A Sweet Treat for Valentine's Day

Sometimes you might want a treat to go with

your coffee or in my case, tea.  

Sometimes you might not want a rich & decadent treat.

Sometimes you might just want something simple.

Enter these Pastry Bites, done in Valentine's Day style.

I had this recipe for quite a few years,

ripped from a magazine and tucked away

to make "some day."

(I'm not even going to go into how many of

recipes I have tucked away for "some day.")  

Let's just say that "some day" is today for this recipe.

These are really a cinch to make and they taste so good.

Here's the recipe:

Pastry Bites

6 tablespoons raw sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed)

1 egg, beaten

In a bowl, mix sugar, spices & a pinch of salt.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, brush pastry with egg; sprinkle with half the sugar mixture.

Cover with another sheet of parchment, then flip over.

Peel off top parchment.  Brush pastry with egg,then sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Cut pastry into 10 strips & twist them.

You can leave them in long twisted strips or you can mold them into hearts as I did here.

Bake at 375 degrees until crispy, about 16-20 minutes.

And just like that, you have simple, crispy little treats that

took no time at all to make.

Enjoy!

Praline-Topped Apple Bread

When Fall arrives, I just can't beat the urge to bake.

I swear, if I could, I would bake something every day.

I had this recipe from Taste of Home for a few years now,

and decided it was about time I give it a try.

Praline-Topped Apple Bread

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

2 eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apples

1¼ cups chopped pecans, toasted**, divided 

½ cup butter

½ cups packed brown sugar

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, beat the sugar, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Stir into the flour mixture just until moistened.  Fold in the apples and 1 cup of pecans.

Transfer to a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

In a saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil.  Cook and stir for 1 minute.  Spoon over bread. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup of pecans.  Let stand until set.

Yield:  1 loaf

**To toast pecans, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes, or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  

♥♥♥

This was really delicious!

I don't think you'll be disappointed,

so give it a try.

Enjoy!

Four Chip Muffins

I had to have a procedure done a few weeks ago.

After said procedure, I was given a diet to follow for one week by my doctor.

Foods NOT on this diet....

whole grains, fresh fruit, fresh veggies.

Foods ON this diet....

refined white grains, cookies, cakes, muffins, butter, ice cream, 

bacon, carbonated beverages, etc.

Honestly.

I kid you not.

So what did I do?

I threw all caution to the wind & had a grand old time!

 (Yes, in hindsight, I now see this was not a smart move, 

but I'm happy to say I am back on track with my healthy diet.)

I've have always loved to bake & with my new healthier lifestyle 

over the past year, I just don't get to bake as much as I would like.  

So I remedied that...doctor's orders.  :)

Enter this delectable muffin:

I bought a muffin cookbook a decade ago and I have pretty

much been happy with every muffin I've ever made from it.

Here's the recipe:

FOUR CHIP MUFFINS

2 cups all purpose flour

½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

½ cup butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup butterscotch chips

½ cup peanut butter chips

½ cup chopped walnuts (I didn't add the walnuts)

Heat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder & salt.  In another bowl, blend together milk, butter, eggs & vanilla.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Add the milk mixture and stir just to combine.  Stir in the chips and nuts (if using).  Fill greased muffin tins.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Grab a muffin and a hot cup of tea (or coffee) 

and

have a great day!

 

Cinnamon Sugar Twists

Sometimes... 

you feel the urge to bake something sweet. 

Sometimes...

 you know full well you should NOT 

be baking something sweet. 

Sometimes.... 

you know you need to take off the pounds 

you gained over the holidays.

Sometimes... 

you just don't listen to that internal voice & 

you bake something sweet anyway.

♥♥♥

Yeah, that's exactly what happened here!

Oh these are so yummy!

Crisp & sweet & so easy to make.

Here's the recipe:

(I pulled it from a magazine, but I have no idea which one.)

Cinnamon Sugar Twists

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

4 tablespoon butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Gently roll out pastry and brush with butter.  Sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon.  Cut each sheet lengthwise into 8 strips, then twist.  Place on 2 parchment lined baking sheets and press down ends to secure.

Bake at 400° until golden, 18 to 20 minutes, switching & rotating pans halfway through.  

Makes 16.  

And if you've ignored that internal voice

up to this point,

 go ahead & enjoy!

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes

I don't know if it's only me, 

but have you noticed that zucchini is getting a big boost

in popularity lately?

For some reason, I keep seeing recipes 

dedicated to this green squash everywhere.  

