Goodness, Gracious, Great jars of flour!

I'm back!!!! We are home from our fabulous wedding and honeymoon! (More stories to come later) I could write a novel. For now, I just want to share a little kitchen update! I bought the cutest vinyl labels for my baking jars on the counter. I ordered them in Navy (duh) and placed them on glass jars in a variety of sizes. Baking is so easy with the ingedients readily available, and they're cute! Enjoy!

Blondies have more fun...

I made these a while back, and they are to-die-for good. I happen to love white chocolate better than regular, and if you are one of those people, you will love this bar. You can substitute the almonds for macadamia nuts or cranberries. Enjoy, these blondies do have more fun than brownies.







Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, cubed

1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup sliced almonds


Directions
In a microwave, melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).

Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle top with any color of chocolate. I used pink- duh.

Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Recipe adapted from: Taste of Home

"Little Debbie" Oatmeal Creme Pies...

My friend and co-worker got me hooked on the desire of a good "little debbie oatmeal creme pie". Therefore, I must find a recipe and make them.... here's how it turned out. YUM-O (Perfect for a lake trip)







I hate when I have to be the one to take these pictures... all those cookies to get the perfect bite. Just kidding.

Here's the recipe from Recipezarr.com

Cookie dough

• 1 cup margarine


• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar - ( I used light brown sugar and they were still tasty)


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 1 tablespoon molasses


• 1 teaspoon vanilla


• 2 eggs


• 1 1/2 cups flour


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1 1/2 cups quick oats

CREAM FILLING

• 2 teaspoons very hot water


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream


• 1/2 cup shortening


• 1/3 cup powdered sugar


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In large bowl, cream margarine, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs.


2. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.


3. Add to the creamed mixture; mix in the oats.


4. Drop dough by TBSP on ungreased sheets.


5. Bake at 350°F.


6. Bake for 10-12 minutes,or until just starting to brown around the edges. - fyi do not burn, take out early!!7


7. They will look moist; don't overcook.


8. While the cookies bake prepare the filling.


9. In small bowl, dissolve the salt in the hot water.


10. Allow this to cool.


11. Combine marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in med bowl; mix on hi until fluffy.


12. Add the cooled salt water and mix well.


13. Spread filling on flat side of one cookie, press 2nd cookie on top.

Chocolate Cherry Heart-Smart Cookies...

These cookies are so yummy. This says a lot coming from the girl that doesn't like to mix chocolate and fruit flavors, for the fear that it will taste like the "oops I picked the wrong orange-coconut-cream Russel Stover" candy - yuck. These my friend, are not in that category at all. They are smart for your heart too! The recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine.

1/3 cup of all-purpose flour



1/3 cup of whole-wheat flour



1 1/2 cups of Oats



Raise your hand if you love my new camera! - I do. Thanks, Tate.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients.



Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth.



Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate.



I chopped up the Cherries, it's better that way.



Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.



Look at that Chocolate Chunk... it's calling my name.



Here is the ingredient list:

• 1.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)


• 1.5  ounces  whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)


• 1 1/2  cups  old-fashioned rolled oats


• 1  teaspoon  baking soda


• 1/2  teaspoon  salt


• 6  tablespoons  unsalted butter


• 3/4  cup  packed light brown sugar


• 1  cup  dried cherries


• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract


• 1  large egg, lightly beaten


• 3  ounces  bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Source: Cooking Light

Biscuits and Gravy, Pioneer Woman style...

Yum. Biscuits and gravy, they are just meant to go together.

We decided to try out Pioneer Woman's recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy, and it was heavenly. Flaky, buttery pilloughs (pillows-of-dough).





Ready to puff.


Done, and begging for gravy. These biscuits are a great staple recipe to have, if you don't have the Pioneer Woman cookbook yet, let me know I will share.

Sprinkles Mini Cuppies...

Last year, I received this Williams-Sanoma Sprinkles cupcake mix as a gift. Guess what was getting ready to expire? The mix! I figured I better bake them right away! I did, and they were delish.  Cute little buttons to pop in your mouth. My co-workers are also on Weight Watchers diets, so I thought a little mini cupcake would be the perfect treat to bring in and brighten even a dieter's day.

Don't you just want one?!





Okay, now I just couldn't help it. I had to. My two loves, cupcakes and diamonds...



What are your two favorite loves? Leave a comment below!

Cake Balls lately...

As you probably know, making and giving people Cake Balls is one of my biggest passions. The longer I live in this place called Wichita, KS... the more people I find that say "what's a Cake Ball?!" I just can't believe it, but I love bringing a little joy into everyone's lives! Here are the latest. From birthday parties to Halloween parties...

The "Birthday Cake" cake ball. This is my favorite kind. Funfetti cake inside with vanilla chocolate covering. Y-U-M

Cake Balls - made for Halloween, yellow cake inside. Super festive.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie = HEAVENLY !

Try not to drool on your computer keys.

Sugar, Sugar this dessert is de-lish! After seeing this recipe on Bakerella I have been dieing to make it. This past weekend, my sweet sister came into town and we were celebrating our Birthday's so it became the PERFECT time to try it out! This dessert is like a HUGE warm cookie baked perfectfly in a buttery pie crust. What could be better?! Trust me I am a huge cookie critic... If it's slightly too crunchy it needs to be thrown away. For me, I like my cookies so soft.. you might as well just warm the dough in the oven. ;)

The L S stands for Lauren Suzanne Lauren & Sarah...

Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup chopped pecansServe with ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.
Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter.
Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell.
Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.Recipe from Nestle Classic Recipes, 2003* If using frozen pie shell, use deep dish style and thaw completely. Bake on baking sheet and increase baking time slightly.

Here is our illustration.

Two Birds in a Nest, beat to make frothy.
Add all ingredients to look like so.
Pour batter into one unbaked pie shell. Homemade is preferred.. but you can "Sandra Lee" it.. if you need to.

Pitch in the oven and wait! The finished Birthday Pie divided between the two Birthday girls!