Late Christmas Shortbreads

Any simple shortbread recipe + Kids = memories
We did ours late this year, due to baking orders for Bailey's field trip fundraiser.
And an attempt to make a little more cash doing something we're good at.

Check out our efforts on facebook

Adventures in Baking

This week we have had some Baking Adventure.
I wanted to make sure Bailey's cakes were AwesomeSauce.
Also this would be a trial run for my oldest daughter's
birthday in September.

We found an excellent pound cake recipe
It came from a lady's recipe box from
her mother's mother from England.
works great in a layer cake, & in cuppys.



This recipe makes 2 8" - 9" rounds
or 24 cupcakes.

6 oz Butter (soft)
13 oz Sugar (granulated)
Beat together for 5 minutes (Medium speed)
4 eggs (Lg.) room temp add 1 at a time
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Beat on Low speed 3 minutes (scrape bowl 3 times)
9 oz flour (All Purpose, Sifted)
3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Sift flour into bowl & wisk in B.P. & Salt
1/2 C. Sour Cream
1/2 C. Whole Milk
Add flour alternately with milk & Sour Cream (Low Speed)
1/3 flour, milk, 1/3 flour, sour cream, 1/3 flour

Mix on med for 2 minutes
Bake at 350 degrees F until done
Start checking at 15 minutes until, no crumbs come out on toothpick
& top in light golden brown.

For cupcakes we filled 3/4 full and had to remove tops.
(for uniform tops for decorating, we simply laid a bread knife on the pan edge &
sliced thru & across. Common practice when cuppy grow too far out of tin cups.)
We also will only fill 1/2 full next time to see results.



We started checking cakes at 12 minutes &
added time in 5 min intervals till done.
Different ovens cook differently.

We removed from pans & cooled completely before
decorating.

I must add that I mix all my cakes with a paddle attachment in the
Large capacity Ninja Food System Blender, it works great

TIP:
all ingredients should be room temperature
for best results. (Old Tyme Baking Tip from my Nanny)

Finished Cupcakes


Finished Cake


Marshmallow Fondant coming up next.
I will share the decorating products used in this
particular cake.

Have a great day
If you try this recipe please share in the comments
your experience, or maybe a photo at our twitter.com/HerbGir1972
~V

Homemade Valentines

I had come across a very cool box of chocolates as I was scrolling through my Twitter Feed about a month ago. I was inspired to make my daughters Valentines treats this year.

I found The seller ConceptsInCandy on eBay

I'll be making the Easter & Christmas candies as well this year :)

Here is a picture of my inspiration with my own creation side by side
Do The Math



My cost was:
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips 1 bag
3 molds $2.50 each
2 decorative boxes about $1.00 each X2
about 1 hour of time

My candies are delicious dark chocolate
The hearts are filled with Nutella
The Skull is Marshmallow filled
There are solid bones & love shrooms
And 1 large chocolate covered marshmallow.

I planned to color some white chocolate but my girls were home on a
snow day, I got these finished because if the ice storm coming tonight
is bad I'll have no power to work with it tomorrow or maybe into The next day.

Simplicity is the answer th making it a better world.



Have A Happy Valentines Day 2014 ~V

Grasshopper Cookies ~Recipe 3Fer

I have two favorite recipes that I was inspired to experiment with this Holiday Season
I have our tried and true everybody loves em Butter Mints & delicious and versatile Homemade Chocolate Wafer Cookies.

So I put them together, kind of a "your peanut butter's in my chocolate" kind of thing :)

The outcome is a Homemade Grasshopper Cookie
You marry these two recipes as pictured
I suggest making both parts ahead of time and letting the kids put them together while you finish another cooking project.

(Make Cookies First) and cool.

Flatten out enough butter mint, for the number of cookies you are making, to the right size. Let them set a while so they can harden a little bit.

Melt a little dark chocolate chips to stick them together on both sides.

