Just Like Lofthouse Soft Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies stay soft and puffy and do not get hard and crunchy. They are a little like those loft house cookies you get in the store. These cookies are fabulous!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup salted butter
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp almond extract
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• colored granulated sugar for decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C)
2. cream together butter and sugar
3. Stir in the eggs and almond extract
4. Add the flour and baking powder 
5. Stir until the dough forms together
6. Form the dough into small balls about the size of a buckeye
7. Roll the balls in the colored sugar and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart
8. Use the bottom of a cup to gently push each ball down to flatten. Just do this gently and not too far. You still want somewhat of a ball shape to it. They will puff up a bit and get bigger. They will not spread out and flatten

Yields about 40 cookies.  

You can also make cutouts with royal frosting

Check out my royal frosting recipe if you like

Enjoy!!!

Minion Cupcakes!

My Oh My!!

 These Minion cupcakes are so easy. Just make your cupcakes and give them a nice swirl with some buttercream frosting with a large star tip. Cut the twinkies in half and plop them into the frosting. Use black frosting with a writing tip and draw the faces using smarties for the eye part, sticking them on with some frosting. Dot the eye and put a band around the head and your good to go!

Enjoy!!

No Fry Fried Ice Cream Recipe

 This simple no fry fried ice cream recipe will sure to be a hit. This dessert is just like fried ice cream except it's not fried. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large scoop of ice cream
• 1/4 cup Honey Bunches of Oats or other cereal with flakes
• 1 tsp cinnamon
•  honey

Directions:

1. Put the cereal and honey in a plastic baggie and crunch it up with a rolling pin or cup. Whatever you have handy will do.
2. Put the cereal in a bowl, add some honey, and mix together.
3. Scoop out your ice cream into a bowl and pour your cereal  mixture over the ice cream. Make sure it coats the entire ice cream scoop.
4. Put the ice cream into the freezer for about an hour.
5. If desired, add some drizzled honey on top before serving.

Enjoy!!!

Bean and Corn Salsa With Vinegar and Sugar

 This recipe has a very unique and perfect flavor that I myself cannot get enough of. I can eat this stuff all day. I love my food sweet and this dip is the perfect combination of sweet and veggie. 

Ingredients:

•  1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can kidney beans
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/8 cup sugar, more or less to your liking
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1.  Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl
2. Add the sugar, vinegar, and olive oil and stir
3. Refrigerate for at least an hour or two to let the flavors blend together.
4. Serve with tortilla chips

Enjoy!!!

Chewy Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Are you in search of a chocolate chip cookie recipe where the cookies stay soft and chewy? If so, you are in the right place. My family, friends, and I love chewy gooey cookies. This recipe is just that.

Ingredients: 

•  2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 package vanilla pudding mix (instant 3.4 oz pkg)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

* you can also add M&M's or other types of candy chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, that's (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda and set it aside.
2.  In a separate bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, and butter. 
3. Add the instant pudding mix until blended
4. Stir in the eggs and vanilla
5. Add this mixture to the flour mixture that was set aside
6. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts or candies if any.
7. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should just be turning golden brown.
9. Let sit for about 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven.

*This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies

Enjoy!!!

Frosting recipe using real strawberries

 

 This is the ultimate Strawberry buttercream frosting!!

My family and customers both agree that this is the best strawberry frosting they have ever had. The strawberry flavor is amazing while the frosting itself is oh so creamy and delightful!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2-2 cups fresh cut up strawberries
• 2 sticks real butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, divided

 
Directions:

1. Blend the strawberries in a blender or bullet until smooth like puree
2. Pour strawberry puree to a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. 
3. Stir often while boiling until strawberries are reduced to about half, 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and cool completely.
5.  Beat the butter until light and fluffy
6.  Beat 1 cup confectioners sugar into butter till blended
7. Beat 2 Tbsp strawberry puree and 1 tsp vanilla into butter till blended
8.  Repeat by adding 1 cup confectioners sugar with another 2 Tbsp strawberry puree two more times.
9. Beat the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners sugar till blended.

 Enjoy!!!

 

OMG Croissants

 These crescent rolls are completely amazing! They are the perfect consistency and so unbelievably mouthwatering. This recipe yields about 15 rolls. 

