Summer.

Peach cupcakes with brown sugar frosting

 Phew, I have been busy! I made these like two weeks ago, but just haven't had the time or the energy to blog...needless to say, I have a lot of catching up to do!
 These cupcakes were pretty good. They are definitely different than your regular cupcake, which I like. Since summer is here, I wanted to try more fruity, refreshing flavors. The actual cake could be used as a muffin too, if you don't feel like frosting all of them!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 cup room temperature unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs,beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk
• 4 large peaches, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes.

• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg
• in a separate bowl cream butter and sugar, until fluffy
• add eggs one at a time
• add vanilla
• mix in sour cream or buttermilk
• add the dry ingredients
• fold in the peaches

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup lt brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2- 8 oz packages of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• whisk brown sugar, cornstarch and powdered sugar
• in separate bowl beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy
• add the cornstarch mixture and vanilla to cream cheese, beat until smooth
• chill for 30 minutes

Old Fashion Coconut Cream Pie

 I LOVE COCONUT CREAM PIE. Seriously, I do.
I am a super huge fan of any old fashion cream style pies actually. What makes it even better, is I find that pies are incredibly easy to make. They are (for the most part), way less time consuming than cupcakes, mostly because I get all OCD about decorated my cupcakes.
But anyway, this pie is so so so so so so GOOD. It doesn't even have eggs in it either???? I can't wait to make it again, everyone that tried it was in love :)

(the meringue was higher and more amazing the night before, when I made it. But after being in the fridge over night it flattened a little bit. And yes, there is a slice missing...I couldn't wait)

Ingredients:
- 3 cups divided milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 6 TBL cornstarch
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I like it super coco-nutty, I use closer to 2 cups)
- 3 TBL butter
- 1/2 TBL vanilla extract
- 1/2 TBL coconut extract
- 1, 9 inch baked pie shell
- meringue recipe
- extra coconut for garnish

Notes:
- You can use just 1 TBL of vanilla extract if you do not have coconut.
- I used Wilton's meringue powder...it is hassle free, and chances of messing it up are very slim ;)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In saucepan combine 2 cups of milk, sugar and salt
- Bring to a boil over medium heat
- Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of milk and cornstarch  in a bowl, mix well, then add to saucepan
- Stir mixture occasionally until mixture thickens
- Once thick, add coconut, butter, vanilla extract and coconut extract
- Cook until mixture is thick again
- Pour into pie shell, I like to put it in the fridge while I work on my meringue
- Once meringue is made, pour onto the pie, add coconut
- Bake until coconut is toasted and brown and meringue is light brown around the edges

Banana Split Cupcakes

Seriously. These might have beaten the PB&J. Pat seems to be stuck deciding which one is better, and so far he has ALWAYS gone with PB&J as being far superior to any cupcake/treat. I am actually just going

to link to the site I found them on for the recipe, because it was such an amazing recipe that I didn't tweak it and make it my own( I even decorated them almost the same because they were perfect!). Normally if I don't already have the recipe for something, I google a few recipes, and kind of merge them into what I think would be the best tasting to me. I didn't do that with this one. And I have to warn ya'll, this recipe IS NOT EASY. If you are a new baker, beware. It is not easy, and it is a longggg one. I actually made the cakes and the custard filling the night before, then in the morning hollowed the cakes out, filled em', iced and dipped em. The custard in the middle is spectacular.

There are a few notes I can add about this recipe that may help if this the original seems too scary.

1. You can use your standard american buttercream frosting instead of the "classic" on that blog. I am 100% certain it would be just as delicious and way easier for you too.

2. If the chocolate dip is intimidating (I understand!), you can just use chocolate wafer melts. It will be just as delicious and not scary. PLUS, if you have never made this sort of thing, and go through the entire process with the cakes, and the custard, etc, and mess up on the chocolate dip that would totally suck!
3. DON'T cheat on the custard. Just don't even think about it.
Recipe:
BANANA SPLIT HEAVEN
So there are some tips for those of you that are either afraid of this recipe, or just don't have the time or patience to make these, because you really do need to make them, they are AMAZING.
(And if you have the time and patience or just want to brag about how you slaved for 2 days making them, then don't change the recipe one bit! I didn't and I have no regrets! ha)

Banana was so stoked!

GOOD LUCK!

Our new favorite salad.

