Over the weekend I figured out a recipe to make my own fabulous Reese’s Cups. Boy was I impressed! My brothers stopped by to sample them, and they were gone within hours. In fact, my one brother, Garret, was so impressed that he made an order for the Reese’s Cups so that he could have them at a get-together he was hosting. Lucky for you, my little cottage readers, you will be able to get the inside scoop to that recipe soon. But in the mean time, with my new-found confidence in candy making, I decided to wrack my brain and think of a way to make the little confection myself. Fortunately for me, I think I nailed the combination.

Recipe:

Use a half a can of sweetened condensed milk, and mix it with sifted confectioners sugar until it thickens, and is less sticky. Add peppermint extract to your taste.

Next, “powder” your hands with confectioners sugar and roll the “peppermint dough” into little balls, then flatten them into patties. Let them dry for about 1.5  hours, making sure to flip them over to the other side half-way through the process. Freeze the patties for about 15 minutes. They should end up looking like lovely little baby pizza dough patties.

Then melt some semi-sweet chocolate with a little Crisco in a bowl in the microwave. Take your darling patties and dip them in the liquid chocolate. Freeze the chocolate covered patties again for about 15 minutes, or until set.

And then… devour! And I must say, I really do think my peppermint patties actually taste better than their New York cousins! Stay tuned though, because now I’m wracking my brain to figure out a way to make this recipe with less sugar… or sugar-free…

xoxo Rachel

In the mean time, I would like to introduce a little cottage contest/giveaway.  If any of you recall from last year, I decided to do a Pop Tab Collection for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.  I was so pleased with the tremendous response; I decided to welcome you to do it again! All you have to do is collect the tabs from your soda pop cans and then drop them off in my mailbox personally, or mail them to

Rachel’s Cottage House
31 Shagbark Lane
Elkton, MD 21921

The deadline is May 31^st, 2012, but you may give them to me any time before then.  And, the best part is, I will be giving the winner a $10 gift card to Panera Bread – one of my favorite places to eat on the go! Good luck, and stay tuned for more posts at Rachel’s Cottage House!

xoxo
Rachel

I have nothing but PRAISE for Eco Products – please visit their website (here) and see for yourself!

Eco Products was generous enough to send me a large sampling of their many recycled products! From recycled cups, to plant made “plastic (but they really aren’t plastic)” containers, Eco Products made an impact on my thoughts!

The best part about their company is that everything they make is actually beneficiary to the earth! That means that their products will decompose, and won’t fill up our landfills! 

The containers were the perfect size to hold some of my lunch, like the apples and peanut butter, and the thermos cups made drinking hot tea delightful! I even used one of their larger containers to store some of my homemade peanut butter chocolate brownies in the freezer!

I loved absolutely everything they sent me.  Thanks, Eco Products!

Everyone, please check them out!!!  http://www.ecoproducts.com/

xoxo Rachel

I adore cupcakes.  They are so cute, and so scrumptious! 

Today, I decided to title this post in French because I felt these specific cupcakes had a little more class, and reminded me of something simple, yet elegant, that could probably be found in virtually every French boulangerie (bakery). 

The possibilities for cupcakes are literally endless, so I mixed together several recipes to make these petites chéries (little darlings).  The secret to creating these divine French-inspired cupcakes, is to fill the center with homemade whipped cream; a sweet little surprise that adds instant sophistication. 

As you can see, I had much success, and these cupcakes turned out delightful!

My Recipe  Mélange (mixture):

Best Yellow Layer Cake (originally from Smitten Kitchen, but I edited it for cupcakes):

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (480 grams) cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 grams) table salt
2 sticks (1 cup, 1/2 pound or 225 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk (475 ml), well-shaken

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line your cupcake pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.

Pour into cupcake pans, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (I like to drop mine a few times from two inches up, making a great big noisy fuss.) Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Homemade Whipped Cream (my recipe):

16oz heavy whipping cream
Confectioners sugar
Vanilla extract

Beat the heavy whipping cream until just about set.  Then add in confectioners sugar (a to your sweetness), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Beat until cream forms stiff peaks. 

Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate, Chocolate Frosting (taken from Hershey’s Chocolate Recipe Collection):

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  Add small amount additional milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Bon Appetit!  xoxo Rachel

There is no use for me to sit here and explain to you that this is the easiest cookie you could ever make.  You must try it for yourself.  There are only 5 ingredients!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup brown sugar* (I used dark brown sugar because it has more flavor)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks* (I chopped my own chocolate)

Beat first 4 ingredients in mixer.  Stir in chocolate.  Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10  minutes.  Let cool on pans.  Makes 16.

-Adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray Magazine

What I like: They aren’t overly crispy like most peanut butter cookies are.  They still have a chewy texture, and of course, there is still chocolate. 

What’s not to like?

xoxo Rachel

(from left to right) "My Grinder, Organic Garden Herb Sea Salt," "My Grinder, Organic Rainbow Peppercorns," "My Grinder, Organic Garlic and Herb Sea Salt"

My Review: Perfect! Fresh, vibrant, organic spices, combined with a precision grinder at my fingertips!  There is nothing I would change.  The clear glass jars are classy and let me see the spices.  The grinder is sharp and accurate, yet, it does not pose a hazard to cutting my fingers.  The “Organic Garlic and Herb Sea Salt” was really magnificent because of the aroma from the garlic.  And lastly, since they are certified USDA Organic, I feel so much more confident about how I am seasoning my food!