I have always liked zucchini, 

well...mostly breaded & fried, 

and as I get older, I'm finding I like it other ways as well.

I have enjoyed this recipe for a few years now 

and thought I would share it with you today.

I believe the recipe came from Everyday Food magazine.  

Oh how I miss that magazine!

These cupcakes are so yummy

and the cream cheese frosting is a wonderful

little bonus that compliments the cupcake perfectly.

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes

1½ cups all purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 zucchini (10 ounces) coarsely grated (1½ cups)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)

Preheat oven to 350°.  Line cups of a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.  Set aside.  

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Mix in nuts.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to the flour mixture and mix just until combined (do not overmix.)

Divide batter evenly among cups.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.  (I find this was too long and baked mine about 25 to 30  minutes.)

Cool in tin on wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely. Meanwhile, make Cream Cheese Frosting.  Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes.  The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Yield:  12 cupcakes


Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat 4 tablespoons room temperature butter and 4 ounces room temperature bar cream cheese until smooth.  Add 2 cups confectioners' sugar and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy.  Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Even my picky son, who will go to

great lengths to extract anything green

or remotely healthy from any dish I've made,

loved these, so please give them a try!

And yes, if you're wondering,

I am still dieting, but I do find

I can indulge every now & again, but 
still keep on track.

Have a wonderful week!

      

Peanut Butter Pie

Hello, my lovelies!

  

I thought I'd share a recipe with you today.

Now I realize that Peanut Butter Pie is not

necessarily a "Winter-Time-Comfort-Dessert,"

but it is delicious anyway.

 

This one comes from Taste of Home & it is sooooo rich & yummy!

Peanut Butter Pie

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, divided
½ cup sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons hot fudge ice cream topping, divided

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in 1 cup peanut butter and sugar.  Fold in 3 cups whipped topping; spoon into crust.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat 2/3 cup hot fudge topping for 30 seconds.  Pour over peanut butter layer and spread to the edges of crust.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Spread remaining whipped topping over pie.  Cut into slices.  Place the remaining hot fudge topping and peanut butter in two separate plastic bags.  Cut a small hole in the corner of each bag; pipe topping and peanut butter over each slice of pie.

As you can see, I took the picture before completing that last step!  lol 

ENJOY!

Caramel Pecan Turtle Cookies

I suppose it's no surprise to any of you, that I love to bake.

I think I've said it often enough over the years.

 

So when Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life said she was

throwing a holiday baking party with some friends,

 I just knew I had to participate.

 

I pulled this recipe from a magazine many moons ago,

and finally got around to making them!

 (Oh you should see my folder of "recipes pulled from a magazine." 

It's Scary with a capital S!)

 

These cookies are very yummy, but I must caution you: 

They are easy to make, but a little bit time consuming. 

Caramel Pecan Turtle Cookies


1 cup Crisco or 1 Crisco stick
1½ cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 to 5 cups flour (I used 4 cups)
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
28 caramels
2 tablespoons milk
3 cups pecan halves
1 (6 ounce) bag chocolate chips

Cream Crisco & sugars together.  Add milk.  Beat in eggs one at a time; add vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar & salt.  Mix into creamed mixture.  Chill 1 hour.

Heat oven 350°.  Roll out 1/3 of dough at a time, to ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface.  Cut out with a 2¼ inch cookie cutter.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake 5 to 6 minutes, until edges are slightly golden.  Remove to cooling rack.

For topping, combine caramels & milk in microwave safe bowl.  Cover with waxed paper.  Microwave at 50% for 1 minute.  Stir, repeat until smooth.  (Or you can melt on stovetop in small saucepan at very low heat.)  Drop rounded teaspoonfuls on top of each cookie.  Place 3 pecan halves around edge of caramel. 

Place chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave at 50% for 1 minute.  Stir, repeat until smooth.  (Or again, you can melt on stovetop in small saucepan at very low heat.)  Spread rounded teaspoonfuls over top of caramel, but don't cover pecans.  Cool completely. 

Yield:  5 dozen

Now go ahead & enjoy that turtle cookie...mmmmm...

 

Linking to:

 

Holiday Baking Party at A Stroll thru Life

 All Things Thursday at Posed Perfection

 

Chewy Sugar Cookies

If you're anything like me, you like a little something sweet with a cup of tea (or coffee.)

Sometimes I get sick of the decadence of some cookies. (Did I really just type that? lol)   Sometimes I wish for something a little more "simple."

