Munchkin Munchies

Trail Mix Monster Cookies

2012-01-24T20:55:00.000-08:00

To say that my husband loves to hike is a vast understatement. It's been six years since he lost 60 pounds by eating less (and healthier) and moving more~imagine that:) He has never looked back, and he is an inspiration to me to get more physically fit. He is fit and fabulous!

He hikes locally (there's so many beautiful, great trails that we have access to), and sometimes a bit further up the coast to Big Sur. He has even hiked to the top of Mount Whitney a time or two! I try to join him when I can, and last year the two of us hiked to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls in Yosemite. It was tough for my kness on the way down, but oh so beautiful! This year our goal is Half Dome in Yosemite.

I spotted these cookies in Phyllis Hoffman's "Celebrate" Valentine Special magazine, and thought they would be a good fit for my hiking Valentine. They're sweet, but have plenty of healthy elements for energy on the trail. I think he will also appreciate their manly size:)

Trail Mix Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup all-vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup oats

3/4 cup oat bran

1/4 cup wheat germ

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups m & m chocolate candies

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup chopped peanuts

1/4 cup chocolate covered sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat sugars, butter, and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in candies, peanut butter, peanuts and seeds.

Place 4 tablespoons dough together on an ungreased baking sheet, and flatten into one large cookie. Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 10, 5 1/2-inch cookies

Such a tasty cookie, which can even be eaten while sitting in a recliner:)

Linked to:

I'm Lovin' it Fridays

Circus Snack Mix & Clown Nose Cookie Pop

2012-01-17T14:39:00.000-08:00

This fun, sweet & salty snack mix has been brewing in the recesses of my mind for quite awhile now. I finally got around to gathering the supplies for it... So, without further delay, "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, let me direct your attention to this amazing circus snack mix!"

CIRCUS (or carnival) SNACK MIX: (You can tailor it to your own preferences)

Featuring (from the top, clockwise):

Popcorn~classic circus snack, salted (1 micowave bag)

Clown Noses~red sixlets (1/2 cup)

Animal Hoops (for "jumping through")~Froot Loops cereal (about 3 cups)

Peanuts~Favorite circus snack food for people, and elephants too:) (1 cup)

Cotton Candy~pink marshmallows, cut up (1 cup)
Clown Hats~candy-coated Bugles original, topped with m&m candies(2-3 dozen)-Directions below
Circus Animals~Animal crackers (big handful)
More Circus Animals~iced animal crackers (big handful)
Mix all of these ingredients together and you end up with a big bowl of circus snack!

Clown Hats

1 bag of bugles original flavored snack, 4.1 oz. bag
7 ounces of purple candy melts (half of a typical bag)
red m&m's milk chocolate candies
sprinkles

Place a piece of wax paper on a work surface before you get started. Open the bugles and set aside the amount you will need for your clown hats (I made about 3 dozen) on the wax paper. Place some red m&m's in a bowl. Melt the candy melts as the package directs. Use a fork and dip each bugle in the purple melted chocolate one at a time, until completely covered. Place a red candy at the tip of the bugle while the purple chocolate is still wet. Place on wax paper to dry. Do this for each hat.

Once they are all dry, re-melt the purple chocolate, dip the bottom rim of each little hat in it and then dip it directly in the sprinkles, or whatever you are using to decorate the rims. Set on wax paper to dry.

Serve this in snack bags at a party, school carnival or in the classroom.

I also thought it would be fun to include this familiar cookie (think Rudolph's Nose Cookie Pop) and relate it to the circus theme...

You can't get much easier than these clown nose cookie pops, or much cuter:)

Simply use your favorite sugar cookie dough, roll it out, grab a small (1.5-inch) round cutter(I used a biscuit cutter) and cut out circles (clown noses). Insert popsicle sticks and bake the cookies. When cooled, ice them with red tinted royal icing. Optional: Sprinkle red sanding sugar on the icing while still wet. Let cookies dry completely.

What a darling party favor this would make!

ENJOY!

Linked to:

These Chicks Cooked
I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Weekend Wrap Up Party

Hot Cocoa Cookies

2012-01-08T23:46:00.000-08:00

We have lived on the central coast of California for 22 years, and it has only snowed here once in all that time(of course, growing up in L.A. county, it never snowed). That day the snow was so pretty and magical, but very short-lived!

At my house if I want to see snowflakes, I have to make my own~cookie style:)

And we all know, where there's snow, there's hot chocolate! And where there's hot chocolate, there's marshmallows!

The hot cocoa mug/cup cookies were made using homemade templates fashioned from a favorite, wintry kitchen towel.

The snowflakes were made with a 1-inch round cookie cutter.

The marshmallows were cut out, freehand, with a small knife.

All the cookies were made using my favorite sugar cookie/royal icing recipe.

The smiley faces and rosy cheeks on the marshmallows were drawn with AmeriColor Gourmet Writer food decorating pens. I love them~the pens and the marshmallows. Don't you think marshmallows look a lot cuter with smiley faces? :) I also sprinkled granulated sugar on all of the snowflakes, while the icing was still wet.

Try these cookies with a big cup of hot cocoa and make your winter warm, cozy and yummy!

ENJOY!

Linked to:

Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Sweet Treats Thursday

Inspiration Friday

Lovin' it Fridays

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Thematic Thursday

Biscoff Cookie Bark

2012-01-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make something easy, but yummy, to usher in the new year and remembered Trisha Yearwood's "Mama'a Sweet and Saltines" recipe from last year.

I planned on using graham crackers instead of saltines, but when I went to my pantry there were no graham crackers to be found:( I peeked in further and spotted some Biscoff cookies:) They would be a perfect substitute, maybe even better!

I was right!

I only had one package of cookies, so cut the recipe in half. It comes together in a snap and is dangerously delicious! I just may have had to hide it from my husband:)

What could be better!?! Biscoff cookies covered in a melted butter~brown sugar mixture(toffee-like), and a generous layer of melted choclate to top it off. Sprinkle with a colorful dose of confetti sprikles and you're ready to ring in the new year!

Biscoff Bark

(Mama's Sweet and Saltines from Trisha Yearwood-adapted)

Yields: 10 servings

8.8 oz. package of Biscoff cookies (I had about 4 left over to munch on)
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
multi-colored confetti sprinkles 1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil and the cookies (I sectioned off half of a large jelly roll pan to accomodate only one pkg. of cookies).

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over cookies, covering them evenly. Put cookie sheet into oven and watch closely. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until just bubbly.

3. Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over cookies. When chips begin to melt, spread them over ccookies with a knife. Transfer pan to freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. The chocolate-covered cookies will form a solid sheet; break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

ENJOY!

Happy New Year!!!

Cookie Sheet Cookies & Christmas Greetings

2011-12-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how FAST Christmas has creeped up on me! There were so many cute things I wanted to bake and make. I didn't even get around to making any of our traditional Christmas cookies, but my husband and I do have a date in the kitchen set to make my favorite Christmas cookie~candy cane cookies!

To satisfy myself and handily make many cookies at once, I baked some cookie sheet cookies! They were made using a sugar cookie recipe and iced with gray royal icing. A playing card was used as the template for the mini cookie sheets. I also used some silver luster dust to make the cookie sheets look more authentic. After it dried I attached the mini "cookies" with royal icing.

And look at all the "cookies"! There's candy cane cookies, gingerbread men, and sugar cookies! All of the "cookies" are made with either jumbo sprinkles, or pre-made (purchased) icing decorations. For the snowmen "sugar cookies", I decorated the jumbo white sprinkles with edible markers. How easy is that?

Making these did help me feel a lot better about not making the larger, "real" version of all my favorite Christmas cookies:) Try it; they're very easy and fun! I think they look pretty cute too.

All eight of my munchkins, together at last!

Refugio State Beach

Nov. 26, 2011

(I wish I could post this photo "extra large", but it won't fit in the format, and cuts off two of my munchkins! I hope Santa was listening when I told him I wanted a professional blog makeover for Christmas!)

As cute as the cookies are, the cuteness factor of my munchkins far exceeds them (grandmas have bragging rights ya know:)) We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I'd like to thank each one of you for your friendship and support! I had no idea that this blog would bring with it so many rewards:) Food bloggers are some of the nicest people on the planet! I look forward to continued association with all of you in 2012!

A real gingerbread boy:)

See you next year!

XO, Sue

Linked to:

I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Inspiration Friday
These Chicks Cooked
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up Party

Elf Hat Peppermint Popcorn

2011-12-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

Last year, inspired by Shelly's (Cookies and Cups) darling Santa Hat Party Mix, I made a Snowman Hat Snack in January. Since I'm ahead of the game (barely) this year, I knew a Chrismas-themed snack would be in the cards. How about some Elf Hat Peppermint Popcorn? :) The peppermint popcorn idea was a sure thing after I saw Bridget's (Bake at 350) fabulous Peppermint Popcorn Crunch...YUM!

Edible Elf Hats

I did make a couple of modifications determined by the ingredients I had on hand, but I was happy with the results.

Elf Hats:
1 bag of bugles original flavored snack, 7.5 oz. bag
7 ounces of green candy melts (half of a typical bag)
red m&m's milk chocolate candies
sprinkles/colored sugar

Place a piece of wax paper on a work surface before you get started. Open the bugles and set aside the amount you will need for your elf hats (I made about 3 dozen) on the wax paper. Place some red m&m's in a bowl. Melt the candy melts as the package directs. Use a fork and dip each bugle in the green melted chocolate one at a time, until completely covered. Place a red candy at the tip of the bugle while the green chocolate is still wet. Place on wax paper to dry. Do this for each hat.
Once they are all dry, re-melt the green chocolate, dip the bottom rim of each little hat in it and then dip it directly in the sprinkles, or whatever you are using to decorate the rims. Set on wax paper to dry.

Peppermint Popcorn:
1 cup of unpopped popcorn
10 oz. package of m&m's candy cane kisses
1 cup m&m's red & green milk chocolate candies
salt to taste
canola oil

Pour oil into 4 quart sauce pan to cover bottom of pan. Dump in all of the unpopped popcorn and cover with pan lid. When the popcorn starts to pop, shake the pan over the heat until the popping stops. Add salt to taste. Divide the popcorn between two aluminum-lined, rimmed baking sheets.
Unwrap all of the candy cane kisses (while watching your favorite Christmas movie), and melt them in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Start melting for 1-minute and then 30-second increments until all the candy is melted and smooth. Pour evenly over all of the popcorn and mix. At this point, also add the m&m's candies so that they will stick to the popcorn (I forgot to add them at this point, so they were loose in the mix). Let dry.

Add the elf hats to the popcorn and gently toss.

This recipe made a BIG popcorn bowl of Elf Peppermint Popcorn! I snacked on plenty, and packaged a bag for each munchkin, near and far. It was very tasty~sweet and salty yumminess!

ENJOY!

Linked to:
These Chicks Cooked
Sweet Treats Thursday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Inspiration Friday

Gingerbread Men Sandwich Cookies

2011-12-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

Today I am "In Katrina's Kitchen" as part of her cookie extrvaganza! Hop on over there to see my gingerbread men sandwich cookies as part of her "I'll Bring the Cookies" event!

Rudolph's Nose~Cookie on a Stick {Easy-Peasy}

2011-12-08T19:05:00.000-08:00

The plan was, I was going to make Rudolph nose cookies (on a stick) for all of my munchkins when they were here at Thanksgiving, take a photo, post it here, and maybe even make it into a Christmas card. That was the plan, but somehow when everyone converges on my home, many of my well-laid plans fly out the proverbial window. Of course I remembered my idea after 6/8 of the munchkins returned to Texas and Nevada:( Sigh.

Now onto the easiest cookie on-a-stick ever...

I used a sugar cookie dough, rolled it out, grabbed a small (1.5-inch) biscuit cutter and went to town cutting out reindeer noses. I then inserted popsicle sticks and baked them. When cooled, they were iced using red (AmeriColor Super Red soft gel food paste) tinted royal icng. While the icing was still wet I sprinkled on red decorating sugar. Let dry completely.

That's all there is to it! I told you it was easy~peasy:)

How cute would these Rudolph Nose cookies on-a-stick be for a party favor or photo-op? As you can see, very cute!

HAVE FUN!

