Rainy Monday Blues??

Talk about a Rainy Monday my sweets! What has you more down, the rain or the fact that its Monday?  I heard so many complaints, and even saw a lot of those Facebookers commenting about having the blues! So I thought what type of yummy treat would be great and very comforting. Then I thought ohhh something with peanut butter, cause who doesn't love peanut butter! I was speaking to someone very close to me who requested some brownies, so I figured why not combine the two!

Off to the laboratory ( what I like to call the kitchen remember)  to find me some ingredients I needed to help cure someone's Monday Blues. I decided if I wanted to make my brownies extra peanut butter then I would have to add both peanut butter spread, and also peanut butter chips. Reese's peanut butter cups have nothing on these brownies! Brownies tend to be an favorite of just about anyone you meet, and I know from my experience talking with people they all have certain ways they like their brownies. And of course some people like those " Special" ones, but from what I'm told those just make you even more hungry!

Heres a tip, whenever you are going to make brownies, and you would like to add something, for example chips, or perhaps you want each brownie when you bite into it to get that melty gooey center. The best way to achieve this is to freeze whatever it is that you want to melt in your brownie! I actually got the idea watching a cooking show a long time ago and the host was making some random food dish and she was making a gravey that she wanted to melt when you put your fork into the meal.  It actually works for great for another sweet treat that we will speak about in a another time! Its a dish I created in honor of my bestest best, and named after her, one in which she swears when I have my own bakery will be the number one seller!

I digress,  back to today's brownies! When making brownies, I find that you can do a couple of things that might mess up the mix so to speak. Your brownie can be to fudgey ( I know what your thinking never, however there is such a thing as too much fudge!) which can make it heavy and dense. Its a brownie that is not moist at all, and it is not a pleasant treat. You can also burn the edges very easily, which ruins the fun cause the edges are possible 90% of peoples favorite part (i'm partial to the center myself).  Quick tip to help avoid this, whatever the recipe calls for, whether is the box brownie or from scratch, just add a little more water. For example if it says 1/4, go for 1/3. The tiniest bit does help. The reason I say this is because, recipes for brownies differ so much, I really don't think any specific on is right. Thats just my opinion. Why don't you tell me yours? Please feel free to leave a comment regarding brownies and recipes you've tried.

Anywho my sweets I'm off!  Please remember to visit our facebook and twitter pages, also if you haven't already please visit my March of Dimes page by visiting March of Babies! Its really important that we help out the babies, after all we were all once babies right!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!!

Did I really get inspiration from that!

Hello my sweets! Did you enjoy yesterday's blog? Little Self promotion for my March of Babies walk. Did you notice the cute baby? Well that is the main reason I'm doing this, she along with both of mother and father mean a great deal to me!  Isn't she adorable! Remember to visit my site by clicking on the link March for Babies!

Ok So now for Today's treat! How many of you watch the Show Jersey Shore? I don't normally watch it, I find it to be stupid, but I don't judge those who like it. As I always say to each their own.  Last night I was having a bit of trouble sleeping, and was flipping through the channels, and then I came across the show. They were making fun of one of the girls because she was having issues lets say in the bathroom area.  My first thought was, well she needs a nice big slice of my Grandma Kate's Prune Cake! Ok so it was a funny thought,  but my this yummy prune cake wouldn't really make her go to the lavatory, well maybe if she ate the whole thing by herself! I was able to get to sleep eventually but when I woke up this morning I was wondering about that cake.

For those of you who are a little skeptical, I understand.  Prunes tend to have a little slight negative connotation making people think oh lordy I'm going be in the bathroom all night! To tell you the truth just about 90% of things can have that very same occurrence, so stop worrying that a little prune will make you go running for the office.  Also the benefits of prunes are amazing, and they are a fulfilling healthy little treat.  And this cake is actually a very delish, moist, yummy, flavorful treat! 

Now you can find a lot of recipes online for this cake, however I used an old recipe of my Grandmothers.  Its got a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but its well worth all the hard work.   You can make it as a bundt, or as a loaf, or even layer cakes. Ice it, do whatever you want with this flavor cake, you can't go wrong.  In my opinion its different. How many people do you know are going around making a prune cake? Try it, and I guarantee people will enjoy it, and be pleased its not the norm.  Its also a recipe that the more you add to it, the better it gets.

