a hit!

MMMmmmmmmm...

Love that Alexis Stewart

Sooo...if you ever have a Martha-ish question and you want to know the official answer, I have found a direct line to THE expert.

The background: a friend & I, who love spending afternoons browsing the Martha Baking Handbook, were looking for new recipes to try. Maggie wanted to try Martha's particularly difficult recipe for Canneles [this is not the recipe, but close]. The trouble she ran into was the expense of the molds, which run about $15-20 each. We don't have a lot of selection here in the Midwest, so online resources are crucial. Not knowing where to look, I thought I would take a shot in the dark and email Alexis using her talk radio email address. [whateverradio@gmail.com]

Here's the amazing thing: Within an hour, Alexis had personally emailed me back! She included a couple of extremely helpful links, including one for molds for $5 each. So...that being said, I am an even greater fan of hers!!!

These are the links she recommended (in case, of course, you ever have the urge to spend two days making canneles!):

How to w/ pictures & bakers comments

Cannele molds from france

Quirky Little Pig Dish

My girlfriends & I spent a lovely weekend afternoon browsing the aisles of Sur La Table, getting inspired for our upcoming baking extravaganza. We usually tackle a Martha recipe which often requires a couple of unique tools that can only be found at Sur La Table.

While perusing the clearance shelves I found a cute little frog (the one on the left of the three critters) that I knew needed a home. I couldn't part with him and when I asked what he was actually meant to do as I was checking out, the lady helping me directed me to one of my most exciting finds in a while! These little critters were sold with terra cotta baking dishes.

Apparently they are meant to be baked in the middle of the dish to evenly distribute heat to the middle of the casserole. They went with the quirkiest baking dishes, that would make such a unique table centerpiece when serving casseroles.

I didn't own any terra cotta dishes up to this point, so I thought one would be a nice addition to my kitchen. After doing some research, I learned a couple of things you might want to know if a terra cotta baking dish is in your future:

• Terra cotta is suitable for food storage, serving and is oven safe.


• Terra cotta is made of earth. While metal conducts heat, earth will absorb and radiate heat.
  
• Be sure to put the dish into the cold oven. Terra cotta needs to heat and cool slowly and evenly or else it will crack. Do not heat above 400 degrees F


• If baking in your piece (brownies, lasagna, potatoes au gratin, bread, etc), lower the baking temperature of the recipe by 25 degrees. Bake for the same amount of time


• Do not bang serving utensils on the side of the dish to clean. Wonder how that lovely pottery piece has a slight glaze chip? Probably from banging utensils on the edge.


• On cleaning: Do not put Terra Cotta pieces in the dishwasher. Hand washing and thorough drying is best. No need for harsh cleaners or lots of elbow grease. Usually just a few minutes in warm soapy dishwater will do the trick. If the dish was left out overnight, and is a bit crusty, simply fill it with warm soapy water, or soak in the sink until the food softens and wipe clean with a soft sponge. Leave on the counter to dry. Don't wash, dry and put away all in 5 minutes.

So of course, I had to see what Martha had to say about baking in terra cotta. When I searched it on her site, I found this adorable spring recipe where you actually bake mini cakes in your average, untreated terra cotta flower pot. (right) Who knew you could do such a thing! I thought the idea was adorable and will probably make this someday when I need to gift during spring. The "plant" is a sprig of mint and beneath it are candy rocks. How cute is that?!?

Find the full recipe here: Flowerpot Cakes

Easter Bunnies!

We spent our last Omaha Easter with family in town. I always bring something sweet and try to make my creation very kid friendly for the three year old twins. This year, I decided to do my take on the Easter bunny cupcake. I made everything from scratch. They looked cute, but tasted terrible! So, I will share pictures and also the links to recipes that I would stay away from!

[my supplies, clockwise: sweethearts pink only, kissables brown only, dentyne gum cut in half (couldn't find chiclets!), chocolate twizzlers sliced]

[Finished product. For the ears, I sliced marshmallows in half, then sliced five wedges from each half. I then coated the sticky side with pink sugar crystals, put toothpicks in one end and stuck it in the cupcake]

[I found the gum horribly affected the taste of the cupcake, so I opted NOT to add them on most, mostly for the sake of keeping the kids from eating it. I thought they were actually cuter without the teeth!]

And here are the recipes I would recommend staying away from: Four Egg Yellow Cake & Buttercream Frosting. I consider myself a pretty good baker and yet, I clearly did something wrong. Let me know if you have any great cake or frosting recipes! I am always searching for yummy 'from-scratch' recipes!

