Strawberry Shortcake

I got this great recipe from Bridget over at itsahuntlife.blogspot.com!

ina's strawberry shortcake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2T sugar, plus some turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top
1 T baking powder
1 t kosher salt
12 T unsalted butter, cold and diced
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
1 egg beaten with 2 T water or milk for egg wash

For the strawberries, I just cut them up, added a little lemon juice, orange juice, and about 3 T sugar. I also made heavy cream into whipped cream and added some sugar and vanilla extract to that.

1. preheat the oven to 400.

2. Sift the flour, 2 T sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend in the butter on low speed until it is the size of peas. Combine eggs and heavy cream and with the mixer on low, add it to flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended.

3. Dump dough on well-floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll dough until it's 1/2 inch thick. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut 16 biscuits with a 2-inch plain round cutter. place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar (like the raw sugar) on top. Cook 15-20 minutes.

To serve, give everyone a shortcake, some strawberries, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. Yum.

Chocolate Hearts

I sadly didn't get a chance to make these this Valentines Day, but I for sure will try these out next year! So cute! Thanks to Bailey Ence for blogging about them!

Chocolate Hearts:
Melt some semi sweet chocolate chips on the top of a double broiler or in a bowl in the microwave at 50% power. I usually do it in the microwave. Start out with 30 seconds and then stir, and then 15 second increments until they are melted.

Put the melted chocolate into a pastry bag with a very small tip (#2,3,4 would work) or you can use sandwich bag. Simple scoop the melted chocolate into the bag and cut a tiny bit of the corner off (really small).

Have a silpat (or waxed paper) lined cookie sheet ready. With your pastry or sandwich bag of melted chocolate, write XOXO or draw hearts onto the silpat lined sheet. When you have the amount desired put the whole tray into the freezer to set for 10 minutes or so. Once the chocolate is set, carefully lift them off and place on the top of the frosted brownie bite. ENJOY!

Mini Cheesecakes

Got this recipe from Bakerella! It was seriously BEYOND easy! I didn't have the smaller cupcake liners though, so I just used the regular size. Then for the crust I just crumbed the Nilla Wafers and added some butter and smashed it down into the bottom. Worked out fine!

2 pkg. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Mix.
Vanilla wafers
2″ aluminum mini baking cups
Cherry Pie Filling
Place a vanilla wafer in each mini baking cup.  Spoon approx 3 TS of cream cheese mixure over each wafer.  Makes about 4 dozen!

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate.


For more details and pictures go HERE to Bakerella's original post!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

I saw this on my friend, Amy's, family blog! And, as she stated, "totally trying these on for size!" I haven't had a chance to try them, but I didn't want to loose the recipe! ENJOY!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line regular and miniature cupcake trays with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until combined. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar in three additions. Alternate with milk in two additions.

Fill baking cups about 3/4 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove cupcakes from trays and let cool. To decorate, pipe on frosting (your favorite buttercream recipe), and adorn with snickerdoodle cookies (again, your favorite recipe) - place one cookie on top and then pipe another dollop of frosting on top. Sprinkle with leftover cinnamon and sugar.

Rainbow Cupcakes

I got this from Family Fun after my friend, Jessica, blogged about doing it with her kiddos! So much fun! Enjoy!


Ingredients

• White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
• Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)

• Baking cups
• Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.
   
   

   RAINBOW COLOR	DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
   Purple	9 red and 6 blue drops
   Blue	12 drops
   Green	12 drops
   Yellow	12 drops
   Orange	12 yellow and 4 red drops
   Red	18 drops

   
   
   

2. Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.

3. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (use your preference of semisweet, bittersweet, milk, white, peanut butter...the options are endless!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position. Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.

Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Peach Crunch Cake

Picture and recipe courtesy of Bakerella!

24.5 oz jar of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 package yellow cake mix
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), cut into 16 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Dumb sliced peaches (syrup and all) in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Cut peaches in half to help cover the bottom of the pan completely.

Sprinkle yellow cake mix over the top of the peaches. I kind of helped the cake mix get wet from the peaches juice to ensure that it would cook good.

Cut up the stick of butter and spread across the top of the cake mix.

Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the butter.

Sprinkle the walnuts over the top of the brown sugar.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Serve warm or cold… with or without ice cream.

Caramel Corn

This is a yummy caramel corn recipe! It stays soft and gooey!

Pop 1 1/2 cups of popcorn and set aside. This is just an estimate. You may want to pop more or less depending on how gooey you want it.

In a saucepan add:
2 c brown sugar
1 c Karo syrup
1 c butter
dash of salt

Cook to softball stage and stir in 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Pour over popcorn. Store in an airtight container.

Michelle's Nutty Torte

1 c flour
1 stick butter
2 tbs sugar
1/3 c (or more if desired) chopped walnuts
8 oz cream cheese, softened
13 oz Cool Whip
2 boxes any flavor instant pudding (I use 1 small chocolate and 1 large vanilla)
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 3/4 c milk

1st layer: Mix and press into a 9x13 pan; 1 c flour, 1 stick butter, 2 tbs sugar and nuts. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375. Cool.

2nd layer: Mix and spread over 1st layer; 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 1 1/2 cups powered sugar and 1/2 bowl of Cool Whip.

3rd layer: Mix 2 boxes of instant pudding with 2 3/4 cups of milk. Mix with a whisk (mix only until moistened, don't mix until setup) pour over the 2nd layer.

4th layer: Top with cool whip.

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

1 c evaporated milk
1/2 c butter
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c sugar
1 1/3 c coconut
1 c chopped pecans

Combine evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar in a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (approx 12 min). Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans.

