Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies YUM!

As soon as I saw this recipe on Annie's Eats, I knew I had to try it. I saw it on Friday and got the ingredients on Saturday and finally got around to making them today. Let's just say that these won't last long in our house. They are SO GOOD!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

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Yield: about 3-4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the coating:

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Dash of allspice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the pumpkin puree.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.  Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball.  Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly.  Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.

Grilled Smore Bananas...Yum!

Who needs graham crackers when you can have bananas? Who needs a campfire when you can use your grill? Pat made these delicious grilled smores bananas and I think I might be a convert from the traditional smores now.

Grilled Banana Smores
Banana sliced open on the top only (not peeled)
      Take the banana out of the peel and cut it into half inch chunks and put it back into the peel.Put the following on top of the banana in the peel:
small marshmallows
chocolate chips
peanut butter chips

Grill for about ten minutes or until everything is melted, pull the peel back, and ENJOY!

Mint Oreo Ice Cream

Amazing homemade ice cream!! The picture looks terrible, but the taste is to die for. Isabelle and I made this for daddy for Father's Day. His favorite blizzard at DQ is mint oreo, so we tried to recreate it for him. I think we have to go get more ingredients today, so I think he enjoyed it! :)

 

Mint Oreo Ice Cream

From food.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarsely chopped Oreo cookies
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream or 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract

Directions

1. Place cookies in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes; whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 more minute.
3. Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.
4. Add the peppermint extract and blend again.
5. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.
6. While the ice cream is somewhat loose but on it's way to being frozen, add the chopped cookies and continue freezing until the ice cream is ready.
7. At this point, I transfer the ice cream to a plastic container and put it in the freezer to harden (ripen) completely.

Peanut Butter Cup and Fudge Swirl Ice Cream

This was tasty, but OH SO SWEET! I have a major sweet tooth and still thought this was maybe a little too sweet and rich for my liking. We'll be trying a new recipe for homemade ice cream soon, Mint Oreo, stay tuned!

peanut butter cup and fudge swirl ice cream

Makes about 1.5 quarts

1 ¼ cups whole milk

1 ¼ cups heavy cream
1.5 cups creamy peanut butter, jif works great
3/4 cup sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla
jar of your favorite hot fudge, I love whole foods dark chocolate sauce

as many chopped peanut butter cups as you can handle, we used 10 double cup packages

In a saucepan simmer milk, cream, peanut butter, and 3/4 cup sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla and cool mixture to room temperature. Freeze mixture in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

As soon as ice cream is finished in machine and at soft serve stage stir in peanut butter cups then fudge.we used a whole small jar. Just dump a bunch onto top of ice cream and then slowly stir in. if you stir too much it won’t swirl. If ice cream gets too soft to do this, just freeze for a while before you stir it in.

Freeze ice cream, covered with plastic wrap, until hard.

Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding

This baby needs to get here already, I am finding myself nesting in the form of cooking and baking. The house isn't as clean or as organized as I would like it, but truthfully, I don't have the energy to clean it. As soon as I start cleaning, my back starts to hurt and I need a nap, I am truly a toddler! I have been nesting at school getting everything ready for my substitute and worrying about things like food at home. I have started to make meals and freeze them so in the midst of baby craziness and trying to catch up on sleep once she has come, we can still have a home cooked meal without the work of having to make it. However, today I ran into a problem. As I was handing out snack for my Kindergartners, I saw a recipe on the box of Nilla Wafers and couldn't stop thinking about it and had to have it TONIGHT! I am glad that I made it, it was delicious! It was actually super easy too!

 

What You Need

3/4 cup sugar, divided

1/3 cup  flour

Dash salt

3   eggs, separated

2 cups milk

1/2 tsp.  vanilla

45 NILLA Wafers, divided

5   bananas, sliced

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.
MIX 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water 10 to 12 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
RESERVE 12 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard onto bottom of 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover with layers of 1/3 each of the remaining wafers, bananas and remaining custard. Repeat layers 2 times.
BEAT egg whites on high speed of mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread over custard, sealing well to edge of dish.
BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until lightly browned. Cool slightly. Top with reserved wafers just before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Prepare Without a Double Boiler

A double boiler helps to keep custards, such as the pudding filling for this recipe, smooth. If you don't have a double boiler, you can make your own by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water on top of the stove. Be sure to use a bowl that fits snugly over the pan. Most importantly, do not allow the simmering water to touch the bottom of the bowl. Use pot holders when removing the bowl of cooked custard from the saucepan as it will be very hot.

