Rocky Road Squares

  Post #3 out of 3. This is the most work I've done in about a week. I have to say, the mental stimulation, while simplistic, is certainly welcome.

  These squares are some of my favourite squares ever, and I demand them for Christmas every year. Despite protests from my siblings, who don't appreciate the layered flavours the way I do. I would try to describe it you, but really I would just be listing the ingredients and their respective tastes. I will let you figure it out on your own.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (Almonds work as well)

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk

3 oz. semi sweet chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Mix the graham crumbs and melted butter and press tightly into a 9x13 pan. (And when I say tightly, I mean pack that bugger down as hard as you are physically able, and then some.)

2. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the graham crumbs.

3. Then Sprinkle, in this order, the nuts, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows.

4. drizzle the condensed milk over the surface of the squares evenly.

5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and drizzle with the melted chocolate.

7. Let cool and cut into bars.

Little tips from me:

  These squares taste best fresh, so for best flavour, make them only the day before. You could always freeze them too, but it doesn't taste the same.

Yummy Cream Cookies

  Post #2 out of 3.
  So these cookies are great for anyone who likes cream in their coffee/tea. I like cream in all my hot drinks, but even if you buy one of those really small containers it never seems to be gone before it goes sour. But I don't like to throw it out because its such a waste, so when my mom told me that she had a recipe for cookies that used sour cream, I was ecstatic.
  These cookies have a very mild cream flavour best accentuated by a chocolate icing, and a glass of milk. Easy to make and easy to store, you can freeze them for weeks in advance, These cookies work great for lunches, snacks, or just to enjoy at teatime.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cream. (Use cream that has soured for best flavour)
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 cups flour

Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix together cream, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
2. Add the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
3. Place 1 1/2-2 tablespoons worth of dough onto the cookies sheet in a 3x4 grid and flatten slightly.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
5. Let cool and ice with Betty Crocker's Chocolate Icing.

Little tips from me:
  To make these cookies more seasonal, before the icing hardens lightly coat with appropriate sprinkles.
 

Coconut Truffles in a Cup

  Hello nerds. Merry belated Christmas to all! I would apologize for not updating sooner, but really, it's Christmas break. Today I'm actually going to be posting 3 recipes. These are the recipes that we made for Christmas sweets but I never got around to writing the blog posts for.
  This first recipe is for something that resembles a coconut truffle in taste and a peanut butter cup in appearance. They are not incredibly time consuming, but will take a few hours to make. They are very sugary and very coconuty. I happen to hate coconut. With a passion that burns as strong as the sun itself. So I have no input on this recipe other than that my entire family seems to love them. That's 6 against 1 for those of you that like statistics. Maybe that will be enough to convince you that they taste good...

Ingredients:
3 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
milk chocolate melting chocolate. ( make sure to have plenty of this)

Directions:
1. Set plenty of melting chocolate to melt on a medium heat.
2. In a large bowl combine coconut and powdered sugar.
3. Add the milk and coconut oil. Stir constantly until it's reached a gooey consistency. Set aside.
4. Line an mini cupcake tray with mini cupcake liners and pour enough melted chocolate in each one to just cover the bottom. Set in the fridge(or freezer if your in a huge hurry) and let harden.
5. Scoop 1/2 table spoon of the coconut filling into each cupcake liner and cover with chocolate.
6. Place in the fridge again to harden.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 until all the coconut filling in used up.

Little tips from me:
  Add 1/4 cup brown sugar for each recipe you make to give it some depth.
  If you make a double recipe you can use the entire can of condensed milk. It's easier than measuring.

Chocolate Cake with Fudge Icing

Yes, two post In one day. Like I said in the last one, I've been being lazy and I figure  should just get this out of the way while I'm at it.
  So I have posted a lot of recipes, but never did I post my favorite type of sweet on here. Chocolate cake. I love the stuff. I can never get enough of it. This was the first layered cake recipe i have ever tried. And I must say, It was everything I thought it would be. Now I have tried more different kinds of chocolate cake, and my favorite is devil's food cake, but that recipe is for another time.
 My passion for all things sweet is shared by nearly every member of my family, so I was hardly disappointed when my little brother Adam said that he wanted my third favorite cake for his birthday.
  This cake is a very rich and sweet cake. I would recommend serving it in small slices, or you won't be able to finish your piece. It is best served as an evening dessert with a tall glass of milk to mellow the richness of the chocolate.

Ingredients:
  Cake:
3 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 2/3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp powdered espresso mix dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  Icing:
6 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 tsp vanilla
10 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) butter, melted

Directions:
  To make the cake:
1. Melt the chocolate.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.
3. In a different bowl, mix the butter with both types of sugar, and add the eggs.
4. Then beat in the vanilla, dissolved espresso, and melted chocolate.
5. Now add the buttermilk and the flour mixture. Beat until no lumps remain.
6. Grease three 8 inch pans with butter and flour, and pour the cake dough approximately equally into the three pans.
7. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool completely. (If you plan on eating it the same day you make it, sticking it in the freezer for 30 minutes usually does the trick.
  For the icing:
9.Melt the chocolate.
10. In a medium sized bowl combine confectioners sugar, the butter, the buttermilk, the vanilla, and when the chocolate has melted, add that too. (If it is too thin to spread, set in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.)
  To assemble:
11. First trim the round bump off the top of each cake, to make it relatively level.
12. Put one of the cakes onto a plate and place about 1/2 cup of icing onto it.
13. Spread the icing all the way to the edge, and repeat with the other 2 cakes.
14. Take spoonfuls of icing and set the on top of the cake right close to the edge and use your knife, or spoon, or offset spatula, to spread the icing down and into all the gaps between the layers of cake. Make sure all the cake is covered.
15. Now stand back and admire your handiwork. (This can take up to 30 minutes.)

Little tips from me:
  My mother doesn't like buying buttermilk because you cant get it in small cartons and we never use all of it, so we use the substitute instead. 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. It doesn't taste as sour, and the icing remains softer than it does with real buttermilk.
  If you don't have an offset spatula for your cake decorating, GET ONE! My dad just got me one a couple weeks ago while we were in the big city and this cake was the first time I used it. It makes a heck of a lot of difference. It's so much faster. An icing job that would normally take 30 minutes, was done in 5. So seriously, get one.