The Drama Club at my daughter's school was having a bake sale.  She signed up for sugar cookies.  Now I have to admit, I was disappointed.  "Sugar cookies?  You signed up for sugar cookies???"   As someone who loves to bake, sugar cookies seemed...well...boring. 

I found this recipe in my King Arthur Flour cookbook and we set to the task at hand.

Were they boring?  No way!  Just simple and oh so good!! 

Chewy Sugar Cookies

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter (I used regular old salted butter)
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon nutmeg or lemon oil, optional, your choice (I used neither one)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (I used ¼ teaspoon since I used salted butter)
1 large egg
2½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cups coarse or granulated sugar, for coating

Preheat oven to 375°.  Lightly grease or line with parchment two baking sheets.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, nutmeg/lemon oil (if using), baking powder, baking soda, salt & egg.   Stir in flour.

Place sugar in shallow dish.  Drop the dough by the tablespoonful (I used my cookie scoop) into the sugar, rolling the balls to coat them.  Place on prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until the edges are just barely beginning to brown, they'll look soft.  If your bake these cookies too long, they'll be crunchy, not chewy.  Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. 

Yield:  3 dozen

 

 

Grab your tea (or coffee) and enjoy a few cookies!

 

 

Pear Crisp

I don't know if I've ever shared this before,

but when we bought our home some 13 years ago,

we were lucky to have inherited a small and very old pear tree. 

 

Now I don't know exactly how old this tree might be,

(our home was built in 1933)

but with every thunderstorm or snowstorm,

I watch from my window, holding my breath,

hoping that the storm doesn't finish this

small tree off once and for all. 

Half of the tree did break off once in a storm,

but it still continues to grow despite that. 

 

Here is our tree, just a few weeks ago, after we harvested the pears.

   

This little cutie gave us a full harvest of pears this year.  You can still

see a few left up top.   These pears were so juicy, I'm telling you,

I could barely cut them up for the recipe below.  They were slipping and

sliding through my fingers. 

 

Ready for the recipe?

 

This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman.  

 

 

Pear Crisp

 

4-5 whole large pears (Bosc work well, although mine weren't Bosc)

2/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

 

Topping Ingredients:

 

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup pecans, very finely chopped

1 stick butter, melted

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Peel, core and dice pears.  Place in a bowl and stir together with 2/3 cups sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt.  Set aside.

 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans.  Stir together.  Drizzle  melted butter gradually, stirring with a fork as you go along until all is combined.

 

Pour pears into a buttered baking dish, top with crumb topping.

 

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Place pan on top rack of oven for an additional 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.  

 

 

Oh it is soooo good!

I hope you'll give it a try. 

 

What are you planning to bake for Fall? 

 

 

Loaded Up Pretzel Cookies

When the weather cooled down last week, I got the urge to bake.

Not wanting to get into my favorite fall flavors of apple, pumpkin or cinnamon just yet, I went for something fun that I knew my kids would love.

Enter this creation:

 

 

This recipe came from Taste of Home magazine.   The cookies are larger than your average cookie, but so delicious!  Soft & chewy, yet crunchy all at the same time.

 

They are an easy cookie to make too.  Nothing complicated here. 

 

Loaded Up Pretzel Cookies

 

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups miniature pretzels, broken

1 ½ cups flaked coconut

1 ½ cups milk chocolate M&Ms

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.  Stir in remaining ingredients.

 

Shape ¼ cupfuls of dough into balls; place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

 

Makes 2 dozen

 

 

 

 

I hope you give them a try soon! 

 



Strawberry Jam Hand Pies

Hello friends!

Time to share  a recipe.

 

This one comes from Everyday Food magazine.

The magazine is no longer in circulation,

and I miss it. :(

 

These hand pies are a cinch to make!

 

 

Strawberry Jam Hand Pies

 

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

¾ cup strawberry jam

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

 

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry sheets to 1/8 inch thick.  Cut each sheet into quarters and place on parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon jam in center of each piece, brush edges with egg yolk, fold into triangles, and press tightly to seal.  Freeze pies until firm, 30 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 375°.  Bake pies until golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.  Whisk lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over cooled pies and let set 20 minutes. 

 

Store in airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.

 

Makes 8.

 

 

They may look difficult to make, but with the puff pastry

they are simple, simple, simple.

 

The next time I make them, I want to try adding

some fresh chopped strawberries in with the jam

and see what happens. 

 

I hope you give them a try sometime.

Enjoy!

