Chocolate Fondue

This recipe is SO creamy. The peanut butter and cream really thicken it up and make it so yummy. As you can see, I fixed fresh cut strawberries, bananas and pineapple. However, you can dip anything you like in it. Pound cake, brownies, apple slices, oranges, pear slices, cherries and maybe even popcorn. Anything you want dipped in creamy chocolate. 

4 blocks Hershey's Baking Chocolate

1 cup of light cream (or whole cream)

1 cup of sugar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat baking chocolate & cream in a fondue pot or a sauce pan over medium to low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth & well-blended. Add sugar and peanut butter; continue cooking until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat & stir in the vanilla. 

Makes 2 cups.

Tea Party Cake

This was a cake I did for my daughter's 1st birthday party. The theme was a tea party, so I designed the cake to look like table cloths over tables with the tea set on top. The bottom tier was strawberry cake with buttercream icing. The top tier was white cake with buttercream icing. 

Otis Spunkmeyer Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are the most moist homemade muffin recipe that I have found. 

2 cups of fresh blueberries (rinse lightly and drain)

1 package white cake mix

1 package of instant vanilla pudding (4 serving size)

4 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

3/4 cup of milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Rinse blueberries lightly and drain. In mixing bowl, beat eggs until light. To the eggs, add cake mix, pudding, vegetable oil, vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth but do not over beat. About 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Batter will be thick. Carefully fold blueberries in the batter with a spoon or spatula. Try not to break the berries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes depending upon the size of your muffin cups. Test with a toothpick and taking care not to over bake. 

Will make about 9 large muffins or 12-15 small muffins.

The Cupcake Truck

Recently, I found this cool cupcake site with a very creative flare. It is called "The Cupcake Truck" and it is basically a mobile bakeshop. They are located in New Haven, CT and they fill the cupcake truck with fresh cupcakes every day and ride around like an ice cream truck. I would love to taste their creations since they have yummy-sounding flavors like salted caramel, sweet potato pecan and loco coconut. You can also rent out the truck for parties and other events. Check it out!



The Cupcake Truck

They also have a blog if you are interested in reading.



The Cupcake Truck blog

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

How To Achieve the Perfect Cookie

Perfect Cookies

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Lemon Glazed Blueberry Pound Cake

This is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite recipes that I have found. And I have added a small touch to it that really gives it some extra zip. I have made it several times and it was always a big hit. Plus, SO easy to make. My mom had given me some home grown Mississippi blueberries and I used them in this recipe. YUM! The lemon glaze is what I invented to drizzle over the top. It really does give it that extra tang to go with the blueberries.

This pound cake is baked in a tube pan.

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Cake

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups flour, divided

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 pint fresh blueberries or 2 cups frozen, thawed

Glaze

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

2 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325º

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Sift 2 cups flour, salt and baking powder together. Add sifted ingredients to creamed mixture and beat. Dredge berries in remaining flour. Gently fold floured berries into the batter. Grease and dust a tube pan with confectioner's sugar or flour; pour batter into it. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until it tests done.

Once cake has cooled, take out of the pan and place on cake plate. Stir confectioner's sugar together with lemon juice and drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.

Happy Valentine's Day Cake

3 layered strawberry cake with white buttercream icing and covered in white fondant. Sitting on a cake board covered in fondant wrapped in pink ribbon. Plastic pearls strung on thread around the bottom. Fondant bow on top dusted with pink luster dust.

This was a very fun cake to make. It took about 8 hours total from baking the first layer to taking the pictures of it. Some people can't believe that I would spend that much time working on a cake....well, for no one really....except family. But I find this to be so much fun. I am an artist at heart and to work with my hands again is truly exhilarating. I have had a lot of people comment on the bow. I am attaching a video from YouTube that I found on how to create this bow and wanted to share with you all. Hope you enjoy.

Fruit Basket Cake

Yellow cake with chocolate icing, sugared grapes and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Surrounded in Pirouette cookies and wrapped in a gold ribbon. This was a welcome home cake I made for my sister and brother-in-law. Very yummy.

