Valentines Treat!

I saw this posted on Pinterest.com so many times I couldnt help put try it with my girls this weekend.  I know that my friend made these for a christmas treat and they were very addictive! 

above are my treats....but below is the picture from pinterest, which I thought explained how these were made very easily. Fun to change the colors for the different holidays. yumm.

Strawberry Danish Cake

I tried a new recipe earlier this week.  Thought I'd share.  I have had the cake a few times, but never made it myself. Super tastey.

Strawberry Danish Cake

1 white cake mix
8 oz cream cheese
2 C powdered sugar
12 oz cool whip
1 package Strawberry Danish Delight
strawberries
dash of vanilla

1.  Make the cake as directed. (use any kind of pan) Let it cool completely.
2.  Cream the cream cheese, then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and then the cool whip.  Add the layer ontop of the cake.
3.  Follow the danish delight recipe on the back and then add to the top of the cake.  Let it chill and cool in the fridge.


sooo goood.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

    I know I'm on a calorie specific meal plan, but I couldn't help but try this recipe, especially when I have an excuse to make the cookies.  My brother n law loves cookies and was flying into town.  Just so you know, I only had half of one cookie, yup only half.  But these cookies are good. Really tasty cake-like cookies.   Originally, I found the recipe on pinterest.com, which took me to a recipe on allrecipes.com.  These were actually really easy and fast to make. If you love pumpkin cookies, you have to try these cookies!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.   In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir in. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
2. Add vanilla, and chocolate chips.
3. Drop by the spoonful on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.

Pies Pies All Around

   Need to start this with...I am not a pie maker. Pies are not my thing, and not my first choice in a dessert. BUT my friend was having her 30th birthday and I wanted to make her something....she's always asked about my Sour Cream Apple Pie. Usually only make it for thanksgiving. 

    But first...a good pie starts with a good crust.  Now if I can make pie crust from scratch and not fail, then anyone can do it. The name of the recipe? Fool-proof pie crust. Actually was really easy to put together. I'm adding these recipes to my blog so I will have them in an easier place to find. This recipe makes enough for 2 rolled out discs. I prefer the struesel topping pies..so I had enough for 2 pies!

Fool-Proof Pie Dough

•    2 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour
•    1 tsp salt
•    2 TB sugar
•   12 TB cold unsalted butter, cut into slices
•    1/2 C chilled solid vegetable shortening
•    1/4 C vodka, cold
•    1/4 C water, cold

1. process 1 1/2 C flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined (I did it by hand, worked just fine).  Add butter, and shortening.  scrap bowl with spatula and mix again.

2.  Add remaining cup of flour and mix.

3.  Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture.  With spatula, fold into mix, pressing on dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together.  Divide dough into 2 even balls, and flatten each into 4-in disk.  Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 min or up to 2 days.

 **one tip I learned online, before you bake the pie shell (after you've rolled it out and put in the pie pan), put in the freezer for 10 minutes, supposed to help keep its form.

    I had enough pie dough for another pie after my sour cream apple, so this next recipe is the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.  I have never had Rhubarb before, but my husband asked for a strawberry rhubarb pie...and since he asked for it, I'll make it.  Hardest part? finding the rhubarb. Must have tried 4 different stores, then when I was out chatting with neighbors, I turned to one and asked if she knew where I could find rhubarb. "Oh, in my backyard!" hooray! saved by neighbor. After trying the pie, it was actually verrry tasty. If you like fruity kind tart taste, you'll love this.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

• 3 C Rhubarb, diced.
• 3 C strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 C sugar
• 3 TB flour
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 pie crust

 1. Combine fruit, sugar, flour, and lemon juice.  Stir well. 

2.  Let it sit 10 minutes, drain out some of the excess juice, add another 2-3 TB of flour, mix.

3.  Turn into the pie shell.

4.  Top with the Struesel topping.

5.  Bake 375 degrees, 50 minutes.

*struesel topping: 2/3 C flour, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/3 C butter. mix all together and put on top of pie before going in the oven.

   I almost didn't post this recipe. This is an old family recipes, and one of my go to recipes for pies. Love love love apple pie, and this sour cream apple pie is deeelicious. If you try it, let me know what you think!

Sour Cream Apple Pie

•    3 C chopped apples (granny smith)
•    2 TB flour
•    1 egg, beaten
•    1/2 tsp salt
•    3/4 C Sugar
•    1 C sour cream
•    1/2 tsp vanilla
•    1/4 tsp cinnamon

    1.  Combine salt, sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

   2.  Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla

   3.  Beat until smooth. Add apples.

   4.  Pour into pie shell

   5.  Bake 450 degrees, for 15 minutes, THEN lower to 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

   6.  Add struesel topping, and bake an additional 20 minutes.

 *struesel topping: 1/3 C flour, 1/3 C brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 C butter

 The end of my pie post. Enjoy!