[And this is why I do it!]

These are a few of my favorite things...

I know, it has been a while! I have been traveling heavily this January, spending 12 of the last 26 days on the road...and trying to plan a cross-country move when time allows. Life has been a little hectic, but I have sat on enough planes (six, to be exact) to thoroughly catch up on my magazine habit and get some inspiration for this next post.

I tend to be a magazine reader (vs. a book reader) because a) I have a short attention span and b) I want current information that can enhance my life. I read a LOT of magazines every month and at the top of my pile is always Real Simple. It is jam packed with articles that advise, instruct & inspire. This year's January issue didn't disappoint & it inspired this post. The issue covered the "smartest, most useful products for: home, fashion, cooking, beauty, & health." I am going to borrow their categories & give you my MUST HAVES...many of which happened to pop up in the issue itself! Below you will find my list of things I cannot live without. Anything on it has at least two years of use in my home. So here it goes...you will find pictures of everything in every header.

MY LIST OF THE SMARTEST, MOST USEFUL, PRODUCTS FOR...

• The Dyson Animal Vacuum w/ Telescoping Wand The price may make you squint your eyes and scream "What?!? For a vacuum!!!?!" but I assure you it is worth it! I fill up its bag less container every week with more pet hair than I even imagined blanketed my home. It has a bare floors setting, which means the broom is obsolete. Check the target ads, usually they run a special where you pay full price, but get a $100 gift card which somehow makes it less of a blow. I actually look forward to vacuuming now!
• Spot Shot This carpet cleaner is the only one that gets the nastiest of nasty stains out of my white carpet. From muddy puppy paws, to kitty puke-this one has kept my carpet sparkling. I went through about a dozen brands before I found this one. You can buy it in 4 packs at Sam's or Costco.
• Method Wood for Good Most wood cleaners I have used in the past were so waxy that they would catch the cat hair floating in the air & make the surface I just cleaned look dirty is seconds, not to mention sticky for days. This is a pleasant almond scented cleaner that is non toxic & gentle on you & the environment. Couple it with Get a Grip, the microfiber cloth and you've got yourself a great cleaner for that kitchen table & nightstand that will make them both shine.
  
• Starbucks Proteo Barista Espresso Machine Though Starbucks no longer makes this machine, it is found on eBay & craigslist at very affordable prices. This gem of a purchase has probably saved me more money than any appliance. Starbucks sells the espresso "pods" so you can make the perfect strength espresso shot to drink alone or in my case, add to my latte in the morning. I swear this machine paid for itself in 6 months. I can make a better cup of coffee at home than any Starbucks can!
  
• Chilewich Table Mats I stumbled upon these a couple of years ago at the Sur la Table in town & fell in love with the line. I have the mini basket weave, in shades of green in a set of four for my table and these look identical today, to what they did three years ago. They are made of "plynyl" and can be cleaned in the sink w/soap and water, or even with bleach if you want to get aggressive. The real simple also features their rugs, which I cannot vouch for. I am probably going to splurge on one this year...
  

• UGG Boots Though I used to think these were just some status symbol, my move to the Midwest has taught me otherwise. I think I wear my tall, light sand, mosaic print uggs just about every day during the winter! They are a must have if the temp goes below freezing. Now, whether you really need them in places like California or (gasp) Texas is up for debate but here where the temp has averaged in the teens lately, we need our uggs. They have replacement inserts & special cleaning solution made by the company to make these last through the years...
  
• Hanky Panky These are the absolute most comfortable thong! The lace on the side prevent any lines from showing through and the design is flawless. Many brands have knocked these off but Hanky Pankies are the originals. I prefer the low rise version. They are one size fits all. The only undies I'll wear! Though a bit expensive, they can be found discounted at the Nordstrom half yearly sale as well as at Neimans Last Call outlet stores. Wash in a mesh bag w/ Woolite and they will clean up beautifully!
  