Ok so from a crazy show, I got a crazy thought, and decided to make a cake not normally on the top of most baking list. However the results are fantastic. The flavor of each slice only magnifies the aroma through out the house from making it.  I lightly dusted the top with some confectioners sugar and it wasn't long before everyone in my house was waiting for a piece. I suggest next time you come knocking on my door you ask for a piece! Till Tomorrow my Sweets!

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

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Who wants a piece of the Armadillo?

Hello My Sweets! Are we all happy its Friday?? I know I am. Rain or not I am going to have a good day, even if it makes me see RED! Before I get today's treat though, I want to tug on your ear a little for something important.  I want you all to check out my March of Dimes Page and Donate or even join me in my walk to help babies!! This is a very special walk close to my heart, because of one amazingly special baby that I love so much, and I also love her parents very much as well. I'm doing this walk for her, and I would love all of your support! So Please Check out my page!!  March for Babies!! Please bear in mind I'm gonna keep reminding you of that up to the walk and then some! This is a very important cause!!

Now My Sweets, are you wondering why I'm seeing Red? Perhaps I'm gotten upset at something like the Red Queen and your waiting for me to yell OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!! You would be so wrong though! Sometimes seeing red is a good thing. Just ask my honey, he has a weakness for red heads who wear glasses. Just saying.  Sometimes seeing red can be funny and make you chuckle. Not really a fan of chick flicks so much, but there are a few that I have always loved. One Perhaps many regard as a classic, and there is one particular scene involving an armadillo cake, that when people hacked into it look liked the poor thing was bleeding to death. Sounds gruesome, however it has to be one of the funniest things ever. Who in the world would ask for an grooms cake like that, but it made for good movie time! If you haven't seen the movie your probably wondering what kind of cake  that was shaped like a grey armadillo,  can look like its bleeding. Answer Red Velvet. And let me tell you, when done right, it likes velvety goodness in your mouth! 

Red Velvet is actually just another form of chocolate cake. If you want to head to your local store and grab a box from the shelf or you can get messy like I love to do. There is a lot of ways you can get the red coloring , either from red food dye or from beet root. For Those video gamers in you, remember Super Mario 2, and how Mario or Toad or whatever player you choose would yank something out the ground?  Well that something was a beet root! Hidden message to eat your vegetables in video games, next time pay close attention to that black ops! Today I wanted to make an all natural, vegan red velvet cupcake, so we are going with the beet root, and of course a little something extra to give it a nice deep red coloring. Be careful however, beet root can stain, and so can red velvet batter. Someone might think you were hacking away at someone!! Also remember by vegan means we are not using any dairy products or anything that comes from animals, its100% all natural. The natural flavors actually combine creating a nice smooth taste.  So its a treat everyone can eat, and you won't miss any of the other ingredients, believe if you try out a vegan recipe they aren't hard, and pass it off as regular no one will tell the difference!  I like to top it off with a nice vegan butter cream icing that is light and fluffy! 

These Vegan Cupcakes are so yummy and velvety in your mouth, and foodie will be red with embarrassment when he claims to be able to tell the difference between a traditional and vegan cupcake. No one who eats these will miss those other ingredients!  Well Sweets I'm off for some Friday Fun! Remember to Vote in the poll, and visit us on Twitter. Don't forget to visits March For Babies!! and donate or join the walk! Till tomorrow...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!! 

Nostalgia brings Old Fashion Fun !

Is it possible for the days to drag on, yet the week already be pretty much done my sweets? Time is a tricky thing.  Today as I was debating what exactly I was going to make, and cleaning my Kitchen, my mind began to wander down memory lane. I remembered one story in particular about how I got my very first Kitchen Aide mixer. 

You see I like most people I have a list of things I would like to buy for myself if I had extra money ( I actually have another term for this, but trying to be pg here). A Kitchen Aide Mixer was and is always on top of my list! I would love to have two, especially the new ones that have all the gadgets and attachments. Alas so it was something My grandmother and I always discussed, we both wanted one, but they are rather expensive, compared to your regular hand mixer.  My Grandmother, if you were one of the lucky to have met her you know  how wonderful she was, and I were in her room one day and we actually happen to be discussing the Kitchen Aide Mixer, and going through some boxes and having a debate about Mocha Cake.  When I came across a box that had my cousins name on it, my grandmother and I decided to open the box and in it we found a brand new Kitchen Aide Mixer.  Heres the thing about the box, it was one of those boxes you use for shipping, with the address for the to and from on.  There was no address on it, just my cousins name, a cousin who actually had passed away 2 years earlier. Not to mention it was a box, neither one of us had ever seen before. FREAKY !! And an absolute TRUTH! We liked to joke that it was my cousins gift to us from Heaven.

