Cake Pops

CAKE POPS
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

You can get creative and use any combination of cake mix and frosting. I made mine with white cake mix, homemade cream cheese frosting, and white almond bark that was tinted pink. I then stuck sticks into the balls to make them look like suckers.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

1 cup Butter- soft

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1tsp. Vanilla

1 cup Sour cream

½ tsp. Baking soda

4 tsp. Baking powder

5+ cups of flour

½ tsp. Salt

o   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

o   Cream butter, eggs, sugar, and  vanilla until light and fluffy

o   Add in sour cream

o   Sift in dry ingredients

o   Add flour to batter until it isn’t sticky- which for me is usually another 1- 1 ½ cups

o   Dump dough onto plastic wrap and wrap it up

o   Refrigerate dough for an hour

o   I like to roll out my dough to be about ¼ inch thick

o   Bake cut out cookies for 12-15 minutes (mine take 13 minutes to be perfect)

o   Yields around 6 dozen

Frosting

 *my coveted recipe*

1lb. Powder Sugar –which equals 3 ½ cups

8 oz. Cream cheese- Soft

2Tbl. Evaporated milk- you can use regular milk too-

1 tsp. Vanilla

Orange zest to taste

o   Combine all ingredients in your mixer.

o   I like to sift my sugar to break up the clumps

o   Be careful with you milk because too much will make it too runny and it is hard to get it to equal out again without making it taste like powder sugar.

o   The secret is the evaporated milk. It makes it have creamier taste. Using milk will still taste really good though.

o   Add any desired food coloring

o   I also like to pipe the frosting onto my cookies. I find it easier and less messy.

Oreo Truffles

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Carlee Simpson



1 package oreos (I like the mint)
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, room temp.
White Chocolate melting chips (1 lb)
Milk or Dark Chocolate melting chips (1/2 lb.)

Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).

Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate or freeze for 45 minutes.

Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. Melt white chocolate in microwave safe bowl (stopping to mix every 30 sec). Dip balls and coat thoroughly. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.

In separate bowl, melt chocolate. Put chocolate in a Ziploc bag and cut off a small corner. Drizzle white chocolate over balls. Let cool.

Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.

Microwave Caramels

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Place butter in a large bowl, microwave 1 minute on high. Stir. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook on high for 7 minutes. Stir well. Cook for another 7 minutes, stir well. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan. Cool. Cut into squares and wrap in wax paper. Adjust cooking time to your microwave.

Chocolate Pie

24 Marshmallows

1 giant Hershey Bar

1/2 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Graham Cracker Pie Shell

Melt marshmallows with Hershey bar over double boiler. Add milk. Cool. Fold in whipping cream. Pour into pie shell. Let stand until firm (about 2 hours). Cover with whipped cream.

Lemon Meringue Pie

9 in cooked pie crust
1 1/2 c sugar
2 1/4 c water
2 big lemons, juiced
7 1/2 T cornstarch
6 T water
3 extra large egg yolks

Put 2" of water in bottom of a double broiler. Mix sugar and water in top of double broiler. Add lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until hot.

Mix together in a small bowl cornstarch and water until creamy. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to lemon mixture. Stir constantly so that it will not be lumpy. Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens

Beat egg yolks slightly in a small bowl (I use the cornstarch bowl:)) Add 4 T of hot lemon mixture into egg yolks and stir. Slowly pour into lemon mixture. Cook a little longer and pour into cooked pie shell. Top with Meringue.

MERINGUE

3 egg whites
4 T powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 t cream of tartar

Beat egg whites adn cream of tartar until frothy. Add sugar gradually and beat until stiff. Add vanilla and pile on pie.

Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes

Recipe can be doubled but not trippled

Apple Cream Pie

2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup flour
2 T flour
1/8 t salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 c sour cream
5 apples, cored, peeled and grated
9 inch pie crust, unbaked
1/2 c butter, softened
2 t cinnamon

Mix together on cup sugar, 2 T flour, salt,egg, vanilla, sour cream and apples. Pour into pie crust. Set aside.

Mix remaining flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon. This mixture should look like little pebbles. Sprinkle on top of pie.

Bake at 400 until bubbly about 35-40 minutes.

Pie Crust

6 Cups Flour
3/4 teaspoon Salt
3 Cups Shortening
1 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Vinegar

Mix with beater; flour, salt and shortening.

In a 2 cup measuring cup mix with beater; water, eggs and vinegar. Add liquid to flour mixture and combine well. If to sticky add flour a little bit at a time.

Form into fist size balls. Roll out on floured surface. Put in pie tin, prick crust with fork tines. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. For best results put a cheese cloth on top of pie crust and then fill with dried beans when there is three minutes left remove beans and cheese cloth.

Fill with your favorite pie recipe, quiche, tart, chicken pot pie.

The remaining dough balls can be frozen(up to six months) or refrigerated(up to three weeks). When ready to use put on counter and let the balls thaw. Use when they are just colder than room temperature.

Key Lime Pie

Key lime Pie

1 Graham cracker pie crust

1 14oz can Sweeten condensed milk
3 Eggs

½ cup Lime juice

Preheat oven 350°. Mix condensed milk and eggs together. Once the oven is ready, mix in the lime juice until it becomes creamy. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and then put in fridge to cool completely. Serve plain or with cool whip.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 pkg. Graham crackers

6T Butter- melted

1/4c Sugar

Crush crackers and stir in sugar. Add melted butter and press down onto the pie plate.

