A first: Banana Pudding…No Pressure at all.

What up world, Hopefully y’all been doin well…

Been a busy kid…officially started payin for skool (school)

For those that don’t know, I’m going to cooking school to learn Baking…for realsies.

So in the meantime, been working a lot, saving up.

Which is one reason, why y’all don’t here from me that much.

BUT no fear, I still keep y’all informed…

So w/that said, Banana Pudding? Porque?

Well, I was at a retreat and the request of the retreat: Banana Pudding

Have I eaten it before? Yeup

Have I made it before? Nope.

But after much “research”, I found a recipe on a newspaper clipping and voila!!

I made it, first time in a while I made somethin and had no idea if it was good or not.

Not tooting my own horn…I just said “tooting” in a sentence #silly

But to make it you’ll need the following

• 4 Eggs (Separated)
• 2 Cups Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/3 Cup Flour
• 3 Bananas (Ripened)
• 1 Cup Sugar (Separated)
• Box of Vanilla Wafers

Notes:

• For the Pudding aspect: Use the 4 Egg Yolks, 1 1/2 Cups of Milk, 1/2 Cup Sugar.
• Take the remaining 1/2 Cup of Milk and 1/3 Cup of Flour and mix together with a Fork in a Cup/Bowl.
• Heat up the Milk n Sugar together in a saucepan then pour the hot milk over the yolks and whisk it simultaneously in a bowl. Then add it back to the saucepan.
•  Take the Milk/Flour mixture then whisk it in to the saucepan and  let it come to a boil. Stir occasionally.
• You gotta let it come to a boil to cook out the Flour-y taste and it’ll thicken up. You’ll know when its ready when its thickened  and not milky.
• For the Meringue: 4 Egg Whites + 1/2 Cup Sugar. Whip up the whites til frothy, then add the sugar til you get stiff peaks.
• To assemble: Layer w/either Bananas or Wafers first, then go from there like a trifle.
• Place Meringue on top, Place in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or til the meringue gets golden brown.

Thats all it takes, No Pressure y’all….really.

Apparently Banana Pudding is up there as a legendary dessert. Didnt really think about that when I made it.

That’s all I got for this week… I have decided it’s the return of Pop Tarts!!!

That should be fun…

If y’all like what y’all see? Comment, Subscribe and/or Like this bad boy…I try n keep this sucker interesting.

If not…I cant give ya a refund so…..

Oh btw, anybody else tired of the NBA Finals???

I swear if they had a drinking game of how many times “LeBron” “Miami Heat” “MJ Comparisons” were said, we’d all be DRUNK.

 

 

Citrus Angel Food Cupcakes w/Raspberry Whipped Frosting…that just happened.

What’s this?? A post in less than 2 weeks??

WHATS HAPPENED??!!!

Nothin really, I have time to update y’all w/a post….thats all really.

So I’m just getting used to being back in Texas….Last week, I was in KC for my BFF’s wedding.

Note I did say BFF….

Have I been baking since then? nope.

After all the work I put into that, I went on Baking Sabbatical.

Still currently on said Sabbatical…but I shall return soon enough.

This post is more of a throwback/ new material that I forgot to post right away.

This was actually what I made for Mothers Day…

Angel Food Cupcakes w/Raspberry Whipped Frosting

 

Why the “Citrus”…I added some Citrus aka Lemon & Orange to the cupcakes to make it light AND bright.

I sound like I know what I’m talkin about huh…

Anyway, the Raspberry Whipped topping, was basically this:

• 1 Cup of Heavy Cream whipped
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 1 Pint of Raspberry, pureed and strained (you know seeds and stuff)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla

Proceed to fold together..

Figured it’d be a bit lighter than doing a buttercream frosting…not saying buttercream frostings are bad…

But I will say, it’s quite addictive to eat…you have been warned fyi.

What else is going on?

Oh Im doing another Grooms Cake for a wedding this year!

#LOOKATGOD!

I’m excited for this challenge…apparently I’ve gotta make it look like the “Texas Tech” logo…that should be fun.

Other than that, just sitting, waiting, wishing til August.

But dont worry, I wont leave y’all hanging til then..

So that’s all I got for now, til next time…

Subscribe/Like and/or Comment….

I do try and keep this sucker going at least.

Anybody else forget its June already???

 

Red Velvet Ice Cream…The Groundhog Lied To Us All!!!

Well world, we almost toward the month of May and for most of y’all, y’all dont have sunshine.

Y’all got Snow. And I’m just gonna put it out there: That Groundhog lied to us all.

Heck even here in Texas, it’s in the low 60′s…normally we hit 80 by March. It’s CRAY CRAY!!