Lemon Cheesecake

  Hello again. Sorry it's been so long. I have been very preoccupied. I wish I could say it was because of something important, but really i was just watching T.v. and got lazy.

  Anyway. So a while ago I post a regular cheesecake recipe, and I told you all how much my family loves cheesecake. Well, several years ago my dad got these great recipe boxes from our local Costco. The boxes were full of recipes using popular ingredients or equipment. We got a Philadelphia cream cheese one, an Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk one, and a Crock Pot one. We've only ever used the cream cheese one. When we first got those, of course we wanted to try a cheesecake like normal people have (keeping in mind we had lived an hour away from every town for about 4 years, and all our relatives were Mennonites). So we made a lemon cheesecake.

  This was the first time I had ever had anything other than plain cheesecake with fruit on it. And also the first time I had made anything with lemon in it. We all loved it.

  This cheesecake is very creamy and lemony, with a beautiful tangy flavour laced throughout. It works great for any time of day, but because of it's delicate taste, I prefer it at teatime with a cup of earl gray. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1 1/4 cups sugar divided

3 tbsp butter, melted

3 pkg (8 oz. each) cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

Grated peal and juice from one medium lemon

3 eggs

Directions:

1. Mix the graham crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the butter.

2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture, and press the rest into a 9 inch round pan.

3.Beat the cream cheese and remaining cup of sugar in a large bowl with an electric beater until well blended.

4. Add sour cream, lemon peel, and juice. Mix well.

5. Add the eggs and beat vigorously until no lumps remain. This can take up to 20 minutes.

6. Pour over crust and sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the surface.

7. Bake at 350 for 50-70 minutes, or until center is almost set.

8. Turn the oven and let door sit open slightly for 30 minutes, then remove from the stove and run a spatula around the inside edge of the pan and let cool completely before removing.

9. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve.

Peanut Butter Cups

  Hello nerds. Sorry it's been so long, I've been shirking a little. But anyways; who likes peanut butter cups? This is a trick question as there happens t be aright answer. And the answer is everyone. Everyone love peanut butter cups. Well, a few years back my mother came across a recipe for peanut butter cups in  one of her ancient recipe books and we made them for Christmas sweets. Since then we've made them every year. It's practically tradition by now.
  These peanut butter cups pretty much are what they sound like. The peanut butter filling is sweeter than with the Reese's which tend to lean more toward the salty side of the spectrum, but they still taste just as good. These take a bit of work to make, so do it on an afternoon when you aren't super busy.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine, melted
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups or so milk chocolate melting chocolate
Parowax to thin the chocolate to a pouring consistency. About 1/3 cup or so

Directions:
1. Set the chocolate and wax to melt in a  double boiler on the stove.
2. Mix together in a medium bowl, the peanut butter, margarine, icing sugar, and vanilla.
3. Line mini muffin tins with size appropriate muffin liners.
4. Using a spoon, pour just enough chocolate in the bottom of each muffin liner to coat the bottom.
5. Move to a fridge and let set for about 10 minutes.
6. Take 1/2 tablespoon of the peanut butter mix and roll into a ball. stick one of the balls into each muffin liners. press down with your thumb until it reaches the sides.
7. Now pour enough chocolate on top of that to reach the rim of the muffin liner.
8. Set in the fridge again until it's set.
9. Turn the muffin tin upside down on the table to remove the peanut butter cups, and repeat steps 3-8 until you run out of peanut butter mix.

Little tips from me:
  You will probably need a lot more chocolate than this recipe says. I don't even keep track anymore, I use so much.
  These can be made way in advance and stuck in the freezer.

If anyone is even still reading at this point, Then I would recommend coming back again on Friday of next week. I'm making fruitcake on Monday, and I guarantee that this will be the best fruitcake you've ever tasted.

Chocolate Covered Gelatin Cookies

  Hello peoples. So, many of you are aware that Christmas is right around the corner (Apologies to those of you that don't celebrate Christmas. you can just ignore this part). Christmas is my favourite time of year to make goodies. For obvious reasons. A few days ago I decided to get a jump start on Christmas treats, so I baked one of my all time favorite desserts.
  These cookies require an insane amount of work so we usually only make them every few years at Christmas time. They have 2 different recipes rolled into one, and the results are amazing. They are just a simple syrup cookie, iced with a thick layer of gelatin, and coated with chocolate. Basically they're just s'mores cookies but better.
  This post will have the recipes for both the cookies and the gelatin. I don't know if anyone will be seeing this until after Christmas, but if you have the time to make these, I would highly recommend it. And just as an early tip, the recipe for cookies is really big so I usually only make a half recipe.

Syrup Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups brown sugar
2 cups melted butter
2 cups syrup
8 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup milk
12 cups flour

Directions:
1. Mix the sugar and butter together in a frickin' MASSIVE bowl.
2. Add the syrup, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Stir.
3. Now add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and beat until no lumps remain.
4. Place about 2 tablespoons worth of dough onto the cookie sheets and bake at 350 for between 8-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Vanilla Gelatin

1/2 cup cold water
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp or 2 packets gelatin

1. Put in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside.

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt

2. Put in a medium pot and boil for 10 minutes stirring frequently.
3. Move the boiled mixture to a large bowl in a sink of cold water and add the gelatin mixture.
4. Beat with an electric mixture until you reach a marshmallow-like consistency.

  When you have both the cookies and the gelatin ready, scoop gelatin onto the cookies. There should be between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of gelatin on top of the cookie. You have to do this really fast, as the gelatin doesn't stop thickening when you stop beating.
  Stick the now gelatin coated cookies on cookie sheets and stick them in the freezer right away. leave them in there for at least 3 hours and at most 2 days.
  Now melt some milk chocolate in a double boiler. Make sure you have a very deep amount as you don't want the cookies to touch the bottom. thin the chocolate up with wax until it reaches a very runny consistency.
  Take one tray of cookies from the freezer and quickly dunk each one into the chocolate. Try to make sure all the gelatin is covered. Do this as fast as humanly possible. you don't want the gelatin to warm up at all or it will melt when the chocolate touches it and you'll get this really awful looking melty, gloppy, mess.
  When you have the all the cookies in one tray chocolate coated, return them to the freezer for another 3 hours or so. Then do the next one, and so on. Then, when they have all been refrozen, move to containers for storage. If you are planning to store them for more than a few days, I would recommend keeping them in the freezer. And don't worry, they taste just as good frozen.

