The Replogle Family

A few months ago I was hired by a coworker to create a cake for a 50th birthday party.  The theme of this surprise party was masquerade.  My challenge was to come up with a beautiful 3-tiered cake for approximately 60 guest to enjoy.  Needless to say I practiced and practiced different recipes and worked out design after design until I came up with this…my masterpiece.

My husband turned 27 last week and to celebrate I made him a cake.  He chose french vanilla cake with cookies 'n cream filling and chocolate buttercream frosting.  I'm not going to lie, it was pretty intense…however it turned out amazing!  So I want to share the recipe with all of you in case you have any special occasions coming up that need a cake.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 12 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted and cooled
• 3 Tbsp Milk
• 1 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 cups Confectioners' Sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
2. With the mixer on low speed, add chocolate until just combined.
3. Add milk, vanilla, and sugar. Mix on medium speed until well combined, being carefull not to overmix.

Cookies 'N Cream Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/8 cup  Confectioners Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 12 Oreos (without the filling), crushed

Directions:

1. Combine the heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat on low until sugar is incorporated, then beat on high until stiff peaks form.
2. Gently fold in crushed cookie pieces.

Enjoy!!

Tomorrow is one of my co-workers birthday's, so I brought this amazing lemon cake with raspberry filling to work for the celebration.  It is super easy to make and it's perfect for summer. 

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups  Cake Flour
• 1 3/4 cup  Granulated Sugar
• 1 Tbsp  Meringue Powder
• 3 tsp  Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp  Salt
• 1 extra large Lemon (washed thoroughly then zested and juiced separately)
• 1 cup  Milk
• 1/3 cup  Vegetable Oil
• 3  Egg Whites, beaten
• 1/4 tsp  Vanilla Extract
• 3 drops  Almond Extract
  

Filling:

• 1 pkg (12oz) Frozen Raspberries
• 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
  
• 1/4 tsp  Cream of Tartar
  
• 1/8 tsp  Salt
  
• 1/3 cup  Water
  
• 2  Egg Whites
  
• 1 1/2 tsp   Pure Vanilla Extract
  

Directions:

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cake pans.
2. In bowl of electric mixer sift and add flour, sugar, baking powder, meringue powder, salt, and zest of full lemon.
3. Stir with mixer to combine, about 30 seconds.
4. Add milk, oil, juice from lemon, beaten egg whites and extracts.
5. Beat on medium to combine thoroughly, about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. 
6. Remove from mixer and stir with silicone spatula to thoroughly combine (making sure there is no flour mixture left unincorporated at the bottom of the bowl.
7. Fill prepared pans 2/3 of the way full and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (about 25-28 mins for 8 inch pans)
8. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes in pan and then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.

Filling:

1.  Defrost raspberries in a medium size bowl.

2.  In a sauce pan combine water, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well.

3. Heat and stir until liquid boils and thickens.

4.  Cool completely.  Once cool add to defrosted raspberries; mix well.

Frosting:

1. Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute.

2. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. (If this happens, it could cause your frosting to become grainy).

3. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes.

4. Beat in vanilla and let cool.

Enjoy!!!

This year I lost my wonderful great grandparents, Nana and Pop.

(left to right: Grandpa Mike, Nana, and Pop at my wedding last May)

I will miss my Pop's smile that lit up the room and my Nana's amazing cooking that made every holiday special.  I can't believe I won't be at their house this Christmas Eve with the amazing Christmas lights and the musical nutcracker; my Nana's ridiculous spread including clam chowder, bean dip, sugar cookies and her famous homemade jam and bread. They were married for over 70 years…I hope that I can live up to their example.  They were the best great grandparents a kid could ask for. They will truly be missed.  I love you both!!

I wanted to post this entry yesterday, but the server was down. =/  My office decided to have a salsa making contest in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.  I have never made salsa and thought now was as good a time as any to try.  I entered in my Avocado and Roasted Corn Salsa.  It was a pretty big hit…well with the people who like corn salsa.  So since my first salsa attempt was a success I thought I would share the recipe with you!

(sorry the picture isn't better…I took it with my phone)

Avocado and Roasted Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans of Corn
• 2 Red Bell Peppers, diced
• 3 Avocados, diced
• 2 oz of Chopped Jalapenos
• Splash of Hot Sauce
• 1 tbsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Cilantro (to taste…I don't like it so I only use a little)
• Onion (to taste…again I'm not a huge fan so I only used a little)
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the Red Bell Pepper  in half, drizzle some oil and cook in a pan on the stove for a few minutes.  Let them cool, then cut it into small pieces. Set aside.

2. Drizzle some oil in the same pan you just cooked the peppers in and add the corn.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.  Let cool.

3. Combine all the other ingredients Except the avocado with the corn and bell pepper in a large bowl and toss to mix.

4. Add the avocado just before serving. Toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Feel free to add more hot sauce and seasoning for added spice.  Enjoy!!!

So what I thought I could tackle in one or two days is going on a week now.  Don’t you just love when that happens?  Since, I am taking a much needed break from refinishing my dresser, I thought I’d share my progress with you.

Here is what I started with…

Here it is with all of the hardware taken off, big difference.  Lol…

Here it is sanded and primed…

And finally here it is with one coat of paint…

Hopefully I will have the other coat or two of paint finished by the end of the weekend, so stay tuned!

Yay…it only took us 10 months to get our blog up and running.  I can’t wait to share my experiences as a I start my family!  Stay tuned because I will be adding pictures and commentary on my latest project … refinishing our dresser and nightstands.  Wish me luck!