Mood Food — Dessert Cheats: Patch Blogs

"God put me on this Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I am so far behind I will never die." — Anonymous

You know if that quote is true then I am immortal. I have been busy, busy, busy. Summer work in the district technology department does not allow for much energy to be left at the end of the day. It is hot, sweaty work. In fact, I went to pick up my kids at their daycare the other day and my daughter (11 months) hugged me and then pushed away, looked at me and crinkled her nose as if to say “Mommy you stink." Although, it is the same look I get when she is trapped in the bathroom with me so that I can finally take a shower. I step out and she looks at me with that same crinkled nose and a look that says “mmm, yeah mom, you might want to change that outfit.” As if I stepped out of the shower as Lady Gaga wearing a meat dress.

Anyway, back to business. I love to be able to make treats for the kids. However, sometimes the all homemade, takes two hours to prepare little sweet treats are just not possible. The solution, find a way to make the store-bought stuff your own. This week we will run through a recipe that involves about a half-and-half split of store-bought ingredients and touches of home. In addition, I will throw in a  few tips for some other store bought goodies that are super easy to make your own.
Let’s get started and celebrate the weekend.

It's the weekend — put work to the side and take some cupcakes for a cream-filled ride

Equipment List

Mixer
2 large mixing bowls
Cupcake pan
Paper liners
2 gallon size Ziploc bags
Melon baller (or the greased up end of a wooden spoon)
The ability to not eat all the icing before the cupcakes are done

Ingredient List

1 box of store bought strawberry cake mix (you need oil, water and eggs to make)
1 tub of fudge icing (I make my own but we are cheating here, doesn't it feel great)
1 large tub ricotta cheese
1 box of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 tblsp vanilla extract
¼ c sugar
1 tblsp lemon juice (optional)

Putting It All Together

Make the cupcakes according to package instructions, save one tiny detail. After the cupcake mix is done take half of the container of ricotta cheese and fold gently (I said gently) into the mix. Fill the cupcake liners and bake. While they are baking take your mixing bowl and add to it the cream cheese, the rest of the ricotta, the vanilla and the sugar. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Take one of the bags and roll down the top to the outside so that it is easy to fill. You don’t have to roll the bag down but if are even the slightest bit clumsy like I am then you will have a real mess on your hands, literally. Fill the bag with the cheese mixture and squeeze it a little to push the mix down to one corner before sealing the bag. You have just made a makeshift pastry bag. Put the bag in the fridge and take the cupcakes out of the oven. Let them cool for about five minutes or so and then it is time to make space for cream filling. Take the melon baller or the end of the spoon and gently smoosh a hole in the center of each cupcake. Don’t smoosh all the way to the bottom or they won’t be cream-filled; they will be cream-throughs.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before filling (learned that lesson the hard way). When they are cool take your makeshift pastry bag from the fridge and snip the tip off of the corner on the side that the cream filling is resting. Squeeze the filling into the pre-made holes; don’t be  afraid to push it a little. The cupcake will hold a good bit of filling. When you are done take your icing and give it a good stir to fluff it up. Do the same thing with the icing that you did with the cream using the second Ziploc bag. This time cut the hole a little smaller and this will allow you to swirl the icing on top of the cupcake. If you try to spread it with a knife it will grab the cream as well, and remember the cupcakes are not as sturdy for spreading icing as they are as solid cake. That’s it, ready to eat.

Tip: I love Betty Crocker. I figure if she has been around all this time something's gotta be right. Now the cookie mix that you buy in the bags, it is good. But I want great. Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon vanilla and its like a whole new cookie experience. For a little extra kick and a ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin spice.

On the same cookie note. Buy the sugar cookie mix. Make graham cracker crumbs. Take the dough and drop the tablespoon-size raw cookies into the crumbs, only coating one side. Bake with the graham side down. Once cool ice one cookie with milk chocolate icing and sandwich it with another. Instant S'mores.

Next Week: I just don’t know yet.