Don’t throw away the package!!!

Right before I was about to throw away the Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses wrapper, I happened to turn it over and see this recipe! And, OMG, am I glad I did! AMAZING and easy!! A must try!

Cherry Cordial Crème Cookies
***Put Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates filled with Cherry Cordial Creme, unwrapped, in the freezer for several hours or overnight.

Ingredients:
Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates filled w/ Cherry Cordial Creme
1 package (1 lb 6.5oz) original supreme brownie mix w/ syrup pouch
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Stir brownie mix, syrup pouch, cocoa, water, oil, and eggs in medium bowl until well blended. Drop by scant teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until set. Cool 3 to 4 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Immediately press frozen chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Santa’s Cookies 2011

When I found this recipe on Pinterest, I knew they had to be Santa’s cookies this year. We had so much fun making them, and once the icing was applied, they were scrumptious! I will admit that they were a little bland before the icing was put on…but, you be the judge! Santa loved them, regardless! :)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (not butter!)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(I usually DOUBLE this recipe when I'm making for gifts. A single recipe will make approximately 24 BIG cookies.)

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening and sugar together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend together until creamy.
With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients  (add it 1/3 at a time) mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  You will have a very sticky dough at this point so it is very important to CHILL THE DOUGH FOR AT LEAST 1-2 HOURS.


Roll out with plenty of flour on your board to avoid sticking issues. But don't work the dough TOO much or it will get tough. Also make sure to flour your ROLLING PIN and COOKIE CUTTERS as well. Don't roll the dough too thin. I shoot for just a little over 1/4" thick.

Once you have cut out as many shapes as will fit, scoop them off the board with a spatula and transfer to a cookie sheet. It helps if you nudge a little bit of flour under the cookie as you lift it off the board.
If you have silicone baking mats use those. You can also use parchment paper or aluminum foil (which I used). Cooking directly on the cookie sheet works too...it's just more clean up. :-)
Bake the cookies for between 10 and 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Timing is CRUCIAL...so keep an eye on them.  You are shooting cookies that are just BARELY, BARELY starting to brown on the edges.

Powdered Sugar Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tablespoons milk.
food coloring (I usually use about 4 to 5 drops of just the regular kind you buy at the grocery store)

I start with 2 tablespoons of milk and keep adding about a teaspoon at a time after that until the frosting is at just the right consistency.  Not too thick, but not too runny. Then I pretty much GOB it on the cookie...and spread. Top it off with the decoration of your choice

And it smells better than Pot Roast…

If you need a yummy dessert and you have friends coming over, I HIGHHLY recommend this one. It serves a lot of people, it makes your house smell delicious…and it’s SO good!

Rocky Road Crock Pot Cake

You Need:
1 (18.25-oz.) package chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9-oz.) package chocolate instant pudding mix
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 (3.4-oz.) package chocolate cook-and-serve pudding mix
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:
1. Beat cake mix, next 5 ingredients, and 1 1/4 cups milk at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Pour batter into a lightly greased 4-qt. slow cooker.
2. Cook remaining 2 cups milk in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 5 minutes or just until bubbles appear (do not boil); remove from heat.
3. Stir cook-and-serve pudding mix into milk and pour over batter. Cover and cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.
5. Turn off slow cooker. Sprinkle cake with marshmallows, and chocolate morsels. Let stand 15 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly melted.

Leftover Halloween Candy?!

I don’t know about y’all, but we are STILL overflowing with Halloween candy! So, last week, I put some of it to good use! I grabbed a few handfulls of the chocolate kind, crushed them up and added them to a brownie mix! Sure, I added LOTS of extra calories to our already calorie-filled treat, but it was GOOD!

Easy Pumpkin Perfection

Need a quick and easy fall treat? Look no further! This is AS EASY as it gets…and SO yummy! They remind me of my Diet Coke Cupcakes…but for fall! And, they were gone in no time! Easy Pumpkin Muffins
1 box of cake mix (I tried Chocolate and White…white is MUCH better!)
1 can of 100% Pure Pumpkin

Mix together cake mix and pumpkin until well blended. Fill cupcake cups 3/4 full and bake according to box directions. Frost or don’t….or glaze. (recipe below)

Apple Cider Glaze
1 pkg. of Apple Cider mix
1/2 cup Powered Sugar
2 T water (or more if needed)

Mix together until desired consistency and drizzle over cupcakes.