Beat until cool.

Cindy's Raspberry Cake

1/2 pkg white cake mix
8 oz cream cheese
2 c powdered sugar
1 pt whipping cream (already whipped)
2 pkg frozen raspberries - thawed
1 pk raspberry danish dessert

Beat cream cheese, add powdered sugar and whipped cream. Cook danish dessert and add raspberries. Spread cream mixture over cake. Top with raspberry mixture.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Denise's Strawberry Cake

Prepare 1 white cake mix and pour in a Texas Sheet Cake size pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350. Cool.

Frosting:

12 oz cream cheese
1 to 2 cups cool whip

Beat and spread on cooled cake.

Jelly Topping:

2 boxes danish dessert
3 c water

Prepare danish dessert and spread on top of Frosting.

Top with strawberries (preferably fresh) and chill before serving.

Salted Peanute Chews

Base:

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1/3 c butter (softened)
1 egg
3 c mini marshmallows

Mix first three base in ingredients until crumbly. Place in a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 12-18 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with marshmallows. Bake an additional 2 minutes or until marshmallows puff. Cool while preparing topping.

Topping:

2/3 c corn syrup
1/4 c butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg peanut butter chips
2 c crisp rice cereal
2 c salted peanuts

In a large sauce pan, combine all topping ingredients, except cereal and peanuts. Heat just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, stir in cereal and peanuts. Immediately spoon warm topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Cut into bars. Store in covered containers.

Makes 48 bars.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients:

3 packages of kettle corn, popped and kernals removed
1 package of white candy melts
salt
variously colored candy melts

Directions:

Pop the popcorn and remove the unpopped kernels. Melt the white candy melts in microwave and stir over the popcorn. Spread on waxed paper and sprinkle with salt. Melt colored candy if desired and drizzle over cooling popcorn for decor!

Crepes

1 1/2 c flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 c milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbs butter

For each crepe: Butter 8 in skillet until it bubbles. Pour 1/4 c of batter. Rotate skillet until batter covers bottom. Cook until light brown. Turn and repeat.

Spread with fruit, jam, Nutella, powdered sugar for breakfast and or dessert crepes. You can also make yummy sandwiches out of them. Turkey, Avacado, Pesto is my favorite with Mozzarella cheese!

Mint Brownies

This recipe came from my MIL and is a fun change every once in a while!

Base:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate-flavored syrup
1 cup sugar

Mix together by beating at medium speed for approx 3 minutes. Pour batter into a greased 13 in. by 9 in. pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1 tbs water
1/2 tsp mint or a couple drops peppermint essential oil
3 drops green food coloring

Combine filling in bowl and beat until creamy. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until set.

Topping:
1 package (10 ounce) chocolate chips (Semi Sweet or Milk Chocolate - your choice)
6 tbs butter or margarine

Melt in saucepan over low heat or microwave until melted. Spread over filling and chill. Serve!

Popcorn Balls

2 quarts pooped popcorn
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place popcorn in a large bowl; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, water, corn syrup, butter and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 270 degree (soft-crack stage).

Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn; stir until evenly coated. When cool enough to handle, quickly shape into balls. Yield: 6 servings.

Frosted Banana Bars

Picture from Taste of Home

My friend, Brenda, posted these on her cooking blog.  I made them tonight and they are fabulous!  They are originally from Taste of Home!  Enjoy!

Bars:
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. Yield: 3 dozen.

Sheet Eclairs

This is my MIL, Debbie's, recipe!  Super fun!  Thanks Deb!

1 cup water

1 cube butter or margarine

4 eggs

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

Bring water, salt and butter to a boil. Add flour and stir until mixed. Remove from heat and add one egg at a time and mix until no longer glossy (This can be difficult towards the end - don't give up. Work those arms muscles!  If necessary sprinkle some more flour.) Spread on a large greased cookie sheet. (The mixture can be sticky, so I put a little oil on my hands to help the process!)

Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

3 1/2 cups milk

1 - 8 oz cream cheese (softened)

2 small boxes of instant french vanilla pudding

1 medium carton of cool whip

Mix pudding with milk as directed (beat with mixer) and blend in softened cream cheese. Spread over the top of the cooled crust. Put in the fridge for a few minutes to let the pudding set.  Otherwise the Cool Whip may not spread as easy.  Put cool whip on the top. Drizzle chocolate frosting on top. (The below fudge frosting refrigerates very well. If you are lazy then you can use Hershey's chocolate, but note that it DOESN'T refrigerate well.)

Fudge Frosting:

1 square butter

4 Tbs cocoa

Melt together on low heat in a heavy sauce pan. Remove from heat and add 1 box powdered sugar. Then add milk until desired consistency and taste.

Easy Tres Leche Cake

You can bake a boxed store bough yellow cake or make the following recipe. Honestly, I generally just do a store bought cake.


Cake:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup of softened butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch (or smaller) deep baking pan, set aside. Note: Cake doesn't really work in a standard round pan.

Beat together sugar and butter until it is light and fluffy and has a very light yellow color (about 3-4 min). Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each egg. Add vanilla, baking powder, and flour and beat until a smooth batter is obtained. Pour batter into baking pan (batter will be the consistency of cookie dough). Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool down to room temperature.

Poke holes all over cake using the end of a wooden spoon. Pour the following mixture over cake until it is all soaked up. You might have to pour only a portion of the mix at a time, let it refrigerate and then pour more.

Mix:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups sweetened condensed milk

Before serving spread whipped cream over top and top with fresh slices of strawberry.

It really is better once it has had quite a while to sit in the refrigerator!