Ingredients:

Yeast- 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tsp sugar, 1 heaping tsp dry yeast

3/4 cup scalded milk, cooled until warm

1 egg beaten with fork

1 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

5 tbsp butter softened

Egg Wash:

1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp warm water

Directions:

Combine warm water and sugar for the yeast mixture. Add the yeast but do not stir. The yeast will activate itself. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients. It will look frothy when done. about 10 minutes. 

Scald the milk. To scald milk, heat on medium high heat until bubbles form around the edges and a very thin layer forms on the bottom of the pan. Be careful, milk can easily burn!

Combine the beaten egg, milk, butter, sugar, and the salt in a large bowl. Add the flour and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast. Fold the mixture from the edges to the middle until soft dough forms. You may need a little extra flour if it gets too sticky.

Place dough ball into a greased bowl and let it sit, covered over a bowl of hot water. I put a cereal bowl upside down into the bowl of water for my bowl of dough to sit on so the bottom doesn't touch the hot water. The steam is great for the yeast to rise. Let sit for about 30-40 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle that is about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the softened butter all over the dough leaving about an inch around the sides.

Fold one half of the rectangle towards the center and fold the other half over as well on top of the first layer so you have three dough layers. Fold in half once more and cover. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Roll out dough again to a long rectangle and fold dough again into thirds like a book. You may need extra sprinkles of flour on the buttery spots that stick to your rolling pin. Let sit another 10-15 minutes.

Roll dough out to a 1/8 inch thickness rectangle and cut triangles. Using a pizza cutter is great for this. (cut one straight line slanted then one straight down over and over).

Roll each triangle up starting with the wide end and tuck the “tail” underneath the roll. Place the rolls on a lined baking sheet. Cover with a paper towel and let rise until they are double in size or you are satisfied with the size. This takes anywhere from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees when they are almost done rising.
Combine egg yolk and warm water and brush on each roll.
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve these plain or with chocolate, honey, cinnamon sugar, or anything that sounds wonderful to you.
You can even add filling before baking example- Chocolate ganache, cinnamon sugar, cherries, veggies, meat, hot dogs. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!!

Overnight oatmeal

This oatmeal is used with old fashioned rolled oats and is served cold.

At first I didn't think cold oatmeal sounded very good until I tried it for myself.

It almost is like a sweet treat for breakfast. Here are the super easy directions.

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (you can use any type of liquid you wish)

raspberries or any fruits you like (as much as you need)

honey (as much as you need)

cinnamon (as much as you like)

1-3 tsp of brown sugar

This recipe is versatile. You can use any flavoring ingredients that you like.

Directions:

Add equal parts oats and liquid in a mason jar or any container with a lid

Add fruits

Add honey, cinnamon, and brown sugar

Mix together and let sit in refrigerator overnight

In the morning, stir and enjoy! 

 

This can be made 3-4 hours in advance as well for an afternoon snack.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

 Ingredients:

8 Tbsp butter unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup any flavor chocolate chips-more or less to your liking

2-3 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

In a large bowl cream together butter, brown sugar, and vanilla

Add flour and salt-mixture will be crumbly

Add milk until mixture is as creamy as you like

Add chocolate chips

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. May also be frozen.

Sofia The First Cake

 Featured cake

This cake was made with butter cream frosting for the bottom and fondant on the top.

The fondant is made to look like Sofia's dress and has candy pearls around the bottom.

Sofia and her friends were purchased from the Disney Store along with her crown.

From scratch apple pie turnovers-great for a seasonal classroom snack

For this recipe, I used my grandmother's crust recipe which is completely amazing. Usually I make this as a pie in a glass pie plate which makes a top and bottom crust. Everyone who eats this begs for more which is why I always make two pies. This time, I only had two apples and my family was begging me to make apple pie. So I went ahead and made these instead, which taste just like the apple pie just in your own serving. The kids loved them as they make a great fall snack in the classroom. This recipe makes 8 5x3 inch personal pies. Best of all, this recipe only has 7 ingredients!

Ingredients:

For crust-

2 Cups sifted flour

2 tsp salt

5 1/2 heaping tbsp Crisco

1/3 cup warm water

milk (optional)

For filling-

2 large gala apples

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp flour

For a whole pie, just use 8-10 apples for the filling.