 A little bit of heaven in my mouth, WOW! These cookies are amazing and I don't think I am just saying that because I am pregnant and eat everything, they are SOOOO Good! You must give these a try. I made one patch and had to go back and make another double recipe because I knew there wasn't enough for me to really enjoy. They make really big cookies, but you could make them smaller and make more, but why would you do that when you can eat a Big Old Cookie and be happy instead of eating three or four? Even better, this is a Weight Watchers Recipe from Gina's website so you don't have to feel too guilty going back for more!

Chewy Low Fat Banana Nut Oatmeal Cookies
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 15 • Serving Size: 2 cookies • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 175.8 • Fat: 6.7 g • Protein: 3.5 g • Carb: 28.3 g • Fiber: 1.6 g • Sugar: 14 g

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick oats
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silpat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, with a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars on medium speed.  

Add the egg, followed by the mashed banana and vanilla extract.

Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain; stir in the chopped walnuts.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls (approx 3 tbsp each) of the dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies become light brown at the edges.

Let cool on baking sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container so you don't eat them all in one sitting!

Makes about 30 cookies roughly 3 tbsp each.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars...YUM!

I found this recipe and had to try it. My love for Peanut Butter Cups is borderline disgusting. Being pregnant, there was no chance I'd see this recipe and not try it. It was tasty, but very sugary! I only ate a little tonight because our wonderful neighbors dropped off some amazing chocolate cake for us tonight! I figured I shouldn't overindulge otherwise I'll be up all night and I'll be getting kicked by baby girl all night as well. She already does a good job of practicing her kickboxing skills when I am trying to fall asleep, I don't need it to last longer. :) 

Another great recipe from Our Best Bites

No Bake Reece's Peanut Butter Bars

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar
1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted
1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)
2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined.  Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9x13 pan.

Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth.  Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly.  Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars.  Tip:  If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through.  Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp.  They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

*Tip:  Love this tip from one you readers!  Instead of adding shortening to the chocolate topping, add a scoop of peanut butter.  That will prevent the top from getting solid and it will taste yummy!

I have been slacking, A LOT, lately! Sorry about that. Now that Christmas break has come, I hope to try out some new cookie recipes. We will see how I do. However, this was just a New Years Resolution, so I just have to make it another two weeks and then I don't have to feel so guilty about not posting as often as I promised. I hope I can make it! For my first baking attempt of the Christmas season, I decided to try out some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but I wanted to use chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips to give them a little extra chocolate. Not the best picture, sorry!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Compliments of Betty Crocker

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)( I used 2 cups of Chocolate chunks)
1	cup chopped nuts, if desired

	Print these coupons...
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1. 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.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Pumpkin Cheesecake....delicious!

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! I have been a terrible and neglectful blogger lately, sorry! I made this delicious cheesecake for Thanksgiving using the Cheesecake Factory's recipe for Pumpkin cheesecake. The picture doesn't do it justice and I forgot to take a picture of it plated, but we ate it up so fast, there wasn't any time. Give it a try, I promise you will be happy you did!

Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. sugar
Filling:
3- 8oz.pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
Whipped Cream

Mix crust ingredients together, just till coated and crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 2/3 up the sides of an 8" springform pan. Bake for 5 min. at 350. Set aside.

Combine cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, mix until smooth with an electric mixer. add pumpkin eggs, and spices, beat till smooth and creamy. Pour into the crust. Bake for 60-70 min. or till the top turns a bit darker. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature, then refrigerate. After it has thoroughly chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Serve with whipped cream.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Give these cookies a try, you won't be disappointed! They are so fluffy and full of flavor. The perfect fall dessert. I found this recipe on All Recipes Website.

 

Ingredients

    * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    * 1 teaspoon baking powder
    * 1 teaspoon baking soda
    * 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    * 1/2 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 cup butter, softened
    * 1 1/2 cups white sugar
    * 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
    * 1 egg
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze Topping:   
    * 2 cups confectioners' sugar
    * 3 tablespoons milk
    * 1 tablespoon melted butter
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
   2. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
   3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
   4. To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

 

Snickerdoodle Cookies...YUM!

Okay, truth be told, I didn't get a picture of these yummy cookies because we ate them all too fast. I brought them to our friend's cabin this weekend and I didn't even make it in the door before we were already "testing" them out. I got this recipe from Cabin Cookbook, a cookbook that my mom had at the cabin. Give these a try, you won't be disappointed.


