Valentine Cookies

Williams Sonoma had an unusual cookie cutter in their February catalog - an enormous heart!  It's about 6 inches tall, and almost 8 inches across.  I had to search for it in the store, and found a bunch hiding on the bottom rack of a display in a basket.

I rolled the cookie dough out a lot thinner than usual since the cookie is so large.  They were lots of fun to decorate!

 I had white and red fondant at the house, so I stopped at a local cake shop to pick up some pink fondant, and found some purple/pink/red heart sprinkles. 

 I baked 6 of the large hearts.  Our neighbors received a selection of the smaller cookies, spritz, and 1 or 2 of the larger cookies.

 On the trays, you can see the spritz cookies I LOVE to make!  I bought a Hershey's chocolate cookbook, and it had a chocolate spritz recipe.  The dough was not as nice as my butter spritz recipe, but they tasted fantastic.

 I like to dip the spritz cookies in the Wilton dark cocoa candy melts, and add sprinkles.  With these, I dipped them in the dark cocoa, then in white and added the sprinkles.  It was much easier to see them!

You can get a copy of my Sugar Cookie recipe (it really is fantastic) HERE, and the Butter Spritz cookie recipe I use HERE.  One comment on the Butter Spritz - I don't like almond flavoring in cookies, so I use  butter extract.  Makes the flavor amazing!

DELICIOUS Breakfast Egg Muffin Cups

I am sharing these with you simply because they are so fantastic!!!!!

VERY easy, too!!!

 One thing I'd recommend is that you use silicone cupcake cups.  I didn't do that the 1st time I made these, and it was a terrible mess! 

So, what do you need to make these delicious little things?

12 eggs beaten with garlic powder, garlic salt, and lots of ground black pepper

1 pkg.  Turkey sausage crumbles
1 pkg. real bacon (salad dressing aisle)
shredded cheese
freshly ground pepper
1 - 2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Now comes the easy part.....  preheat the oven to 350, lay out the silicone cups on baking sheets....  I got 21 cups filled with the above amounts.  Give each cup a spray of Pam.

Whisk the eggs with garlic powder, salt, and ground pepper.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and divide evenly between the muffin cups. Set aside any remaining meat.

Using a ladle or a measuring cup with a pour spout, add the egg mixture to within 1/4 inch of the top.  They will souffle, so they won't run over.... just rise as in the top pic.

Add any remaining meat mixture to top off the cups.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Cool.
Refrigerate for up to one week.

Mom's Chocolate Cake

 I'm not sure if I posted this yet, but I'm in a sharing mood, and dying for some of this Chocolate Cake!  It is BY FAR the best scratch made, chocolate cake.  So chocolatey, so moist!  Can you say EASY!?!
It takes only a few minutes to put together, and you won't believe how good it is.
**I've tried it with the Special Dark cocoa...  VERY good!

In my recipe book, this is actually titled:  Mom's Good Chocolate Cake !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you make this, please leave a comment.

1c. boiling water
1/2 c. butter (no substitutes)
2c. flour
2c. sugar
6T (1/3 c.) cocoa
1t. baking soda
salt
2t. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour milk (milk with a couple of drops of vinegar)


In measuring cup, boil water and melt butter in microwave.

In mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Mix lightly to combine.
Add liquids to dry ingredients. Mix well.
Stir to make sure the bottom isn't covered with dry ingredients.

**This will be a very liquid cake mix... not thick at all.  Don't worry!!

Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan, or 2 rounds.

Bake 30 - 35 min.  at 350.



Your comments are always appreciated!

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Summer Bounty!

 I do so love summer corn!!  The ears looked pretty excellent at the market, so I picked up a few.  I NEVER boil them long.... 6 minutes at the most.

Pampered Chef Corn Cob Nobs are a wonderful thing!!!  They go on the corn BEFORE cooking, and don't get hot so they are good to go right away.