Linked to:
Lovin' it Fridays
Sweet Treats Thursday
For the Kids Friday
Christmas in the Kitchen
Weekend Wrap up Party
Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party
Sweets for a Saturday
Holiday Food Blog Hop

Sweets on a Stick~Book Giveaway! WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2011-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

Update~Comment #9 was chosen via random.com:

drmithome said...

Looks like a fun cookbook. Thanks for the giveaway.

Congrats drmithome! I will contact you ASAP!

Thank you to everyone that entered! I truly appreciate your support!

I have been a fan of Linda's blog, Bubble and Sweet, for a long time! She makes such beautiful treats, and I refer to her as "The Fondant Queen" because of her fabulous work with fondant. If you haven't visited her site, you are really missing out! You need to click on the link right now! :)

I was so happy when Linda announced that she was having a cookbook published. And then I was very surprised and thrilled when she let me know that I would be included in the acknowledgements for helping her out with baking ingredients/terms, which sometimes differ between the United States(my home) and Australia (Linda's home). SO SWEET!

Linda also graciously gave me this copy of the book for the giveaway (I have a copy for myself too! ) for one lucky winner! I am thoroughly enjoying looking through the book and am having a hard time deciding which treat to try first!?!

This giveawy is open to U.S. residents only.

How fun are these Big Mouth Monster Pops? :)

(photo from book)

Included in the giveaway is also a $30 gift voucher to http://www.kitchenkrafts.com/ which will definitely assist you in trying out Linda's recipes.

Adorable Chocolate Pie Pops~Yum!

These are just two of the 150 fabulous pops that are included in the book. If you'd like to order a book for yourself (just get a closer look) or another baker on your Christmas list, this book would be perfect! Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sweets-Stick-Kid-Friendly-Recipes-Candies/dp/144053005X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323101976&sr=8-1#_

As an added little bonus I have a cute collection of cupcake liners that I picked up at Ikea (my only purchase from a 6-hour round trip:)) to throw in with the book and gift voucher.

The liners are 3-inches all the way down to 3/4-inch (.75). The tiny ones are the reason I bought these:)

This photo shows two packs just so you can see the underside of the liners. The top (unopened) package is for the giveaway.

To re-cap~

One winner (remember-U.S. residents only) will win:

1. Sweets on a Stick book

2. $30 Kitchen Krafts voucher

3. Cupcake liners

This giveaway will end on Friday, December 9 at noon, P.S.T. GIVEAWAY ENDED!

The winner will be chosen through random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond before an alternate winner is chosen.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment, and make sure there's a way to get a hold of you...either a link to your email, or your email address within your comment.

Thank you and GOOD LUCK!

P.S. THANK YOU, Linda!

Reindeer Nose Cookies

2011-12-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Once again I was inspired by a cute and easy Christmas craft that I found on Pinterest, Reindeer Noses, from the blog, A Personal Touch.

The original noses were "made" with candy, but I thought it would be fun to make them instead with iced sugar cookies:) This is the easiest sugar cookies you will ever make!

Using my favorite sugar cookie/royal icing recipe, and a small (1-inch or so) round cookie cutter, I whipped these little noses up in no time at all.

I already have five jars packed up for the oldest munchkins (the other three are infants). Now I just need to make some cute tags and send them off.

Each half-pint jar has 9 mini cookies: 1 red nose for Rudolph and 8 brown~1 each for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.

How cute are these for a sweet, little snack?

Your own munchkins will have fun nibbling on these noses:)

Linked to :
Inspiration Friday
Sweet Treats Thursday
I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Weekend Wrap-up Party
Sweets for a Saturday
Recipe of the Week: Holiday Cookies
A Themed Baker's Sunday

Turkey Cookie in a Jar

2011-11-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

Did you happen to see the darling, inventive Jack o' Lantern cookie in a Jar from Bee in our Bonnet?

Well I did, and I was instantly smitten! I decided on the spot to make a Thanksgiving version for the munchkins, a colorful little turkey.

I had cutters on hand for the circles (body, eyes) and the triangles (beak, feet) but made a simple template for the basic turkey feather shape and the teeny wattle.

I traced my template onto a file folder, cut it out, placed it on the cookie dough (my favorite sugar cookie recipe) and cut around it with a small knife.

While the cookies were baking, I made up a batch of royal icing, and mixed gel paste food coloring for all of the different colors. After the cookies were completely dry, I divided all the turkey parts up and put one complete turkey in each half pint jar. How fun and easy is that?

I think the munchkins will have a good time playing with their turkeys before they eat them.

I bet they eat the wattle first:) We'll see...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Creamy Pumpkin Pie with Biscoff Cookie Crust

2011-11-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

I finally found some Biscoff cookies! They were right under my nose at a nearby CVS pharmacy. Hooray!

I've seen the cookies (and spread) used in recipes on many blogs, most recently on Bridget's Bake at 350(one of my favorites!) and knew I had to find some. Visiting the Biscoff website solved the problem(retail locations listed), which is also where I found the pie crust recipe.

This Creamy Pumpkin pie is linked up to the "3rd Annual Love the Pie Party" at TidyMom's site. Here's Cheryl's pie party invitation to all:
“Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton, Bags by Bloom and Harvard Common Press”

When Cheryl anounced her pie party I knew I wanted to participate, but had a hard time deciding on a pie. That is, until I visited Emily's blog, So Domesticated (another favorite). Emily posted a creamy pumpkin tart that looked oh, so good!

I knew I had found my pie! I made a couple of changes, using whipping cream (vs. Cool Whip), and a Biscoff cookie crust (vs. gingersnaps, which is also a tasty crust).

This pie did not disappoint! It is creamy with a capital C, with just the right balance of pumpkin. The whole dreamy, creamy concoction is housed in the Biscoff cookie crust, which makes it perfectly delicious!

You'll love it!

Creamy Pumpkin Pie with Biscoff Cookie Crust

Ingredients for Biscoff crust: (recipe from Ambitious Kitchen, found via http://www.biscoff.com/)

1 package of Biscoff cookies (8.8 oz)
1/3 cup of melted butter
1/4 cup of granulated sugar

To make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place Biscoff cookies in food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs.
3. Set aside 2 tablespoons of crumbs for topping the pie later.
4. Add melted butter and sugar in food processor with crumbs. Pulse again until the cookie crumbs resemble wet sand.
5. Scrape into 9-inch pie pan and press into the side of the pan. Make sure it is even, then bake in oven for 10 minutes.
6. Take out of oven and place on wire rack to cool.

Ingredients for the filling: (recipe adapted from So Domesticated)

1 block (8 Oz.) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can (15 Oz.) pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
1 cup heavy whipping cream

To make the filling:

Pour the whipping cream (along with 1 tablespoon sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla) into an electric mixer and whip with a wire whip attachment, on high, until it is thickened and forms peaks. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar together. Then blend in the sour cream, canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour the pumpkin filling over the cooled crust. Sprinkle with reserved Biscoff crumbs. Refrigerate covered overnight. Makes 8 servings.

P.S. If you are making pies with a traditional crust, don't forget to make some "pie fries" with the leftover scraps of dough! Yummy!

Linked to:
These Chicks Cooked

Chocolate-Ginger Fall Cookies

2011-11-10T18:15:00.000-08:00

I have had these cookies on my very long "to bake" list for at least a year, and was so happy to finally make them. It was kind of nice to have a "decorated" cookie without whipping up a batch of icing.

No sugar overload (Is there such a thing?) here, just chewy, chocolatey-ginger goodness!

This is a Martha Stewart recipe, which was described as crisp, but mine turned out as a soft cookie, which I prefer.

We really enjoyed these cookies, and I'm sure you will too!

The chocolate/ginger combination was just right, and perfect for fall!

Chocolate-Ginger Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup dark unsulfured molasses

Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, cocoa, spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

2.Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses; mix until combined. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined.

3.Halve dough; flatten into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Transfer disks, one at a time, to a lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4 inch thick. (If dough gets soft, freeze until firm.) Use cookie cutters to make shapes; place 1 inch apart on sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

4.Score designs with a knife; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are firm, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

ENJOY!

Linked to:
Inspiration Friday
I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Weekend Wrap Up Party
Sweets for a Saturday

Tiny Turkey Pops

2011-11-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

(Don't look too closely at my beat-up, wooden turkey lollipop holder. It was a 50-cent garage sale find.:))

This turkey cookie business all started last year with the funny and creative Shelly (Cups and Cookies) and her adorable oreo turkey pops. After seeing them, I made a GIANT turkey cookie with my cookie cake pan. It was so fun!

This year I switched gears, putting it in reverse, to make teeny, tiny oreo turkey pops using mini oreos:)

I think he's pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Due to his small size he can be eaten in one bite! How's that for built in portion control?

Here's everything you'll need, well almost. I accidently left out the royal icing that I used to hold the two cookie wafers together, and everything else too:) A small sharp knife is also used.

mini Turkey Pops

Supplies:

mini oreos

pretzel sticks

m&m's regular sized candies, multi colored

candy coated sunflower seeds, multi-colored

candy corn (color the tips with orange edible marker and cut off with small knife)

small white confetti sprinkles (place a black dot in the center of each with a black edible marker)

black and orange edible markers

royal icing

4-inch lollipop sticks

paring knife

Directions:

Take mini oreos and separate the wafers, being careful to leave the cream in the center undisturbed(I used a small paring knife to help with this). You will eventually put the two cookie wafers(with creme attached)together.

Add some royal icing to a cookie wafer, around the edge on top of the creme, and add (firmly, but gently) different colored candy coated sunflower seeds (turkey feathers) across the top.

Cut the tips of the pretzel sticks to about 1/2-inch and place firmly at the bottom of the open cookie for the legs.

Add a small amount of royal icing to the top part of a lollipop stick and place it between the pretzels, to the middle of the creme cookie.

Place a little dab of royal icing on the middle of the creme side of the second cookie and place on the prepared cookie half(with the seeds,pretzels).

Put a dab of royal icing on the plain side of an m&m candy and place on the middle of the oreo cookie.

Take two of the white confetti sprinkles and put a dot in the middle of each with the black edible marker(I use AmeriColor Gourmet Writers).

Place two small dots of royal icing on the m&m and carefully place the confetti sprinkles on the royal icing dots, for the eyes.

Use the orange edible marker to color the tip of the candy corn. Cut the tip off with a paring knife.

Dab a small amount of royal icing on the cut side of the candy corn and place it vertically below the eyes, for the beak.

After this post was almost over and done with, I realized that I left the turkey wattle off of the pops. I will add them, but as far as the post/photos, I am done:) If you want to add them , just tint some of the royal icing red and add it to the side of the beak:)

Let the pops dry completely.

Have fun and enjoy!

Linked to:

Tip Me Tuesday

Inspiration Friday

Fridays Unfolded

Sweet Treats Thursday

I'm Lovin' it Fridays

Fusion Fridays

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Sweets for a Saturday

Cookie Sticks

2011-10-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ever since I spotted cookie sticks on Amanda's fabulous site, Amanda's Cookin', I have wanted to make them! I finally got around to it a couple of weeks ago (I am so backed up with my posts), and since it was already October, I decided to Halloween~ify them:) Witch legs came to mind instantly, as the stick shape lends itself to them. Very easy~peasy and oh, SO GOOD!

Cookie Sticks

adapted from Taste of Home via Amanda's Cookin'
(my changes in red)

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) mini semisweet chocolate chips
royal icing

In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugars, egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture and mix well. Incorporate the chocolate chips into the dough. Divide dough in half.

On a greased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 15-in. x 3-in. rectangle about 3 in. apart.Bake at 375° for 6-7 minutes. (Bake for 8-9 minutes for crispier cookies.) Cool for 5 minutes.

Use a pizza cutter to cut each section into 4 large pieces to make them easy to transfer to cooling racks.

Use a serrated knife to cut the cooled sections into 1-in. strips.

Use the royal icing to decorate the cookie sticks...I free-handed the witch legs by first outlining the black sectioned stockings, leaving room at the bottom for the boots. Wait about 15 minutes to dry and then fill in the black sections of the stockings. Wait about 15 more minutes and add the other colors to the stockings.
Freehand the boots all at once (no outline/fill) and let them dry. When dry, add the laces.

Voila, witchy cookie sticks! Thanks, Amanda!