With that said, who wants Ice Cream???

Red Velvet Ice Cream that is….

What conspired this concoction? Well…. just random thought in my head to try it.

A lot of the time, it’s just random… hey I wonder how’d this taste in “Red Velvet” or…

You get the point.

So How’d I do it? Well it was kinda easy if you can make Ice Cream…

Which is TOTES easy!!! Yeah I just said that…anywho

To make this

You need the following

Red Velvet Ice Cream

• 1 1/4 C Heavy Cream
• 3/4 C Buttermilk
• 3 Eggs
• 2/3 C Sugar
• 2 Tbspoons Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 1/2 Tbspoons Cocoa Powder
• Red Food Coloring

Sidenotes:

• Heat the Heavy Cream with 2/3C of Sugar in a Saucepan
• Whilst that heats up, add the Eggs, Buttermilk, Brown Sugar and whisk together til it comes together.
• Temper the Cream aka “Add the Hot Cream little by little while Whisking The Egg Mixture” til there’s no more cream in the  pan, then add it back in the Saucepan back on the stove.
• Add the Cocoa Powder and Red Food Coloring and Vanilla.
• Pour in a bowl over Ice and stir til it cools.
• If you got an Ice Cream Maker, use it.
• If you don’t have an Ice Cream Maker, put custard in a blender and place in the freezer for an 90 minutes and take out and pulse to break up the ice crystals. Repeat every 45 minutes for about 3-4 times.

And you’ll get somethin like This:

Fancy huh???

Welp, that’s all I got for now y’all.

If y’all like what y’all see?

Comment, Like and/or Subscribe…I do update this sucker though, so it aint like a “Where’d he go???” type of thing.

Til then, Stay warm… Something I prolly wouldnt be saying at this time of the year.

What’s next snow in June?

#kiddingnotkidding

Peanut Butter Bread Pudding…I may have a PB problem.

Oh hey there world,

I’ve realized I kinda suck at when I say,  ”Stay Tuned Next Week I got something EPIC”.

Last week, I DID make somethin Epic, but I forgot due to my work schezule (that “schedule” in hipster)… I beg you FORGIVE ME !!! ATTICA!!!!!

Anyways, I had a craving to make Bread Pudding…dont really know “WHY?” but I just did…

And as you maybe aware of, I’m a bit of Peanut Butter Junkie and I figure I’d combine the two and get this gem h’yah!! (thats “here” in…whatever it is)

Fancy no? Well it is to me and thats all that matters okay!??!

Sorry it’s Monday, and its cold out…which is odd cuz its “Spring”

But good news, my March Madness Bracket has survived the weekend!! #Huzzah!

Usually the Sweet 16 round is where I get the matches ready to burn my bracket.

But currently I am sitting at “THA THRONE” (thats #1) and I intend to stay there!

But I know what y’all thinkin, enough of the bracket talk, show us how you made this:

Well to that I say, “Sheesh!” and then I say its simply this:

Peanut Butter Bread Pudding

• 1 loaf of day old bread from Jimmy Johns (shameless plug, I know)
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup Peanut Butter
• 1 1/2 C Whole Milk
• 1/2 C Heavy Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

Bake @ 325 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sidenotes:

• Slice up the Bread into cubes and place in a Giant Ramekin.
• Place Cream, Milk and Peanut Butter in a Saucepan for about 5 minutes, til the Peanut Butter has melted into the milk/cream and thens its Peanut Butter Milk.
• After that take off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes.
• Whilst that cools, Whisk the remaing ingredients together.
• Then pour the PB-Milk over the eggs mixture, then pour THAT over the bread and push down the bread so it absorbs it.
• Place ramekin in a “Water Bath” or a giant skillet with an 1 inch of water and set in the over for about 45 minutes.

And then this happens

Chocolate Syrup not included, but you can add that if you must…actually I’ll allow it.

So there y’all have it folks….hopefully y’all are the “Forgiving” type…

If I’ve learned anything over the last few weeks, its this

“Think First, React Later”…that’s easier said than done. But if y’all give it a shot, then SOOOOO many disastrous situations can be avoided!!

That is all…

But if y’all like what y’all see?

Comment, Subscribe and/or Like this sucker cuz I do update it, every so often…

Til then, When the heck will “Spring” show its face???

Carrot (Cake) Muffins…I’m seriously on Muffin Tear rightaboutnow….

What up world, its tha last day of February…dang.

Do anythin memorable in theses 28 days???

You do a “Harlem Shake” parody? Watch Beyonce’s Half-Time Show a dozen times?

Well 28 days later, we are slowly but surely headin towards spring…and that means here in the south, straight to summer.

#TexanProblems.

Anyways, I ran in a 10k race… and did not get trampled!! HOORAY!!!

It’s scary than y’all think esp w/over 6,500 peoples in it.

Esp. that first mile and a half, had to do a bit of matrix/parkouring on the sidewalks cuz it was SOOOO crowded.

But it was all good in the end, cuz it thinned out, but I also got a bunch of free food.

And free products….my inner klepto was quite thrilled.

Ole-Bill’s no thief, but you offer a bunch of free stuff, I’m 9/10 times gonna take it!

Anyways, I present y’all this weeks post: Carrot Cake Muffins.

Pretty no?

Well this came about a few years ago at a restaurant my pops and I went to for brunch.

They had a bunch of muffins and one of them was a Carrot Cake Muffin

Also a friend of mine apparently havin eye-issues and what better way to eat carrots than in muffins right?

Its things like that where I get inspiration from, no not from somebody’s pain…but just random things like that.

Although a lot of artist do use “Pain” a lot as their “inspiration”.

#artistproblems.

So how exactly you pull this off?

Simple, all you need is the following:

•  1 1/2 C Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 3/4 C Brown Sugar
• 1/4 C Reg Sugar
• 2 Eggs ( I FORGOT THE EGGS!!!)
• 2/3 C Veg. Oil (or Canola, whichevs)
• 1 Carrot, sliced n diced.
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until a fork comes out cleanly.

Sidenotes:

• Add everything but save the carrots til the end.
• It’s gonna look like it’s in desperate need of some more liquid, thats where the carrots come in. Carrots got liquid like Zuccini and will be enough liquid by the end.

Et VOILA!!

There goes my french for the week.

Hopefully y’all give this a try, i.e. make ‘em on the weekend and have for the week.

But make sure you put ‘em in a closed container,otherwise they dry out and turn into a weapon when thrown.

If y’all like what y’all see?  Comment, Subscribe/Like…I do update this sucker fairly often.

With that said, I leave you with another muffin

Note I didnt make ANY “Muffin Man” references, as bad as I wanted to…

Hold up I did mention it though…Crap.

Brownie Cheesecake for all my V-Day peoples…Single or Taken.

So world, it’s V-Day…

Or for those who dont care, it’s Thursday.

But for those like Moi who are Single since the beginning of time, I offer this:

You don’t need a “Lover” on Valentines Day, You just need “Love”.

Top THAT Hallmark!!!

Well today is a big day for yours truly.

No I dont have a date. Like I said, I’ve been single since the beginning of time.

I am cookin for a singles dinner tonight. I’m in charge of making Pasta.

Shrimp & Chicken Alfredo Pasta.

For 40-50 people.

Am I nervous? Nope

Am I scared? YEUP

Never cooked for THAT many people and I’m terrified…I’m just terrified on the inside.

BUT I’m also in charge of makin dessert and I’m makin Cheesecake

A BROWNIE CHEESECAKE

Yeah thats right, That’s what I’m serving tonight.

I had some left over Brownies from a couple weeks ago I kept fresh and I thought “What to do?”

And I thought why not incorporate into a cheesecake?? HOORAY!!!

So thus is why I made this….

 

 

For those wonder what the heck is that up top???

It’s Chocolate Ganache…

Ganache= Chocolate Chips+ Warm Cream.

I used Dark Chocolate w/a bit of Milk Chocolate to Sweeten it up a bit.

So it’s basically Chocolate on Chocolate on Chocolate.

Fun huh?

Well world I would stay in chat longer, but I gotta start prepping 4 tonight’s dinner..

Wish me luck!!

Also that I don’t go nuts by the end of the day too….

Oh and I dont cause food poisoning too…That would SUCK!

BYEEEE!!!

The Parfait Saga/Adventures/Whateverword for “series” Pt.1: Black Forest

So…its February and you know what that means?

Whatever health goal you had last month has prolly gone by wayside now.

If you’ve stuck with it…more props to y’all.

So I kinda quit the whole “Healthy” Dessert thing, I may come back to it during the summer.

But I’ve got bigger fish to fry!! By fish I mean Parfait.

What the two got to do with each other???

No idea.

But anyways, I have to make Parfaits…Porque??

Well, yours truly has been hired on as not only a groomscake maker, BUT I gotta make desserts for The Rehearsal Dinner….thats right Desserts.

And I may or may not have to make Parfaits for at least 100 people.

The more I think about it, the more I think “Holy Crap, What did I sign up for??!!!”

So I gotta make Four different parfaits: Red Velvet, Key Lime, Tiramisu and (what this post is about) Black Forest. 

Fun Fact: Black Forest Cake is traditionally a dark Chocolate Cake with Cherry Filling. And the filling’s got booze in it. Booze= Liqueur or Schnapps. It also originated from Germany.

Currently mine is “Under Construction” as in I’m workin on getting a better Cherry Filling and Brownie.

I’ve decided to go Brownie route to make it interesting aka “Switchin it Up A Bit”

But needlessly to say I got about a lil over 3 months to prepare and it get it right…

I’m an artist and we artists are cray cray about being perfectionists.

#sadbuttrue

And hopefully I wont lose my sanity in the process of making not only a groomscake and Rehearsal Dinner Desserts.

A tall order, indeed. But I feel like this year is “Can Ole-Bill handle it???”

I’ve not only pulled off 3 dozen cupcakes (Holy Crap!) and V-day comin up, I’ve got to play “Chef” for a Singles event…

I thought Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner) would be a fun way to say “Screw you V-Day!” for all us Single Folks…but NOOO!!!!

It’s okay, hopefully, it’ll work.

Anyways, that’s all I got for now..cuz I’ll just babel like I normally do.

Not sure if thats a good thing or not…still figuring that out.

But stay tuned for next week’s Parfait look.

In the meantime, if y’all like what y’all see?

Comment/Subscribe and/or Like this bad boy…

I do update this sucker fairly often.

Til then, remember this for V-Day:

You dont need a “Lover” for V-Day, You just need Love.

Hot right??

Peanut (Butter???) Meringue Cookies

So….I had a moment where I thought

“Holy Crap! I forgot to post something!!” last week.. My Bad.

I apologize, I almost feel what Lance Armstrong’s going thru. Except I never lied & cheated and destroyed folks lives for so long.

So, Lance may be a bad example, figuratively & literally. But I’d been working so much where I literally said out loud “Holy Crap its Friday??!!!”

So, heres a post, on a Monday. Hopefully you dont have a case of it, but are like me enjoying this day off.

Honestly, I think they should make Monday a holiday, make it easier to deal with the rest of the week.

With that, here’s my latest wacky creation: Peanut Meringue Cookies.

Dont know how to describe how they look without sounding like I’m a 3rd grader but they do taste good though and not like Crap (HELLO!!!).

Anyways, this is for my Peoples on the whole “Gluten-Free” diet or can’t eat Gluten.

Hopefully, you dont have a Peanut allergy…cuz you can sub it for another nut.

Vegans, y’all gonna have to wait y’all turn.

This is one of the fewest ingredients I’ve used in a dessert. WHAAA??! HOW??!!!

Well Meringue = Egg Whites + Sugar.  It’s that simple. Whip up the whites til they look like styrofoam and then add the sugar til it looks like whipped cream.

There’s a couple of ways of knowing you’ve done your job:

A. Take some of it and rub between your fingers and if it feels nice and smooth and not grainy…then you’ve done your job.

B. If you’re brave enough, hold the bowl upside down over your head and if nothing falls on your head… then you’ve done your job!!

If option B scares the crap outta you, just stick with A.

So to get this:

You’ll need this….

Peanut Meringue Cookies

• 5 Egg Whites
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Cup Grounded up Peanuts
• Pinch of Salt.

Bake for 2 hours @ 200 degrees. Meringue is very gentile. Remember that people.

Sidenotes:

• Put Egg Whites in mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice and start whipping (preferably w/ an electric whisk, unless you going for the workout version) til it looks like styrofoam.
• Once its at soft peaks (aka styrofoam) proceed to add sugar, GRADUALLY!!! If you dump in the sugar it’ll make the egg whites lose volume.
• Proceed to continuing beating in the sugar til it’s dissolved.
• Fold in Grounded Peanuts (or whatever Nut) into the meringue til you see specs throughout.
• Pipe out or Spoon on a  Baking Sheet and Bake @ 200 degrees for 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, turn off oven and let them sit in there for another 30 minutes.

So there you have it folks. Give this a shot.

Like I said before, this is for that “Health Kick” that everybody is prolly on for another week or so…

If y’all like what y’all see?

Comment, Subscribe and/or Like said page (here)

I do update this sucker fairly regularly…

So til next time,  have a cookie for the road…

Apple-Blackberry Crisp…my take on tryna be “Healthy”… allegedly.

Well y’all, it’s that time of the year…

Where we swear we gonna hit the gym and lose that weight from all the ham and cake we ate over x-mas but by 2 weeks in, we quit and try to do it again next year.

Well to that I say…. that maybe true. BUT it don’t have to be w/your food eating.

No you aint gotta go on a soy diet or starve yourself.

