Flower Sugar Cookies with Sour Cream Icing

These are the cookies I grew up with my entire life.  My mom would make these once a month for us.  She loved them plain, and I loved them with icing.  I'm finding on pinterest the recipe is being called "Swig Sugar Cookies".  I've never heard of Swigs, but my Mom grew up in the area where Swigs is, so maybe she got it from them.  I have no idea.  All I know is that this recipe is my personal favorite sugar cookie recipe that I have on my blog.  Seriously, they are amazing!!

Credit-Vintage Revival

Ingredients

1 C. Butter, room temp.

3/4 C. Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C. Granulated Sugar

3/4 C. Powdered Sugar

2 Tbs. Water

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

5 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Credit-Vintage Revivals

Cream together butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla.  Add the eggs.  Mix in the dry ingredients on low, and add the water.  Add the butter and mix on medium until everything is combined.

Grease your cookie sheet, and get a plate that has 1/4 C. of Sugar dumped on top. Then roll your cookies into golf ball size balls.  Place on the cookie sheet, and then grab a glass cup.  Using the bottom of your glass firmly press into the sugar/salt mixture on your plate.  Using the bottom of the glass press on the top of the cookie until it flattens to about 1/2in and resembles a flower because the sides will break apart.  Do this with every cookie re-dipping your glass into the sugar and salt each time.

Bake for 8 minutes or until the bottom of your cookies are just lightly browned.  Serve plain or with sour cream icing.  (The Swig cookies you serve cold, I've never tried it but I bet it would be amazing!)

Sour Cream Icing

Ingredients

1/2 C. Butter, room temp.

1 2lb Bag Powdered Sugar (yes entire bag)

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 C. Whole Milk

Food Coloring of your choice

Directions

Mix all ingredients together adding the milk slowly until you get to the consistency you want.  Spread onto cooled cookies or cold cookies.  Enjoy!!

Homemade Twinkies

I have long had an obsession with Twinkies.  I think they're amazingly delicious.  They are soft, chewy, moist, and full of delicious cream.  

Mine are not the typical twinkies because I add a little bit of "Flair" to these puffed little cakes.  I hope you enjoy my version....I've yet to have a complaint.  I've included the cupcake and layer pan directions.

Ingredients

2 C. Cake Flour

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 C. Butter, room temp.

1 C. Sugar

3 Egg Yolks

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 C. Milk, room temp.

Vanilla Buttercream filling (recipe below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until soft.  Beat until light, and then one by one add your egg yolks while mixing.  Mix until light and creamy.  Add vanilla.

Beat in the milk and the dry ingredients, until well incorporated.

Bake in a greased layer pan for about 25 minutes. 

You can also bake in a cupcake pan.  You fill the cupcakes 1/2 full and bake for 25 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream Filling

2 sticks unsalted Butter

3-4 C. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix with hand mixers in a bowl until soft and creamy. 

Take an apple core or paring knife and create a hole length wise in the twinkie or in the middle of the cupcake. 

Fill a ziploc baggie with the buttercream and cut off the corner.  Pipe into the cakes.  (Just a note, I have shown the cupcake, and layer pan style.)  Enjoy!!!

Real Belgium Waffles

I have an amazing neighbor from Belgium.  She is absolutely darling, and is an amazing cook!  I went and visited her the other day and she had just made a batch of waffles.  She gave me one, and I swear I went into my own little Dreamland that was made of the most delicious things you could ever imagine.  I was running through fields of candy, cakes, and cookies.  When I finally came back to reality, I asked her if she would teach me how to make them.  She was so excited, and more than happy to teach me.  So I spent a day with her and watched her create this amazing masterpiece.  I asked her if she would allow me to post the recipe on my blog, and SHE was flattered!  I told her that I'm the one that will be eternally grateful.

The other day in the mail my "Belgium Pearl Sugar" came from Amazon, and I was so excited to think that I got to make my own waffles.  I was a little nervous about screwing it up, but she told me she would run over if I had any questions.  I've always been pretty good with yeast recipes, but I had her number on speed dial just in case.  After about 2 hours of preparing the dough I was finally able to cook them.  I'm happy to say that they turned out amazing!  Now all I need is for one of my friends to get pregnant, or married, so I can throw a Waffle Bar shower!  Trust me, once you try these you're never going to go back to regular waffles.

