Banana Bread or Muffins

There is something special about coming across a recipe that was written out by a loved one.  I love seeing my Granny's writing, years after she passed away.  Making a dish from one of her recipes brings back so many great memories.  Sadly, with todays technology, the tradition of passing down hand written recipes is getting lost.  I encourage you all to take the time to hand write some of your favourite recipes and pass them on to a loved one.

Today I am going to share a recipe with you that was handed down to me by my Mom.  Her banana bread is always a hit with our family, and even when she does a double batch, they do not last for long!  I was so happy when I received this recipe, knowing that I would have a special piece of home no matter how far away I was.  I am happy to be able to share it with all of you today, and my husband was thrilled to get to eat them!

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Turtle Ice Cream Pie

What tastes better on a hot summer's day then ice cream?  I love the chocolate candy Turtles, so when I recently came across a recipe for Turtle Ice Cream Pie, I knew that I had to try it. 
I will start by saying that this dessert was a lot of work and very time consuming, so do not plan on making it last minute.  Give yourself at least two days, as it needs a lot of time to freeze in between steps.  Trust me that the end result will be worth it and your taste buds will be throwing a party in your mouth.  It is amazing!

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Pecan Pie Bars

My husband loves pecan tarts, so when I came across this recipe for Pecan Pie Bars, I knew that I had to try them out.  They were easy to make and tasted great.

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Black Bottom Cupcakes

I had some bananas froze that I have been waiting to use for a while, so when I came across this recipe on Bakerella's website recently, I tried it that very day!  They are now long gone, but with more bananas in the freezer, I have a feeling I might get to enjoy them again soon.

Black Bottom Cupcakes
Source: Bakerella

Cream Cheese Mixture
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 small banana, pureed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

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Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

Every time we get together with friends, I love to bake a special treat to take along.  I was flattered when Richard came home for practice one day and said some of the guys had asked him if I would make a dessert for their Coach's Supper.  Of course I said yes, and I new exactly which recipe I wanted to try, as my mouth had been watering since I saw them on Kevin & Amanda.

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies
Source: Kevin & Amanda

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S'Mores Cupcakes

Here is the third and final cupcake recipe from our Cupcake Party. 

If you have ever went camping with me, you know that I love to roast marshmallows over the fire.  Many of my friends joke that I would eat a whole bag by myself.  While they are exaggerating a little bit, I do love them, and every once and a while I enjoy making myself a Smore too.  When I saw this recipe with an actual marshmallow on top, I knew I had to try it.  Served warm, it is delicious and the marshmallow is so perfectly gooey!

S’mores Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Kevin & Amanda

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Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

When I was on my conquest to find some delicious cupcakes for my cupcake party, I came across the Vanilla Buttercream used by Georgetown Cupcakes from the show DC Cupcakes.  I new I wanted to try it, so I began searching for a white cupcake to pair it with.  When  I stumbled across a recipe for Sugar Cookie Cupcakes, I was very intrigued as I love sugar cookies.  After looking at the recipe, I decided that this was the cupcake that I was looking for to pair with this buttercream, and I was very pleased with the final product.  They tasted great together and I will definatley be using these recipes again in the near future! 

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Baked Perfection

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake

If you checked out my last post, you know that I recently held a cupcake party.  This week I will be sharing three amazing recipes that I tried for the first time for this party.  My inspiration for the party was a post on Kevin & Amanda so it only seemed right to try a few of her cupcakes too.  I only recently found this amazing blog, so I hadn't tried any of her cupcake recipes yet.  I chose the S'More cupcake from her party, and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake that is one of her most popular posts...and now I know why!  The third cupcake I found on Baked Perfection while searching for something I thought would go good with a Vanilla Buttercream from DC Cupcakes.

These might just be my new favourite cupcake. When I took my first bite, I literally stopped and said "Wow." I was all by myself and all I wanted to do was tell someone how amazing they were. My husband has since had the same reaction. He usually tries to stay away from my baking in order to be 'healthy,' but he will be eating these until they are gone, and his reaction is priceless every time. Trust me that they are just THAT GOOD! Mmmmm!

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Oreo Cookie Bark

I found this recipe and new I had to try it since we love Oreo's in our house. It is pretty tasty, but I must admit, the Oreo Truffles are still my favourite Oreo treat.  Let me know what you think!

Oreo Cookie Bark
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 squares Baker’s premium white baking chocolate
1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
5 oreo cookies

The original recipe was doubled, but I just wanted enough for us to enjoy at home.  This was more than enough for the two of us.  I think next time I might try it with milk chocolate.

Directions:

Place semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following the package directions. Add peanut butter to white chocolate. Stir until well blended. Crumble half the oreos into each of the bowls of chocolate. Mix well.

Drope spoonfulls of mixture onto a wax paper covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of chocolate. Cut through mixture with knife for marbling effect.

Refrigerate at leaet 1 hour or until firm.

Break into pieces.

Enjoy!  (My recipe made about double this amount.)

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Cookie Dough Truffles

I fell in love with truffles last year when I made the most delicious Oreo Truffles, so when I came across this recipe for Cookie Dough Truffles, I new I had to try them.  I mean, who doesn't love to steal a little bite of cookie dough when they're baking?

