Wonderful Whipped Cream Frosting

I used this recipe to top Jello Refrigerator Cake that I made as cupcakes and used cheesecake pudding. This is lighter then buttercream frosting and I thought that it tasted good but Steve was disappointed. He thought for sure it was buttercream. Sometimes you just need something lighter. The recipe comes from Food.

1 quart heavy whipping cream
1 (4 ounce) box pudding mix (any flavor)
1/3 cup powdered sugar

Chill large bowl and beaters in freezer for at least 30 minutes before use.
  

Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl with chilled beaters, slowly add pudding and powdered sugar, beat until mixture is thick and creamy, but still spreadable.
  

NOTE: This makes A LOT of frosting it's very light and not overly sweet great for cupcakes, layer cakes, and tarts can also be used in trifles (or just eaten with a spoon ;).

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe comes from Gentry. She says that with some cookies you need to chill after making but these you don't need to.  Enjoy :) they are very delicious :)

3/4 cup salted butter (softened)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla (I double it)

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I use 2 cups and use dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 (I do 325).

 

Cream butter, oil, and both sugars. Add eggs and beat batter until fluffy. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time. (Dough will be sticky)Fold in chocolate chips.

 

Roll into 1" balls. (Do not flatten)Place 2" apart from each other.Bake 8-9 minutes. (Just until edges barely go golden brown)

Raspberry Crisp

The original recipe is here but I made a few changes for what we had in the house and how many I needed to make.

2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine berries and sugar. Mix and set aside.

In another bowl mix together flour, oats, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add in butter using a pastry mixer until crumbly.

Put berries into 4 - 4 oz. wide mouth jars and add crumble on top. Place on a cookie sheet for stablity and spills. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping will be golden brown.

Pecan Pie

I am not a pecan pie fan but my brother-in-law is so I found this recipe from Martha Stewart.  I have never made a pecan pie and of course I would want to try and alter it without ever trying it.  Our Thanksgiving party was a whooping 5 people so I opted for mini pies which worked out fantastic but that meant I needed to cut the recipe down.  The top recipe is for the full size pie and the smaller portion recipe is below.

1 pie crust
4 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups pecan halves
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. with rack set in lowest position.

Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang. With floured fingers, fold overhang under itself to form a rim; pinch between thumb and forefinger to form a uniform edge around rim of pie plate. Crimp with fingertips. Transfer dough-lined pie plate to refrigerator.

Make filling: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, corn syrup, sugars, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth; mix in pecans. Pour mixture into chilled pie crust; place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until filling jiggles slightly in the center when gently shaken, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool pie completely in plate, 5 to 6 hours. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

2 mini pie crust
1 large eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon & 1 teaspoon cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3/4 cup pecan halves
Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Bake 30 minutes

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe comes from Glorious Treats and I got rave reviews so another keeper for Thanksgiving.  I don't own a fancy mini cheesecake pan (I would like to) so I used foil muffin liners.

Crust-
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling-
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*F

Prepare crust by combining crust ingredients in a small bowl. Mix to combine with a fork. Add one rounded tablespoon of moist crust crumbs into each mini cheesecake space. Use a small bottle (such as a spice bottle, or a shot glass) to press down the crumbs, to form a crust.

Prepare the filling-
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, sour cream, sugar and spices. Blend until combined. Add flour and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Pour filling into prepared crusts. Divide batter amoung the 12 spaces.

Bake mini cheesecakes in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours minimum.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

This is such a fun and easy cupcake to make.  The original idea came from Our Best Bites but I used the recipe from Recipe Girl and added my own twist.   I have also made these with red and blue cake and white frosting for election day but the possibilities are endless.  If you haven't noticed the cake mixes are staying the same price but the cake mix is getting smaller.  Using the smaller cake mix and adding in the extra ingredients I can get 36 cupcakes that are moist and tasty.  I have also substituted the white cake mix for chocolate and use chocolate pudding.

1 box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites or 3 large eggs - depends on the color you are making
1 large box vanilla pudding

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans (you'll need approx. 36).

In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.

