Crescent Layer Bars

I happened to have all these ingredients on hand, so I decided to whip these up as a treat for some of my co-workers.

They all asked for the recipe (which is adapted from Pillsbury).

J: She told me her hubby fell in love with them and demanded that she make these for him. She ended up making two...and they disappeared quickly.

D: Emailed me the next day telling me she ran right out and got all the ingredients. She is a self proclaimed anti-baker. She was cute "OMG you weren't kidding about how easy these are!! I am SO baking up a whole bunch for the next function so I can impress people"!

All I can do is giggle at my friends.

It's so rewarding when you can show someone how easy something delicious can be.

Ingredients:

1 Can Crescent rolls

1 Cup white chocolate chips

1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 Cup Slivered almonds

1 Cup cashew halves and pieces

1 (14 oz) can Sweetened condensed milk

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Grease bottom and sides of 9 x 13 pan

3. Unroll dough and place along bottom of pan. Press over bottom and ½ inch up sides.

4. Bake dough 5 minutes

5. Sprinkle partially baked dough with white chocolate, chocolate chips, almonds, and cashews.

7. Pour condensed milk evenly over top

8. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Cool.

9. Refrigerate 30 minutes until chocolate is set.

Print

Rocky Road Brownies

Hello again my long lost friends and family!

I hope this year has been as good as it could be for each of you- or that you managed to weather any unfortunate moments with those closest to lean on.

'Tis the holiday season for all- and I wish you all an enjoyable one.

Ingredients:

1 (19.9 oz) Box brownie mix

(all ingredients needed per package)

1 Cup Chocolate chunks

1 Cup Almonds (chopped)

1 Cup Butter (softened)

1 (7oz) Jar Marshmallow Fluff

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

½ Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Prepare brownies per package directions

2. Add ½ cup chocolate chunks and ½ cup almonds

3. Cook in a 9 inch pan for 40 minutes

4. Cool

5. Beat 1 cup butter until fluffy

6. Add marshmallow fluff, beat until blended

7. Gradually beat in powdered sugar

8. Spread over cooled brownies

9. Sprinkle with ½ cup chocolate chunks, ½ cup almonds. and ½ cup mini marshmallows

Print

HAD to forget something, but of course!

Grinch Cake

When I saw this recipe on Oh Bite It I knew it had to be made.
I don't care what time of year it is, we all need a gooey green cake in our lives!

We brought this to a friend's house for a party, and it was certainly a conversation starter!

The ripe banana is not a powerful flavor, but it adds so much moistness, especially when dealing with a boxed cake mix.

I did mine in a 9 x 13 (easier to transport), but I think two 9 inch rounds with the frosting between the layers would be pretty cool too.

Ingredients:

1 Box yellow or white cake mix

(additional ingredients required per cake box)

2 Ripe bananas

Green food coloring

Frosting (white or green)

Chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

1. Mix cake batter per box instructions

2. Mash bananas with a fork and add to batter

3. Pour cake mix into desired pan size

4. Drop a few food coloring drops and swirl around batter

5. Bake per box directions for your size pan

6. If using white frosting, dye it green

7. Add 2 Tbsp chocolate sprinkles to the frosting

8. Frost cooled cake with goopy frosting

9. Sprinkle with additional chocolate sprinkles

Print

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Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 Strawberry Cake mix

Ingredients required on box

Cheesecake:

2 (8oz) Pkgs Cream cheese (softened)

⅔ Cup Sugar

Pinch of Salt

2 Large eggs

⅓ Cup sour cream

⅓ Cup Heavy Whipping cream

1 Tsp Vanilla

Frosting:

12 oz Cream cheese (softened)

½ Cup Butter (softened)

2 Tsp Vanilla

¼ Cup Frozen Strawberries (thawed and blended)

1 Tbsp Heavy whipping cream

2-3 Cups Powdered sugar

Directions:

Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 325

2. Place a large roasting pan on the lower third of the oven

3. Set water to boil

4. Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray

5. Wrap heavy duty foil around the bottom and up the outside of the pan

6. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth

7. Mix in sugar and salt

8. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each

9. Mix in sour cream, whipping cream, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

10. Pour batter into prepared pan.

11. Set springform into prepared roasting pan in pre-heated oven

12. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan. About an inch high around the springform.

13. Bake for 45 minutes

14. Cool for an hour

15. Once cooled, place in freezer for 4-5 hours

Cake:
1. Prepare per box directions for 2- 9 inch rounds

Frosting:

1. Combine cream cheese and butter, beat until smooth

2. Add vanilla, strawberry puree, and cream.

3. Mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar

4. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar slowly, until you reach desired consistancy

Assembly:

1. Place one cake layer on a plate

2. Remove cheesecake from freezer, release from pan

3. Top cake layer with cheesecake, trim if needed to match size

4. Place second cake layer on top

5. Frost

Print

*Note* I did the best I could with these last two pictures. It's hard to try to get a phone pic in the middle of a kitchen with 100 people around! Gah!