 We like salad in this house. A lot. I am always searching for delicious new salads to try. This one is a keeper, we have seriously eaten this salad almost everyday this week and if I weren't going away for a few days, I am pretty confident we would be eating it EVERY day of this week. It's THAT good. Try it, if you have good taste you'll love it too ;)

Ingredients:
- Mixed greens
- 3-4 pears (I used d'Anjou the first three nights, ran out and then just used Bartlett)
- 5 oz Gorgonzola cheese
- Walnuts (toasted are better, but un-toasted are just as good)
- 2 avocados
- dried cranberries

Vinaigrette:
- 3 TBL red wine vinegar
- 1 TBL Dijon mustard (I used a lil' more)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use a little less)
- Salt and pepper to taste

- I will add that on umm, the third night in a row that we ate this salad, I was feeling a little zany and I added Morning Star "chicken" to it and, yep, still amazing.

And as far as the directions, I'm pretty sure you don't need me to tell you how to throw a salad together!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

 Well apparently I have outdone myself. These seem to unanimously be the best cupcake ever. (says the guys Pat works with). I mean they are pretty badass. I have made the ones in the Martha Stewart cupcake book before and they were good, but not THIS good! I found a few different recipes online and merged them together to make what I believe is the best version. I highly recommend making these, you can't go wrong. I mean, who doesn't like PB&J??? You would have to be INSANE!

It's like the delicious sandwich you grew up with, without the soggy bread!

For the cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 LG eggs
- 1 TBL vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 1 TBL baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- whatever jelly/jam you prefer ( I used strawberry)

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees
2. Cream butter, peanut butter and brown sugar
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time
4. mix dry ingredients separately
5. Add dry ingredients and alternate with milk
6. Beat for a few minutes and bake! (about 19-21 minutes)
7. After baking, let cool completely
8. Once cool, hollow out inside of cake, fill with jelly, and replace the top of the cake
9. Makes 24 cupcakes.

For the icing:

- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening

- 1/3 cup butter

- 3/4 cup peanut butter

- 4 cups confectioners sugar

- 4-8 TBL milk 

1. I add 1-3 first, then add all confectioners sugar.
2.  Add milk as needed, I used about 7.

I also doubled the icing and I had a ton left..I didn't think just this recipe would be enough, but doubling is too much...you could either just make this recipe, and pipe sparingly or double it and use the left over for another treat you wanna make!!

Enjoy!

Fun times.

 So I haven't been updating with super awesome treats as much the past 2 weeks!! ( I will resume after this week, promise!). Me, Pat and AnnaBella took a trip back to Philly for a week, and then went to Boston for the weekend..the weekend was AnnaBella free! It was really nice to have time to ourselves!! Although a weekend seems to be enough because by day two we are complaining about how much we miss her!! One of the days I went on an adventure by myself (which was fantastic because I LOVE being by myself and never am anymore!!), I put my iphone on and just explored..one of the guys from the shop Pat was working at recommended an awesome used book store (I for the life of me can't remember the name), but I DID score like 7 or 8 books for $40, amazing.

And I FINALLY got my leg tattoos started!! I CAN'T WAIT for them to be finished!!

We stopped by a cupcake shop! I love to visit cupcake/dessert shops! We stopped by Sweet Cupcakes on Newbury Street, they were pretty good! I liked the simple design of the shop and they had a pretty good selection of cupcakes too!

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

  Yumm Yumm Yumm. I can't think of a better sounding cookie, to be honest with you. If there are two cookies that should form together into one super cookie, it SHOULD be oreo's and chocolate chip cookies! They were quick, easy and delicious!! They were such a hit, it will definitely be making them again! (which is pretty rare for me to make things multiple times) One thing I would HIGHLY recommend, is when they are still warm, breaking a few up and adding it to vanilla ice cream, I did that for Pat and he was lovin' it!

Ingredients:
- 2 sticks softened butter
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 TBL vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp bkg soda
- 10oz chocolate chips
- Double stuff Oreos

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-In separate bowl mix flour, salt and baking soda
-Slowly add wet ingredients and chocolate chips
-Take ball of dough and put on the top of the cookie, do the same with the bottom, seal edges together by pressing in hand until the oreo is enclosed
-Place on parchment paper and bake 10-13 minutes
-Let cool for at least 5 minutes and enjoy!

Where did you find the leopard cupcake liners?

I think I bought those from AC Moore? I get a lot of my baking stuff from craft stores and a few online stores, one of my favorites it bakeitpretty.com

I'll answer anything. . .except vulgar questions, not gonna happen.

Salty Caramel Cupcakes.