These cookie sticks are a fun, delicious and different way to enjoy chocolate chip cookies!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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Jack O' Lantern Smile Cookie {on a stick}

2011-10-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

I've had this cookie on my mind for about a month, and on my computer for about two weeks.

The pumpkin is from our garden, and it's our most perfect specimen, or should I say "He's" our most perfect specimen:)

I had planned on making the smile cookie solely black, but decided to add a little pumpkin flesh for some color. I also detailed around the black using orange and yellow edible markers (AmeriColor).

This little pumpkin enjoyed it:) Can't wait till ALL the little pumpkins are here next month!!!

Jack O' Lantern Smile Cookies
were made with this sugar cookie recipe and royal icing.

Instructions:
1. Mix up a batch of sugar cookies (with recipe mentioned or your own).
2. Make a Jack O' Lantern smile template on a heavy piece of paper, and cut out.
3. Roll out cookie dough and place template on dough, cutting around it with a small, sharp knife.
4. Place cut out cookies on a baking sheet (I make sure the dough is chilled/firm, and transfer to baking sheet with a spatula). Be sure to leave room for the cookie stick to be inserted.
5. Insert cookie sticks into cookies and bake.
6. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for a bit and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely~When moving to cooling rack, support the cookie at the point where the stick and cookie meet.
7. Working about a 1/2-inch from the edge, outline the "smile" with black icing.
8. Let dry for about 15 minutes and then fill in with black icing.
9. When the black is completely dry, otling all the way to the edge with orange royal icing.
10. Let it dry for 15 minutes and then fill in with orange icing.
11. Let dry completely, overnight is best, if adding edible marker details.

HAVE FUN!

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Halloween Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Denise, comment #20 is the winner! Congrats Denise!

Denise :) said...

Oh what FUN! Please count me in! :)

THANKS SO MUCH to all who participated! I appreciate the support!

Sue:)

Halloween Giveaway!

2011-10-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

(Bowl and cake stand are not part of the giveaway.)

Well, I said I would have a giveaway on Tuesday, and here in the west it's still Tuesday...9:45 p.m. :)

This is an easy, straightforward giveaway...

GIVEAWAY ENDED!

All you need to do for a chance to win is leave a comment (Please make sure there's a way to get in touch with you).

This giveaway is open to only U.S. residents. Even so, I just want everyone to know how much I appreciate your support and kindness! You're the best!

I thought it would be fun to round up a collection of classic candy, many which remind me of my childhood, and give it to one of you for the ultimate Halloween treat. Of course, you may want to use some of it to decorate some baked goods, share it with friends, or hide it away for a special indulgence from time to time. Of course it's up to you:)

The prize includes:

22 different candies(It's too late and I'm too tired to list them) from Powell's Sweet Shoppe (I've also included a toothbrush and dental floss)

A reusable trick or treat bag(not pictured) and

A Haunted House Gingerbread Kit

This giveaway will run until Friday, October 21, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.

The winner will be chosen by Random.org, and will be notified SOON after. This way I can be sure to get it to you days before Halloween.

GOOD LUCK everyone!

XO, Sue

Arty McGoo and Cookies Too!

2011-10-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Does this look familiar? It's my header (and all the elements) in cookie version, given to me by Arty McGoo~ Liz! Aren't they AMAZING?!?

{The original artwork was done by CakeSpy~Jessie Olson. A couple of years ago I contacted CakeSpy about making me a custom piece of art to hang in my kitchen. I wanted it to feature my munchkins baking with me. At the time grandchild #5 was on the way, hence the cupcake in the oven:) I gave CakeSpy some particulars and I was so happy when the package arrived! I liked it so much, that I photograped it and have used it for my header ever since. It's time to contact CakeSpy for a new one though because I now have 8 munchkins!}

I first heard of Arty McGoo when SugarBelle (Callye) linked to some of her cookies on facebook. What a great discovery! On her blog, I noticed that Arty McGoo lived only about an hour north of me:) A few weeks later we decided it would be fun to meet, so on Friday we met at Joann's for a bit of shopping and then had lunch at Applebee's.

Me and Liz (right)

We had such a pleasant lunch together. Liz is a darling girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her. We even shared a maple butter blondie for dessert and it was oh, so good! Liz is the first blogging buddy that I have met in person:) It was so fun that I think we should organize a California blogging-buddy get-together right here on the central coast! California is such a big (long) state, so it makes sense to meet in the middle. What do ya think?

Now back to the cookies...When Liz gifted me with these cookies, I was speechless(well, not really)! What a special, personalized gift! I know much thought, time, and talent were put into the making of these beautiful cookies. Such a sweet gift:) I can't thank you enough, Liz!

Let's take a closer look at the cookies...

Grandma and a munchkin

Liz made 8 hearts to represent my eight munchkins...each is beautiful and unique:).

Don't you just love the cookie sheet!

Such cute cookies.

I especially love the mixer and refrigerator!

Look at the amazing detail! This cookie is 4.5-inches by 3.5-inches.

Liz paints the cookies with food coloring and brushes.

LOVE my cookies!

Arty McGoo, I thank you!

Stay tuned for a fun giveaway on Tuesday!

Spider Cookies

2011-10-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

These little spider cookies are so easy to make, and so cute, if I do say so myself:)

I'm finally the owner of a peppermint candy cookie cutter, and that's what I used to make the spiders (some with a little witch hat added). I'm actually starting to see something other than the obvious in each cookie cutter. Maybe, just maybe, a teeny, tiny bit of Callye (The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle) is rubbing off on me, through osmosis:) As she says, "Think outside the cutter"! Callye is the QUEEN of cutter creativity!

Here's some spiders without their Halloween costumes:)

Spiders usually give me the creeps, but not this variety:)
Sugar cookie spiders are the best, don't you think?

Notes on the Spider Cookies:

The spiders are nade with my favorite sugar cookie/royal icing recipe.

For the little hats, I cut out tiny triangles from the cookie dough and placed it directly against the top of the head before baking.

For the eyes, I used pre-made candy eyes from Michael's.

Have fun decorating your spiders! Perhaps you can put them in another Halloween "outfit". :)

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Fallen Leaves Cookie

2011-10-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Last year I made some witch's broom cookies and thought it would be fun to make them again this year with a more general fall appeal.

These cookies are a soft and tasty peanut butter cookie with a pretzel stick handle. To add some delectability each cookie is detailed with chocolate:) The bottom portion is sprinkled with autumn leaves sprinkles before the chocolate dries.

We don't have an abundance of multi-colored leaves/trees in my neighborhood, but fall is in the air and I love it! It's brisk and crisp outside, perfect baking weather:) So, grab your aprons, turn on your ovens, and start baking!

Fallen Leaves Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
16 pretzel rods (8-1/2 inches long)
Chocolate candy melts

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour and baking soda in medium bowl.

2.Beat peanut butter, butter, brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add egg and egg yolk. Gradually add flour mixture beating on low speed after each addition until blended. Shape dough into 16 (1-1/4-inch) balls.

3.Place pretzel rods on ungreased baking sheets. Press ball of dough onto end of each pretzel. Press fork firmly into each dough ball to leave indentations resembling broom bristles.

4.Bake 12 minutes. Let brooms cool on baking sheets placed on wire racks 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

5.Place brooms on wax paper. Melt chocolate and spoon over the portion of the treat where the cookie and pretzel join together, and also at the bottom of each cookie. Immediately sprinkle the leaf sprinkles over the bottom portion before the chocolate dries. Let dry. Optional: Add detail "stitching" to the broom with (red) royal icing

* Cookie design (broom) from Betty Crocker. Cookie recipe adapted from simple and delicious.

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Halloween Pizzas

2011-09-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

Frankenstein Pesto Pizza

Yesterday I had a terrible time trying to make cute Halloween treats..."Third time's a charm" does not always hold true! After I tossed the third mess in the garbage, I finally went to bed. Sometimes I'm glad there's only 24 hours in a day:)

Thankfully, today I hit on an idea for an easy and fun edible Halloween craft...PIZZA!

I found five different Halloween pizzas (owl, vampire, spider, pumpkin, and cat) in Phyllis Hoffman's "Celebrate~Halloween" magazine~October 2010. Love her publications!

I chose the owl right away, but like Dr. Frankenstein I conjured up my own monster pizza:)

My husband actually said that this (pesto pizza) was the BEST homemade (more like semi-homemade) pizza that I've ever made, and we've been married for a looong time(we are grandparents, after all), so that's saying a lot! I must agree with him; The pesto/alfredo sauce blend turned out to be delicious!

As an added bonus, both of these pizzas were super simple to make!

OWL Pizza

Recipe for Owl (adapted):

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 naan or other flatbread (mine is 8 1/2-inches x 11-inches, same as notebook paper)

1/2 cup shredded Italian six-cheese blend

2 slices onion (eyes)

12 slices pepperoni (wings and eyes)

2 black olives, sliced (eyes)

red bell pepper (beak)

green bell pepper (eyes)

yellow bell pepper (ears)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread pizza sauce over naan, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with cheese in the shape of an owl. Use 5 slices of pepperoni per wing, placing pepperoni on each side of body, slightly overlapping slices. For the eyes, place onion ring slices on face. Place a pepperoni slice on the center of each onion slice. Top each with half (open end) an olive, placing a small piece of green bell pepper in the center of each olive. Cut 1 triangle from the red bell pepper for the beak, and 2 triangles from the yellow bell pepper for the "ears". Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (on pizza stone or baking sheet), or until heated and cheese melts. For a crisper pizza, bake 12-15 minutes.

Recipe for Frankenstein

1/2 cup pesto (I used Classico traditional basil)

1/2 cup Alfredo sauce (I used Bertolli)

1/2 cup shredded Italian six-cheese blend

6-8 slices of pepperoni (hair and mouth)

2 onion slices (eyes)

6 olives (scars, eyes, nuts)

green bell pepper (nose, bolts)

red bell pepper (nose)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pesto and alfredo sauce togeteher and spread over naan, leaving a border of at least 1/2-inch. Sprinkle cheese over the sauce. Cut a triangle out of each pepperoni slice and place across the top of head for the hair. Use leftover pieces of pepperoni (or extra pepperoni slices) to form the mouth. Cut ears (the bell pepper is naturally "ear" shaped, when sliced) from the green bell pepper, and cut two small pices for the bolts, at each bottom corner. Cut a piece of the red bell pepper in the shape of a nose and place in the center of the face. Slice two olives in half. Place one piece in each eye, and one piece at the end of each bolt. Slice a couple of olives into slivers and place them to look like scars.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes (on stoneware* or baking sheet), or until heated and cheese melts. For a crisper pizza, bake 12-15 minutes.

I know my munchkins will love these pizzas, and I think yours will too!

*FYI:: My stoneware is not dirty, just "seasoned". It is virtually non-porous, is non-stick and washes off with water. I also bake all of my cookies on stoneware and I think it's impossible for them to burn. No parchment or greasing is needed either:) Love all of my stoneawre!

Have fun and ENJOY!

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Candy Corn Cheesecake

2011-09-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

There are so many cute candy corn treats all over blogland, that I just had to jump on the bandwagon, or should I say, hayride:)
I have been having so much fun on Pinterest, pinning like crazy! I can't believe how many creative people there are!

When I first thought about making a candy corn cheesecake, using a special insert/pan set *(which I have), I thought I had come up with an original idea...then it dawned on me that maybe I had "pinned" such a cheesecake to my Halloween Pinterest board. Sure enough, when I looked, there it was. Somethimes I pin things at such a fast and furious rate, that I forget what's there!?! I'm not as creative as I thought I was~ha ha! Surely a "senior moment"!
*If you don't have the insert/pan and don't want to buy it, I'm sure it would look candy corn-ish just to swirl these colors around, or layer the colors:)

This is what the pre-baked cheescake looked like, after the insert was lifted out.

FYI: I was going to take a shot of the whole cheesecake, but for some reason my lens would not adjust/focus at that distance. I had the same problem in May. When I took it to the camera store, the tech was perplexed, but it was determined that it was my lens, not the camera. I bought a new lens, but the duplicate problem is happening again:( Back to the camera store...

This cheesecake design was found on the Wilton site, which included a no-bake recipe, but I wanted to use a baked 9-inch (the size of the pan) cheesecake recipe and found this recipe, which had over 3,000 reviews with an average 4.5/5-star rating.

I was a little anxious to cut the cheesecake into wedges and didn't let it cool completely before I released the sides of the springform pan. Consequently the sides did not release cleanly, and it didn't look very pretty:( I manged to salvage some for the photos though:)

My husband and I decided that the cheesecake deserved the 4 1/2 stars! We loved it! It was dense and creamy! I love the LOOK too!

Chantal's New York Cheesecake (All Recipes)
Adapted

Ingredients:

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions: (My additions in BOLD)

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2.In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan. Place insert on top of unbaked crust.

3.In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth.

For the candy corn effect:

Pour some untinted cheesecake batter into the middle section of the insert, to about 1/4-inch from the top of the divider. Tint the remainder of the batter yellow~I used a mixture of Wilton Lemon Yellow & Golden Yellow(as Wilton suggested, and I had them on hand). Pour the yellow batter into the outer section of the insert. Tint the remainder of the yellow batter orange, by adding Orange coloring to it. There's no problem with the yellow becoming orange.
Carefully lift the divider straight up, out of the cheesecake.

Before baking, I put heavy-duty aluminum foil around the bottom/sides of the pan by setting the foil on the counter, placing the cheesecake on it, and wrapping the foil up and around the sides of the pan) and placed it gently in a water bath (I filled a roasting pan with about an inch of HOT water, put it in the oven and then placed the cheesecake pan in it).

4.Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours(I only left it in the oven for only an hour since I had used a water bath); this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

5. Cut into wedges to look like candy corn:)

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Wickedly Creative Halloween Ideas

Double Berry Swirl Pound~like Cake

2011-09-14T00:26:00.000-07:00

The minute I saw this cake on Lisa's fabulous blog~Parsley, Sage, Dessert and Line Drives~I knew it would be a part of my baking future~pronto! When Lisa bakes/cooks, she does so at full throttle, and this cake was no exception...I was so enthralled with the ribbons of berry puree running through the batter. So pretty!

The raspberry and blueberry swirls even look pretty unbaked, don't you think? I used blueberries instead of blackberries(which Lisa used) because that's what was available at Costco the day I shopped:) Lisa also used yogurt in the recipe (which I mistakenly thought I had), but I used sour cream.

Before I cut into it, I just stared at it for awhile. It was a thing of beauty:)

I need to improve on my swirl technique next time, so that there's more of it. Even so, the puree on top helped this cake turn out "berry" delicious~sorry, but I couldn't resist. The ribbon in the middle guarantees more berry flavor in every bite! Thanks, Lisa!

Bid a fond farewell to summer with this beautiful treat!

Double Berry Swirl {Pound-like} Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3 ounces blueberries (about a scant 3/4 cup)
3 ounces raspberries (about a scant 3/4 cup)
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; butter parchment. In a food processor, puree blackberries with 1 tablespoon sugar. Wipe out processor and puree raspberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Pour/scrape into separate bowls and set aside (you can strain them into the bowls if you don’t like the light bit of seeds that do not break down). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

3. Stir two to three tablespoons of the cake batter into the bowl with the blueberry puree until uniform. Stir two to three tablespoons of the cake batter into the bowl of raspberry puree, until uniform.

4. Pour half the plain batter into the pan and dot with 1/2 of the blueberry puree -batter mix and half the raspberry puree-batter mix - cake batter. Swirl/marble lightly using a skewer or knife. Repeat with remaining batter and remaining puree-batter mixes, then again, swirl batter and puree-batter mixes together, pushing skewer or knife all the way to the bottom for a full marble.

5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate; let cool completely before slicing.

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Jumbo Animal Cookies

2011-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

(Mother's original Circus Animal Cookies with my Jumbo version)

A couple of years ago, I purchased some tiny animal cookie cutters from Williams-Sonoma, and made some homemade animal crackers/cookies, plain and iced. It was a lot of fun, and the iced version tasted just like their original counterpart, Mother's Circus Animal Cookies.

So... the other day as I was searching through my cookie cutters for something fun to make, my large elephant cutter ended up in view and the light bulb went on...I can make some jumbo size animal cookies!

I used the same cookie recipe as before, and chose four animals: A lion, an elephant, a bear and a giraffe.

Just as before, the elephant is my favorite! I would call him Jumbo,

but as you can see, they are all jumbo! They are also BIG on flavor!

Do yourself a favor and also check out Bridget's gorgeous frosted (jumbo) animal cookies at Bake at 350! You'll be happy you did!

Animal-Cracker Cookies~Williams-Sonoma kitchen
(modified for JUMBO cookies)

Ingredients:
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cup sugar
2 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
16 oz. buttercream icing
pink food coloring
nonpareils (rainbow)

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Over a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and mace. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium, slowly add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, stopping the mixer once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed. Add the remaining flour and beat until all of the flour has been absorbed and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 2 equal balls. Shape each into a disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Roll out the dough to almost 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and move them to parchment-lined baking sheets with a firm, metal spatula. (I used stoneware baking sheets, so didn't need to line them.)
Bake the cookies until very light golden brown, about 18 minutes. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Icing:
Place the buttercream icing in a microwave-safe bowl from 15-30 seconds(until pourable). If it becomes too then, add some powdered sugar. Divide icing into 2 bowls. Tint half of it pink and keep the other half white. With the cookies on a wire rack, place the rack over a baking sheet(or over wax paper). Use a spoon to cover each cookie with the icing. Sprinkle with the nonpareils.
Makes about 15 jumbo animal cookies.

Have Fun!

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Chocolate~Dipped Cheesecake Bars

2011-09-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

Do you want an easy, decadent dessert that is sure to elicit ooooohs and aaaaaahs from friends and family? If the answer is "Yes", then you've come to the right place, my friend!

Food Network magazine (July/August 2011) mentioned a place (un-named) in California that serves chocolate-dipped cheesecake and I knew immediately that I would be making my own chocolate-dipped cheesecake, on a stick, of course:)

To make it super simple I bought a cheesecake, and as a bonus it was already sliced into wedges, just waiting to be dipped. I picked a cheesecake sampler which included fabulous flavors: peanut butter, strawberry, turtle, and chocolate chip..something to please everyone.

I chose the strawberry swirl version to try, and it was deeeeelicious!

What fun it would be to cover each bar with an ingredient that would hint to what's under the chocolate~peanut butter chips, mini chocolate chips, dehydrated strawberries, or a drizzle of caramel.

I think I may try this in the fall with a pumpkin cheesecake. I can just imagine...

Chocolate~dipped Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:
1 frozen store-bought 9-inch cheesecake, cut into 12 wedges
2 pounds melting chocolate (I used chocolate bark)

Directions:
1. Remove frozen cheesecake from the freezer and insert a popsicle stick about 2-inches into each wedge(If it's difficult, make a small slit with a sharp knife to get it started).
2. Place the cheesecake back in the freezer until it is frozen solid.
3. Melt the chocolate according to package directions (I used the microwave). I placed the chocolate in a deep, small-ish bowl to make dipping easier. Stir melted chocolate until smooth.
4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (shiny side up). Take a cheescake pop from the freezer(one at a time), hold it by the stick and dip into the chocolate (I used a spatula to make sure each was completely covered). Let the excess chocolate drip off over the bowl, and then lay the bar on the aluminum foil. If you want to add decorations, do so at this point. Repeat with each wedge. Freeze (if needed) for about 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

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Sunflower Brownie Pops

2011-08-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know I love sunflowers. They're easy to grow and the return is amazing~bright, happy, HUGE flowers! We usually plant them every summer. This year we planted about two dozen of the mammoth flowers.

This is one of our beauties. I can see the sunflowers right out my kitchen window and just looking at them makes me happy.

I decided it would be fun to make sunflower brownie pops and started looking around the internet for ideas. I finally found one and it was made simply by attaching yellow m&m's to the brownie with chocolate. Why didn't I think of that? So simple, but so cute!

(I always link to the original idea, but I can't seem to find it. If you know of a m&m sunflower cake pop, please let me know!)

I decided to fashion the brownie pop after a sunflower cookie that I made, and that's just what I did. I'm pretty happy with the results. These pops make me smile:)

Sunflower Brownie Pops

Supplies:1 box of brownie mix (Prepare as directed. Cool completely)

8 oz. of prepared cream cheese frosting
14 oz. bag of chocolate candy melts
lollipop sticks (2-3 dozen)
block of styrofoam (to hold drying pops)
chocolate sprinkles
yellow m&m candies~12 per pop
Lime green royal icing

Directions:
1. Put prepared brownies in a large bowl, and break up into small crumbs with your hands(clean of course).
2. Add the frosting and mix well, either with your hands, or a sturdy large spoon. If you need a bit more frosting to hold it together, go ahead, but not too much.
3. Roll the mixture into balls (about 1 1/2 inches) and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours, or place in freezer for 15 minutes. You want them chilled, but not frozen. (I actually froze my unfrosted brownie balls in an airtight container and thawed them when I was ready to make them into pops, days later.)
4. Place the candy melts in a small, deep ( big enough to hold all the melted candy, but deep enough to dip the pops) microwave-safe bowl and follow the directions on the bag for melting.
5. Dip a lollipop stick about 1/2- inch into the candy melt and then insert it directly into the brownie ball, no more than halfway in(this helps the pop adhere to the stick).
6. Holding it by the stick, dip the brownie ball into the melted coating until it's completely covered (use a spoon if need be), all the way to where the brownie meets the stick.
7. If there's too much coating on your pop, hold the brownie pop in one hand and use the other hand to gently tap the first wrist, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Try to make the coating even all the way around.
8. Add chocolate sprinkles to the front side of the pop (while chocolate is still wet), which would be the "face" of the flower.
9. Quickly, but carefully, while chocolate is still wet, add the m&m's around the perimeter of the pop (look at top photo) to form the "petals". If the chocolate dries, slightly dip each m&m into the melted chocolate and then onto the pop. Hold it in place until it adheres~about 15 seconds.
10. Stick the brownie pop into a block of styrofoam until completely dry.
11.. Repeat with each brownie pop and let them dry completely.
12. When dry and sturdy, add the green royal icing decorations with a #4 tip. Let dry completely.

Have fun!

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Final New Munchkin of the Year!

2011-08-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

I am happy to introduce our newest munchkin~

Joshua Daniel

Birthdate: August 21

Stats: 8 lb., 6 oz., 21 inches.

He's a darling and we can't wait to meet him next month! We love you, Joshua!

This has definitely been "The Year of the Baby" for our family. We have been blessed three times! We are so happy for each of our eight sweet grandchildren.

m&m Confetti Cookies

2011-08-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

The other day I was making some m&m cookies and when I got to the bottom of the bag there was some m&m dust-like bits left. I thought it looked kind of pretty and would be fun added to a cookie:) Hence, m&m confetti cookies were born!

I searched for a recipe and found a sprinkle cookie recipe on Stephanie Cooks~Thanks Stephanie!

The broken m&m bits remind me more of confetti than sprinkles, which I mixed right into the batter. The result is a buttery cookie with just enough m&m's in there to satisfy your chocolate craving and add some pizazz:)

I love how they look!

Before you start the cookies, place some m&m's in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to smash them up!

It actually worked better to whack them with the rolling pin more than it did to roll over them with it. I ended up using about 1 cup of candy bits.

Even at this stage they look pretty!

And in the end, they are wonderful!

Confetti (Sprinkle) Cookies (adapted from Stephanie Cooks)

Ingredients:
2 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup crushed up m&m candies

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Stir in 1 cup of the m&m confetti bits and mix well with a wooden spoon.
5. Use a medium (walnut size) cookie scoop and place cookie scoops on parchment-lined baking sheet(I used my stoneware~no need for parchment) about 3 inches apart.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes or just until the edges begin to brown.
7. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter~Oatmeal~Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-08-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a hankering for a cookie, but couldn't decide between a chocolate chip, oatmeal or peanut butter? Well, this cookie fits the bill for your indecision! It's all three classic cookies rolled into one...a peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie:) How can you go wrong?

My son found this wonderful recipe when I was visiting him and his family, but I didn't get a chance to make it for them when I was there. Soooo...I made a batch when I got home and shipped them off.

Of course I had to sample one (or two) before I sent them:) Besides tasting GREAT, these cookies are just the right combination of crispy and chewy. The peanut butter doesn't overpower the chocolate chips and vice versa, with the oats rounding them out nicely.

