I'm BACK!!!!

Sort of... i don't promise to be as active as i was before but i DO promise to blog finally if i make something that is blogable. Now did i make something last night that fits into this category? Not unless you think this fits:
What? No? Doesn't count? Well shoot... what IS what i ate last night... Hey i'm pregnant and Chris was working late so kill me!
But i do have a little treat to welcome you all back to this blog and we should all thank Cooking and Eating in the Windy City for posting this b/c without her i wouldn't have had this idea.
So here's how it went down. We were invited to a Memorial Day party and were asked to bring a side of sorts. Well when i saw these little doosies i KNEW i had to make them. Hey i have standards to uphold with these guys (Chris's friends) plus i figured it was good practice for all the future birthday day parties that we'll be throwing. And without further anticipation... Burger Cupcakes!

These little suckers were pretty easy to make and really knocked the socks off people.... they really thought they were burgers until they picked them up! Here's what you do.

Make mini Yellow cupcakes. Don't fill the cups too much because you want a dome, not a muffin look. When they are cooled cut them in half and use kitchen sissors to trim up the tops if needed.

Make mini chocolate cupcakes. Same with filling the tins. Now cut these in half and trim the sides to give a rounded, burger look.

Make the lettuce: Get a bag of shredded coconut and mix in green good coloring with a fork until it looks like lettuce shreds.

Now you Layer: bottom bun, layer of icing (red or yellow) slice of chocolate cupcake, layer of icing (whichever color you didn't already use) and then sprinkle the coconut on. Top with the Top part of your "bun". Now to help the seseme seeds to stick i brushed a little bit of lemon juice on top.

BAM! Just like that you have tasty Cupcake Burgers!

Dark and white chocolate strawberry layer cake!

We were going over to a friends house for dinner and i said that i would bring a dessert and OOOOH MAN i couldn't wait to make this so i thought PERFECT! Strawberries just went on sale i HAVE to make it! I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this cake was! EVERYONE loved it. My friend even asked if she could keep a big ole chunk so they could have it the next day (now when have people EVER ASKED for you to leave leftovers with them??)! This has such a nice blend of flavors but without being heavy and overly sweet. The best way i can explain the taste is a Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake!
Now i would LOVE to give credit to someone for this cake (because i didn't come up with it) but i can't remember whose blog it came from, so if it's your cake let me know!

Dark and White Chocolate Layer Cake
Ingredients:
For the dark chocolate cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the white chocolate whipped cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

For the whipped cream frosting:
1 cup cold heavy cream
4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fresh strawberries, for filling and garnishing

Directions:
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the sugar, eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; mix at medium-low speed until smooth. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, remove the cakes from the pans, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake has cooled, cut each in half horizontally to create four cake layers.

To make the white chocolate whipped cream, place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 cup of the cream to a boil. Once the chocolate is fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for one minute. Then stir gently with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth. Let the chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature - the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks. With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the whipped cream frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the cream, sugar and vanilla together just until the cream starts to thicken. Start on a slower speed and increase the speed as the cream gains texture. Continue to beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Be very careful not to overbeat.

To assemble the cake, transfer one of the cake layers to a 10-inch cardboard circle, cut surface up. Spread a thick layer of white chocolate whipped cream on top of the cake. Layer with fresh strawberry slices. Lay another cake layer on top of the cream and berries, and press down gently. Top as before with white chocolate whipped cream and berries. Repeat once more with another cake layer and topping. Place the final cake layer on top, cut side down, and press down gently. Frost the cake with whipped cream frosting and garnish with fresh berries as desired.

Strawberry Lemon Tart

I would like to thank Katie for making this so that i could have to recipe to make it! Chris was having a hard week at work and so i wanted to make something nice for him to cheer him up and he LOVES lemon anything! So i made this yummy Strawberry Lemon Tart! We just loved it! It's the perfect sweetness without being heavy! We're really looking forward to this summer when i can add some other fresh fruit on it and maybe an apricot glaze!