(I also wanted to let you know that I am making these in Utah, where it's cold, so the yeast directions should be adjusted to where you live.  If you live in a warm climate it will take a shorter amount of time, by about 30 minutes)

Ingredients

6 Tbs. Warm Whole Milk (no more than 110 degrees)

2 tsp. Dry Active Yeast

1/2 tsp. Sugar

1 1/2 C. Bread Flour (yes, it really has to be BREAD FLOUR)

1 tsp. Cinnamon

2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste (You can substitute extract, but the paste is amazing and if you don't have it, GET SOME! order on Amazon)

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 Large Egg

1 Large Egg Yolk

1/2 C. (1 Cube) Butter, slightly more cool than room temp. cut into chunks

1/2 C. Belgium Pearl Sugar (you can purchase on Amazon)

Directions

Warm up your Milk, and sugar until completely dissolved.  Making sure that the milk is no hotter than 110 degrees (I just make mine a little bit warmer than bath water), stir in the yeast.  Set in a warm room and let Bloom (about 10 min.)

While the yeast is blooming, mix together flour, cinnamon, and salt.  When they yeast has bloomed, mix into the flour mixture. Mix until it's just combined.  Add the vanilla bean paste, egg, and egg yolk. Mix on medium speed until just combined and no more.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm room for about 1 hour (30 min. in warmer climate).

When the dough has had time to rise, put back on the mixer and slowly mix in the chunks of butter 1 at a time. You don't want the butter to melt which is why you want it chilled.  You want chunks of butter throughout your dough.

When your butter is mixed in, place dough on a cutting board and knead in the pearl sugar until well combined.  Cut into 12 small balls, and space out on cutting board.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in a small room to rise for 30-45 min. (45 if you want it more chewy, and 30 if you want more dense.)

Heat your waffle iron to medium-hight heat. Spray with cooking spray and place the dough in the center of the iron.  Cook until the outside is golden brown, and the sugar has crystalized the outside.  Serve hot with any toppings you like. This recipe will make about 12.

If you are making a waffle bar, serve with whipped cream, strawberries, melted chocolate, syrup, any fruit you would like, and cream.  Enjoy!

Best Brownies

As I was baking my brownies today, I realized that I had never share my recipe on the blog.  WHAT?!  How could I have done this?  I mean everyone needs to know how to make brownies.  It should be a law.  So today I am going to share my favorite and most delicious brownie of all time recipe (at least in my opinion).

Ingredients

2 Sticks of Butter

1/3 C. Cocoa

2 C. Flour

2 C. Sugar

4 Eggs

4 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and cocoa until smooth.  Pour into a mixer and add the eggs, vanilla, and sugar.  Mix until creamy, and add the flour.  Mix until well incorporated, and do not over stir.

Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and pour the batter into the dish.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes and then frost.

Frosting Recipe

Ingredients

1 cube butter

1/3-1/4 C. milk

3-3 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 C. Cocoa

Pinch of Sea Salt

Mix all together until it's the consistency that you would like.  (If you want it more runny add 3 C. Powdered Sugar, for firming add 3 1/2 C.)

Pour over warmed brownies and let harden just a bit.

I serve with Vanilla Ice Cream.  Enjoy!!

Utah "Mormon" Scones

Growing up in Utah I was raised on Hot Scones.  Every year they would have a big festival in my hometown and a group would set up a tent and sell the most amazing hot, buttery, flaky, and delicious, scones.  They seriously were to die for.  Well a little later on in my life (yes, just this year) I was looking through my Dad's recipes when I came across the group's recipe that sells the scones.  He used to work for them when he was little, and he has the recipe!  I about died, and I knew I had to share it with all of you.  It's just too good to not share, and everyone across the country deserves to try the Utah "Mormon" Scones!!  Enjoy!

 

 Ingredients

1 C. Warm Water

1 C. Warm Milk

1 Tbs. Dry Active Yeast

3 Tbs. Sugar

1/4 C. Melted Butter, cooled

1 Tbs. Salt

5-6 C. Flour

Vegetable Oil for Deep Frying

 Directions

Combine warm water and warm milk.  Stir in the sugar.  Add dry active yeast and stir lightly.  Allow yeast to activate, about 10 minutes.  