Little tips from me:
  If you make the full recipe for the cookies, you will need 2 recipes of gelatin. Make them one at a time!!!!! I cannot stress how important this is. The gelatin will keep thickening over time, and it thickens pretty fast. If you make more than one recipe at a time you won't get it done fast enough and the last half of your gelatin will be unspreadable.

  And just a side not from me:
WOOHOO!!! 200 views!! But still no comments :(. I would really appreciate some feedback. So, to anyone that has the time, please leave a comment. Thanks a billion!

  And yes, the picture was taken on the floor. :)

Hamburger Cookies

Hello again. It really hasn't been long this time. I've been baking like a mad man because I'm behind in my food course
  So anyway, I asked my mom what recipes she had that would take a long time to make. She pointed me strait to this recipe. This is one of my fathers favourite kinds of cookie.
  These cookies have a mild chocolate flavour with a much richer pudding-like icing squished in between. These cookies work for absolutely anything and are incredibly delicious.

Ingredients:

  Cookies:
4 cups flour
6 cups oatmeal
1 cup cream
4 cups sugar
2 cups butter
8 tbsp cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 tsp salt

  Icing:
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp cocoa
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
  For the cookies;
1. Mix the sugar and the butter together in a large bowl.
2. Add the cream, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Now add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir until no lumps remain.
4. Place the dough in 1/8 cup sized lumps on baking pans.
5. Bake at 350 until cookies spring back at a slight touch.
6. Let cool completely
  For the icing.
7. Mix all the icing ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
8. Spread a heaping tablespoon full of icing onto the bottom of a cooled cookie and squish another cookie down on it.
9. Stick immediately into a airtight container and let sit in the container for at least 3 hours to let the cookies soften.

Little tips from me:
  You will need 2 recipes of icing for every 1 recipe of cookies for maximum enjoyment.
  Best served with a tall glass of milk.
  Leave the cookies in their respective containers for overnight to achieve the softest possible cookies.

  I will be enclosing multiple pictures into this post. The first one will show how many cookies 1 recipe will make. The next pictures will show you about how much icing should go on the cookie. And the last picture is the finished product.

Lazy Daisy Cake

  Hey y'all. How are you? Sorry it's been so long. My family and I went Christmas shopping in the big city that we live 6 hours away from so I haven't really had the chance to bake anything. But I'm back now! And I'm out of touch with my baking skills apparently, cause' I really screwed this one up.
  The way my mother had written this recipe down was specifically for an 8x8 pan, but when you have 7 people in your family, 8x8 just doesn't cut it! So of course I had to double the recipe and put it in a 9x13. Easy, right? That's what I always thought too. But I guess I was just having a bad brain day, because when I read the amount of milk needed for the cake, I thought it said 1 cup. It said 1/2 cup. And I ended up putting twice as much milk in as the recipe called for. The cake still tasted good, it was just really dense and the texture resembled the boiled dough of a perogy.
  This cake is typically a very soft fluffy dough with a decedent coconuty caramely topping. If you were here for the oatmeal cake recipe, It's pretty much like that but without oatmeal so it's a little less healthy. You can eat this cake at pretty much any time of day, so go nuts. It's not really a dessert either. I like it best for breakfast or lunch.

Ingredients:
  Cake:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
  Topping:
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp melted butter
5 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp cream
2/3 cup coconut

Directions:
  For the cake:
1. Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla, and milk.
3. Then add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. beat until no lumps remain.
5. Pour into an 8x8 pan.
  For the Topping:
6. Mix all the ingredients for the topping into a bowl until fully incorporated.
7. Using your hand sprinkle the topping over the cake batter making sure to get all the way to edges.
8. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Little tips from me:
  If you double the recipe it makes a perfect amount for a 9x13. Just remember to get the right amount of milk! ;)
  Serve with a generous helping of whipped cream to mild the flavour a bit.

The picture in this post is of my really screwed up cake, so if you make this, don't expect it to turn out like in the picture.

Pizza Dough

Hello again. This is going to be my second post for today. Normally I don't have an opportunity to post twice in one day, but this time I figure I might as post this one while I'm here.
  This recipes is a very great variation from the other recipes I've posted on here. Because this one isn't sugary!
  *GASP* I know, I know. Its almost criminal. But this was the first time I've ever made home made pizza dough. And since this recipe is so incredibly simple, I figured it deserved to e shared. With only 6 ingredients and idiot proof techniques, this is one of the easiest recipes I have ever attempted.
 
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 package quick rising yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Pulse flour, yeast, salt,and sugar in a food processor until mixed
2. Heat water and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles appear on the bottom of the pot.
3. With the food processor on slowly pour the water through the feed tube. Process until the dough forms a ball.
4. Now process for another minute to knead.
5. Transfer the dough ball to a lightly floured dinner plate and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Let sit for ten minutes, to rise.
7. Spread into a round pizza pan, and bake at 350 until it doesn't look doughy on the outside. It doesn't matter if you're not sure its baked for long enough because you'll be putting it in again later with the toppings.
8. Top with your favorite stuff and stick in the oven again. Bake until the bubbles in the cheese have turned a gorgeous shade of brown.

Little tips from me:
  When in doubt, bake longer. Since this was my first time I couldn't be entirely blamed, but in the center of one of my pizzas it was a little doughy. If you don't think its done, stick it in for another 5 minutes.
  For those of you who don't buy your yeast in packages, 1 package of yeast is equivalent to 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast. You're welcome.

I didn't get a picture of the dough before I covered it in toppings so instead, enjoy a picture of what I had for lunch on Saturday.

