Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark

Whew, that's a mouthful if I don't say so myself!  Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark....say that 5 times fast!

Well, I'll tell you the story behind this bark.  For a while now (pretty much since she posted it), I've had my eye on Stephanie's (Stephanie Cooks) Cake Batter Bark.  Seriously, it looks sooooo good and who doesn't love cake batter?!  It's, like, one of my favorite things and definitely one of my favorite ice cream flavors!

So I thought that this would be such a great treat to make for Chris to take into work to share with his co-workers.  I had planned on this and Red Velvet Cupcakes.  That was, of course, until Bridget (Bake at 350) had to go and make her version of bark, which was appropriate for the occasion what with the cute little sprinkles and conversation hearts she tossed on it!

And then I was torn....do I make the yummy cake batter flavored version, which I know will be good because, hello, it's cake batter!  Or do I make the version that has crunchy rice krispies mixed into the batter making it a pseudo "Crunch Bark?"  Get it?!  Crunch Bark = Crunch Bar....I kill myself!

Anywho, the light bulb finally went off and what better way to win this argument in my head than to combine the two recipes...it was, literally, the best of both worlds.

I have to say it was pretty darn good, but I was rather disappointed in the lack of cake batter flavor.  I guess I was expecting it to stand out more but I guess I'll have to put more in next time.  All in all, it was good and definitely worth making again.  But be warned....this stuff will definitely suffice a killer sweet tooth!  It is very sweet and probably something you shouldn't give to already hyper children...just saying.

Valentine's Cake Batter Candy Bark


Ingredients
2 - 12oz. bags of White Chocolate Baking Chips
2 - 12oz. bags of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
6 Tsp. Yellow Cake Mix
2 cups Rice Krispies
Conversation Hearts
Sprinkles

Directions
Using a double boiler or sauce pan with heat-safe bowl on top, heat water over med heat until it comes to a simmer.  Add the white chocolate in the bowl and stir, continuously, until melted.  Stir in the cake mix and then gradually add in the rice krispies; mix until the each rice krispie is coated in chocolate.  Carefully spread the mixture out onto a large piece of parchment paper and let cool.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips utilizing the same method above (minus the cake mix and rice krispies) and carefully spread the mixture over the cooled white chocolate mixture.

Sprinkle on the sprinkles and conversation hearts and let cool completely.

Once it's cooled, break the bark into pieces and enjoy!

**I've increased the amount of yellow cake mix above (I originally used 3 Tsp, but I think doubling it may do the trick).  Also note, that this is very versatile and any type of candy/sprinkles can be used!

Source: Adapted from Bake at 350 and also adapted from Stephanie Cooks

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Apple Pecan Cheesecake - What's Baking Challenge

It's that time again....it's time for the What's Baking Challenge!  First of all, I'm so sorry y'all for being such a slacker on the blog front. Despite how it may look, I really haven't been slacking at home (promise).  We've been very busy and my computer is very, very sick.  I am "temporarily" on Chris' computer for now which is my why my posts have been few and far between.

But it's nearing the end of the month and with that comes the What's Baking Challenge.  If you remember from last month's post, the theme chosen for November is Thanksgiving!  What better way to celebrate Turkey Day than with a non-traditional dessert!  While I love me some pumpkin pie, I'm feeling a little overkill with all of the pumpkin recipes I've been seeing lately.  So I thought I'd liven things up a bit with a cheesecake.  But not just your usual New York cheesecake.  This one has a delightful little mixture of apples and pecans tossed in cinnamon and sugar on top....YUM!

I'm telling you, this is definitely a great alternative (or addition) to the typical dessert fare you see on Thanksgiving.  The cheesecake with the apples and pecans on top really give a warm, comforting feeling in your mouth and really brings it home.  It could definitely stand on it's own at the table next to the turkey and dressing but if you have to go with the traditional T-Day dessert(s), you really should throw this in as an accompaniment...I promise, you won't be disappointed and neither will your guests!

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

Ingredients - Crust
1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup Butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Sugar plus

Ingredients - Cheesecake
4 - 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
3 Lg. Apples, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup Pecans, chopped
1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Directions
To make the crust, preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil. 

In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar.  Press mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add in sour cream; mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating between additions until blended together. 

In a medium bowl, combine the apples, pecans, remaining sugar and cinnamon.  Mix until the pecans and apples are coated with cinnamon and sugar.