In a stand mixer, fitted with a bread hook, add milk mixture and melted cooled butter.  Add the salt.  Start the mixer and add the flour one cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Dough should be slightly sticky but workable.  Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel.  Set in a warm place and allow raise until double.

Pour your oil in a large pan (with sides deep enough to fully immerse the scones) or a deep fryer and heat slowly over medium to medium high heat.  While the oil is heating, roll the dough out onto the counter, without flour, into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  You may choose to butter the counter lightly.  Using a pizza cutter, cut into squares. 

Heat oil to between 350 – 400 degrees and cook scones until golden brown.  Serve immediately with honey butter or buttermilk maple syrup.  Delicious!

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Every Christmas Eve Aunt Jilly brings 2 cookies to the party to frost with the niece's and nephews.  I bring cut out sugar cookies, and gingerbread men cookies.  Then I bring all different types of frosting, in all different colors, and an array of sprinkles.  We have so much fun decorating the cookies for Santa, and then leaving them out with a glass of milk for him to eat when he comes.  It's so fun to see each of the children big and small get into their decorating, and be so proud of what they have done.

My cut out sugar cookie recipe is one of my most popular recipes and you can find it on the side of the blog, but this is the gingerbread men recipe that I use, so you'll have that too in case your family wants to start this tradition if your home.  Happy Holidays!!

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
¾ cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking soda at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low speed until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1½ minutes. Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds.

 

Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll ¼-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. Cut dough into gingerbread people or round cookies, transferring shapes to parchment-line cookie sheets, spacing them ¾-inch apart. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full. Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheet from front to back halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Cook cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature.

Repeat until all dough is gone.

Once cookies are cool, decorate with royal icing, if desired. or as I do it, just put icing into tip squeeze containers and decorate.  Enjoy!

Homemade Lofthouse Cookies

I had a lady tell me that her son's favorite cookies are Lofthouse cookies from the store, but he has a severe nut allergy so they're no longer able to buy the cookies from the store (they are made in a place that makes things with nuts.)  She was so thrilled when I instagramed a picture of my Lofthouse cookies last night and instantly emailed me and said, "I NEED YOUR RECIPE!!"  It's little things like that, that make coming up with recipes worth while.  I was so excited that I could make a little 9 year old boy happy.  I can't wait to hear all about his reaction when she surprises him this weekend with cookies!

For all of you that love lofthouse cookies, but would like to make your own here it is!!  The Homemade Lofthouse Sugar Cookie "Copycat" Recipe....

Ingredients
1 boxed White Cake mix
1 small Vanilla pudding package
3 Tbs. Sour Cream
1/3 C. Canola Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
2/3 C. Flour

Directions
Your dough is going to be thick, so don't be surprised. 

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (YES, you have to use parchment paper or a baking mat for this recipe. It's MANDATORY!)

Roll dough into little balls and place on your baking sheet.  Then take a cup and smash the ball down until it's about 1/2 inch thick. 

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, no longer; just so they have set up.  Remove from oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 1 min. and then transfer to cooling rack.  You want to make sure you don't cook longer than 10 min. because you don't want the bottom to brown or the top to brown.  The great thing about Lofthouse cookies is that they are soft and white and moist and fluffy, not crisp on the bottom.  The 10 min. will make sure the entire cookie is as soft as the original Lofthouse.

Once the cookie has cooled frost with whatever frosting recipe is your favorite.  If you are going for the Lofthouse frosting you are going to make a simple buttercream.  I like cream cheese frosting, but you choose whatever you like.  Enjoy!

5 Minute Fudge

I love fudge, and when I say that I mean ALL fudge.  I go through so many different fudge recipes around the Holidays it's not even funny.  This one is tried, and true.  It's delicious, and easy, and if you break it up into little chunks and put in those Chinese take out boxes you can give them as neighbor gifts, because let's be honest; who doesn't LOVE fudge?!

