end of Summer inspirations . . .

The end-of-Summer is the one time of year when our home decor "unwinds" from colorful and vibrant . . . and shifts to soft neutrals.

It's a peaceful way for me to transition our home into Fall decor in September and October.

I love cotton boles. They are incredibly beautiful, especially in the Fall when paired with pumpkins, berry twigs, and other natural elements.

I bought this stunning wreath while on vacation with my mom and sister here.

White hydrangeas are always a part of my decor, any time of year. 

                   They are my year-round favorite flower!

I have seasonal favorites too . . . like Black-Eyed Susans and sunflowers ~ July through November. 

I especially love sunflowers throughout Summer, especially at the end-of-Summer.

Their golden hues are a warm welcome for Fall, one of my favorite seasons. 

 

There are even simple desserts, like a slice of warm Butter Poundcake and fresh sliced peaches, 

that seem to taste the best at the end of a long Summer season.

Towards the end of Summer, I tend to decorate our family room, dining room, and kitchen in more neutral hues.

I carefully pack away my bright and vibrant Summer colors and patterns, and exchange them for . . . beige, grey, and whites.

I find that this soft and muted canvas allows me to 'dream of Fall,' and all its beauty.

For me, it's a peaceful and pleasant way to transition into a new season.

       

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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Do you do anything special to prepare your home

for a new season?

red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting

I've learned alot about Red Velvet Cake over the years.

Probably because I find it quite interesting. Is it chocolate cake? Vanilla Cake with red food coloring?

Well . . . it's neither.

Although red velvet cake has a mild chocolate flavor, it is not, by definition, a chocolate cake. 

Rather, it's a devil's food cake that's made with cocoa, white vinegar, baking soda, and buttermilk. The deep red color comes from red food dye, and the cake is traditionally iced in rich cream cheese frosting. 

Legend has it that the cake was actually born in the North, at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. But there's no question that regardless of its origins, it has become a Southern specialty.

Did you know that there are actually "essentials" to making an authentic Red Velvet Cake!?

A few are that the cake must have some cocoa and red food coloring; and that the cake must also have cream cheese frosting.

I know . . . this post isn't supposed to be about Red Velvet Cake, but when researching and sampling Red Velvet Brownie recipes . . . I wanted to stay as close to the "essentials" of an authentic Southern Red Velvet Cake as I could . . . while trying to stay true to "brownies" as well.

So after researching and sampling several recipes, I made a few adjustments to the best ones . . . and created a recipe that is the perfect combination of red velvet cake and brownie . . . .

moist, dense dark red velvet brownie cake

with strong notes of cocoa . . . 

and the creamy finish of sweetened cream cheese

So delicious!

And the cream cheese frosting . . . Well, it's Paula Deen's recipe; and it's THE best cream cheese frosting recipe. Hands down.

Pair the two (red velvet brownie topped with Paula Deen's frosting) and you have a rich and delectable dessert.

Here’s what you’ll need . . .

1 cup flour

3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ cups sugar

1 stick of butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 eggs

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons red food coloring

2/3 cup water

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

** You can substitute brown sugar for white sugar, if you prefer a strong molasses flavor over cocoa. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

Bring 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 stick butter and 2/3 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan. Off the heat, whisk in 2 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate; cool.  

Whisk in 3 eggs, one at a time, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 teaspoons red food coloring.

Stir in the flour mixture. Spread in the pan. Bake 18 to 22 minutes (do not over bake), then cool.

Top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese frosting

courtesy of  Paula Deen

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Add all ingredients into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer.

Spread frosting on top of each piece of brownie.  

Enjoy!

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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a cherry cordial milkshake . . . and the scoop on milkshakes

My husband introduced me to Cherry Cordial Milkshakes several years ago, and I've been their biggest fan ever since.

Have you had one?

They're not only pretty to look at with their tainted pink hue and bits of bright red maraschino cherries and pieces of rich, brown chocolate . . . but they taste quite delicious too.

I thought it would be fun to make Cherry Cordial milkshakes for my family over the weekend. 

There's something special about this delightful any-time dessert. 

Maybe it's . . .  

               the combination of creamy vanilla ice cream, sweetened with pieces of sweet 

                                        maraschino cherries and rich chocolate, 

                          or that my husband introduced me to it while we were dating, 

           or because Cherry Cordial milkshakes remind me of Shirley Temples, 

                        which I also love. 

Whatever the reason, I had so much fun sharing this simple dessert that I love with my kids.

And based on their big, sweet smiles . . . I think they like this milkshake as much as I do!