Strawberry Lemon Tart

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, room temp
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 pinch salt

1 1/4 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 c. flour
2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 c. strawberries

Directions:
-In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, place butter and beat until softened.
-Add sugar and beat on high into butter until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
-Turn mixer to medium and add egg, beating until just combined.
-Add flour and salt and beat until mixture comes together, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overwork.
-Remove bowl from mixer, press dough together into ball and pat into flat disk.
-Cover disk tightly in plastic wrap and place into fridge for 20 minutes.
-Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine milk, vanilla, and lemon zest and place over medium heat.
-Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, combine egg yolk and sugar and mix to combine well.
-Add flour and cornstarch and beat into yolk mixture to combine very well.
-When milk mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, add a spoonful into the yolk mixture to temper, then add yolk mixture into milk, whisking constantly to combine.
-Place back over heat, whisking constantly until mixture thickens well.
-Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice.
-Place into bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placing over the top of the cream to avoid a crust and place into fridge to chill well.
-Remove dough from fridge and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Prepare 9 inch tart pan.
-On floured surface, roll out tart dough and then place evenly into tart pan.
-Smooth a little bit of flour onto the top of the tart dough, place a piece of tinfoil over and fill with pie weights.
-Place into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until it turns golden brown.
-Remove from oven and let cool completely.
-Once ready to serve, wash and dry strawberries thoroughly, remove tops and slice each into half.
-Remove lemon pastry cream from fridge and spread evenly into bottom of tart shell.
-Top pastry cream with strawberry halves and serve.

Womanly Craving for Cupcakes

So right about now i see in your eyes that if you're a woman you're thinking "Right On Sister! Cupcakes and Chocolate... perfect filler for a craving" and if you're a man you're think "Sweet, food" and let me tell you think is sweetness and quite deceiving! lol!
So This Cupcake baking story begins with Chris coming to me and saying that he would REALLY like me to make a lemon cake. I'm thinking on it, begin searching for recipes... then BAM! Craving hits me like a mac truck (no i'm not pregnant i'm getting a visit from... okay TMI you get the point, moving on...) i NEEDED raspberries and chocolate! I don't mean i wanted.. it was a DIRE NEED!! BUT i also knew i didn't want to overwhelm my "not a huge sweet fan" husband with a raspberry chocolate overload, so i decided to throw in his lemon cake! Oooh YEA!
So since we all like simple servings i decided to make cupcakes! I found a lemon cake recipe that was a former first ladies i believe... and she must have been a democrat because it was full of it! HA, not funny? ok ok you can laugh at ME later...
well honestly this was NOT a very good recipe so i'm not posting it... the cupcake was VERY heavy and sort of hard... so it wasnt bad, tasted good, just not fluffy deliousness.
Directions
So Make a cake batter (mine might be boxed next time!) and make your cupcakes. Once they have cooled, scoop out a small amount of the center... kinda of the size of one of those slugger marbles (you know the big ones you used to knock the little ones out of the circle, never played marbles.. oh well guess you'll have to guesstimate!)
Then pour raspberry preserves in the center (i used oh wonderful store bought kind and stirred them until it became more liquidy) then i covered the preserves with some of the cake i scooped out and then topped it with Whipped creamy chocolate icing *uh yea no recipe for this either b/c it was store bought...(whatever i just wanted CHOCOLATE)!
These are amazing (minus the heaviness of the cupcake) Chris said if they were a fluffier cupcake it would be his favorite desert, so i'll be making these again... with a recipe i like hopefully! So enjoy my cupcakes that are full if it (yes it was my idea for the filling and i'm a republican so i guess i'm full of it now... oh well)!

