Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Baking: Frosted Easter Sugar Cookies

Last year I found the PERFECT sugar cookie recipe.
I found it on Happy Homemaker Cindy's Blog.  Click HERE for her blog about the cookies.

I've made them dozens of times and they always turn out perfectly. They are super soft sugar cookies, perfect for cutting out in shapes with cookie cutters or simply frosting them.

This year I made these CUTE bunny cookies for KidMo's preschool class.





Here is the recipe from Happy Homemaker Cindy's site along with her directions.


Cream Cheese Cut-out Cookies
  • 1 Cup Butter Softened
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
  • 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
  • 3 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1 Tub Vanilla or Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Food Coloring (If you would like to make the Frosting different colors.)
  • Sprinkles
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat well. In a small bowl combine flour and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to ream cheese mixture. Beat until well mixed. Divide dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate until easy to handle – about 1 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out  1/4 ” think (I make mine pretty thick) on a lightly floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out and place 2″ apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 13 minutes depending on how thick you made the cookies or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Ice the cookies with frosting and decorate with sprinkles.

MoMomma Tips:
-I purchased a cute bunny cookie cutter from Ross and it was a breeze to make these cookies. 
-Roll out your dough in between two pieces of parchment paper. Then, peel the top piece off and use your cookie cutter to make the desired shapes.  Peel away the excess dough and put the parchment paper on the cookie sheet.
-For 'dressing up' these cookies I used the frosting recipe below. I also used a smarties candy for the eye and a marshmallow for the tail

This is the frosting recipe I used for the bunny frosting:
Butter Frosting

4 Tablespoons butter
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
for chocolate frosting add 3 Tablespoons cocoa

Put butter in bowl and beat with electric mixer until fluffy. Then add about half the powdered sugar. Then beat in 1 Tablespoon milk and the vanilla. Slowly add in the rest of the powdered sugar. Add more milk if needed. Add food coloring if desired. 

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Baking: Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M's

 Remember my new favorite cookie recipe?
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Click HERE for the original blog post and recipe


Well, this week we made them EASTER cookies!
To put an Easter spin on an already awesome cookie recipe try these:


These HUGE over-sized cookies were made with this totally awesome Muffin Top pan.




Just fill the bottom of each muffin top opening with cookie dough.
Then, sprinkle with super yummy Easter M&M's! 
Sooooo good!

Easy and Delicious!
Be sure to give em a try!!!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Baking: Mom's Banana Bread


Today I'm sharing with you one of my family's favorite recipes: Mom's Banana Bread
There are a few rules you must know about when making this bread.
If you chose to make our recipe, please abide by the family rules. Deal???


Rule 1:  You MUST make this in a bundt pan
(we grew up eating this out of a bundt pan mold and you must do the same)

Rule 2:  You must use very ripe Bananas -it will make all the difference

Rule 3:  All the ingredients must be room temp

Rule 4:  You must use Crisco! Don't try to substitute butter here folks

Rule 5: Buttermilk is what makes it yummy!

(If you don't have buttermilk on hand, get your 2/3 cup of milk out and fill it just shy of the 2/3 mark. Then, add just enough distilled vinegar to get it to the 2/3 mark.  Let sit while you mix the rest of the ingredients and you have instant buttermilk!)

Let's begin...


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 baking powder
2/3 cups soft crisco shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (I used three)
3 eggs (beaten)


( Isn't my mom's handwriting pretty?! She would will kill me for showing her handwriting, but I just love it!)

Directions:
-Mix Dry ingredients & Cut in shortening
-Mix additional ingredients and stir until blended
-Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes

This recipe comes out moist and soft like a cake.
KidMo LOVES it!!!  And, so do all of his cousins!

Enjoy!!
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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Baking: Layered Peanut Butter Bars

I can't believe this is my second blog post about BAKING!

Any of you who know me personally know that I'm all about the sweets. In fact, my mother in law has always said that my pantry smells like chocolate.
(That MAY or may not be a true statement)



Today I'm going to share with you a super yummy recipe from Betty Crocker for Layered Peanut Butter Bars.

If you LOVE the Chocolate and Peanut Butter combination you must try these!


Ingredients / Directions

Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg
Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

Directions
  1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
  2. 2 In large bowl, stir all Cookie Base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan using floured fingers. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  3. 3 In small bowl, beat all Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cookie base.
  4. 4 In microwavable bowl, microwave all Frosting ingredients on High 30 seconds; stir until smooth.  (I made my own frosting for this particular recipe /photo above)
  5. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

Mo Momma TIP- HIDE FROM YOUR KIDS! SOO YUMMY!

REVIEW- 10 out of 10! In fact, we didn't even share these with KidMo! He still has no idea they were even in the house :) THAT is how yummy they are!

What is YOUR favorite treat to make?? 

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