Teenie Cakes

Homemade Mascarpone

Homemade Mascarpone

Mascarpone (mahs-car-PO-nay) is probably best known as an ingredient used in tiramisu.   It's also sometimes used in lieu of butter to thicken rissoto. 

I hadn't made anything with mascarpone before, but I have tasted it in tiramisu I've enjoyed in restaurants for dessert.    For the February 2010 Daring Bakers' challenge, we made tiramisu and part of the challenge was making our own mascarpone for the luscious Italian dessert.   The process was very easy and without incident.  I will definitely be making my own mascarpone again.

Paris for breakfast, Botero's for dinner & LE RÊVE - Las Vegas

Sur la Table in Planet Hollywood - window display

So the plan today was that I wanted to get over to The Venetian Hotel/Casino and get my Bouchon fix.    I have been to the Bouchon Bakery in Yountville and I even been to the Bouchon Bakery in The Venetian before.   However, those visits were before I had discovered macarons.    My first and only exposure so far to a macaron, were my own from the October 2009 Daring Baker's challenge.   I was looking forward to and anxious to sample a macaron from a bakery with a reputation for their macarons...what better place for "the" macaron than Bouchon's?    By the end of this post, I promise you that I do get there...

Encore/Wynn Las Vegas and Stratta's

We celebrated our anniversary with a visit to Las Vegas.    Our trip had been highly anticipated since September with reservations at The Bellagio (I have yet to get there...but no regrets!).    Room rates and vacation packages are amazing for hotel accommodations in Las Vegas right now.    Some offers and invitations are so phenomenal that if you weren't planning to visit Sin City any time soon, you might reconsider just because of the enticing packages.   

About three weeks before our long awaited vacation, we received an amazing package offer, via snail mail, from The Wynn Resorts.   The package was almost too good to be true that I was sure there was a catch and that I would find out about it once I made the reservations.    There was no catch.   Our accommodations were amazing and The Wynn continually spoiled us with sweet, unexpected surprises for spending our anniversary with them.

Part of the package was a choice of either staying at The Wynn Hotel or a complimentary upgrade to an Encore Resort Suite King.    We selected the later and enjoyed the spaciousness and modern decor of our suite.   While we were marveling and planning our dinner reservations for the evening, we heard a doorbell.    A doorbell?    Can't be....in a hotel room?    We ignore it and continue conversations when the bell sound is heard again.    Before we know it, someone is knocking and attempting entrance into our suite!    As we hurry to open the door a friendly voice announces "Special Delivery for you!"    For us?  From whom?   Who knew we were here at Encore?

Joining FoodBuzz and Making the Top 9!

Early in November 2009 I joined the FoodBuzz Community.  I don't know why I procrastinated and I had meant to join months ago.   Also, by the end of the month, I became a "Featured Publisher"  Yup!   How great is that?  =)

One evening, I was up pretty late and accessed FoodBuzz.  Imagine my surprise to find that I made the Top 9 for my Daring Baker's Challenge of Cannolis!   I even had the #1 spot (if spot placement matters).  However, by morning when I went to check again and make sure it wasn't a mistake or that I wasn't dreaming...my spot/placement dropped =(

No matter I was still on the Top 9!  It was an honor in and of itself and even more significant to me because it was my husband's birthday.

But wait!  There's more to the post.  Please indulge me because it doesn't happen often for me...I made the Top 9 again two days later for my Teenie Cakes' Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Pepita Crunch!    Now this was very special to me too because I had been working on the modifications and assembly of those muffins for a couple of months.  

Thank you to all my Foodie FoodBuzz friends!   What a fun and amazing community.  It's absolutely addicting.  

Don't know about FoodBuzz?   Hurry up and check it out!

Teenie Cakes aka TeenieCakes

Teenie Cakes' Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Pepita Crunch

I've been on a quest for a delicious pumpkin muffin with cream cheese filling recipe.   My inspiration has been the pumpkin cream cheese muffins that Starbucks offers for a limited time each year.   I've tried several different recipes and combinations, but none have compared to the pumpkin/spicy taste of that model muffin and most importantly the cream cheese filling from other recipes just didn't measure up.

Finally, found a pumpkin muffin recipe that had good flavor and something I could work with with major modifications.  Also, after some testing, found a delicious and versatile cream cheese filling to use in the muffin from a Carole Walter's cookbook and a recipe for candied pumpkin seeds (pepitas) to sprinkle on top of the muffins for that extra special touch and garnish.