Pour the cheesecake mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust.  Spoon the apples and pecans over the cheesecake mixture and bake for 1 hour. 

Remove from the oven and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours to let cool and set.  Using the foil, pull the cheesecake out of the dish and cut into serving-size squares.


Yield: 16 Servings
Source: Adapted from Kraft Foods

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Maple Glaze

Well hello there!  Long time no see, huh?!  Oh my goodness, I cannot believe that it's been several months since I've been on here!  I really had no intention of taking that long of a hiatus but it was very necessary and some much needed time off.  I hope you can understand. 

So much has happened in the last few months....we found out we were moving for Chris' job, we actually made the move to Atlanta (with several commutes back and forth to South Carolina and a month in temporary housing), we found a house and are still making progress on settling into it, and we got engaged!  Yep, Chris finally popped the question and I couldn't be more happy or more excited about how it all came together!  And oh my goodness, y'all, the ring he picked out is absolutely gorgeous!  He did such a good job and I'm so proud of him!

So, with the whirlwind of events taking place in our lives, the idea of cooking and baking was not very appealing to me!  And the idea of staging the food, taking pictures, writing up a post and then adding it to the blog was even more unappealing.  I temporarily lost my passion to have anything to do with the kitchen!  You would think that after eating out for over a month, I would've been excited to get in there and make a home cooked meal.  Well, I really wanted a home cooked meal, but I didn't want to make it!  But I finally got back in there and I finally got my drive back to start blogging my cooking adventures here again!  I'm really sorry to leave y'all hanging like that.

So without further ado, let me introduce to you this yummy Autumn-flavored Pumpkin Scone!  What better way is there than to get back into the swing of things with a tasty Fall treat?!  There isn't.  I know I said it last Fall year and I'm sayin' it again now....I LOVE PUMPKIN!  And this scone is such a nice addition to any Autumn breakfast, tea (or coffee) with friends or dessert after a nice warm meal.  It is so good and the addition of chocolate chips really balance out the pumpkin flavor.  I decided to add a drizzle of maple glaze on top to add just a touch of sweetness and boy, did it do the trick!  These are great little things you can quickly throw together for an unexpected guest or even to freeze for future use.  They've got substance to them and hold up nicely!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones with Maple Glaze

Ingredients - Scones
2 cups Flour

1/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp. Salt
8 Tbsp. cold, Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree'
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Ingredients - Glaze
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add in the butter and stir with a fork to combine.  Using the fork or a pastry blender, but the butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (the largest pieces of butter should be no larger than the size of a pea).  Add in the chocolate chips and mix to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla; mix well.  Add into the dry ingredients and stir together gently just until the dough comes together.  **I found the dough to be quite sticky, so I kneaded it for a bit on a floured surface just to help it come together more.  Be careful, though, to not overwork the dough if you do this**


Move the dough to the prepared baking sheet and pat it out into a 9-inch round.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 22-25 minutes).  Allow it to cool and slice it into wedges.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the butter and maple syrup over medium heat until combined.  Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Allow it to cool just enough to transfer to a pastry bag (or Ziploc bag with the tip slightly cut off) and drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones.

Yield: 8 Servings
Source: Scone recipe adapted from Annies Eats, originally from Joy of Baking and Maple Glaze recipe from Martha Stewart.

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Poppy Lime Fruit

Memorial Day has just passed and in my book, it's officially Summer!  It's a holiday that is widely recognized as the summer kickoff for BBQ's, opening up the pool, taking the boat out on the lake and spending quality time with good friends and family!

I don't know about y'all, but we had a fantastic holiday weekend!  We spent time out on the boat with some great friends and had an amazing cookout with grilled steak, salmon, grilled potatoes, homemade ice cream and Poppy Lime Fruit!  It was actually just watermelon - I got a great deal on it and it was so juicy and so, so sweet!

This is a recipe I have been using for years!  Fresh fruit in the Summer is one of those things that you just can't do without, especially at any gathering of the sort!  But sometimes it's nice to add a little "something" to jazz up the flavor just a bit and make it a little different than the norm.  Some use fruit dips, but I use this dressing!  It is so easy to throw together and only requires a few staple ingredients from the pantry!  It doesn't change the flavor or the texture of the fruit in any way, but just adds a little pizazz to it and it is so, so, good!  It has never let me down and is always one of my most requested recipes!

