Baked Goods Archives - Page 2 of 7

Chewy Gooey Fudgy Jam Brownies

March 17, 2017 by Amanda 7 Comments

Rich, chewy, gooey, fudgy chocolate brownies swirled with your favorite berry jam. Decadent & delicious ♥

I need chocolate!

I’m in the midst of dotting the i’s & crossing my t’s of my tax details, a kitchen renovation and a major snowstorm. It’s just all a bit much right now, and nothing fixes me up better than a baking session and some serious chocolate goodness.

I haven’t been doing much baking lately. I’ve been pretty fixated on kombucha. I love the stuff, was spending way too much money buying endless bottles of it and decided a few months ago it was time to start brewing it myself. It’s been wonderful and I’m having so much fun creating endless flavor combinations. I’m almost embarrassed to tell you how many gallons I have brewing….

Ha – I’ve become a booch push as well. I’m trying to share my love of brewing kombucha with friends & family, but no one shares my enthusiasm. If you’re nearby me and want to start brewing, I’ll definitely give you what you need to get started 🙂

So back to being snowed in. We have had a pretty mild winter thus far, so it’s not quite a “Shining” style snowed in event, but man oh man, 16+ inches of snow in less than a day is some serious snowfall.

If you’ve never experienced a good snow day, I’ll break it down for you. Wake up, no school, no work. Sit down to a BIG breakfast, layer up in your snow gear and then get to shoveling, snowblowing & clean-up efforts. Go inside warm up, drink some coffee/hot cocoa/hot drink of choice, enjoy the beauty of the snow and ~~marvel at the chaotic sounds of a full house when it should be rightfully empty & silent at this time of the week.~~ Get dressed in snow gear again and play in the snow until the kids are about 10 minutes from frostbite. Battle to get them in. Head indoors, warm up and repeat. Depending how much snow you get – you may be repeating this process a few times.

Some baked goodness was in order here for everyone. People were cold, people were tired, people wanted to sled. Oh, and people definitely didn’t want to do anymore shoveling.

These rich, gooey, fudgy brownies hit the spot for everyone. Seriously – excessive amounts of caffeine, sugar & chocolate are needed to fuel one up for the hours of snow activities.

You can use whatever jam or spread you prefer. I usually use raspberry or strawberry – but would love to try this with some orange marmalade or cranberry butter. I used my favorite unsweetened baking chocolate in this recipe and it makes all the difference. Use the best stuff you got when you want good brownies. (I love Scharffen Berger Unsweetened Dark Chocolate)

Try your hardest to not over bake these. These brownies are a little tricky – the tops will look too gooey to be done because of the jam. Time them and watch them. Bake until the brownies start pulling away from the sides of pan. The edges will start to look set.

Back to taxes, shoveling and schooling my girls on sledding. Stay warm ♥

-Amanda-

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3 from 1 vote

Chewy & Fudgy Jam Brownies

Rich, chewy, gooey, fudgy chocolate brownies swirled with your favorite berry jam. Decadent & delicious ♥

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Desserts

Servings: 9 -12 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 cup butter
4 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate chopped
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prep a 8" square pan with grease/cooking spray or line with aluminum foil and spritz with cooking oil (overhang edges)
Cut butter into a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Add chopped chocolate.
Microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Repeat until melted, smooth & combined. Should take 90 seconds total microwave time.
In a large bowl or mixer, combine sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly mixed.
Add melted chocolate & butter. Beat until thoroughly mixed.
Add in salt and flour. Beat until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
In a small bowl, stir jam until smooth. Drop jam evenly over batter - 3 rows of 3. Swirl jam thru brownies using knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.

Rye Bread

January 27, 2017 by Amanda 1 Comment

A wonderful all-purpose, basic rye bread. Dense but soft and loaded with flavor. Makes great loaves or rolls. Simple & delicious ♥

It’s a New Year and there’s not a whole lot of new stuff going on around here. Each year I half heartily resolve to become more organized and each year I fail miserably. I guess it’s kinda my thing to constantly be behind schedule and scramble around searching for misplaced things.

Some exciting news! There has been a wonderful new addition to my kitchen appliances – The Bosch Mixer ♥

Much thought went into what mixer was right for me and the work I need it to do. I’ve burned up too many mixers to mention and we decided to invest a little more money into something that would be the work horse I need.