Ingredients

1 bag Milk Chocolate Chips

1 bag Butterscotch Chips

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 C. Walnuts

1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

In a heavy bottom pot, dump everything in and place on the stove over medium heat.  Stir constantly until completely melted.  Pour into a pie pan, or a 9x9 baking dish.  Put in your fridge to harden, and then cut into bricks and give as gifts, or eat the whole thing yourself like I do.  :)  Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroons

These are the most delicious and most easy cookie in the world!  If you make them, I promise you'll be hooked.   You should probably double the recipe just to be prepared.

Ingredients

1 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 14oz Bag sweetened Flaked Coconut

2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in a mixer.  Place pastry paper on a cookie sheet and spoon cookies onto the cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are slightly browned all over.  Cool and eat!

No-Bake Vanilla Custard

 If you need a quick dessert, this is one of my favorites! If you put it with some fresh fruit it makes the perfect after dinner treat!  It's fast, easy, and delicious.  I normally always have everything that I need already at my house, so it's one of those you can make anytime.

Ingredients

1/2 C. Heavy Cream

1 1/2 C. 2% Milk

2 Eggs, beaten

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Tbs. Cornstarch

1/3 C. Sugar

Directions

Whisk eggs in a bowl until blended and set aside. 

In a saucepan over medium heat bring the milk, sugar, cream, and cornstarch to a steam, whisking constantly. Do not boil, just get it steaming. Take off heat and mix 1/3 C. of the milk mixture and whisk into the eggs to temper the eggs.  Then add the eggs into the milk mixture, and return to heat. Continue to whisk over medium heat until thick (about 3 more minutes) Remove from heat and add vanilla. 

Chill.  Serve with fruit or by itself.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I love a good cookie, but for me it has to be the RIGHT cookie.  I personally like my cookies, what I like to call; the 50/50.  I like 50% chewy and 50% thick.  I have a different chocolate chip recipe that is a HUGE hit with people in Utah, but this recipe that I have come up with for me is my personal favorite.  If you like thick, chewy in the middle, and a slight crunch on the outside, try my Buffo's Chocolate Chip cookies click here.

This is the recipe for my Chocolate Chunk Cookies...

Ingredients

2 C. Cake Flour

1 2/3 C. Bread Flour

1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp. Coarse Salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted Butter

1 C. Sugar

1 1/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

2-3 Large Hershey Bars

Directions

In a mixer Cream butter and sugar together until creamy and light, about 5 minutes.  

Sift all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

To the butter mixture add the eggs, and vanilla.  Mix until combined.  Slowly add your dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

With a grater, grate 1 hershey bar.  With the 2nd and 1/2 of the 3rd hershey bars, break into pieces and  place in a ziploc bag.  Then get a mallet, rolling pin, whatever you have and beat the heck out of them to break them into pieces.  (This is a great way to get aggression out.)  :) 

Mix the grated chocolate and chocolate chunks into the dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place parchment paper on your cookie sheets and scoop cookies onto cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Enjoy!!

Andes Mint Cookies

We had a cookie exchange with my friends, and this was one of the cookies that was brought.  It was absolutely to die for, so of course I made my friend give me her recipe and all of you get to benefit from that!  Here is one of the BEST cookies you will give this Christmas!

 Ingredients

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 package of Andes Mints

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs together. 

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet. 

Bake for 6-9 minutes. Don't cook any longer than that! You don't want them to be overdone!

Take sheet out of oven and while the cookies are still very hot, place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. In about 5 minutes, the mint will be melted. Take a spoon and smooth out each mint like frosting.  Enjoy!

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

I was craving a treat tonight, and this is what came out of that craving.  It turned out delicious and to die for, and I think all of you are going to love it!  Plus, it's SUPER easy!

Ingredients

2-1/3 cups popcorn kernels

1/2 cup butter

1 3/4 cups brown sugar

4 Tbs. Light Corn Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla

16-20 Large marshmallows

Directions

In a popcorn popper. pop 1/3 cup of kernels. After the 1st batch, pop the 2nd 1/3 cup of kernels.  Remove any unpopped kernels and set aside.

In a pan over medium heat, melt butter, sugar, and corn syrup.  Add vanilla.  Slowly stir in marshmallows until they melt. Don't let your mixture boil.  