Poppy Lime Fruit

Ingredients
1 Lime
4 Tbsp. Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. Poppy Seeds
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
Fresh, Seasonal Fruit

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of the lime, sugar, poppy seeds and salt until the sugar is dissolved.  Slowly whisk in the oil until combined.

Pour the dressing over the fruit in a large serving bowl and gently toss to combine.


Yield: 12-14 Servings
Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

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Green Velvet Shamrock Whoopie Pies

Let's talk about whoopie! Get your mind out of the gutter people...I'm talking about the kind you eat! It seems that all the craze these days in baking is Whoopie Pies! Hmmm...I even made a rhyme (completely unintentionally, I promise)! There is something nostalgic about these Amish goodies and well, they're good!

Typically the traditional whoopie pie is a chocolate cake-like cookie with a creamy marshmallow filling inside. Think of an Oreo but softer and better. Well, maybe...Oreos are pretty damn good! But since these babies have been around, people all over the country have taken the dessert to another level using a variety and combination of flavors. What once used to be a hidden treasure throughout New England and Pennsylvania is now a national phenomenon.

This recipe varies from the norm in that it mimics the flavors of a Red Velvet Cake. Except it's green. Really green. And they're shamrocks! Because....it's St. Patty's Day!!! The idea was actually inspired by Annie's version for Valentine's Day when she made these cute little hearts. The idea came to me to do something similar but with shamrocks to celebrate this festive green beer drinking day! Happy St. Patty's Day y'all!

Green Velvet Shamrock Whoopie Pies

Ingredients - Pie
2 cups Flour
2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Whipping Cream, at room temperature
1 oz. bottle Green Food Coloring

Ingredients - Cream Cheese Filling
4 oz. Cream Cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions
Using this shamrock as a template, trace the figure onto drawing paper. Tear off 2 sheets of parchment paper to fit the length of baking sheets. Place the drawing under the parchment paper and trace the shamrock onto the parchment paper so they are evenly spaced. Set paper drawing side down on baking sheets and set aside. Note: I was able to get 9 shamrocks drawn out per sheet.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add in the egg and mix well. Add in the vanilla and mix well. Slowly begin blending in the flour mixture adding one-third in at a time. Alternate with half of the whipping cream and end with the last one-third of the flour mixture. Fold in the food coloring until completely incorporated into the batter.

Transfer the batter into a pastry big fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe the batter into shamrock shapes, using the drawings on the other side as a guide.

Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool about 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Continue baking off the rest of the batter.

While the pies are cooling, begin making the filling by creaming the butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Slowly mix in the vanilla until combined. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing in between, until completely incorporated.

Once the pies are cooled, begin matching them up in pairs by shape and size. Note: You may have to play with them a bit to get them to fit together properly. Flip one of each pair over so that the flat side is facing up.

Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Begin piping the filling onto the bottom piece of the pie, leaving some space around the edges. Place the top piece over the filling and gently press down to push the filling through the pie, making sure it reaches the edges.

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Yield: 12 Servings
Source: Inspired by Annie's Eats, recipe from my Great Aunt Linda

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S'Mores Brownies

This weekend was absolutely beautiful here!  Our temperature reached a high of 68 degrees and Mother Nature blessed us tremendously with the beautiful sun!  I had every intention of baking and cooking this weekend; however the early arrival of Spring-like weather certainly got the best of me and I found it hard to hold myself hostage in the kitchen when there were wonderful things awaiting me outside!

Needless to say, my plans of baking went out the window where the nice weather was!  But, our house was certainly lacking some sweetness.  Not the kind between Chris and I (there is plenty there), but the kind you eat!  Being that it was already Sunday evening, the last thing I wanted to do was get into the mess of baking and cleaning up.  Don't get me wrong, I love it, but when you mix me and baking together, it's never a clean outcome!  So, my plan for cookies went out the window (along with the baking) and I decided to fake it a bit!

I made brownies!  Not just any kind of brownies, but the kind out of the box!  WHAT?!  Can you believe it?!  I actually made brownies from a box!  Surely the world must be coming to an end!  Nope.  It's not.  I will admit that I do, once in a while, make things out of a box.  I love cooking and baking from scratch and you really can't beat the taste of a homemade dish, but I don't always love the time that goes into it and there are a lot of things that taste good coming from a box. 