"Low Fat" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies . . . if only

Ok...I know this post kinda goes against the previous post, but I did try to make them "better" for my kids! promise!  Besides. we're having a girls day, it's Friday, so we found a new recipe to try. :) I LOVE Oatmeal cookies and this recipes was sooo yummy that I had to share! I tried to follow it completely, but I made my own small changes... ;) it's been known to happen. a lot.

Low Fat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

(low fat? ehh...maybe a little better than the original)

1 C         flour (I used half white, half wheat flour)
1 tsp      baking powder
1/2 tsp  baking soda
1/2 tsp  salt
1/2 tsp  cinnamon (yummm)
2 TB      butter, at room temp.
1/2 C     sugar (used a little less)
1/2 C     brown sugar, packed
1 large   egg
1/4 C     applesauce
1/2 tsp  vanilla
2 C        oatmeal (used a little more)
1 C         chocolate chips (used a little less and the mini chips)

1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, and the suagers, then add the egg. mix. then add the applesauce and vanilla.
3.  Stir in the flour mixture and then the oats. combine well, lastly stir in the chocolate chips.
4.  Drop by Tablespoon for big (half for small) Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

5.  Cook on a wire rack, and enjoy! (oh and careful with the cookie dough..sooo yummy!)

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie

While I was looking for a new oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe to make, I came across this recipe.  No-bake cookie? really? wonder what that tastes like....and since I had all the ingredients on hand, I gave it a try.  Basically, if you LOVE chocolate, not allergic to peanut butter, and mix it all in oatmeal, you will love this cookie. Great for a quick sugar high. ;)

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie

1/2 C Butter

2 C Sugar

1/2 C Milk

4 TB Cocoa Powder

1/2 C Peanut Butter

3 1/2 C Oatmeal

2 tsp Vanilla

1- Add the first 4 ingredients into a  medium saucepan.

2- Bring to a roiling boil for 1 minute.

3- Remove from heat.

4- Stir in the next 3 ingredients.

5- Drop by the TB onto wax paper, and let cool completely.

Orange Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies to make and eat!  My sister gave me the recipe a few years ago.  Everyone keeps asking for me to write it down, so here it is, for everyone to share! I love it when friends ask me to make something, like these cookies, and I have no problem sharing the recipe with others. :) They are just that good. and EASY to make.

Orange Cookies

1 white cake mix

2 eggs

1/4 C vegetable oil

1 C Flour

1/3 C Orange Juice

1 TB orange zest (grated peel)

-preheat oven to 350.

-mix all cookie ingredients,except for the orange peel. 

-Mixing with a spoon works fine, the cookie dough will be very sticky.

-Stir in orange peel.

-drop dough balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

-bake 8-10 minutes, cool on a rack

Orange Icing (yummy)

2 TB melted butter

1 1/2 C Powdered Sugar

1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel

1 1/2 TB Orange Juice

Peanut Butter Cookies

Don't you love the feeling when someone asks you to make something?? or is that just me. :)

A few days ago, my brother Jordan wanted me to make him some peanut butter cookies. I've never really made them, but I have a lot of good memories of peanut butter cookies. This was the cookie that my sisters and I would make with our Grandma all the time. She let us squash the cookie dough with our forks. That was over 20 years ago, but I still remember. Anyway. guess I never made them before cause I'm not a huge peanut butter cookie fan, that was something I only did with my grandma.

Luckily, I had a great recipe for peanut butter cookies. How would I know if it's great if I've never made them? Well, when I was first married, my awesome sister n'law gave me some of her favorite family cookie recipes, and each of the other cookie recipes have been wonderful. I just knew. :)

Really easy recipe, and the smell of the peanut butter cookie dough was yummy (remember not a huge peanut butter cookie fan). The dough, which is my favorite in taste testing, reminded me of the soft peanut butter center of peanut butter cups. tasty.  When they were done cooking, I even tried one. Maybe I was too harsh on the peanut butter cookie...still favor oatmeal. For those that like peanut butter cookies I wanted to share the recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1 1/4 C Flour

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

extra white suage to roll in.

Cream butters, sugar and spices.  Gradually add flour.  Beat until combined. Roll into desired size.  Roll into white sugar. Criss cross with fork.  Bake 375 for 7-9 minutes.

Giant Cookie Cake

For the last...I don't know how many years...maybe 5 years, I've made this giant chocolate chip cookie for my brothers birthday! :) Sooo easy to make and fun to decorate, so I'm sharing the recipe.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 TB white sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray a 12in round pan with non-stick cooking spray.

1. Cream the butter and the sugars together until smoothe.

2. Add the egg and vanilla.

3. Mix on low, then add the dry ingrediants.

4. Mix in the chocolate chips.

5. Press dough in the pan, but leave space on the sides, since it will cook out.

6. Bake 15-20 min. Let it cool in the pan on a cookie rack for 5 minutes, then flip it onto the cookie rack to cool completely before decorating!