My First Decorated Cake

I made this cake and cupcakes for a family member's birthday. They love hummingbirds, so I decided to design a cake to mimic that. This was my first time covering a cake with fondant. It was a little difficult trying to get it smooth around the sides, so I was kinda glad that my design included the chocolate ribbon around the bottom to hide it. Sometimes you learn as you go. 

Substitutions

1 cup cake flour = 1 cup minus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 tbsp. molasses

1 tsp. baking powder = 1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup whole milk = 1 cup skim milk plus 2 tbsp. melted butter

1 cup buttermilk = 1 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup (Stir; let mixture stand 5 minutes).

1 cup sour cream = 1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water

1 cup molasses = 1 cup dark corn syrup or honey

1/2 cup corn syrup = 1/2 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water

1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate = 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tbsp. shortening

1 ounce (1 square) semi-sweet chocolate = 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tbsp. sugar

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips = 6 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped

10 Tips for Baking Great Cookies

Top 10 Tips For Great Cookies

1. Use top quality ingredients.
2. Be careful when you melt chocolate because it burns easily.
3. If the recipe calls for nuts, toast them before incorporating into your recipe. Toasting enhances their flavor.
4. Have all your ingredients at room temperature before you begin. Butter that’s too warm will make your cookies flat and greasy.
5. Throughly beat the butter or other fat with the sugar.
6. Don’t overbeat the dough once you add eggs or other dry ingredients.
7. If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate it for about 15 to 30 minutes before using. Don’t add extra flour unless it’s absolutely necessary.
8. When rolling out dough, use form, even strokes. Try not to smash it.
9. Use heavy-duty cookie sheets and make sure they are completely cool before putting dough on them.
10. Let cookies firm up on the baking sheets for several minutes before moving them to wire racks.

Always keep your pantry stocked with basic and frequently used ingredients. The information that follows will help guide you with ingredients, equipment and techniques.

Chess Squares

Skill Level: Easy

3 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
1 box yellow cake mix
8 oz. cream cheese
1 lb. box confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 325º

Mix 1 egg, butter and cake mix by hand and press into a 9x13 baking dish. Mix 2 eggs, cream cheese & confectioners sugar and pour over cake mixture.

Bake until outer edges and top are lightly brown.

Lemon Bars

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 2 dozen

1 box lemon cake mix
3 large eggs, divided
1/2 cup oil
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from a real lemon)
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Mix cake mix, 1 of the eggs and oil. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of lightly greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Mix cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 2 eggs, sour cream, granulated sugar, lemon peel and juice; mix until blended. Pour batter into crust.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is just set in the center and edges are light golden brown. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into bars.

Wicked-Easy Fudge Brownies

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 2 dozen

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 large eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Put all of the ingredients into a large bowl in the order in which they’re written. Stir, then beat the mixture until smooth.

Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they’re just barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let them cool completely before cutting.

New Baby Cookies

I made these cookie cutouts for my sister-in-law who had just had a baby. I used a sugar cookie mix for the heart cookies. The top icing is made from colored fondant and writing icing. This was my first time playing with fondant and I knew from then on I would want to dabble more in it. 

Cinnamon Chocolate Nut Spirals

Skill Level: Intermediate
Makes: 2 dozen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup very finely chopped walnuts
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tbsp. butter

Combine flour and salt in small bowl; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup softened butter in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Gradually add flour mixture. Dough will be stiff. (If necessary, knead dough by hand until it holds together.)

Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper into 12x10-inch rectangle. Remove waxed paper from top of rectangle.

Combine chips, walnuts, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Melt 3 tbsp. butter; pour hot melted butter over chocolate chip mixture; mix well. (Chips will partially melt.) Spoon mixture over dough. Spread evenly, leaving 1/2-inch border on long edges.

Using bottom sheet of waxed paper as guide and starting at long side, tightly roll up dough jelly-roll style, removing waxed paper as you roll. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. (If dough is chilled longer than 1 hour, slice with sharp, thin knife.)

Heat oven to 350º. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Unwrap dough. Using heavy thread or dental floss, cut dough into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 4 dozen

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
confectioner’s sugar

Heat oven to 350ºF.