Peanut Butter~Oatmeal~Chocolate Chip Cookies

From: For the Love of Cooking

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Using an electric mixer, combine melted butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add peanut butter and brown sugar, beating well until thoroughly combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a small bowl stir together flour and baking soda, then add to cookie dough and mix just until blended. Using a mixing spoon, stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips.

Scoop balls of cookie dough and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

ENJOY!

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Hello Kitty Cookies

2011-08-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

When Cristin Of Cristin's Cookies announced that she was hosting a "Hello Kitty Cookie Challenge", I thought it would be a good time to use my new Hello Kitty cookie cutter. (Click on the link for some cute Hello Kitty cookies.) Thanks for the challenge, Cristin! It was a lot of fun!

It also gave me the perfect chance to make another cookie on a stick~which I have a fondness for:) This cookie has been up my sleeve for awhile.

I think this bow cookie would be so cute at a Hello Kitty birthday party. All the party-goers could hold the bow cookies up to their heads for a cute photo-op:) Too bad one of my darling granddaughters isn't nearby to model it for you. (The baked cookie is 4.5 inches x 3 inches.)

I had a much harder time with the bow on this cookie, but the technique from Sugarbelle(and her picture-perfect Hello Kitty cookie) sure helped out! Thanks, Callye!

These cookies are sugar cookies with royal icing.

For the bow, I found an image of Hello Kitty on the internet and enlarged it to use as a template. I traced it onto a file folder, cut it out, placed the template on the cookie dough and cut around it with a small paring knife. I inserted the cookie sticks into the cookies after they were placed on the baking sheet.

I'm really pleased with the way the bows turned out! :)

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Smurf Pops

2011-08-05T00:35:00.000-07:00

I made some brownie pops for a friend the other day and ended up with a few bare pops leftover. I thought about what I could do with them, and realized that "The Smurfs" just opened in theaters(Aug. 3). I couldn't resist attempting some smurf pops! I was up at the midnight hour working on them.

Don't look too closely...the candy melts ended up kind of gritty and my fondant work definitely has room for improvement, but I still think they are kind of cute:)

The Smurf brownie pops are pretty simple to make...

Start by making the brownie pops as instructed HERE. Add some blue food colorimg (I used a combination of Wilton sky blue and royal blue) to the white vanilla candy melts (I reheated some from about a week ago-maybe that was part of the "gritty" problem). I shaped the ears and hat with fondant* and added them to the head while the icing was still wet. Also add the mini m&m nose and icing eyes (store-bought) at the same time. Wait until the icing is completely dry and then add the smurfy smile with an edible marker.

TA DA, you will end up with smurf pops!

*I tasted the store-bought fondant and ended up spitting it out:( I highly recommend making your own fondant!

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Lemon Cake Baked in a Jar

2011-08-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

I was a little slow about jumping on the "baked in a jar" bandwagon, but when I laid eyes on Megan's lemon cakes baked in jars, I knew it was time:) To begin with, I have a soft spot for mason jars, and secondly, I am crazy about lemon! Don't these just scream summertime? So sunny!
Sunflowers are another love, and mini sunflower cookies add just a little punch of color contrast to top off the cakes. The chocolate sprinkles are not your average sprinkles, but are De Ruijter milk chocolate sprinkles. They melt in your mouth and were found at World Market. I'm a new fan.

I need to tell you that these cakes were so moist and luscious! I was in lemon heaven:) I ate mine with a spoon because I wanted to scoop up every last bit of cake and frosting! My husband ate his in short order too.

How perfect are these to transport wherever you want to go?!? Everyone loves their own individual cake~especially in a jar!

Lemon Cake~Baked in Jars (adapted)

Cake

1 package (18oz) lemon cake mix (preferably without pudding mix added)

1 (3.4oz) instant lemon pudding and pie filling mix

4 eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 Tablespoons water

Frosting

I container of store-bought or homemade frosting. (I alternated between cream cheese and vanilla frosting.)

Decorations

Sprinkles, mini cookies, ribbon(for jars)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and lemon juice. With an electric mixer, mix on low speed to combine. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Pour the batter into 10 well greased half-pint jars, about 1/2 full. Place jars on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.

Combine all the glaze ingredients and beat until smooth.

Poke holes in the cake with a wooden skewer.

Drizzle with half the glaze.

Cool the cake completely; then drizzle with the remaining glaze.

Assembling/adding frosting:

Tip jars over. Cakes should come out easily. If not, run a knife around the inside of the jar to loosen them. Slice each little cake in half, horizontally (top & bottom). Place the bottom half back in the jar and top with icing. Place the top half of the cake on top. Add a bit more frosting and place sprinkles and a decoration (mini sugar cookie:)) on top. Screw on lids and add ribbon:)

P.S. I used THIS sugar cookie/royal icing recipe for the mini sunflower cookies.

ENJOY!

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Birthday Cake Brownie Pops

2011-07-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

My daughter-in-law has a birthday coming up:) She's a big fan of my brownie pops, so I wanted to make her some special brownie pops to help her celebrate.

When I saw these adorable mini cake-cake pops, I knew I had hit on the perfect pop! Didn't Strawberry-Chic do a fabulous job?

I basically followed her procedure to shape them, and the mini cakes turned out just as I imagined, especially with the sprinkles and candles on top:)

The ingredients and directions are the same as they are for brownie pops, except for shaping them into tiny cakes:)

To make birthday cake brownie pops (I made these late at night, last minute, and didn't get any step-by-step photos):
Gather a ball of baked brownie mixture and make it into a small patty. Use a 1.5-inch round cutter (I used a biscuit cutter) and cut out a round mini cake. Place it on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Insert a lollipop stick (the tip of the stick should have some melted candy on it to help it stay put) into the middle of each pop Once they are all prepared, place in the freezer until firm. Working with one at a time, take from freezer and dip each cake into the melted candy melts (melt as pkg. directs) and let excess drip off (I also used a small offset spatula to smooth the top and around the entire pop if it needed it). Shake the sprinkles on the top of the mini cake and place the candle* before the candy coating dries. You may need to add some candy melt to the bottom of the candle before placing it on the pop. Prepare some royal icing to decorate the cakes. I used royal icing so that I could individually package these pops without a mess(after the royal icing dried).
* For candles I used a sharp knife to cut regular sized birthday candles down to size.

You will end up with some cute little birthday cakes of your own~brownie pop style!

Wouldn't these look fun with all the candles lit? :)

Make some of your own and see for yourself!

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Watermelon Cookies on a Stick

2011-07-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

I was so enthralled when I saw these watermelon pops from Tidy Mom! So easy, but so cute! I knew immediately that I had to convert them from fruit to cookie.

I simply made up some sugar cookie dough, grabbed my "candy corn" cookie cutter from Copper Gifts and went to town. Be sure to insert the sticks before baking!

When eating watermelon (which I love), I prefer seedless (best invention ever), but for a cookie it must have seeds to kick up the cuteness factor! To top off the royal icing, I used the seeds that I had on hand~dark chocolate covered pomegranate seeds from Trader Joe's:) Unlike watermelon seeds, they're tasty and you'll want to eat them by the handful. Place the seeds on the icing while it is still wet.

The two-tone decorated rind idea was taken from the talented Glorious Treats' darling watermelon cookies. Glory decorated them to perfection! I used a green AmeriColor Gourmet Writer to achieve the dark green contrast.

For the red, I used AmeriColor Super Red soft gel paste. With it, you will get a true red! Thanks for the great suggestion, Bridget! Besides beautiful cookies, Bridget's blog, Bake at 350 is full of great ideas!

As I've said before, it's such a pleasure to "know" so many creative bloggers and benefit from their ideas and talents!

These watermelon cookies on a stick are such fun! Your munchkins will love them!

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"LOVE" Giveaway Winner!

2011-07-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

THANKS so much to everyone that entered the giveaway! I appreciate all of the support! LOVE to you all<3

The winner was picked through random.org and is comment #40~

Ella said...

I liked you on Facebook.

Ella

Congratulations, Ella!

Key Lime Pie Shake

2011-07-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

Food Network Magazine has become my new favorite magazine. I bought the July/August issue at the airport during my travels and have way too many pages earmarked. This recipe is one of them.

When I saw a photo similar to this one (only with a berry pie), I was intrigued. It seems chefs across the country are making pie shakes, blending slices of pie right into the shake! I knew I had to try it:)

I had a store-bought key lime pie(with graham cracker crust) in the freezer that worked out even better than I expected. I made enough for myself, my husband and my dad and we all slurped up every single drop in short order:)

It was one of the best shakes ever! I can't wait to try it with other pies too! Just think of the possibilities...:)

Key Lime Pie Shake

One generous slice of key lime pie (4-5 ounces)

4 ounces of milk

8 ounces of vanilla ice cream

Place all ingredients in blender and give it a whirl! Serves 1.

ENJOY!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway (until Sunday, 7/24 by 9 a.m.). It's all about love.

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LOVE-themed GIVEAWAY!

2011-07-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

I get such a kick out of blogging! I LOVE getting to know other bloggers and enjoy all the creativity that they share~edible and otherwise! I particularly LOVE all of the support and positivity that is spread through blogs...just what the world needs:)
To send some LOVE to my bloggy friends(well, ONE of you anyway), I am having this love-themed giveaway!
It includes:

A Wilton heart-shaped comfort grip cookie cutter,
Wilton pink sugar sprinkles,
A classic wooden spoon~to whip up some heart cookies,
An adorable polka-dot oven mitt to pull your heart cookies from the oven, and
A sweet book "Sugar Cookies~Sweet Little Lessons on Love" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. This is an adorable book which defines some words by relating them to cookies<3 A recipe for sugar cookies is included at the end of the book.

Here's a sample page: (click to enlarge)

The charming illustrations are by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer. The book includes 22 definitions. It's a wonderful book to share with your favorite munchkins:)

To enter(3 chances): GIVEAWAY ENDED!

1. Leave a comment-mandatory. For additional entries~
2. Follow me with google friend connect (or subscription), on my sidebar (Leave a second comment letting me know that you have done so, or already are a follower).
3. Like me on my facebook page, and leave another comment, whether you are a new or current "liker".

This giveaway ends at 9 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, Sunday, July 24! Winner will be chosen via random.org

Be sure I have a way to get a hold of you(connect to your blog/email), in the event that you win. If not, then please leave your email address in your comment.

Good Luck to you all! This giveaway is open to everyone, since bloggy friends are all over the world!

Sending out a little bloggy LOVE to each of you,
Sue

Frozen Banana Cookies

2011-07-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

I grew up in Whittier, California, where summers were miserably hot and smoggy. To find relief, we would drive down Beach Blvd. straight to Huntington Beach. I can vividly recall nearing the beach, catching the scent of the ocean and feeling the sea breeze:).

Once in awhile we would choose instead to go to Newport Beach. For fun we would take the small ferry over to Balboa Island, known for its frozen bananas. It is said that Balboa Island was the first place to market the popular chocolate fruit on a stick back in 1953.

Truth be told, I never really cared for the frozen banana, and would usually opt instead for a bagel with cream cheese...but a frozen banana cookie, now we're talking!

Instructions:
Using a banana, make a template on heavy paper.
Make your favorite sugar cookie dough.
Roll out the dough.
Place the template on the dough and cut around it with a sharp knife.
Transfer to cookie sheet and insert cookie stick.
Bake cookies and let cool.

Chocolate Icing:
Place 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Mix and melt until smooth.
Spread the melted chocolate over the cooled cookies and top with sprinkles and nuts, or the toppings of your choice.

ENJOY!

(Giveaway is coming soon, but my camera battery is dead (I need to photograph the prize) and I left the charger at my daughter's. Giveaway will be posted before the week is over.)

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Another New Munchkin

2011-07-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on the 4th of July, we welcomed our newest adorable grandchild into our family:

Max James
10 lb. 9 oz.!!!
21.5 "

We are so happy he's here! We love you, Max!

Homemade Cake Croutons

2011-07-02T15:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of cake croutons? Perhaps you have even had them, or made them yourself. Well, the other day I noticed that I had a box of patriotic confetti cake mix. I knew I should make something with it this weekend or else it would be sitting on the shelf for a long time.