• Spanx Truly original...started with footless pantyhose and now they make shapers for ever need! I especially love their Power Panties & Higher Power designs. They say whats underneath makes the look...and obviously I prescribe to that theory!
• Chantelle Senso 2701 I happen to be one of those naturally busty gals who needs more than a pretty bra to keep me looking good. I searched for years for the perfect undergarment and everything above a D-cup always had huge straps and full coverage. There was nothing that worked well and was pretty or even just normal looking. Alas, the chantelle senso t-shirt bra! My favorite part about this bra--the straps have adjustable positioning in the back. There are two loops inside the normal bra positioning that lie closer to the hooks in the middle of the back. This keeps the bra straps from falling down your shoulders and from showing in any sleeveless tanks. I am VERY passionate about this well constructed piece of french lingerie!
• Paige Premium Denim These quickly have replaced 7 for all Mankind as my favorite jeans. The short story: Paige was the fit model for many of the brands of denim we love. This means the jeans were modeled around her body. She was the model for 7, Habitual, True Religion, Lucky, Citizens for Humanity and many more. She decided to build her own company and it is fabulous. My favorites are the Laurel Canyon cut. Check out her interactive fit guide to find your ideal cut. There is even a hidden ID holder in the back pocket in case you don't want to carry a purse while out on the town!

• Everyday Food This magazine has transformed my cooking! A Martha Stewart Magazine, it covers not only tons of recipes but educates readers about all things cooking! From veggies to knives, it is so educational. I find the recipes easy & healthy and many of them are our household staples. It is one of those smaller magazines that you can grab near the checkout but of course, a subscription is cheaper. A few times a year there are supplements called "Good Things" that are creative compilations of crafts and tips for homekeeping.
  
• Allrecipes.com Another resource that has transformed my cooking! This is a huge user driven database of recipes. There are a few features that make this place great. First, you can sort recipes based on how many stars they have been given. You can also see the number of reviews and base your decisions on how many other people cook that recipe. The BEST feature is the comments feature. Much like epicurious, those who have tried the recipe can post comments about their alterations. Usually, you can find a few people who made each recipe much healthier and improve the quality of the meal by using the suggestions.
  
• Nordicware I love to bake but in order to make a pretty finished product, the pan must be high quality. I have Nordicware for all seasons, since they make beautiful molds in many shapes & sizes. My most used: pumpkin loaf pan. Somehow food just tastes better when it is beautiful! You can find most Nordicware for 50% off after the holidays at Sur La Table, my favorite cooking store!
  
• LeCreuset Silicone Spatula Alas, the best spatula ever!! Even visiting cooking friends have commented on the perfect design of this kitchen tool. I initially bought this one because it was hot pink and sparkly (sparkles are in the silicone) but soon found it to be perfectly balanced & easy to grip the rounded handle. The silicone is the perfect consistency! Tuesday Morning often carries the LeCreuset line of silicone highly discounted, but never in as cool colors as Sur La Table. :)
  
• Jo!e Non Stick Omelet Pan Just the perfect size for a single omelet! I have the double pan and the single one, along with the mini flipper & the mini whisk. The double pan makes the most fluffy, perfect omelet every time. It fits perfectly on an English muffin for a great egg sandwich. Every tool & pan has the cute little egg guy on the handle!
  

• Bare Minerals This is my favorite line of makeup. I don't wear a lot, but my favorites in this line that I do wear just about every day are the SPF 15 Foundation, Faux Tan (better than Warmth for a bronzer), and Mineral Veil (no more shine!). I really do love this line of makeup & it is great for your skin!
  
• Shu Uemura Basic Mascara Best mascara ever! Goes on without any clumps & separated lashes perfectly. I also really like the brand's eyelash curler. It is usually the pick by celebrity makeup artists and perfectly shapes the eye for a flawless curl every time.
• Kerastase Reflection Most of you know that my redheadedness is not natural...thus I need a great shampoo & conditioner to hold that color! My blonde locks just want to let it go...This is the best shampoo & masque I have found. It makes my hair shiny as ever!
  
• Super Solano Hair Dryer I have had this same hair dryer since my junior year of college and it is still going strong 6 years later! Talk about a worthwhile investment! This dryer cut my drying time in half when I first purchased it and when people visit & use it...they usually end up buying one of their own!
  
• Chi 1in Flat Iron This is the only hot tool I use. It can curl just as well as a curling iron and yet flatten straight as a board! A one stop shop! This is the original ceramic flat iron.
  
  
  
• Fish Oil Capsules I swear these make my skin more hydrated. Since I began using them, I have seen a big difference. There are also an insane amount of health benefits associated with their consumption--click the link above to see the Mayo Clinic's evidence. My OB also said that taking these along with a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy prevents the need to use a stool softener since fish oil is naturally provides that benefit. I had a hard time taking them at first because I didn't like the taste I burped up...but Martha taught me if you freeze them & take them just before bed, you wont get any of the nasty taste! My vet even encouraged me to give one or two a day to my dog to shine up his coat. He now drools for them...
  