So, you ask, what do I need all this power for….?

Bread. I love making bread. It’s truly my favorite thing to bake, but I’ve slowed down on making it BIG time the past few years. It’s almost embarrassing to say, considering I’m pretty young, but I’ve worked hard in my years. I have arthritis in my hands and wrists so serious kneading kills me. Serious kneading also kills a lot of stand mixers which has culled my joy of bread baking.

No worries though, I’m back in the game. The first thing I baked was pumperknickel and numerous ryes. We’ve been eating so many loaves of rye and I’ve been trying to find the best “all-purpose” rye. Something that is great thrown into a loaf pan and sliced up for sandwiches, made into rolls or shaped into rounds and served with cheese or soup.

I think I found it….for now. Bread making is an ever evolving love 😉

Oh, and if you don’t have a heavy duty mixer, you can certainly get your hands dirty and get busy kneading. I still do it when I can! Rye is extra sticky, so keep flouring your work surface and hands.

The bread baking is on again! That’s something to toast to in the New Year!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Baking ♥

-Amanda-

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Rye Bread

A wonderful all-purpose, basic rye bread. Dense but soft and loaded with flavor. Makes great loaves or rolls. Simple & delicious!

Prep Time2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time3 hrs 15 mins

Course: Breads &amp, Muffins

Servings: 3 loaves

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water 110°F
2 packages of dry yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons x 2
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup molasses
3 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoon caraway seeds
4 cups rye flour
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + extra for dusting & kneading
1-2 tablespoon melted butter OPTIONAL

Instructions

I use a stand mixer for this recipe, but you can just as easily do this by hand. Rye dough is sticky stuff, so plan to flour your hands & work surface often.
Dissolve yeast in warm water. I combine the two in my mixer and mix with dough hook until dissolved.
Add milk, molasses, oil, salt, eggs, caraway seeds and flours.
Using mixer & dough hook, mix on slow/medium speed for 6 - 8 minutes. If you're kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.
Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft free spot for about an hour. The dough should double in size.
Flour your hands and work surface. Shape dough into 3 loaves. I use greased loaf pans and free form the loaves. You can also shape the dough into rolls if you'd like.
You can dust the tops of loaves with flour before rising OR brush with melted butter prior to baking (after rise).
Cover again and let rise for an hour. The loaves will double in size.
Preheat oven to 350° F. I prefer to use a baking stone, so preheat stone if using.
Slash tops and brush with butter (if using).
Place free form loaves on baking stone or place loaf pans in preheated oven.
Bake loaves for about 45 minutes, rolls for about 12 minutes. Loaves should sound hollow sounding when tapped.
Transfer bread to cooling rack. Cool, slice and enjoy. Store in an airtight container or bag. Rye stays delicious for days - I actually prefer it the day after baking.
If you're not going to bake 3 loaves of bread right away - you can store left over dough in the fridge, covered, for about a week.
Enjoy 🙂

Breakfast & Baking With Grape-Nuts®

January 4, 2017 by Amanda 6 Comments

Today I’m sharing three recipes that will show you how simple it is to add more whole grain goodness to your diet. Oh, and I have money saving coupons to share with you too! Head over to Post® cereals to grab your coupons now!

Breakfast has always been and will always be the most important meal of the day. It’s essential to eat a nutritious breakfast to get yourself geared up & going for the day. Although the hustle & bustle of the morning makes it difficult to sit down to a breakfast “fit for a king”, there are still plenty of options to get a good breakfast in. Seriously – we can do better than doughnuts, toaster pastries and fast food sandwiches.

Many people make resolutions at the start of each New Year. Eating healthier is often one of those resolutions. Achieving those goals are easy when you add a nutritious and filling breakfast to your daily routine.

I’ll share with you a key ingredient to breakfast success – Grape-Nuts® cereal. It’s a morning staple, and has been for over 100 years. Loaded with 52 grams of whole grain and plenty of fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants & protein – this is a top shelf cereal.

Of course you can sit down to a bowl of Grape-Nuts® cereal and breakfast is served. Other days, though, you may want to get a little creative with it – it’s such a versatile ingredient.

Today I’m sharing with you three recipes you can make with Grape-Nuts®.