USDA Organic Plum Bites

My Review:  I love fruit, but I have to admit, plums usually aren’t my first choice.   However, these plums changed my mind!  They were perfectly ripe, flavorful, and more importantly, I wasn’t worried about eating dangerous pesticide-ridden skin off the plum, because these are USDA certified organic! 

*My “fruit connoisseur” brother had to stop by to make the final call on the fruit, and his review was, “They’re good!  I like them a lot.  They are just the way I like I plums; not too juicy, and not too firm.”   

(from left to right) USDA Organic Dried Mangoes, and USDA Organic Dried Cranberries

My Review:  I liked how both dried fruits maintained impeccable flavor, despite being dried.  I find that most super-market dried fruits end up tasting like cardboard, or they’re just so dried out I feel like I’m supposed to add water or something to give back some moisture!  Definitely not the case here.  The cranberries were nice and tart, and chewy!  My only qualm for the mangoes was that I wish they would have been a little sweeter, and maybe a little less tough; otherwise, they’re perfect!

And… “where there’s fruit … there’s my brother…”  He said, “I could eat this stuff all day.  I love all fruit, but dried fruit isn’t my first pick because it usually doesn’t have the “fruit flavor” I like.  These were great!  I think they are perfect to have along “on the trail” while hiking, and biking; at least that’s where I know I’ll be taking them!”

Thanks so much Melissa’s Produce!  I loved your products! Please go and check them out here!

xoxo Rachel

The question is; will he be ready for the 2011-2012 season?

It seems as though his routine has become almost ritualistic.  He recovers enough to progress to a workout schedule, but then light symptoms, such as headaches and dizziness, simultaneously set him back. 

There is no doubt his injury was not major, or for that matter, continues to be major.  In fact, with symptoms still being triggered, I have to wonder what exactly is wrong, and why he can’t manage to fully overcome them. 

His summer routine seemed vigorous and progressive; he appeared to be getting back to his normal standard.  His trainer, and doctor both approved of his work.  He’s been taking it slow for a while, he fully understands the seriousness of his injury, and furthermore (most importantly) he is not rushing himself into things he can’t do safely.  

However, is there an underlying issue that we aren’t being told?  Has his injury been fully investigated by doctors?  With a concussion so bad, on a man so strong, it’s difficult to believe that it’s a reality. 

The media has, and still is, all over the issue.  I don’t intend to make my article just the same.  Instead, I urge this to be a message to those thinking he should “just rush back into the upcoming season,” and simply “get over whatever symptoms he has, no matter how minor they appear.”  I think people are just afraid that a star like Sidney Crosby may never return to the game he loves.

In the end, only time will tell.  As a loyal fan, I wish him well, and I hope that he returns to the game he loves only when he is ready. 

xoxo Rachel

The apartment complex is called Heinz Lofts, located in the one and only Pittsburgh, P.A.  I found it on Vacancy.com; this fabulous site where you can search apartments for sale all over the United States and find apartment listings for free.  Check out this site for yourself by clicking here. 

I couldn’t get over all of the lavish treatment I’ll be experiencing at this apartment.  Take for example, a complimentary free pass to a heated garage parking space when I live in an apartment at Heinz Lofts.  I never knew heated garage parking existed, so I’m telling you this place is something extraordinary. 

an exterior view of Heinz Lofts apartment complex

a gorgeous view of the city from Heinz Lofts

a spacious apartment layout for "comfortable living"

And, if you know me, you know that I am always interested in finding delicious, and distinguished, places to find some delectable food.  So considering the location of this apartment, I can get downtown really easily and find some “fine dining.”  I can also hop over to see my Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Pittsburgh Pirates, play at their home arenas.  In addition, I can get to one of Pittsburgh’s famous colleges, Carnegie Mellon, in just a 12 minute drive!  Trust me, everyone at my dorm would love to come over and see Pittsburgh from my apartment; it would be the perfect place for friends to relax and visit.

This is the perfect apartment for me! Please go check it out by following this link: http://www.vacancy.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh-apartments/heinz-lofts/

xoxo

Rachel

I remember when all of my brothers were born, but I particularly remember being upset at first when I found out my brother Jack was not a Jaclyn.  I was hoping so desperately I would finally get a sister – there was going to be so many possibilities; fixing her hair, picking out her dresses, teaching her ballet, and painting her nails… But it didn’t happen.  Don’t worry though; I got over it in less than 5 minutes when I was able to take on my role as Big Sister once again to my then new baby brother.  And within a few weeks, I regained my honorary title as Mommy’s #1 Helper, aka, 2^nd Mommy.  I loved it. 

Now that we are all older, I still cherish my wonderful brothers, and the fact that I have been able to be a Mommy to them too.  Who else would I be able to let taste-test my new recipes, help me in the kitchen, or let me serve dinner to at Rachel’s Cottage House restaurant? 

All of them have certainly been a huge part of my life, and I don’t know what I would do without them. 

xoxo Rachel

How would your life be different if you had grown up without any siblings?

So, who do I think is the most inspirational singer I enjoy listening to at the moment? 

I would have to give it to Pittsburgh native, 11-year-old, Jackie Evancho.  Her voice is so angelic; I can listen to it for hours.  It is a voice gifted straight from the heavens. 

xoxo Rachel