Apple Brown Betty

I love a good, warm dessert when it's freezing out.  This was perfect after dinner for my dad's birthday, when it was a cold and windy night. Bread crumbs, brown sugar and apples are layered and baked together in a buttery coating...delicious!

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 whole apples, preferably Granny Smith
• 7 slices wheat bread
• 3/4 cups salted butter
• 1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (to 4 Tablespoons) Water

Directions

Peel and thinly slice 3 apples. Slice bread into a small dice, or tear into very small pieces.

Coat a small baking dish or pie plate with butter. Then add 1/3 of the brown sugar, 1/3 of the apple slices, and 1/3 of the breadcrumbs.

Repeat these layers twice more, ending with breadcrumbs.

Slice butter and lay slices all over the top of the breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle dish with water and a little more brown sugar, and bake in a 375-degree oven, covered in foil, until done – about 45 minutes. Remove foil in last few minutes of baking to brown the top.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Tonight's project was oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!  These are pretty quick to prepare, but fair warning - they're very addicting!

 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose or unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in chocolate chips and nuts.


Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Snowball Cookies

Some call these Mexican Wedding Cookies, but I like to call them Snowballs!  They're fun and easy to make, but better to eat :)  I leave out the nuts, but they can be added in at the end.

Ingredients: 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup  powdered sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups  flour

1 cup finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and pecans, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Cookie Swap

Today was one of my favorite days of the year - Cookie Swap Day!!  Combining two of my favorite things - baking and the holidays!  The rules are pretty simple - everyone bakes a ton of one kind of cookie or dessert and divides them among the participants (no store bought cookies allowed!).  I had 12 people involved, so everyone made 6 dozen (6 pieces for each person).  At the end, you end up with 12 different types of cookies!  Here are some pictures of the big day.

 Only some of the treats!

My lovely assistant helping me get ready by making chocolate covered pretzels.

A cheeseball snowman

Obviously, I can't have a party without some cupcakes!  These are German chocolate with a vanilla buttercream.

One of my favorite bakers - my brother Matt!

Some bakers

More goodies!

One of my bffs and college roommate, Krissy and I 

Some of my friends since elementary school (Amy, me, Casey and Kim)

Peppermint Bark

I love this festive and chocolatey creation!  It's super easy to make (only 3 ingredients!) and fun to have around the holidays.

Ingredients:
- 1 bag of white chocolate chips
- 1 bag of milk or dark chocolate chips
- 8 candy canes

Directions:

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  You can also use foil, but I found that tends to rip when breaking up the bark at the end.

Using a double boiler, melt the milk or dark chocolate, being careful not to burn it. 

Once the chocolate is melted, spread it on the cookie sheet, making an even layer.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until the chocolate has hardened.  While you're waiting, place the candy canes in a large ziploc bag and smash with a hammer or rolling pin until there is powder and small pieces.  Separate the larger pieces.  Next, melt the white chocolate using the double boiler method.  Once the white chocolate is melted, stir in the candy cane powder and smaller pieces.  Carefully spread the white chocolate mixture over the milk chocolate layer.  Sprinkle the larger pieces of candy cane over the top.  Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for another hour.

Once the bark has completely hardened, break it apart using your hands into irregularly shaped pieces.  Store in an airtight container and enjoy :)

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This week was my boyfriend's 29th birthday and a red velvet cake was perfect for celebrating!  The sour cream and pudding addition to the cake mix helps lock in the moisture, while the pudding also makes the cake a bit sturdier. 

Cake:
Ingredients:
2 9" cake pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
3 large eggs

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Pour half of the batter into each cake pan. Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cake pans, remove, and place on wire rack to cool. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Frosting:
Ingredients:
4 ounces butter softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla frosting.  Frost the top of one of the cakes, add the second layer to the top.  Frost all sides of the cake and decorate as you wish.

Apple Cider Cupcakes with a Caramel Frosting

These were a hit at the Thanksgiving table!  The cake is more like a pound cake and could be made as either a cake or cupcakes.  The caramel frosting was amazing!

Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup pasturized apple cider
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cupcake wells.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, then 1/2 of the cider, and repeat, ending with the last of the flour and mixing only until incorporated. Pour into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup 3/4 way full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean.
Cool thoroughly, then frost.

Frosting:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 

Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the milk, stirring all the while.  Return to heat and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool until lukewarm (approximately 20 to 25 minutes). Stir in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and cool enough to spread. You might need to add a few drops of milk if frosting gets too stiff.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Cookies and cake...what could be better?

It's important the cookie dough is frozen before using it.  Otherwise, you'll end up with a hard cookie in the middle of the cupcake!

Ingredients
Cupcakes

24 paper liners for cupcake pans

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix

1 cup whole milk

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 package (1 pound) frozen cookie dough

Chocolate Buttercream

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

3 to 5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla  at at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. The batter should look well blended. Once the batter is blended, fill each cupcake liner 2/3 of the way full.