In a microwave or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt together the shortening and chocolate. Transfer the melted chocolate to a large mixing bowl, and beat in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, sift together the baking powder, flour and salt. Add the nuts, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for several hours.

Remove the dough from the fridge and shape it into walnut-sized balls. Roll the balls well in confectioner’s sugar and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving about 1 1/2-inches between each cookie; they’ll spread.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes.

Note: For quick and easy coating of the cookies with confectioner’s sugar, put the sugar in a bag and add 4 or 5 balls of dough at a time. Gather the bag together at the top to trap the air inside and shake gently.

Giant Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 9 cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
16 miniature peanut butter cups, cut into fourths

Preheat oven to 350º

Beat butter, sugar and peanut butter in medium bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture; blend well. Drop dough by level 1/4 cup measurements onto ungreased cookie sheets; three cookies per sheet. Push about seven pieces of peanut butter cup into each cookie, flattening cookie slightly.

Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Centers will be pale and lightly soft. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.

Oatmeal Toffee Cookie

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 4 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 3/4 (10 oz. bag) toffee bits
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375º

Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended.

Stir in oats, toffee and coconut, if desired, with spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 5 dozen

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 small box of vanilla Jello
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 package (12 oz.) semi-sweet morsels

Preheat oven to 375º

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla Jello in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Double Chocolate Cookies

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 5 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat well.

Stir together flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Add your choice of chips
Chocolate
Mint
White Chocolate
Peanut Butter
Toffee
etc.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 4 dozen

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
granulated sugar
chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 375º

In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter until well blended. Add the sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat well. Stir the flour, soda and salt together. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately place one kiss on each cookie. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Homemade Oreos

Skill Level: Intermediate

2 (18 oz.) boxes devil’s food cake mix
4 eggs, beaten well
2/3 cup oil
1/2 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º

Mix eggs, cake mix and oil together

Shape into gumball size balls

Bake for 10 minutes

Inside cream filling of cookies:

Mix butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla together

When cookies are completely cool, frost the flat side of one cookie, place another cookie on top of the frosting (flat side to flat side).

Snickerdoodles

Skill Level: Easy

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
cinnamon & sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 400º

Mix together butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, cream of tartar and baking soda. Stir in flour until well mixed. Roll into balls about 1” in diameter & roll in cinnamon and sugar to coat.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they are just barely brown.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Skill Level: Easy

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375º

Combine flour, baking soda & salt. Set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large bowl until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is melted. Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix well. Blend in egg & vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

Shape into 1 inch balls. Rollin the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes . Cool on baking sheets 1 minute.

No-Roll Sugar Cookies

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 3 1/2 dozen

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar, powdered sugar, butter, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except for 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Cover, refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 350º. Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in small bowl. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls about 3 inches apart. Flatten to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of glass. Sprinkle cookies with a little additional sugar.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Cookie Cups

Skill Level: Intermediate
Makes: 4 dozen

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, soft
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup ground toasted almonds
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips, divided

Beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl until well blended; stir in flour, sugar and almonds. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each part into 12 smooth balls. Place each ball in small muffin tin (1 3/4 in. in diameter); press evenly on bottom and up sides of each cup.

Heat oven to 375º. Beat eggs in small bowl. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; mix well. Place 7 cinnamon chips in bottom of each cookie shell; fill a generous 3/4 full with sweetened condensed milk mixture.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are puffed and just beginning to turn golden brown. Cool 3 minutes. Sprinkle about 15 chips on top of each cookie. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan using a small metal spatula or sharp knife. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Gotta Love Peanut Butter Cookies

This is one of the best peanut butter cookie recipes I have found yet. YUMMY!

Skill Level: Easy
Makes: 2 dozen

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter chips (or any other chip flavor you would like)
Granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375ºF. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in chips.

Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Dip tops of balls into granulated sugar. Place balls, sugared sides up, about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet (do not flatten).

Bake cookies 9 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Did You Know:
Cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. If it’s too firm, let stand at room temp 30 minutes.