Peter Rabbit & White Coconut Cream Cheese Cake

 

Cake batter

Frosting 

 

Frosting on the cake

Frosted Cake 

 

The final product - White Coconut Cream Cheese Cake

My Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) Collection so far 

I bought the two figurines a couple of years ago through Amazon.  I was fortunate to find this plate here in town at the same Artisan Mall where I sell my art.  Another vendor had this plate in her booth and I grabbed it immediately.  She says she's got more somewhere in her basement!!!  Should I ask her if I could help myself to her basement??  (LOL! just kidding)

 

I wanted to take this picture with the snow scene in the backgroud.  It's been snowing since last night.  A spring snow storm that will be all gone in a couple of days when the temperature rises.

These are the recipes I used for the cake and frosting:
Mrs. Billett's White Cake
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
A tradition every Easter holiday, I may have skipped last year though.  It seems like I also crave it this time of the year, who doesn't?  These recipes were out of the world.  So, so good.  Moist, cream cheesy, coconutty deliciousness.  I'm so tempted to get another piece, bye!
Have a blessed Easter everyone!

Shared with:

Rooted in Thyme - Sweet Friday #212
French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday #24

Japanese Dumplings

So I couldn't find wonton wrappers anywhere in our town.  I realized then I would need to make them from scratch which I didn't mind.  As soon as I got home I googled the recipe and found not only the recipe but videos on how to make them courtesy of Recipe Tin Eats &  China Sichuan Food.

WONTON WRAPPERS
4 cups of all-purpose flour
3 medium size eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 cup water + 1/4 cup
Cornstarch for dusting

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Add eggs and stir well.  Slowly add water and keep stirring the mixture until all the flour is moistened.

With your hand turn dough mixture into a ball and knead for ten minutes.  Place in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, let set for 10 minutes.  Remove from bowl and knead  for another 20 minutes until dough is smooth.

Cut dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.  While the dough is set aside, start to work on the filling (see recipe below).

Dust surface with cornstarch.  Take ball of dough and roll out into a large wrapper.

Fold dough in thirds dusting liberally between each fold with more cornstarch, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.  Repeat process with the other ball of dough.  Set both aside for another 30 minutes.  Keep working on the filling if it's not done.

Take one dough wrap, unfold and roll out into a very thin layer, as thin as you can get it (1/16" if possible).  Cut edges first to make a large square then cut into 3" or 4" squares.

Stack the squares with a sprinkling of cornstarch in between.  Cover with plastic wrap until the next wrap is rolled out and cut following the same process.  Cover until ready to fill.

FILLING RECIPE
1 1/2 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt separated
1 lb. ground pork, minced
1 cup chives or scallions, finely chopped
 1 garlic clove, grated
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsps. soy sauce

In a medium bowl, add 1/2 tsp. of salt to the cabbage.  Combine and set aside for 20 minutes.

  Squeeze out any remaining water from the cabbage and combine with the ground pork.

Add the remaining ingredients, combine well.  Looks like Asian Meatloaf to me.

Fill a small bowl with water.  Sprinkle some cornstarch on a baking tray.  Take a Wonton wrapper in one hand and with the other hand, dip finger in water and run it around the edges of a wrapper.  Place 1 tbsp. of the meat filling onto the middle of the wrapper.  Fold wrapper over  and use your right hand assisted by your left hand thub to create pleats.   Press to seal making sure all edges are sealed completely.

Place on floured tray until all wrappers are filled.  Set aside and refrigerate in meat filling that's leftover.

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet (that has a lid) over medium high heat.  Place 12 dumplings, slightly overlapping.  Cook until the underside is light golden

Then pour 1/3 cup of water around the dumplings and cover with lid.  Cook until the water has evaporated and the wrapper is slightly translucent on the top.

Transfer onto a plate, golden side up, serve with dipping sauce (Soy sauce, Srirachi hot sauce and Rice Wine Vinegar).

This was my plate, Japanese Dumplings with Steamed Broccoli.

This was hubby's plate.  See that piece of meat with ketchup on it??  LOL, I cooked what was leftover of the meat filling for the dumplings.  It looked just like meatloaf and I know it would satisfy my meat and potatoes man as I know the dumpling weren't going to be enough.  So, Asian Meatloaf, who would have thunk it??

As you can imagine, I was in the kitchen all afternoon making these dumplings.  I'm certain once I get the hang of making them, it will not take as long but either way, I enjoyed it.  I need to work on rolling out the dough and making it much more thinner, that was the biggest challenge.