The S’mores: Reinvented

Whoever created Pinterest is a GENIOUS! Seriously, the ideas are NEVERENDING! But, whoever thought of THIS delectable treat might be EVEN more of a genius! I think the guy who created S’mores should re-think his recipe! This is BETTER!!!…

Reese’s S’mores
Graham Crackers
Big Marshmallows
Reese’s Cups

Make the S’mores as you always have…but, replace the Hershey's for a Reese’s cup! AMAZING!

I dare you to eat just one…

I just realized that I never posted the few new recipes I made for Nash’s party! All were super yummy and a hit!!! Especially these little guys!…

Chocolaty Pretzel Bites
Square pretzels
Hershey’s kisses
M&M’s

Preheat oven to a low setting. Place square pretzels on a cookie sheet. Place unwrapped Hershey kiss on top. Put in oven and watch for kisses to get soft. Before they completely melt, take out of the oven and smush (is that a word!?) M&M into soft Hershey kiss. Place in refrigerator to allow it to cool and set.

Gooey Goodness!

I like coconut, but I must admit that I don’t LOVE it. I love coconut flavor more than I love the texture. … Anyway, these yummy bars were AMAZING…and, even though the recipe called for TONS of coconut, it wasn’t overwhelmingly coconutty! It is a recipe I will make again and again and again…a great “take with you” dessert! Or a great “eat the whole pan by yourself” dessert! :) Thanks, Cara, for sharing this scrumptious treat! GOOEY COCONUT BARS

20 graham crackers {2 sleeves}
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cans sweetened condensed milk

Crush graham crackers and mix with salt & melted butter. Grease a 9x13 baking pan and press the graham cracker mix evenly into the bottom of the pan.

Mix the coconut flakes & chocolate chips together and spread over the graham cracker crust.

Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the coconut & chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 

Almost Too Pretty To Eat

When Quinn got up this morning, I had this fun little “food craft” all ready for him to help make. I made the dough, and he got to help with the fun stuff.
1. Mix the colors.
2. Taste the yummy dough.
3. Roll into balls.
4. Smush the balls together.
5. Make into a log…marbling as much as desired.
6. Cut and place on cookie sheet…forming into egg shapes.
7. Bake and ENJOY!!!
{See recipe below pics!}

Stained Glass Easter Egg Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
food coloring

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the flour. Beat with the mixer for several minutes until a smooth dough forms.

Divide the dough into 5 pieces. Put each piece in a separate bowl. Add several drops of food coloring to each bowl. Make each piece of dough a different color

Work the color into each piece of dough with your hands. Then, roll the dough into a ball. Wash your hands before working on a different color.

Now press all the dough balls together. Roll them into a log. The log should be about 8 inches long. Chill the log in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Slice the log into pieces. Each slice should be about 1/4 inch thick. (And, if desired, form them into egg shapes) Put the slices on a cookie sheet and bake them for 10 minutes at 350°.

Diet Cupcakes…is there such a thing?

When my fellow Diet Coke lover had a baby, and I took her dinner, I KNEW that these would be the perfect little dessert. And, let’s just say, they’re the EASIEST cupcakes I’ve ever made.

But, don’t let the easiness fool you. They are, quite possibly, my favorite homemade cupcakes! Something about their texture and taste is SO yum! Try them…and, if you don’t agree with me, you didn't waste any time!

Diet Coke Cupcakes
{Makes about 18 cupcakes for 125 calories each + icing calories}

1 package dry chocolate cake mix
12 ounces diet coke
icing

Mix together. (DO NOT use any of the ingredients called for on the box!)Fill cupcake cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
Let cool completely and ice.

*The texture will be different than normal cupcakes. They’re not quite as fluffy and round.