Use ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins- fill about 3/4 full. Bake about 15 - 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Royal Icing

I saw these cute pumpkins on The Sweet Adventures of SugarBelle and wanted to give them a go.  They were super easy and I learned a new trick which only helps to spark my imagination.  Since I am new at this I would highly recommend going to her website for excellent tips and tutorials.  Meringue powder can be purchased at Joanne's and Wal-Mart as well as other places but these two are my only options where I live.

4lbs {two bags} confectioner’s sugar
3/4 c. meringue powder
1 1/3-1 1/2 c. warm water
2-4 tbsp. oil-free extract or flavoring

Add the dry ingredients first. Use your mixer’s whisk attachment to incorporate the sugar and meringue powder.

Add the extract to the water and slowly add it to the dry ingredients while mixing. At first the icing will be very liquid-like.

Continue to mix it at medium-high speed until it is fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes. Mixing times are approximate, keep your eye it icing and stop mixing as soon as it becomes stiff. Over mixing and oil-containing extracts can keep the icing from setting up, so keep this in mind as you work.

Notes

Royal icing will keep at least a month. I prefer refrigerating it, but it can also be left at room temperature.

chocolate zucchini cake

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 1/2 c. flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 tsp. soda
2 c, grated zucchini
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c, oil
1/2 c. buttermilk or sour milk w/ vinegar

Mix sugar, eggs and oil. Stir dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with 2/3 c. chocolate chips and 1/2 c. chopped nuts. Bake at 325 for 35 to 40 minutes.   ( Do not ice)

Cherry Almond Scones

These are the English type of scone not the yummy deep-fried kind you smear honey butter all over.  I am not saying that these aren't yummy as well, actually I really enjoy a good English scone.  Jamie has a recipe posted for Blueberry Scones and I love Great Harvests Raspberry White Chocolate Scones.  This recipe is from The Kitchen Sink Recipes which is one of the food blogs that I follow.  I have cherries from Steve's Moms tree and I keep trying to find other uses besides drying them.  Two substitutions that I made were using milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk and I used Demerara sugar instead of Turbinado because it is what I have on hand. 225 calories for 12 or 150 calories if you make 18.

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup pitted and chopped cherries
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon almond extract
Turbinado or sanding sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place cubed butter in freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter (or two knives or your finger tips) until the flour-butter mixture is the texture of coarse cornmeal.  Stir in the buttermilk and fruit.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a couple times. Roll dough out to approximately one-inch thickness and cut into squares. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (optional).

Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
 

2 Ingredient Lemon Bars

I think I would actually call this lemon cake and it couldn't be any easier!  The can of lemon pie filling I found at the store was actually larger then the recipe called for so I have a little left over in the fridge but I just read some of the comments and some used the whole can and just baked it a little longer.  I have read other places that you could use other pie fillings and do the same thing.  Raspberry or Becky's Razzleberry Pie Filling, I am definitely going to try.  I might even try my own homemade lemon pie filling since I don't keep pie filling in the house.  Very good and not too bad on the calorie count, 107 calories if you cut it to get 22 servings and it would be a little more if you used the whole can.  Recipe from Practically Living

1 box angel food cake
15 oz can lemon pie filling

Mix the two together by hand until moist. Be sure not to over stir. Bake in a 9x13 cake pan at 350 degrees until golden brown on the top (about 20 minutes). Cool completely before eating. As they are cooling, you can sprinkle with powder sugar if you wish (Which I guess technically makes this a 3-ingredient recipe). They have more of an angel food cake texture than a traditional lemon bar texture. 

Raspberry Buckle

I was lucky enough to be in SLC when Becky was coming through and she gave me a bucket of fresh raspberries.  I made a batch of jam but wanted something else tasty to enjoy this great harvest.  Yes I did another Pinterest search and came up with this recipe from Martha Stewart.  I bet you could use any fresh fruit that you have handy.  It was sweet enough that we didn't serve with whipping cream or ice cream.  It makes 8 servings and 300 calories per serving.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 containers (1/2 pint each) raspberries (2 3/4 cups)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart oval or square baking dish. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder; with mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture until incorporated.

 

Spread batter in baking dish. Scatter raspberries on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and top is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes.

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

We were celebrating a birthday today at work.  I said that I would bring the dessert which gave me an opportunity to try something new from Pinterest.  This recipe comes from Sprinkle Charms and they were simple and tasty.  She baked her cheesecakes in a special cheesecake pan but I used my muffin pan and used the foil liners.  Mine took a little bit longer to cook but the spring back let me know when they were done.  I really liked the Whipping Cream Topping and I am thinking of other ways to utilize that nifty recipe.

