Tiramisu

A friend of mine told me how to make a very simple, very delicious Tiramisu.

Start out with an Angel Food Cake. I made mine from scratch while the recipe called for a store bought one.

1/2 cup double strength coffee (I used Starbucks, yum)
1 cup whipping cream
3Tbs powdered sugar
1 sm box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
instant coffee granules
baking cocoa

Whip the cream and powdered sugar.





You can make the coffee from instant or brew it as I did.







Mix pudding with milk. Fold whipped cream and pudding together after pudding sets up just a little.

Cut angel food cake in half. Carefully pour half of coffee over cake. Layer half of the pudding/cream mixture over. Place other half of cake on, then repeat layers.
I sprinkled instant coffee granules and unsweetened baking cocoa over layers

 I forgot to take a picture before I put in the toothpicks to keep the plastic wrap up off the cake. But here she is in all her glory.

Lastly, put it in the fridge and wait for at least 6 hours till serving to allow the flavors to blend.

I was going to serve it to friends but those friends had to cancel so my girls and I had a little feast ourselves!




Tips to myself for next time I make it:
In a home made cake, the coffee doesn't soak up as quickly, takes more.
A homemade angel food cake is larger than the loaves from the store so it might be smart to double the filling. Also, because it is lager, cut in 3 layers rather than only 2.

Baked Oatmeal

My girls will squeal, yell, clap their hands and generally put up quite a clamor when I say we're having baked oatmeal for breakfast. I make it when they are sick and won't eat anything else and they get it for every meal of the day! I took these pictures about a month ago but the pan is sitting next to me once again and I remembered I was going to blog it...so.... The original recipe comes from The Best of Country Cooking 1999 but I tweaked it to fit my taste.

3 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients. Spread evenly in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Serve immediately with milk, fruit, brown sugar etc.

Here are my variations: I always bake it in a baking stone which makes it light and fluffy without the "custard", slimy bottom it can get in other pans. The other cool thing with the stone is that I don't have to fill it and it bakes just fine. I don't have the right size for this recipe so I simply don't spread it over the entire pan!

My girls are spoiled and usually have chocolate chips or m&m's. I sprinkle them over the top then pat them down with a spoon. This way they are evenly distributed and I can better control how much chocolate they get!




                                                              While it bakes I have them set the table.



When the timer starts beeping they come running and yelling that the baked oatmeal is finished!

Baked Oatmeal = Happiness at Breakfast!