Poor over your popcorn and stir until everything is well coated.  Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

I experimented yesterday with some Rhodes Rolls.  I was craving cinnamon rolls, but didn't have 6 hours to devote to my regular recipe.  My experiment turned out Delicious!  Now, I will say they weren't as amazing as my regular recipe, but when you don't have all day, these are a great alternative!  

Ingredients

12 Rhodes Rolls

Brown Sugar

1 Cube Butter, melted

Sugar

Cinnamon Flour

Directions
Let your rolls thaw until they are pliable.  Squish 2 together and pat them in flour. Melt your butter in a bowl.

On a floured surface, roll 2 of the rolls into a disk.  I make mine about 6in in diameter.

With a pastry brush, brush on the melted butter to the disk.  Pat on brown sugar to cover the butter.  Get every inch of the disk on one side.  Then sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar on top of the brown sugar, and top with a tiny pinch of cinnamon sprinkled over the whole thing.

Roll up the disk and squish together a bit so it stands about 2 inches in height.  Brush some melted butter on top and then sprinkle brown sugar on top of that.

Place the rolls in a greased 9x13 baking dish, and cover with a paper towel.  You will have 6 rolls in total.  Let stand until they double, or triple in size.  I like my rolls to completely cover the bottom of the baking dish.

When they have risen, heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown.  Remove and let cool before frosting, or frost immediately.  Enjoy! 

Banana Cream Cake with Brown Butter, Brown Sugar Icing

If you like Texas chocolate sheet cake, you are going to DIE over this cake!  If you like bananas, you're going to die and go to heaven!

Ingredients

3 1/2 Bananas, mashed

3/4 C. Sour Cream

2 eggs

1/2 C. Butter, softened

1 C. Sugar

2 C. Flour

2 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

Icing

1 C. Brown Sugar

3 C. Powdered Sugar

1/2 C. Melted butter slightly browned in pan

3 Tbs. Milk

2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375

In a mixer mash bananas.  Add the sugar, vanilla, butter and eggs.  Mix well.  Slowly add the remaining ingredients until smooth.

Grease a 10x15 jelly roll pan, and pour the mixture into the pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned.

Set aside while you make the icing.

In a pan heat butter on the stove until melted and it gets slightly brown.  Turn off heat and add the brown sugar, stir for 30 seconds.

In a mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar mixture to the remaining icing ingredients and mix until smooth.

Take a straw and poke holes in your cake all over.  Then spread your warm icing over your warm cake and let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting into.

AMAZING!  I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups

I saw this recipe on pinterest from loveyoumadly.com. I was so excited about it, that I had to share it on my page! I tried it, and it's amazing! This girl is brilliant, and I'm so glad she shared. Here you go...

100% Real Fruit Roll-Ups

This recipe is pretty flexible. You have the freedom to pick one fruit or mix different kinds. You can use fresh, frozen and dried fruit. Below the recipe are some fruit combination suggestions, but feel free to try out your own combos too. I suggest making a few different trays of fruit at the same time because these won’t last long in your house and though they are VERY simple to make, they do take a long time to set.

1. Warm the fruit in a pot on the stove and mix it into a puree. If there are seeds in the puree you can pour it into a sieve to get the seeds out (I didn’t).
2. Spread the puree on a oil-sprayed silpat baking mat (my baking love!) or parchment paper (BE SURE to spray! If you don’t it will stick!). 1 1/2 cup of fruit puree is enough for 1 baking sheet, and put in the oven on 140°F (or as low as your oven can go. my stove’s lowest temperature is 170). Leave the oven door open a little bit to let the moisture out.
3. They are done when the puree isn’t sticky anymore, you normally need between 5-8 hours depending on the oven and your fruit choices. (If you live in a warm climate, you can just leave the pan in the sun for the day).
4. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut them and roll them with wax or parchment paper when they are still warm. Enjoy this healthy alternative.

Fruit combination ideas:
Yellow: 1 fresh mango, 200 g dried apricots, 1 orange (the juice) (these came out the best in my opinion!)
Purple: Frozen raspberries, frozen blackberries and 1 banana (these were very seedy, you could replace the raspberries with blueberries)
Green: Kiwi, mango and mint leaves
Blue: Blueberries and grape juice
Red: Strawberries and banana
You can also add spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla pods or mint leaves.