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

  Hey, what's up baking geeks? You may recall a while back I posted a recipe for brownies. I started that post off by saying we had made these brilliant chocolate chip cookies on a slow day at this coffee shop I worked at,(Not anymore sadly) but since my mom wasn't in the mood for cookies that day, I made brownies instead.
  My mom still wasn't in the mood for chocolate again when I asked this time to make these, but I found a glorious little loophole. About half of the stuff that I post on here my family doesn't even get the chance to eat. A lot of it goes to a thing my church does every Friday night for 12 to 18 year-olds called youth group. So she wouldn't even have to eat them!
  I like to bring snacks to youth group because after about two hours of hanging out, everyone gets a hankering for something sugary. I try my hardest to always bring something, but this time it looked like I was cutting it a bit close. It was already 4 o'clock and I hadn't started anything, But remembering how quick these cookies were and how delicious they were, I figured I would have plenty of time to bake these and clean up afterward and that it would be totally worth it. So after about 5 minutes of convincing arguments on my part, my mom finally let me make them.
  These are classic chocolate chip cookies. They are soft and slightly chewy if done right, and have almost more chocolate the cookie. Just the way I like it. They are best served warm with a cozy blanket and a glass of milk.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Mix both types of sugar and the butter together into a fluffy mass in a large bowl.
2. Add the eggs, water, and vanilla and stir.
3. Now add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat with a wooden spoon until no lumps remain.
4. Stir the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated.
5. Place tablespoon amounts onto a baking sheet in a 3 by 4 grid pattern.
6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until you can lightly touch the top and it springs most of the way back.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes and devour ;)

Little tips form me:
  If your arm gets sore from beating the dough lump-less, just use your hand. that's what I do and It's faster easier and you usually get more lumps gone that way.

Make sure to eat at least one of these before these have cooled completely. That's when they taste the best.

Peppernut Bread

  Yes, that's right. two posts in two days. Rapid fire blogging. This is because I baked the lemon cake and this bread on the same day. Four strait hours of baking. It was a good day.

  I don't know how long this recipe has been in my family. at least three generations. It's a decadently soft bread. strung through with gentle hints of cinnamon and black pepper. It's best served with a glass of milk and good book in a quiet room. So basically, if you don't like this bread, you're taste buds have died and you're overall sanity has entirely left you.

Ingredients:

2 cups hot water

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 cup shortening (half and half melted butter and vegetable oil)

2 tbsp yeast

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

flour to make a medium hard dough

Directions:

1. Put the water, milk, and shortening into a bowl. stir

2. Then add the then add the sugar, cinnamon, pepper, and stir.

3. Then sprinkle the yeast evenly over the surface of the liquid.

4. Add about 2 cups of flour and squish the lumps with your hand until they are almost all gone.

5. Repeat step 4 over and over, trying to get all the lumps gone, until it you can no longer squish the bread dough with one hand. (When the dough starts getting harder, put the flour on your hand and rub vigorously to get the pieces of dough off.)
6. When you've reached this point, sprinkle about 1/3 cup flour over the surface of the dough and proceed to knead the bread dough by gently punching about halfway down with both fists.
7. After all the flour has been kneaded into the dough, make a quarter turn with the bowl, gather dough up on the side facing away from you, and flip it up onto the rest of the dough.
8. Repeat steps 6-7, rubbing the sides of bowl occasionally to get all the little bits into the dough, until it's formed a nice ball.
9. Now pour about 2 teaspoons of grease down the side of the bowl in three or four different places, rubbing it around to coat the entire bowl.
10. Lift the ball of dough out of the bowl and tuck the sides under it to make it look like a giant bun.
11. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with a clean plastic garbage bag.
12. Let it rise for 30-40 minutes or until it's doubled in bulk.
13. When it's done rising, cut the dough into four equal pieces.
14. One by one, knead each piece down until you have a rectangle-ish shape about 6x12 inches.
15. Then flip in the sides lengthwise and roll up into a cylinder shape.  Squish the seam and the ends shut.
16. Now lift up the cylinder by the ends. tucking them under, move it into a greased loaf pan.
17. Repeat steps 14-16 with all the dough.
18. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until nice and brown.

Little tips from me:
  Always make sure your flour canister is full before you start kneading. Because there is nothing more sucky than being halfway through kneading the dough and realizing you're out of flour.

Sorry if this recipe was too long for all you people that have made bread before, and also sorry if it's not descriptive enough for those of you ho haven't. I tired to make it understandable to anyone who is as amateurish at bread as I am.

Lemon-Glazed Cloud Cake

  Hello again darlings. If you haven't already guessed, I'm in a fabulous mood today. Want to know why? It's because when I logged into Blogger today, I had 3 views already today. It's 9;30 a.m.! How do I already have that many view today? But now to the inevitable statement; my blog is seriously lacking in the comments department. If you comment, I will reply. I have nothing better to do with my time so bring it on. Harass me for the fact that you just couldn't get something right, and I'll help you out. I know a lot of common sense baking tricks. Just ask.

  Anyway! I don't know about you guys, but my all time favourite dessert is, and always will be, chocolate cake. But the rest of my family gets tired of chocolate cake (-.-) and I can't post recipe after recipe of chocolate cake on here, so I baked a lemon cake instead.

  This cake is a fluffy, moist, cake with a very mild lemony flavour laced throughout. It has a lovely glaze with a gorgeous tang to it. This dessert would be best served at tea time with a delicate cup of Earl Gray.

  

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, well shaken

2 cups Rogers Granulated Sugar

1 cup butter, melted

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup Astro Original 6% Plain Balkan Yogurt

1/3 cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice

2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup Rogers Icing Sugar

1 tbsp ReaLemon Lemon Juice (approx.)

1 tbsp butter melted (approx.)

Directions:

1. Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Evenly coat a 10 inch bundt pan with PAM No-Stick Cooking Spray.

3. Beat sugar and with butter in a large bowl until fluffy.

4. Then add the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla. stir until fully Incorporated.

5. Now add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until no lumps remain.

6. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

7. Fold the egg whites into the cake batter until streak free.

8. Scrape into the battered pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted in, comes out clean. (You might want to use a kabob stick. This cake is like 4 inches deep.) Cool completely.