Here is the picture of the dough in the pan after I pressed it down. My daughter loved helping me with this part. Oh and you can use any kind of chips! I used half chocolate and half white, and it tasted delicious.

Here is the cookie after is had cooled on the cookie rack. The cook itself is soft and tasty. I hope you try it!

This is the finished cookie after I decorated it. He asked for back and red, so I did a black birthday box with a red bow. lol. worked out huh. I love making this cookie. (by the way, I have not been successful in making black or red icing, luckily I had pre-made betty crocker squeezable icing in both black and red! wahoo!)

Chocolate Pudding Cake.. in a crockpot!!

Have you tried chocolate pudding cake in a crockpot? I know I haven't, but the first I heard of it I had to try it for myself! My friend Ashlee made it last weekend, and then posted it to her new cooking blog, The Culinary Queen.

She has just started her cooking blog, and she LOVES to cook. I can not wait to try some of her other recipes. Did I mention she likes butter?? ;) Oh where was I, oh yeah chocolate pudding cake!!

This was such an easy recipe and I LOVE chocolate pudding cake. One of my favorites from when I was kid. After trying it tonight, the recipe was very easy and tasty! Thanks Ashlee for sharing the recipe!

Here is the recipe from her blog post, click here or see recipe below.

Easy Crock Pot Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 package (6 serving size) instant Chocolate pudding and pie filling

3 cups of Milk

1 package (181/2 ounces) chocolate fudge cake mix plus ingredients to prepare mix

Whipped Topping or Ice Cream (optional)

Crushed peppermint Candies

1.Spray 4 quart Crock pot slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place pudding mix in Crock Pot slow cooker. Whisk in Milk.

2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Carefully pour cake mix into Crock Pot slow cooker. DO NOT STIR!!

3.Cover, cook on HIGH for 1 1/2 hours or until set. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping and crushed peppermint candies, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

(just my own little tip. when the time was up, I was worried that it wasn't done cause it looked like the was still uncooked, but don't let that fool you! that's just the pudding. mix it up and it's verrrry good. hope you try it!)

chocolate peppermint and pretzels

About time I updated. I just haven't felt like writing anything lately. Earlier this month I had a friend visit! My freshman roommate from college moved back to this valley in September and now works at the children's hospital downtown. Seems like years..ok it has been years since I've really seen her. She drove all the way to my house just to visit and literally hang out. It was...interesting. =) hehehe. I loved having her here, but my girls were like leeches! They wore her out! They played games almost the entire time. Chasing around the couch, throwing things back and forth, reading, tickling...good times and a lot of laughs. I hope I didn't scare her away, and hopefully we'll get together again soon.

What else....I volunteered to help in my daughters preschool class. The kids were putting candy on their own individual gingerbread houses. It was a blast. 11 kids, each with their own house and a ton of candy. They premade the houses using graham crakers, and stuck them to little milk cartons with hot glue. Then I was in charge of helping "smear" the frosting all over the houses and then helping them with putting candy EVERYWHERE. In the end, they were able to take home adorable gingerbread houses that they decorated themselves. (to me they looked like globs of candy) =]

Last weekend we had a nice visit from my hubby's brother, wife and 3 month baby boy (codename: camper). This is his brothers final semester for his undergraduate--wahoo! and then they will be moving back east the end of next week after he graduates. So this visit may have been the last in a while. They will definitely be missed, but they are doing what they need to do in their lives right now. My girls LOVED the baby, they wanted to touch him, hold him, make him smile. It was really sweet, and I did take few pictures. The baby's parents are very particular about pictures on a public blog (which is perfectly fine!), so I found one that I hope is ok!! wow my girls are such cheeses...hehehe. Good luck on your move, be safe. =]

Last of all on this long update (sorry). I was a madwoman in the kitchen today (dishes are still not done. lol). My sister Lisa told me about these cookies on foodnetwork.com, the Peppermint Chocolate Cookie, and White Clouds in chocolate. So I went to the store with my girls to get what I need to make these yummy treats. I tried to find my circle cookie cutter, but I believe my girls have "borrowed" it, so I ended up using a star cookie cutter for the peppermint cookies. And I've never made meringue before--that was a first. Let's just say both the recipes were a lot of fun to make and really not that hard. Both required melted chocolate...lots of melted chocolate, so I also dipped mini pretzels in the chocolate for extra. What was going to be a few cookies in a tin box ended up looking like a chocolate peppermint selection in a box. =] I put together a few tin boxes for some friends and I think they turned out a lot better than I expected. Honestly, the only thing that I've tasted are the white clouds and the chocolate covered pretzels. I had just enough of the peppermint cookies for friends, so I didn't taste those, but they looked rich and delicious.

That is all until next time. My sister is coming into town next week for the christmas holiday! I'm really looking forward to that, but she may go crazy being this close to family for so many days. hehehe.