Edible Footballs

Are you ever invited to someones house for game day and you're supposed to bring something? Well Come fall (since football is now over) Your problems have been solved!! You can bring chocolaty football goodness! I foundhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif this great little item on and it sure was a winner!
Here's the review:
So i go to Chris and say "I'm sooo excited I'm going to make Chocolate rice krispie treats in football shapes!"
and to that Chris said "oh i don't know if i'm going to like that... can't you just make normal ones??"
Me: NOOO Footballs aren't flesh colored! Just don't eat them if you don't want them.
So i go about my day making them... and as i'm mixing it up he comes and has a bite... hmmmm is his reply. Well a little while later they are done and he asks if he can try one... Sure I say... and what does he say? "Wow these are rich... a lot better then what i was thinking... anyone who likes chocolate will love these! SCORE!
So keep in mind my darlin husband is NOT a big sweet person.
OKay, so i bring them to my mother-in-laws for her birthday and they were an instant hit... i mean HELLO what woman doesn't like chocolate!
The next day while i'm waiting for us to leave to go to our friends house for the Super Bowl he ask me two different times if he could have a chocolate football... i caved and let him.
Took them to the party... devoured! Even had people hiding them for later! lol! So Make this and you'll take me (okay Katie, since she thought of it) later! Oh and as you will see i changed the cereal type and i don't have anything to compare it too but it was GREAT!

Chocolate Football Crispies
Kraft

Ingredients:
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
½ c. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp butter
½ tsp vanilla
4 c. Chocolate Rice Krispies
white decorating gel

Directions:
- Microwave chocolate, corn syrup and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 1/2 min., stirring after 1 ½ min.
-Blend in vanilla.
-Add cereal, mix well.
-Let cool 10 min and then shape into football shapes on parchment with moistened hands.
-Let cool completely and use decorating gel to add lacings.
-Let stand until gel is firm.

Sprite Cake

So I'm thinking I'm not a famous enough blogger that the Coca-cola company will come after me for using their trademark name... but maybe they do have spies out even here and will... so if the name changes, you know what happened.
So last night Chris was moaning around that he was hungry and kept saying i should bake something and kept mentioning cupcakes... well i took the hint, sort of...
We had a box of lemon cake mix (don't ask b/c i don't buy the stuff) and decided, THAT's what he'll get! So here's the low down...

Ingredients/directions
Box of lemon cake mix... prepare according to the boxes directions (oil, water, eggs) and then add the juice of one lime and the zest of one lime.
Cook according to boxes directions (cupcakes, cake whatever... i did cake b/c it would be quicker, esp when i iced it.

icing
Buttercream but instead of vanilla add in lime juice and lime zest.... ice your cake

Now enjoy your tasty Treat! Chris sure did!

Lemon Pie!!

What is better then pie, except a Weight Watcher Pie that taste AMAZING! Yes it's true! I made this for my girls night, since i knew other Weight Watchers would be there and oh was it a hit! Chris even loved it so much he finished off what was left on Sunday!

Ingredients
6 whole reduced-fat cinnamon graham crackers
2 tbsp butter
11 oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 large egg(s)
1/2 cup(s) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Grind graham crackers in a food processor until fine, or place crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Place crumbs in a small bowl.
- Melt butter on stove top or in microwave and pour over graham cracker crumbs, mixing with a fork until completely moistened. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom of a 9-inch pie pan; place crust in refrigerator while preparing lemon filling.
- Place condensed milk and eggs into a bowl and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice and zest and stir until incorporated. Pour milk mixture into prepared crust.
- Bake pie for 15 minutes. Cool completely, and freeze for up to two weeks before serving. For best flavor, serve chilled.

Serving for 10 = 3 WW Pts

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I contributed these little babies to my in office Holiday party! And while everyone enjoyed them, they LOVED the thought of taking them home to their kids even more! So away they went! I can't wait to hear what the kids thought! Now I really wish i could give credit where credit is due but I can't remember who Posted this... so if you're reading this and know, let me know!
Ingredients
1 box white cake mix (and the ingredients the box calls for, eggs, oil, etc)
1 tub white frosting
1 package of cookie dough in set circles
1 package of tube of cookie dough

Make the box per instructions.
Place a little batter in the bottom of each cup
Place one pre set cookie circle in the middle of each cup
Top with more batter
Bake according to Box's instructions
Let cool
Mix cookie dough tube in with white icing (the ration depends on your taste preference, do you want to taste more icing or more cookie?)
Ice Cupcakes
Take some leftover cookie dough and roll in into the smallest balls you've ever made and place in over set on 350
cook and watch VERY VERY closely!
Once cooked and cooled place on top of cupcakes.

