Candy Cane Heart Lollipops

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I'm all about not wasting any candy or junk food.  We even try not to waste any healthy food either.  We do try to use what we have and eat our leftovers.  I buy a lot of sweets and sometimes I don't use them all in a recipe so I love to find another recipe to use up my leftovers, or eat them.  We had just a few leftover candy canes from Christmas.  All over the Internet I kept seeing cute candy cane lollipops.

The candy canes that I had were full size.  I think most of the suckers are made with mini candy canes.  I had to cut my candy canes so they would make a decent looking heart.  I used a serrated knife and just did a rough measurement.

Then I positioned them in the shape of a heart on my cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and stuck them in the oven.  I baked them for 5 minutes at 300 degrees or just until they begin to melt.  Pull them out of the oven and right away put the lollipop stick in place.  You have to squeeze the melted candy cane around the stick.  Be careful they are hot! 

Make sure, before you bake them, when you are lining them up on your cookie sheet, that you leave enough room for the sticks.  I used 4.5" sticks and you can see in one spot I didn't leave myself enough room!  It was really hard to get the stick into that one.

Then I melted a few white candy melts in a disposable bag in the microwave and piped the candy into the center of the heart.  While the candy was still wet I added sprinkles.  Because everything is better with sprinkles!!

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Alderberry Hill - Make The Scene Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Uncommon - Uncommonly Yours, Reason To Skip The Housework - Tuesday Timeout, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, The Kings Court 4 - What's Cooking Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Susie QT Pies - Happy Friday Link Up, Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, Crumbs and Chaos - Seasonal Inspiration, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Randee's Organized Chaos - Sleepy Sunday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

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Need I say anything?  I almost think I shouldn't write anything and just leave you with this picture.  Let me assure you they were absolutely delicious.  These did not get given away.  Nope - they were eaten here.  Until I had to throw out the remaining few because I thought I really might gain 50 pounds!  I got the recipe from Brown Eyed Baker.  I used my regular brownie pan which is 8x8.  Next time I would use a larger pan - 9x13, that would make them shorter and a little easier to bite into.  Although the size didn't stop me!

If you don't want to make the homemade brownies that Brown Eyed Baker used just use a box mix.  I made the homemade brownies and they were ok.  I like my box mix better!  Line your brownie pan with tin foil and generously spray with baking spray.  Cook and cool.  Then make the cookie dough.  Spread evenly over the cooled brownies and refrigerate for at least a half hour for dough to set.  Then pull tin foil out of brownie pan, cut and enjoy.  I used a pizza cutter to cut mine.

For the Cookie Dough (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker):

¾ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons milk (I used skim)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups mini chocolate chips

- Use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine the butter and both sugars.

- Add the milk and vanilla and mix until combined.

- Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour just until combined.

- Stir in the chocolate chips.

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Reason To Skip The Housework - Tuesday Timeout, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, The Kings Court 4 - What's Cooking Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Susie QT Pies - Happy Friday Link Up,  Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest

Valentine Pretzels

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Valentine defined by Dictionary.com as - a card or message, usually amatory or sentimental but sometimes satirical or comical, or a token or gift sent by one person to another on Valentine Day, sometimes anonymously.

Valentine defined by Me - a reason to make and eat as much chocolate as possible!!

So the holiday is coming up and I thought I would make some Valentine themed sweets.  We'll see how many I get through - my list is huge, of course.  But these pretzels are easy.  Easy peasy to be exact.

Go to the store and buy a bag of pretzels, bag of Wilton Candy Melts and sprinkles.  Melt candy melts.  I use my double boiler but you can also use your microwave.  Dip pretzels in candy, sprinkle with sprinkles and lay on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Wait a few minutes for candy to set and done.  Now eat!

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday,Reason To Skip The Houswork - Tuesday Timeout,  Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest, Itsy Bitsy Paper Blog - I Heart Linky Party

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

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I have a problem.  I am addicted to pinterest and all of the wonderful blogs out there. 

Don't act surprised.  I know it isn't a secret and that you probably already figured it out.  You are a smart bunch!