For the vibrant Grasshopper Green color in the mints, use green color then add yellow.
It just brightens things up a little like a few drops of Sunshine :)


Here are the two base recipes to get you started

Homemade Chocolate Wafer Cookies

These are good alone, with coffee, and crushed to make cheesecake crusts

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (6.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2.4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder (see Note)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Cut the butter into about 12 chunks and add them to the bowl. Pulse several times. Combine the milk and vanilla in a small cup. With the processor running, add the milk mixture and continue to process until the mixture clumps around the blade or the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a large bowl or a cutting board and knead a few times to make sure it is evenly blended.
Form the dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in wax paper or foil and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour, or until needed.
Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the log of dough into slices a scant 1/4-inch thick (I went thinner, closer to 1/8 of inch. If you’re trying to emulate the store-bought wafers, slice as thin as you can, and watch the baking time carefully, as it might be less.) and place them one inch apart on the lined sheets (cookies will spread). Bake, rotating the baking sheet from top to bottom and back to front about halfway through baking, for a total of 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies will puff up and deflate; they are done about 1 1/2 minutes after they deflate.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on racks, or slide the parchment onto racks to cool completely. These cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks or be frozen for up to two months.

Makes 50 to 60 1 3/4-inch wafers. However, I cut my thinner than suggested and yielded more.

Note: These cookies should crisp as they cool. If they don’t, you’re not baking them long enough, in which case, return them to the oven to reheat and bake a little longer, then cool again.


Now for an old tyme favorite in my family

Butter Mints

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp. salt
5 drops of peppermint
2 Tbsp white corn syrup
1 box 10 X confectioners sugar
coloring of choice

Directions:
Cream Butter, Syrup, & Salt. Mix well.
Add Sugar & mix well (mixture will look crumby like sand)
Add peppermint & color last & mix well. It will still look crumby but be coming together a little)
When everything is well distributed it is best to knead a little with your hand. The heat from your hand will make the candy smooth in texture and color.
Roll a small daub in palm & press down with thumb. (or roll into small diameter logs roll in waxed paper and refrigerate) Then cut into individual candies.
Makes lots of Holiday Candy

This is one of our Winter holiday favorites with adults and children alike. It is also much fun to do with kids.

Coming up is Old Fashioned Tea Cake Cookies.

Christmas Crack ~ Crazy Good Candy

Christmas Crack

Ingredients
1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sug
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped nuts - depending on how many you like

Directions
Put sleeve of saltines in a single layer on parchment paper on a large rimmed cookie sheet.
Melt the butter and brown sugar in medium saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes, stir constantly.
Pour hot mixture over crackers and spread evenly. Bake 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. When they start to melt, spread evenly over crackers.
Sprinkle chopped nuts on top before cooled.
Refrigerate 1 hour, then break into pieces and serve.
I use a 17.5" x 12" rimmed pan.
And you can also mix butterscotch chips with the chocolate and it is really good too! Enjoy!!

We had to use Toasted Salted Pecans this year and it's AWESOME

Tastes ALOT like a SKOR CANDY BAR

Homemade Fig Newtons

First we oven dried our figs, took a long time.
We will from now on use a dehydrator.



I think we are going to try some other flavors as the fall season is upon us and a new fresh produce season is upon us, maybe pumpkin newtons, apple newtons, pear newtons, date newtons...Somebody Stop me...LOL

For the Dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 stick (or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs honey, or corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 egg yolks
1 ounce orange juice

For the Filling
1/2 cup dried figs, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tbs honey or corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Making the Dough
Your dough will need to chill for at least 4 hours before you begin, so make sure to do it ahead of time!

~Cream together the butter and sugar. Add honey (or corn syrup), baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, and orange zest and continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add in your sifted flour all at once and mix it in slowly. Drizzle in the orange juice and continue mixing until just combined. The dough should be very soft and wet.

~Prepare a large sheet of plastic wrap and use a rubber spatula to transfer the dough from the bowl to the center of the plastic. Fold the plastic over the dough and flatten into a disc. Wrap with remaining plastic and refrigerate for four hours or overnight

Preparing the Filling
~Combine the figs, applesauce, honey (or corn syrup), and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Scrape the bowl down and pulse again to ensure no chunks remain. Transfer the fig paste to a bowl and set aside.

Baking and Shaping the Cookies
If you don’t care about the shape of your fig newtons, you can play around with other looks and appearances too! Just keep your cookie dough about 1/4th an inch thick and it should still bake up the same way.

~Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

~On a well-floured surface, roll out your chilled dough to about 1/4th an inch thickness. Make sure the dough is floured enough not to stick to any surfaces. Cut your dough into several 3 1/2 inch wide strips. It’s easier to work with strips no longer than 6 inches long, so you might want to cut them down a size.

~Spoon your filling down the center of each strip and spread it so that it’s about 1 inch across and 1/4th an inch thick. Fold the dough edges over the middle line of filling. The edges should overlap a little bit. Flip the cookie over so that the seam side is down. Transfer your newtons to a prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and browned all around. If they are still moist to the touch, continue baking for a few minutes.

~Once your cookies are done, cut each of your bars into 1 inch pieces. Layer them into a plastic ziplock bag or seal-able Tupperware container. If you’re stacking cookies, place a sheet of parchment paper in between each layer. Stored at room temperature, they should stay moist and tasty for about 2 weeks!


This is not my own recipe but one I found on the internet at
http://www.yummly.com/blog/2012/11/how-to-make-fig-newtons-from-scratch/

Mystery Nut No Bake Cookies

Mystery Nut No Bake Cookies
Makes about 24 1" Balls



1/2c coconut oil
2 tbsp peanut butter
4 tbsp corn syrup
1 1/3 c plain rolled oats
1 square ramen noodles, very well broken down.
2oz. Garden of Life Raw Protein powder Chocolate

Mix together coconut oil, peanut butter & corn syrup until well blended and smooth.
Add Raw Protein Powder, and stir until all is blended in.
Add Oatmeal and Ramen noodles, stir until everything is covered. Everything should be off the walls of the mixing bowl as well. (No Waste)
Scoop out into 1 tsp or 1" balls and place on waxed paper on cookie sheet.
Set in the refrigerator about 30 minutes.
The coconut oil will set making your cookies beautifully opaque.

I served these to a couple neighbors, who loved them but were totally confused about what kind of nut I had used. (The Crunch is from the Ramen)

Watch for more recipes as I tweak some flavors in similar no bake recipes. These are quite vegan, and uses no electricity so you're in the Green ;)

We're exchanging the regular peanut butter for cashew butter next time, adding chopped pistachios, and chopped dries cherries. Watch for them...I may back down to 3 tbsp. sweetener as well. What to call themmmm....

Feeling A Little Blue ~ 2 Blueberry Recipies

Here are two awesome Seasonal Recipies
Nothing beats fresh fruit



Blueberry Yum Yum



Crust:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 stick margarine
• 1 cup chopped nuts
Filling:
• 8 ounce cream cheese,softened
• 8 ounces whipped topping
• 1 cup sugar
Topping:
• 2 cups fresh SC blueberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, mix with water


Mix ingredients for crust.

Press into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 350F. for 20 minutes. Let cool.

Mix cream cheese and sugar for filling.

Add whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.

Cook berries, sugar and water approximately 15 minutes.

Add cornstarch and cook until blueberries thicken.

Cool mixture. Spread on top of cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate.I find this dessert is best when left to sit for at least 6 hours before serving.

Updated with Step by Step Pictures July 4th, 2013 1:05a.m. est ~Victoria






BERRY BLONDIES

16 blondies at 38 cents each

6 oz good quality or premium white chocolate, chopped
5 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 eggs
2/3 C sugar
1 teas vanilla extract
1 1/3 C all purpose flour
1 teas baking powder
½ teas salt
1 C fresh raspberries
1 C fresh blueberries


Position rack in middle of oven. Heat to 325. Line 9x9x2 inch square
baking pan with foil; grease

In metal bowl, set over saucepan of barely simmering water, melt white
chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Let cool to room temp

In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla on medium speed until
thickened and pale, about 3 mins. On low, gradually beat in chocolate mixture.
Into a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt. Beat into chocolate
mixture until combined. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle with
berries.

Bake in middle of 325 oven until top is very lightly browned but center
still soft when lightly pressed, 45 to 50 mins. Let cool completely in
pan on rack. Blondies are easiest to cut if chilled, but serve at room
temp for best flavor