thumbprint cookies

regular or chocolate...you can't eat just one.

(note: always assume oven racks are on the middle shelves)

regular: (makes appx 50)

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c butter

1/2 c brown sugar

-beat well

2 c flour

2 egg yolks (no need to keep whites)

1 t vanilla

-add one of these items at a time

-roll into balls appx 1 inch in diameter (if you have a small ice cream scoop/melon scoop...pampered chef works great!...use that)

-place on greased sheet

-bake at 375 for appx 5 min...take out and press in the center GENTLY (a bottle/lid of a food coloring container works well). try not to press so hard/deep that the edges crack.

-flip cookie sheets (opposite oven racks) and bake for appx 7 more minutes

-don't let them get brown on top

chocolate: (makes appx 25)

1/2 c butter

1/2 c sugar

1 egg yolk (save the white seperately)

1/2 t vanilla

-mix together

1 T cocoa

1 c flour

1/4 t salt

-sift together and add to wet mixture

-make into 1 in diameter balls

-roll in slightly beaten egg white

-may also roll in chopped nuts, if desired

-place on greased cookie sheet

-for the chocolate cookies, wait until the very end when you take them out of the oven to press the center. for some reason, they're different than the regular thumbprints in that way.

-bake at 375 for appx 10-12 minutes

-try to NOT let them get brown on top or bottom. on the chocolate it will be harder to tell. but if you let the egg white get brown, it will have a burnt taste. :/

icing: (the original...runny)

3 oz cream cheese

2 1/2 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1/4 c milk

food coloring

....

now the way i do it makes a huge batch of icing. but it's always nice to have on hand; it goes with anything! (great to drizzle on cinnamon rolls, etc.) it's just easier to do it all at once.

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese -whip

1-2 t vanilla

1 lrg bag of powdered sugar (appx 6 cups)

enough milk to keep the powdered sugar from flying everywhere...alternate the two

i like to keep my icing thicker. it's prettier to use it in a decorating tip, and it keeps its shape in the cookies better.

for the chocolate cookies, i usually take out about a cup of white icing and add about 1 T of cocoa. it's awesome!!!

coconut cream cake

I call this, "Escape of the Easter Bunny"!

It is a coconut cream cake with the coconut dyed green. I used the same idea as the 'bunny in a hole' cupcakes. You just use chocolate cookie crumbs, marshmallow, peanut candy or Easter 'eggs', and black jelly beans.

Coconut cream cake

4 egg whites - whip in clean bowl first - set aside
1 white cake mix
2/3 c. oil
1 t vanilla
1/2 t coconut extract
1 pkg vanilla pudding mix
1 can cream soda

Beat all in order. Fold in egg whites.

While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake layers and pour in:
1 can coconut cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
(you may not need all of both cans)

Icing: (it's a formality to make the coconut stick - it will be a thin layer)
1 c. heavy cream
1 T sugar

Spread on top of each layer (or on flat cake).

Sprinkle 1 c toasted coconut on cake
(personal note - if you toast the coconut on broil...don't let it burst into flames!:)

The cake is better after being in the frig for a day or two!

strawberry cake with options!

Tried and true. This one is asked for again and again.

This is the basic recipe and can be varied.

(sorry, no pic for the first variation)

1 strawberry cake mix

2/3 c oil

1 box vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 strawberry soda

Mix in that order. Slowly add soda at the end.

Variation 1:

3 c frozen strawberries -thawed

1/4 c sugar - mix with strawberries

1 pkg strawberry gelatin - mixed and chilled until semi-firm

Poke holes with straw in finished, cooled cake (in or out of pan). Spread gelatin over cake. Let soak. Spread strawberries over that. Let soak.

Top with:

2 c. heavy cream

1/2 c powdered sugar

2 t vanilla

Begin whipping cream with whisk in a COLD bowl. As it begins to foam/thicken, add sugar. When soft peaks form, add vanilla. Then beat quickly until stiff peaks.

Dollop the cream on top. Decorate with sprinkles or fresh strawberry slices.
Variation 2:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese - soft

1 stick butter - soft

3 1/2 to 6 c powdered sugar -depending on how thick you want it (I go for the thicker side)

1/2 c smashed, WELL-DRAINED strawberries (I use frozen)

(can also add 1/2 c coconut and 1/2 c pecans)

Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, slowly. That's all!

bunny in a hole

cupcakes that look like bunny ends going down in a hole in the grass

not happy with the recipe used, but the decoration was fun!

cream cheese icing

for a good sugar cookie icing, this is what i recommend.

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese (softened)

1 t vanilla

1 sack (appx 6 cups) powdered sugar

milk

Beat cream cheese. Add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Add a dash of milk to smooth it out.

If you want it thicker...add more powdered sugar! If it's too thick, add milk!

If you want to dye it, the gels are the best. If you just have regular food coloring, you will need to thicken your icing. The more food coloring you add, the thinner the icing becomes.

Easter cookies

ahh...sugar cookies. these are the best, classic cookies ever made...with the most consistent outcome.

1 c shortening
1 1/3 c sugar
2 t vanilla
2 eggs
3 c flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 T milk

Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla. Beat in one egg at a time until blended. After sifting together the flour, baking powder, and salt, add to beaten mixture. Beat only until mixed and then add the milk. Beat a couple of seconds.
Put dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap into a ball. Refrigerate overnight. It REALLY needs it.
When dough has chilled, place onto a floured surface. (Have lots of extra flour on hand.) Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. (If the dough sticks/lifts, add more flour!)
Cut out with cookie cutters and place on lightly greased cookies sheets.
(Place two racks on middle-ish levels.)
Bake at 375 for 4 minutes on one level and switch them. Bake for another 3 minutes and take them out. Do not let them get brown! Put them on cooling racks. They will be soft, not crunchy...the way they should be.

Great icing to come later...

welcome!

this site is for the 'sweet-toothers' out there. i will be sharing my baking photos and some of my favorite recipes. the recipes will be a compilation of some passed down from my grandmother, my mother, family friends, some good ol' food network 'friends', etc...all with my own little twist. i like to think that each thing i bake has a 'little somthing extra special'.
i hope you enjoy!