I did, however, spruce them up a bit to make them semi-homemade.  But let me clear something up first:  THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH BROWNIES MADE FROM A BOX!  So the nice weather really put me in an extra good mood and while sitting outside enjoying our time, we talked about summer plans and camping came to mind.  With camping, comes S'mores and I had those on my mind all day.  So I decided what better way to make a brownie than to s'more it up!  Oh wow.  Can I just tell you how good these babies were?!  They were chewy and gooey on the inside and packed with little bits of graham cracker crunch and melted, sticky marshmallows.  My favorite part: the somewhat burnt consistency the marshmallows on top took on (I love a good, burnt-to-a-crisp marshmallow over the campfire).  Don't worry, you can't even tell they came from a box and if you want to go that extra mile, make them homemade instead, but regardless, these suckers will definitely leave you wanting s'more!!!

S'Mores Brownies

Ingredients
1 pkg. Brownie Mix (I use Ghiradelli)
1 Egg
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1/3 cup Water
3/4-1 cup Graham Crackers, crushed
1 1/2 cups Mini-Marshmallows

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, beat the brownie mix, egg, oil and water on low speed until combined well.  Stir in graham crackers and 1 cup of marshmallows until mixed in.

In a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish, pour the brownie mixture in and spread out evenly.  Sprinkle remaining marshmallows on top and bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool before cutting into them and if needed, use a knife wet with hot water to prevent brownies from sticking.


Yield: 15 Servings
Source: Inspired by Joy the Baker

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Peanut Butter Popcorn Bars

Remember back in the day when you'd have parties at school and someone's mom would bring in popcorn balls? They were kind of challenging to eat with their shape and a little hard, but once you bit into them, they were sweet and chewy and stuck to your teeth! That's what these babies reminded me of!

The only difference is that they were peanut butter-y instead of having that sweetness of sugar and corn syrup. And with chocolate on top - I mean, you really can't go wrong with that combination. I bet if I took a vote right now of the general public, the combination of peanut butter and chocolate would rise to the top of (most) everyone's list!

I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER! So much that when I was a kid, I would come home from school and serve me up a big bowl of it to eat for a snack! That's it. Just peanut butter. My Mom would always say, "You're gonna get a belly ache from that," but I never listened and sure enough, I always got a belly ache! So I eventually learned and cut back on my peanut butter intake and now I just like it with apples or chocolate. Or in this case, popcorn bars!

Peanut Butter Popcorn Bars

Ingredients
10 cups Popcorn, popped
1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
6 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Heavy Cream

Directions
Place popcorn in a large bowl and set aside. In a large sauce pan, bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Pour over popcorn and mix until well coated.

In a baking pan, coated with non-stick spray, press popcorn mixture into the bottom and corners to tightly come together and dry.

In a small double boiler, melt chocolate and cream over low-medium heat, until melted. Pour into a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let set for 30 minutes and cut into bars. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

Yield: 12 Servings

Source: With a Cherry on Top

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Sweet Caramel Cake

When it comes to dessert, cake is usually not my first preference. I don't know why, but I'm just not a big "cake" person. I like it and I'll eat it, but I'd rather have ice cream or cheesecake! But when I came across this recipe in one of my Taste of the South magazines, I knew that someday I would have a craving for cake, particularly this cake!

For someone who doesn't eat a lot of cake, this is definitely one of those recipes to help them fall in love! OH MY! This was one of the most luscious, sweet-tasting, creamy and moist cakes I have ever sunk my teeth into! Talk about mmm...mmmm....mmmm. It's just an ordinary cake with holes filled with creamy caramel-ly goodness! And on top: a vanilla-flavored cream cheese frosting with what else? Caramel drizzled all over. Need I say more?

Sweet Caramel Cake

Ingredients - Caramel Cake
2 cups Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
3 eggs
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Half-and-Half
2- 12.5oz jars Caramel Topping

Ingredients - Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Directions - Caramel Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13x9" cake pan with baking spray and dust with flour; set aside.

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

In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar at a high speed until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes). Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla, stirring to combine.

With mixer set at low speed, add in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half, beating until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Remove from oven and with a wooden spoon handle, poke holes throughout the warm cake. Pour 1 jar of the prepared caramel topping over the cake, allowing it to "fall" into the holes. Let the cake sit at room temperature, uncovered, for approximately 2 hours or until cake is cool and caramel is absorbed.

