Aaahhh, Cookies!

 

What can say yumminess better than peanut butter cookies with some chocolate? I had bought some NATURAL Skippy peanut butter that was just awful by itself, so I figured I could fix that sticky ooey gooey-ness with some sugar and chocolate- hence the cookies! (Natural Jif is definitely better tasting). Anyway, I didn't have any kisses to make the blossoms, so I made do with semi-sweet chocolate chips. They did JUST fine. What was even BETTER was the fact that my NEW Christmas present creamed up the peanut butter and sugar so well that tears were brimming in my eyes, I was so proud. Okay, I didn't cry, but pretty close to it! ;o) I begged for the KitchenAid mixer a couple of Christmases ago and the 3rd time was the charm. I got it before Christmas (no, it wasn't a surprise, but that's okay!) I used it Christmas Eve and made red velvet cupcakes, cream cheese frosting and chocolate cheesecake truffles with it. Now I want to bake anything and everything I could think of just as an excuse to use it. (Sorry Billy!) Recipe for the cookies can be found here.

 

Mexican Layer Bake

 

I made this Mexican Layer Bake last night from the Food & Family Kraft magazine I get and let me tell ya- it's already gone! It was so delicious, we dug in like we hadn't eaten in months! Just a few changes I made, only because I was almost out of one thing and I couldn't find something in another- I will place the changes in the posted recipe below:

3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef (I made about 1-1/2 lbs)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/4 cups chunky red salsa - I used 1 cup Pace chunky salsa and 1/2 cup Old El Paso Taco Sauce
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen corn - here is where I used a 16oz. bag because I couldn't find a 10oz.
3 high-fiber whole wheat tortillas (8 inch)-(I used large, about 9 or 10 inches)
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream (I used Daisy Light)
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided - I just used as much cheese as I wanted since I am such a fan... I did follow the directions below though!

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in chili powder; cook 1 min. Add salsa and corn; mix well. Simmer 5 min.

SPREAD 1 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish; top with one tortilla; next, 1 cup meat sauce, sour cream and 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla, 1 cup remaining meat sauce and half of remaining cheese; top with remaining tortilla and meat sauce. Cover with foil.

BAKE 25 min. or until casserole is heated through. Top with remaining cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

 

Lingerie Party Cake

This is a cake I made in June for my friend Sherry's lingerie party- it almost turned out to be a "cake wreck" but somehow I managed! I almost had a panic attack while making this one is all I'll say (first time I had ever felt something like that coming on and hopefully the last, it was NOT FUN!)- that in combination with not having had much to eat in preparation for the party made for a bad time a few minutes before the party for me! I ended up using a 9x13 cake pan for the bodice and the small dome from the Betty Crocker ball pan for the boobies- ha- and shaped it myself. She requested a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting, which I tripled- I think that was my one mistake- I should have made each batch separately, being that it came out too liquid and I couldn't decorate much with it- in a panic, I ended up using black frosting from a tube (which came in handy, even though I totally dislike the taste) and it saved me from having pale black "frills" on the cake. As it was, I decided I would work with what I had. The frosting poured over the cake and it settled in like satin- what's prettier than satin lingerie? Here are the pics Sherry took- yet another wacky happening that night- I took pictures for the blog and realized AFTER THE PARTY WAS OVER, that I didn't have a memory card in my camera. How awful is that?!? Thankfully Sherry took pictures and I got them from her. Here is the cake that caused me the stress of all stresses:

 

 

Financial Peace University Cake

 

For our last Financial Peace University class, I decided to make a cake to celebrate our freedom from credit cards! My original idea involved a 9x13 cake cut in half decorated as a credit card, but with the time crunch I had, I had to settle for drawing it. :o) It was delicious!

 

Baby Showers & Birthdays...

 

 

Oh, the busy life of a baker... So kidding. The weekend before last just happened to be one of those weekends where there is so much going on, you don't know which way to turn. I had a baby shower to attend and a birthday party later that evening. As it was, I was requested to make a cake for each event- to which I gladly accepted, being that I want to get more practice in decorating them! The baby shower was for a girl and I wanted to make a rattle cake- which I have made before, just never decorated it the way I did this time. I took a picture without the handle (pre-delivery) and then one with. One half of the dome was chocolate and the other was golden butter.

The birthday cake was a request of a cake I had made back in August for another friend's birthday, the devil's food with chocolate icing and topped with chocolate covered strawberries, always a fun one to make since I make extra choco-covered strawberries and I LOOOOOVE to eat those! This frosting of course, is the cool whip/pudding/milk combo. Much lighter than regular frosting but just as delish. Needless to say, the cakes were a hit and both parties were great! Can't wait to make more!

 

Blast from the PAST!!!

 

I know it's been a LOOOOONG year away, but I am just now posting my nephew's first birthday cakes- for some reason I keep forgetting they are there for me to post! His "smash" cake was his very own Winnie the Pooh- carrot cake (don't ask- my sister's idea) and cool whip/cream cheese pudding flavored icing. The caterpillar cake was an idea I picked up online, and I just love how it turned out. :o)

 

Cheerios Banana Nut Cheerios Banana Bread

 

I have to admit it- I am a nut- for Banana Nut Cheerios. Don't know what it is but I LOVE THEM! Naturally, I had to find a recipe for SOMETHING to make with them... And here it is: http://www.cheerios.com/recipes/Recipe_detail.aspx?RecipeId=46350&CategoryId=307