Snickerdoodle Cookies
1 cup soft shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Mix the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into the shortening mixture. Chill.

Mix 3 T sugar and 3 t cinnamon together in a bowl. Form balls with the dough and roll them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes, cookies should be lightly browned, but soft.

Just for the Kiddies....well, and me!

Do you love smores and easy "baking" with kids? Then, you will love this recipe that I came up with while nannying yesterday. It was hot out and the kids wanted to bake something and be inside, so this is what we came up with. They wanted Rice Krispie bars, but they didn't have enough Rice Krispies, so I found a box of Golden Grahams and thought, um....how about smore bars? They turned out to be really good! I am sure I am not the first person to think of this idea, but I was pretty proud of myself for thinking of something quick before resorting to chocolate chip cookies that we would end up eating half of the batter before making it to the actual cookies. Give this a try, super good! The pictures are terrible, I used my phone, sorry.

 
6 Cups Golden Grahams Cereal
4 cups mini marshmallows
3 T melted butter
1/2 cup or more of chocolate chips

*Melt the butter and marshmallows on the stove top or in the microwave. Stir until the marshmallows are melted. Pour on top of the cereal and mix together. At this point, you can add the chocolate chips or wait until you have them in a pan and sprinkle them on top. We chose to sprinkle them on top so they didn't melt in the hot marshmallow mess. Put in a ban and enjoy! Then, lick your fingers and the bowl! :)

From One Baker to Another!

Whenever I shop for gifts for bridal showers, I try to get something off their registries  and then add to it to give it my personal touch. A cookbook and some cooking utensils, tea and a teapot, etc. I recently attended two bridal showers one for my cousin and one for my coworker and found a cute idea to personalize your gifts on a website. I got both of the brides something that they can use to cook or bake with, one a set of mixing bowls and the other cookie cutters. I then purchased empty canning jars at the store and added the dry ingredients needed to make different batches of cookies. You put a label on the jar to tell them what kind of cookies they can make with it and what wet ingredients they need to add, put a little fabric on top and twist on the cap. An easy way to help make the bride's life a little easier during the stressful planning and a way to help her enjoy some baked goodies in no time.

Lemon-Cornmeal Pound Cake with Berries and Cream

This recipe is seriously to die for and even better, it is from Cooking Light. This is the perfect summer dessert. The recipe makes a whole bundt cake so you won't even have to be sad that you ate it all at once, since there is so much of it! This would be a real crowd pleaser, so light and fluffy. The perfect way to eat your dessert and not feel guilty about it because of the fruit.

Recipe Compliments of Cooking Light June
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 cake slice, about 1/4 cup berries, and 1 tablespoon cream)

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 7.9  ounces  all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2  cup  cornmeal
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  cups  granulated sugar
• 10  tablespoon  butter, softened
• 3  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2/3  cup  nonfat buttermilk
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 3  large egg whites
• Cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 
  Topping:
• 1 1/2  cups  fresh blueberries
• 1 1/2  cups  sliced fresh strawberries
• 1  cup  fresh blackberries
• 1/4  cup  granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  cup  heavy whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons  powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon 7.9 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt). Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended; stir in rind and vanilla. Combine buttermilk and 3 tablespoons juice. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl; beat at high speed using clean, dry beaters until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray and dusted with 2 tablespoons flour. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
4. To prepare topping, combine berries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon juice. Chill 30 minutes. Beat cream with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Serve cake with berries and cream.

Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread

While going through my cookbooks the other day for new recipes, I stumbled upon this recipe from my William Senoma Baking Cookbook (thank you Kathryn!). It sounded delicious and trust me, it tasted delicious. The best part, it had very few ingredients and was super easy to make. We polished this off in two days!! I plan to make another one this week before my other lemon goes bad. It combines my two favorite things, shortbread and lemon poppyseed! I suggest you give this a try!

Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread
Recipe Compliments of William Senoma Baking Cookbook

• ½ cup unsalted butter plus 3 Tbsp
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1½ cup flour plus 2 Tbsp
• 2 Tbsp poppy-seeds
• 1 pinch salt

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325. Have ready a 9" cake or pie pan.
• 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until creamy. Add the flour, poppy-seeds, and salt and beat on low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth.
• 3. Press the dough evenly into the pan. Lightly prick the surface all over with a fork. Using a sharp knife, make shallow cuts halfway through the dough to mark 12 equal wedges. Bake until firm and barely golden around the edges, 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Carefully invert the shortbread onto a plate, then invert again onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges, using the marks to guide you, and serve.