I refrigerated my cupcake since there is raw cookie dough in the icing~

Mint Fudge Brownies

These LOOK like your normal brownies at first glance, but oh they are NOT.... they are sooo much better! WOW! I brought these to my work's potluck and they were a hit. Everyone was like "Oh yum, brownies" then they would try to cut them apart and saw they were brownie fudgy goodness... WITH Andes Mints! WOWZA! Thanks to Baking Blond for posting this yumminess!

Ingredients
6 TBS butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate (chopped
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp mint extract (I couldn't find this so i didn't use, which i found good b/c the andes mints are VERY flavorful!)
1/4 tsp vanilla (Doubled this since i didn't use the mint)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Andes chips (or mints, chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paperdecember-015

In a heat-proof bowl, melt together butter and chcolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until smooth. Allow to cool for 5 mintues.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk or beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add eggs and mint extract mixing until combined and smooth. Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the 3/4 cup Andes chips.

Carefully pour batter to prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Evenly sprinkle remaining Andes chips over top of the brownies. Bake for 25-20 mintues or until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs.
Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Gingerbread Cookies!!

So now that I'm AMAZING (cough cough) at making cookies, what better cookie to make at Christmas then a GINGERBREAD COOKIE! I've always wanted to make these growing up at Christmas (and I think we did once?) but as I got older I knew my cookie skills would not be friendly towards my Gingerbread heaven... but now!!! So I went to the one place i KNEW I could get an amazingly tasty recipe, KATIES Website! And i was SOOO right!! Chris even tried one and this was his comment "Wow honey, this is good, I thought you didn't make soft cookies!".... YEA, so after I smacked him and sent him on his way I finished baking ad decorating my cookies.... Now please do NOT compare my cookie decorating skills to the god called Katie, I am still a lowly beginner... but i think they are cute for a first timer!

Ingredients
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
1 egg
4 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
-In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
-Stir in molasses and egg.
-Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; blend into the molasses mixture until smooth.
-Cover, and chill for at least one hour.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line with parchment.
-On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.
-Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
-Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
-Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm.
-Let cool for 10 minutes on pan.
-Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
-Frost or decorate when cool.

Oh and I frosted with Royal Icing~ Yum! Hope the co-workers like them!

Orange Cardamom Cookies

So I work in a GREAT office and some really nice people from one of the groups that I do work for brought me a tin of cookies from Trader Joe's (organic grocery store here). I LOVED them! When i read they were Orange Cardamom (a spice i recently acquired and learned about) I KNEW i had to try to make them! AND thanks to Epicurious, I found a great recipe... i even tried one that was slightly burnt and it was SO tasty! YES!

Ingredients
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tbsp grated orange zest (I just used all the zest of one large orange)
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp heavy cream

Directions
Whisk together flour, zest, cardamom, and salt

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and cream (HA I almost forgot the cream! YIKES!). At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 2 batches until dough forms. Quarter dough and form each piece into a 6" dish, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill 2-3 hours (I did it over night b/c that was easier then waiting 2-3 hours on a week night... had to wait let it sit out at room temp for a while before i could "use it" but still easier for my schedule).

Preheat oven to 350
Roll dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper (might have to chill again if it gets to sticky) then cut out as many cookies as possible
Bake until edges are golden brown, around 9-12 mins.

You can reroll the "scraps" but only once.

Now don't be fooled by how simple these cookies look, they are GREAT and pack a tasty punch!