9. Glaze: Throw all the glaze ingredients into a bowl and stir.

10. Now add more of both butter and lemon juice until get it to an actually pourable consistency.

11. Drizzle over the cooled cake making sure to let some drip down the sides. Place into the fridge for about ten minutes or until the glaze has set.

Little tips form me:

  It doesn't matter if that doesn't look like enough egg whites to make the cake fluffy, DON'T ADD MORE. I did that and all I could taste in the cake was the eggs. 

  Also, you might try adding a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon zest. The cake kinda fell flat in that area.

P.S. I'm so sorry this blog post has more product placement than a Transformers movie, but the recipe doesn't belong to me, so I have to.

I do not own any of this recipe (Except the directions. The original recipe had 5 steps, and that's just wrong.). All rights belong to:

Naturegg,

Rogers,

Astro Original,

ReaLemon,

and PAM.

Brownie Pudding

  Welcome again to my lifestyle, you nerds. Baked anything yummy recently? Well, if you somehow, by some fluke of fate come across this post, you hopefully will be baking something yummy very soon.
  Now, I've already posted recipes for both chocolate cake (Black Forest Cake) and cheesecake (CheeseCake), and posted the hybrid recipe of those two things on here (Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes). Now It's time for another hybrid recipe. Only this time with brownies and pudding!
  This dessert is quite a bit exactly what it sounds like. It's a moist, crumbly, chocolate cake with a rich, smooth, chocolate pudding underneath.
  This is a second generation recipe. I got it from my mother, who got it from her sister. Her sister's in-laws made it all the time and she figured that her siblings would like it. They all did. And I have no doubt that if you go through the bother of making this, you will greatly enjoy it too.
  This is served best as an evening dessert. After dinner or for night lunch. Warm in the microwave for about 15 seconds and top with a scoop of ice
cream. It's almost sinful how good it tastes.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
KEEP SEPARATE!!!
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 cups hot water

Directions:
1. Mix the melted butter and sugar together in a large bowl.
2. Add the milk and vanilla. Stir.
3. Now add the flour, salt, cocoa, and baking powder.
4. Beat until no lumps remain.
5. Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking pan.
6. In a new bowl mix together the sugar and cocoa that you were told to keep separate.
7. Sprinkle this mixture over the batter in the pan. Make sure to get it in all the corners.
8. Pour the 3 cups hot water over the batter.
9. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until you insert a fork 1/4 inch into the surface and break away a part and it's not doughy inside there. (I know it's not super exact, but there isn't really a perfect baking time. It's different every time I make it.)

Little tips from me:
  Be careful when moving the pan into the oven. The water you pour over top has a tendency to be quite spilly.

Oatmeal Cake

  Hello again, people of the internet. Sorry it's been so long. I could give you a whole long list of excuses, but I think I'll just skip it this time. It's kinda boring, I think.

  So who here likes boiled oatmeal, or porridge? Personally, I've never been a fan. My mom loves it though and since it has health benefits, it's a regular breakfast dish.

  Usually when we have oatmeal almost all of it gets eaten, but I guess my siblings and I weren't as hungry this morning as we normally are because there was still about a cup of oatmeal left. Normally we would just soak the pot in hot water and rinse the leftover stuff down the drain, but it seemed like such a waste. So I made a cake instead!

  This oatmeal cake is a very dense cake with a mild cinnamon flavour. It also has a chewy caramel coconut topping. Its perfect for any time of day, and alao happens to be the only cake dense enough to stick in a snack baggie and take to work or school.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked oatmeal

1/2 melted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 salt

1 tsp cinnamon

  Topping:

6 tbsp butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup cream

1 cup coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla

 

Directions:

1. Put both types of sugar and the melted butter into a large bowl and mix well.

2. Add the oatmeal and eggs and mix until all the lumps in the oatmeal are beaten out.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until completely combined. (Don't be fooled by how thick it is; it's supposed to be like that.)

4. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

5. For the topping, mix together all the topping ingredients and spread evenly over the top of the cake.

6. Put back in the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

 

Little tips from me:

You have to be super careful when baking after the topping has been put on because if you bake it for too long it will burn. If you watch carefully you can see the topping starts to foam after a bit. Keep watching until the foam goes down all the way into the centre. Then take it out. It's done.

Puffed Wheat Squares

  So who here likes puffed wheat cereal? If you said "I do!", then you can imagine me slapping you in the face. That shit is nasty! But there are good uses for it. These squares are a prime example. Now while this isn't technically baking, everyone that tried them and knows about my blog was asking me if I would be posting the recipe. So here it goes.

  These squares are a little tricky as you will be making a syrup and those can be difficult to get right. But if you get it perfect, then they are very sugary and very full of carbs. What more must I say?

 

Ingredients:

4 cups puffed wheat

4 cups puffed rice

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp cocoa

 

Directions:

1. Mix together the brown sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla, and cocoa in a pot.

2. Heat on a medium low setting, stirring occasionally until it boils.

3. Boil for exactly 3 minutes. (No longer or it will be very fall-aparty.)

4. While the syrup is still heating, but not yet boiling, put the puffed wheat and rice into a very large bowl.

5. When the syrup is done boiling, pour it over the puffed wheat/rice.

6. Fold together until it's all entirely coated.

7. Press into a cookie sheet and let sit until completely cooled.

8. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

 

Little tips from me:

DO NOT OVER BOIL THE SYRUP!!! It's better to have incredibly chewy squares, than squares that won't stay together.

Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes

  Hi everyone! Did you all forget about me? Probably. You're probably wondering I haven't posted in so long. Ten days to be exact. Well the day after my last post I got very sick. And by sick, I mean a fever so high I could barely stand. After that I had terrible tonsillitis. It was so bad that I was up to 6 Advils a day to bring down the swelling.

  So now that you know why I abandoned you, you're probably wondering what kind of beautiful treat I have in store. Keeping in mind that this is my 100 views post and I promised something special.