• Vaniqa You know that bit of peachy fuzz we ladies get on our cheeks that we [oh, no she didn't] shave, wax & pluck? Meet Vaniqa. A prescription cream that keeps that fuzz from growing. It stops any hair growth where you rub it in. It says to use it twice per day, but I only rub it on once per day and it has kept my face nice and hairless for three years! Patience is necessary...it takes about 6 months of use to start working but it is GREAT!
  
• Prenatal Vitamins Most doctors will tell you the generic brand you find at Costco will suit you just fine. Did you know that you have to be taking a Prenatal Vitamin BEFORE conception to reap all the benefits for your baby? Since 50% of all pregnancies in the US are unplanned, it's not a bad idea to be taking one just in case. I know, you're on the pill...but of these unintended pregnancies, 44% are behavior related method failures. What can it hurt to take one anyway? Thicker hair? Beautiful fingernails? Not a bad idea! **NEW NEWS 1/31/08-a study of over 35,000 women who took folic acid supplements for at least a year before becoming pregnant cut their chances for very early preterm births (20-28wks) by 70%. Most prenatals have at least 400mcg of folic acid, try to find one w/ at least 800mcg(.8mg) if you can!
  
• Heart Rate Monitor Ever at the gym and wonder how hard you are working? The best way to know is to wear a heart rate monitor & be sure you are at your target heart rate. I have a Polar HRM and it has lasted over 8 years now. I am so impressed that most of the cardio machines have picked up this technology and have built in sensors so you can actually set your Target Heart Rate at the start of your run and the speed will adjust so you always hit your THR. Genius!
  
• Nalgene OTG Bottles It pretty much goes without saying, but we need to drink a lot of water. My favorite bottle for in the car and for working out is this Nalgene bottle that I can open with one hand. It holds just enough water for a good workout and is the prefect fit for in the car cup holders. I take one with me on the road everyday and have a commitment to myself to drink the whole thing before I am back home. It sounds easy...but I think it is a challenge!

What are your MUST HAVE favorite things??

Martha's Warm Chocolate Cakes

Today is my husband's birthday and to spoil his chocoholic side I decided to make him a super special cake for his birthday. Six cakes to be exact. The recipe for Martha's Warm Chocolate Cakes was highly recommended to me by Ms. Maggie and I wanted to give it a whirl.

(I am not ignoring my husband on his birthday...I am sitting here laughing at him trying to bowl on his brand new Nintendo Wii!! It is so cool!!)

Back to baking...this was the most labor intensive, patience necessary recipe I have made in a while. I took lots of pictures of the gazillion steps. It turned out very well, though extremely rich. It was too rich for me, but the hubby loved it. :) Success! Here's the process (it took a total of 6 hours):

Prepped & ready. I made the ganache & froze it in the tray. Took 2 hours to freeze solid:

This looked SO gross! I thought I did it wrong! I couldn't find ground almonds so I threw sliced almonds in the food processor:

Egg Whites & sugar (really I just wanted to take a picture of my new mixer in action!):

Above two mixed then placed 3 TBS in the ramekin. Added the cube that will be the molten filling then covered w/ the rest of the batter:

Ready for the oven:

WOW!!! 20 minutes later:

And now the tricky part. I used PAM w/ flour which is a phenomenal product:

Final product!!! Ooey Gooey goodness. I wished I would have placed the cube vertical in the ramekin because the batter didn't form well around the perimeter. Next time around...and the only pic I took was blurry. Grr! Still looks yummy!

Corner Bakery's Cinnamon Pecan Rugalach

This weekend while in Chicago, we had breakfast at this cute little bakery called the Corner Bakery which was (surprise) on a corner just up from our hotel at 123 Wacker Street. I grabbed the Cinnamon Pecan Rugalach thinking they looked yummy and was curious having never tasted Rugalach before. MmmmmmMmmmm were they good! After doing a little research I learned it is a Jewish pastry that has many different variations. These were the ones I grabbed:

Now that I cant just pop over and pick some up, I am looking to recreate them. Have a recipe? I'd love to know what you have made that are close to this.

The big mama!

Since I have discovered how much baking (especially baking to the sound of Christmas music, woah Sirius channel 2!!) calms me down, I have increased the volume of my production! I decided that my Christmas wish list included the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I was talked out of it when I was originally registering for wedding gifts (not my smartest move) and decided that it was time to make an investment.