The first recipe is super simple and takes only a few minutes and a microwave to make. Grape-Nuts® & Quick Oats is filling, delicious and nutritious. I add cinnamon, raisins, a little sugar and milk on busier days. If I want to take it up a notch, I add a bit of vanilla and a pinch of chocolate chips. You can make it anyway you would normally enjoy a bowl of oatmeal. Stir in maple syrup, fresh fruits, dried fruits, whatever you like!

Here’s a nifty little idea. If you’re so busy in the morning that you the thought of grabbing all the ingredients to make these oats makes you crazy, then you can easily meal prep this. Just measure out all the dry ingredients in sandwich baggies. Just add milk and they’re ready to go when you need them. Like homemade instant packets.

The second recipe I’m sharing may not be the lightest recipe, but it’s absolutely fun and delicious. Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® cookies. It’s sweet, salty, bacon, chewy crunchy cookie goodness. It’s a great on the go, in a rush kind of breakfast. Or anytime snack or dessert.

Last, but not least, is Grape-Nuts® custard or pudding. It’s a dessert, it’s a breakfast – either or, it’s wonderful. It’s delicious served warm or chilled – I honestly can’t pick which I like more! While baking, the pudding separates into layers. The top will be a thick, creamy egg custard and the bottom turns into a soft Grape-Nuts crust. It’s a must try for all custard fans.

I could literally share dozens more recipes that I use Grape-Nuts® in. I love it for it’s fiber & whole grain content and often add it to muffins, cookies, breakfast bars, quick breads or stir it in my yogurt. It’s a simple way to add major nutrition to my breakfast & baked goodies.

I hope you’re inspired to add more whole grain goodness to your diet! Thanks for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

Head over to Post® NOW to grab money saving coupons on all your favorite cereals!

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5 from 1 vote

Grape-Nuts® & Quick Oats Oatmeal

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1/4 cup Grape-Nuts®
1/4 cup quick oats
2 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon brown or turbinado sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup milk
optional - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
optional - 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large microwave safe cereal bowl.
Microwave for 3 minutes, stopping to stir once or twice. Keep an eye on it - it may "cook over" like oatmeal or grits.
Stir, let cool for a minute or two and enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® Cookies

Chocolate Chip & Bacon Grape-Nuts® cookies. It's sweet, salty, bacon cookie goodness.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: cookies

Servings: 2 dozen

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1/4 pound bacon cooked, crisped & diced (4 thick slices)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
2/3 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup Grape-Nuts®
1/2 cup salted butter melted
1 large egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips heaping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together flours and sugar in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for about 10 minutes, edges should be a light golden brown.
Let cookies rest on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy : )

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5 from 1 vote

Grape-Nuts® Custard

A simple & delicious layered custard.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Desserts

Servings: 8 - 12 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 cup Grape-Nuts®
4 cups scalded milk
1/2 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
pinch of salt
cinnamon & nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease/spray an 8" or 9" square baking dish. You will also need a larger dish or pan to fill with water and set the baking dish into.
Combine the Grape-Nuts® and milk in a mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften up the cereal.
Whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla & salt.
Combine egg mixture with the cereal mixture.
Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle top generously with cinnamon & nutmeg.
Place baking dish into larger pan and then pour hot water into the larger pan around your custard baking dish. (Water bath/bain marie)
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove dish from larger pan and cool. This is good warm and wonderful chilled. You decide which is better.
I serve this sprinkled with additional cinnamon or cocoa powder and whipped cream.
Enjoy : )

Molasses Pumpkin Cheesecake (Healthier)

December 12, 2016 by Amanda 4 Comments

Pumpkin love never goes out of season. This Molasses Pumpkin Cheesecake made with cream cheese & cottage cheese is a decadent, light & fluffy year round treat.

Pumpkin. Can’t stop. Won’t stop ♥

I know, I know. It’s almost Christmas and everyone is busy baking cookies, fruitcakes, yule logs and other festive sweets. Then here I am with more pumpkin. “They” say pumpkin is so fall. Nope. I love the flavors of pumpkin year round and definitely don’t get my fill of it in just one season.

I love, love, love fresh pumpkin, but ever since I started keeping chickens, I’ve learned my flock of happy hens love fresh pumpkin more than I do. I’m a sucker for all things furry or feathered.

