Strawberry Cake Cookies-Easy Recipe

I know, I know, it's been a looooooong time. But I have good excuses. My son started Kindergarten(sniff, sniff) and I started my last year of undergraduate school, so it's been a little hectic around here!

But I did make these cookies for my niece to take to school for her birthday, she turned 5 and also started kindergarten.

Of course she loves pink!

I used a cake mix...I know, again...I can't help it, they are so easy and soooo good! I covered these in sprinkles and when they were finished this is what they looked like, perfect!

Recipe:

1 Strawberry Cake Mix

2 Eggs

1 Stick Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Tbsp. Flour

Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Roll into one inch balls ( I used a small cookie scoop). Roll in your choice of sprinkles. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

Eat! :)

My Quest for the Perfect Sugar Cookie...

Okay, here's the deal, the sugar cookie I usually use has a wonderful taste, but...it doesn't hold it's shape. AND IT DRIVES ME CRAAAAAAAZY! If I use mini or very small cookie cutters they seem to do better, but if I use anything over 2-3 inches, sometimes you can't even tell what the freakin' cookie is supposed to be!

Ugh!!!!

 So, I have set out to find the perfect sugar cookie recipe that, both holds it shape and taste great.

Ding, Ding, Ding! I found the one that holds it's shape! Yay!

See. All the same thickness, and you can actually see the points on my Christmas tree cookie. Christmas tree you may ask yourself? In August? You'll see soon enough:)

Anyway, back to this sugar cookie recipe. I'm not quite sure if I like it well enough to keep it yet, because the flavor just isn't quite right for me. BUT, it's not iced yet. So I won't judge a naked cookie:)

I adapted the recipe from Karen's Cookies only slightly this time. While my recipe uses powdered sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar(no wonder they spread), this one uses none of that or baking powder and it uses regular sugar.

 I'm going to keep at it until I prevail! Like I'm a super hero or something. I know...I'm a geek!

If you want to give the recipe a whirl, here it is...

Sugar Cookies Take One

1 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

1 Egg

1 Egg Yolk

3 Tsp. Vanilla

1 Tsp. Almond Extract

2 1/2 C. Flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix on medium speed the butter and sugar until fluffy. About 3 minutes.

Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time. Add Vanilla and Almond Extract. Mix on medium until mixed well.

Turn off mixer, scrape down sides, add flour. Mix on medium just until mixed. Do not over mix.

Divide into 2 sections, wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but up to 2 days.

When ready to bake. Heat oven to 375 degree. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one disc of dough and let sit on counter for 5 minutes.

Roll out onto a floured surface to about a 1/4 inch thickness.

Cut with desired cookie cutter.

Bake 10-12 minutes.

Note: While I had one pan in the oven, I went ahead and cut another batch, placed that pan in the freezer and then baked when the first pan was finished. This is why it may take 10-12 minutes to bake. Or maybe even 13 if you like a crunchier cookie.

That's it! I will keep you posted on my quest and let you know when I find the "perfect" cookie for me!:)

Now, can you guess what I'm going to do with those Christmas Trees?

 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting!

Okay, not gonna lie...taking pictures of food is not that easy! You would think it wouldn't be that difficult. I mean it doesn't move around or talk back, but it is VERY hard. So, I am aware that my pictures need a lot of work, but this is the best that I can do for now.

Regardless of the pictures, these cupcakes are yummy! This recipe is by far the best homemade chocolate cake recipe I have found, so far. It reminds me of a cake my mom makes that is called "Black Wacky Cake". It is so moist it needs no frosting and it is great cold! Now I'm not saying the frosting isn't good, I'm just saying if you can't wait to make the frosting...eat the cake naked:)

I had the privilege of making these for a great girl who is turning 18. She is on her way to Kansas State University where she will be majoring in marketing. She said that I should open a bakery...maybe when she's finished with school she can help me with that! :) Ha ha. Until then, I'll have to pretend this blog is my bakery...in downtown Seattle...ahh...nice dream huh?

Maybe if I really think I will be opening a bakery, I shouldn't share the recipes? I mean I don't want to give out all the goods, do I? Okay, I guess so:)

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 C. Sugar

1 3/4 C. Flour

3/4 C. Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

2 Eggs

1 C. Whole Milk

1/2 C. Canola Oil

3 tsp. Vanilla

1 C. Boiling Water

Directions:

Line muffin tin with liners. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir or whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about one minute.

Stir or mix in boiling water, VERY slowly. The batter will be very thin, this is correct. Don't panic.

Fill liners about 2/3 full. You can put in a large glass measuring cup and pour into liners.

Bake for 17-22 minutes. I know this is a big difference but the original recipe calls to bake for 22-24 minutes, but I only have to bake for 17 and they are perfect.

Cupcake recipe adapted from Hershey.

Frosting

1 Stick of Butter

1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese

2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 C. Cocoa Powder

4 C. Powdered Sugar

1-3 Tbsp. Heavy Whipping Cream

Blend butter and cream cheese until smooth, add vanilla, mix until incorporated. Blend in cocoa powder until mixed well. Next add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, then add in cream a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like.

Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats.

How about a close up? :)

Linked up with Skip to My Lou! Love her!!



Easy Lemon Cake Blueberry Cookies

Make these and then put them in the refrigerator!!! Mmmmmmmmm Good!:)

Again, I'm not going to feel guilty for using a box mix! And you know what? I'm going to keep on doin' it. Now, don't get me wrong, I have many recipes that I create from scratch and they are wonderful, and give me many bragging opportunities, BUT I don't always have time and hence the reason for the box mixes.

In my defense, the lemon juice was from a real lemon and the blueberries were fresh! Ooooh and I used REAL butter and cage free eggs, so there!

