Check out my latest baking video! 

Video coming soon to my youtube channel

Tday is our 1st 85 degree weather day in a looooong time, so what do I do?  Bake of course.  Nothing like heating up the oven on a day like today.  Charlie didn’t even try to “help”.  He just layer in front of an ac vent.  I made Lofthouse sugar cookie bars. A homemade version of the brand of cookies you see in grocery stores.  They are for a friend from work who”s birthday is coming up.  And he loves sugar cookies, so voila!  Sugar cookie vars!

Cookie bar ingredients – 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature), 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature, 1 1/2  cups sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 egg, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/3 tsp baking soda.

Directions – preheat oven to 350.  cream butter and cream cheese.  Mix in sugar.  Add egg and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients.  Spread in 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with baking spray.  Bake 20 minutes (there will be lightly golden spots on top).  Cool completely.

Frosting ingredients – 3/4 cup butter (softened to room temperaturel, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 3-4 tbs heavy cream or milk.

Combine butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla and cream/milk.  Beat to desired consistency.

Baking with my mom when I was younger is one of my greatest memories.  (We actally continue the tradition by making a million cookies the day before Christmas each year ).  My mom is incredibly strong, smart, kind, and generous.  She has been the rock for our family for a very long time, and I am indebted to her for that.  So in her honor, a sweet treat on this mother’s day,  for all the sweetness she has provided to so many over the years. 

(Mom with her grandson and my nephew, Jackson)

White chocolate brownies – 1 bag of white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup butter, 3 eggs,  1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt.

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt white chocolate and butter.  Remove from heat.  Add sugar and vanilla.  Mix in eggs.  Stir in flour and salt.   Spray pan with baking spray.  Bake 25 -30 minutes in an 8×8 square pan or 15 -20 minutes in a 9×13 pan.  (Will be lightly golden on top).  Let cool.

Funfetti filling – 3/4 cup butter (softened), 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 funfetti cake mix, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream. 

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.  Blend in heavy cream.  You can slowly add more to get consistency you want.  Spread over cooked brownies.

Topping – whatever flavor chocolate you want, 1 tbs oil

melt chocolate and oil in 45 second increments in microwave until you can stir it smooth.  Place on top of funfetti layer.  Store in covered container.  

This dessert is super easy to make and would be a big hit for Mother’s Day on Sunday.  I was a little unsure how my homemade carmel would come out, but it was simple (3 ingredients) and only took a few minutes, then ganache on top.

Crust ingredients – 1 regular bag of oreos, 8 tbs butter (melted)

Finely grind oreos in food processor (or place them in a bag and smash them a rolling pin).  Combine with butter.  Press into bottom and up sides is standard size pie plate.  Place on freezer 10 minutes.

Filling ingredients  – 2/3 cup brown sugar, 8 tbs butter, 1/4 cup heavy cream

Cook and stir brown sugar and butter over medium.heat until it boils.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cream.  Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes. Pour into crust. Place in freezer 30 minutes.

Ganache ingredients- 1 bag of chocolate chips (semisweet, milk or dark chocolate) 1 cup heavy cream.

In microwave proof bowl, heat cream for 90 seconds.  (Should be pretty hot).  Add chips.  Let stand 5 minutes. Stir smooth.  Pour on top of carmel layer.  Place in freezer 30 minutes.  Enjoy!   Store covered  in fridge.

I think the early morning people at ESPN Radio will appreciate this tomorrow morning.  Plenty of sugar to wake them up or keep them awake!   Brownie cake (I used the Nestle double chocolate brownie recipe, with a tweak or two) , sweet funfetti filling and chocolatell ganache on top (and let’s face it.. Chocolate ganache is just a fancy name for melted chocolate :))

Brownies (you can also use your favorite recipe or make 2 boxed brownie mixes as directed)

Ingredients – 3 cups chocolate chips, 3/4 cup butter, 4 1/2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups + 2 tbs flour, 1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda.

