Death by S'mores Bars

I think that s'mores are the perfect dessert. I always have a chocolate bar, graham crackers, and marshmallows on hand just in case I need a go to dessert. These bars, however, are better. The crust is amazing and I might have to use it for other treats as well. It is like a fluffy, buttery, graham cracker slash cookie dough crust (yes I said "slash" not as pathetic as my poor food picture). When you take the buttery, yummy crust, top it with dark chocolate (that's how I roll), smear it with gooey marshmallow creme, with a final layer of the graham cracker dough it seemed like I was nailing the last nail in my coffin. These flavors work so well together, but as a bar, it is ten times better.

Needless to say my mom and I ate the whole pan in a day. Yum!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized Hershey's milk chocolate bars (if you want a more subtle chocolate flavor use regular sized chocolate bars; enough to fit) I used dark chocolate bars :)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (7 1/2 oz jar)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. This part can be tricky. I made little disks with the dough and formed them into a sheet on some parchment paper then transferred it over. Spread it around gently.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Makes 16 cookie bars (or one giant one serving size bar if you are me).

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

THE Strawberry Cake

It is too bad it is such an ugly picture, because it really is a gorgeous cake. What's not to love about white cake with a cream cheesy layer topped with a billion strawberries and then smeared with strawberry glaze? My thoughts exactly! It is pretty easy too! Let me know if you try it. My hat goes off to strawberries this year. They have really made by belly proud!

Don't worry. It is really pretty easy.

Ingredients:
1 white cake mix. Make as directed.
8 oz pkg cream cheese room temp
Dream Whip made as directed
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups strawberries whole or cut in half if big
Danish Dessert, strawberry (in section with jello) made according to directions and cooled

Directions:
While cake is cooling from being baked as directed on box,
mix powdered sugar with cream cheese. Then
blend this mixture with Dream Whip mixture
Spread on cake
Place trimmed and sliced strawberries uniformly on cream cheese mixture.
Cover strawberries with Cooled Danish Dessert.
Place in fridge and replace in fridge with leftovers. Serve and Enjoy!

Tips:

• In case you were unable to find the Danish Dessert, you could also use the strawberry glaze found near the fresh strawberries in the produce section.

• You could also create your own mixing strawberry jello with corn starch. I have seen recipes for this on the internet.

• The Dream Whip comes in a box found in the cake mix/jello section as well.

Hawaiian French Toast

If you have recently had french toast for breakfast your stomach is going to hide into the furthest corner of your abdomen in shame after reading this. French toast will never be the same again after adding coconut to its mixture. As Emmeril Lagasse would say: "let's kick it up a notch!" Hawaiian style.

Basically you need this:



and this:



Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut creamer
10 to 12 slices Kings Hawaiian Bread sliced rather thick
maple syrup or other syrup (can you imagine the possibilities with this recipe?)

Directions:

whisk or blend just slightly all the ingredients together except the bread. Place a little butter or oil in your pan or griddle. Dunk bread in mixture and cook both sides on medium heat to your liking making sure the egg is cooked. top with butter and your favorite syrup. Serve and enjoy!

German Chocolate Cake with Cheesecake Center

This is a classic with a twist. It is mostly easy and very delicious!

Ingredients for the cake:
1 box of German Chocolate Cake mix
4 eggs (not kidding) plus whatever the cake mix needs
2 pkgs of cream cheese softened
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions:
Mix cake mix as directed. In another bowl blend cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. Grease 9 x 13 pan and pour in 1/2 cake mix, then cream cheese mixture, and top with remaining cake mix. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before frosting.

For Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Combine in sauce pan sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Fold in coconut and pecans. Pour and spread over cake. Serve and enjoy! It won't last long!



Before the frosting makeover ( I shaved off the uneven parts for an even topping)


After!

Easy Mint Cake

Mint is always a good idea in my book. This cake is light on the mint side, but refreshing enough to make your day. This is also a great cake to make for someone. I made two. One for my big belly and one for the dental office I took my toddler to. Enjoy!

Crème De Menthe Cake

Ingredients:
1 white cake mix
3 1/2 TBS crème de mentheliquor
1 tub of cool whip
1 jar of chocolate ice cream topping (I used hot fudge)

Mix cake mix as directed on box. Add 2 Tablespoons of crème de menthe liquor. Mix and bake as directed. Spread hot fudge while cake is still warm and allow to cool. Mix remaining 1 1/2 Tablespoons of crème de menthe to cool whip, mix, and spread on top. Place in fridge until cool and keep in fridge in between servings. Let me know if it rocks your world like it does mine. Didn't think it would be that easy? Stay tuned! There is more where that came from!