  This has been my favorite cheesecake ever since I tasted it for the first time and I personally guarantee that if you like cheesecake or chocolate cake, you will love these cupcakes. They are moist and chocolatey with a creamy filling and just enough peanut butter to accent the taste. You can eat these for any meal or snack.

 

  Ingredients:

Filling:

1 package cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Cake:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 teaspoon salt

 

Directions:

1. For the filling mix together, in a bowl with high sides, the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and salt.

2. Beat vigorously until it has achieved the consistency of mayonnaise. (I put mine in a blender to help with this.)

3. Add the chocolate and peanut butter chips and set aside.

4. For the cake, mix together the sugar, water, canola oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a large bowl.

5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

6. Add to the wet mixture and stir until no lumps remain.

7. Fill paper lined muffin trays half full with cake batter. 8. Top each with an 1/8 cup of the cream cheese filling.

9. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

 

Little tips from me:

  For the perfect cake to filling ratio, mix together two recipes of cream cheese for every three recipes of cake batter.

 

If you like the blog so far or would like to reccomend more of a certian kind of food; check the polls at the bottom of the page, or comment.

 

I will be enclosing a few pictures other than the finished product with this post.

Black Forest Cake

  Hello again. Yes, thats right, two posts in one day. This one is even better than the last. But first, a question, who likes chocolate cake? Because I happen to LOVE chocolate cake; with black forest being in second place for the best cake in the world.

  This black forest cake is a very simple cake to mix together. It's the stacking that's hard. If you're easily frustrated, I would reccomend making this cake on a day that you're in a good mood. For me just trying a new recipe puts me in a good mood, so this isn't a problem for me. But if you are easy to anger, then wait until you are in a blissful mood.

  This cake is mostly simple flavours layered to create a more complex taste. it's best served as an afternoon snack or a dinner dessert. No whipped cream required (there's enough in there already).

 

  Ingredients:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

1 container cool whip

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 can cherry pie filling

Glaze:

6 squares semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup half and half cream

 

  Directions:

1. Bake cake according to package directions. In two, 8 inch, round cake pans.

2. Cut each cake in half. Making 4, thinner cakes.

3. When the cake is cooled, mix together the cool whip and icing sugar. Set aside one cup of this for garnish.

4. Add the cherry pie filling to the remaining cool whip.

5. Place the first layer of cake on a plate and smooth about a cup of the cherry cream onto it.

6. Repeat for the remaining layers.

7. To make the glaze, heat the chocolate and cream on medium high heat until fully incorporated.

8. Let the glaze cool until it's slightly pourable.

9. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting some run down the sides.

10. Let set.

11. Garnish with whipped cream and marachino cherries.

 

  I have no tips for this recipe, but please comment. Oh my gosh. I sound so desperate! Please, though. I don't know if anyone is even reading enjoying these foods, so please say something.

  Also, almost 100 views! WOO!! You guys are awesome. I will be making something special for the 100 views mark. I just don't really...know...what its going to be yet. Hehehe. Maybe you guys can comment on what you want it to be.

Banana Muffins

    Why, hello. And how is't? That sounded retarded, I know, but I felt like it would be fitting to use a greeting from the century this recipe originated. The 18th century. That was a while ago wasn't it? Beside the point. The point is that this is the greatest recipe for banana muffins you will ever taste.

  These muffins are perfect for school and work lunches, breakfasts, or just for snacking on whenever. If baked properly, they are very moist and chocolatey.

  These muffins have always been one of my favorite sweets and it is actually my genuine pleasure to share this recipe with you. I hope you all come to enjoy these muffins as much as I do.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed bananas (2 bananas)

1 egg

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

 

Directions:

1. Mash bananas and add sugar and egg.

2. Add the butter and mix well.

3. Add the dry ingredients and stir until no lumps remain.

4. Add chocolate chips and spoon into greased muffin tins. (Or use muffin liners)

5. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

 

Makes 12 muffins

 

  Little tips from me:

For extra chocolatey muffins, add another quarter cup of chocolate chips per recipe.

Also, serve with a glass of milk and a ripe banana for optimum enjoyment.

Chocolate Pudding

  OH MY GOBSTOPPERS!!! 70 VIEWS! I don't know who's reading this, or if you've even tried the recipes, but I love you! I would love to have more feedback though. Cause what good are the views if no one comments? Just a thought.

  Just a shoutout to anyone who doesn't like to do a lot of reading; this is a long one. So if you don't want to read my pointlessly long blog post, no hard feelings and you can just go ahead and scroll down to the recipe.

  Anyways, I'm sure you guys remember the Pumpkin Pie recipes, right? Yeah. So when I was making pie I made too much pie crust dough. So I used the extra dough to make an empty pie shell. Because, you know what tastes better than pumpkin pie? Chocolate pudding pie! Yes, thats right. Fellow chocolate lovers REJOICE!!

  Also, does anybody remember my younger sister Jessie? She first made an appearance in the Divine Mud Pie post. Well, she had never made chocolate pudding. Now when I say chocolate pudding, I do NOT mean the store bought stuff that comes in the handy dandy little packages. Add milk and stir. No! I mean the messy, cocoa covering the floor, stir until your arm falls off kind of pudding

  Well Jessie, still living in the bliss of childish naivety, thought it would be great fun to make chocolate pudding for the first time. Typically I would say no, not because I love making pudding (duh), but because I just love to cook anything that has suagr in it. But I guess deja vu had softened my heart. I was about to say no until I remembered that my first time making chocolate pudding from scratch was also for a pie.

  So basically what I just wasted ten minutes of your time trying to lead up to, is that I let my sister mix the pudding. Big mistake.     

  Jessie must've misread the recipe, because after the pudding was poured into the pie and let sit for 3 hours, then let sit for another hour in the fridge; it still hadn't set. Yes. Thats right. No one was really supervising her, because she said she wanted to do it all by herself, so we don't really know for sure what happened, but we're pretty positive that she didn't put in enough cornstarch.

  So all this pointless explaining is to,

1. Teach you about cornstarch (make sure you have enough!),

2. Provide you with a slightly amusing story,

And 3. To inform you as to why the picture looks so terrible.

  Yes. This was all to explain why my piece of pie looks like chocolate water topped with whipped cream.