16 ounces cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package regular size Oreo cookies
1 package mini Oreo cookies (chop about 1 cup to use in batter, the rest are garnish on top)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place one full size Oreo cookie in the bottom of every mini cheesecake cup or muffin pan. This will serve as the "crust" of the cookie.

Beat the cream cheese for several minutes until it is smooth and creamy.

Add the sugar and salt. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.

Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Fold in the sour cream and chopped Oreo cookies and mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cups and bake for 22-25 minutes (the tops should spring back slightly when touched).

WHIPPING CREAM TOPPING
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding mix

Combine all ingredients and beat for several minutes until the cream thickens and soft peaks form. Pipe onto tops of cheesecakes and garnish with a mini Oreo.

Two Minute Mug Brownie

In a pinch for dessert? This recipe that I found on Pinterest will take you back to memories of our cruise.

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp canola or other mild vegetable oil
2 Tbsp milk or water

In a heatproof mug or ramekin, stir together the dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Stir in the oil and milk until you have a thick paste. Microwave on high for a minute, checking it after 30 seconds (microwaves vary) – it will be done when it’s springy on top but still a bit gooey – like the very best brownie. Eat warm.

Pink Lemonade Pie

Another Pintrest recipe and if you want to make it exact you are going to have to go to the link.  It looked so yummy I just had to try it.  I cheated and bought a graham cracker crust and used cool whip instead of whipping cream.  Opted out of the pink coconut but used pink sugar sprinkles.  This is a freezer pie and it would be very refreshing for the summer.  I was also thinking of adding raspberries.  You could also it switch up and use Limeade.

Graham cracker pie crust

1 8-ounce packet of cream cheese, softened

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup pink lemonade concentrate (not mixed with water)

2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

Red food coloring
Cool Whip

Using the whip attachment and your stand-type mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk together on medium high speed until the mixture is smooth.  (If you place the sweetened condensed milk in the bowl first, the cream cheese will not stick to the bowl and you will have little need to scrape the sides.)

Add the lemonade concentrate and lemon juice and continue beating.  Color with red food coloring as desired.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell and place it in the freezer.  After frozen spread on thawed Cool Whip and return to freezer.  Remove from freezer a few minutes before cutting.

Mint Brownies

This recipe comes from one of those cookbooks that you see by the cashier at the grocery store.  I love mint and chocolate so these brownies fit the bill.  They are super easy as well so that is an added bonus!  The picture came from the page that I tore out of the book many years ago when I was trying to condense my recipe mess.

1 box brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
20 to 24 mini York Peppermint Patties


Heat oven to 350.  Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.  Mix brownie mix (dry), water, oil and egg with spoon about 50 strokes or just until mix is moistened.  Spread in pan.  Bake 30 minutes.

Immediately after baking, place patties on brownies.  Return to oven 3 to 4 minutes or until patties are softened.  Spread evenly over brownies; cool.  Frost with Mint Fluff Frosting.  Cut into 1 1/2pinch squares.  Refrigerate any remaining brownies.

Mint Fluff Frosting
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
10 drops green food color

Beat all ingredients in chilled bowl until stiff.

Jello Refrigerator Cake

Another recipe that I haven't made in a very long time.  It would be fun to make this recipe as cupcakes.

1 small pkg. Jello, any flavor

1 white cake mix

Mix cake according to directions on box.  Bake in 9"x13" pan.  Cool cake 20 to 25 minutes.  Mix Jello with 3/4 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water.  Poke deep holes in warm cake, about 1/2" apart.  Slowly pour Jello into holes.  Refrigerate cake while preparing topping.

TOPPING:

1 envelope Dream Whip

1 small pkg. vanilla instant pudding mix

1 1/2 cup cold milk

In chilled deep bowl, blend Dream Whip, pudding mix and milk until stiff.  Frost cake immediately.  Store cake in refrigerator and serve cold. Frosted cake may be frozen.

Mini Apple Pies

Four Granny Smith apples were in my Bountiful Basket and Steve will eat about every apple on the earth except these.  I like Granny Smiths with salt on them but pie sounded better.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and I like individual portions to help control what I put in my mouth but I have to remember to stop at one.

