Cake Pans

There are 5 shaped cake pans that I want to get for Nathan (and Matthew, because I think he would like them too!).

1. The small, 3D teddy bear made my Wilton. I want that one for Nathan's first birthday.
2. The second is also made by Wilton and is awesome! It's a 3D Choo-Choo Train. 
3. Nordic Ware mini dinosaur pan. (They have it at some Targets, but it's not online.) Honestly, I would love to have any Nordic Ware pan! 
4. I love the Williams Sonoma railway pan, which is a series of mini cakes that forms a train.
5. Finally, Sur La Table's Airplane cake mold is really cool.

I get to buy one for my cake class, which starts next Tuesday! I'm so excited! 

I know, I know, I'm a dork. To revel in my dorkiness, I also want the R2-D2 shaped cake pan made by Wilton. Just for me, lol. They don't make it anymore, though, and it costs about $40 on ebay, so it's not in my plan.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake

Serves 10-12

1.5 cups Vegetable Oil

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups unbleached flour

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups finely grated carrots

1.5 cups chopped walnuts (optional- I didn't put them in)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the oil and eggs until light and full of bubbles. 
3. Beat in the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until it is all mixed. Then add vanilla.
4. In a seperate bowl, blend together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. 
5. Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture.
6. Fold in the carrots and nuts.
7. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.
8. Let cake cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 to 1/2 cup of butter (depending on texture. I use about 1/2 cup)

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

3.5 cups confectioner's sugar (I find it too sweet this way, so I only use 2.5)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/2 cup minced ginger candy or 1 tsp ground ginger (optional)

milk to make the frosting spreadable

Instructions:

1. Combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add sugar gradually, stirring well.
3. Stir in nuts and ginger, if desired. (I don't generally use them, but they do taste good added.)
4. Add milk, a little at a time, until frosting is a spreadable consistency.
5. Makes enough for a 10x14 cake.
6. Store in refrigerator. 

I really liked this cake; it is moist and the texture is smooth. Next time, I will try it with the ginger frosting.

Celtic Saying of the Day

May you always have walls for the winds, 

a roof for the rain, tea beside a fire,

laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,

and all your heart might desire.

Wilton Cake Decorating Classes

So I have decided to take the cake decorating classes at Michael's in either March or April this year. (It depends on when we are visiting family.) I am so excited about it too! I've always loved baking and this will make it look as good as it tastes! I hope...

AND I get to buy stuff! I haven't bought anything non baby related in a year! (It will be a year the second week of March.)

I get to buy a cake decorating set. I want the Wilton 50 piece tool set that comes in a caddy; it has everything I need for class plus a bunch of extras. I need the icing spatulas as well. I am also contemplating the turntable to make decorating easier, the cyclone whisk, and a 3-star icing tip. Eventually I want the ultimate caddy; it looks  so much better then the tackle box you get with the set and it organizes everything better. The caddy I will be getting is pictured above. 

My ultimate goal is to be able to make Nathan's first birthday cake myself. The one I want to make is a small teddy bear. I can't decide whether to make it a brown bear or a panda bear. I have a while to decide though.

Broccoli Casserole

Broccoli Casserole

Serves 8

1 10 oz package of frozen broccoli

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup grated sharp cheese

pepper to taste

crushed Ritz crackers for topping

2 Tbsp butter

Instructions:

1. Cook broccoli for 5 minutes in boiling, salted water. Drain well.
2. Combine soup, mayo, eggs, cheese, and pepper in small bowl. Mix well.
3. Add broccoli.
4. Place mixture in a greased, 1 qt baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with Ritz crackers and dot with butter.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until it bubbles and browns.

I LOVE this recipe. I can eat an entire dish in one setting. As soon as I can eat broccoli again I am making a batch just for me. :) (I am breast feeding and broccoli upsets my son's tummy... so no broccoli, cauliflower, or chocolate. Booo.)

Celtic Saying of the Day

May you have food and raiment,

a soft pillow for your head,

and may you be forty years in heaven 

before the devil knows you're dead!

