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I'm seeing a pattern here with my recipes. I seem to gravitate towards the sweets, the baked goods. Maybe this will constitute the majority of my blog, but I really will try to include dinner-type stuff. Someday. I promise. In the meantime....
I had to make cupcakes for cub scouts, and I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Baking Classics cookbook. I picked it up from Costco, and I'm glad I did. These cupcakes were YUMMY. More substantial than just cupcakes from a cake mix--although, ironically, you start with a cakemix. If I'm going to bite into a cupcake, I want it to be more than just air. These deliver. I will definitely be making these again!
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (makes about 2 dozen)
1 package (18-1/4 oz) yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wireracks to cool completely. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional chips, if desired.
note: my oven tends to run hot, so I baked mine at 350 for 17 minutes. You don't want to overbake them!
Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
about 1 tsp vanilla
milk
Beat the above ingredients and slowly pour milk until the frosting starts to stick to itself. I like thick frosting so I don't put in very much milk, and I never measure it!
I got this recipe from a neighbor who brought these bars to a cub scout pack meeting. It took me several months to finally get the recipe, but I'm glad I was persistent--they are worth it!
Pecan Pie Bars
2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
6 oz. toffee chips
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend flour, powdered sugar and butter together with a pastry blender until coarse. Press mixture into a greased 9x13 pan to form a crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Beat condensed milk, egg and vanilla until mixed. Add toffee chips and pecans. Stir until mixed. Pour over hot crust and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into squares.
I know everyone on the earth probably has this easy recipe for homemade oreos, but this is what I made today, so I'm going to share! The "normal" way to make these cookies is with a chocolate cake mix, but since my daughter is not a fan of chocolate, I thought I'd give a yellow cake mix a try. And they are delicious! They are so easy I can even make them with cub scouts and not get too stressed out! I think I'm going to try a chocolate cake mix with mint frosting for family night this weekend. Or chocolate cake mix with peanut butter frosting. Or spice cake mix with cream cheese frosting. Really, the possibilities are endless!
Homemade Oreos
1 cake mix (any flavor!)
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
Mix together. Form into small balls, place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. Let cool. Use your favorite frosting for the middle! (note: when I take them out of the oven, I kind of "drop" my cookie sheet onto the counter to flatten the cookies more so they aren't too puffy)
To me, Valentines Day is synonymous with sugar cookies. I came across this recipe the other day, and I think it is now my favorite! It was featured on Studio 5, a local news program. I love these cookies because they are soft and cakey, not chewy or crunchy. You know the pink frosting cookies you see in vending machines or at the grocery store? These remind me of them, but better, of course, because they are homemade and have none of those gross preservatives in them! The sour cream makes all the difference! Try them, you'll love them!
Best Ever Sugar Cookies
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Beat together butter and sugar. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla; beat well. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Dip cookie cutters in flour then cut dough into desired shapes. Place cookies 1-inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes (cookie will be a very light tan on bottom - tops will still be pale). Remove to wire cooling rack. Frost when cooled.
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
4-6 Tbsp. cream or milk
gel or paste food coloring (optional)
Beat together butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and 1/4 cup cream or milk. Add additional cream, 1-2 teaspoons at a time and continue to beat until frosting is smooth, creamy and is desired spreading consistency. Beat in food color, one drop at a time, as desired
We can't eat our favorite spaghetti without our favorite breadsticks. These are really easy to make and my kids can't get enough of them!
Breadsticks
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
3+ cups flour
½ cup butter
garlic salt
parmesan cheese
In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water, add sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Add salt and 3 cups flour. Knead 3 minutes while adding more flour to get a workable consistency. Melt butter, and pour half into 9x13 pan. Roll or shape dough into a rectangle, and cut into ½ inch slices. Place in pan and brush with the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese. Let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
note: I like the results much better when I make these in my bread mixer instead of kneading by hand. I also use a pizza cutter to cut the strips right on my countertop. Before I had granite countertops, I just shaped them on a large cutting board.
There is nothing super exciting about my spaghetti sauce, but it is the one thing I can cook that my KIDS are super excited about. I have fiddled around with the proportions of the spices, and I think I have found the perfect recipe for my family. Of course, you can adjust the spices to your liking. I like to double the batch and divide it into dinner-sized portions and store it in my freezer. It makes for a really easy dinner that my family LOVES!
Favorite Spagetti Sauce
(makes about 6 1/2 cups)
1 lb. ground beef
2 15oz. cans tomato sauce
1 15oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp. onion powder
½ Tbsp. oregano
½ Tbsp. garlic salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vinegar
Brown ground beef and drain grease. (I rinse mine out in a colander under hot water). Add rest of ingredients and simmer 30-60 minutes on stove. Adjust seasonings according to taste. Serve with cooked spaghetti noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
