Snow White Lamb and Desserts To Share

What’s that little quip?  “In like a lion, out like a lamb”.  Does that mean a snowy white lamb because if so, it’s here!  We certainly had fierce gales but what about the gentle breezes?Right now, we’re still suffering 22 mph winds which is still a fierce gale.  But that’s not the end of Spring’s little joke.  We had pelting rain and a white out snow storm.  So much for the transition from winter to spring and so much for one of my last speed sessions before the marathon. 

Last weekend, I was excited because I could finally use the college track for 800’s.  After looking at the expected weather forecast, it didn’t seem likely this morning. When I got up, my mind was wishy-washy regarding what kind of a run to do.  For speed work and my long runs, I have to have it set in stone in my mind before going to bed. This morning nothing was set in stone.  I decided to do a faster mid-range run with negative splits, hoping that the roads would be clear and without ice.  The run was a success. Slightly faster with negative splits the last 4.2 miles.

As for the rest of the week, I’ll take it easy and plan on a rest day Friday before Fort2Fort 10K on Saturday.  That 10K will be my steady state run and will make up for the 800’s workout missed this morning. Hope we don’t have to run around Rome in snow suits.

Sweet Treats

For our Easter dessert table, I didn’t make a carrot cake. I didn’t make an Easter Bunny cake and I didn’t make a Cassata. I did try to make a sweet treat for everyone though and found my recipe inspirations in American Cake Decorating.

Orange Almond Essence Pound Cake *Recipe from ACD was “Orange Bitters Pound Cake”

• 6 oz butter – and a little more to grease the loaf cake pan.
• zest from 2 to 3 large oranges (keep 1 tsp aside for the glaze)
• Juice from the above oranges – enough to yield 3/4 cup
• 9 oz flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 9 oz sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract

The glaze:   8 oz confectioners sugar + 1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp orange zest

Grease the loaf pan with butter. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Mix flour,baking powder, salt in a medium bowl.  Beat butter, sugar on medium high until pale yellow and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time. Scrape down sides then add the vanilla, almond, orange zest *keeping 1 tsp zest aside..  Batter will look curdled. With mixer on low add the flour mixture and alternate with the orange juice, ending with the flour.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. 

Allow to cool completely. Remove from pan, poke some holes in the cake top.  Mix all the glaze ingredients until smooth and pour over the cake until smooth and covered. Allow glaze to set 2 hours before slicing.

Second Treat…

Mocha-chino Indulgence Cheesecake *Recipe from ACD was Vanilla Indulgence Cheesecake

Serves 12 *Very rich and VERY good!

• 11 – 12 oz box of vanilla wafer cookies (crushed/ground down fine in food processor)
• 1 stick butter – melted
• 3 TBS sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 32 oz cream cheese – softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 TBS flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS mocha-chino paste:   Use a cappuccino instant coffee packet and mix with 1 TBS of raisin paste or corn syrup if you don’t have raisin paste. *You can also use honey or agave to make the paste.
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 large whole eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Prepare a 10” spring form pan bay lightly spraying with non stick spray.

Mix the fine crumbs of vanilla wafer cookies with the melted butter, 3 TBS sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  Press mixture on the bottom and up the sides of the spring form pan.

Use a standing mixture to beat the cream cheese and half of the sugar. 

Add the flour and salt then the remaining sugar into the cheese.

Add the sour cream, vanilla, and mocha-chino paste, then the egg yolks and whole eggs. Mix really well. Scrape down sides and mix again until all lumps are gone.

Pour into the prepared crust.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350 F then turn the oven off – DON’T OPEN THE OVEN, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven (door closed) for 1 hour.  Remove to a rack and allow to rest before putting into the refrigerator to set, 4 hours or overnight.

As for the THIRD sweet treat…wait for it…uh oh…I’m going to keep you waiting and post it later. 

For now, What is Your ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY (any holiday) dessert?