Easy Lemon Cake Blueberry Cookies

Lemon Cake Mix
1 Stick of Butter, softened
2 Eggs
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
1/2 -3/4 C. Blueberries

Mix all ingredients together and then fold in the blueberries.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a small cookie scoop and drop onto to cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven.

Glaze

1 C. Powdered Sugar
Juice of the other 1/2 of the Lemon
1-2 Tbsp. Milk

Whisk together until smooth and drizzle over cooled cookies.

Eat right away if you are like me...refrigerate for a few hours and you'll think you went to Lemon Heaven...:)

Linked up with Tidy Mom

I linked up with Skip to my Lou!

and also Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

Zucchini Bread :)

This bread made me think of fall...it smells like Thanksgiving in my house right now. It must be the cinnamon and the cloves... :)

By the way, I changed my font size, can you see it better now? Or was it just me? I know I'm gettin' kind of old, but dang that type was so small.

Oh yeah, back to this bread. It has a vegetable in it, so that makes me feel better about all the oil, sugar, and (gasp!) white flour. Whatever, I'm not makin' everything with ground up wood.

Speaking of ground up wood, do you watch "Everybody Loves Raymond"...I do ALL the time. I own all the DVD's and I've seen them so many times, sometimes I think I could be part of their family. Aaaanyway, there is this episode where one of the twins pretends to be sick so he doesn't have to go to school and Ray stays home with him. Well, the twin tries to eat chocolate donuts for breakfast and Ray hands him a box of bran cereal and tells him that is what he has to eat...wood for breakfast...the box had two grandmas on a bike. Funny huh? No? Huh.

I'm not sure where I was going with that, but this bread is good, and there isn't any wood in it.


Zucchini Bread

3 1/2-4 C. Zucchini, shredded
1 2/3 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Canola Oil
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 Eggs
3 C. Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2/3 tsp. Cloves
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of one 9x5x3 pan OR two smaller pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanill, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low just until incorporated. Batter will be thin, this is correct.

Pour into pan or pans and fill about 3/4 of the way. Bake 50-60 minutes, depending on your oven. Check by inserting knife in the middle and comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes, then run knife around edges. Continue to cool for another 20 minutes and remove from pan. Slice when completely cool.

Eat:)

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker:)

Here Little Fishy!:)

My son requested some fish...no not real fish...these fish:)

He is so used to me making cookies, and cookies being all over the house that he typically doesn't even notice what is going on. So when he requested that I make some orange fish, I had to oblige!:)

Yes, I realize there are more than just orange fish here, because after I had mixed up almost ALL of the icing in orange he says to me, "Mama, can you do some green and purple too?"! Why of course son, at your service! :)

Now, I know the little purple fishy doesn't look purple...he looks blue, but that's because my camera is old, and my photography skills are pretty null and void. Someday I hope to improve both of those situations...you know after I finish college and get a paying job.

For now you can look at the "blue" fish because he sure is lookin' at you!

P.S. Doesn't it look like he has little lips?:) "Smack"...he gave you a kiss!

Edible Olympic Rings:)

The Olympics are coming! The Olympics are coming!

I don't know how it is at your house, but at our house the Olympics are a BIG deal! I remember one year our local weather man kept interrupting the Summer Olympics to report on a possible tornado, and he wouldn't get his face off the TV. Well, I guess soooo many people complained that night, that the next day on the news he made a statement, and said he was just trying to keep us safe. Ha! We are in the Midwest... we stand on the porch to watch the twisters go by! We want our Olympics!!:)

I wanted to do the Olympic Rings in a way that wasn't a cookie...I know...sorry, so I thought why not do Rice Krispie Treat Rings and viola...Easy Peasy! Well Sorta:)

However, we did it the hard way and made the entire marshmallow part at once, but in hind sight we decided it would be easier to make it in batches, so that is the recipe I am going to give you. If you wanted to do a grand production and were having a big ol' Opening Night ceremony you could make five regular sized batches, and make them HUGE and use them as a center piece and the peeps could just grab a piece of the rings.

I used Americolor for these because it is the best and it really makes the colors pop! I am lucky to be able to get mine locally at Sweet Baking Supply. I used Royal Blue, Black, Tulip Red, Leaf Green, and Lemon Yellow. As you can see from the pictures I don't have the best lighting in my kitchen. I have to take most of my pictures in the mud room...I know:(

My baby loves making Rice Krispies and this is one time I know I can get him the kitchen to help! :)

I know it's only the back of him, but isn't he just the cutest! :) I'm not to hip on putting him all over the Internet just yet, so until he's a little older, these kinds of pics will have to do.

Rice Krispie Rings

3 3/4 C. Rice Krispies

5 tbsp. margarine

10 oz. Marshmallows

You will also need a muffin pan that you will flip over and spray the back, and coloring.

As I said if I were you I would make this in batches. So, you only need one small sauce pan.

Start off melting 1 tbsp. of margarine, and 2 oz. of marshmallows until smooth. Add in a few drops of color and stir until completely incorporated and desired color is achieved. Next, stir in 3/4 c. rice krispies. Shape around the bottom of the muffin pan. You should be able to get two rings with each color.

See like that:)

After it has set up a little bit, you can transfer it over to a piece of wax paper that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Now, just repeat the same thing all over again with the remaining ingredients and colors.

I was going to be satisfied with just putting the rings next to each other as I did in the picture at the top, but my "PIC" had to interlock them because then that makes it all official I guess:)

See...............

Stay tuned for more Olympic Treats and maybe, just maybe a craft! :)

Linked up with Skip to my Lou...

and Tip Junkie

http://www.tipjunkie.com/homemade-projects-724/