Chocolate Syrup

I let my kids drink chocolate milk on a daily basis.  I've gotten better in that I only let them have one cup of it a day now, but it used to be with nearly every meal!  I've made homemade Honey Mustard Dressing from scratch now (it's also a daily staple) trying to change out all that high fructose, preservative stuff in out diets and am committed to this recipe too as our new Hershey's substitute.  I actually like it better anyway, so yay! I double the recipe and it actually lasts for a few weeks; since it's richer you don't need to use as much.  Also great on ice cream!

Chocolate Syrup
Annie's Eats

INGREDIENTS

• 1¼ cups sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water

• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk briefly to break up any clumps.  Stir in the water and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in the vanilla.  Store in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Frosting

You'll want to ditch the cake and just eat the frosting.  And, I'm not a huge frosting gal, but this is light and creamy and heavenly.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Annie's Eats

3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. heavy cream

To make the frosting, combine the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the vanilla and cream just until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and very fluffy, about 4 minutes. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake. 

Lemon Crinkles

A yummy, lightly lemony summer treat.

Lemon Crinkles
Mel's Kitchen Cafe Blog

*Note: the recipe calls for a teaspoon of lemon zest. I didn't really measure, I just grated the zest from the lemon I was using and threw it in there. My guess is it was more like 2 teaspoons.

*Makes 2-3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 1/2 lemon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheets with silpat liners, parchment or lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice and mix well, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the dry ingredients (except the powdered sugar) and mix until just combined. Place the powdered sugar on a large plate or shallow pie dish. Roll tablespoon-size balls of dough in the powdered sugar to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. The cookies will not be browned on the edges but they will have lost a bit of their shininess on top. Don't overbake! Cool the cookies on a cooling rack and store in an airtight container or eat immediately.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

We made this for a women's activity at church and even though I hadn't tried it out before hand I can always trust a recipe from the Pioneer Woman's blog.  Five different women made this cake and though each cake looked a little different every single one was delicious, so this is truly a universal no fail recipe. So good and a perfect spring and summer dessert or breakfast or brunch.

Blueberry Crumb Cake
Pioneer Woman  Serves 12-16

• ½ sticks Butter
• 1 Tablespoon (additional) Butter
• ¾ cups Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¾ cups Whole Milk
• 2 cups Fresh Blueberries
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• ¾ sticks Butter
• ½ cups Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• ½ cups Flour
• ¼ teaspoons Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, and a salt. Stir and set aside.

Cream 1/2 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter with sugar. Add egg and mix until combined. Add vanilla and mix. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until totally incorporated. Do not overbeat. Stir in blueberries until evenly distributed.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Pour in batter.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients and cut together using two knives or a pastry cutter. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.

Bake cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into squares.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

These are maybe my favorite holiday cookies, at least tied with the chocolate crinkles.  They are such a warm, cozy kind of cookie and they make me happy.  As it is an older recipe, from my grandma's era at least, they use shortening.  Not really a big deal to me since I already had some on hand, but if you want an equivalent recipe that uses butter instead my sister-in-law has one on her blog called Ginger Molasses Cookies.

Molasses Sugar Cookies Wendy Chernan   Ingredients   3/4 c shortening 1 c sugar 1/4 c molasses 1 egg 2 tsp  baking soda 2 c flour 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt   Directions   Melt shortening over low heat.  Cool. Add, sugar, molasses, and egg. Beat well. Add, flour, soda, salt and spices. Mix well. Form in 1" balls, roll in sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min at 375

Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies

Tis the season for everything pumpkin and though I think I'm just about pumpkined out these were definitely a tasty treat.  This recipe makes a lot so be nice and give some away!  Also, you could probably get away with halving the frosting recipe, but then again what's the harm in having extra cream cheese frosting around?  I also think the cake recipe would be a great pumpkin cookie recipe all by itself (the kids have been loving these even w/out the frosting) and you could even add raisins or chocolate chips to it, mmmm.


Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies
Original recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
but found it on Our Best Bites blog
Cakes

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. oil
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Cream Cheese Filling

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you could use light)
3 c. powdered sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup of 1/2-1 tsp. maple extract
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Using a 1 tablespoon scoop or a 1/2 tablespoon measure, drop the batter onto a baking sheet (lined, if possible, but not necessary), leaving about 1" between the batter. Try to keep the batter as circular as possible. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

To prepare the filling, beat the butter on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, maple, and vanilla and beat until combined. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and cut 1/2"-1" off the corner.

Flip the cakes over on a flat surface. Squeeze about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per largewhoopie pie (less if you used a 1/2 tablespoon measure) onto every other cake. Top each pie with the remaining cakes. Serve immediately if possible; otherwise, these can be refrigerated in an airtight container. Makes about 30 large whoopie pies.

S'mores Cheesecake Bars

I really, really should have taken pictures of these (here are Annie's instead).  They turned out perfectly and were so good.  I made these for our family 4th of July celebrations and only realized as I began to to start in on the recipe that it only made an 8x8 dish.  It worked out fine to just cut them into little bite sized bars to be able to let everyone have some, but next time I make them for a crowd I will be sure to double the recipe.  It was also through this recipe that my sister, Lindsey, taught me a little trick about drizzling chocolate.  I am so grateful since I could never manage to just melt the chocolate and proceed to get a non gloppy, smooth drizzle.  Solution, add a little bit of vegetable oil to the melted chocolate.  Drizzles like a dream.

S'mores Cheesecake Bars

Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped  * I used semisweet
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
½ cup marshmallow cream
2 tsp. cocoa powder
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

For the topping:
1½ cups mini marshmallows
Milk chocolate chips, melted (optional)

Directions:
To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line an 8x8" baking pan with foil; spray lightly with cooking spray.  Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a small bowl.  Stir together with a fork until well combined.  Press the mixture in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.  Bake 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack while you prepare the filling.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325˚ F.

To make the filling, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat until melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and marshmallow cream.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes.  Blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and eggs until incorporated.  Stir in the melted chocolate until well blended.  Pour the filling over the graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake about 30 minutes, or until the center is just set (does not jiggle when shaken gently.)  Remove from the oven.

Evenly top the cheesecake layer with the mini marshmallows.  Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just long enough so the marshmallows begin to melt into each other.  Transfer to a wire cooling rack.  Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the tops of the marshmallows.  (Alternatively, this can be done underneath the broiler with a very watchful eye.)  Once the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle with melted milk chocolate if desired.  Transfer to the refrigerator and chill 2-3 hours before slicing and serving.

Printed from Annie's Eats

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

My Linda mom always made a fabulous Pineapple Upside Down Cake for catering events and for my birthday I really had a hankering for one.  This was so easy and completely delicious.  It was also a great recipe to have Logan help with; I let her place the pineapple slices with the cherries in the middle.  (Jude was on the other side of the kitchen helping daddy whip up some mean mashed potatoes to go with my birthday pot roast.)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Food.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple
• 6 maraschino cherries
• 1 (18 ounce) package duncan hines supreme pineapple cake mix
   * Here's where I took a little detour: I had bought a Pillsbury yellow cake mix instead and when I got home realized that it said it had a cup of pudding in the mix.  So, I left out the 4 oz box of pudding below, ignored the oil and egg amounts in the recipe opting to follow the box directions for those and then added the pineapple juice.  It turned out fabulous and I would do it this way again in a heart beat because it did turn out so good.
• 1 (4 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in oven.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter in pan.
4. Drain canned pineapple into a measuring cup.
5. Place pineapple slices evenly in pan, cutting the last two in half to cover pan.
6. Place the maraschino cherry halves in the center of the pineapple slices, cut side up.
7. Combine the cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.
8. Pour batter into pan.
9. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool 5 minutes and turn cake out onto a serving platter, pineapple side up