 These were absolutely fantastic. FANTASTIC! The combination of the cake, caramel and salt was magnificent! Seriously. The actual cake is the perfect texture as well. I am for sure going to make the cake with other things because it was just perfect! At the last minute I decided to fill the cupcakes with a little caramel too, I enjoyed it. The one thing that was a bit "off" was the icing, for some reason, mine was a little grainy, but I didn't personally mind it, I actually thought it tasted amazing.
 I did cheat and used store bought caramel ;) I wasn't in the mood to make my own...I WAS in the mood to try spun sugar because I was going to put spun sugar balls on top of the cupcakes..umm, yeah. IT WAS A DISASTER. Horrible. I am not sure if I am ever even going to try it again, I have no clue what I did wrong, but my kitchen is still a sticky hot mess! I wish I would have taken pictures of my kitchen! Instead, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, oh my.

I let AnnaBella play and pretend like she was making them in her pink oven. Too cute.

Cake:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg whites, room temp
- 2 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the egg whites and vanilla extract. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, quickly mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Beat at a low speed until blended, then beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg white mixture in 3 additions, beating the batter on medium-speed for 20 seconds after each addition. 

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the rest with a spatula. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon out the batter evenly amongst the cupcake tins. Do note that the batter does rise a little, so don’t overfill. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers come s out clean.

Icing:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 stick salted butter, room temp
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- hot water, to thin out, if needed
- sea salt
- caramel (homemade or purchased)

In a saucepan, melt butter and add brown sugar, whisk. Bring to a boil and lower heat to low. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and add heavy cream..cool until lukewarm, gradually add confectioners sugar and add water to thin, if needed.
Frost and sprinkle with sea salt, add caramel drizzle too!

*the recipe is delicious alone, but like I said, I filled my cupcakes a little bit with caramel as well!

Vegetarian Meatloaf Cupcakes.

 I LOVE MEATLOAF. I have not had it in a long time though :( I also have been running out of veggie things to cook lately. I think I need to invest in a few more vegetarian cookbooks! It's hard sometimes, and I don't want to keep making the same stuff over and over again! I found this vegetarian meatloaf recipe a while ago but just kept forgetting to try it...until the other day. I was nervous about the recipe because it is also for a loaf, not a cupcake, but it still turned out well! The one thing I will say about this recipe, is that once you put it all together, if it looks too dry, that's okay. Mine looked dry, so of course, I started adding more oil, more mustard, etc and it was a tiny bit too runny..not bad, just a lil' ;)

Ingredients:

• -1/2 (14 ounce) package vegetarian ground beef (e.g., Gimme Lean TM)
• -1 (12 ounce) package vegetarian burger crumbles
• -1 onion, chopped
• -2 eggs, beaten
• -2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• -1 teaspoon salt
• -1/3 teaspoon pepper
• -1 teaspoon ground sage
• -1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• -2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• -1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• -3 1/2 slices bread, cubed
• -1/3 cup milk
• -1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 
  

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Line tin with liners

- Combine all ingredients

- Scoop mixture into liners, fill to top

- Pour tomato sauce on top of each "cupcake"

- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (i did 25)

- Let cool for a few minutes and pipe with your favorite mashed potato recipe!

So easy!

Adding to my collection!!

Apple Pie

  I decided one of the other treats I was going to make for my in-laws would be pie. I was going to make pear pie, but apparently the idea of pear pie to them was ridiculous. So I decided to go with old fashioned apple pie. I was a google maniac trying to find THE BEST apple pie...pretty sure I found it!! It didn't last long! I was in such a rush making other treats that I only had the chance to take one photo, and it doesn't do it justice.
 Also, while we are on t he topic of pies, I have been reading a lot about cupcakes going "out of style" and pies are "in"...what are your thoughts on this??? I for one, do not like being told what is in and out....ESPECIALLY with my food! How does a cupcake go out of style? I mean, really? There aren't many things in this world as cute and fun as a cupcake. I am actually stoked that pies are "in" again..heh, I didn't realize they were "out", but whatever! But pies are old fashioned and delicious, so of course I am happy people will be making them more! I just don't see pies taking over and cupcakes disappearing from Earth..they are nothing alike, so in my opinion, one can't replace the other!

Ok rant over!

I served this pie warm and a la mode!

Ingredients:
- 1 recipe for a 9 inch double crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 TBL all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water (minus 1 tsp)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 8 Granny Smith apples
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla

- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- peel and cut your apples and place on bottom pie crust, form a mound shape
- melt butter in sauce pan, stir in the flour once melted
- add water,sugar(s), cinn, nutmeg,and vanilla
- bring to a boil, then simmer
- pour over apples, save a little for the top of the pie...after pouring on apples, do your lattice work or just    put top pie crust on but work QUICKLY because the mixture crystalizes quickly (hence, my pie..again, this picture does not do this pie JUSTICE, it was AMAZING!)
- bake for about 45 minutes

ENJOY!

