Buttery Cinnamon Cake

INGREDIENTS :

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat shortening, 1 1/3 cups white sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating for at least 1 minute after each egg. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove cake from pan while it is still warm, and poke holes around the top of the cake with a fork. Pour the warm cinnamon syrup into the holes and onto the top and sides of the cake.

To Make Cinnamon Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup white sugar, butter, water, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Heat and stir until butter melts.

The Results:

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I use it sometimes when I want a morning dessert. It is kind of like a coffee cake. It is super easy to make and tastes great right out of the oven. I ate this a couple morning with a cup of hot chocolate. YUM!

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Ingredients:
About 1½ cups (¾ lb.) Challenge Butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups dried cranberries
1½ cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

Directions:
In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1½ cups butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg, until well blended.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes (see notes). Mix in cranberries and coconut.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12" x 15" baking sheets.

Bake in a 350°F regular or convection oven until cookie edges just begin to brown, 11 to 15 minutes (shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie; longer baking time will yield a crispier cookie). If baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking.

Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 6 dozen cookies

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour

NOTES: The mixture may look dry until it comes together as a dough. If its too crumbly to form into balls, the dough need to be mixed longer; it should be a smooth homogeneous mass.

The Results:

These turned out really good. They are definitely a sweet treat. I would also suggest that they are just barely even be golden brown before you take them out. If you leave them in for long they will just be a a hard cookie. I got the recipe from www.challengediary.com.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

4 medium tart apples

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 quick cooking or old fashioned oats

1/3 cup butter or stick margarine, softened

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

ice cream

caramel topping

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375. Grease bottom and sides if square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with shortening

2. Spread apples in pan. Mix remaining ingredients except ice cream; sprinkle over apples.

3. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with fork.

Serve warm with ice cream and caramel topping.

The Results:

This was sooooooo yummy. The recipe doesn't call for ice cream or caramel topping I added that. This dessert turned out so good. Just don't forget to serve it with ice cream and caramel. I got this recipe from my good ol' Betty Crocker recipe book. I have to say this recipe book comes in handy when I don't have the Internet.

Hope all you foodie bloggers are all doing good. We have just been moving. Can't wait to catch up.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.


The Results:
I made these last night for our family party. They make about 2 dozen. They were simple and yummy! We decorated them with frosting and sprinkles. You should have saw my 3 years old cookie that he decorated. It was sky high with frosting and topped off with sprinkles. He ate it too quick to get a picture of it. I got the recipe from allrecipes and it would have made 60 cookies but I scaled it down to 15 and it made 2 dozen cookies for me. Just enough for not too many leftovers. They were perfect for our fun night. Isn't anything with sugar and then topped with sugar good?

TRY IT....YOU'LL LIKE IT...... Brownies

Mmmmm... Don't they look good?

Ingredients:

1 box of Brownie Mix (I used Krusteaz)

1 (15 oz) can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Put the brownie mix in a medium bowl. Drain and rinse the black beans and put it in the blender with the cup of water. Blend till it is all together. Add it to the brownie mix. Whisk it up. Spray pan. Then add to pan. I used an 11X7 inch pan but you can use whatever you want. Just follow the back of the brownie box as directed. I left my brownies in the oven for about 35-40 minutes. Just until the knife comes out clean. ENJOY!

The Results:

Don't let the black beans fool you. I made these brownies the other day for an activity. They could not believe what I was doing. My sister in law gave me this recipe after I had tried these at her house. I could not believe how moist and delicious they were. Hey I guess if you ever run out of eggs you always have a back up. You just have to try this though. You won't believe how good they are. I wouldn't lie to you. Go make them. Serve them up with some vanilla ice cream. YUM!

Skor Cake

Ingredient:

1 box Chocolate Cake Mix

1 (5.9 oz)box Chocolate Instant Jell-O Pudding

1 tub of Cool Whip

6 Skor bars (crushed)

Directions:

Start with making the Instant Chocolate Pudding (make according to directions on box)

Bake the Chocolate cake (according to directions). I used two 8-inch round pans. Once they are done let them cool down for about an hour on a wire rack.

Now start to assemble: I used a trifle dish. So I started with putting the cake in the bottom, then put the pudding on, whip cream and crushed Skor. Then repeat the layer. Cake, Pudding, Cool Whip and crushed Skor bar.

The Results:

This is not a fancy smancy dessert but it is oh so good. When my mother in law first made this I knew it was meant for me. It is all chocolate and is AWESOME. If you are a chocoholic this has your name written all over it.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

The Results:

I made these cookies tonight. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com. These cookies were soft and chewy and perfect for a quick cookie. Next time I think I might try using parachment paper because the cookies kind of stuck to the cookie sheet. Really good cookies though and they are SUPER good with a tall glass of milk.