I had a couple cans of pumpkin puree sitting in my pantry left over from bake sale donations my daughter worked on. (FYI – she made a Pumpkin Bundt Cake with a Brown Butter Drizzle and it was AMAZING. My 10 year old can bake!)

I also had an unopened, past date container of cottage cheese that needed to be used up immediately.

Oh, and I had a major craving for Pumpkin Molasses Bread.

Planned or not, I sure do love it when these things come together 🙂

I will admit that the flavors of this cheesecake might not be for everyone. First you have to enjoy pumpkin. Then molasses. Cheesecake is always a safe bet – but then we throw in the cottage cheese.

People are always yucked out at first by the thought of cottage cheese in desserts. Hear me out. There are no chunks or curds in this one. The cottage cheese gets annihilated in the food processor – pulsed until completely smooth. It transforms into something completely different. Light, creamy, smooth & tangy – it becomes almost a sour cream.

That very flavor lends quite a bit of “tang” to this cheesecake. If too much “tang” scares you – go with a higher fat cottage cheese. The higher the fat content, the less tangy it tastes.

The cottage cheese in this cheesecake result in a lighter cake in two ways. Not only does it become a lighter “healthier” dessert – it also becomes lighter in texture. Still creamy, but not as heavy as a traditional cheesecake.

Time to get back to Christmas baking. Pumpkin cookies anyone?

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Baking!

-Amanda-

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5 from 1 vote

Molasses Pumpkin Cheesecake (Healthier)

Pumpkin love never goes out of season. This Molasses Pumpkin Cheesecake made with cream cheese & cottage cheese is a decadent, light & fluffy year round treat.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Desserts

Servings: 12 - 16

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
4 tablespoon butter melted
Pumpkin Cheesecake:
1 pound lowfat cottage cheese you can use higher fat if preferred
8 oz cream cheese softened & cubed
1 can pumpkin puree 15 oz
1/2 cup molasses
4 large eggs preferably at room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For Graham Cracker Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Press crumbs evenly into bottom of 9" springform pan.
Bake for 7- 10 minutes. (Optional - your preference)
Cool before filling.
For Cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 325°F
Lightly grease sides of springform pan. A dab of any oil will do.
Using a food processor (or blender) process cottage cheese until completely smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down sides of bowl.
If your food processor is large enough - you can add remaining ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. If not, transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix in remaining ingredients with electric mixers until combined.
Pour cheesecake mixture into springform pan.
Bake for 65 - 75 minutes. Outside of cheesecake should be set and center will be just a little jiggly.
Cool on wire rack for an hour or two and then transfer to fridge for a few hours before carefully releasing from springform pan. I use an icing spatula to loosen any areas that may be stuck before releasing.
Slice, serve & enjoy. Store covered and refrigerated.

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones

December 7, 2016 by Amanda 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SimplySatisfying #CollectiveBias

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones made with Quaker® Simply Granola Oats. A little crisp on the outside – soft, tender & crumbly in the inside. Perfection ♥

It’s officially December – the most wonderful time of the year. The holiday season is upon us and decorating, baking & wrapping are in full swing in my home.

Sometimes we’re so busy with our schedules and holiday preparations that we lose sight of the little things and the little moments during the holiday season.

Like winter break. The kiddos are home from school for over a week. It’s a great chance to spend some fun time together.

I try to make our breakfasts a little more special on days off. I have absolutely no problem admitting that we eat cold cereal during the week for breakfast. Weekday mornings are chaotic so we keep it quick & simple.

So when we’re all home, a special breakfast is a nice way to spend laid back mornings together. Even better when the kids can help out. Scones are fun (and easy) to make – kids love getting their hands dirty – mixing, shaping, patting and cutting the dough.

I combined two of our favorite breakfast foods – Quaker® Simply Granola and scones. The results are delicious breakfast perfection ♥

Quaker® Simply Granola is a delicious and satisfying way to fuel up for the day. Loaded with crunchy granola clusters, fruit and nuts – this is whole grain goodness at it’s best. We love both Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey Raisin & Almonds and Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Apples, Cranberries & Almonds that we made a batch of scones with each granola. We still can’t decide on our favorite : )

There really is something magical about a fresh, warm scone. A little crisp on the outside – but soft, tender and crumbly in the inside. Served with a cup of tea, coffee or even a sippy cup of milk – it’s wonderful.