Pie Crust I made homemade but you could use store bought, I did have left over dough which I froze
4 cups apples, cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Mix apples with flour, sugar and cinnamon.

Roll out pie crust and cut 4" circles.  I have a graduating set of cookie cutters so these worked great because I used the smaller 3" circle for the tops.  Line each muffin tin with a crust.  Fill the crusts with your apple mixture, they will be mounded.

Divide the butter into 12 pieces and place one piece on top of each apple mound.  Cover with dough and bake at 400 for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.

Especially good served warm with vanilla ice cream. 

If you want just a little larger pie you can use the Chicago Metallic Nonstick Cup Pie Set.  The portions below will make 2 mini pies with tops.

 1 cup apple, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon & 1 1/2 teaspoons flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons butter

Bake at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cupcakes For Two

I have been waiting for my mom to post this on the blog because she emailed it to me a while ago and I have to keep going to my email to get the recipe :)

This is a recipe for just 2 cupcakes! I recently bought a Cake Pop maker, and the two cupcakes makes one batch (12 cake pops). It's so handy! I tried to use a cake mix out of a box and it kept making cake pops, and cake pops, and more cake pops! Way too many! 

Anyway, there is a vanilla and a chocolate recipe. (I have only tried the vanilla)...here are the yummy recipes:

Well Jamie, I finally did it!  I have been waiting to try the recipes myself.  I made 4 cupcakes, 2 white and 2 chocolate.  I made a few changes to the chocolate recipe but I sure that the original recipe works fine.  I used the egg yoke in the chocolate cake, used butter like the vanilla recipe instead of oil and used chocolate milk because I had it in the house.  Luckily I didn't need very much chocolate milk since it is Christopher's favorite.

One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes for Two

1 egg white

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup flour

1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 2 liners. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (May take more like 15 minutes)

Chocolate Cupcakes for Two

1 egg white

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons of chocolate chips, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 2 liners. Melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Set aside. In a bowl, add egg white and sugar and whisk until combined. Add in extract and oil and stir until mixed. Add in melted chocolate. Scrap into bowl with spatula since the amount isn't much. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in milk. Divide batter equally into liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20, or until cake is set.

Frosting for Two Cupcakes
2 tablespoons butter
Splash of vanilla
Splash of milk
Powdered sugar

Cream butter, vanilla and milk.  Add enough powdered sugar to make the frosting the consistence that you want.  Frost

Plum Crumble

We picked up our Bountiful Basket on Saturday and we had 12 plums, some very ripe. I needed a way to use them quickly. I found this recipe on Tartelette and have scaled it down so that you could make one or how ever many you might need. 319 calories per serving

For the plums:
1 plum
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the crumble topping:
1/4 cup flour
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter

Prepare the crumble topping:

In a bowl, stir together the flour and cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and pinch of salt. Add the butter and sugar and start mixing everything together with your fingertips. You want to form a few large clusters of dough. It will be easier to grate once cold. Freeze the mixture while you prepare the fruit.

Preheat the oven at 350F and position a rack in the middle.

Prepare the plum:

In a bowl, combine the plum and the rest of the ingredients. Toss well. Spoon into a ramekin and place on a baking sheet as the fruit is most likely to release its juices, causing a spill. When ready to bake, grate the crumble over the ramekins (use a box grates) and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

Ice Cream Cake

This is a super simple dessert. Taking off the wrappers of the ice cream sandwiches is what takes the longest. The best part about this is that you can use as many or as few sandwiches as you would like. I used 36 sandwiches, 1 large cool whip and 1 small cool whip to serve 22 people. You can change this up by using different flavors of ice cream sandwiches and using crumbled Oreos, chocolate chips or any other favorite toppings.

20 ice cream sandwiches
1 large tub cool whip
hot fudge sauce
caramel sauce
2 Heath or Skor bars, chopped up

Place 10 ice cream sandwiches side by side on a cookie sheet, platter or in a 9x13 pan. Frost with 1/2 the tub of cool whip. Repeat last layer. Drizzle hot fudge and caramel over the top and sprinkle with candy bars. Freeze at least 1 hour. Serve with hot fudge and caramel.