Directions – preheat oven to 350.  melt chips and butter for  45 seconds to 1 minute in microwave.  Stir smooth.  Blend in sugar.  Mix eggs in well.  Add vanilla.  Fold in flour and baking soda.  Grease 2 –  8 inch square or 2 standard round cake pans.  Divide dough equally in the two pans.  Bake 20 -30 minutes (toothpick inserted in center basically comes out clean).  Cool.

Place 1 brownie layer on plate

Filling ingredients – 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 – 15.25 oz funfetti cake mix (or another flavor if you want), 1/2 cup + 3 tbs flour,  3-6 tbs milk or heavy cream

Directions – melt butter.  Mix in sugar.  Stir in vanilla.   Add cake mix and flour.  Blend in milk (may need more to thin it out, if you prefer).  

Spread half in top of  brownie layer on plate.

Top with 2nd brownie layer.

Ganache – 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Hesat cream and chips 1 minute in microwave. Stir smooth. Add powdered sugar.  Pour on top brownie layer

check out my latest baking video on youtube – Monster Cookies stuffed with Reese’s eggs

I wanted a recipe to stuff all my leftover Reese’s eggs with.  I have already done chocolate chip stuffed cookies, so I wanted something different. (God forbid I make the same thing twice) I came across this Monster cookies recipe, so I used it.  My husband ate one and said “these are great.  They don’t look like much, but they’re tremendous! ” 

This is also the subject of my next baking video, coming soon to youtube!

Ingredients – 3/4 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup peanut butter,  1 1/2 cups brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cups), 1 1/2 eggs, 3 tsp vanilla, 1 cup + 2 tbs flour, 1 1/3 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking powder, 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt,      2 1/4 cups oats  (quick or instant), 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, Reese’s eggs

Directions – cream butter, brown sugar and peanut butter.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Fold in oats and chips.  Form 1 tbs on top and another tbs on bottom of Reese’s egg  to cover.  Chill 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with nonstick  baking liners or silpat.  Stagger 8 cookies on each sheet.  Bake 12-18 minutes.  Cool and store in covered container.

Today’ s treat is a recipe from our friends at Betty Crocker.  Everyone loves smores and this is an easy way to get that fix without the campfire.  You could probably substitute a different cookie mix, like peanut butter, chocolate chip cookie or chocolate cookie, instead of the sugar cookie mix,  if you want. 

To crush the gram crackers, you can use a food processor or rolling pin.  I left mine in the sleeve and smashed them with my rolling pin.  I enjoyed that immensely. 🙂

Ingredients  – 1 sugar cookie mix, 3/4 cup butter (softened), 1 sleeve of graham crackers (crushed finely), 1 egg, mini milk chocolate bars 

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray standard size muffin cups with baking spray.  Combine sugar cookie mix, egg, butter and graham ctacker crumbs.   Scoop 2 tbs into each muffin ton, pressing down slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately top each cup with a bar (or two) of chocolate.  Let sit 10 minutes and spread chocolate over top.  Cool completely.

Frosting – 1/4 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla.  

Mix well and spoon onto top of chocolate layer.  Store in covered container.  

Today’s recipe is a request from my 4 year old nephew, Jackson.  He asked for oreos or carmel  and I opted for oreos.

Ingredients – 1 cup of butter (softened), 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour (scooped from flour container into measuring cup), 3/4 cup baking cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, brown food color (optional)

Directions – Cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Stir in food coloring, if using).  Blend in dry ingredients.  Cover and chill dough 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350.  On lightly floured surface, roll dough out 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.  Use a small round cookie cutter, cup,  or glass and cut. Place baking liners or parchment paper on cookie sheets.  Place 12 to 15 cookies on each sheet.  Bake 9 to 12 minutes (or longer if you want more crisp, oreo-like cookies.  Let cool.

Filling ingredients – 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, 1 tbs sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2-3 tbs water  

Directions – blend well.  Add more water if you prefer, 1 tsp at a time.  

Spread filling between two cookies.  Store in covered container.