Whoopi Pies

 Whoopi pies are super-duper, they really are. Actually, ANYTHING with marshmallow Fluff, is super-duper. These turned out almost red. They weren't supposed to be! I wanted to make cute pink whoopi pies, because everything is better pink....BUT as I was adding the pink coloring, I thought after baking that they wouldn't be the cute pink I desired, so I decided to add a drop of red to make sure. Well, apparently it was too much :( Oh well,now I know next time to just stick with the pink!

Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pink food coloring ;)
- 3/4 cup buttermilk

-heat oven to 350, lightly spray cooking sheets
-stir together flour, baking soda and salt in bowl, set aside
-beat egg,oil and sugar with mixer
-add the vanilla and pink coloring
-by hand stir in the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients
-drop spoonfuls on sheet, about 10 minutes, depending on the size
-fill with fluff filling!!!

Marshmallow Filling:
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
- 1/2 tsp vanilla

-just mix together until fluffy!

Cinnamon Raisin Scones

 Soooo, my in laws are coming in this weekend and I could NOT figure out what to make them! The last time I cooked home made manicotti for them, my father in law told me it tasted like, "an onion burrito"..ummm thanks! I was pissed at first, but then after time I realized they just like blander food than I do..(super bland Irish food..heh) My mother in law LOVES scones and has them everyday with her tea/coffee. I myself have never really eaten a scone? Maybe from starbucks...I don't know. But if you ask my husband about them, he says they are hard and tasteless.
So I made them...and let me tell you, they are delicious?!?? Pat even ate one and said "these are the best scones I have ever had...and my mom is probably going to hate them because they ARE  NOT TASTELESS"...oh man. So I am not really sure if they turned out the way scones are supposed to or not??? All I know is they are pretty damn good!

Ingredients:
-1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup butter(room temp)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup raisins

Directions:
- first mix sour cream and baking soda and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients
- mix butter and sugar
- beat the egg and vanilla
- add to butter and sugar
- stir all dry ingredients together, and add to the butter mixture
- DO NOT OVER MIX
- add the sour cream&baking soda
- AGAIN DO NOT OVER MIX
- fold in raisins

Have you gotten the point not to over mix???

- turn dough out into lightly floured surface,knead briefly. Roll or pat down dough into a 3/4 inch thich round, cut into wedges and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet (i lightly buttered the sheet first)
I sprinkled sugar on top of them as well ;)

-bake 15 to 20 minutes!

Easter Cupcakes!!

 I can't even handle how cute these are!! I have been stocking up at Michael's and AC Moore since Easter decorations were out like at least a month ago,probably two...they don't play with their holidays. To make these, I used the Billy's Vanilla cupcake recipe and the Billy's Buttercream recipe that I used for the cotton candy cupcakes(just obviously without the cotton candy in the icing), it really is my favorite vanilla cupcake. Then I just went to town decorating! My favorite are the baskets in the plastic...ohh and the little chicks(they are clearly not edible)

Recipe:
Makes about 30 cupcakes
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Billy's Vanilla Buttercream

Colored sprinkles, for decorating (optional)
Makes enough for 30 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

Caramel Shortbread Brownie Bars

 Caramel is certainly in my top 3 favorite snack flavors. Patrick, however, doesn't "like" it...I find it absurd. But since he doesn't like it, I rarely make things that are super caramel-y. I think I am going to just make them anyway from now on. He actually doesn't even eat most of the things I make anyway! CRAZY TALK, I know. So anyway, I made these super delicious bars. I was very pleased with them.

This is what they SHOULD look like...

This is what MINE looked like (again because I am impatient and cut them while they were hot...heh..I also used the wrong chocolate so mine were flatter..still just as yummy though!)

(makes about 24)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (3/4 lb.) butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 12 ounces individually wrapped soft caramels, such as Kraft
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 10 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• - Cut 1 cup butter into chunks. In the bowl of a food processor, combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and the butter chunks. Whirl until dough comes together. Press evenly over the bottom of a buttered 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 325° regular or convection oven until top feels dry and is just beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
• -Meanwhile, unwrap caramels and place in a microwave-safe bowl with milk. Cook in a microwave oven on full power (100%) for 1 minute. Stir mixture, then cook and stir at 30-second intervals until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes longer. Spread caramel mixture evenly over cooled crust and chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• -In a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stir chocolate and remaining 1/2 cup butter often until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water and, with a whisk or a mixer on medium speed, beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
• -Pour chocolate mixture over caramel layer and use a knife or spatula to spread level, completely covering caramel.
• -Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until a wooden skewer inserted into the chocolate layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Oreo Truffles!