  But now no more stalling. On to the recipe. This is probably the simplest chocolate pudding recipe in the world (I am not joking. You would have to be seriously hard pressed to find a simpler one. Just kidding. There isn't one.). It's very smooth if done right, and can be served on top of pancakes and waffles, poured into a pie shell, or just eaten plain with some graham crumbs and Nutri Whip (Yes I use fake whipped cream. And I regret nothing!).

 

Ingredients:

3 cups milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cornstarch

1/4 cup cocoa

 

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a pot that's big enought that stirring won't make a huge mess.

2. Cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils.

3. Remove from heat and stir for about another 5 minutes.

 

Little tips from me:

Do NOT stop stirring at any cost. It will stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. If it burns you have ruined the whole batch.

 

  So let me know how your pudding turns out. Dont be shy, becausw I guarantee you, it will not be as bad as my first attempt. I'm talking an inch of baked on pudding at the bottom of the pot. Hehehe. Tell me though, is it possible? Was your fail more spectacular than mine?

Pumpkin Pies

  Hello again. This post is a bit out of place I guess, given that Thanksgiving was on Monday. But my mom didn't buy a pumpkin until tuesday. And so, since I've only ever tasted it once; and even then it was a rather awful, I decided it was about time I tried making my very own, good old fashioned, home baked, pumpkin pie.

  My mom has a recipe for pumpkin pie that she got from her mother, but I wasnt sure how much I would like it. From the recipe it sounded pretty flavourless. So I went and found a different recipe in one of my moms old recipe books. Just to try it. After I found one, I started on the pumpkin.

  I've decided to have mercy, and spare you the gorey details of my one and a half hour long battle with a pumpkin; so we'll start at the moment I first tasted it. I literally just took my first bite. As I am writing this. This is a spiced pumpkin pie recipe. Its very good. Served best with a dollop of whipped cream.

  I will also add my mothers recipe for pumpkin pie in this post for anyone who prefers a more mild pumpkin pie, and her recipe for pie crust because, lets be honest, the frozen store bought  ones taste like crap.

 

  PIE CRUST

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening

2 cups flour

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

 

Directions:

1. Put the first two ingredients into a bowl and rub with a fork until crumbly.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and kneed until you have a dough stifff enough for rolling. (When you lift it up, your fingers should not poke holes into it). More flour may be added if necessary.

3. Roll out until nice and thin and place gently into whatever sized pie plate you are working with. (This recipe will nicely fill two 8" round pie plates).

 

  SPICED PUMPKIN PIE

 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 cup solid packed fresh pumpkin

1 tbsp molasses

3 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

 

Directions:

1. Mix the first eight ingredients in a bowl.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until completely combined.

3. Pour into a 9" pie shell. (It can be a frozen crust but I would recommend using the pie crust recipe thats enclosed in this post.)

4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until the centre is set.

 

MOM'S PUMPKIN PIE

 

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh pumpkin

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, separated

1 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in medium sized pot. (keep the egg whites seperate!!!)

2. Cook on high heat stirring constantly until it thickens.

3. Spread into a 8x8 pie shell.

4. Beat egg whites with about 1 tbsp sugar, until it forms stiff peaks.

5. Spread on top of uncooked pie and sprinkle with a cinnamon/sugar mixture made up of: one part cinnamon and two parts sugar.

6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

 

Little tips from me:

  Serve the spiced pumpkin pie with a HUGE amount of whipped cream. You can never have too much.

  Also when Iwas making it, I put the filling into a blender on high speed for about 5 minutes to get a smooth texture.

I will be adding the pictures for both pie recipes in this post. The one in the 9x13 pan is my moms (we made a double recipe). The slice one is the spiced pumpkin pie. For your viewing pleasure.

Special K Squares

  Hello again my fellow internet bakers, creepers, and stalkers. So I see view count is climbing. Has anyone tried these recipes? Please comment. I'm dying for your feedback.

  ANYWAY. My baking story isn't terribly exciting this time. It's actually incredibly boring. My mom has wanted me to make these Special K squares she found in one of her older recipe books for a while now, so she has something to put into my dads lunch.

  We've made these squares before and they are actually pretty good. They taste mostly of peanut butter and chocolate. With just enough coconut to give it depth. These squares are great for any time of day and work perfectly in school/work lunches.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups Special K cereal

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

 

Directions:

1. Combine the corn syrup and brown sugar in a pot and cook over a medium heat until it bubbles.

2. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, coconut, Special K, and chocolate chips.

3. Press into a 8x8 pan and let cool completely.

 

Little tips from me:

If you have the thing my mom has; where your teeth hurt if you have to much sugar at once, then I would recommend downing a glass of milk after eating one of these.

Also, you don't have to use Special K. You could use unsweetened cornflakes or Fiber 1 cereal

Brownies

  Hello!! Its me again. How's it been?

  So I work at this adorable little coffee shop and one time my shift was on a Saterday. Saterday is the slowest business day, and this time it was particularly slow; so the manager said to bake something yummy (we bake everything fresh). So we baked chcolate chip cookies. And they were delicious. I was planning to make them at home today, but sadly my mother wasnt in the mood for cookies. So I made brownies instead.

  PLOT TWIST!! I bet you all thought I was about to give you the recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted. Nope! Instead let me give you the recipe for the best brownies in the world.

  This is a third generation family recipe. My great grandmother on my moms side was the original writer of the recipe and I guarantee that no one else has made a better one.

  These are moist, buttery, brownies. Best served as an evening dessert or for night lunch.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

6 tbsp cocoa

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until no lumps remain.

3. Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for exactly 30 minutes.

 

Little tips from me:

Spread one whole container of Betty Crocker Chocolate Icing on top.

OR serve warm with vanilla icecream and caramel icecream topping

CheeseCake

Hey humans of the internet. Hows it been? Sorry I havent posted anything in so long. Ive been busy. Ish. Anyway...

  So yesterday we ran out of sweets so I decided to bake something again. My mom was in the mood for cheesecake and I love cheesecake. So, no surprise here, I baked some.