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Cranberry Sauce

Christmas Day was the first time I have ever tried bread pudding. Can you believe that? It never sounded good to me. My two brothers love it. One of them blogs about it frequently here. Only one of them could attend my Christmas dinner and it is because of his love for bread pudding that I thought I would give this a go. I am now converted to bread pudding as well. THIS WAS TASTY! I love eggnog. The sweetness of the pudding combined with the sweet tart of the sauce was sort of a genius combination. I am sort of patting myself on the back for this one. Let me know if you try it!


Ingredients:
1 loaf stale French bread
1 quart eggnog (I used vanilla flavored eggnog)
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. Vanilla
1 C. raisins ( I omitted the raisins, but thought about using craisens)
1/2 C. sugar
Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a large mixing bowl, crumble the bread and pour the eggnog over it, letting it sit until bread is soft, at least 2 hours. In a smaller bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla and stir into the bread and eggnog mixture. Add the raisins and mix well.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Let cool before cutting.


Cranberry Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 Jar of butterscotch sauce (found in the ice cream toppings section)

Directions:
Cook sugar in a dry 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork or flat whisk, until sugar is melted and turns a deep golden caramel. Tilt pan and carefully add cranberries and water (caramel will harden and vigorously steam). Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved, then pour syrup through a very fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing hard on solids. Let cool. Add 1/2 Jar or more to taste of butterscotch sauce. Top bread pudding with whip cream and then sauce.

Tickled Pink!

Perhaps you will recall my new favorite thing to make is cupcake bouquets. The supplies are expensive, the construction is time consuming, but the result is fantastic.

This was my favorite bouquet. I made this for my sister's baby shower. She is having a girl. A baby girl who has been wanted for quite sometime. The theme of the shower was appropriately called "Tickled Pink" because we truly are. I am so excited to share the joys of motherhood with my sister.

The cupcakes were Pink Lemonade Flavored

Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 or more drops red food coloring
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with liners.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth. Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.
Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Lemonade Buttercream:
3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
Red food coloring
Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, and a few drops of food coloring and mix until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

I used extra large Smarties candy for the center of my flowers. I have no tips for frosting as that is a work in progress.

Can I tell you my favorite news of all?



I AM TICKLED PINK TOO! I cannot wait to have a little assistant in the kitchen come March. Stay tuned my lovely friends!

Apple Season Earns You A Giveaway

I don't know about you, but the Fall season makes me crave apples. The best condiment for apples is caramel. Here is an easy way to make the most delicious and creamy caramel. Along with my caramel recipe comes a lovely giveaway. It was difficult to choose from all the amazing options CSN stores has to offer. CSN stores offers everything from kitchen gadgets, furniture, toys, and so much more!I am currently perusing their selection of dining chairs. They have every kind of chair you could think of. They would look great at my table as I enjoy this dip.

Take one can of condensed milk. and turn it into the most amazing caramel!

Creamy Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

-One can of condensed milk
-Favorite apples for dipping

Directions:

First, remove label on can. Place it on a mason jar ring lid in a large deep pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for 3 hours. Keep adding water to ensure can is always covered in water. Explosions (which are messy) can occur. Don't worry, I was scared too, but it worked out just fine adding about a cup of water an hour. When 3 hours are up, it is done! Simply open can and pour out to serve. You can also let it cool and just pour it directly into your mouth. That's what I would like to do!

Warning: I don't know what happens for sure, but I hear that it is a sticky mess if the can isn't continuously covered in water.

Here is the best part:
Thanks to www.csnstores.com I will be giving an apple slicer away.


Isn't it pretty?

Stay tuned for my review and giveaway of this fantastic apple slicer. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!

Red Velvet Cupcakes and a Little Dirty Secret

The husband recently turned one year older and requested red velvet cupcakes. Should I be worried? I don't think so. I think he just likes the taste and the color red. I searched for what I thought would be a good recipe and found a great one. This recipe has been modified from Best Cupcake Recipes.

Are you ready for the little dirty secret? It isn't really dirty. Actually, it is quite tasty. Do you over pull gorgeous cupcakes out of the oven only to have them deflate and sink minutes later when cooling? Well, I read somewhere that if you simply do a heaping teaspoon, or a heaping of whatever measurement the recipe calls for, your cupcakes will stay plump and risen. I tried it with this recipe and it worked!

I also couldn't decide if I should do a butter cream frosting or cream cheese frosting. I love the sharp flavor of cream cheese frosting, but feel that red velvet cupcakes lack in sweetness and need butter cream frosting as well. So, I combined them and it was delicious!

These are just in time for the 4th of July if you add blue sprinkles on top!


Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins or silicone pans with cupcake liners.

2. Mix cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the cocoa powder, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add red food coloring until mixture is a vibrant red.

4. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Be careful as it will fizz so don't do it in a shallow bowl. Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Fill cupcake cups with cake batter until they are a little under 3/4 full. I ended up with 24 cupcakes. Place muffin tins in your preheated oven. Bake for approximately 15-20, rotating pans halfway through. The cupcakes are done when you are able to pat the tops and the cake springs back up. If it sinks down they are not yet complete.

5. Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.

6.I made half a batch of cream cheese frosting and half a batch of butter cream frosting and combined them for one delicious frosting. Serve and enjoy!

(Notice how they are still plump after cooling?)

Not just Any Banana Pudding

Have you seen my winner? She is about this tall, this pretty, and I have only met her once through her one comment. Her profile is blocked so it seems that I am unable to locate her blog to contact her. Is there any tricks to find someone through their comment even if their profile is blocked? I am afraid I will have to choose another winner on Monday if I do not hear from EIGHT FOR ETERNITY.


Now have a bite of my banana pudding please. Once upon a time I made some for the fire station my husband was at and now he is known as the guy with the amazing dessert. I am not kidding. He is so new as a fire fighter that he "roves" from station to station. He is hopefully getting a reputation as a great worker and firefighter, but we know for sure he has gained the reputation for having a secret recipe of a really tasty dessert. Well secret is out! Here it is, no fire department needed.

Ingredients:
1 5oz. pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese (softened)
1 can eagle brand condensed milk
2 cups whipping cream (whipped stiff with 1/4 cup of sugar)
2 pkgs pepperidge farm chessmen cookies
4-5 bananas sliced

Directions:
Mix pudding with milk using mixer and set aside. Mix in cream cheese. Mix in condensed milk and fold in whipped cream using spatula. Place 1 pkg of cookies on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Add sliced bananas over cookies and spread the pudding mixture over the bananas. Place the second pkg of cookies over the top. Chill for 3-4 hours. Serve and Enjoy.

Serve immediately as the bananas turn brown quickly.

I HEART vanilla bean cheesecake bars!

How does one humble wife let their dear husband know how much they love them? By vanilla bean cheesecake bars of course! I can't take all the credit. I wanted to make vanilla cheesecake, but I wanted it to be easy and in a large pan so I could use my heart-shaped cookie cutter. Thanks to Baking Bites I found just what I needed. I made a few adjustments and they really truly won the love of my husband and I.

Vanilla Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients (crust):
1/3 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Crushed Pecans (this is my addition because I had some)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract ( vanilla sugar would of been better, but I was doing it inexpensively)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan (or used the Baker’s Edge).
Begin by making the crust. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until smooth and fluffy. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour, pecans ,and salt until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into prepared pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. While crust is baking prepare filling.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of half and half or light cream
2 (8oz.) pkgs of cream cheese
3 large eggs room temperature
1/2 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. ( I went to purchase vanilla bean and decided it was too pricey)
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour.

Directions:
Combine sugar, half & half and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time, waiting until each in incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the mixture (or add extract) and add the flour. Pulse until smooth.
Pour the filling over the hot crust when it has finished baking. Return pan to oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, until the filling is set (baking time should be reduced slightly if using a 9×13-inch, as the filling will be slightly thinner) and not jiggly.
Cool completely before slicing (don’t be alarmed if the cheesecake appears to deflate somewhat as it cools), or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 20-24 bars.
Once cooled I used my heart-shaped cookie cutter and topped with whipped cream, bananas, and strawberries.










It never hurts to show the neighbors some love and give them a slice too! I almost hoped they weren't home so there was more for me. My thighs thank them for being home.

Chocolate Cake Is Always In Season

Right?
My sister made this recently and I just had to share. I will say that she spent about 40 dollars on ingredients because she used expensive cocoa. You can find higher quality at your local whole foods or specialty stores. If you are going to take the time to make such a creation, you should splurge on some good cocoa. It just melts in your mouth. Nothing like a sister to make my favorite meal. Nice sisters and good chocolate cake just go together. Yum!


Ingredients

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups good cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 cup brewed coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 1 (4 by 3-inch) cake pan, 1 (6 by 3-inch) cake pan and 1 (8 by 3-inch) cake pan. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended.

Divide the batter between the 3 pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle rack of the oven as follows: for the 4-inch pan 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean; for the 6-inch pan 70 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean; and for the 8-inch pan 85 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes each on a cooling rack, carefully remove from the pans and allow to finish cooling.

Place the 8-inch cake on a serving plate, flat side up. Frost the top of that layer with buttercream. Place the 6-inch cake in the center of the top of the 8-inch cake, flat-side up, and frost the top and sides. Place the 4-inch cake in the center of the top of the 6-inch cake, flat side down. Frost the top and sides of that layer with buttercream. Spread any remaining buttercream over the cake evenly.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1 pound bittersweet chocolate
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup egg whites (4 to 5 extra-large eggs), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.

Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla,and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again.

Spread on cake, serve, and enjoy!