I spend a lot of time browsing all of the absolutely gorgeous sweets I see and my mouth waters.  Sometimes I see something and I know I want it.  I have to bake it.  It can't go on my "To Bake" list - I have to bake it NOW!

That's how I felt when I saw the Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting on the Brown Eyed Baker.  I have to have it NOW!

Yum - dark chocolate and peanut butter.  One of my favorite flavor combinations.  The cupcake recipe is from Cook's Illustrated and the frosting is from Barefoot Contessa.  I was a little apprehensive though.  I looked at the recipes, the cupcakes seemed yummy, but the frosting, I was worried that the peanut butter would be overpowering.  I have never made peanut butter frosting before.

Would it be overpowering???

Nope - it was perfect.  So creamy.  I almost ate all of the frosting and said forget the cupcakes.  But that doesn't make for a good blog entry :).  I frosted the cupcakes with tip 1M.  This is definitely my favorite tip for cupcakes.  It gives you that wonderful swirl.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Frosting (Recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home)

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Jiff)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

- Cream confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt with an electric mixer.
- Mix on medium-low speed until creamy.
- Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Reason To Skip The Housework - Tuesday Timeout, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, The Kings Court 4 - What's Cooking Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest

Pink Ruffle Cake

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First let me say that my picture taking skills leave a lot to be desired......  Someday when I have the time (aka - never) I will learn more and maybe buy a better camera.  But for now this is all I got!!

I have seen ruffle cakes all over the Internet and on facebook and I really wanted to try one.  This is an experiment after all and if I only bake and decorate what I know, then what's the point.  So a pink ruffle cake it is!!

I baked a six inch chocolate cake and made vanilla buttercream.  I colored my frosting pink with Wilton Gel.  I wasn't sure how much frosting I would need.  This technique uses a lot of frosting so I doubled my recipe and it was just enough.  I had only a small amount leftover.

After my cake was baked and cooled I crumb coated it.  I filled a disposable piping bag with my icing fitted with tip 104.  Now I started my ruffles.  You need to frost the ruffle columns with the wide part of the tip closest to the cake.  I tried to make my columns all the same width.  Start piping frosting and then go back and forth to get the ruffle effect.  Keep completing columns until you have gone around the entire cake.

I had to be careful to make sure I kept my columns the same width, that they went straight up and down (some are a little curvy) and that I kept them close together.   I didn't want to see any cake in between my columns.  The crumb coating helped with this too.  When I got to the top I started at the outside and did ruffles around and around until it was covered.

I think this decorating technique looks great and actually wasn't that hard.  It would be perfect for a shower or birthday cake.  Another one on my list of "can do's!"

This post may be shared with: Flour Me With Love - Mix It Up Monday, Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Reason To Skip The Housework - Tuesday Timeout, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Made Famous By - Famous Linkz Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, The Kings Court 4 - What's Cooking Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, These Peas Taste Funny - Link It Up Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Tidy Mom - I'm Lovin' It Friday, Dwell On Joy - Dwell On Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, The Country Cook - Weekend Potluck, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Sweet As Sugar Cookies - Sweets for a Saturday, Country Momma Cooks - Saturday Link & Greet, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo - Crafting Cooking From The Heart Contest

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

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Cookie Monster is famous in our house.  My kids love him.  I like him - but often feel like a cookie monster myself.  I saw similar Cookie Monster cupcakes on line that used blue colored coconut for his fur.  I knew I wanted to make him, but my kids will not eat coconut.  So I decided to make my own version.

I made chocolate cupcakes in pretty blue liners.  I chose vanilla buttercream to frost them with because everyone in my house loves that.  And when we all can agree there is peace - and I love that!

I colored my frosting with Wilton Sky Blue and Royal Blue Gel Food Coloring.  I just mixed until I got a color I thought matched Cookie.  We have a lot of examples for me to use.  I put the icing into a disposable decorating bag fitted with tip 233.  I love this tip and have used it before on my Dad's 75th Birthday Cake.  I just put frosting all over the cupcake to look like his fur.