I decided on the KitchenAid Professional 600 6qt Stand Mixer in Pearl Metallic. I will be breaking her in tomorrow. Isn't she pretty?!? She matches my espresso maker exquisitely!

And a little tip...Linens N Things will accept the Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon that arrives monthly in the mail. This coupon is good on KitchenAid products! There is a promotion running until 12/18 for an additional rebate which means you can get this product at an amazing price!

Scottish Shortbread

I tried this recipe after reading the rave reviews on allrecipes.com. I have never tasted shortbread as good as this stuff! Not even any I have bought at a store or bakery! It was FANTASTIC! I made the recipe as described. Rolled out the dough and used cookie cutters. I ended up kneading for about 10 minutes to get all of the flour to stick. The thickest cookies were the best, and cook less time for softer cookies. Yummy!!! Use this recipe for your own Scottish Shortbread.

After sugar dusting; before removing excess:

Packaged to take to my brother & sister in law in NJ:

They made it through the flight beautifully:

Packaged in pink & purple in honor of my newborn baby niece!

Thanksgiving Baking

Though I wasn't hosting this year, I had to participate in the Thanksgiving day cooking by preparing the dessert for the big feast! At the request of our host, I prepared my Pumpkin Cheesecake (which I was told was even better than the Cheesecake Factory's version--complement taken!!) Tommy also requested something minty & chocolatey...so here's what I did...

My Pumpkin Cheesecake (I am pretty sure this is my recipe) Before:

And After! We noticed a bunch of scratches on the surface while we were cleaning up, and then I caught Isabella in action! As long as she liked it...I don't care what it looks like! (notice she is choosing to fore go her nicely plated piece for finger food)

At Tommy's request I tried the Mint Brownies from Epicurious. They received a lot of good reviews, but I thought they were just OK. I am not a huge fan of chocolate though, so that might be why. Tommy said they are good enough to make again...Nick thought the filling tasted like Andes Mints.

They are triple layered: homemade brownie, mint, chocolate topping. The best part of the whole thing was each layer required thorough "chilling" and I just set them out on the deck in the 18 degree weather--they were chilled in a snap!

Gifting...

I LOVE to bake. I dont do it very often because neither I nor my husband usually eat what I make more out of strict nutrition than anything. We are, to put it mildly, very careful about making sure we eat healthy. I always give myself one portion of whatever I make and give the rest away.

I have been a fan of Alexis Stewart, Martha's daughter ever since I began listening to her talk show on Martha's radio station, Sirius 112. Alexis really is the one who inspired my blog since hers is absoultely amazing. Her blog (you can find Alexis's Blog here) is jam packed with great info about baking and cooking and little tidbits about her life. Alexis has inspired me to begin putting more thought into my baking gifts, as she claims that the goodies inside only taste as good as they look on the outside. So...I went and grabbed some of her mom's line to package my recent baking gifts. Martha has a great line of stuff at Michaels and there are also a lot of really great packaging materials at Nashville Wraps, a company my sister in law turned me onto a couple of years ago.

Adding the pumpkin to make my mom's famous Pumpkin Cake. I made sure to make it in my fall Nordicware pan, complete with pumpkins!

Packaged for the girls! My "good luck on your residency interviews" gift.

See the pumpkins!

From the Kitchen of Shawna...someday I will have my own personalized tags.

Amazing Pecan Coffee Cake

I made this for brunch with the girls this weekend and it was a hit! I made a couple alterations to the recipe so check the note at the bottom.

Amazing Pecan Coffee Cake

Allrecipes.com, Rated: 5 out of 5 by 153 members
Prep Time: 20 Minutes (took me 40)

Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes

Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13 inch pan with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sour cream, then beat in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. By hand, fold in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3.To make the Pecan Topping: In a medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cake batter in pan.

4.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and remove foil.

*I used a bundt pan and added half of the batter, then the topping, then the rest of the batter. I baked for a total of 1 hr. Dusted with powdered sugar.

Lowfat Chocolate Chip Meringues

I was in a baking mood this weekend and wanted something that wouldnt totally kill my nutrition. These are very tasty little meringues and the best part--each one has only 26 calories and 1 gram of fat!

Filling my makeshift pastry bags. I used mini chocolate chips in half and Andes mints chips in the other half.


Ready for the oven.


And the trick to staying thin: give most of them away! Packaged for delivery...I have lucky neighbors.


Here is the recipe: