Category Archives: Desserts

Honeybell Cake with a Grand Marnier Glaze

unnamed-5I’m not really a cake kinda girl.  But this is like, um, YES. Let them, LET ME EAT CAKE. NOW.  A lot of it.  I adapted this from an Ina Garten recipe and Parker-ized it by adding some Grand Marnier, Honeybells and a really decadent glaze.

After I made it the first time, I woke up still thinking about the delicious factor and turned it into bad ass french toast the next morning. See what I did there???

unnamed-4I got my Honeybell recipe inspiration down in Vero Beach, Florida with the super cool family who runs Countryside Citrus. I spent the day learning about Honeybell history (they’re a hybrid between grapefruit and a tangerine, btw).  And there’s only a week or two left in Honeybell season, so you’ve got to order them STAT or you’ll have to wait an entire year until next January….

Enjoy, Honeys!

unnamed-7

With Rusty Banack from Countryside Citrus.

 

Honeybell Cake with a Grand Marnier Glaze

Ingredients

    For the cake
  • 2 sticks butter softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup orange zest (about 2 Honeybells)
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup honeybell juice
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tb vanilla
  • For the glaze
  • 1 small can of sweetened condensed milk
  • Juice from 1/2 a Honeybell
  • 2 Tb Grand Marnier (you can substitute 1 Tb orange extract)

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the orange zest. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  3. In another bowl, combine Honeybell juice, buttermilk and vanilla.
  4. Add flour and buttermilk mixture to creamed sugar/butter alternating, beginning and ending with flour.
  5. Line two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans with parchment paper.
  6. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Let cakes cool.
  8. Poke small holes in the cakes with a toothpick (be generous here, because this is what allows the glaze to seep through and make the cake super moist!) So get pokey!
  9. For the glaze
  10. Mix together the can of sweetened condensed milk, Honeybell juice and the Grand Marnier until smooth. Pour glaze over both cakes and cover. Let rest for 3 hours or up to overnight.
  11. Take cakes out of pans and turn over before slicing and serving.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2015/01/honeybell-cake-with-a-grand-marnier-glaze/

Mini Nutella Cheesecakes

Melty Nutella and whipped cream.

Melty Nutella and whipped cream.

I love cheesecake.  There may or may not have been an incident around the holidays when cheesecake cravings drove me from my bed and into the leftover cheesecake in the fridge.  There may or may not have been any left for JP the next day.  Just sayin’.

So, in light of this cheesecake madness, I’ve decided that making mini-versions is in the interest of my hips.  That way, there’s all the taste, and not as much guilt for pigging out in the middle of the night!

Well, the fruit is healthy!

Well, the fruit is healthy!

This recipe is a great base, because then you can add your favorite toppings— Nutella and whipped cream is my favorite.  Oh yeah, baby. Bring on the hazelnut spread…it’s the shiznittabam.  Topping the mini cheesecakes with berries is also a crowd pleaser and adds some gorgeous color.

You can also make these babies low carb is you sub Truvia (or your favorite sweetener) for the sugar and make a nut crust.

I’ve made these for several catering events recently and they are always a slam dunk!  Get creative, get funky…get in on these little cupcake size cheesecake morsels of awesome.  Yeah.  They’re that good.

Mini Nutella Cheesecakes

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tb sugar, divided
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 Tb butter
  • 3 (8oz) packages of full fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp Grand Marnier (optional)
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1 cup whipping cream for topping
  • fruit for topping
  • Nutella for topping

Instructions

    For the crust (18 mini cheesecakes)
  1. Put 18 muffin/cupcake liners in tins.
  2. Melt butter and add cinnamon, 2 Tb sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Mix together.
  3. Add about a Tb portion of graham cracker mix in each cupcake liner. Press down.
  4. For the cheesecake batter
  5. Heat oven to 325.
  6. Beat cream cheese, vanilla, 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest, Grand Marnier until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each until blended.
  7. Spoon over crusts.
  8. Bake 25-30 minutes until centers are almost set. They may look like the have a crack on top--- and won't be browned. Don't be alarmed-- this means they are ready!
  9. Cool completely.
  10. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  11. When ready to serve, take the cupcake liners off.
  12. Top with Nutella and then whipping cream.
  13. Alternatively, top with whipped cream and your favorite berries.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2015/01/mini-nutella-cheesecakes/

You can also check out some of my other cheesecake recipes below:

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake

No Bake Cheesecake

Low Carb/Gluten Free Kahlua Cheesecake

Guilt-Free Lemon Cheesecake

Halloween Rat Cheesecake

Shaved Broccoli Salad with Candied Bacon

Shaved Broccoli Salad with Candied Bacon

Ingredients

    For the salad
  • 5-6 broccoli stalks and crowns
  • 1/4 cup french feta
  • 1 pack bacon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts
  • For the dressing
  • Juice from one lemon
  • zest from one lemon
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp butter

Instructions

  1. Shave outer layer of broccoli
  2. cut stems in half and shave them
  3. bake bacon with brown sugar rubbed on each slice at 250 for one hour. Let cool and cut up
  4. Toss lemon juice, zest and olive oil together to dress salad
  5. Saute hazelnuts in a tsp of butter to toast
  6. Build salad with fresh broccoli florets, candied bacon, feta and hazelnuts
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/12/shaved-broccoli-salad-with-candied-bacon/

salad

No Bake Cranberry Grand Marnier Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

Creamy cranberry delish...

Creamy cranberry delish…

I posted a low carb version of this cheesecake last holiday season and it was a hit with everyone who tried it.  This year, we’re going full on sugar, y’all, so get ready!  I doubled my original recipe and put it in a regular cheesecake pan with graham cracker crumbs– it’s perfect.  To order the incredible cranberries showcased in my “What’s in Season” segment on AMHQ, check out Cape Cod Select who ships cranberries all year long!

No Bake Cranberry Grand Marnier Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

    For the crust
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • For the filling
  • 2 (8oz) packages full fat cream cheese
  • 2 medium tubs Cool Whip
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • Zest from 1/2 orange
  • 2 Tb Grand Marnier liquor
  • For the cranberry topping
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • Juice from 1/2 orange
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cloves

Instructions

    For the crust
  1. Melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of a springform pan and bring some of the crumbs up the side of the pan, about an inch.
  2. For the filling
  3. Combine cream cheese and Cool Whip with sugar, almond extract, orange zest and Grand Marnier.
  4. Spoon into pie crust and freeze. Take out of freezer 30-60 minutes before serving.
  5. For the cranberry topping
  6. Bring water and Grand Marnier to a boil with the cranberries. Add lemon and orange juices, sugar and spices. Simmer on low until reduced by half, about 25 minutes.
  7. Put cranberry mixture in the fridge to thicken.
  8. Top onto cheesecake.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/11/1636/

 

Chef Bill Lipscomb’s Sweet Potato Pie

bill 2This pie is the bomb dot com, y’all.  Chef Bill Lipscomb, who is one of the talented Chefs on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Competition (airing on Food Network Sundays at 9pm EST) joined me on set to share his decadent sweet potato pie recipe.  It’s off the chain.  For real.

Bill got a degree in physics before pursuing his passion for all things delish, studying culinary arts in France for nearly 2 years.  Hey, they say baking is a science, right?  This dude has it down!  Now he’s baking his way to stardom— and this pie is proof!

bill 1

Check out the recipe below…

Chef Bill Lipscomb’s Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sweet potato puree (canned or fresh)
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tb vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 335, place rack in middle of oven.
  2. Place sweet potato puree in a bowl, mix in brown and white sugar.
  3. Stir in cream, egg and vanilla.
  4. Stir in spices.
  5. Pour into ready made pie crust (9 inch) that has been baked for 15 minutes.
  6. Bake until just set, about 40 minutes.
  7. Let cool for 2 hours, cut and serve.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/11/chef-bill-lipscombs-sweet-potato-pie/

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

nutella insideI mean, seriously?  Nutella stuffed inside the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world AND then sprinkled with sea salt?? FUHGEDDABOUTIT.

These are the cookies I asked cookbook author and culinary God, Mark Bittman, to taste yesterday, calling them a “marriage of Parker/Bittman recipes…”  I went there.  JP said, “Uh, babe, that’s a little self-indulgent.” Maybe, but these cookies are meant to be (self) indulgent, as in INDULGE YOURSELF.  You won’t regret it.  Mark created the basic recipe and I added the Nutella and salt part.  The key is freezing spoonfuls of Nutella before stuffing them inside the cookie batter, then sprinkling some sea salt (or Kosher salt is fine, too) on the top of the cookies when they’re just out of the oven.  Pretty much perfection.  All you need is a tall glass of icy milk.

Nutella

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

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Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unslated butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
  • Nutella
  • kosher or sea salt to sprinkle on top of cookies

Instructions

  1. Scoop out teaspoons of Nutella onto wax paper and freeze until solid.
  2. Heat oven to 375. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well blended.
  3. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to the dough, beat for a moment and add chocolate chips.
  4. Drop tablespoon size mounds of dough on ungreased baking sheet. Add the frozen Nutella spoonfuls into the middle of the mounds of cookie dough, adding more dough if necessary to cover up the Nutella chunk.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for about 2 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
  6. Store in a tightly covered container.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/11/nutella-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-sea-salt/

Pumpkin Mousse

pumpkinmousseOK, so how cute does the mousse look stuffed into that little punkin’??  This recipe is soooo super easy.  I modified it a bit from a Dave Lieberman recipe— the key is whipping the cream right before you serve it so it stays fluffy and light!  If you’re using mousse cups, you can put a little ginger snap in the mousse for added “pretty” and “yummy” effect!

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

  • 1 can pumpkin
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1 Tb vanilla
  • 2 Tb pumpkin spice liquor

Instructions

  1. Combine 1 cup cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pumpkin in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Bring to room temperature.
  2. Whip 2 cups cream into soft peaks with vanilla and fold into pumpkin mixture. Serve with ginger snaps as a garnish.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/10/pumpkin-mousse/

Pumpkin Bread with Pecan and Ginger Snap Crust

pumpkinbreadThis is a recipe from my Grandma Ronnie’s cookbook.  Her sister, whom we called, Aunt Marj, was a phenomenal bread baker.  I modified her recipe slightly by adding the pecan and ginger snap crust— OMG.  Pumpkin Heaven.  Slather a little salted butter on that hot bread—- LIGHTS OUT.  I made it for my segment on The Weather Channel this morning and the crew completely devoured it!  Sign of a successful recipe if all you have are crumbs to clean up!

Pumpkin Bread with Pecan and Ginger Snap Crust

Ingredients

    For the bread
  • 2/3 cup butter softened
  • 2 2/3 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 (15oz) can pumpkin
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 3 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • For the crust
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup ginger snap cookies pulsed in the food processor
  • 2 Tb brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 (9x5x3 inch) loaf pans.
  2. In a standing mixer, cream butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water.
  3. Sift and blend into wet mixture: flour, baking soda, baking powder, slat, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
  4. For the crust: Melt stick of butter in sauce pan and combine pecans, ginger snaps, brown sugar and cayenne. Set aside.
  5. Pour into pans and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of oven and scoop crust ingredients onto top of each loaf. Continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/10/pumpkin-bread-with-pecan-and-ginger-snap-crust/

 

 

 

No Bake Cheesecake

This is the first dessert I learned how to make!  It’s still my go-to recipe for dessert-on-the-quick and it never disappoints.  Literally, just 4 ingredients:  Cool Whip, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla, whipped and scooped into a ready-made pie crust.  I’m partial to Oreo crusts, but you can do shortbread, graham cracker, whatever your little heart desires.

I love topping fresh fruit on it and drizzling a little Grand Marnier on top, but you can do hot fudge, caramel, sprinkles, or again…whatever your little heart desires.  Also, try changing up the vanilla extract for another flavor– use lemon and add in some lemon zest…or almond extract….or coconut and sprinkle some coconut shreds on top.  It’s a great base for any flavor profile you’re craving!

No Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 block of full fat cream cheese
  • 1 regular tub of Cool Whip
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 Tb vanilla extract (or you can use almond or whatever flavor you like)
  • 1 pre-made crust (Oreo, Graham cracker, Shortbread)

Instructions

  1. Mix cream cheese, cool whip, sugar and vanilla together in a standing mixer until smooth.
  2. Scoop into a crust of your choice and put in freezer.
  3. Pull out of the freezer 30 minutes before serving to let it get a little soft. Top with your favorite berries, chocolate or caramel.
https://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2014/10/no-bake-cheesecake/