Directions for dough:

1. sift flour and salt together 
2. take 1/3 cup flour mix out into a small bowl and set aside
3.  add 5 1/2 heaping tbsp Crisco to the flour mix and mix with hands until pea size balls form
4. add 1/3 cup warm water to the 1/3 cup you set aside. Mix till paste like and add to main mix
5. mix with hands until a soft ball of dough forms
6. cover bowl with damp paper towel

 Directions for apple filling:

1.  in a bowl add sugar, cinnamon, and flour and mix together
2. peel the apples and cut into small chunks
3. add the apples to sugar/cinnamon mixture and mix together 

Directions:

1. line a cookie sheet with foil and turn the oven on 350 degrees
2. take a chunk of dough off the ball and roll it out 
3. scoop some apple filling into the middle
4. fold the side over to the other side of the dough and pinch all around so juices don't escape
5. with a knife, slice vent holes on the top so the steam can escape
6. put the turnovers onto the foil lined sheet and dab milk onto them and sprinkle with cinnamon
7. bake them at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes 

 

 This recipe can also make a pie, just use 6-8 gala apples

 

Chocolate strawberry carrots in dirt

My daughter just had snack day at her school and she wanted chocolate covered strawberry carrots in dirt pudding. She has a ultimate love for strawberries and chocolate. She also loves cookies and pudding so I thought this was a cute way to highlight her love of these foods. I just bought some white chocolate and dyed it orange with frosting gel and dipped my rinsed and dried strawberries in it. Then I drizzled the same chocolate out of a zip lock bag with the corner snipped. I whipped up the chocolate pudding and crushed the cookies. Putting them together was fun. My daughter had a lot of fun carefully placing the strawberries in each cup of "dirt". She went to school telling all her friends and teacher that she made them!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

This is the creamiest and most flavorful fudge I have ever made. I cant keep one batch for more than a day. Its so easy to make and it takes about 10 minutes plus set time. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar, I like to use natural golden cane sugar which is amazing for baking

1/2 cup milk, I use whole milk

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup peanut butter, I use Jiffy creamy

Directions:

1.  Bring sugar and milk to a boil, stirring continuously 
2.  Boil 2 1/2 minutes. I set the timer. It has to be exact.
3. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla
4. Pour into container or pan and cover.
5. Wait till set or eat it hot and creamy. It always tastes better when cooled and set. 

 Enjoy!

 
 

 

Paris Cake

 

This is the Paris themed cake with ribbon and charms. 

 Ribbon and charms with black butter cream icing pearls and white candy pearls

Eiffel tower with butterflies from Etsy

Enjoy!

How to peel a banana

I always used to peel my banana stem up. It usually got mushy at the top which was very displeasing. One day, I was playing with my kids and we decided to peel the banana upside down. Fortunately, it worked very well and now this is how we open our bananas. 

All you do is pinch the bottom of the banana and it opens freely and there is no mushy outcome. 

Enjoy!!!

Homemade blueberry muffin recipe

 

 These are the tastiest blueberry muffins I've ever eaten. It is my go to recipe. The blueberries are sweet and gooey while the muffin is moist with a slight crunch topping. Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 cups fresh blueberries

Topping:

2/3 cups brown sugar

 1/4 cup flour

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp very soft butter 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
2. Combine 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. 
3. Place canola oil into a separate bowl; add the eggs and buttermilk. Mix this with flour mixture very gently. Too much stirring will ruin the batter.
4. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Crumb Topping:
Mix together 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp very soft butter.
Mix with fork until coarse texture and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
This mixture will not sink into your muffins.

My daughter likes them with very little topping but you can add as much as you like.

Enjoy!

2 ingredient cookies

These 2 ingredient cookies are made from bananas and oats. If you like mix-ins, the possibilities are endless. Chocolate chips, cranberries, nuts, butterscotch, raisins are all good options for mix-ins. These make a great breakfast.

