Happy Birthday to Doug- Swiss Roll Cherry Chocolate Cake

This cake is delicious if you like

  Little Debbie Swiss Rolls.

I love them!

And, so does Doug.

I proposed several different cake recipes to Doug before I baked his birthday cake.

I offered options like Lemon Blueberry, Angel Food, and others in the guise of a

healthier choice.

Luckily for me, this one was the winner!

It was a little labor intensive because I chopped 2 -12 count boxes of
Little Debbie Swiss Rolls.
But on the other hand, it is no bake
and a lot of fun to assemble.

And this recipe used every one of them.

Well, I may have sampled one or two of the pieces.

It was worth all the effort.

This recipe is modified from Inside Bru Crew Life.

I sprayed an 8" spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Then I lined it with parchment paper.
I put a smear of  nondairy whipped topping on the bottom of the pan.
Then locked the side and bottom of the pan together.

I sliced each Swiss Roll into 6 pieces.

The first layer of rolls stand up along the side of the pan.

Keep slicing the cake rolls.

Fill the bottom of the pan with the slices.

Beat 8 oz. of cream cheese.

Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and beat until creamy.

Add 1 cup of cherry pie filling.
Continue to beat until the cherries are broken up into small pieces.

Fold in an 8 oz. carton of  softened Cool Whip.

Spoon half of the mousse mixture over the first layer of cake rolls.
Smooth out.

Add the second layer of cake rolls standing up along the sides of the pan.

Continue cutting more of the cake rolls.

Add the second layer of rolls over the mousse mixture.

Add the remaining mousse mixture.

Spread it evenly to the edges of the pan.

Keep on cutting!

Fill in the top with the rolls.

Spread another 8 oz. carton of cool Whip over the last layer.

Top with the remaining cherry pie filling.
Add any remaining cake rolls...
providing you haven't eaten too many while preparing this.
Remove the ring of the spring form pan.
Carefully remove the parchment paper.

Add candles!

A perfect cake to celebrate two March birthdays.
Happy Birthday, Doug & Ethyl!

This cake is not just delicious, but very impressive with
the layers of cherry mousse sandwiched between all those
Swiss Cake Roll slices.

Enjoy!

Citrus Pomegranate Christmas Salad

Citrus Pomegranate Christmas Salad

This was a delicious salad we served over the Christmas holiday.

It is bright and flavorful and a good change of pace from all of the heavy, sugary

holiday meals and desserts.

It was modified from Bobby Flay's Watercress Citrus Salad.

The pomegranate dressing:

⦁ 1/4 cup pomegranate juice 

⦁ 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

⦁ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

⦁ 1 teaspoon clover honey 

⦁ 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest 

⦁ 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 

⦁ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 

⦁ 1/2 cup canola oil
The salad 

⦁ 2 navel oranges, segmented, juices caught over a bowl 

⦁ 1 red grapefruit, segmented, juices caught over a bowl 

⦁ 1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks 

⦁ 1 bag arugula and 1/2 bag baby spinach

⦁ 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Directions

⦁ Blend together the pomegranate juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, lime and  orange zest and season with salt and pepper. Slowly blend in the oil until emulsified.

⦁ Put the citrus into a bowl; add the jicama and arugula and spinach. Add the pomegranate seeds on top.
Add a few tablespoons of the reserved citrus juices and the  pomegranate dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

 Put the oranges, grapefruit, jicama, arugula, and baby spinach into a bowl.

Add some of the citrus juices and pomegranate seeds.

Blend together the pomegranate juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, lime and  orange zest  in and 

season with salt and pepper. Slowly blend in the oil until emulsified. 

Pour over the salad right before serving.

Toss together to coat and serve.

What great Christmas colors.

  It will become a holiday favorite.

Delicious!

Christmas Tea Party-Lavender Shortbread Cookies

When I was looking for Christmas cookie cutters to make my traditional gingerbread and

sugar cookies,

 I found my Eiffel Tower cookie cutter.

I was inspired.

I had seen a recipe for lavender cookies and thought that would be

the perfect cookie for not only the Eiffel Tower cut out cookie,

but also for a tea party.

Just Look!

When you are 2 and 1 years old,

you wear your finest new Christmas party dresses.

Tea for two.

That is too much cuteness for one blog!

I modified a recipe from All Recipes,
 By Maryeileen Corcoran

My Recipe Revision

Ingredients

⦁ 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup margarine, softened 

⦁ 2/3 cup white sugar 

⦁ 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar 

⦁ 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lavender, (1 for garnish)

⦁ 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 

⦁ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

⦁ 1/2 cup cornstarch 

⦁ 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter/margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the lavender and lemon zest. Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt; mix into the batter until well blended. 

Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten to about 1-inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, just until cookies begin to brown at the edges. (These cookies were large so I added a few minutes to the baking time.)  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Glaze:

Powdered sugar
Lemon juice 
Lemon zest

Use enough lemon juice to make a consistency that I can spoon onto the cookies, and that will harden as it cools.

The glaze should be the consistency of corn syrup. Test the consistency by taking a spoonful from the bowl and drizzle back into the glaze; the drizzled glaze should leave a trail. 

Experiment.

Be sure the cookies have cooled completely before applying the glaze with a thin consistency.

Cream together butter, white sugar, and confectioner's sugar

until light and fluffy.

 Culinary grade lavender.

 Lemon zest.

 Finely grind the lavender.

 Mix in lavender and lemon zest.

 Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt.

 Mix into the batter until well blended. 

Divide dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap 

and flatten to about 1-inch thick. 

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

  On a lightly floured surface, 

roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. 

Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Place on cookie sheets.

 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated 325 degree oven, 

just until cookies begin to brown at the edges.

  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets.

 Place cooled cookies on a sheet of waxed paper.

 Mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice

to the desired consistency.

 Spoon the glaze over the cookies.

 Sprinkle some ground lavender on top of the glaze before it dries.

 Bon Apetito!

Ready to take to a tea party!

Pictures from my 

Tea Party with Ceci.

Merry Christmas!