Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Muffin Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tbsp lemon extract

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/4 cup buttermilk

1 pound fresh blueberries

Spray bundt pan liberally with baking spray that includes flour. Preheat over to 300 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together with electric mixer. Next beat in eggs, vanilla and lemon. In separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together and stir gently with fork. Lots of people skip this step, but its important to make sure your dry powders are mixed well because they could spread unevenly in your cake if you toss them in mixer one at a time. Now you will alternate adding in the flour mixture and buttermilk. When all combined, gently fold in half the blueberries. I would remove the paddle attachment from mixer and do by hand as to not crush berries. Put mixture in bundt pan. Then add rest of blueberries to the top (so they will bake out and be a delicious bottom for your cake once baked). Bake for 65-75 minutes. Use toothpicks a lot to test that it is really done. Should be golden brown and not jiggly at all. Then let cake cool COMPLETELY before trying to flip it over...this could take up to two hours.

I didn't make the glaze or crumble that was included in the original recipe. I would probably make the glaze next time to cover up the little imperfections left from getting the cake out of the pan.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature


3/4 cup powdered sugar 


1 cup creamy peanut butter
 or almond butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream


1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Graham cracker pie crust or Chocolate graham cracker pie crust

FOR THE TOPPING:

Melted peanut butter (optional)


Melted chocolate


Mini Reese’s cups
 (optional)

Peanut butter chips

Mix all filling ingredients together and put in pie crust. Freeze for 3 hours. 

Melt chocolate (and peanut butter if desired) and put into decorating pens or canisters and use to make lines back and forth. Sprinkle edges with chocolate chips (and Reese's cups and peanut butter if desired). Now clearly that's not what you see above. I had a minor accident with my decorating apparatus as it exploded on the center of the pie while still very hot. So, I had to make the best of it and spread it like cupcake icing. While I wanted to cry because I would have no pretty pie...the extra chocolate surely was tasty :)  

Here's the original recipe if you want to see what to aim for :)

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White Chocolate Challah Pudding

Most delicious thing I have ever made hands down. It is a copycat recipe from Pairie Fire Grill's White Chocolate Bread Pudding. I made it with Challah for Hanukkah dinner rather than regular white bread, and it was amazing.

Layers:

1-1/2 loaf of white bread or 1 loaf of Challah, crusts removed as much as possible

12 egg yolks (save the whites for egg white omelets or egg muffins!)

1 cup sugar

1 qt heavy cream

1/2 qt half and half

1/2 tsp vanilla

18 oz white chocolate chips (a bag and a half)

Topping:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 pound brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon (original recipe calls for 1 tsp - I don't like a lot of cinnamon)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup melted butter

Pudding--

In a very deep 9x13 baking dish, place bread three layers thick. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture is bright yellow. Heat cream, half and half and vanilla and bring to a boil. Add chocolate chips and cream mixture to egg mixture and stir until chocolate melts. Pour slowly over bread making sure mixture gets thoroughly in all layers. You may have some left over depending on the depth of your dish. Let soak for 20 minutes and see if there is any more room for remaining liquid mixture. Add topping. Let sit for another 15 minutes before cooking.

Topping--

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until it is very dark brown. Cover dish entirely with crumb topping. I did a lot of topping all over and still had leftovers.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

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Peach Cobbler

2 cups of peaches (I used jarred peaches)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup all purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspon salt 

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease baking dish. Preheat oven to 350. Drain and layer peaches on bottom. Cream butter and sugar together. Mix in flour. Add egg and vanilla. Spread on top - it can be hard to spread, but it will bake together and make a nice crust if you get it mostly covered. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.

I apologize for no finished picture...it was too delicious and was gone before I could get a pic :)

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Cookies & Cream Fudge

This uses the awesome microwave fudge recipe floating around on the internet.  

Ingredients:

3 cups white chocolate chips

1 can of condensed milk

3 tbsp butter

crushed Oreos to your desired taste (start with a cup)

Directions:

Line 8x8 (mine us actually 8x10) baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Both of these steps are important - you will be sorry if you don't!

Next, put white chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. I do mine on half power to be on the safe side. Take out and stir. Do again for 30 seconds and stir for awhile to see if the heat from the bowl will melt the rest of the chips. Sometimes I need another 30 seconds. I don't do for more than 2 minutes total because the chocolate will burn. After they are melted, add Oreos.  