Directions - Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and frosting. Beat at med-high speed until creamy (approximately 2 minutes). Add in powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

Spread over cooled cake and drizzle remaining jar of caramel on top. Drag a butter knife through caramel topping to create desired design. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Yields: 12 servings
Source: Adapted from Taste of the South

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Wild Bill Chewies

This past weekend, we drove to Alabama to visit my future father-in-law (aka: Chris' Dad, Bill). I call him my future father-in-law because it's only a matter of time that he will be, so why not?!  Bill LOVES sweet treats (especially made by yours truly). He requested another Pumpkin Roll, which I brought in addition to a few other goodies like these delectable cookies!

I had in mind something I wanted to make, but when I went to make it, I realized it wasn't going to work with what I had on-hand. So, I had to resort to Plan B, which really didn't exist. I had no Plan B. Nadda. Nothing. Zilch. I panicked for a quick minute and then decided to just wing it. Some of my best failures have turned into my best successes by just winging it, so I figured I had nothing to lose. This was definitely one of those moments and it quickly rose to the top of my list of cooking successes.  I'm not trying to toot my own horn or anything...toot toot!

When they came out of the oven and I "tasted" a bite for the first time, I winced, hoping that they wouldn't be too terrible and I could just pass them off as a good cookie.  But they were SO much more. I made Chris try them and his eyes lit up the moment they hit his tongue. SUCCESS! I had no idea what I was doing, but these cookies are chewy and soft and packed with powerful bites of chocolate, oats, coconut, caramel and pecans.

My next challenge was coming up with a name for them as I really didn't know what to call them.  I thought Bill may be able to assist with that, so I waited to see what his verdict would be.  He immediately grabbed one from the bag....and another.....and another. That man ate 4 cookies that night! Insane! The first thing he said when he ate them was, "They're more of a chewy than a cookie." All of a sudden, it came to us: Wild Bill Chewies! There you have it, folks, a cookie named after one of the neatest and sweetest guys I have ever known!

Wild Bill Chewies

Ingredients
2 cups Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cup Sweetened Coconut, shredded
1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate Chips
3/4 cup Pecans, chopped
7 oz. Caramel Chews, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and sugar until creamy (approximately 5 minutes). Add in eggs and vanilla; beat on low until well blended. Add half of the flour mixture; beat on low until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and continue to beat on low until combined. Fold in oats, coconut, chocolate chips, pecans and caramels into the dough. - To chop the caramels, unwrap them and using utility/kitchen shears, cut them in half and then in half again to make into smaller pieces.

Spoon dough into tablespoon amounts and drop onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Let cool and store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

Yields: 3 dozen
Source: With a Cherry on Top

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Chocolate & Orange Macaroons

I have never made macaroons before.  To be honest, I was a little intimidated by them.  They seem like such a fancy little delectable treat that I surely did not have the skills to make.  Wrong!  I made macaroons today.  I successfully made macaroons today.  I don't know for sure, but I believe, I came across a similar recipe from a cooking magazine of some sort owned by my lovely mother!  Whenever I visit my parents, I always thumb through her latest cooking magazines and grab the recipes that inspire me the most to add to my repetoire.  I must've figured that someday, I would be venturous enough to make macaroons!

As I was planning my weekly menu earlier this week, I was browsing through my collection of dessert recipes contemplating what goody would satisfy my sweet cravings for the week.  Then I came across this recipe and I knew I had found "the one." 

I will be the first person to admit when I'm wrong, so let me just say, I was wrong.  Macaroons are by far one of the easiest desserts I have ever made and this version is one of the tastiest I have ever had!  While baking, the house filled with the aroma of sweetness and oranges!  When they came out, they were perfect little coconut puff balls, crispy on the outside and chew in the middle.  The combination of orange and chocolate was enough to put me over the edge.  Seriously....you gotta try these!

Chocolate & Orange Macaroons
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Ingredients
2 cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes
2/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
1 Tsp. Orange Zest
1/8 Tsp. Salt
2 Egg Whites
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
1/4 Tsp. Almond Extract
1/2 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large bowl, whisk together coconut, sugar, flour, zest and salt.  Stir in egg whites, butter and almond extract.  Fold in chocolate chips.