I bet your asking, what's the point of this story? Well Duh its how I got the idea for today's treat! As my mind wandered, and memories began warming my heart, I thought of my Grandma, and how she was the one who taught me some of my favorite recipes, so it hit me. Make one of her favorites, Good Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies.  The soft yummy kind. Now I don't have anything against the crunchy ones, but I've always had a thing for Soft Oatmeal cookies, kinda like the ones Archway makes. So of course when I worked out the perfect recipe to get m home made soft oatmeal cookies, imagine my excitement, and I knew Grandma would be proud!

Got my mixer ready to make some yummy cookie dough, and started preheating the oven! As per usual I was making a mess, which is really fun for me, till of course I have to clean it up.  You can always add things to your oatmeal mix, berries, or chocolate chips, raisins. You can even ice them after their done with a quick glaze you whip up. This happens to be one of the very few recipes I however like to keep traditional, to keep that nostalgic essence I've always loved. 

With a nice big glass of milk in hand I waited for the yummies to come out of the oven. What is it about Oatmeal cookies I wondered, that makes people yearn for the good old days? Perhaps that is something my fellow bloggest can comment on and leave their stories and feelings for this cookie. My kitchen smells yummy and something tells me the cookies are ready, and that something is the person in the kitchen trying to get the cookies before I get there.  Remember everyone to vote in the latest poll, I see so far Chocolate is winning! If you disagree, there is still time! Please remember to follow us on Twitter to see what we are up to or check us out on Facebook by searching from bradleysweets@gmail.com. You can also view and comment on our photo albums of all the yummy treats we make! 

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

Hop aboard the Pineapple Express!!

Its another Hump Day My Sweets! It also happens to be my Father's 76th Birthday so today's baked dish is honor of him.  Between us, this excites him, he loves being the center of peoples attention, any and every day and especially today! He truly is a crazy Old Man. To Celebrate his most favorite day of the year, why not make his most favorite cake ever. Pineapple Upside Cake. But of course if I'm making it, you know its got some twist on the classic. i like to call my version The Pineapple Express, no not the like the movie, but I guarantee it will hit the spot if you have munchies! 

 Into the kitchen I went digging through my cake pan closet and came across one of those flexi cake molds, the kind that is well, flexible.  I thought its been a while lets go with a bundt, and instantly I made myself giggle thinking of the scene from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, where the mom is perplexed by the hole in the bundt cake so she puts a flower in it ! HAHA This cake also brought back some other nostalgic memories as I remember it was one of the first cakes my Grandma ever taught me how to make. And she always taught me when making a recipe, make it your own, and create whatever you think will taste best. She always did enjoy my experiments! On her advice whenever I decide I'm going to make a flavorful cake such as this, its best to go ahead and add as much of that flavor as I can. Traditionally Pineapple upside down cake consists of yellow fluffy cake, topped with caramelized pineapples slices or caramelized chopped pineapple. My version however is anything but traditional. Making this cake when pineapples are in season is always yummy and fresh, however since its not really the season yet, I'm going with the canned variety that you can get at any local store. I got both rings, and the chopped cause we are about to get crazy! 

When making my batter, I like to use some of the pineapple juice that comes with the canned pineapple. It not only makes it moist but gives the actual cake a nice hint of pineapple flavor.  While my big old mixer was combining all the wet and dry ingredients, I got my flexi bundt pan ready. After I greased it up, Flexi or not you have to grease the pan to make the cake come out nice and easy, I placed some of the pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan. The greasing of the pan and keeping the pineapples on the bottom actually help in making the slices turn a nice caramel color. Next I pour the batter over the pineapple and let it even out nicely. Wondering is that all, not on the likely,  remember I like to make this as pineapplely as possible.  So I grabbed my chopped pineapple and spread it out over the top of the batter. While it is in the oven baking the chopped pineapple will slowly sink into the batter thus making sure that every bite of cake will have some pineapple in it.  Make sure if you try this to spread the chopped pineapple evenly over the top, don't worry it won't all sink into the same places, it will actually distribute through out the cake. 