You had me at chocolate… {& easy!}

You can’t go wrong with this easy treat! It made a great and (surprisingly) not too rich dessert. Some of us even topped it with vanilla ice cream! MMMM mmm! Easy Chocolate Cobbler

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup self-rising flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt butter in an 8x8 inch baking dish while the oven preheats.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth. Spoon this batter over the melted butter in the baking dish.
3. Stir together the remaining cup of sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the batter. Slowly pour boiling water over the top of the mixture.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until set. Serve slightly warm with ice cream.

Mammer & Slickpaw’s Guilty Pleasure

Mammer and Slickpaw have a new guilty pleasure…Bisquick Cobbler. I think they’ve tried every fruit in the book! (raving over the cherry and blueberry!) And, it’s super good with a little cold milk poured over the top. Enjoy. Mammer & Slickpaw’s Quick Bisquick Cobbler

4 Tbsp. butter
1 c. Bisquick
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. milk
1 large can of pie filling (fruit of your choice)

Turn oven to 375°F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in 9x13 baking dish. Mix Bisquick, sugar, and milk. Pour over melted butter. Spoon fruit over.

Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.

For the Monkeys in Your Life…

Quinn loves to say that he’s a monkey! He’s cute like that! So, when I told him about these cookies, he was anxious to help…especially with smooshing the bananas. He said they were for monkeys! But, I’d say they’re for anyone that loves a good cookie! And, they take all of 5 minutes to make! They were super soft…kinda like a muffin top. We loved ‘em!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

1/2 pouch Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 pouch Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1 egg

Optional:
1 container Whipped fluffy white frosting
sprinkles

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet.

Stir cookie mix, bananas and egg in medium bowl until soft dough forms. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set (centers will be soft). Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Frost with frosting; add sprinkles while frosting is still wet.

My Christmas Obsession

I think this Christmas I realized my obsession with peppermint flavor. Starbucks’ Peppermint Mochas have to be a piece of heaven on earth…and this creamer…
…I literally could drink it! I put it in my coffee…on my ice cream …and in chocolate milk! It’s YUMMY and I’m so sad they only make it at Christmastime.

So, when Meredith served this recipe at our Christmas playgroup party, I couldn’t wait to make it for myself. It’s yummy…and so very rich. Enjoy.

Brownie Cheesecake Peppermint Goodness

1 tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 box brownie mix
2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
2 tsp. peppermint extract, divided
4 candy canes, crushed

Directions:
- Make brownies according to the directions on the box and add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- Bake brownies according to the directions on the box. Set aside to cool.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and press cookie dough evenly on the bottom.
- Bake dough at 350 degrees until lightly brown on top. Set aside to cool.
- Once brownies have cooled, remove all edges. Scrape the rest of the baked brownies into a large bowl.
- Combine brownies with cream cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Spread mixture evenly over cooled baked cookie dough.
- Over a double broiler, melt white chocolate and gently stir in 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- Spread melted chocolate over brownie mix and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Once chocolate has hardened cut into bars and enjoy!

Take THIS to your next Christmas party…

This easy little cake will not disappoint. We enjoyed it for breakfast & dessert and I loved the hint of peppermint that you would taste. Sadly, I don’t have a picture of the inside, but it has a cute red swirl running through it. It’s a great thing to take to all of those Christmas parties that are filling up your calendar!

Candy Cane Cake

Cake
1 box SuperMoist white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

White Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, if desired

Decoration
Crushed candy canes or crushed hard peppermint candies, if desired

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. Into small bowl, pour about 3/4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
2. Bake as directed on box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour.
3. In small bowl, mix icing ingredients. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing over cake. Sprinkle top with crushed candy. Store loosely covered.

You’re Never Too Old for a Candy Cane

I feel like when I think of Candy Canes, I think of kids enjoying them at Christmastime. But, who said they were just for kids!!! I love them too. And, for our Advent Devotional Party, my friend Carrie made these for all of us to enjoy! And they were YUMMMMMMYYYY and oh so cute! I have a feeling I’ll be making them again! …I love them for the kid in all of us! :) Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops

1 pkg (18-21 oz) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make brownies)
24 candy canes
10 oz chocolate-flavored almond bark
Additional decorations such as red sprinkles/crushed candy canes

1. Line Medium Sheet Pan (or 9-in. by 13-in. metal pan) with a 13-in. piece of Parchment Paper; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions; pour batter into pan.Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven; cool 20 minutes or until still slightly warm.