You could go ahead and make a drizzle for these if you’d like, but we prefer our scones with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar before baking and served with butter, jams and fruit butters. The simple pleasures in life….

I hope everyone enjoys their family time together this holiday season.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Baking ♥

-Amanda-

What are your favorite holiday baking traditions?

Visit here for more inspiration and all kinds of Quaker® #SimplySatisfying recipe goodness!

Visit here to purchase Quaker® Simply Granola or learn additional product information.

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Chocolate Chip Granola Scones

Chocolate Chip Granola Scones. A little crisp on the outside - soft, tender & crumbly in the inside. Perfection ♥

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: baked goods

Servings: 10 scones

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup salted butter cold & cubed
1 heaping cup Quaker® Simply Granola Oats Apples, Cranberries & Almonds OR Quaker® Simply Granola Oats, Honey Raisin & Almonds
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoon turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F
Line a baking sheet/pan with parchment paper. I use a pizza pan.
In a large mixing bowl - whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
Using a pastry blender, cut in cubed butter until texture is of coarse crumbs.
Break up any large clusters of granola. I pour it in a sealed sandwich bag and press down on it a few times with the measuring cup.
Stir granola & chocolate chips into flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg & vanilla extract.
Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture. Stir until combined - do not over mix.
Press out ball of dough directly onto parchment lined pan. Press into 8"-9" circle.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Using a pizza cutter (or knife if you don't have a pizza cutter) slice scones into 8 slices.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until tops are just light golden brown.
Remove from oven and transfer scones, still on parchment paper, onto wire rack.
Scones are best served a little warm & with butter, jams & fruit butters. Scones are best eaten the same day as baked, but can be stored covered for a day or two.
Enjoy : )

I found Quaker® Simply Granola & all my baking supplies at my local Walmart store.

Frosted Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars

November 15, 2016 by Amanda 5 Comments

A soft, chewy & DELICIOUS sugar cookie bar. Topped with a rich buttercream frosting. Prepare to fall in love ♥

It’s no secret. I LOVE baking. I bake year around – usually a few times a week. I would bake every single day if I could and share my baked goodies with all, just for smiles ♥

Then the holidays roll around and it is nonstop baking. Cookies, breads, cakes, pies, pastries and more cookies – for friends, family, events and charity. As much as I love baking, I’ll admit, holiday baking can get exhausting.

But the show must go on…..

I bake from scratch about 90% of the time. On occasion, I try baking mixes and such. On this occasion I tried Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes and must admit I was quite impressed!

Sugar cookies were on my mind. More specifically, frosted sugar cookie bars – they’re a family favorite. I decided to swap out my “from scratch” recipe and use Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix.

Everyone LOVED them. No one noticed the difference and raved about their favorite sugar cookie bars as usual. Wow. I don’t know if I should be happy, relieved or a little insulted. Lol. The feelings are bittersweet.

These sugar cookie bars are super simple to mix up. Baking time will vary a little depending on the type of pan you use. I used a 8″ square tin lined with foil and they were ready in about 17 – 18 minutes. They will take a bit longer in a glass baking dish. Keep an eye on them and pull them out when they just start to get a light golden brown on the edges and top. These bars should be super soft & chewy. Over baking will result in hard or crunchy bars – definitely not what we’re after here.

I use a simple buttercream to top these bars off. It might feel like too much frosting – but trust me – spread it all on!

I decided to try a few other Betty Crocker Cookie Mixes. I must admit, we enjoyed them all! Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Spice – delicious! Seriously, it took about 15 minutes to get the first batch into our bellies. I’m definitely keeping a few bags of this stuff in my pantry for all my last minute holiday baking needs 🙂

These Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars are absolutely a must try! Perfect for the holiday season or anytime of the year!

Thanks so much for stopping by…Happy Baking!