Peach Cobbler

1 large can of peaches (drained) or 2 small cans

1 box of white cake mix

1 cup of sprite

1 stick of butter

cinnamon

The Directions:

Dump peaches in 9x9 pan. Next pour Sprite over the peaches. Add cake mix on top. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top.Slice the stick of butter and place pieces all over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

The Results:

This is super good. My sister in law made this for us last night. I have actually had this before except without the sprite. My mom just didn't dump out the juices from the peaches. So if you wanted instead of using Sprite just dump the peaches WITH the juices in. This is a quick and super easy dessert. Served with vanilla ice cream of course.

Snickerdoodles

Ok so here is the deal. I think when you start a food blog that you keep making recipes and all the other recipes get pushed to the back of the blog. So I have decided to post the first recipe I blogged about. These are the BEST cookies ever. My mom has the same recipe and I also saw the recipe off of allrecipes. I don't think you can make a snickerdoodle to many ways. You either use all butter, all shortening or half and half. These cookies are literally the best cookies though. Love them!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

The Results:

Only change one thing about this recipe and that is ONLY bake your cookies for 7 minutes. 7 1/2 minutes at the most. My cookies look like they aren't done but after I let them sit for about an hour they settle to PERFECTION.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust. Chill for about 5 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is completely set, then chill until ready to serve.
The Results:
So yummy and they tasted like Reese's peanut butter cups.

White Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups and 1/2 TSP of flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut

Directions:
Put the sugar and brown sugar together and mix. Then add the shortening and mix that all together good. Then add the eggs and mix really good together. (Builds good muscles) Then sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix, Mix, Mix. Then add the vanilla and mix again. Then add the oatmeal and chocolate chips and mix AGAIN. I swear all this mixing makes these the best. :)Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Until light golden brown. Let them sit on the rack for about a hour before eating. If you eat one before they will seem like they are not done. Just be patient.

The Results:

This is my regular chocolate chip cookie recipe except for milk chocolate chips I added white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of coconut. They were also very good. I'll add macadamia nuts next time.

Snicker Ravioli's

Cut up Snicker Ravioli

I forgot to take a picture of it cut open so the above picture is the picture Jenn took.

Just like The Macaroni Grill's Snicker Raviolis.

Ingredients:

won tons

cut up snickers

egg wash ( egg white with a couple drops of water)

Directions:

Put the snickers inside and to seal the won ton you put egg wash on the edges and throw it in bubbling hot canola oil and within 30 seconds it's ready! Sprinkle with powered sugar and serve with ice cream.

The Results:
I had some hot fudge left over but I was too impatient to put the hot fudge on. As soon as these bad boys were done we ate them up. I got the recipe from one of the recipe blogs I contribute to Food, Friends and Fun. This was yummy and easy.

Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 cups and 1/2 TSP of flour (sifted)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup to 1 cup of chocolate chip ( all depends on how many chocolate chips you like.)

Directions:

Put the sugar and brown sugar together and mix. Then add the shortening and mix that all together good. Then add the eggs and mix really good together. (Builds good muscles) Then sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix, Mix, Mix. Then add the vanilla and mix again. Then add the oatmeal and chocolate chips and mix AGAIN. I swear all this mixing makes these the best. :)Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Until light golden brown. Let them sit on the rack for about a hour before eating. If you eat one before they will seem like they are not done. Just be patient.

The Results:

The Best Chocolate Chip cookies. They are always chewy and never let me down. I have made these cookies since I was probably 8 years old. I was well known around the neighborhood for these cookies. I was also the only one that could make them ever turn out. The trick is to only leave them in for 8-10 minutes and take them out even though they don't look that done. They will be done after they sit for about a hour. YUMMY!

Sinful Sundae

Love
Love
More Love
and Marriage.

So this is one of our favorite dessert. Inspired by Outback Steakhouse's Sydney Sinful Sundae. One night we were craving Outback's sundae and I said "Well geez I can make that." So I used my mom's hot fudge sauce recipe and toasted up some coconut and cut up some strawberries and wham bam here it is my Sinful Sundae. Oh and it is soooo good and with every bite you will just roll your eyes with delight.

Ingredients:

Hot Fudge Sauce (recipe below)

8 Strawberries ( cut up)

vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup of toasted coconut

Directions:

Put the ice cream in the bowl. Add the strawberries and toasted coconut. You toast the coconut in a pan for about 5 minutes. Making sure you don't toast it too much. Then add the YUMMY Hot Fudge sauce. Now Enjoy every bite.