I know there are lots of variations out there with chile, lots of toppings, etc.  I just like a little butter and salt.  YUMMMM







Your comments are always appreciated!
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Dark Berry Smoothie

This really did turn out to be a FANTASTIC drink!!!

The berries were so sweet it didn't need a bit of sweetener at all.

1/2 c. crushed ice
1 banana
5 - 7 blackberries (they were HUGE)
blueberries to fill the cup.
Milk to fill in the cracks...
Blend, then when there's space add in most of the Lemon Yogurt.
Blend again.

Enjoy!!! It's delicious!!!


Your comments are always appreciated!

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My DELICIOUS Version of Iced Coffee

Over lunch one day, we were talking about coffee. Isn't that a conversation everyone has at some point with their co-workers?
One of the girls was telling us about how she makes the most delicious iced coffee drinks herself, and NEVER goes to xxx "quick" coffee shop.

Not being a coffee drinker myself, but always looking for delicious flavors, I grilled her about this for a week or two, and decided I had to try it myself. This was in October, or early November. I've now been making these coffee drinks for awhile.... they're addicting!!
Best thing of all??? NO SUGAR!!!!!!

Here's my drink all finished..... and the directions how? Keep scrolling!!


In the Magic Bullet cup, add about 1 inch of crushed ice. I started with cubes, but found the crushed ice works much better.


I add about 1 Tablespoon of instant coffee. My friend thought this was a lot, but it works for me.


Here's the best part.... SUGAR FREE!!! I like the Hazelnut flavor best, so I use more, and less of the Vanilla Caramel. I use between 2 and 4 Tbls. depending on how I feel that day. ;)

On top of this ice/coffee/creamer mix, I add 2 - 3 Splenda packets.

Fill the cup with cold water......

Screw on the blender cap, and let it mix away!!! I usually stop it when it stops "grinding".


There are so many variations that can be made of this coffee drink..... Do you have one?
Leave a comment!!

Your comments are always appreciated!

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A Proud member of The Lime Light. Click on over to see what we are doing.

Delicious Breakfast while Traveling!

I just have to tell you about the most delicious thing I ate for breakfast while we were returning home from the wedding... It was at a Holiday Inn in Olathe, KS.

Granola Parfait. It's SO easy, and even more delicious as well as good for you! I can't think of one 'bad' thing - well, unless you eat way too much. LOL

Granola Parfait
1 Blueberry Yogurt (Lowfat Yoplait)
1 serving of Granola Cereal
1/2 to 3/4 c. fresh blueberries

Here is a picture with the parfait next to the honey and pepper grinder for size comparison.

That's all!! It's sweet, tart, crunchy and smooth all together! Give it a try, and let me know what you think. I'm HOOKED! It's SUPER delicious.

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Christmas Cookies!

After I received a comment, I realized I didn't post the recipe! Sorry!!!
Sugar Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. flavored extract... (orange)  Orange Emulsion is the best flavor. LINK to Orange Emulsion
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. salt
fine zest from one orange

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and extracts.
Combine flour and salt. Add and beat until barely mixed.
Chill.
Roll out to 1/4 in.
Cut with cookie cutters.
Bake 375 7 - 9 min.

Variations: I use orange or lemon extracts with fresh zest. They are DELICIOUS!!! Very tender and nice.

One comment I will make is that I never make a single batch. I use those 3" Wilton cookie cutters, and even a double batch only makes like 2 dozen cookies. I usually make 2 to 3 double batches to make LOTS of cookies!

Check back for my Valentine's cookies. They are already in the planning phase!

I found a recipe last year (Christmas 2007) for sugar cookies. They have never been my favorite, but this recipe has totally changed my outlook! I have the Wilton cutters, cookie decorations, and the frosting in the bottles, and make them now for every holiday. This is how my trees turned out this year. Aren't they gorgeous! I made cookies for Easter, and they looked just terrible compared to these. Technique really counts!

We are going to visit a dear friend, and they will be going to her neighbors.