  This cheesecake is a simple new york style cheesecake with your choice of canned fruit topping. Its creamy and moist and tastes best with a large dollop of whipped cream on top.

 

Ingredients:

  Crust:

2 1/2 cups graham crumbs

1/2 cup margarine

1/4 cup sugar

  Filling:

2, 8oz pkg cream cheese

2 eggs

2 tbsp margarine

1 cup sugar

1tsp vanilla

 

Directions:

  Crust:

1. Mix graham crumbs, margarine, and sugar together in a bowl.

2. Press into a 9x13 pan.

  Filling:

1. Mix together cream cheese, eggs, margarine, sugar, and vanilla.

2. Beat with an electric beater until no lumps remain. This can take up to 15 minutes .

3. Spread into crust and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

4. Cool and spread with  your choice of fruit topping.

 

Little tips from me:

  Serve with a huge helping of whipped cream.

  This dessert works at any time of day.

Divine Mud Pie

So when I was 10ish my parents got me and my older sister a miniature baking set. This baking set came with mini cupcake tray, a mini springform pan, a mini bundt pan, and a mini loaf pan. Its also came with a set of recipe cards. All of which my eccentric preteen self wanted desperately to make. But I was sadly never allowed to make any of them on account of my mother wouldve needed to watch me and never had time for that between watching my 2 younger siblings and cooking and cleaning.
But 5 years later (holy crap! Its been five years!?) my younger sister Jessie wanted just as desperately as I had, to make this adorable little icecream brownie cake. Even now that I'm 15 I still wanted to make my own icecream cake. So I volunteered to help her make it.
OH MY GOSH!!!!!! I dont think I've ever made a cake that was such a pain! Seriously. If you don't like meticulous things in baking, dont make this. Because dude, I've never worked with icecream before. Its almost as bad as peanut butter. You all know what I'm talking about.
This dessert is a classic brownie crust, with vanilla icream, chocolate fudge topping, and served with whipped cream. I haven't had this before today, but I think it would be best served as an evening dessert.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
2 tbsp + 2 tsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp + 2 tsp cocoa
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1egg
1/2 cup nuts chopped (optional)
4 tbsp chocolate fudge topping
1 1/2 cups vanilla icecream
Whipped cream to serve with

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a small a bowl cream together sugar and buter.
3. Add the flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla, and egg. Stir until blended.
4. If youre adding nuts; this is when that happens.
5. Pour into a 7" inch spring form pan. (sadly we didnt use the mini one)
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the crust from the oven and spread 2 tbsps of the chocolate fudge topping on it.
8. Cool completely.
9. Put the icecream on it and the other 2 tbsps of chocolate topping on that.
10. Freeze until completely hardened.
11. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake and release the sides of the pan.
12. Top with wipped cream and serve quickly before it melts.

Little tips from me: This cake melts really fast. A good idea would be to cut it ahead of time and refreeze it again. That way you dont have to serve melted icecream cake. Because thats just embarrassing.
Also let the icecream sit out until its almost melted and then spread it on the cake. It makes it so much easier.

I personally have definitely had better icecream cake, but I think the ten year old me gained a little recompense for never being able to make this. And thats better than nothing I guess.
And also I didnt think to get a picture of the cake before my family violently devoured it. So, I'm sorry but you will be stuck with this sad picture of a half-melted peice of icecream cake

Kraft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hey everyone. If anyone is in fact reading this. Sorry its taken so long to post something. Ive been on the this special diet and couldnt bring myself to bake anything that I couldnt eat. But my diet ends tomorrow and I decided to make one of my all time favorite cookie recipes.
First, a little fact about my parentage; both of my parents were raised mennonite. And mennonites buy everything in big ass contianers. So my mom had this one margarine container full of 10 year old peanut butter, in the deep freeze. Yes, thats right. TEN YEARS OLD. And as much as I HATE working with peanut butter, I love peanutty food.
Now tell me, am I the only person in the world who actually reads the recipes on the back of Kraft Peanut Butter jars? If I am, then some of you are missing out. Because thats where I found this recipe. A recipe for soft, moist, peanut butter and chocolate cookies.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup butter melted
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Put brown sugar in a large bowl and pour hot melted butter over to break apart the lumps in the sugar.
2. Add the peanut butter, white sugar, and vanilla. Cream together into a smooth mass.
3. Combine the flour and baking soda and blend into mixture.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips .
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 10 minutes for perfectly soft cookies.
Little tips from me: Serve still warm and with a glass of milk. Also, add an extra quarter cup of chocolate chips per each recipe. I love chocolate, so I always do this.

Soft Cocoa Cookies

Hello again. This is going to be my first actual baking post. So if its incredibly dumb sounding or anything like that, let me know and I will try to fix the problems in my next post. But now onto the baking.
Today I'm baking Soft Cocoa Cookies. These cookies are soft and chocolatey. This is a simple recipe with very basic ingredients that everyone could find in their kitchen. These cookies are great for afternoon tea or just snacking anytime.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups margarine
3 cups brown sugar (or 2 for all you health nuts out there)
1 1/2 cups cocoa
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
3 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)
1 tbsp vanilla

Directions.
1. Melt the margarine in a small pot over low heat.
2. Put the brown sugar in a large bowl. And add the melted buter and beat with a fork until all the lumps are gone.
2. Next add the rest of the wet ingredients and stir with a whisk until completely blended.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Stir until no lumps remain.
5. Grease the cookie sheets with olive oil and scoop a tablespoon of dough into a three by four pattern on the cookies sheets.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and let cool.
7. Then immediatly move to an airtight container or they'll dry out.

Little tips from me:
Serve chilled with milk or tea.

Intoduction

This is my first ever blog. I figured people might be a little more comfortable reading a blog if they knew who was behind it. So heres alittle about me: Im 15, My name is Leaf. My favorite color is black,and I love baking.

Now about my blog. This is a baking blog. I will be posting about my greatest baking successes and failures. Along with posting the recipes of great cakes, cookies, muffins, you name it. I will also post pictures with the recipes so you can see how great the food looks. But finding out how great it tastes is entirely up to you. ;)

I will post a picture of me along with this post so you can know what I look like.