 EASY. SO EASY! I will definitely be making these again! They took basically no effort at all and were so so yummy.

You could even make these into Easter truffles, by using white bark and coloring pastel colors ;)

Ingredients:

1 (1 lb.) pkg. Oreo cookies (don't use double-stuffed)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
16 oz. chocolate bark

Instructions:
1. Break Oreos slightly and add them, cream and all, to a food processor or blender.

2. Grind until Oreo crumbs resemble something like coarse coffee grinds.

3. Dump Oreo crumbs into a bowl and add cream cheese and vanilla.

4. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat Oreo mixture until well mixed. You can also do this by hand.

5. Cover and refrigerate about 45 minutes to an hour.

6. With your hands, shape into small eggs (about 1 1/2" long). Place eggs on waxed paper and refrigerate another hour.

7. When ready to dip, melt chocolate bark. 

8. Spear each Oreo egg with a toothpick and dip in white chocolate. Allow the excess to drip away. Place gently on waxed paper.

9. Let sit 15-20 minutes to set. Decorate with drizzled chocolate as desired. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. They taste even better the next day!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes!

 Omg. This isn't the first time I have made the delicious cookie dough filled cupcake. It was however, the first time that I decided to make cookie dough truffles and add them to the top as well. So you have the cake with a cookie dough ball stuffed inside, icing, and another cookie dough truffle on top. Heaven. The best part is there are no eggs, so you don't have to worry about getting salmonella and pooping your pants from indulging in the ever so delicious cookie batter! That's a plus!
 I don't know how many calories are in this bad boy, and I don't want to know!

I made the cookie dough filling/truffle balls first because you have to let them chill before forming the balls because they are so sticky. Oh and another thing I have learned with this recipe is you can fill the cake pretty high in the liner because they don't get all crazy big.

(makes 24)
Cupcakes:
- 3 Sticks unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 2/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips

Filling/truffles:
- 8 TBL unsalted butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cup flour
- 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup choc chips
- package of chocolate melts

Frosting:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 TBL milk
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla

Filling/truffle directions:
As I stated, I made the dough balls first. Combine butter and sugar and cream until fluffy. Add flour, condensed milk and vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips.Cover, put in freezer for about 45 minutes.
Roll out the balls..I rolled out 24 and put them in the fridge. With the remainder, I made the truffles. Do do so, just melt the chocolate melts, and dip! Once dipped, I added those to the fridge as well and started working on the cake.

Cupcake directions:
 Preheat over to 350 F. Line cupcake pans. (makes 24). Combine butter and brown sugar about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.

Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add to the butter/sugar mix, alternating with the milk, starting with the dry ingredients and ending with the dry ingredients.

Add vanilla, then fold in chocolate chips.

Add batter to the liners and bake for about 18 minutes. (depending on your over anywhere from 18 to 20)

When finished baking, take out and let cool completely. Once cool, cut a cone shape out of each cupcake and fill whole with a cookie dough ball, and then add the top back to the cupcake. They might look a little weird, but you won't be able to tell once the frosting is on, don't worry!!

Frosting:
Mix butter and brown sugar. Add the confectioners' sugar, the the flour. Add the salt, then milk, then vanilla.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie!

 Just sharing my most favorite smoothie recipe. No biggie. I drink this pretty much every day for lunch.

(makes about 2)

- 2 cups strawberries
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup of ice
- pineapple juice (I just eye ball it...I probably use a 1/2 cup though)

Blend..enjoy!

Easter Carrot Cakes Balls/Pops

  These are so freaking cute!!! I used a carrot cake box mix, and made homemade cream cheese frosting. Food colored some white melts and sprinkled coconut on top!!!

 -Make carrot cake as directed on box

Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz soft unsalted butter
- 4 oz soft cream cheese
- 2 cups confect. sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla

- Mix cream cheese and butter, add sugar, then vanilla


You make these the same as the chocolate cake pops I posted last week. I am being lazy and don't feel like retyping it! Ha...it's one of those days!

I would recommend keeping these in the fridge after making until enjoying because of the cream cheese...mine were pretty soft and needed to be..