 

Linking to:

 

On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable

Summer Dessert Link Party at The Checkered Apple

 

Coffeecake Muffins

I've been trying to lay off the sugar & flour. 

Scouts honor.

But...sometimes...well...you just need a little something.

Truth be told, I love to bake.   I often get the urge to bake and honestly, I think it's an urge to bake for the sheer joy of baking.    Don't get me wrong,  I love to eat sweets, but I think I love to bake sweets even more.  Does that make sense?

 

This recipe comes from Cook's Country magazine.

I know it looks like a long recipe, but don't let that scare you.  Using a food processor, this comes together easily. 

 

  

Coffeecake Muffins

 

 

Struesel:

8 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon gound cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

½ cup pecans

 

Muffins:

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1¾ cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks and softened

 

For the struesel:  Pulse 5 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter in food processor until just combined.  Reserve ¾ cup of this sugar mixture for cinnamon filling.  Add pecans and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar to food processor with remaining sugar mixture and pulse until pecans are coursely ground.  Transfer to bowl and set aside for struesel topping.  Do not wash food processor.

 

For the muffins:  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°.  Grease muffin tin with cooking spray and line with paper liners.  (It is suggested you use paper liners so the cinammon filling does not stick to the pan.)  Whisk eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a bowl.  Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand.  Transfer to large bowl.  Using rubber spatula, gradually fold in egg mixture until just combined.  Place 1 tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup and top with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon filling.  Using back of spoon, press cinammon filling lightly into batter, then top with remaining batter.   Sprinkle struesel topping evenly over batter.

 

Bake until muffins are light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few dry crumbs attached, 22 to 28 minutes.  Cool muffins in tin for 30 minutes, then carefully transfer to rack to cool.  Serve. 

 

Yield:  12 muffins.

Muffins will keep in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.



Now grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and enjoy!

The Year in Review 2012- Part 3

I hope you are enjoying my 2012 Year in Review posts. 

 

I've enjoyed looking back, seeing what I accomplished this year,

although it has been hard choosing which

posts to feature.

 

This is my 3rd and final part of The Year in Review. 

If you would like to check out Part 1 and Part 2

here are the links...Part 1, Part 2.

 

Let's see, I believe I left off with September.

In September 2012,

 

 

we added new tile to our fireplace.

This one might be a good post to review

if you missed it, especially if you need a laugh.

 

Also in September,

our home was featured at Debbiedoos

for her home tours.

 

 

 

I was both honored & crippled with fear

at sharing our home with all of you.   lol

The kind comments left here & at Debbiedoos

touched my heart!  You girls are the best!

 

In October 2012,

 

 

I sewed this cute Jack the Pumpkin pillow.

 

October was a month for weddings...

my niece got married

and

 

 

the Mister & I celebrated our 20th anniversary!

 

In November 2012,

 

I put together a fall tablescape...

 

 

featuring pinecones and acorns.

 

I also made these cute & silly candy bar wrappers

 

 

in honor of Thanksgiving.

 

In December 2012,

 

 

I got warmed up for the holiday baking season

and

 I shared a holiday favorite,

 

 

my white wire shelf.

 

 2012 was an excellent year.

Thank you so much for being here with me.

I appreciate each & every one of you!

 

Here's to an awesome 2013!

The Year in Review 2012- Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my 2012 Year in Review.
Part 1 can be found here. 

 

Let's get started, shall we?

 

In May 2012,

 

I did a little restyling.

 

 

I gave my Easter burlap rag wreath

a new look.

 

I got to spend some time in the kitchen too.

 

 

Yummy...Strawberry Pretzel Squares.

 

In June 2012,

 

I revealed my next completed project.

 

 

I painted my stairs.

 It was a huge undertaking, but oh so worth it!

 

I took my dining room hutch

from black,

 

 

to Annie Sloan's Old White.

 

In July 2013,

 

with some old windows found in the trash,

 

 

 

I created this gallery wall for my family room.

There's a cute story about finding the windows in the

trash if you'd like to click on the link to read it.

 

I had a little fun outdoors too.

 

 

The mister & I created this crooked planter

to fill an empty space in our landscaping.

 

In August 2012,

 

 

I played with my dishes and created a

French Country Tablescape.

 

I also took on a project that I never thought I'd

be able to pull off.

 

 

I painted & reupholstered a chair! 

Click on the link if you'd like to see the

awful before picture. 

 

 That's all for today folks.

Stay tuned for my Year in Review 2012- Part 3!