I took these to a surpirse birthday party the other night and they were a big hit.  My biggest mistake was that I didn't think to cut one in half for a picture until they were all gone, but check out the source blogs below for more great pictures, including instructions for making them into Cake Pops from Baked Perfection.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, adapted from Baked Perfection
Makes about 20-24

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened (it's okay if it is melting a little)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I only had regular size chocolate chips so I chopped them up with a knife into 3 or 4 smaller pieces...a little time consuming but worked great)
1/2 package chocolate candy melts  (I used 3 blocks of a package of Almond Bark, chopped into smaller pieces)

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, and dash of cinnamon.
In a second larger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Roll the mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill for several hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm.
Melt candy melts in the microwave, heating them in 30 sec intervals, and stirring in between. I melted the chocolate in 3 groups so that the chocolate stayed nice and smooth.
Gently dip the cookie dough ball into the candy coating by placing it on a fork and rolling in the chocolate until coated. Once covered remove and softly tap the fork on the side of the bowl until the excess chocolate falls off. Place on parchment or wax paper until set.

I added a some red swirls over the chocolate to make them a little prettier.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Snicker Mini Cheesecake

Yeah!  I am so excited to begin trying some recipes off of my Top 100 list.  This was one of the first recipes I came across when building my list and I just could not wait to try it.  Trust me that they did not disappoint!  My mouth is watering just thinking about them...good thing I still have a few left.

I have been wanting to try a cheesecake for a while now, as I have not made one since Home Economics class in high school.  When I came across this recipe I knew that it was the perfect way to reintroduce myself to the world of cheesecakes, and I look forward to making more in the near future. 

Peanut Butter Snickers Mini Cheesecakes
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, adapted from Picky Palate
Makes 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
1 cup graham crackers crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. heavy cream (I used half & half)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Fun Size Snickers Candy Bars, chopped

For Topping:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. heavy cream (I used half & half)
3 Fun Size Snickers, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside.

Crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt.  Pour in melted butter and stir until all crumbs look slightly moist. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin tin, distributing evenly. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Filling:
Beat together the cream cheese and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides to ensure it is all incorporated. Add in the egg, cream, sugar and salt until well combined. Stir in chopped snickers. Evenly spoon the cheesecake batter over the crust.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until cheesecakes are set in the middle. Let cool on the counter for 2 hours, then run a butter knife around the outside edge of each cheesecake and pop it out.

Topping:
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe container in 30 second intervals, until smooth. Stir in cream and stir until smooth & glossy. Spoon the ganache over the cheesecakes and top with additional chopped snickers. Place cheesecakes in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes until ganache has set. Serve & enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Here they are:

Trust me, they are super easy and so DELISH!  It would be easy to switch up the chocolate bar too if you have others around the house.

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Finnish Pancakes

I first got introduced to Finnish Pancakes when my husband was playing hockey in Manchester, NH and living with a Finnish couple.  I  loved to visit, especially when Meri made delicious Finnish Pancakes to eat while playing a game of Sequence.  I sadly lost Meri's recipe, but have since found a new one that I like as well.  Meri would always make a big, thinner pancake by pouring the batter onto a cookie sheet.  I have done this, as well as cooking them in a 9x13 cake pan, as I did this time.  Both work great. While searching online, I noticed that some people cook them in a frying pan on the stove too.

The following is the recipe that I have been using the last few years.  I am sure I found it online, but am having trouble relocating it so that I can add a link.  If I find it, I promise to link it to my blog!  Until then, here are the basic instructions.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
3/4 Cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 Cups milk
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

First, place the butter in a 9x13 pan and place it in the oven while it preheats to 400 F. 
Meanwhile, beat eggs, add flour, milk, sugar and salt.  Beat well.  Pour batter into hot, melted butter.  Bake for 30 mins.  I usually poke it with a fork about 20 mins in.  ( If you use a cookie sheet make sure to do this more often).

Here is a picture of my baked Finnish pancake.  

I like to add whipped cream & strawberries and serve it as dessert!  Mmmm, sooo good!  You can serve it with other fruit, syrup, jams, or any other delicious combination you can think of!

The leftovers are good too.  Just warm them up in the microwave and they are just as good as when they come out of the oven.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin-Chocolate-Chip Squares

On Sunday, we enjoyed another Thanksgiving meal with some of our friends here in Oklahoma City.  I was in charge of buns (watch for upcomig blog) and dessert.  I decided to try Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Squares from the Martha Stewart Website. 

Here are the ingredients that you will need.  Plus Chocolate Chips...not sure how I missed putting them in my picture!

 Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkn pie spice together.

 Cream butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Next, mix in the pumpkin.

Don't forget to add the chocolate chips! 

Here it is ready to come out of the oven.  Make sure you let it cool COMPLETELY before cutting it or trying to take it out of the pan.  Mine was still warm and the middle sort of melted in.  Still tasted good but didn't hold up as a square.

Here are some of the squares.  I spread a little Cream Cheese Frosting from the Pumpkin Cupcake post on top of the squares and it was delicious together.

Enjoy!

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