The Results:

This is the BEST. Lip smacking GOOD.

Hot Fudge Sauce

(The spoon should have a thick coating of chocolate on it after it is done. )

Ingredients:

1 Tbs butter

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

dash of salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Turn the stove on low heat.

Put the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan and let them melt together. After they have melted together add the sugar and mix. Then add in the evaporated milk and mix together for about 5-8 minutes. STIR, STIR, STIR. You can NOT walk away from this because you do not want it to boil. Once it is all come together it should have a thick consistency. It is definitely worth the wait.

This is what it looks like done after it has sat for about 5 minutes.

The RESULTS:

This is the BEST Hot Fudge Sauce. We use to have this every Sunday after dinner. Love it!

Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

3 or 4 bags of Natural favor popcorn (microwave) or air popped

2 1/4 cups of brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup karo (light)

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Melt butter in pan add rest of ingredients and stir together. Use temp. thermometer to soft ball stage (235-240 F*). Lay the popcorn down on a cookie sheet pan and take the kernels out. Spread the popcorn around and then spoon the caramel on once done. Butter up your hands and toss the caramel popcorn together. YUM-O

The Results:

I made this all through Christmas and even after Christmas. It is the best caramel popcorn ever. YUMMY!

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Ingredients:

2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour (I used Gold Medal)

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups margarine or butter, softened (I used butter)

1 (12.5-oz.) jar (1 cup) caramel ice cream topping

3 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose or Unbleached Flour (I used Gold Medal)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup Milk chocolate and 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I usually use Walnuts but omitted nuts this time)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.Grease 13x9-inch pan.Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix at low speed until crumbly. Reserve half of crumb mixture (about 3 cups) for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of greased pan.Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine caramel topping and 3 tablespoons flour; blend well.Remove partially baked crust from oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.Return to oven; bake an additional 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set.Cut into bars.

The Results:

I had less then 3/4 cup of caramel so they weren't as caramely as I would have liked. But they still turned out yummy. Now if I had a full cup of caramel they would have been awesome. Also I would bake them for 16 to 18 minutes. 19 minutes was just a little to long.

* I got the recipe from http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/

Cinnamon Cheesecake Swirled Blondies

Ingredients:

6 TBS butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup Hershey's Brand Cinnamon Chips (optional, white chocolate chips or walnuts would be good as well)

Cinnamon Cheesecake Swirl

5 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon (more or less to taste)

2 TBS flour

1 tsp pure Vanilla

1 egg yolk

Directions:

In bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, flour and vanilla beat until smooth. Add egg yolk and beat just until combined. Set aside.Preheat oven to 350.Line an 8x8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM.In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the butter. Allow to cool for 5 mintues.Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla. Add salt, stir in flour baking powder and cinnamon.Mix in Cinnamon Chips and/or nuts or other chips (if using)Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top. Dollup cinnamon cream cheese mixture over blondie batter in pan.Run a knife through the blondie and cheesecake layers to create a pattern or swirls.Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until set in the middle. (I baked for 27 minutes)Cool on rack before cutting.

The Results:

* These were so yummy with ice cream and caramel on top.

* I got this recipe off of http://bakingblonde.blogspot.com/search/label/Blondies

Apple Dumplings

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith apples

2 cans crescent rolls

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

cinnamon

1 small can Mountain Dew

Directions:

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

The Results:

** Oh Mercy this is the best dessert ever. I've died and gone to heaven. I loved this appley buttery goodness so much.

** I halved the recipe though because it was just Brach and I eating it.

** I got the recipe from http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/ the recipe is in the middle of the page. You can look at every step she does. Good stuff though. YUMMY!

Toffee Crunch Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup real butter, softened

1 Cup brown sugar, light

1 Cup white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 Cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 10 oz bag toffee candy bits (I used the Heath brand that was chocolate covered)

1 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup oatmeal

1 Cup sweetened flake coconut

1 Cup chopped almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat the eggs slightly then add to butter mixture and mix well. Sift flour, salt and baking soda; then add slowly to the moist ingredients and mix well. Mix in toffee bits, chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut and nuts until just combined.

2. Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just golden brown.

The Results:
These were good. They were really good with a tall cup of milk. My husband loved them.

* I got the recipe off of http://pickypalate.blogspot.com/search/label/cookies

* I didn't put the almonds in and some people suggested using parchment paper (not wax paper) underneath the cookies because they kinda stick to the cookie sheet a little.