Amanda

Want more cookie goodness? Need some cookie inspiration? Getting crazy just thinking about holiday baking? Find everything you need with Betty Crocker ♥

Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting | www.craftycookingmama.com

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5 from 1 vote

Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars with Buttercream Frosting

A soft, chewy & DELICIOUS sugar cookie bar. Topped with a rich buttercream frosting. Prepare to fall in love ♥

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: baked goods, cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

For bars:
1 pouch of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix 17.5 oz
1 stick 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
For buttercream:
1 stick 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food color optional
sprinkles optional

Instructions

For bars:
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Prep a 8" square baking pan. Spray/grease or line with foil (greased) or parchment paper.
Stir together cookie mix, softened butter, egg & egg yolk until soft dough forms.
Spoon & evenly press dough into baking dish.
Bake until corners are just golden brown - 17 - 25 minutes. Lower times will be for a metal tin, longer times for a glass dish.
Remove from oven & cool on wire rack.
*Note* I line baking tin with aluminum foil (lightly sprayed with cooking spray) and let extra hang over the edges. Once cooled, you can lift the foil and bars straight out of the tin. Works wonderful with parchment paper as well. It's not necessary - but it makes bars/brownies neater & easier to frost & cut.
For buttercream:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with electric mixer.
Beat in vanilla.
Mix in sugar, one cup at a time. Beat well on medium speed, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
Icing will be dry when all sugar has been mixed in.
Add in milk, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in any colors if desired.
Frost top of cooled sugar cookie bars. Cut into 16 pieces.
Enjoy ♥

I found all these Betty Crocker goodies plus all my other baking supplies at my local Walmart.

Cheddar Cheese Quick Bread

November 4, 2016 by Amanda 60 Comments

A garlicky cheddar quick bread ready in about an hour from start to finish. Easy, cheesy, foolproof – delicious! Carb lovers unite ♥

Bread has always been one of my favorite foods. Not the hohum loaves you’ll find at most grocery stores, but the soulful, artisan varieties made with love in bakeries and home kitchens.

If I had the time, I would bake bread every single day. Time is something I’ll never have enough of and bread is probably something I shouldn’t be eating every day anyhow 😉

But when you need bread, you need bread. On some occasions there aren’t hours to spare.

Quick breads are great for those last minute bread needs, whatever they may be. It takes just minutes to put together. No rising, no kneading – just mix it up & bake.

That being said, quick breads and yeast breads are certainly different. A quick bread is dense, moist & even crumbly at times – more along the lines of a tender biscuit. A yeast bread is lighter and far more complex in taste & texture.

You can get pretty creative with this bread. Add fresh or dried herbs, like parsley, chives or Herbes de Provence, or add more spices – like dried minced onion or powder, more garlic. Switch up cheeses or add olives, sun dried tomatoes, dried beef – anything your heart desires. Just watch that you don’t overdue the amount of liquids. Quick breads are (almost) fool proof. My next go at this bread will be a “Pizza Quick Bread”. Stay tuned 🙂

This bread is wonderful eaten as is or with a generous smear of butter. I serve it with breakfast, as a snack or with a big bowl of soup or a hearty dinner.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Baking!

-Amanda-

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4.9 from 19 votes

Cheesy Cheddar Quick Bread

A garlicky cheddar quick bread ready in about an hour from start to finish. Easy, cheesy, foolproof - delicious!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Breads &amp, Muffins

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar I prefer sharp
1 cup milk
1 large egg beaten
2 tablespoon butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Grease/spray a loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder and salt. Stir in shredded cheese. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg & butter.
Add liquid ingredients to bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
Spoon/pour into loaf pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Top should be a golden brown.
Cool on wire rack. Remove loaf from pan, slice & serve.

Soft & Fluffy Apple Cake

October 26, 2016 by Amanda 5 Comments

A light & fluffy apple cake with a sweet buttery caramel glaze. Easy, simple & delicious ♥

How many times could I bake and enjoy this cake in just one week? Turns out, three times. I baked this three times, in less than a week, and couldn’t stay away from it each time. Given the chance, I would have went for a fourth round with it.

The beginning of this story starts with a half bushel of apples for sale along side the road. For $8. Fresh from a local farms small orchard and into my kitchen.

So apples it is. It’s the season. There’s a million wonderful reasons to eat local and nothing beats amazing fresh produce at crazy cheap prices.

With visions of apple cakes & pies floating through my head I started with this cake. Why? I’ve had quite a few apple cakes this season already. They were all so moist, delicious and wonderful but heavy and dense. That’s common with apple cakes, which is all fine and dandy, but sometimes I want something lighter.