Apricot Walnut Thumb print Cookies

So my neighbor brought over cookies for us the other night and while Chris and I are VERY particular (especially Chris) about our cookies, he LOVED these Thumb print ones she had made. So I had another conversation with myself thinking "Now I know you've JUST started being able to bake edible cookies but You can SOO make these!!" So I did! I used Walnuts, just because i wanted to and i like how they taste and I used an Apricot Jam because that was what was in the fridge~ And you know what, he LOVED THEM! YEA!
I got this recipe from Epicurious but I changed it around a bit... mostly the nut choice and how i used the nut~

Ingredients
1 c Walnuts
2/3 c packed brown sugar (i used 3/4 b/c i read it wrong and i like sugar and it was great!)
1 1/3 all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces, room temp.
1 large egg yoke
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preserves (I used Apricot)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325
Throw your walnuts in a food processor and shred them into little itty bitty pieces
Blend your flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk egg yolk and vanilla in a small bowl then add to your crumbles
Moist clumps should form
Knead briefly to bind dough.
Form into 1 1/4" balls
Dip into a cup of water and roll in the walnut pieces until coated (you might have to do a little pushing)
Place on cookie sheet (ungreased) and using your thumb, make a deep indentation in center of ball.
Bake about 15mins, until firm to touch and golden on bottom (Yeah i couldn't SEE the bottom either so i did the touch test and guessed)
When you remove from the oven immediately use the back of a small spoon to press in the indentation, since it is mostly gone now.
Transfer to a rack to cool completely
and put a large dollop of preserves in the middle!
Now sit back and enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies!

No Seriously they almost taste JUST like a cinnamon roll too! I never got around to icing them but OOOOh i can only imagine. OH, and Sadie (yes my dog) recommends them too! She ate half of the batter once i had it sliced into stacks to bake. She would like me to make them again! LOL!

I got this recipe from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Cinnamon roll cookies

For the filling:
1⁄2 cup sugar
2 TBSP ground cinnamon

For the dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1⁄4 cup warm water
1⁄2 tsp powdered egg whites

For the filling combine sugar and 2 TBSP cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt together for the dough in a bowl; set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla; mix until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, blending just to incorporate; do not over mix.
Trace a 16-x-9-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Pat the dough into the rectangle using your hands, then sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture over the dough.
Beginning on a long side and using the paper to help you, roll the dough into a log. Dust the outside of the log with the remaining cinnamon mixture (I forgot to do this). Wrap log in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F; line tow baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch thick slices and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Combine icing ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies, let stand at room temperature.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

This desert was not only yummy it was EASY to make AND I made it the night before so it was one less thing on my to-do list for the dinner party! A big thanks to Delicious Meliscious for posting this tasty treat! Here's another great thing about this treat, My new friend brought over her baby with her and while the baby turned up her nose to my mac and cheese she devowered two bowls of this yummy goodness!

Ingredients
2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix (I used sugar-free, made with 1% milk)
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions
Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Pumpkin Bars!

Again something GREAT to make ahead and take! I waited to make the frosting until I got to my parents for Thanksgiving, since I didn't think Cream Cheese Icing would keep very well on a Nine Hour car Ride... but the rest I did on Tuesday night before the drive!
Thanks to Elizabeth's Edible Experience for posting this yummy treat!

Ingredients
Bars:
* 4 eggs
* 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 15-ounce can pumpkin
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* enough shopped pecans to sprinkle on top (my addition)

Icing:
* 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer (I had to use my handheld... but not for long! Can't wait for Christmas) at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

Spread on cooled pumpkin bars (I piped them for a cleaner presentation).

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl

with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined.

Stir in the vanilla and mix again.

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

So it was a typical Sunday at home, went to church, now spending a lazy day on the couch with football... when I was thinking "Wow I've got all these wonderful ingredients around the house, what should i make???", and I came up with Apple Cranberry Cobbler! I adapted this recipe from the Rhubarb-Strawberry Cobbler recipe in my Good Housekeeping cook book.

First take about 4 Golden Delicious Apples and peal and core them.
Put them in a medium pot with about Half a bag of Cranberries (washed) and Half a cup of sugar.
Heat until tender and place in a medium/small casserole pan so it covers the bottom like so...