Well, I "happened" to flip through a Paula Deen magazine from last Christmas and noticed I had a page earmarked. I checked it out and on that page was an ad for cake croutons that I had found interesting, and had never heard of before. The light bulb went on and I decided that I should make my own cake croutons using the confetti cake mix:)

It was straight forward and simple...

1. Bake the cake (9x13) and let it cool completely.

2. Slice it in half down the center.

3. Slice each half in half, horizontally.

4. Use a serrated knife and slice long strips in one direction and then the other, to end up with cubes.

5. Place all the cubes on baking sheets in a single layer.

6. Bake at 200 degrees for about 4 hours (I alternated the pans on top/bottom rack every hour), or until nice and crunchy.

7. Let cool.

You end up with golden, sweet, crunchy goodness! The possibilities for cake croutons are endless! You can make them any cake flavor that you prefer (from scratch or from a box)...chocolate, red velvet, vanilla, banana, peanut butter. I'm sure you get the picture:) And what can you do with them? Use them to add a bit of sweet crunchiness to pudding, yogurt or hot chocolate. Throw a handful on a salad or dip them into a chocolate fondue. Add a bit of pizazz to a shake by topping it with cake croutons.

I topped some ice cream with them and the crunchy contrast of the croutons to the creamy, melty ice cream was soooo good! Don't they look festive? Perfect for any occasion!

I actually think my favorite way to eat them may be to snack on them plain, right out of my hand! But be careful, they're pretty addictive!

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Pie Fries

2011-06-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple and sweet snack to go along with the burger bite cookies:) Actually they're a yummy treat all on their own! And did I say simple? All it requires is a prepared pie crust or leftover scraps. I made it even easier by using a Pillsbury Pie crust that I had in the fridge:)

I'm sure many of us have baked pie crust scraps over the years and sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar. Why not make them more presentable by converting them to "pie fries"?

This great idea was found in Food Network Magazine(June 2011), which was originally snatched from Dani Cone of High 5 Pie shop.

Pie Fries:
Cut pie crust (or pie crust scraps) into strips with a fluted pastry wheel.
Brush with melted butter.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and suger.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Eat "as is" or dip into jam, pie filling or frosting:)

Enjoy!

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Burger Bites {Cookies}

2011-06-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to make the hamburger cookies that I've seen all over blogland, but most recently here (at Laura's blog, Come Together Kids). Aren't they cute? I decided to kick the cutenss factor up a notch by using mini vanilla wafers/Hershey's kisses and making itty-bitty, one-bite burger cookies. They turned out even better than I had hoped:)

I made one original size hamburger cookie to illustrate the size difference. I just love the tiny version!

Here's everythiing you'll need for the burger bites, along with instructions on how to throw them together(no baking involved)...

You'll need: mini vanilla wafers(bun), sesame seeds for top bun(optional), Hershey's kisses(meat patty), small sharp knife, shredded coconut (tinted green with some food coloring for the lettuce), royal icing in decorator bags(some tinted yellow for mustard & some tinted red for ketchup).

Use the small (new) paint brush to apply a scant amount of corn syrup to the top of one mini wafer cookie and then sprinkle sesame seeds over the area.

Apply some yellow icing to the bottom of the other mini cookie and place the prepared* candy kiss on the "mustard" to adhere it to the bottom "bun".

*To prepare the "hamburger patty" take a small, sharp knife and cut/shave off the pointy top of the kiss (save it for later or snack as you go:)).

Add the red icing to underside of the sesame seed top bun and place some of the coconut on top of the red icing. Place it on top of the Hershey kiss, icing side down. (I'm glad I used the royal icing because after it dried, it made for sturdy burger bites, and they all held together perfectly!)

And there you have it~ adorable itty-bitty burger bites! Here's four of them on a teeny cupcake stand:)

I got a bit carried away and made about 3 dozen of the little guys.

Just think how cute these burger bites would be alongside some real burgers at a barbecue, or for dessert after some sliders:)

These tiny tasty treats were so fun to make and just as fun to eat! Make them part of your 4th of July celebration...No need to turn the oven on and heat up the kitchen!

Have a WONDERFUL WEEK!

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Patriotic Pinwheel Cookies

2011-06-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

The other day an idea popped into my head to attempt a pinwheel cookie:) Then yesterday I noticed that the talented Linda (Bubble and Sweet) had a pinwheel cookie posted. It's a beautiful cookie! I saw that the pinwheel itself was fondant (she's a fondant master) so I was happy that my pinwheel would be different, as a sugar cookie.

I found a template for the pinwheel at http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com/, but I'm sure any square would do (this was a 4 1/2-inch square). Unfortunaletly, when I made these cookies last night I didn't take photos of the cookie dough during the process.

Place the template over the dough and cut around it with a small sharp knife. Transfer the square of dough to the baking sheet. Insert the cookie stick a couple of inches into the middle of one side of the square, and then cut slits into each corner toward the center (the slits above are 2-inches ) with the knife.

Fold in one corner from each side (the same corner from each side) and bring it to the center. Press the corner into the center of the cookie and adhere it with a drop of water. I placed small balls of aluminum foil under the raised parts of the dough to keep them elevated through the baking process, for more dimension, but it didn't work that well. Any suggestions?
I put the cookie sheet with the unbaked cookies in the feezer for about 15 minutes to help them keep their shape.
After the cookies cooled, a white m&m was secured in the middle of each with some icing.

The cookies were made with a sugar cookie dough which was divided into thirds. Red food coloring was added to a third, blue to another third and no coloring was added to the last third. The 3 sections were then combined and rolled out.

I'd like to try these cookies again with different coloring for more dimension, and maybe rig them up so that they actually spin:)

These pinwheel cookies would be a lot of fun for the 4th of July!

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Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

2011-06-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

It's officially the first day of summer and we have a perfect 75 degrees here with a beautiful clear blue sky:)

On Father's day my husband barbecued some steaks, and with it we had a green salad, potato salad, beans and garlic bread. Pretty yummy, but the best was yet to come...dessert!
I decided to make ice cream sandwiches using two types of cookies to sandwich the vanilla bean ice cream. My husband's favorite cookie is ginger, so it was the perfect opportunity to use "The Best Ginger Cookies Ever" recipe from one of my newer cookbook purcahses, Sugar Baby by Gesine Bullock-Prado (to avoid slaughtering the correct pronunciation of her first name, click here).

My cookies did not turn out as beautifully as Gesine's, but actually their outcome( a bit on the flat side) worked out well for ice cream sandwiches, and their taste was delicious! Jim loved them! I saved some of the cookies to use as the crust for a future treat:)

I also made some oatmeal raisin cookies, but will spotlight the ginger cookies for now.

The Best Ginger Cookies Ever
(From the book, Sugar Baby by Gesine Bullock-Prado)

Ingredients

2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cups molasses
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger (I only had 1/2 cup on hand)
1 cup sanding sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. With the mixer on low speed, gently add the flour mixture until just incorporated. Be very careful not to overmix. Fold in the crystallized ginger and chill the dough, covered, for a few hours or overnight. ( I chilled the dough overnight.)
Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the cookies and dip them in sanding sugar so that they are completely coated. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. (Stoneware baking sheets were used~no parchment needed).
Bake for about 15 minutes. The cookies will crack a bit but should still be soft in the middle. Place on wire racks to cool. Makes about 30 cookies. (My oven took about 18 minutes.)

This treat is a good way to celebrate summer, especially with the ginger cookies~chewy, flavorful and yummy!

P.S. The cute little ice cream sandwich bags are from Sweet Art Factory.

Enjoy your summer!

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Baby Cookie Bites

2011-06-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

These little babies are my new favorite cookie! They are so easy, and just as cute, if I do say so myself:)

I took a couple of full platters to a baby shower that my daughter's friends from church put on for her. Though tiny, they were a huge hit! People were even sneaking them out the door in paper cups:)

I made these same cookie bites once before, in April, when my other daughter had a baby. I piled them into a cute jar, wrapped a pink ribbon around the lid, and finished it off with a darling tag. My daughter loved it and the cookies were so tiny that the munchkins didn't experience sugar overload with a small handful.

I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe and royal icing (I know I sound like a broken record, but I might as well stick with the best). The little cookies were cut out with a 1-inch round cutter (it was a component of another cutter-letter "R", I think. I actually have a few of these tiny cutters). They were rolled out about 1/2-inch thick.

The royal icing was tinted according to Callye's ( The Sweet Adventures of Sugabelle) formula for achieving the light skintone color: 2 parts warm brown + 1 part ivory~AmeriColor soft gel paste. Worked like a charm! Thanks, Callye!

I was newly inspired to make these again when I spied Paula's (Vanilla Bean Baker) adorable ladybug cookies the other day. I decorated the baby faces with a black AmeriColor Gourmet writer after the icing was completely dry. How simple is that? :)

The Baby Cookie Bites are so delicious and fun to eat, but be careful, it's easy to get carried away!

Linked to these fun Linky parties:

I'm Lovin' it Fridays at Tidy Mom

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tater Tots and Jello

Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies

Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green

Good Morning Smoothie

2011-06-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while visiting many of my favorite foodie blogs, I came to Katie's (This Chick Cooks) and her post for a "Good Morning Smoothie". I realized I had all the ingredients I needed to make my own, so this morning I got right to it. It was even better than I imagined:) It's a great way to start your day! Thanks Katie!

Good Morning Smoothie (adapted from This Chick Cooks)
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup plain and blueberry yogurt mixed
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 sliced banana, frozen
4 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serves 1.

Simple and berry delicious!

Linked to:
Kristen's Your Recipe, My Kitchen
Alissa's Tasty Tuesdays

Corn Dog Cookies

2011-06-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

Corn dogs are the quintessential food on a stick! They also represent carnivals, fairs, summertime and just plain fun! Tasty too!
I have a daughter that really LOVES them! To illustrate: On her birthday her husband told her to pick the restaurant of her choice for dinner, and she picked "Hot Dog on a Stick" at the mall. :) Love her!

Corn dog cookies would be fun for Father's day, the 4th of July, summer BBQ's, or a carnival-themed birthday party. Of course you would also want to serve the savory version.

My husband was nice enough to bring me a corn dog when he was down in Santa Monica and stopped by the original "Hot Dog on a Stick" . I used it for my template:) Consequently these cookies are the same size as their original counterpart.

Once again, I used my favorite sugar cookie/royal icing recipe combination. I did my best to get as close as possible to the corn dog color as I could (I had the real deal right next to me). Unfortunaely I didn't keep track of the amounts, but I used Wilton's* brown (mostly), orange, and a dash of "Christmas" red concentrated pastes to achieve the results. For the "mustard" I used Wilton's golden yellow.

*I have Wilton products, but you can use the equivalent of whatever you have.

Instructions:
1. Make cookie dough.
2. Roll out dough and use template to cut out cookies with a small knife, and transfer to baking sheets.
3. Insert cookie stick/skewer into each cookie.
4. Bake according to cookie recipe.
5. Let cookies cool completely on cooling rack.
6. Prepare royal icing and add food coloring.
7. Using the brownish icing, outline corn dog cookies with a #3 Wilton decorating tip. Let dry for about 20 minutes. (Keep the other icing covered with plastic wrap until you need it.)
8. Fill in the corn dogs with the brown icing. I used a spoon to fill it and spread it, but you can use whatever technique you'd like.
9. Make sure they are completely dry. I left them overnight to dry.
10. With a Wilton #4 tip, I applied the "mustrard" icing to the cookies.
11. Leave cookies until dry.
12. Share, eat, enjoy!

Have Fun!