On parchment lined baking sheets, place rounded tablespoon-sized balls of dough approximately 2" apart.  Bake for 20 minutes or until they are firm to the touch and lightly browned on the bottom.  Let cool before serving.  - Gently roll the balls of dough for a more uniform shape.

Makes approximately 20 cookies.

Source: With a Cherry on Top

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Chocolate Toffee Cookies

If you're a woman, a normal woman, you get chocolate cravings that just can't be fixed with a low-fat, low-sugar chocolate cookie!  I am definitely one of those women and lately, I have had a hankering for some good, homemade chocolate cookies!  Now I know that eating cookies doesn't exactly help you stay on track with being healthy, but you gotta live a little, right?!  Right.  Plus, making homemade goodies as opposed to what you buy in the store is MUCH better for you because you are making them and can control the ingredients that go into your body.  Now, I'm by no means a "sweet" person; I prefer savory foods much more.  But one thing I have found as I've gotten older is that after every savory meal, I always crave a little something sweet (usually something chocolatey).  So, to assist in these after-meal cravings, I am going to start baking more...a lot more....like, on a regular/weekly basis!  I figured whatever I make, I can freeze half or send them along with Chris to work!  I'm also thinking that I may make some things smaller and in more bite-size pieces so we don't feel so bad about eating them, but still kill that craving!

These cookies, were not bite-size...not at all!  In fact, the first batch that came out, were the size of monster cookies!  No kidding.  They were huge, so we've been picking at them and not eating the whole thing at once.  I made the other batch much smaller and they're pretty close to a normal cookie size.  Oh geez, these things are good...I mean, really, really good.  They're like a Heath bar inside a chocolate cookie!  I'm not a super big fan of Heath bars (I'll eat them them, but they're certainly not the candy bar I pick out while in the checkout line at the grocery store...I'm more of a Butterfinger Crisp, Snickers, Baby Ruth or Peanut M&M's girl), but I love the way the toffee pieces melt inside the cookie, but don't melt all the way so that they're still crunchy too...mmmm.  And I put milk chocolate chips in there for an added double-chocolate goodness.  These things could almost be considered sinful.  The best part about these cookies (my favorite part) is that they're like the perfect cookie - crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.  The only thing I think wasn't perfect about them is that they needed more heath pieces...maybe next time.

Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Print This Recipe

Ingredients
16 oz. Semi-sweet Chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Butter
1 3/4 cups Brown Sugar, packed
4 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
16 oz. Toffee Bits
8 oz. Milk Chocolate Chocolate Chips

Directions
Combine the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water; stir periodically until well blended.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat for 5 minutes.  Add in the in the vanilla and chocolate mixture; mix well.  In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir into the chocolate mixture.  Add in the toffee pieces and chocolate chips; mix well.  Chill, covered, for 1 hour or until the dough is firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  On a parchment lined cookie sheet, drop the dough by teaspoon fulls, 2 1/2 inches apart from each other.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops are dry and cracked, but the cookies are soft.  Let cool.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Source: Adapted from Grand Temptations

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Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

A "must-have" ingredient to have around during the holidays is pumpkin.  My cupboard always has at least a couple cans of it in there from September through February.  Typically, when you think of dessert for the holidays, you think of pumpkin pie.  Sure, there are the festive cranberry desserts, homemade sugar cookies, truffles, cheesecakes and an assortment of other delicious sweet treats, but you can almost always guarantee that there will be some sort of pumpkin dessert there!  In my family, it's either pumpkin pie or pumpkin roll! 

While I love the flavor of warm pumpkin pie topped off with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, by the time Christmas rolls around, I'm about sick of it!  So, I set out on a mission this year to find another dessert that would still carry through the pumpkin tradition but add a little something else to the table.  Boy, did I ever find it!!!  Another individual, Beantown Baker, who shares a mutual love for cooking had posted about this on an online food community we belong to and I don't know if it was the name or the picture she took (or maybe even both), but as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had found "the one!"  I had bookmarked the recipe back in the Fall and kept it in the back of my mind for the perfect opportunity to not only indulge myself, but also others on what looked (and sounded) to be a delectable treat for our tastebuds!  Chris' Christmas party for work was coming up and as soon as the email went out to determine who was making what, I immediately piped in stating that I would be bringing Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars.  They ended up being a hit not only here at home but also at the party!  The rich flavors and creamy texture was pure decadence!

Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars
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Ingredients - Snickerdoodle Layer
3 cups Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Butter, at room temperature
2 Eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

Pumpkin Pie Layer
1 cup Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 stick Butter, at room temperature
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups Pumpkin

Cinnamon Sugar Layer
2 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tsp. Cinnamon

Icing
1 oz. White Chocolate, chopped
1/4 Tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13" pan and lay a sheet of parchment paper across the pan so it hangs slightly over the edges.  - The parchment paper is an optional step; however, it will make it much easier to get the bars out later.

To make snickerdoodle layer:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth.  Gradually stir in the flour mixture until well-blended.  Spread into pan evenly.  - The batter will be thick like cookie batter. 

To make pumpkin pie layer:
In a large, bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix together.  Pour over the snickerdoodle layer, smoothing out the top and making it even.  - You can use the same bowl to mix this batter as you did for the snickerdoodle layer and don't even have to rinse it out!

To make cinnamon sugar layer:
Combine cinnamon and sugar together in small bowl and sprinkle on top of the pumpkin layer.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let the bars cool completely (at least 1 hour).  - You'll find that the bars will deflate a bit and remain somewhat pie-like on top.  You'll also find the edges of the bars to be more firm than the middle but are still just as good!

To make the icing:
After the bars have completely cooled, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (on low heat) or in a zip-lock bag (on low power).  Stir in the pumpkin spice (or knead in if using zip-lock bag).  Using a spoon or cutting off the corner of the bag, drizzle the mixture on top of the bars in a criss-cross pattern.  Let cool for about 30 minutes or until icing hardens. 

Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and set on a cutting board.  Cut into bite-size squares and store in an air-tight container.

Source: Dozen Flours

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Pumpkin Roll

Fall is by far my favorite time of the year and I love absolutely everything about it....Halloween, going to the apple orchard, crisp and cool nights, the smell of apple cinnamon candles in the house, the trees changing color, cozying up to a warm fireplace with a nice cup of hot cocoa, Thanksgiving and the best part yet: PUMPKIN!  I definitely know it's Autumn when I begin my first craving for Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte...yum!  Another favorite...Pumpkin Roll.  It's a staple in my family at Thanksgiving and Christmas and it seems to be a big request here in the South! 

If you've never had it, Pumpkin Roll is best described simply as: goodness!  The moist cake with flavor accents of nutmeg and cinnamon makes you feel so warm and fuzzy inside and the rich and creamy cheesecake filling is almost sinful!  This one is a sure pleaser for any get-together and is quite simple with a "showy" presentation; you'll definitely leave others impressed with your baking (or non-baking) skills! 

This recipe actually comes from my all-time favorite cookbook, Grand Temptations, by the Junior League of Grand Rapids, MI.  Being a former "Michigander" myself, I spent a couple of years as a member of Junior League and an active member of our chapter's cookbook committee.  This book is a collection of recipes from local chefs and individuals throughout West Michigan; all of the pictures were taken throughout the area to show all of the beauty West Michigan has to offer and all of the proceeds go to benefit improving the lives of women, children and families through local organizations.  If interested in purchasing Grand Temptations, you will find a list of local participating vendors who carry the book on the JLGR website or you can order one through Schuler Books.

Pumpkin Cream Roll
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Ingredients - Pumpkin Cake
3 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2/3 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Flour
Powdered Sugar


Ingredients - Cream Filling
2 cups Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp. Butter, softened
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar


Directions
For the cake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10x15 cake pan. Line with waxed paper and grease the waxed paper. Beat the eggs with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until pale yellow. Add the sugar, pumpkin, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and flour and mix well. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. - I used parchment paper rather than wax as I prefer it and found that it works much better. If you do use parchement paper, note that you do not need to grease the paper before pouring the batter onto it (I still greased the pan so the paper had something to stick to and didn't slide out).

Dust a clean kitchen towel with sifted powdered sugar. Invert the warm cake onto the towel. Remove the waxed paper. Roll the warm cake in the towel like a jellyroll from the short side and place on a wire rack to cool.


For the filling, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.


To assemble, unroll the cooled cake carefully. Spread the filling to the edge and roll the cake. Cut into 1-inch slices, sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar and serve. The cake will keep covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.

Source:  Adapted from Grand Temptations

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