The meat filling was perfect, it tastes just as good as it does in the restaurants.  I had plenty of dumplings leftover that I froze them to pull out for a snack every now and then.  They were so good!!  I really do enjoy Asian food, do you?

Thanks for stopping by.  Until next time,

Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad

by  TASTY

INGREDIENTS
1 English cucumber
4 Roma tomatoes
3 Ripe Avocados
1/2 Red Onion
1/4 Cilantro
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Gather all the ingredients (please note: this is the most difficult step)
  Slice cucumbers and place in a medium bowl

and then slice and add the tomatoes

Slice and dice the avocados and add to the bowl

Slice and dice the red onions and add to bowl

Slice and chop the cilantro and add to bowl

Cut lemon in half and juice them over the vegetables

Sprinkle on some salt to your liking

Sprinkle on some pepper as well

Finally, drizzle on the olive oil

Gently stir until thoroughly combined

Set aside and in the meantime, clean up :)

I almost didn't add all three avocados, just thought it was too many, I would have perhaps used two but then I just decided to follow the recipe to the "T".


I found this recipe by Tasty as the video flooded my Facebook newsfeed the other day.  Seems like everyone was posting it.  I enjoy watching those videos, you know, the ones that speed through a recipe, making it look so simple.  Well, this one can't be more simpler.  You just slice, dice, chop and mix.   It was a treat and very good and very well satisfying.  Hubby (my meat and potatoes man) won't try it, I think he's afraid he might like it! :)

Here's the video, check it out:
CUCUMBER, TOMATO AND AVOCADO SALAD
I hope you enjoyed the video but I really hope you try the salad.

Until next time,

Perfect Roast Chicken

1 5-6 lb. roasting chicken (I bought mine cut up)
Olive oil
2 1/2 tbsps. butter, softened
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 butternut or acorn squash
1 large yellow onion
1 bulb of fennel
6 medium carrots
1 orange
1 lemon, quartered

Preheat oven to 400F degrees

Combine the butter, salt, pepper and thyme in a small container and set aside (I apologize, I forgot to take a picture of this step)

Remove skin from squash and chop in chunks.  I would have preferred to use a butternut squash over the acorn squash only because the acorn squash is difficult to cut.  It took me a little longer than usual and with all it's curves, I was afraid of my sharp knife slipping and cutting off my finger. So be careful when you cut your squash, they're slippery!  Place squash in a large bowl.

Cut the onion into slices.  As you can see I chopped mine up, oh well it really doesn't matter

This is a fennel bulb just in case you've never seen one before.  Our local grocery store had a bunch in the vegetable section and they looked so good, clean and fresh (which at times is a rarity).  I just had to buy one.  Anyway, chop off the stems and cute the bulb into thick slices.

Place the fennel slices in the same bowl

Cut the carrots in chunks and place in bowl with other vegetables

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, a generous amount of each.  Drizzle with oil about 2 tbsps. worth.

With a spatula combine to cover all the vegetables with the oil

In a large tray 1 inch deep, drizzle on some olive oil.  Add bowl of vegetables to tray.

With a zester, sprinkle orange zest over all the vegetables.

Then cut the orange in half and squeeze juice over all the vegetables.  Place lemon quarters in with the vegetables.  Set aside.

Prepare chicken by rubbing the butter mixture over every piece including getting underneath the skin.  Try not to tear it though.

Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Bake 1 1/2 hours, rotating the tray once halfway through.

I'm thrilled how the chicken looked when it came out of the oven.  Golden brown with crispy skin.  The vegetables were roasted just as well and very tender.

Place roasted chicken pieces on a large platter, the vegetables around the edges then sprinkle with fennel fronds.

I first saw this recipe around five years ago as it was being prepared by Ina Garten on her Barefoot Contessa food program. I had never seen or heard of fennel and it aroused my curiosity.  As she finished the recipe, the chicken looked so savory and so good but then, in my opinion Ina makes everything look delicious.  I have now cooked this recipe at least ten times.  I have tweaked it slighty by omitting the garlic and adding the squash and the orange.

I used a tray/cookie sheet instead of a casserole dish this time knowing that the edges and sides of the chicken would also get golden brown.  It helped that the chicken was cut up too.  Much to my surprise, I loved how crispy the skin came out and I'm certain it is because I used the the tray.

Hubby loved it and commented several times how it had a great flavor and the seasoning was just right.  I love to cook and I love to make him happy.  As the chicken roasted, the whole house was filled with amazing delicious aromas.  We both agreed it would make a great dish to serve when we have friends over.  I highly recommend you try this recipe, there's a good reason why the word "perfect" is in the title.

Have a blessed week.  Until next time,