About Me

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I have recently gotten into baking more and trying more challenging recipes to bake. I have had a lot of successful recipes. I also love to craft and pick up on any new craft talent that sparks my interest. I love to be with my friends and family and if I am not doing that I usually am running or site seeing.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Chocolate Turtle Cookies


Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. butter softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
14 soft caramels
3 tbsp. heavy cream

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in bowl. With electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.

Whisk egg white in another bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 1 inch balls, dig in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon, make indentation in center of each ball. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Mango Upside-Down Cake


INGREDIENTS:

Topping:
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups sliced mangoes, (fresh or frozen and thawed)

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 cup mango nectar

DIRECTIONS:

Topping:


  1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F (175°C).

  2. FOR TOPPING: Grease 9-inch-round cake pan.

  3. MELT butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat.

  4. Add brown sugar; stir until incorporated.

  5. Pour mixture over bottom of prepared pan. Top evenly with mangoes.

Cake:



  1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.

  2. Separate yolks and whites from two of the eggs.

  3. Beat granulated sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until almost creamy. Beat in remaining whole egg, then beat in two eggs yolks.

  4. Beat in vanilla extract.

  5. Gradually stir in flour mixture alternately with nectar, ending with flour mixture. Stir just until combined.

  6. Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into batter. Spoon batter evenly over mangoes.

  7. BAKE for 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack. Run knife around inside edge of pan to loosen, then invert onto serving plate. Cool completely.


Makes 10 servings.
Estimated Time: Preparation - 20 min Cooking - 1 hrs 5 min Cooling Time - 30 min cooling

Monday, May 11, 2009

Message Board


12 x 12 scrapbook paper

12 x 12 frame

12 x 12 clear sheet

1 vinyl rub on


Double Dark Chocolate Cookies


Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.

2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat well.

3. Stir together flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set.


Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 5 dozen cookies.

Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream


Ingredients
2 large eggs (Pasteurized)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions


  • Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

  • Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.

  • Pour in the cream, milk, and vanilla and whisk to blend.

  • Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.