Linked to:
Tidy Mom's I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Inspiration Friday At the Picket Fence
For the Kids Fridays at Sun Scholars
Yummy Friday at Yummy Mummy
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello
Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Sweet Indulgences at A Well-Seasoned Life
Tasty Tuesdays at 33 Shades of Green

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Bacon Cookies

2011-06-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

My husband and I spent three days in Yosemite last week and it was BEAUTIFUL! We hiked to upper Yosemite Fall, which was 3000 feet of elevation gain and about 7.5 miles round trip. It was amazing at the top (photos later)! Unfortunately on the way down my left knee was causing me pain:( My husband knew the next morning he wanted to take another hike, so while he hiked I rested my knee and stayed warm and cozy in my sleeping bag poring over the June issue of "food network magazine":)

This fabulous cookie recipe caught my eye. (I know that the sugary/bacon combo in baking has been around for awhile, but I wasn't really interested until this particular recipe.)
I was a bit leery of adding 2 tablespoons of bacon grease to the cookies, so I didn't. I also took the easy way out and substituted Hormel's real bacon pieces in lieu of frying my own fresh bacon. Even so, I really enjoyed the cookies. How could I go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate chip? The bacon pieces did add a unique taste element, but the bacon grease (maybe even only 1 tablespoon instead of 2) would have made more of an impression. Next time I will brave it and stick with the original ingredients, and there will be a next time!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Bacon Cookies
(My changes are in brown.) From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of chipotle or ancho chile powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

5 strips bacon (1/3 pound) (I used 5 tablespoons of prepared Hormel real bacon pieces, and did not add bacon grease as called for in the recipe below)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used 6 tablespoons to make up for not using the bacon grease.)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup roughly chopped honey- roasted peanuts (I did not add)

1/3 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, chile powder and salt in a large bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings and set aside to cool. Crumble the bacon, discarding any chewy bits. (I used the prepared bacon pieces and no grease.)

Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the peanut butter until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the granulated and light brown sugar until creamy, about 4 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined. Stir in the peanuts(I omitted) and all but 2 tablespoons each of the chocolate chips and bacon.

Form the dough into 12 balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten with your fingers (the cookies will not spread in the oven); press the reserved bacon and chocolate chips on top. Bake until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Try it, you'll like it! :)

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays

Cookie Monster Cookies

2011-05-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

These cookies are brought to you by pure inspiration from Katrina of In Katrina's Kitchen. I had seen similar cookies around the blogosphere, but when I laid eyes on Katrina's version, I was instantly smitten and knew I would soon be following in her footsteps.

My freezer had a variety of plain sugar cookies just waiting to be transformed! I had fun with the itty-bitty guys:)

The little Cookie Monsters (munchkins) in my family seemed to get a kick out of these cute cookies. Make a batch for your own Cookie Monsters and I'm sure they'll be happy you did!

The cookies are made with my favorite tried and true sugar cookie recipe and royal icing.

For the big guys:

I used Wilton's sky blue food coloring gel for the "hair" (with a Wilton #233 tip)

Wilton's vanilla candy melts for the eyes,

Regular sized chocolate m&m's for the eye balls,

and broken up chocolate chip cookies.

For the little guys:

I used regular sized white m&m's and mini brown m&m's for the eyes.

HAVE FUN!

Linked to:

I'm Lovin' it Fridays

Inspiration Friday

Sweets for Saturday

These Chicks Cooked

Brownie Pops

2011-05-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

When I made these brownie bars I had some brownie "spare parts" left after I cut out the bars. I immediately stored them in a plastic container and threw them in the freezer with the idea of making brownie pops later on.

I have never made cake pops/balls, but figured that brownie pops might be even better:) I now realize why cake pops are such a hit (Made famous by cake pop extraordinaire, Bakerella)! They are realitively easy to make, and fun! It's also simple to dress them up for any occassion with the coordinating sprinkles and ribbon.

I love the fudgy density of the brownies! SO good! They were given the thumbs up by my brother and my husband:) And me too! I like the built in portion control with the brownie pop. If you are craving some chocolate or a sweet treat, this is the perfect little indulgence for you! No chocolate overload for the little ones either:)

Brownie Pops

Supplies:
1 box of brownie mix (Prepare as directed. Cool completely)
8 oz. of prepared cream cheese frosting
14 oz. bag of candy melts (I used half chocolate, 1/2 vanilla)
lollipop sticks (about 4 dozen)
block of styrofoam (to hold drying pops)
sprinkles

Directions:
1. Put prepared brownies in a large bowl, and break up into small crumbs with your hands(clean of course).
2. Add the frosting and mix well, either with your hands, or a sturdy large spoon. If you need a bit more frosting to hold it together, go ahead, but not too much.
3. Roll the mixture into balls (about 1 1/2 inches) and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours, or place in freezer for 15 minutes. You want them chilled, but not frozen. (I actually froze my unfrosted brownie balls in an airtight container and thawed them when I was ready to make them into pops, days later.)
4. Place the candy melts in a small, deep ( big enough to hold all the melted candy, but deep enough to dip the pops) microwave-safe bowl and follow the directions on the bag for melting.
5. Dip a lollipop stick about 1/2- inch into the candy melt and then insert it directly into the brownie ball, no more than halfway in(this helps the pop adhere to the stick).
6. Holding it by the stick, dip the brownie ball into the melted coating until it's completely covered (use a spoon if need be), all the way to where the brownie meets the stick.
7. If there's too much coating on your pop, hold the brownie pop in one hand and use the other hand to gently tap the first wrist, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Try to make the coating even all the way around.
8. If decorating, add sprinkles at this point.
9. Stick the brownie pop into a block of styrofoam.
10. Repeat with each brownie pop and let them dry completely.

Store in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for a few days. You may also cover the pops with treat bags, tied with ribbon, and leave them in the sryrofoam block on the counter.

I bagged mine up(each tied with a ribbon), put them in an airtight container, and stored them in the freezer for about a week. I let them thaw at room temperature (in the container) and they remained as fresh and yummy as ever!

ENJOY!

Linked to these parties:
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up Party
I'm Lovin it Fridays
Inspiration Friday
Foodie Friday

Strawberry Lemonade Scones

2011-05-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Ever since the local strawberry stands opened I've been wanting to make some scones with these big red beauties.

Pretty amazing aren't they? :)

I had some homemade lemon curd in the fridge which I thought would make a tasty partner (along with lemon zest) to the strawberries. I was right:) I looked through a few scone recipes and then came up with my own strawberry-lemon version, fashioned after my favorite summertime beverage.

The scones turned out flaky around the edges and tender throughout, with just the right touch of sweetness. The strawberry and lemon paired so well together. No wonder I love strawberry lemonade! Enjoy this scone version:)

Strawberry Lemonade Scones

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour*

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter (chilled, not softened), cut into cubes

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

1 generous tablespoon lemon zest

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

Topping:

sugar

Sanding sugar

Cream

Prepared lemon curd

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With pastry blender, cut in butter cubes until mixture has coarse crumbs. Gently add both kinds of strawberries and the lemon zest. Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs and cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Gently stir until moistened.

3. Place dough onto a well floured surface. Gently knead the dough by folding and pressing it about 7 times, turning the dough a quarter turn after each fold. Move dough to a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet (or stoneware baking sheet without parchment). Pat dough into a ¾ inch-thick circle. Cut circle into wedges and separate each slightly.

4. Brush wedges with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake 16-20 minutes until golden brown. Drizzle scones with lemon curd and top with sanding sugar. Makes 8-12 scones.

5/ 27 *Sorry about not listing flour on the ingredient list when I first posted. Thanks for noticing that it was missing and letting me know, Shannon and anonymous!

Linked to:
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up Party

Tasty Tuesdays

These Chicks Cooked

Inspiration Friday

I'm Lovin' it Fridays

Necktie Cookie (on a stick) for Father's Day

2011-05-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

When I was a child, my gift giving for my dad on Father's Day alternated between two classics: Old Spice After Shave Lotion and neckties:) Though not very original, my dad did use Old Spice everyday and as an accountant he wore a tie to work each day also. I was just helping him out and he was always appreciative:)

I thought it would be fun to make a sugar cookie version of this fatherly symbol~on a stick of course! This way dad can "wear" a tie without any discomfort and then enjoy munching on it afterward:)

So, is your dad more brains than brawn, or is it a TIE? I couldn't resist:)

FYI: Necktie cookie was made using a cutter purchased from Copper Gifts and my favorite sugar cookie/ royal icing recipe. Insert stick into cookie before baking. I used orange and sky blue Wilton gel for the icing colors.

Please note: My new website address is now www.munchkinmunchies.com
In the process of changing my address to a dot-com, I somehow "lost" all of my "Fellow Foodies" blog list on my side bar:( I am in the process of rebuilding it.

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays
Sweet Treats Thursday
Inspiration Friday
I'm Lovin" it Fridays
Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up Party
Delicately Constructed Friday

Strawberry~Rose Cupcakes

2011-05-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

My mom has been gone for 25 years this month, and I wanted to bake something special to celebrate her in some way. I found this recipe in Sunset magazine (April 2011) and knew I had found the perfect treat. Perfect because my mom's name was Rose:)

The recipe calls for rose water in both the cake and the frosting. I made some rose water myself (I "googled" it) using some roses from my one and only rose bush, but it didn't yield enough. I ended up finding some certified pure rose water at a local health food store. I did have enough roses to use for decorating the cupcakes though:) We didn't eat the flowers, even though no pesticides were used on them~just water and sunshine.

I was afraid to overdo it on the rose water (the purchased version is stronger than homemade), so added the lower end of the amount suggested. Next time I will add the maximum, especially in the cupcakes (actually it's added to the jam that goes into the cupcakes).

There was a nice hint of infused roses in the cupcakes and the frosting, plus the beautiful scent of the rose petals on top added to the floral sensation. The homemade strawberry jam in the cupcakes complemented the rose water.

These cupcakes are a perfect spring or summertime treat. They would be the crowning touch at a tea party, brunch or a wedding shower. If you don't have your own pesticide free roses(to top the cupcakes), perhaps you can find them at a farmer's market.

Strawberry-Rose Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup strawberry jam
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. rose water
2 1/2 cup (small) rose petals (organically grown)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 16 muffin cups with liners. Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until well blended.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well blended.
3. Whisk together jam and rose water to taste in a small bowl. Spread 2 heaping tbsp. batter in each liner. Top with 1 tsp. jam mixture, then another 2 heaping tbsp. batter, carefully spreading it to cover jam.
4. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted toward the edge comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting and decorate with rose petals.

Cream Cheese-Rose Frosting

Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. rose water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

In a bowl with a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, rose water, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth.
Spread on cupcakes
Top with rose petals (or roses)

This recipe makes 16 cupcakes.

ENJOY!

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays

Brownie Bars

2011-05-13T15:38:00.000-07:00

I was instantly inspired to make these brownie bars when I spied popsicle brownies on the blog, Lavender Clouds (Be sure and check out her great blog!). She had originally found the idea on Crazy Domestic, which I was happily introduced to (check out her popsicle brownies). They were so colorful and pretty, but I decided that I wanted to cover mine in chocolate and vanilla candy melts, which makes them look more like ice cream bars than popsicles:)

I made a triple batch of Ghiradelli's Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix, in a half sheet (16" x 12") pan. I lined the pan with parchment paper making sure it was long enough to hang over the edges, so that I could lift the whole pan of brownies out, once they had cooled. Doing this made the brownies a lot easier to cut out with the cookie cutter(shown above, is from Copper Gifts). I cut off each "handle' on the brownie and inserted a popsicle stick in its place.

I decided to decorate the bars with patriotic sprinkles and save them (in the freezer) for Memorial Day weekend, at least that's the plan;) And don't forget about Flag day and the Fourth of July! Of course, you can dress them up any way that you'd like!

The brownie bars are 3.5" x 2.5" so they are just the right size~not too big, not too little, just like ice cream bars:) I cut out a dozen bars and set aside the brownie spare parts to save for brownie pops. Hooray, I'm ahead of the game:!

The brownie bars are very sturdy and easily "stay put" when held by the stick. So cute, and tasty too!

Brownie Bars
Ingredients:
•1 box brownie mix or your favorite homemade recipe (I tripled it for my version)
•7 oz. vanilla candy melts, and 7 oz. chocolate candy melts(about a half bag of each~Wilton's). I preferred the chocolate melts.
•popsicle sticks
•sprinkles

Directions:
1. Make the brownies according to the directions (Remember to line the pan with extra parchment so that they can be lifted out) and let them cool completely.
2. Cut brownies with a cookie cutter (or without).
3. Push popsicle sticks into the bottom end of the brownie. Lay brownies onto wax paper or parchment.
4. Melt candy melts in microwave safe bowl stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.
5. Spoon melted candy melts on top of each brownie and spread over the top and sides (I didn't do the back side). It helped when I held the bar by the stick, to spread it over the top and sides.
6. Sprinkle on the sprinkles(of course) and let the covering harden.

ENJOY!!!