I used Wilton white candy melts for his eyes and drew on his pupils with an edible food marker (I like Americolor.)  Then I put a mini Chips Ahoy in his mouth.  This cupcake was easy and the kids loved it, well Rachel did. 

This post may be shared with: Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms - Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Clairejustineoxox - Creative Mondays, Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday, Sweetology - Tea Party Tuesday, Crazy for Crust - Crazy Sweet Tuesday, Inside Bru Crew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday, Mrs Fox's Sweets - Sweet Party, Junk In Their Trunk - Link It Up Wednesday, Hugs and Cookies XO - Wonka Wednesday, Food Corner - Midweek Fiesta, Something Swanky - Sweet Treat Thursday, Talking Dollars and Cents - Sweet Temptations, Happy Hour Projects - Freestyle Friday, Toys In The Dryer - Fun Stuff Fridays, Alli-n-Son - Sweet Tooth Friday, Mama Mias Heart 2 Heart - Sharing Saturday, Well Seasoned Life - Sweet Indulgences Sunday, Living Life Intentionally - T.G.I.F. Linky Party

Liebster Blog Award For Me!

I got an email the other day from Bridget at Flour & Friends, Bridget informed me that she was awarding me with the Liebster Blog Award. What a great email to get!  First I love talking to other bloggers.  I am new to blogging and I am always amazed by the blogging community.  There are so many great, friendly people out there and I love connecting with them.  I don't know if they know it - but I consider us all friends.   Second, I got an award!!!  It is so nice to know that Bridget enjoys my blog.  Makes me feel good!

The Liebster Blog Award is for up and coming bloggers who have a following list of less than 200.  Liebster is a German word that means favorite or dearest.  I feel honored that Bridget chose me to receive this award!  Now I get to share this award with five other bloggers I think deserve it.

Check out Bridget and her blog post about this award over at Flour & Friends and show her some love! She has a great blog with so many delicious recipes.  Not all sweets - which is inspiring me to try some new recipes and get out of our dinner rut!  All of her recipes look amazing!

Also check out these great blogs!

1.  The Garden of Yum - Raina has a great blog.  She does bake amazing desserts, but also so many yummy savory dishes.  I do sometimes want a break from sweet and Raina delivers.  Her Italian Beef Stew is so delicious you have to try it!

2.  Cakeballs, Cookies and More - Sue's blog's name says it all.  Cakeballs, cookies and more.  More sweets to tempt you.  Everything she bakes looks so delicious.  I don't know how she does it!  Her Christmas Sugar Cookies were so beautiful, and then there was the Chocolate Covered Bacon.  So many things to try!

3.  Lizy B - Lizy makes some of the most beautiful sugar cookies I have ever seen!  She is so talented and creative.  I love her Chanel Bag Post.  Beautiful cookies and she is funny too!  When I first tried royal icing I used Lizy's Thanksgiving Leaf cookies as a visual guide.  They were beautiful!

4.  The Sweet Swiper - Kirsten loves to bake and she has baked some pretty amazing desserts.  It is hard to choose just one.  But my current favorite has to be the Chocolate Whoopie Pies with dulce de leche buttercream frosting - wow!  I also love her Oreo Cheesecake Brownies.  I love to see what she is baking.

5.  Dreaming of White Chocolate - At Michelle's blog you will find yummy white chocolate recipes.  But also - all kinds of sweets.  I could read all day.  Especially FUDGE!!  She has a post titled My Fudge Recipe Collection.  So many different fudge recipes, so little time.  How will I bake them all?? 


What is so amazing about all of these bloggers is that they share their secrets!  I love seeing what they have baked or cooked up.  And I know they will leave me a road map so I can also be successful at it too - gotta love it.  Show them some love and go check them out - you won't be disappointed.

Congratulations, ladies! You all deserve it.  Now here’s what you gotta do:

- Choose 5 up and coming blogs of fewer than 200 followers to award the Liebster to.

- Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them
- Post the award on your blog.

Have a great day everyone!