Batman Cupcakes

Activate the Bat signal Sawyer is 4!

Happy Birthday Buddy!
Check out his Birthday Cupcakes from last year here.

80's Cupcakes

This year I turned 25 :) I know some people don’t think that is a big deal (Nora) but for me it was! My friends and I celebrated the best way I know how, 80’s style. That called for these totally rad neon colored cupcakes…

Does anyone else think it’s sad I made my own birthday cupcakes?

Colored Sugar Cookies

I love having one recipe that is really versatile. For me that recipe happens to be my sugar cookie recipe. I had a half batch of cookie dough left and I just didn’t have it in me to make and frost one more Christmas ornament cookie… After much complaining to anyone who was in ear shot I sucked it up and took a look around. Last year I got a huge bottle of these big colored sugar sprinkles at one of those warehouse stores that I just don’t use that often so I thought I’d just roll the dough in those. This is how they turned out.

Here are the step by step instructions if you feel like trying them for yourself.

1. Make your favorite sugar cookie dough. Mine can be found here.
2. Refrigerate
3. Scoop out and roll into even balls of dough.
4. Roll into colored sugar to cover.
5. Take the bottom of a glass and press the cookie just to flatten.
6. Follow baking instructions and enjoy!

Quad- Brownie

In my book you can’t go wrong with a brownie, especially one that’s made with four different types of chocolate! Yes you heard me right, 4 kinds of chocolate…

First you start with your favorite brownie recipe then you add a half cup each of milk, dark, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips. If you are feeling like you need just a little more chocolate in your system or it has been a really rough work week please feel free to add a rich, gooey chocolate frosting :)

Here is one of the brownie recipes I use frequently. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt


Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2.Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.

3.Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

4.Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Raspberry Filled

I love these Raspberry filled cupcakes I made for a friends birthday! Each time I make filled cupcakes it gets easier for me. For these you just make a simple white cake, fill them with a raspberry preserve (you can use any flavor you fancy) and top them with an almond frosting.

Baklava

Baklava is one of my favorite treats. I mean I like cupcakes and cookies but I can pass those up but when this stuff is around I have NO will power. I mean none, zip, nada. I make it a few times a year for special occasions. I’ll let you in on a little secrete, its super easy once you get it down. It helps is you have another person around to put on the next layer of phyllo as you brush the butter on but if noone is around its totally doable by yourself.

Here is the recipe, try not to eat the whole tray by yourself!!

Baklava

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).

Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers.

For Sale

I make these yummy sugar cookies for an open house for my favorite Realtor (my dad). If you are looking to buy or sell a house let me know and I’ll hook you up ;)



For the recipe click here.

Halloween Bunco Cupcakes!

Happy Halloween Bunco Style!

My sister hired me out to make Halloween Bunco cupcakes for a friend of hers and I must say I impressed myself! With the help of my mom we dreamt up these little beauties. The finger is half a Twix candy bar wrapped in marshmallow fondant, and the dice is also made of marshmallow fondant. We had a lot of fun making these and I can’t wait for another excuse to make something like this.

Big shout out to my mom for her help on this one.
You are the Best!

Volleyball Sugar Cookies

Rams are ready
Rams are smooth
Rams will take control
And stomp all over you!

Go Rams!

Good Luck Emily, Kylie, Kelsi, Brooklyn, Sarah, Jadee, Kailee, Hannah, Carley, Caroline, Rhianna, Coach Jana, Coach Deanna and Coach Hollen

Pumpkin Bread

Fall… with open arms I greet you, I have missed you old friend.

Here is my grandmother’s recipe for pumpkin bread. I couldn’t resist making mini muffins. I hope you love them as much as I do.


Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

4 eggs
2/3 C. water
1 C. oil
3 C. sugar
3 ½ C. flour
½ t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
½ t. ground cloves
15 oz. canned pumpkin

Directions

Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased bread tins. Bake for 1 hour at 325. Makes about 3 loaves.