Too Pretty to Eat...Almost

Cupcakes are one of my favorite things to bake and of course eat!  I love all of the cupcake shows on TV and I love searching for new recipes to try.  I always have the hopes to decorate my cupcakes like they do on TV but I never have enough time.  I usually find myself throwing on the frosting at the last minute.  Hoping some day I will have more time in a day I save a lot of the ideas I come across.  I thought I would share a couple of the Easter themed goodies I found.

Chick and Egg Cupcakes

Find it here.

Flower Cupcakes the kids will love to help with!

Find it here.

Robin Eggs Nests (my favorite)

Find this picture and many more HERE.

Happy Cupcake Decorating!  If you have any more ideas please feel free to let me know!!

Horray for Whoopie Pies

Have you ever heard of a Whoopie Pie?  If you are not from the North East, you may not have.  Well..recently there has been much todo over Whoopie Pies and which state owns the claim to fame on the creation of the Whoopie Pie.  Pennsylvania?  Massachusetts?  Maine?  Well, I of course believe that Maine is the state that created the delicious Whoopie Pie!!

Recently there was an article in USA Today explaining the battle.  Read it for yourself here.

Also, last night I saw an old episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on the Food Network.  It was a Whoopie Pie episode right in Portland Maine!  Maine beat Bobby Flay!!!  Whoopie Pies are everywhere.

So I pulled out my favorite cookbook: Cooking DownEast by Marjorie Standish and have to make her Whoopie Pies (which she called Whoopsie Pies) this weekend.  My daughter loves chocolate and cannot wait to make these.  I think it is a toss up one who is more excited to make them...me ot my 5 year old!!!

Here is the recipe:

Cookie:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add yolks. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and add alternately to creamed mixture with milk and vanilla. Drop be teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size cookie you make.

Filling:
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in some of the confectioners’ sugar. (set aside) Cream shortening. Add remainder of sugar and add more if needed. Add salt and vanilla. Fold in the beaten egg whites.

Cool cookies. Then put together with the filling and wrap each separately in wax paper.

Enjoy!!
 
Hare a great weekend!
 

Weekend Cooking Anyone

I know that I have talked about Kraftfoods.com before but I just have to share with you these great recipes I found.  I really like their website too.  It has a section that you can enter the food you have on hand and it will come up with a recipe for you to make with what you have....great idea!!

Check out this great side dish recipe...and you can make it right in the microwave!

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

Find it here.

What You Need
1 large spaghetti squash (3 lb.)
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Make It
PIERCE squash several times with fork or sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Microwave on HIGH 10 min. or just until squash is softened, turning after 5 min. Let stand 5 min.

CUT squash in half; remove and discard seeds. Use fork to scrape insides of squash to form strands; place in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss lightly with fork. Spoon into 1 squash shell; discard remaining shell.

MICROWAVE 2 min. or until heated through.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Make Ahead: Microwave squash and pull into strands as directed; place in microwaveable bowl. Refrigerate up to 2 days. When ready to serve, microwave on HIGH 3 to 5 min. or until heated through.

And take a gander at this dessert....holy cow do I want to make this right now!!

Under-a-Spell Red Devil Cake

Find it here

What You Need

1 pkg. (2-layer size) red velvet cake mix
3 pkg. (3.3 oz. each) JELL-O White Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding, divided
1-1/4 cups water
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 cups milk
1 tub (12 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter

Make It
HEAT oven to 350ºF.

LINE 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2 clean kitchen towels with cocoa powder. Beat cake mix, 1 pkg. dry pudding mix, water, oil and eggs with mixer until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

 BAKE 15 to 17 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately invert cakes onto towels; remove pans and foil. Cut 1 cake crosswise into thirds; place on wire racks. Starting at one short end, roll up remaining cake with towel. Cool cakes completely.

 BEAT cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add remaining dry pudding mixes; beat 2 min. until well blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP.

 UNROLL cake; remove towel. Cut cake crosswise into thirds. Spread pudding mixture over all 6 cake pieces. Reroll 1 cake piece; stand in center of large plate. Wrap remaining cake pieces, pudding-sides in, around first piece to resemble spiral, using flat cake pieces for outside layers.

 MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is well blended; cool. Spoon around top edge of cake to cover outer cake pieces only, allowing glaze to drip down side. Refrigerate 2 hours or until pudding mixture is firm. Cut into wedges.

The dessert is a bit more involved but I think it will be well worth the time and effort.  I will let you know when I make these delicious looking concoctions.  If you make them first....do tell!

Have a great weekend!

The best thing about Halloween

Every year at this time the stores start to fill up with Halloween decoration and candy. I am not a big candy eater (more of a chip gal) but there is one tiny morsel of delight I do try to get my fill of....

CANDY CORN

Here are some delectable candy corn inspired sweets I came across

Candy Corn MacaroonsThis tasty treat, Candy Corn Macaroons, can be found here.

Another delicious looking dessert.

An amazing Candy Corn Chocolate Cake recipe

And here is a great idea for decorating with Candy Corn. Find it here.

I just LOVE this decoration for any fall party. Find it here.

Have a great Monday!