Cherry Cordial Milkshake

2 scoops of high-quality vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup whole milk

1 1/2  Tablespoons chopped maraschino cherries

1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped chocolate

Makes 1 serving

Pulse ice cream and milk in blender, until smooth.

Pour into glass, add cherries and chocolate. Stir.

Garnish with a sprinkling of chocolate bits and a whole maraschino cherry

Add a cute paper straw. 

Enjoy!

 ~ I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate ~

~ and rich, creamy vanilla bean ice cream ~

I'm sure that you would agree that it's not difficult to make a good milkshake, but there are a few secrets to making a great one.

 Here's the scoop . . .

Milk shakes really only require a few simple ingredients . . . milk and ice cream.

When making milkshakes, blend the flavorings (like extracts & syrups) into the milk, 

and then add the ice cream. 

This allows the flavors to disburse fully in the final mix.

When it comes to the ice cream, go for quality. 

If you buy cheap-tasting ice cream, your milk shake will reflect that flavor. 

But if you stick to something of higher quality and with flavor that you love, 

the milk shake will be so much better.

As for the milk to ice cream ratio, it really depends on how you like your shake. 

If you like your milk shake thinner, use ¼ cup milk for 1 cup of ice cream. 

But for a thicker shake, double the ice cream, keeping the milk at ¼ cup.

So what's your favorite kind of milkshake?

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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chocolate & puff pastry pinwheels

Chocolate and puff pastry pinwheels remind me of a dessert that the Barefoot Contessa would serve to her friends. 

Maybe it's because I've watched her for years, and appreciate how she can transform puff pastry into delicious desserts using simple ingredients.

With a few chocolate bars that were gifted to me for my birthday, I thought I would transform puff pastry into Chocolate Pinwheels . . . 

                 . . . and I'm so glad that I did. 

Imagine with me . . . 

      creamy, smooth dark and milk chocolate pieces nestled in the curls of a light, flaky, buttery puff pastry crust. 

                                    Mmmmmm . . . .

Have you ever had a fresh baked croissant filled with chocolate?

           Well, these remind me of that heavenly French pastry.

If you follow my blog, then you know that I've become a big fan of galette's for their easy-to-prepare nature . . . and beautiful and rustic appearance, like here and here. They're also quite delicious. 

I'm finding it quite valuable to have a few desserts in my repertoire that have few ingredients and are easy-to-prepare like a galette . . . and these puff pastry pinwheels fit the bill.

I love chocolate, especially DARK chocolate . . . and my closest friends and family know that too. So when my birthday rolled around last month, I was given lots of it!

These chocolate bars were waiting for a special occasion . . . so they made their debut in this chocolate and puff pastry pinwheels dessert (smile!).

You don't have to use high-quality chocolates for this recipe, 

but it sure is luxurious when you do. 

For the milk chocolate lover, you can use all milk chocolate . . . and for the dark chocolate lover, use can use all dark chocolate. 

I chose to use a combination of dark and milk chocolate for this pinwheel. 

For entertaining guests, I feel that a mix of both chocolates is a nice balance of 

                      the deep character and vibrant notes through the dark chocolate . . .

          and the elegantl smooth texture of extra creamy milk chocolate. 

This simple, yet elegant pastry is the perfect dessert 

for when you're relaxing with your best-girl friends, or entertaining a group. 

You can dress them up with a drizzle of fresh raspberry sauce, 

or enjoy them with a cup of hot cocoa.

Whatever you choose, I promise you'll enjoy!

Ingredients

5 ounces of high-quality chocolate, finely chopped

heavy cream

puff pastry

Preparation

Thaw puff pastry according to the directions on the box.

Leave in the refrigerator until you prepare this dessert.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Unroll puff pastry

Brush with heavy cream

Finely chop the chocolate, and then spread on top of puff pastry

* Leave 1/2-inch border at the far end

Roll puff pastry, as tight as you can

Pinch the end closed

Place puff pastry roll back into the refrigerator for 20 minutes

Remove and slice into 1-inch rounds, and place on baking sheet

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes

Cool on baking rack

Makes 12-14 pinwheels

Enjoy!

Here's a pictorial . . .

~ gently open roll of puff pastry ~

~ brush top with heavy cream ~

 ~ spread finely chopped chocolate on top of puff pastry ~

Leave a 1/2-inch border at the far end, so that you can pinch the roll closed.

 ~ slowly roll puff pastry as tight as you can ~

~ Gently pinch the roll closed ~

and place roll back into refrigerator for 20 minutes 

~ Cut 1-inch rounds and place on baking sheet ~

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 375 degrees F

. . . and now, enjoy!

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