 

Ingredients:

4 ripe medium sized ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups uncooked quick oats

optional: mix-ins such as chocolate chips

 

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray
3. combine mashed bananas and oats in a bowl
4. add any mix-ins you desire
5. place by tablespoons on the cookie sheet
6. bake for 14 minutes

Makes 32 cookies



Watemelon Slush Recipe

 

I have a daughter who loves to eat. I am always trying to find healthy eats and treats for her. There is a restaurant called Jeffers that serves up the most amazing watermelon slushes and my daughters both get one every time we go. Here is the recipe so you can make it at home. It only takes a few minutes to have this healthy oh so cool slush on a hot day.

Ingredients:
*5 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
*1 cup ice
*2 Tablespoons sugar

Directions:
Blend all three ingredients until smooth
Serve immediately
Makes 4 servings

Enjoy!

 

 



 

How to cut a watermelon into sticks

Since summer is approaching fast, I want to show you my favorite way to easily cut a watermelon. This is a great way if you have kids. The pieces are perfect for their little fingers and its a lot less messy than traditional wedges. These look very nice arranged on a platter or just left for the guests to pull out. It's a super fun way to eat watermelon and I can show you how.

 

 

First, cut the watermelon in half.

Second, put one side down and cut even slices

Third, turn the watermelon and cut even slices across in the other direction to make squares

Lastly, arrange them on a nice platter or let guests take them out themselves. Kids really love to pull the pieces out.

 

Enjoy!



Sandcastle Beach Cake

Recently we made a sandcastle beach cake for the graduating class. I've never worked with gel before so I was a little apprehensive as to how it would turn out. This is how we did it. 

I started out with two layers of sheet cake. I put them together with frosting in the middle. I crumb coated it with white frosting. For the sand, I used the ninja and blended up graham cracker crumbs. I made the castle with a castle shaped pan with regular yellow cake. I sat the castle on the cake and then put the crumbs where I wanted them. I spread more frosting on the area with the water and made a sweeping effect with my spatula to make the wave effect. Then I laid the gel on top of the frosting I just spread. I left a little white frosting showing at the shore of the cake to make it look like sea foaming waves rolling up to shore. For the wet looking sand at the shore, I added some cinnamon and brown sugar to the graham cracker crumbs. I just kept mixing in until I liked the color. It tasted amazing by the way. My mother in law was a great help in making this cake as well as taking a few hours to mold and paint the fondant shells.

One issue we had was that the gel cracked and looked a lot different as we had no choice but to put it in the fridge as we had to make it early. Even though it cracked, it still looked like water. If we had used the gel for anything else, it would have turned out bad. Even with the little mishap, everyone loved it and devoured the entire thing! 

Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies

These cookies are great for a girly unicorn birthday party or any other colorful event! Your guests will be begging for more.

Ingredients

1bag (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix, mixed per package directions

gel food coloring, as desired

Rainbow sprinkles, if desired

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• For rainbow pinwheels, divide dough evenly into five bowls, and color each with a different color food coloring. I use the gel colors.
• Roll each color dough into 14 grape-sized balls.
• Combine a ball of each color and quickly roll into a larger ball. It will look like a little beachball.
• Then roll that ball between your hands and the counter or cutting board until you have a cylinder about 6 inches long, like a snake.
• Starting from one end of the cylinder, roll the dough into a coil, twisting the cylinder as you go.
• Roll edges of the cookie in sprinkles.
• Repeat with remaining cookies.
• Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or until done (with a touch of golden brown on the edges).

 

 
 

 

Common baking ingredient substitutions

What if I don't have it and the stores are closed?!

 This is what you do:

 1 cup of brown sugar = 1/4 cup molasses & 1 cup white sugar

 

  1 cup or 2 sticks of butter = 1/2 tsp salt & 7/8 cup vegetable oil

 

1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup yogurt

 

1 cup self rising flour = 1 1/2 tsp baking powder & 7/8 cup all purpose flour

 

1 tsp cream of tartar = 2 tsp lemon juice

 

1 cup evaporated milk = 1 cup cream

 

1 cup corn syrup = 1/3 cup water & 1 1/4 cup white sugar

 

1 tsp lime juice = 1 tsp vinegar

 

1 cup molasses = 3/4 cup brown sugar & 1 tsp cream of tartar

 

1 cup yogurt = 1 cup sour cream

 1 cup heavy cream = 1/3 cup butter & 1/3 cup milk