Monday, May 31, 2010

Caramello Cookies!

So, again, long time no post. Please forgive me. I did happen to get in the kitchen recently and this was what I made. These are actually really called Gooey Caramel Chocolate Bars, but I liked my name for them better. This recipe came from the KitchenAid cookbook. I saw the cover that had a small picture of these cookies and from that alone told my husband I wanted it for my birthday. Being the smart man that he is he got it for me and so I now can share this recipe with you. The rest of the book looks awesome by the way. I don't know about you all, but caramel and chocolate have a special place in my heart, so this cookie was made for me. Plus it is simple. Give it a try and I promise I will post again soon!!
These are mine, go make your own!!!

Mmmmmm caramely goodness. The caramel is just the right consistency, soft, but it doesn't stick to your fingers!
Caramello Cookies!!
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
4 sticks Butter divided
1 Cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 Cup light corn syrup
1 Cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press tinfoil into a 9x13 pan. This done not need to be sprayed with pam because the base is a butter cookie. Combine flour, sugar, salt and 1 and 3/4 of a stick (all but 2 TBS) butter. Combine with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool completely. Now you can make your caramel. Combine 2 sticks butter with brown sugar and corn syrup in a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil over a medium heat stirring constantly. Once boiling let it boil for 2 minutes without stirring. (If the boiling sugar is climbing the pot and getting too high turn it down a bit.) Remove and pour over cooled cookie base and allow to cool fully again. Finally melt your chocolate chips and add the last to TBS butter and spread over the top of the caramel. I left out the butter. You can choose. Then you can lift the entire pan out by the foil and cut and devour!! These would be great for a summer picnic. Enjoy!!


Thursday, May 20, 2010

Giant Marshmallows!!!

Ok, I have a confession. I LOVE S'MORE'S!!!!! That is one of the very few things I like about camping. Although, I do make them at home quite frequently either in the microwave, or like the above picture roasting the marshmallows over the stove. That is why I literally let out a loud squeal when I saw these giant marshmallows at the store this week. I am going to try and get creative baking with them, but for now I was just happy to roast them and eat them!!! I found them at Ben Franklin Craft, but you could maybe google the brand if you wanted to find them elsewhere. Happy camping, or at least s'more eating!!!
HUGE!! More to love!!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Just Ducky Baby Shower

Hey all! So here is a cake and cupcakes I did for a baby shower this week. Obviously for a baby boy! I decided to go with a duck theme and it turned out pretty cute. I also sculpted the Mom to be on the cake for something different and fun.
Here are some of the ducky cupcakes. The ducks are white chocolate and I used pearilzed white jimmies to look like bubbles.

Here are the baby feet cupcakes. I know you have seen them before, I made a few of these for some variety.


Here is how it looked at the shower. I told the Mother to be the cake was all hers. I am a firm believer that when you are pregnant you get to eat what you want. Cake is a great option!! Congratulations!!!



Monday, May 10, 2010

This little Piggy wanted to PARTY!

Hey all! First off I must apologize for my lack of posting. I have spent the last week in the hospital with a sick baby basically exhausted and scared to death. Though I don't have a sure answer, at least he is home and doing well for now. Thankfully I can get back to some therapeutic baking. It is something I can do to share with others and that seems to relieve some stress. Anyway, enough of that. Here are some fun cakes I made recently. The story behind them is that the birthday boy is a Grandpa who loves to tell stories, but when he does he changes it to his own fun version. For his birthday his wife and grandkids bound a book of their favorite story he tells, The Three Little Pigs (they illustrated the pictures and everything). We found it only fitting to incorporate it into the cake. So we had a pig swimming in German chocolate frosting (something I would love to do), and cupcakes with little piggy heads popping out of the mud. To make it fun for the grandkids, each one had the kids name written on them. Something I could totally pig out on!!


Saturday, May 1, 2010

"Mothers" Day Cookies

Ok, so here is a cute idea for Mothers Day. I don't know what Mother wouldn't like cookies, especially these. Nothing says I love you like something warm, chocolaty and homemade. Plus these are incredibly simple (and you could eat a few too:)!)
So basically all you need is your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe and these two happy ingredients. Mothers frosted circus animal cookies and white chocolate chips.


Break up the cookies, dump in the chocolate chips and you are ready to go!

I dipped the tops in sprinkles to match the circus cookies before I baked them.








Here they are all lined up for the oven.






Even the bowl was sad when these were gone! Happy Baking!!