Cut the frozen dough pieces in half to make 24 pieces. Place a frozen cookie dough piece on top of each cupcake. Place the pans in the oven.  Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 23 to 27 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for five minutes.  Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting. They may sink a bit in the center.

While the cupcakes cook, prepare the Chocolate Buttercream.

Place the butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds.

Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar, three tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, one minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, one minute more. Add one to two tablespoons more milk if the frosting is too stiff.

Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!

Lemon and White Chocolate Cake

This weekend was my boyfriend's mom's birthday, so he and I decided to make her a cake to celebrate!  The cake of choice was a Lemon White Chocolate cake, from The Cake Mix Doctor.  It's a great mix of a little lemon and a little white chocolate (and smells great!).

Cake

• Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
• Flour for dusting the pans
• 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Lemony White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)
• 1/2 cup store-bought lemon curd (half of a 10-ounce jar)

Lemony White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces)cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
2. Melt the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a small rubber spatula until it is smooth.
3. Place the cake mix, water, oil, whole eggs, egg whites, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the slightly cooled white chocolate. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
4. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 28 to 32 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the Lemony White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows).
6. Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with the lemon curd. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with frosting.

Lemony White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until it is smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.
2. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted white chocolate, and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners' sugar and blend on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute or more.
3. Use to frost the top and sides of the cake of your choice.

Cheesecake Brownies

Last week's mid-week dessert was cheesecake brownies - super simple to make!  These didn't last long!

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 bar of cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg

Directions:
Prepare the brownie mix according to the directions on the box.  Pour the brownie batter in a 9"x9" pan.  Set aside.  In a mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg and mix until well combined.  Next, pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter.  Using a knife, swirl the two mixtures together.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Pumpkin Carving!

The results of tonight's carve-off!

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

I love the Cake Mix Doctor; she takes a simple cake mix and spruces it up a bit to make some great recipes.  So, using her as inspiration, I used a chocolate cake mix and make a few changes to make peanut butter cup cupcakes.

The ingredients... I used the Betty Crocker Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge mix, but you can use a white or butter mix too.

1 Box of cake mix, prepared according to directions
35 peanut butter cups, unwrapped and frozen
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup of peanut butter
4 cups of confectioners sugar
1/3 cup of milk

The Cupcakes: 
Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box.  Line cupcake pans with cupcake papers.  Fill each halfway with cake batter.

In the center of each cupcake batter cup, push a peanut butter cup in.  Don't let it touch the bottom.  It's alright to see the tops of the peanut butter cup (the cake will bake over it).

 Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle (not into the PB cup), comes out clean.
Let cool on cooling racks.

The Frosting:
Mix together the butter and peanut butter until smooth and a even consistency is achieved.
Add the milk.
Add the confectioners sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix until the frosting is smooth.
Frost your cupcakes!
For the topping, I took the rest of the peanut butter cups and chopped them using a hand food processor, then sprinkled them on top.

 The End Result:

 Enjoy :)

Banana Cinnamon Crumb Muffins

I've been waiting all week for my bananas to ripen so I could make banana muffins!  These are by far the best I've ever made!  The recipe is for a basic banana bread, but is extra special with a brown sugar and cinnamon crumb topping.

First, the ingredients...

For the muffin:
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 bananas, mashed (the more ripe, the better!)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup of melted butter
For the crumb topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

 First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line muffin pans with muffin papers.
Next, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

In a second bowl, mash the bananas together.  Like I said, the more ripe the banana, the better!

Next, add the white sugar, egg and melted butter and mix it all together.

Once it's all mixed, slowly add the mixture of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Continue beating until everything is evenly distributed.

Spoon the batter into the muffin pans, filling each about 2/3 of the way with batter.

Next up is the crumb topping, the best part!  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Then, add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue mixing until a crumb-like consistency is achieved.  I like to use a fork for this to "cut" the butter into the topping.

Finally, sprinkle a little crumb topping over each muffin cup.  Pop the pan in the 375 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Ta-da!

Pink Sugar Cookies!

Sugary, buttery and sparkly!

Just roll balls of sugar cookie dough in some sparkly sugar and bake for 10 minutes at 350

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I made these delicious Pink Lemonade Cupcakes for my friend, Casey's, engagement party, slightly modifying the recipe from Erica's Sweet Tooth.  They were a hit!  Perfect for a warm summer day!  I decorated with thin lemon slices, straws cut in half and cocktail umbrellas to add to the cuteness factor.



Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
For Pink Lemonade Cake:
1 box white cake mix
3/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffins tins with liners
- Combine all of the ingredients in an electric mixer and begin by mixing low for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium for another minute.
- Divide the batter evenly, filling the liners about 2/3 full
- Bake cupcakes for about 25 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean
- Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting
 
Pink Lemonade Buttercream:

3 cups confectioners sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 tbsp frozen pink lemonade concentrate
Pinch of salt
Pink food coloring

- Combine all ingredients in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment and mix on low until combined
- Increase speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and to your desired consistency
- Frost your cupcakes with as much or little frosting as you wish

Recipe yields 24 cupcakes