Adapted from: Recipe Girl

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Lucky Charms Treats

A week ago Sunday, I had the day off.
I went to bed excited to sleep in, and to get some stuff done around the house.

hahahahahahaha
Nature fooled me for sure!

I spent Sunday hanging out in the Emergency Dept with my very first kidney stone.
This was not the awesome Sunday I had planned!

It kinda winded me for sure, I spent the rest of Sunday and all of Monday sleeping. Needless to say, I avoided doing much of anything. Tues-Fri were nuts at work, which made time fly, but I still was not eating much. Saturday I finally flipped the switch. Felt fine like nothing happened, and the appetite is back.
Planning on making some meals and treats this week, thankful to be back to normal!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Butter

2 ½ Cups Mini marshmallows

5 Cups Lucky Charms cereal

Directions:

1. Grease 9x9x2 inch pan

2. Melt butter and marshmallows until smooth

3. Stir in cereal until well coated

4. Press in pan with buttered hands

5. Cool completely, cut into squares

Print

Hershey's Classic Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am a recipe hoarder.
I will try almost anything, but that means saving each and every one I see.

I had made something that included chocolate chips, and this Hershey recipe was on the back of the bag. It's basic chocolate chip cookies...but it's a recipe I didn't have for my blog.

Mission accepted!
(and one more off the top of the recipe mountain!)

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter (softened)

¾ Cup Sugar

¾ Cup Light brown sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

2 Eggs

2 ¼ Cup All purpose flour

1 Tsp Baking soda

½ Tsp Salt

2 Cups (11.5 oz package) milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375

2. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy

3. Add eggs and beat well

4. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt

5. Slowly add dry mixture to butter mixture

6. Stir in chocolate chips

7. Drop by teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet

8. Bake 8-10 minutes

Print

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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

This is not my story. It was shared with me by an old friend who lives in a different state.

He is a photographer by trade, and was covering a dinner service at a local food pantry. Along with this dinner was a raffle where prizes were being given out.

The big prize that day was a bicycle. As the winning number was read, he watched an 11 year old girl's face just light up with joy.
But, she wasn't one of the needy there eating dinner, she was a volunteer.

He was having an internal battle with himself.
He was angry and upset that the volunteers were included in the raffle. He felt injustice that someone who has enough, got something extra as they were surrounded by those who have nothing.

He described her elation as she headed towards the podium as "clutching her golden ticket while walking into the Wonka factory".

Then he realized what was really going on.

This 11 year old child, who indeed was not hurting for the necessities in life, also had her head and heart in the right place.
She walked to the podium and spoke to the announcer.
Next thing that was said was that the original winner had declined the bicycle.

Other people commented that maybe she just didn't like the look, size, or style of the bike. My friend and I have decided we just believe that she is a good soul and did what she felt was right.

So proud of this child that I have never met.
Her parents have done a wonderful job. She is an asset to the world around her.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable oil

3 Eggs

1 ½ Tsp Vanilla extract

1 Tsp Lemon extract

2 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

3 Cups All purpose flour

1 ½ Tsp Baking powder

1 ½ Tsp Salt

1 ½ Cups Milk

Icing:

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

¾ Cup Confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans

3. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract in a large bowl

4. Stir in poppy seeds

5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt

6. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to sugar mixture, mixing well between each addition

7. Divide batter evenly between each pan

8. Bake loaves for 45 minutes

9. Mix icing and drizzle over warm loaves

Print

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Pretzel Marshmallow Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

I love holiday baking!

I sent cookies and treats around to all the neighbors and some friends and family. I have to ship some to certain friends and family too!

I saw this recipe on Baked Bree and knew this had to be made.
Yup, this was made waaaay back at Christmas...and posted now.

Sorry for the delay!

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter (softened)

½ Cup sugar

1 ½ Cup brown sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tsp vanilla

2 ¾ Cup flour

1 ½ Tsp baking powder

1 Tsp baking soda

½ Tsp salt

1 Cup crushed pretzels

1 Cup peanut butter chips

½ Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy

2. Add eggs and vanilla

3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

4. Add pretzel pieces, peanut butter chips, and marshmallows

5. Drop batter onto prepared cookie sheet

6. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Print

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Pecan Dainties

I was grocery shopping one day, and this recipe printed out on my receipt. Cool!

Not pleased to find out that this is a crumbly dough recipe. Crumbly dough is not my BFF. In fact, we are sworn enemies.
I never can seem to get it to work like other people do.
My cheeks are burning in shame.

This recipe says it makes 50 cookies. Are you kidding me? I got about 12 small meatball sized ones out of it.
They taste awesome, but, it's tainted for me because I feel inadequate.

Any tips or hints for me?

Ingredients:

½ Cup butter (softened)

¼ Cup powdered sugar

Extra powdered sugar for dusting

¼ Tsp salt

1 Tsp vanilla

1 Cup all purpose flour

1 Cup finely diced pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla

3. Gradually add in flour and pecans

4. Chill dough 1 hour

5. Roll dough into marble sized balls

6. Cook for 15 minutes until firm but not brown

7. Roll gently in powdered sugar

8. Cool completely

9. Roll in powdered sugar again

Print

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