For the Dough:
Combine Half a cup of flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg with a wisk.
Then cut in 4 tbsp of margarine or butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 2/3ish cup of milk until it forms a dough (give or take the amount of milk... I used too much so i had to add in more of the flour mixture, etc until it was correct)
Knead this and then roll out until about 1/2 inch thick.
I used a small flower shaped cookie cutter to make the shapes.
Lay them on top of the apple mixture...

I then took the time to make this EXTRA healthy and drizzle caramel and white chocolate on top! Bake for around 20mins (mine took slightly less time) and enjoy!

Be careful though... mine didn't last past the day I made it... for some reason mold started forming on it the next day (even though i sealed it and refrigerated it)... so enjoy it same day!

Caramel Cloud Bars

These tasty little treats are from Cooking Light and my husband LOVED them. If you're not a BIG sweet eater, you prefer cake to any other sweet, you'll LOVE these tasty little delights, and don't they just look perfect for the Holiday season? Can't you see them placed on a sparkley Snow Flake Plate? I'll have to work on getting on of those!
Ingredients
* Cooking spray
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup light margarine, melted
* 1/4 cup evaporated fat-free milk
* 4 large egg whites
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 2/3 cup premium white chocolate chips (such as Hershey's)
* 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
* 1/2 cup caramel sundae syrup (such as Hershey's) **I used Sugar Free**

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.

Place the sugar, margarine, evaporated milk, and egg whites in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, and beat with a mixer at low speed just until blended. Stir in the chips and macadamia nuts.

Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Microwave the syrup at high 45 seconds or until warm, and stir. Drizzle the caramel syrup diagonally across batter. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.

This makes 24 bars and each bar is 4pts roughly.

Fruit Tarts!

This was incredible! It was so tasty and only 3, yes i say 3 weight watcher points each!!
Ingredients
Ready Made Graham Cracker Pie Crust (the 4oz ones, 6 in a pack)
4 individual cups of sugar free vanilla pudding (come 4 in a pack)
pint of strawberries
then a small container of: blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries (obviously you can use any berries you want, just have the same amount in total)
the a small jar of sugar-free apricot preserves.
Directions
Place around 2tbsp of pudding in the bottom of the pie/tart crust
top with berries (distributed evenly among the cups, i did a layer of strawberry slices then topped with the other berries)
Place preserves in a bowl and microwave until it is melted and liquid
Drizzle about a Tbsp over each tart!
Enjoy!

Apple Pie!

I have been dying to blog this, my mom's apple pie! Now mine doesn't look terribly beautiful but it's sooo yummy!
Ingredients
Filling
8 c thinly sliced golden delicious apples
1 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of salt
mix all together

fill in a pie shell

Topping
1 c flour
1/2 c butter
3/4 c brown sugar
mix together to make a crumble topping and sprinkle over filling

Heat oven to 425
Wrap an aluminium foil tent over the pie and bake for around 40mins
Take off tent and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cheesecake! Yumm

Oh yeah, this looks good and you know what it tasted good! But, are you ready for the best part? It's a weight watchers recipe and only 3pts a slice! YES!!!! AND Chris, my official taste tester, LOVED IT!
Ingredients
9 graham crackers, made into crumbs (i used a fat free verizon i found)
1 c low-fat cottage cheese
3/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 c egg substitute
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
One 15-oz canned pumpkin puree

preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9"pie plate
Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom of the pie plate
In a blender, combine the cottage cheese and ricotta, process until smooth, about 1 minute.
Transfer to large bowl, stir in the egg substitute, sugar, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
Reserve 1/4 c of the batter.
Add the pumpkin to the batter and sir until blended.
Scrape the batter into the pie plate, then drizzle the reserved batter in 3 concentric circles over the pumpkin batter. With a knife, lightly draw a line through the batter from the center toward the outer edge, about 2" from that line, lightly draw the knife through the batter from the outer edge toward the center. Repeat around pie.

Bake until knife inserted in the center comes out clean (45-50 minutes). Cool completely and then refrigerate.

It took at lot longer then 50mins for mine to cook for some reason... but it was worth the wait!

3 pts a slice! Makes 6 servings!