Pout into baking dish and refrigerate. Mine usually take about 4 hours before I can dump out and cut into squares.

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Hot Cocoa on a Stick

This recipe uses the microwave fudge recipe that is so awesome! 

Supplies needed:

lollipop sticks

jumbo marshmallows

fudge blocks

Ingredients for fudge:

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 can of condensed milk

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan Pink Salt)

Directions:

Line 8x8 (mine us actually 8x10) baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Both of these steps are important - you will be sorry if you don't!

Next, put chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. I do mine on half power to be on the safe side. Take out and stir. Do again for 30 seconds and stir for awhile to see if the heat from the bowl will melt the rest of the chips. Sometimes I need another 30 seconds. I don't do for more than 2 minutes total because the chocolate will burn. After they are melted, add in vanilla and salt.  

Pout into baking dish and refrigerate. Mine usually take about 4 hours before I can dump out and cut into squares.

After squares are cut, pierce a marshmallow and fudge block on a stick. If saving to give away or use later, use treat pop bags and pipe cleaners to wrap up individually.  I use the cake pop bags at Michael's for just about everything.

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Thin Mint Fudge

This uses the awesome microwave fudge recipe floating around on the internet.  

Ingredients:

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 can of condensed milk

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan Pink Salt)

crushed Thin Mints to your desired taste (start with a cup)

Directions:

Line 8x8 (mine us actually 8x10) baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Both of these steps are important - you will be sorry if you don't!

Next, put chocolate chips, condensed milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 60 seconds. I do mine on half power to be on the safe side. Take out and stir. Do again for 30 seconds and stir for awhile to see if the heat from the bowl will melt the rest of the chips. Sometimes I need another 30 seconds. I don't do for more than 2 minutes total because the chocolate will burn. After they are melted, add in vanilla, salt and Thin Mints.  

Pout into baking dish and refrigerate. Mine usually take about 4 hours before I can dump out and cut into squares.

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Butter Pecan Cookies

My sweet husband is lactose intolerant and can't eat one of the things he loves most - Butter Pecan ice cream. So when I saw a Pinterest pin for these cookies, I knew I had to make them so he could crumble them on some lactose free vanilla ice cream. All I did for my recipe was to take my chocolate chip cookie recipe and swap chocolate chips for butterscotch chips and pecans (1 cup of each). They were pretty great, I won't lie.

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White Chocolate Oreo Fudge

Yeah, these were ridiculously amazing (and easy). It's the tried and true recipe from Eagle Brand. They were made at Christmas, but am just getting around to posting. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 (6 oz.) packages white chocolate baking squares
• 1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups (about 20 cookies) coarsely crushed chocolate creme-filled sandwich cookies

Instructions

LINE 8-inch square pan with wax paper, extending paper over edges of pan.

MELT white chocolate squares with sweetened condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in crushed cookies. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

CHILL 2 hours or until firm. Remove from pan by lifting edges of wax paper. Cut into squares.

 

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Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were a-ma-zing. Will never make another way. Ever. Will also use gluten free flour next time.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, room temperature
teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream together coconut oil and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Gradually pour in dry ingredients, beating until well incorporated after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop out balls of dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart from one other.  I prefer to use a cookie scoop and parchment paper on my cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn light brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: The coconut oil is sweet, so sugar is reduced. I think mine were a little too sweet, and will probably reduce granulated sugar and brown sugar a smidge next time.

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White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 TB vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 12 oz white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. I used 6 baking sheets.
2. In bowl of stand mixer using paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and blend.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, and baking soda. Combine  the flour mixture with the butter/sugar mixture.
4. Fold in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
5. Use small cookie scoop and place on parchment paper.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, or just until bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. Cookies may seem soft and underdone, will set while cooling.

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Mother's Cookies

Also known as thumbprint cookies. These cookies are a Christmas tradition in our household. My Gigi used to make them, and now all the kids and grandkids get together and bake these each Christmas. Think pecan sandie with almond flavored icing. Noms.

Cookies
¼ cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened (Do not sub light butter or shortening in this recipe)
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Icing

1 ½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
Enough water to make medium, pourable consistency (I like mine on the ticker side so it doesn't run off the cookie and look messy)
Red and green food coloring

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream sugar and butter. Beat in flour, vanilla and salt. Stir in pecans. Drop by small teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Make thumbprint. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool. Fill with red and green icing.