2. Meanwhile, cut straight ends of candy canes off to form 4½-in. sticks. Place candy cane tops into baggie and crush; set aside.

3. Scoop brownie into 24 rounded scoops, packing brownie into scoop using hands.
(Entire brownie will be used.) Roll brownie scoops into smooth balls. Insert candy cane sticks into centers of balls, mounding brownie around each stick to secure. Pinch each brownie ball where candy cane and top of ball meet.

4. Place almond bark into bowl, microwave according to package directions until smooth. Spoon
melted bark evenly over each brownie ball, turning to coat completely. Be sure to coat where candy cane stick meets brownie ball. Allow excess bark to drip off. Dip into reserved crushed candy canes or sprinkles and stand upright on a piece of Parchment Paper. Repeat with remaining almond bark, lollipops and crushed candy. Let stand until set. Place into miniature cupcake liners.

“A New Starbucks Flavor” Dessert

When I made this dessert a few weeks ago, our friend James said that it could be the new Starbucks flavor! I took that as a compliment! :) And, I loved it…very different and perfect for Fall!
Chocolate-Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

1-1/4  cups  graham cracker crumbs
1/4  cup  sugar
1/3  cup  butter, melted
2  8-ounce packages  cream cheese, softened
1-3/4  cups  sugar
3    eggs
1  cup  canned pumpkin
1/2  teaspoon  pumpkin pie spice
1/2  teaspoon  vanilla
1/4  teaspoon  salt
6  ounces  semisweet chocolate, cut up, or 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
2  tablespoons  butter
1-1/4  cups  sour cream
1/4  cup  sugar

 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.

3. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

The Perfect Fall Treat

I got this “yumm-o” (Quinn’s word) recipe from Meals at the Muirs…and it was a hit!!! Quinn ate these babies for dessert, snack and breakfast for days!!! And, the cream cheese icing made them even better! A perfect fall treat to have around!
 Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 (16oz.) can 100% pumpkin
eggs
oil

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box but DO NOT ADD WATER.
- Stir in pumpkin puree and spices.
- Pour in to muffin tin.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes.

Candy Corn Cuteness

Since the scary stuff that goes with Halloween just isn’t my thing, I’d say my favorite Halloween symbol is the candy corn. It’s so cheerful, gets me in the Fall spirit…and it’s YUMM, of course! So, when I saw this cute recipe, I was so excited to make them for us! And, they turned out presh! Make ‘em and ENJOY before the stores sell out of this yummy little sugary goodness!

  

Candy Corn Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c water
1 c sour cream
Food coloring (orange and yellow)
Frosting of choice

With an electric mixer, beat all ingredients for about 2 min. Divide batter into two separate bowls. Add about a 1/2 tsp of food coloring in to each bowl. Stir Well. Spoon about 1 TB of yellow into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Then spoon about 1 TB of orange batter on top of that. Bake for 20 min, remove and let cool completely before frosting.

        

Joker Approved Pie

Quinn has a recent Batman obsession! It’s cute to watch him play “good guys/bad guys” for the first time! Until now it has been all about Thomas and Lightning McQueen…where bad guys don’t really exist. So, the “boy” in him is really coming out and it’s hilarious! …

Anyway, with a recent Joker, came a “pie shooter.” And, when he was shooting the pies at PawPaw a few weeks ago, they were discussing the flavors of pies that were being shot. One that Q kept coming back to was “Lemonade Pie!” I don’t know where he got it…but, since he loves lemonade, I decided that he needed to have his own Lemonade Pie.

I’ve seen recipes all over the place for this pie. One in my Southern Living. One here. So, I kind of combined the two and made my own version.

Then, I placed them in individual graham cracker crusts…just because I thought they were cute. I’m pretty sure the Joker would approve! My little “good guy” sure did! :)
 

Lemonade Pie
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whip topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 box of lemon instant pudding
graham cracker crust

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk, pudding and cool whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate.  Top with Cool Whip!