Cranberry Cake with Butter Sauce

 I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but I just can't. This recipe is very dear to me because every time I make it, it reminds me of the most special man in my life. This is my Dad's, famous, Cranberry Dessert Cake with the finger licking good, Butter sauce. Oh my goodness it is to die for. My Dad makes this cake on 3 occasions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Other than that, I'm on my own. Now I follow the recipe and can have it anytime, but mine doesn't even compare to the deliciousness of my Father's. So, I thought all of you should be able to enjoy what I have enjoyed for all of these years. The most delectable, delicious, an delightful dessert you will ever find!  

Ingredients 

2 3/4 C. Flour 

2 1/4 C. Sugar 

2 tsp. Baking Powder 

1 tsp. Baking Soda 

1/4 tsp. Salt 

2 C. Sour Cream 

1/2 C. Milk 

1/4 C. Oil 

1/2 tsp. Almond extract 

2 Eggs 

3 1/2 C. Fresh Cranberries 

1/2 C. Butter 

1/2 C. Heavy Whipping Cream 

1 tsp. Vanilla  

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. 

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. In a mixer combine sour cream, milk, oil, almond extract, and eggs. Beat well. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until creamy and smooth. 

Fold in cranberries until just mixed through. 

Pour into the baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean. 

While the cake is baking make the buttery glaze. 

In a small saucepan combine the butter, and cream. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from heat for 5 minutes and stir in the vanilla. 

To prepare, cut a square of warm cake from the baking dish, place on a plate, and drizzle with the warm butter sauce. I am not kidding, this cake is the most delicious and decadent cake you will ever eat!! Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Bars

I've noticed a lot of sugar cookie bar recipes, but they make a huge amount.  Since I am always just baking for my husband and me, I came up with my own recipe in a small size.  Instead of a cookie sheet pan, this fits in a 9x13 baking dish.  Perfect for just a few.

Ingredients

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 1/2 C. Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixer cream butter, sugar, and vanilla.  Beat eggs, and add. Mix well.  Slowly add your dry ingredients until well incorporated.

Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and spread out your dough so it's about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top is very lightly golden.  Let cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 C. Butter

4oz. Cream Cheese

1 tsp. Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

2-4 C. Powdered Sugar

1/2 Tbsp. Milk

Mix all ingredients together until creamy.  Add food coloring if desired.

Apple Pie Dump Cake

 I saw a recipe like this on pinterest, and decided to step it up a little bit.  I love a good apple cobbler/cake so when I saw this recipe, I just saw a few things that I thought were missing and decided to come up with my own recipe.  So here is your Stepped Up Apple Dump Cake.

Ingredients

2 cans Apple Pie Filling

2 Tbs. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Nutmeg

1 Yellow Cake mix

1/2 cup Quick Cooking Oats

1/2 Cup Pecans, Chopped

2 cubes Butter, sliced into Tbs. portions

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Dump in Apple Pie Filling.  Sprinkle your cinnamon and nutmeg on top.  Mix your cake, oats, and pecans, together and sprinkle over the Apple pie filling.  Evenly place your slices of butter all over the top of your mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Yum!

Clover Orange Rolls

These orange rolls are delicious and incredibly easy! I make these for parties, sunday dinners, and treats for my neighbors.  You are going to love them on a special ocanssion, especially when you don't have a lot of time.

  

Ingredients

18 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

Zest from 2 medium sized Oranges

1/2 C. Sugar

1/4 C. Butter, melted

Icing Ingredients

1 C. Powdered Sugar

1 Tbs. Butter, melted

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

3 Tbs. freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Directions

Spray one 12 hole muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine sugar, zest, and 1/4 C. melted butter in a bowl.  Mix well. 

Cut each roll in half, and dip the entire 1/2 of each roll into the sugar mixture.  Then place 3 halves (so 1 1/2 rolls) into each muffin hole.  Cover with plastic (not tight just loosely) and let rise until they have doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes, until golden on top.

Cool the pan with the rolls still inside until slightly cool.  Then frost while they are still in the muffin pan.  Let the glaze harden a bit and eat!

For the Icing

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and orange juice, into a bowl.  With a pastry brush, over each of the rolls while they are warm.  Sprinkle with a little more zest from an orange to finish off, and enjoy!