rosemary bread

Rosemary is my absolute favorite herb. It's my "secret" ingredient to many of my recipes. I am one of those cooks that just adds a bit of "this" and some more of "that" depending on what I have on hand and what sounds good at the time! While it's lots of fun to cook this way, sometimes it's hard to recreate, especially when asked for a recipe!

 

 

I loved this bread, and since I worry about adjusting recipes for the bread machines, I made it exately how the origional recipe called for (allrecipes).

 

It was wonderful! I had buttered slices for breakfast, lunch, & dinner the day after I made it!

 

 

 

 

 

Rosemary Bread

 

 

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon dried rosemary

2 1/2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.

 

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed. Select white bread cycle and press Start.

 

Go make it NOW. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

cookie dough brownies

A layer of brownie and a layer of cookie dough... YES PLEASE!

These were super yummy and the more I ate the more I wanted!

(recipe found via here - I love her blog!)

At first, I did feel that the brownie layer was a little too dry, but after a few days keeping in the fridge it didn't seem so dry anymore. Could have just been an error on my part (maybe a little over baked?), but I think next time I will adapt the brownie layer a little in an attempt to make it more moist (I'll update this post if I do this successfully!)

Cookie Dough Brownies

1 cup soft butter

2 cups light brown sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted & cooled slightly

1 cup flour

Mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs & vanilla. Mix in the melted chocolate until combined. On low speed mix in the flour just until combined. Line a 9x13 pan with foil. Butter the foil. Pour in brownie batter and bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center should come out clean. Cool completely.

3/4 cup soft butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

(plus extra for sprinkling on top)

Mix together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until combined. On low speed mix in the flour just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips by hand. Spread cookie dough over cooled brownie layer. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top. Refrigerate until the dough is firm (about an hour). Cut into squares and store in the refrigerator.

You will thank me for sharing this recipe... I promise!

cinnamon apple coffee cake

I recently pinned this recipe and just couldn't wait to try it!

What's not to love about the combination of cinnamon rolls, apple pie & icing?!?!?!

Seriously, it was easy to make and we devoured it... so much so, that I'm going to recommend the serving size change from 8 to 4 :)

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

1 can cinnamon rolls (8 pack w/ icing)

2 cups peeled and chopped apples

2 Tablespoons melted butter

2 Tablespoons light corn syrup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans (optional - I did not use)

Spray pie plate with cooking spray. Layer 1 1/2 cups apples on bottom of pie plate. Mix together melted butter, corn syrup, & brown sugar. Add cinnamon rolls cut into fourths, remaining apples, & nuts if desired. Toss to coat, Spoon mixture over apples in pie plate. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and then invert onto serving dish. Microwave cinnamon roll icing for about 10 seconds and drizzle over top. Serve warm.

This is what it looked like all done and ready to eat consume!

Yummy!

 

Here's a shot about 10 minutes after digging in... it's pretty much devoured!

The original recipe says it serves 8, I'm going to say it only serves 4-6 and if you are

having it for brunch after sleeping in until about 10 on a holiday... it'll serve 2 with just a little left to snack on later.

cadbury egg cupcakes

I made these very yummy cadbury egg filled cupcakes for Easter.

I know, I know, Easter was two weeks ago now - but I've been busy!

 

These cupcakes have a mini cadbury creme egg inside a chocolate cupake topped with vanilla buttercream. YUM!

 

 

These cupcakes have a mini caramel cadburry egg in a chocolate cupcake with caramel buttercream. YUM again!

 

 

 

These cupcakes are easy. All you have to do is freeze the mini cadburry eggs and add them to your cupcake pans filled with batter just before baking! Told you it was easy!

Now you just have to wait a year until you can find mini cadburry eggs in stock at the grocery store again. Interesting note, my friend Sarah is from England and she says they have cadburry eggs in the store all year long!

limoncello cupcakes

Don't these just look absolutely dreamy???

trust me... they are!!!

lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream

I'll repeat: lemon love, love lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon, love, love, love :)

Limoncello Cupcakes

cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter

2 oz cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoons limoncello

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of one lemon

Beat softened butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the limoncello and beat until well mixed. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add flour and buttermilk to butter mixture. Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest just until combined. Pour into prepared cupcake pans (it made 18 cupcakes for me) and bake at 325 for about 17 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

lemon curd filling:

1/2 cup lemon juice

zest of two lemons

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

Mix lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar of medium heat until boiling. Whisk egg and egg yolk. Whisk lemon mixture into eggs off the heat (to temper). Add all back to sauce pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Cool completely.

Use a melon baller to scoop a hole into tops of cooled cupcakes. Fill with cooled lemon curd.

lemon buttercream icing:

1/2 stick butter

6 oz cream cheese

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons limoncello

Beat butter and cream cheese. Add limoncello and beat until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar until desired icing consistency is obtained. Ice filled cupcakes. Garnish with lemon slices.