Cheesy Meatloaf

Cheesy Meatloaf

Serves 8-10

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 T. butter

2 lbs ground beef

1 cup (8 oz can) tomato sauce

2 eggs, beaten

4 oz cheddar or American cheese (I add more)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 tsp thyme

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions:

1. Saute onion and green pepper until soft.
2. Remove from heat. 
3. Mix with other ingredients, blending well.
4.  Shape into loaf and place in 10"x14" pan (I use a meatloaf pan so the grease drains out)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

My mom got this recipe from a really old cookbook called "Yankee's Main Dish Church Supper Book." It makes really good leftovers. (I prefer it without the onion and pepper... but to each his own.)

Celtic Saying of the Day

May you have love that never ends,

lots of money, and lots of friends.

Health be yours, whatever you do,

and may God send many blessings to you!

Chicken Stroganoff with Spatzle

Chicken Stroganoff with Spatzle

Serves 4

For the Stroganoff:

  450g (.99 lbs) chicken breast, cut into thin strips

  2 tsp smoked paprika

  50ml (a little less then 1/4 cup) olive oil

  1 finely sliced onion

  3 crushed garlic cloves

  1 sliced green pepper

  Button Mushrooms, quartered (we used a whole package)

  150ml (2/3 cup) chicken stock

  Splash of white wine

  50ml (a little less then 1/4 cup) sour cream

  70g (.15 lbs)sugar snap peas, blanched

  Flat leaf parsley, large handful, chopped

For the Spatzle:

  150g (.3 lbs or just over 1 cup) plain flour

  1 whole egg, plus 2 yolk, beaten

  45ml (.19 cups or just under 1/4 cup) milk

  45ml (.19 cups or just under 1/4 cup) water

  1 tsp salt

  1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (we used jarred)

  Knob of butter to serve

Instructions:

1. To make spatzle, sift the flour and add the salt and nutmeg. Beat the egg and egg yolk together. Mix egg with flour to form paste. Mix the milk and water, add continually until it forms a thick batter.
2. Boil a pan of water. Rest a colander over the top of the pan. Pour the batter into the colander and push it through the holes with the spatula. Do this in one or two batches. (You can also use a potato ricer by inserting the specific perforated disk, but we used the colander.) Simmer the spatzle for a minute or so, then remove with a slotted spoon on to a plate to cool.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with smoked paprika and season. In a hot pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and pan fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and three quarters cooked. Put to one side to rest.
4. Reheat the frying pan with fresh olive oil, saute the onion and garlic until tender, then add the peppers and mushrooms. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine, add a ladle of chicken stock and bring to boil. And the sour cream and mix through.
5. Add the cooked chicken (and any extra juices) into the sauce and bring back to a boil. Add more chicken stock if it is drying out.
6. Finally, mix the sugar snap peas and flat leaf parsley through the dish. 
7. Meanwhile, in a separate pan melt some butter, season the spatzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Saute the cooked spatzle until golden brown.
8. Serve the stroganoff in warm bowls and sprinkle spatzle on top.

My husband found this German style recipe on Ramsey's "The F Word" website. A link to the recipe is Smoked Paprika Chicken Stroganoff Recipe | Food | Channel4.com. (The F Word's actual website was down when I was writing this.)

Celtic Saying of the Day:

May the sun shine, all day long,

everything go right, and nothing wrong.

May those you love bring love back to you,

and may all the wishes you wish come true!

Salmon with Lime

Salmon with Lime

1 salmon fillet (usually just under 1 pound)

2 Large Limes

Sesame Seeds

Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Wash and place salmon in baking dish. Salt and pepper the fish.

3. Squeeze limes over the fish. (More lime is better to me, but not everyone else.)

4. Sprinkle sesame seeds over fish.

5. Bake uncovered for 17 minutes (or until fish is cooked through).

6. Serve!

Serves 2 people.

We usually serve it with white sticky rice, steamed broccoli, and sauteed mushrooms. 

Welcome!

I've created this blog to share my love of cooking, photography, graphic design, and all things Celtic. I will post my favorite recipes, images, and sayings throughout the upcoming months. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! 

Traditional Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

May God be with you and bless you; 

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune,

Rich in blessings,

May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.