Or in yours truly case eat a lot of food w/ Flax Seed in it and have slowly come back to haunt you…. #TMI ???

I learned last year, you can drop some weight if you don’t overeat.

AKA “Don’t keep eating til you have a Food Baby”

Eat til you feel yourself get full y’all!!

With that said, for those w/a sweet tooth, I’m startin a MOVEMENT!!

I sound like Puffy/Diddy…(Don’t care what he calls himself, I know him as Puff).

Anyways for this month (or however long I keep y’alls and my attention in this) I will make desserts that can be seen as quote/unquote “Healthy”.

See what I did there…cray cray right???

SO I present the first one: Apple-Blackberry Crisp!!!

The word “Crisp” sounds fancy huh???

Well its  in the same style as say Cobbler, BUT crisp has a lighter topping on it rather than a biscuit dough up top.

It even looks pretty right??…. Maybe???

Anyways, it’s a bit of a fancier step than just putting a bowl of berries together w/some sugar and cream and sayin that’s dessert.

No, that is just bein LAZY!!!

Forgive me for my some-what outburst… if that’s what you call it.

But none the less, it’s fairly simple to pull off to get this:

You’ll need the following.

Apple-Blackberry Crisp

• 2 Granny Smith Apples (they SUPER tart)
• 1 Cup of Blackberries
• 1/4 Cup of Sugar
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (Grated)
• 1/2 Cup Oats (ya know,the ones you make oatmeal with)
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1/4 Cup Butter (cold & cubed)
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar

Sidenotes:

• For the topping start w/ the ingredients starting with the word “Oats” on down in a blender and pulse til it looks on crumbly and stuff.
• Peel the skin off the apples and slice ‘em up and place along with the blackberries in a baking dish.
• Pour sugar over the fruit and stir to coat.
• Add cinnamon & nutmeg. Thats important for whatever reason.
• Add the topping and place in the oven @ 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.

Pretty straightforward y’all. You can even eat it w/some (GASP!!!) Vanilla Ice Cream…

I know, I know “CLUTCH THA PEARLS!!!”, you can sub it w/yogurt if you must.

Welp, that’s all I got for this week….

If y’all like what y’all see? Comment!, Subscribe! and/or Like! this page

That’s me shoutin at y’all….

But I do update this sucker fairly regularly … you can insert a joke there somewheres.

But w/that said, here’s another look at the CRISP!!

I don’t know why I like that word “CRISP” so much…

The Oreo Cake…The Opposite of Your New Years Resolutions

Well world, Its 2013…

We survived whatever apocalypse we thought was gonna happen (but likely was all in our head) and got to 2013…

Hopefully y’all ate plenty of Black Eyed Peas on New Years Day, its for good luck.

If not, hopefully y’all didnt do your laundry that day, thats bad luck.

Apparently, Im chalked full of southern New Years traditions.

Hopefully y’all had a good time partying and bull… nevermind.

With that said, its a new year, for most of us, a chance to make resolutions.

I dug up and found mine from 2012… I accomplished a few and made strides towards others.

While others, I laughed at.

I did pull off a groomscake for a wedding and I was able to help out in a restaurant style- kitchen…

So Kudos to me!!

This year, Im gonna try and be a bit better about cleanin my kitchen.

Thats the downside about being a cook, I guess.

Also I’m gonna drop more weight, I’ve dropped about 15 pounds in 2012. I wanna drop some more.

Not bone skinny, Just enough to where my “Man-Clevage” up top gets flat…

I call it like I see y’all.

I hope y’all keep up w/the resolutions. But I present to you a cake I made for a cake contest on New Years Eve.

The Oreo Cake.

Fancy huh? Welp Unfortunately… it aint win.

I know WHAAA???!!!!

I wasnt TOO bitter about not winning nothing. It was all for fun, but I at least should’ve took home “Fan Favorite”.

I got a lot of compliments for it, but oh wells.I aint harping…. I don’t think….

But it was a fun night, I competed in a pie eating contest where I ate chocolate pie and got it up my nose… I still smell chocolate.

Not sure if that’s a good thing.

For this site, I plan on attempting (keyword there) on makin healthy desserts.

SO, for the next few weeks, I shall attempt this goal, to show y’all out there, you can have your cake and be healthy too.

I’m pretty sure somebody is gonna see this post and think this makes no sense what-so-ever.

Oh wells…

With that said, hopefully y’all enjoyed this random post and stick around for more wacky adventures in 2013 from yours truly Ole-Bill…

So please, Like/Comment/Subscribe to this sucker…I do update ever so often.

To further bribe you, here’s one more pic for the road.

Btw, anybody feel this whole New Years in the mid of the week is REAL confusing???