After the cake is done and you have flipped it and taken it out of the mold , if using the flexi be very careful because it can stick or fall apart ( I remember one time My mom, well thats a story for another cake), and its cooling, you can admire the nice golden brown color of the pineapple slices and cake itself.  What I like to do however, is make a quick and easy coconut glaze to pour over the top. The strong coconut flavor actually intensifies the pineapple making for a tropical explosion in your mouth!

If you thought our little tropical excursion was fun, and were planning on coming over to sing Happy Birthday to get a piece, you can hold those horses! Seems my father has already gotten to the cake, and enjoyed a nice big slice! He also said he doesn't plan on sharing!  After last year I should have remembered to make 2, one for my dad and 1 for everyone else! Well My sweets its present time, Till tomorrow ...

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!

Tuesday's Anything but Complicated

Hello My Sweets! Could it be just me or is today the most unbearably long day! It just feels likes its dragging and going on forever! Did you all enjoy the yummy treats we whipped up yesterday? I know Pyper is still enjoying them! Just when you thought my blog might have gone to the dogs, I got inspiration to create a yummy treat thanks to Mr. Steve Martin and of course Meryl Streep! 

Yesterday my number one honey and I were enjoying a nice relaxing presidents day off catching up on some movies, like the movie buffs we are. We decided to see a movie that we haven't had a chance to yet, even though its been around for a bit now, the movie It's Complicated, Staring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin,and of course Steve Martin. Its a story of a divorced couple reuniting while also being courted by other loves. Now I won't give the story away for you, but I do suggest you go run out and see it. It was a funny movie and might I say I did enjoy John Krasinski ( AKA Jim from the office) as Harley, what a character! I bet your wondering how could I have gotten inspiration for a sweet treat from this movie? Well for those of you who haven't seen it, Meryl Streep plays the owner of a bakery, and she whips up some yummy food through out the movie, but there is one that stood out to me as being yummy, and I'm sure Steve Martin felt the same! He specifically requested The Chocolate Croissant, which is something that looked so yummy I had to try it!

Off to the kitchen I went to see just exactly how I was going to produce something as yummy as it looked in the movie! Now I admit I would love to open my own bakery some day and share my most favorite and special recipes with everyone, I am not there yet. As such I don't have all the fun gadgets that Ms. Streep, oh ok Meryl, had in her Bakery, like the dough press, that flattened her dough for her. All I have is a rolling pin, and some elbow grease! Let me tell you, having to roll the dough very thin for these croissants will be something I will most defiantly be feeling in the morning. No matters though, the yummy tasting treats will be well worth it. Flour flying everywhere, chocolate melting, dough so thin you could see through it, egg wash spilling over, among other things made for one messy laboratory.  By the time I got the dough cut into triangles using a pizza cutter and placing them on my baking sheet with chocolate in the middle and rolling them up, I was covered in flower which was mixing with the egg wash making for a icky sticky doughy fingers. I used the egg wash to brush the top of my croissants to give them a shiny flaky crust, so I guess the doughy fingers were just part of the job.

As I waited for the pastries to come out of the oven, I imagined how you would spice them up a little. Maybe Drizzle some melted chocolate over the top ( whatever color you like), or perhaps a quick glaze. When the delicacies were ready, my first thought was a new way to feed the chocolate addiction!  I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I would have made Meryl, and even a French pastry artist proud! My inner Julia Child was going mmmm. The warm flaky crust and the gooey melted chocolate in the middle, I was in Chocolate Heaven I tell you! Even cold I'm sure this will taste yummy, but you can always pop them in the microwave for a quick few seconds to warm them up. 

So, how do you like today's Treat? I recommend next time you want to make something special like breakfast in bed for your hunny, make sure to add a Chocolate Croissant.  They will be thanking you all day ! Defiantly go check out It's Complicated, I'm sure you will heart Steve Martin as much as I do. Make sure to vote in the all new poll, there was a tie last week Strawberry Shortcake and Dipped fruit took the prize. Also Follow us on Twitter @bradleysweets and friend us on facebook: bradleysweets@gmail.com Till the next yummy adventure

Happy Baking from Bradley Sweets!