GLUTEN FREE Peanut Butter Cookies

(A.K.A Pop's Munchies)

This recipe is out of a If YOu Give A Mouse A Cookie book. They are sooooo good! Chewy, Soft, and so easy to make....3 ingredients!


The Recipe:
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix ingredients and roll into 1 inch balls. Cook for 10-12 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, make the crossy designs with a fork while they are still soft.

Better Than SANTA Cupcakes

I originally saw this idea at the Cocoa Bean in Idaho Falls. I LOVE Better Than Santa Cake.(THats what we call it these days since there are little ears!) It really is probably one of my all time favorites. Something with the carmel in the chocolate cake making it so ooey and gooey.....my mouth is salivating!!! So I Loved the idea of a cupcake....more ooey and gooey.

The cupcakes before the whipped topping.

What I did:
~ Made a box chocolate cake and made them into cupcakes. (I used applesauce instead of oil. THey trade straight across.)
~ Put store bought carmel into a pipeing bag. ( I have a tip that you use to inject things in.) You could also just poke the cupcakes with a toothpicka and put the carmel on it and it will melt down into the cake.
~ I whipped my own cream.....I have never done that before and thought it would add something special to it and boy did it! THen I put it in a pipeing bag and piped it onto the cupcakes.
~ Instead of skore bits, I used chopped up snickers. Jake had been wanting me to try that. I liked it just as well as the skore bits.
~ I kind of drizzled carmel over the top just to make it look pretty!

These are a must must must try! I made myself sick eating so many!

CupCaKEs

It has been way too long since I have put anything on this blog.....like a year! But my cooking wheels have been going again! One of my friends husband told his wife that he was enjoying the cooking war that we had going on because he got the benefits from both sides! Anyway.....I made the cupcakes below about the end of January. They were SOOOOOOO much fun to make, and they looked so cute......until the frosting starting melting. The cupcakes had cooled all night, so I contribut it wholey to bad frosting, which really didn't taste very good at all....like I scraped it off! The little "I love you" on top is out of chocolate. I just piped it onto wax paper, put it in the fridge for a little bit, then stuck it into the frosting. I loved that idea! THis is where I found the idea and recipe: http://readysetcraft.blogspot.com/2010/01/cupkins-valentines-edition.html


The things I would do/did different:
1- Just use a chocolate cake mix.
2- DEFINANTLY just use a basic buttercream frosting, not the one they use on the website.
3- I used raspberry jam....not sure how I feel about that....It seemed a little off to me, but I can't put my finger on why!

All in all it was a fun experiment that didn't turn out quite right, but was definantly worth trying!

Holstien Torte

This recipe was absolutely delicious!!! Definantly a must try! I will tell ya that it takes a whole bunch of dishes and I'm all about one bowl wonders, but I would make it again and again! It is just that good!! It was in the Goshen ward cookbook, submitted by Kaylynn Grebstad.

Recipe:
1 package of oreos, crushed
1/4 c butter, melted
2 (4 serving size) pkg. instant chocolate pudding
3 c milk (or however much your pudding boxes call for....my asked for 4.)
1 (10 oz.) pkg. Marshmallows
1 c milk
1 1/2 c whipping cream

Directions:
Set aside 1/2 cup cookie crumbs. Combine remaining crumbs and butter, then press into a 9*13 pan. Cover and chill while fixing the pudding. In a large mixing bowl, combine pudding and milk acording to the package directions. Pour over crust and chill for 2 hours or until set.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine marshmallows and 1 cup of milk. Cook and stir until marshmallows are melted. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in cooled marshmallow mixture. Spoon over chocolate layer. Sprinkle the cup of reserved oreos over the top. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours.

When I melted the marshmallow, it seemed like they didn't quite melt right and there were little chunks of gelatin in it. However I didn't stir it the whole time. SO i would suggest stirring it constantly while it melts on medium low heat. If you do this and there are still chunks, never fear it is still delicious and you can't tell they are then when you are eating it because of the oreos. And let me know because I'm curious if that was the problem!

SURPRISE Cookies

These are one of my most favorite cookies! Soft, chewy, chocolaty.....YUMMY!!!They are a favorite in our house. Jake gave me a Martha Stewart Cookie Cook Book for Christmas and this is one out of that book.

The Recipe:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
3.Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
4.Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

The Frosting Recipe:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1.Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.

This frosting is the best! The whole cookie......mmmmmmmm.... a must try!

Creamy Citrus Squares

The Recipe:
20 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. lemon zest, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
2 tsp. powdered sugar

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix wafer crumbs, 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min.

MEANWHILE, beat Neufchatel and granulated sugar with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and 2 Tbsp. flour; mix well. Blend in 1 Tbsp. lemon zest, lemon juice and baking powder; pour over crust.

BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and remaining lemon zest just before serving.

Kraft Kitchens Tips:
Note from the Kraft KitchensFor a softer crust, reduce the crust baking time from 15 min. to 5 min.
Note: You should get about 1 Tbsp. zest and 2 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon.

I baked the crust for 10 minutes and I think it turned out perfect! This was really good! I almost wish it was a little more lemony, but it was really good.....like a lemon cheese cake.

Honey Wheat Bread

I've been wanting to try a honey wheat bread recipe, but all of the recipes I found called for some ingredient that I never have on hand. So when I saw this on the the FOod Network website, I was so excited because it is stuff that I always have! And it is SOOOOOO good! And moist and soft which is another trouble I have when making anything wheat.

The Recipe:
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 stick softened butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
4 cups bread machine flour

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, knead for about seven minutes or until dough is no longer wet but smooth. Let bread rise until doubled in size, punch down and shape into loaves. Let bread double in size again. Do an egg white wash on the top and it makes it look really pretty! Bake until crusty and brown on top, on 350* for about 30-34 minutes.