Linked to:
Inspiration Friday
Foodie Friday
I'm Lovin' it Fridays
Weekend Wrap Up Party
Sweet Tooth Friday

Cheater CHURROS

2011-05-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

On my return flight from Texas last week I purchased a copy of Southern Living magazine (May 2011) in the Denver airport. I found this sweet and simple little recipe inside and knew I was going to try it when I got home. Our computer ended up with an aggressive virus (or two!), but thank goodness we had this spare, which my husband set up for me. I also ended up having to replace my camera lens with a new one, which became my Mother's day gift:)

If you have a hankering for churros you will LOVE this recipe. It's definitely a shortcut version of the original churro from Spain. These come together in a flash, using puff pastry, and are baked, not fried. They ended up flaky, and with all the cinnamon-sugary goodness of their fried counterpart. Without further ado, the recipe...

Oven-Baked Churros
(Makes 3 dozen)

1 (17.3- oz.) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (I actually used 1 sheet/half a package and made 18 churros, but kept all the other ingredient amounts as listed)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Unfold and cut puff pastry sheets in half lengthwise, and cut each half crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Place strips on a lightly greased parchment paper-lined baking sheet(I used a stoneware baking sheet without grease or parchment:)) Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon. Remove pastry sheets from oven, and dip in butter, roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let stand on a wire rack 5 minutes or until dry. Delicious!

The churros are really tasty with hot chocolate:)

Linked to:

Tasty Tuesdays
Inspiration Friday

Giveaway Winner!

2011-05-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to THANK EVERYONE for their support in participating in this giveaway! Also, another THANK YOU to those that posted about this (The Russian Nesting dolls) giveaway in one venue or another. I truly appreciate it! Now, on to the winner...picked via random.org~comment #360:

Dee said...: I'm a facebook fan!; May 6, 2011 10:39 AM; Congratulations Dee! I have sent you an email, and look forward to hearing from you:)

Matryoshka (Russian Nesting Dolls) Themed Giveaway

2011-05-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY ENDED! WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON (today-5/10)!

I just returned from Texas after meeting one of the newest, cutest and tiniest Texans, our new granddaughter, Adelyn. It was wonderful to spend time with her, her three siblings and her parents. I miss them all already. My daughter is one busy mama:)

As I promised, on my return, I am having a giveaway! I have always been charmed by Russian Nesting Dolls and thought it would be fun to share that charm with one lucky winner! There are three prizes!

1. A set of five nesting doll copper cookie cutters~6,5,4,3, and 2-inch cutters ( Mine are shown above, but the winning set is still in bubble wrap. Though I have baked the cookies, I haven't decorated them yet).
To see how beautiful these cookies can be check this link from the maker(ecrandal) which features Nancy's
(Sweet Pudgy Panda) perfectly gorgeous cookies!

2. A set of five nesting doll measuring spoons(1/4 tsp-1 tablespoon) by Fred & Friends.

And lastly:

3. A cute and colorful Matryoshka laminated lunch sack by Sugarbooger (this one is mine, the other is still wrapped).

This giveaway is my way of saying THANK YOU for being such a sweet, supportive group of friends!

You each have three chances to win (with a separate comment for each):
1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Follow this blog-Munchkin Munchies (current or new and let me know with a comment).
3. "Like" Munchkin Munchies on facebook, by clicking on the link. Let me know in another comment.

Be sure there is a way to reach you (in the event that you win!), either on your home page or leave your email in your comment!

The giveaway will end on May 10, 2011 (Tuesday) at high NOON Pacific Standard Time, and the winner will be picked via random.org.

GOOD LUCK to you all! XOXO, Sue

NEW MUNCHKIN and Giveaway Preview

2011-04-21T11:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let you know that I will be out of town for a couple of weeks to help take care of the newest munchkin (Truth be told, I think I will mostly be taking care of the three older munchkins:))...So, I don't thin k I'll be spending much time on the computer. I don't know how you young moms do it!?!

Adelyn Rose was born on April 15th (7 lb. 4 oz., 20 in.) and we couldn't be happier to welcome the little BEAUTY into our family! We love her already! I can't wait to give her hugs and kisses!

On my return I will be having a fun giveaway, so keep your eyes open on May 4th. Here's a sneak peek...

Until then...Have a blessed Easter!

Easter "Egg" Cookies~California Style

2011-04-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

I made these cookies for my husband's friend who is really enthusiastic about surfing. He loves to surf every chance he gets.

On Easter day, he is set to leave for Afghanistan for 6 months(working for the Army Corps of Engineers overseeing construction projects). To go along with his farewell gift (a book on surfing, for him to daydream with until he returns to the water), I made him some surfboard cookies. Of course I had to decorate them in bright and cheery spring colors. They remind me of Easter eggs:)

I was happy to hear that he loved the cookies, and wish him well!

HAPPY EASTER to all!

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays
Sister Saturday~Easter Edition

Funny Bunny Cookies {on a stick}

2011-04-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

In keeping with my tradition of making cookies on a stick for special occasions, I just had to make one for Easter. What could be better than a Funny Bunny cookie? I'd noticed various paper versions around the web which sparked the idea for this cute cookie.

I drew out the template on a file folder, cut it out and then used it as the pattern for the cookies. I rolled out the sugar cookie dough fairly thick to accommodate the stick and cut out each cookie with a paring knife.

After I placed the cookies on the stoneware I inserted the sticks. To insert them, gently put pressure on the cookie (dough) with one hand to hold it in place, and slowly insert the stick(twisting a little to help it along) with the other hand, inserting it about halfway up. After baking let the cookies cool and firm up a bit before transferring them to a cooling rack.

After cooling completely, ice the cookies(all white except for the pink nose), and let dry completely.

They may then be detailed with black royal icing or an edible marker. I made it easy on myself and used my Americolor edible black marker for the facial details. I let my cookies dry overnight before I applied the marker.

Voila! Now you, or your munchkins, can be a Funny Bunny! (I had a reluctant model, but did manage to hold up the cookie and get a quick shot.) It's easy to make a whole family of Funny Bunnies:) HAVE FUN!

Linked to:
Tasty Tuesdays

Sweets for a Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up Party
Lovin' it Fridays
Inspiration Friday
Foodie Friday

Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake

2011-04-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

A friend of my husband's did us a favor by helping to deliver a king-size bed to our bedroom, a very heavy and cumbersome king-size bed. I asked him what he would like me to make for him as appreciation and he
readily said "A carrot cake". I thought of a Martha Stewart carrot cake recipe that I had made for Easter a couple of years ago, which was very well-received.

Besides tasting phenomenal (though I didn't try this one), I really enjoyed making the marzipan carrots. Finely ground chocolate wafer cookies provide the "dirt" and topped with actual carrot greens, the marzipan mini carrots look authentic. They fooled my husband:)

I really wanted to cut a wedge from the cake and take a photo, but didn't think that would look too nice when it was delivered. It was a 2-layer 8-inch round cake, with orange cream-cheese frosting. Yes, it's as good as it sounds.

I hope the cake was as enjoyable to eat as it was to make! If you haven't decided on a dessert for Easter yet, you really ought to consider this cake. With the marzipan carrots arrayed on top, it has a bit of a "wow factor" when it's brought to the table, and the orange zest and fresh grated ginger add a nice flavor boost. Of course, carrot cake is a favorite choice for any time of the year.

Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake (Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 cup (3 ounces) pecan halves
1 pound large carrots(with carrot greens, to use for marzipan carrots), peeled
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust pans with flour, and tap out any excess. Set pans aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan, and toast in the oven until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and let stand until completely cool. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Finely chop pecans, and set aside.
Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4 inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots, yielding 2 1/2 cups. Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans.
Divide batter between the two cake pans, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the middles comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.
Place one layer on cake stand and add some frosting. Place second layer on top and completely frost the rest of the cake. I then dusted around the entire edge of the cake with some of the ground chocolate cookie crumbs(from marzipan carrot directions). Transfer to refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours or up to 4 days, covered with a cake dome. When ready to serve, place marzipan carrots around the edge of the cake.
I kept the cake at 2 layers, not 4. If you want to make 4 layers, do the following:
Using a serrated knife, trim tops of the cakes so surfaces are level. Slice each layer in half horizontally. Place a layer on a cake stand or cardboard round, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over top. Place a second cake layer on top, and spread with another 3/4 cup frosting. Repeat with third layer and another 3/4 cup frosting. Place last cake layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and the sides of the assembled cake. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill 3 to 4 hours, or up to 4 days, covered with a cake dome.

Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated, peeled ginger
- Pinch of salt
Directions
1. Place butter in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add sugar, orange zest, ginger, and salt, and beat for 5 minutes.
  
  Marzipan Carrots
  - 7 ounces marzipan (found on the baking aisle in most grocery stores)
  - orange gel-past food coloring
  - 5 chocolate wafer cookies, very finely ground
  - fresh carrot greens (reserved from carrots for cake)
  With a toothpick, add a dash of food coloring to the marzipan and knead with fingers to combine, continue until desired shade is achieved.
  
  Shape a teaspoon of marzipan into 12 balls, and place on a clean work surface. using your hands, roll each piece back and forth ( I had better success rolling it between the palms of my hands) to form a 2-inch log. Using your fingers, shape one end of each log into a tapered point to form a carrot shape. Use the tip of a skewer or toothpick (that's what I used) to make a small hole at the top of each carrot. using a paring knife, make small grooves across (working down) the surface or each carrot. Carrots can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to one week.
  
  When ready to serve, roll carrots in cookie crumbs, lightly brushing of excess, and insert carrot greens into the holes.
  
  This cake is a labor of love and is well worth the effort!
  
  Linked to :
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  Show Me What Ya Got

{Easy Peasy} Bunny Cookies

2011-04-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

No mixing dough or cookie cutters needed for these bunnies. Just slice up refrigerated sugar cookies, spread on icing and decorate with supplies you may already have on hand, and voila~bunny cookies!

The bunny is made from two slices of the prepared dough: one for the head, and one sliced in half for the ears. That's it! I picked up the frosting when I was grocery shopping, but already had everything else: pink sugar, black gel, and jelly beans.

This is an easy, tasty treat to make with the munchkins.

Have fun!

Rabbit Cookies (From Pillsbury)

INGREDIENTS:

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies

1 cup fluffy white frosting (I used store-bought)

Decorating icing or gel

Assorted small candies or decors

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut cookie dough into 16 slices; cut 8 of the slices in half down the center. To make 1 rabbit cookie, place 1 whole slice on ungreased cookie sheet for head; place 2 halves on top, slightly overlapping on whole slice, for ears. Repeat to make 7 more rabbit cookies, placing 2 inches apart.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Frost cookies with frosting; decorate with icing and candies.

Linked to:
I'm Lovin' It Fridays
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Sweets for a Saturday

Cowboy Jim and Santa Maria Style BBQ

2011-04-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

Jim(my husband, center), paying close attention to how it's done

My husband's employer was the high bidder in a local charity auction. The prize was a calf round-up and BBQ for ten people. Jim and I were fortunate to be two out of the ten last Saturday:)

The real deal

We are both city folk, born and raised in Los Angeles. I have been to a cattle round-up one other time, in Wyoming decades ago, and Jim worked on a cattle ranch one summer in Utah, also decades ago.

Cowboys at work

Though the ranch was only about five miles from our home, and we've lived here twenty one years, we've never been privy to a working cattle ranch in those twenty one years. It was an enjoyable experience.

Time for Jim to jump in

Jim was the only "civilian" that wanted to join in and try his hand at some cowboy shenanigans. All the guys were so helpful:)

Branding a calf

Cowboy Jim gets down to the nitty-gritty. Yee haw!

Mission accomplished

I must say, I cringed a little bit for the calves when they were branded, and a lot when they were castrated(I had to turn my head for that).

The "oysters" are on the right, in the BBQ "baskets".

The severed "parts" were referred to as "Rocky mountain oysters" on the BBQ. I didn't really care for them, but might have if they had been deep fried instead of grilled:)

Here's what we were all waiting for:)

I sure did love this top sirloin though! Just look at those beauties. Santa Maria Style BBQ is the BEST! I've definitely had plenty of it since I've been here on the central coast:) YUM! (Click on the pink link above to see the BBQ details and enjoy Santa Maria Style BBQ wherever you live!)
Jim may not be a cowboy, but he's become pretty proficient at the oak BBQ!

Thanks, Jeff, for inviting us!