This cake is simple to make. Follow the recipe and it will be perfect. I baked one cake and decided to measure “extra generous” with the apples. Don’t. It absolutely changed the texture of the cake. Delicious still, yes. Light & fluffy – not so much.

As for the glaze on top of this cake. It has a buttery caramel flavor and you can make it as thick or thin as you’d like. For a thinner glaze, boil for about a minute. Thicker, 2-3 minutes. I think I found my happy place glaze at about 2 minutes.

So grab some apples and get to baking. Tis’ the season and winter is coming. (Game of Thrones fangirl reference thrown in there)

Thanks for stopping by! Happy baking 🙂

-Amanda-

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5 from 2 votes

Soft & Fluffy Apple Cake

A light & fluffy apple cake with a sweet buttery caramel glaze. Easy, simple & delicious ♥

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: cakes

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Cake:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups chopped apples
Glaze/Topping:
4 tablespoon salted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
2 tablespoons heavy cream half & half or milk work fine too
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease/spray a 13"x9" baking dish.
Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugar, applesauce & oil and beat.
Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & vanilla until combined.
Stir in apples.
Pour batter into baking dish. Bake for 30 - 36 minutes. Top will be golden brown and toothpick inserted near center should come out clean.
Cool on wire rack & glaze.
For Glaze:
Combine butter, brown sugar, heavy cream & vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Stirring often, bring to a light boil.
Stirring constantly, let boil for a minute for a thin glaze and 2-3 minutes for a thicker glaze.
Let cool for a few minutes & pour/spoon glaze over cake and spread evenly with a spoon or spatula.
Serve & enjoy. Store cake loosely covered.

Vanilla Cupcakes, Buttercream & Russian Style Piping Tips

September 26, 2016 by Amanda 7 Comments

Today I’m talking cupcakes, buttercream & Russian Style Piping Tips. So get ready to look at a bunch of too cute cupcake pics ♥

Cupcakes. There is something about a cute little cake that will bring a smile to any girls face – young & old alike.

The cupcake is very much about appearance. The frosting is just as, if not more, important than the cake itself. Smear a layer of white frosting on top of a cupcake and you won’t find anyone fawning. Pull out your piping bag and decorate and watch love at first site occur!

My daughters and I LOVE cupcakes. My 10 year old daughter & I have loads of fun making and decorating cupcakes. She’s already got me beat in the decorating department.

I’m always keeping an eye out for new things in cake decorating. I’ve been seeing nothing but beautiful piping work people were putting out with Russian Piping Tips. I had to try them!

Lucky for me, my friends at A Touch of Violet sent me this set of 32 piece Russian Style Piping Tips to try out! Happiness ♥

These tips are beyond simple to use. Dare I say simpler than standard tips? Just maybe….

These tips are large – bigger than a jumbo tip from Wilton. These tips are perfect for decorating cupcakes or cakes – they make large flowers and leaves.

The most important piece of advice I can give you on piping – use a stiff buttercream. Anything too soft won’t pipe well & won’t hold up.

These tips will make some beautiful flowers with impressive detail. Try using 2-3 different colors to make everything pop. I didn’t try plain white buttercream – but it would definitely be gorgeous for wedding or christening cupcakes & cakes.

Have fun and play around with these tips the first few times you use them. It took a few times for us to figure out which tips make what. Just like other piping, the angle you pipe at will make a difference in your creations. I only got a chance to work on cupcakes so far – but I can’t wait to get to cake decorating with these tips.

The only downside is that the set does not come with a guide to what each tip creates. We jumped right in and got to decorating, figuring it all out as we went. If you’re not feeling so adventurous, there are a blogs & videos online that can give you a crash course. Perhaps this winter I’ll work on a photo guide of what tip makes what…

I’ve included a recipe for cupcakes & a basic buttercream. I recommend using gel colors when using buttercream for piping. I made a double batch of buttercream and we used most of it on 18 cupcakes. Hey…we got carried away 🙂

Thanks for stopping by! Happy baking ♥

-Amanda-

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Vanilla Cupcakes

Simple vanilla cupcakes perfect for loading up with buttercream. This recipe can make 12 - 18 cupcakes, depending on how much you fill the cupcakes. I recommend making 18 cupcakes for buttercream piping.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time18 mins

Total Time28 mins

Course: baked goods

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

½ cup salted butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cup all purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Line a cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Mix in flour, milk, baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined. Do not overmix.
Spoon batter into 18 cupcake liners about half full.
Bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until tops spring back when pressed or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes rest in pan for a few minutes before removing to wire rack.
Cool completely before frosting.