Brownie Pops for Kate's Baby Girl!

Today was my coworkers last day, as she is having a baby on Friday. We decided to have a fun, good luck and congrats lunch for her, so I was so excited to have an excuse to buy Wilton's Brownie Pop pan! I have wanted it for awhile, but Pat convinced me that I didn't need it until at least after our trip. However, I printed off my 40% off Micheal's coupon and got it for only $5.00! I then bought some pink candy melts (she is having a baby girl) and some fun sprinkles, and cookie sticks and was set to go. They turned out very cute and seemed to go over well, out of 24, only 3 were left and we don't even have 24 people working at our school! I would suggest these to anyone who is entertaining or having a party, you can use any color candy melt and decorate them however you'd like. You can even make them into cute pumpkins or ghosts for Halloween.

 

All I used to make these were a box of brownie mix, colored candy melts, sprinkles, and cookie sticks. You can make homemade brownie mix but we didn't have all the ingredients and I didn't want to buy them since we will be out of town. They were delicious!

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I got this recipe from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes and it was tasty! We were trying to use up ingredients we have on hand and not go to the store before our trip, so we will see what we come up with. This recipe was very good and it is good for you. It was very simple!

Spinach Lasagna Rolls
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 roll • Calories: 188 • Points: 4 ww pts

• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
• 15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• salt and fresh pepper
• 32 oz tomato sauce
• 9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I made these yummy Cake balls, compliments of Bakerella, for my class today. You can see her amazing desserts on her site by clicking here! Hers look much nicer than mine, but the taste was still delicious! This was my first batch that didn't turn out as well as I wanted, but the pictures of the second batch were blurry, so I settled for these. You can use any food coloring for the cake or use colored candy melts instead of almond bark for whatever the occasion. Try these, yum!

Recipe Word for Word from Bakerella:
Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake) (I used 2 boxes of Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix and added green food coloring to mine)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.) (I ONLY USED 3/4 the can)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate) ( I used 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.

Bread Pudding for my Mother

My parents came over for dinner tonight and my mom LOVES bread pudding, but I had never made it before. So I went to my trusted friend, The Pioneer Woman, and found that she had a recipe for me that sounded delicious and for an added bonus, I only had to buy a few ingredients for it! I forgot to take a picture of it, but we all inhaled it so there wasn't any time. I borrowed The Pioneer Woman's picture to show you what it looked like! I had to send the leftovers home with my mom because I don't think Australia needs to see what anymore bread pudding would do to me! This is SOOO good!

The Best Bread Pudding
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 to 5 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup pecans, chopped finely
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat together eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk. Add sugar and mix until sugar is dissoved. Arrange bread cubes tightly in a nine-inch baking dish, keeping the crust facing up around the edges in scattered within the dish. Pour liquid over the bread. Sprinkle pecans all over and bake for 55 to 70 minutes, or until crust is golden brown all over the top.
While the bread pudding is baking, make the Whiskey Cream Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup Jack Daniels
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture reaches a low boil. Pour a small amount over the individual servings of bread pudding.
Store leftovers in fridge. Walk by every hour and pop a cube of bread in your mouth. Smile contently.

Pizza with Sweet Peppers and Goat Cheese

Another great recipe from Cook Yourself Thin Faster. We love pizza and we are always looking for new pizza recipes or flatbread pizza recipes, this is a new favorite of ours. It was so delicious and had a very sweet taste. I highly suggest you try it out!

Ingredients:
Olive Oil cooking spray
1 1/2 T. olive oil
1/2 medium sized white onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 (10 oz.) jars (about 2 cups) drained roasted red peppers, thinly sliced (packed in water, not oil)
3 T. sugar
1 T. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 T. water
Kosher or Sea salt
1/2 lb. store bought pizza dough (I used Target's premade Flatbread pizza)
1/4 lb. goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a 17x11 inch rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the roasted peppers adn cook for about 5 minutes, stirring. Add the sugar, vinegar, and water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid is reduced, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. season with salt to taste and let the pepper mixture cool slightly. (This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated)

3. Stretch the dough (or use flatbread pizza) directly onto the baking pan, pressing and gently stretching to fill as much of the pan as possible. Spread the pepper filling evenly over the dough, place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan, crumble goat cheese over the surface of the pizza and continue to bake for an additional 7-10 minutes, until the center of the pie is fully cooked.

4. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Cut into slices and serve.