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Oatmeal White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

They are even more delicious than they sound or look. Here's the original recipe, and below is my modified version. I didn't have shortening (and don't really like baking with it) so I doubled the butter. Also, while I like butterscotch, I thought there were a lot of flavors in this cookie, so I decided to try it with just white chocolate chips (doubled to make up for missing butterscotch). I would add more cherries next time too.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats, uncooked
• 1 cup dried cherries (would increase to 1-1/2 cups next time)
• 1cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375. Line baking sheets and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy. Gradually mix in both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat well.
3. Combine flour and next three ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Stir in cherries and both chips.
4. Scoop dough by tablespoon full onto baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for one minute on baking sheet before transferring to a wire racks to cool completely.
5. Makes 48

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Zucchini Brownies

Yes, as the title suggests, these brownies have zucchini as an ingredient. While I got the idea from a made-from-scratch recipe, I had to come to terms with the fact that I am a not a made-from-scratch mom. I wish I was, and I have tried. While I do some things made from scratch in an effort to eat cleaner, I fall short - and with twins on the way, I don't expect that to change - my kids will have to be thankful these aren't microwave brownies at this point.  

So anyway, I modified a prepackaged box of brownies based on this recipe and swapped the oil for pureed zucchini. Instead of the called for 1/2 cup, it probably ended up being slightly over 1/2 cup (FYI- 2 zucchinis yielded about 1-1/3 cups puree, so I froze the rest). I also used egg whites instead of eggs, just for fun - I'm wild and crazy like that.

Results - delicious, cake-like brownies that hubby ate two of.

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Chocolate Buttercream Babycakes

I was finally able to master chocolate buttercream icing!  I tossed the recipes I had that said to add chocolate chips, or bakers chocolate, etc.  Could never get those stable enough.  I made regular buttercream and just added cocoa powder.  Then let the mixer whip it for about 8 minutes. Perfection!  I have no real recipe for buttercream icing - my kitchen is so hot it is hit or miss with how much sugar I have to add. I start with a stick of butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tsp of vanilla and start whipping.  I add 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time of until I reach desired consistency to be able to pipe. This time for every 1/2 cup of sugar I added, I also added a spoon of cocoa powder.

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Buttercream Cupcakes

I finally took my friend Mary's advice to make my buttercream better.  Before I was putting SO much powdered sugar (like 6 to 8 cups for 24 cupcakes!) to get it stable enough to pipe.  This time, I let the mixer whip on the highest setting for about 8 minutes with only about 3 cups of powdered sugar for 24 cupcakes, and sure enough, it was a good consistency to pipe, and I could actually taste the buttercream instead of pure sugar!

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Cinnamon Roll Waffles

That's right. Lookout IHOP. I tried a Pintrest idea and it was perfect!  I ended up with tiny little cinnamon waffles with cinnamon roll icing. Definitely doing this again.

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Blackberry Cream Cheese Baby Cakes

I used blackberry jam (seedless), low-fat cream cheese and sugar.  When using jam, I've noticed that you use very little - it is a liquid and can be very runny.  I recommend blending your cream cheese and sugar together first, then adding your seedless jam one tablespoon at a time.  I used a whole block of cream cheese, probably eight to 10 cups of powdered sugar and probably 5 tablespoons of jam.  This iced 72 baby cakes with probably enough to ice 4 or 5 more.  This color is natural - no food coloring.  Just a little bit of jam makes this beautiful shade of purple.

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Cherry Vanilla Buttercream Baby Cakes

These little bites were delicious!  I think I like these even better than regular cupcakes because it is just enough icing and cake.  I've found that at most parties, people won't eat regular-sized cupcakes, but they will eat the tiny bites.

These are made with my regular buttercream recipe (which isn't really a recipe - I just start with a stick of low-fat butter, and add 1 tsp of vanilla and 2 cups of powdered sugar, and I keep adding sugar until I get a good piping consistency that won't melt) with cherry flavoring.  I baked them for 12 minutes (cake mix says 18 for regular cupcakes), and they turned out perfect.  I used one of my jumbo piping tips to ice them, and it took just about once squeeze per cupcake - super fast to ice.

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

These cupcakes are stuffed with cookie dough using my cupcake surprise tin, and have cookie dough as frosting sprinkled with chocolate chips. Delish!

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