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Basic Buttercream

A basic and versatile buttercream - flavor and color to your liking. Temperature stable, easy to make and work with - my go to buttercream for cupcakes. You may need to double this recipe for Russian Style Piping (I did)

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Servings: 2 1/2 cups

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

½ cup solid vegetable shortening
½ cup 1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar approximately 1 lb.
1 - 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

In large mixing bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until very light and fluffy.
Beat in vanilla.
Gradually mix in sugar, one cup at a time. Beat well on medium speed, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
Buttercream will be dry when all sugar has been mixed in.
Add in milk, beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in any colors or add-ins if desired.
Enjoy : )

*Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample to try & review. All opinions are absolutely my own and not influenced in any way.*

Shoofly Cupcakes

September 19, 2016 by Amanda 12 Comments

Shoofly Cupcakes. A sweet, moist molasses PA Dutch & Lancaster County favorite made into fun little cakes. Oh, and this delicious treat is vegan if using shortening (which is traditional) instead of butter.

I have a confession to make. It’s been over two years that I’ve been working on this blog and I have yet to share a Shoofly Pie recipe. Shame. Shame on me. Hailing from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania – everyone should be a wee bit disappointed with me.

Turns out today is still not the day for a Shoofly Pie. Sorry. Soon – I promise. Instead, I’m switching it up with these fun little Shoofly Cupcakes.

So lets talk Shoofly for a minute. It’s a Pennsylvania Dutch pie that has gained some popularity the past few years. With it’s gooey molasses bottom, it’s moist center and it’s light crumb topping – it’s a unique dessert you’ll either love or hate. As a local – if you love it, you’ll never grow tired trying the endless variations of it.

Just to clear up much internet confusion – all Shoofly Pie is (and should be) “wet bottom”. If it’s not a wet bottom pie, then it’s pretty much a Shoofly Cake in a pie crust. That’s no good….

Most folks make a Shoofly Cake as a simple moist cake. But….if you’re in the know….you know that most Lancaster County residents love this cake made with a wet bottom, served warm straight from the baking dish.

These cupcakes have none of this magical wet bottom I speak of. I’ve tried making them before, but they pretty much just stick to the cupcake liner. Instead they have all the warm & wonderful Shoofly flavors in a cute little cake.

These cupcakes, much like the pie, are quick and simple to make. You’ll find this with much Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine. The food comes from a culture that was built upon hard work & minimalism. Everything was cooked from scratch and nothing was wasted. Thing is, the PA Dutch women of yesteryears didn’t have time to stand around and fuss in the kitchen all day. Many were farmers or hard at work in the family business plus managed a household – kids, cooking & cleaning. They perfected the simplest methods whenever possible.

All that being said, these cupcakes take only a few minutes to mix up and about 20 minutes to bake. These moist little Shoofly cupcakes are a fun, delicious & unique treat.

I hope you enjoy this Pennsylvania Dutch treat. Thanks so much for stopping by! Happy Baking!

-Amanda-

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3.67 from 3 votes

Shoofly Cupcakes

Shoofly Cupcakes. A sweet, moist molasses PA Dutch & Lancaster County favorite made into fun little cakes. Oh, and this delicious treat can easily be made vegan by using shortening (which is traditional) instead of butter.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: baked goods

Cuisine: Pennsylvania Dutch

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Crumb / Dry Mixture:
3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/2 cup shortening or butter room temp
Liquid Mixture:
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsulphured molasses

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour and brown sugar.
Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening/butter until pea sized crumbles.
Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture. Set all aside.
Boil water. Stir baking soda into water. Stir in molasses, remove from heat.
Add liquid mixture into bowl of dry mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Fill paper lined muffin tins half full with batter.
Sprinkle reserved 1 cup of crumb mixture evenly over tops of cupcakes.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, put tins on wire rack. Let rest for about 5 minutes and then remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool completely on wire rack. Store covered.
Enjoy 🙂