Cinnabon Popcorn

12 c popcorn (natural; I use Orville Redenbacher's "natural" microwave popcorn)

1 c pecans

1 c brown sugar

3/4 t cinnamon

1/4 c karo syrup

1 stick butter

1/2 t baking soda

3 squares almond bark (vanilla flavor) or white chocolate

Preheat oven to 250.

Put popcorn & pecans in very large bowl (will be messy when stirring, so go bigger than you think you may need).

Mix brown sugar and cinnamon really well (or won't work right) in large microwave-safe bowl or Pyrex 2qt measuring bowl works great. Chop butter into chunks and place on top. Pour karo syrup over. Microwave high for 30 seconds. Take out & stir. Microwave 2 mins, take out & stir. **I stop here but the recipe goes on; my microwave runs high; too much carmelizes it. Should be really really bubbly but not super thick.  

Microwave 2 mins (if not done), remove. Add vanilla and baking soda. 

Pour over popcorn/pecans. Stir quickly (dries fast) until well coated. 

Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 30 mins total; take out and stir every 10.

Remove and pour onto parchment-lined baking sheet. (or will stick to foil). Let cool while you melt almond bark - according to directions on package. Drizzle with fork and let cool.

Peanut Butter Balls

Per Belle's request I am adding this recipe.

2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
3 T. melted butter
1 pkg chocolate chips
1/3 c. crushed graham crackers

Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and graham crackers in a bowl. Knead until well mixed. Roll into balls and chill. Melt chocolate chips and dip balls in chocolate. Chill.

Marshmallow Krispie Bars

1 pkg Brownie mix
1 pkg mini marshmallows
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 c. rice krispie cereal

Prepare brownies according to directions on box. Remove from oven. Sprinkle marshmallows on hot brownies. Return to oven and bake for 3 mins.

Place chocolate chips, peanut butter, & butter in saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chips are melted. Add rice krispie cereal.

Spread mixture over marshmallow layer. Refrigerate until chilled.

THE Jello Salad

Jello Salad

1 small pkg jello- any flavor
1 small pkg tapioca pudding- cook-n-serve
1 small pkg vanilla pudding- cook-n-serve
3 cups of water
1 small tub cool whip
fruit if desired- fresh or frozen

In a sauce pan combine jello, tapioca, and vanilla pudding with the water. Stir continually and watch for it to come to a rolling boil. let in boil for 3 minutes. take off heat and let sit for 3 hours. -It doesn't matter if it is on the counter or in the fridge- add your tub of cool whip and mix thoroughly. Once blended add in your fruit and stick in fridge to set up again. (usually take 15-30 minutes to fully set.)
Enjoy!
*I usually use raspberry or strawberry jello, but my mom has used orange and lime and both have tasted really good.

Brownie Trifle

1 of your favorite boxed or homemade fudge brownie recipes
12 oz cool whip
1 large pkg of instant chocolate pudding
Fruit of choice (we used strawberries and blueberries)

Prepare brownie mix according to the recipe. Bake in a 9 x13 pan. Cool: break into small pieces.
Prepare chocolate pudding according to the recipe. Let is set up.
Place a third of the brownie pieces in an even layer in the bottom of a bigger casserole dish or a trifle bowl. Pour pudding mixture over brownies; Spread Cool Whip on top of pudding. Place cut up fruit over the Cool Whip. Repeat all steps beginning with the brownie pieces 2 more times. Chill and Serve.

Keylime Tarts

Makes 24 Tarts

24 Lemon or Lime Cookies*
16 Ounces Cream Cheese, Softened
2 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Teaspoons Lime Zest
Fresh Sweetened Whipped Cream
Mint Leaves or Lime Slices for Garnish

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F.

Fill 2 (12 Muffin) muffin tins with foil or paper cups, and spray with cooking spray. Place one cookie in the bottom of each cup, flat side down.

Prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lime juice and zest until well mixed. Distribute into the cups. Bake for 12 minutes or until filling is set. Remove tarts to cool. Once tarts are completely cool, top with whipped cream and garnish.

*I found Famous Amos Lemon Cookies at Walmart and they worked great. If you can’t find lemon or lime cookies, Nilla wafers would also work!

Mint Brownies

Make brownie mix according to directions (use a mix that can go in a 9x13 pan). Bake in a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Mint Layer:
3-4 TB milk
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter softened
1 tsp mint extract
Green food coloring

Combine ingredients and spread over brownie mix. Chill.

Chocolate Layer: (I just use a chocolate milk frosting mix.)
4 TB butter
8 oz milk chocolate chips

Melt and spread over mint layer. Chill.

Peanut Butter Popcorn

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

Heat sugar and corn syrup to a full boil. Take off heat and add vanilla and peanut butter. Pour over 6 cups of popped popcorn and 1 cup peanuts (optional).

And so it begins...

It all began at a baby shower at Chelsea's. She served these amazing eclairs. I couldn't get enough of them. After convincing her to give a us a tutorial at Brittany's house we decided to make a girls night of it!

Cream Puffs
2 (3.5 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

1. Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
3. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball.
Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
5. When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.
6. Optional: Top with melted chocolate or chocolate icing.

Then I convinced Jessica to teach us how to make some fabric flowers. SO CUTE and super easy too! For a free tutorial on how to make these flowers go to Flower from Anna's Garden
We had so much fun that night we decided to make this into a monthly gig. We'll have a recipe exchange and post the recipe's on this blog and learn a new craft or do a sewing project. June = appetizers, desserts, and the flirty skirt.