They are so pretty and so yummy! Especially to someone who enjoys lemon as much as I do!

A perfect summer treat!

 (and even though it's only March, since the weather has been between 70 - 85, I'm in full summer mode)

Recipe origionally found here (I adapted the buttercream to my taste)

rolo pretzels

How do you feel about: Chocolate? Caramel? M&Ms? Pretzels?

Pretty good right???

How about all together?

Pretty great right???

I made these easy rolo pretzel treats and they were a huge hit at work and at a game night with friends!

All you need is:

1 bag unwrapped rolo chocolate caramels

pretzels

M&Ms

You just place the the pretzels on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place a rolo on each pretzel and melt in oven set on 300 for 5 min

(the rolo's should be slightly melted, but still hold some shape).

Take the tray of pretzels out of the oven and press 3 M&Ms into each rolo pretzel.

Let set and then try not to eat too many at once!

peanut butter cookies with chocolate hearts

I had this great idea to make peanut butter kiss cookies, but with chocolate hearts instead of kisses perfect for Valentine's day!

They turned out really cute and taste yummy too!!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Hearts

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 bad Hershey milk chocolate hearts.

Cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, egg & vanilla - beat till smooth. Add flour, baking soda & baking powder until combined. Shape into 1" balls and roll in sugar. Place 2" apart on baking sheet and flatten slightly with your palm. Cook for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and immediately place a chocolate heart on each cookie, pressing down slightly. Remove to wire rack to cool.

I love them fresh out of the oven while the chocolate is still all soft and melty... mmmm

 YaaHoo!! Featured on     

chai latte cupcakes

Remember my

 

pinterest resolution?!?!

(see here)

Here's my first of  twelve pinterest projects!

Chai Latte Cupcakes

They tasted just like a cup of Chai Tea Latte fresh from my Keurig... which is delish!

The origional source for this recipe is a lovely website called The Culinary Enthusiast

Chai Latte Cupcakes

chai spice mix:

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2/ teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 ground nutmet

Mix all spices in a small bowl or bag and set aside.

cupcake batter:

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 teaspoons chai spice mix (see above)

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla, eggs, & spice mix. Alternately add flour and buttermilk until combined. In seperate small bowl stir together baking soda and vinegar, then add to batter mixture and stir until combined. Fill upcake pan 3/4 full and bake in oven preheated to 325 for 17- 20 minutes.

frosting:

2 sticks butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

remainder of spice mix

Beat butter until smooth. Add vanilla and spice mix. Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of milk if need to form spreading consistency. Ice cooled cupcakes and then devour them! 

My mouth is watering... if your is not, then you are a stronger person than I am!

Linked up at Whipperberry

                                                              

it smells like christmas

Last week while exploring in Colorado I jumped out of the car to snap a couple of pictures while the guys (Kevin, Mark, & Bryant) rolled their eyes and waited. When I came back to the car I said "it smells nice outside, like clean and fresh". Of course, the guys looked at me like I was crazy, but then it started snowing not 5 minutes later! I have always been able to smell snow coming and I'm overly proud of that fact!

Sooo, since we're talking about smells...

I found this Christmas Stovetop Potpourri on pinterest recently and had a chance to try it out this past weekend. It smelled great! Not overpowering, but definately a nice addition to the house during the Christmas season. If you come over between now and Christmas you'll probably even get to smell it for yourself!

picture from Make It Do, found here

The origional instuctions & pictures are great so I didn't bother taking any new ones.

Again, in case you missed it, go here for the how-to-do-it-yourself instructions.

halloween themed cake balls

Here's the low down on the cake balls I made for Halloween, first seen here.

First you make a cake (I just used a box mix)

Let the cake cool, and crumble into a bowl.

Add enough icing to form ball shapes

(I used 3/4 can prepared milk chocolate icing)

Roll into 48 1" balls

Refrigerate for an hour or freeze for about 10 minutes.

Prepare candy coating

Melt candy coating in microwave (do 30 seconds at a time).

Push popsicle sticks 1/2 way through cake balls working with a couple at a time

and leaving the rest in the refrigerator.

Dip cake balls into melted candy coating and let excess drip off

(I tapped the stick to the sides of the bowl).

For the "slime balls" I used the extra candy coating, a frosting bag and #2 tip to drizzle on the "slime"

For the Jack O' Lanterns I used white melted candy coating colored black to draw the faces

and colored green to add the stems (still using a frosting bag and #2 tip).

These keep in the refrigerator really well. I even made them a week ahead of time.

The basic cake ball was much easier to make that I first thought it would be. The time consuming part was adding the details, but I love how they turned out! Definately worth the effort!