Friday, September 23, 2011

Pumpkin Crisp

Ingredients:
1- 29 oz. can pumpkin
1- cup of sugar
1- 13 oz. can evaporated milk
3-eggs
4-teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice
1/2- teaspoon salt
1- box yellow cake mix
3/4- cup butter (1-1/2 sticks) melted
1-cup pecans chopped
 
Combine pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice & salt in mixing bowl. Beat well. Pour into greased 9X13 pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture, then sprinkle pecans on top. Pour the melted butter over all. Bake at 350* for 50 to 60 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Watch closely at end so that it doesn't burn. 
 
* I always add a little whipped cream on top of mine! ENJOY!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Snickers Popcorn

Sorry it's been a while since I have posted...I have been on a diet for the last 3 weeks, not happy about it at the moment but, I see no reason for both of us to go without goodies. So just for you!!!

8 quarts air popped popcorn (about 2 cups of kernels)
1 cup salted butter
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup (karo)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup salted peanuts
30 (fun size) Snickers bars coarsely chopped
3 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees
Over medium heat boil butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.
Pour over popcorn and stir to evenly coat.
Transfer to waxed paper lined counter and sprinkle peanuts on top. Stir until all is coated evenly.
Transfer popcorn into a  large roasting pan an bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from pan and stir in the coarsely chopped Snickers. Return to the oven and cook for 3 more minutes, so that the snickers start to slightly melt into the popcorn.
Remove from pan and transfer popcorn back onto the wax paper to cool.
Drizzle melted chocolate on top of the popcorn.
Let set and store in an airtight container.
~ENJOY~ Kimber
Snickers Popcorn

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Banana Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

2 -baked pie shells or graham cracker crust

3-4 bananas

2 boxs-Dream Whip, prepared seperately 1-box=2pkgs. (2 of the pkgs. will be used to mix with the cream cheese mixture) and the other two to top the pies with.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. sugar

1 can blueberry pie filling

Slice bananas and line pie shells. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar to cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Mix together cream cheese mixture and whipped cream (dream whip) together. Pour over bananas. This is enough for 2 pies. Chill a couple hours then spoon blueberry pie filling over the whipped cream. Chill again and right before serving add whipped cream to the top. It's even better the next day.

Note: you can substitue 2- 8 oz containers of cool whip for the 2 boxs of dream whip!
Enjoy!

D~E~L~I~C~I~O~U~S

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Just too HOT to bake, so let's make some Lemonade!

Oh my goodness, it has been so hot! Seriously I'm beginning to hate to fire up the oven. I can't seem to keep the house cool enough as it is. I did bake this past weekend; I made a Tangled, Rapunzel cake for a precious 2 year old that I used to keep. Happy 2nd birthday Allegra, I just love her! I will share a couple of pictures of the cake, and maybe in a few more days post on how I made it. But since it's so HOT, let's just make some Lemonade!

Tangled, Rapunzel Cake

Happy 2nd Birthday Allegra!



Refreshing Homemade Lemonade                                     Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cups of water, divided
  • 1/2 cup sugar
1) Pour lemon juice into a pitcher.
2) Add 1&1/2 cups water to the pitcher.
3) In a small pan heat 1/2 cup of water and the sugar over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
4) Pour the sugar water (simple syrup) mixture into the pitcher and stir.
5) Add ice to glasses and add your lemonade
Serves 4
E~N~J~O~Y

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

How to make an American Flag Cake!

Ok, everyone is asking me how I made this cake, so I decided without further ado I would post the directions now. I actually have seen this cake on several other food blogs, and have been dying to make it since last year. Here is one of the sights Here that I found! I tweaked mine a little by adding another red layer of cake to the bottom.

For my cake I made one white cake, a red velvet cake & a blue velvet cake and topped it off with cream cheese frosting. Needless to say I had a lot of leftover cake. To keep it simple here is what I would do next time. Mainly because if I make a red velvet cake, I have to use cream cheese frosting. Just my rules, and you don’t have to play by my rules. But red velvet cake and cream cheese are just meant to be together. Cream cheese frosting is much softer and harder for me to get smooth.

Okay…Ready…Set…Lets Go
Preheat oven to 350*
Grease and lightly flour 2- 8” cake pans
Ingredients:
2- boxes white cake mix & (the ingredients it calls for, on the box)
Americolor super red gel
Americolor royal blue gel
Buttercream frosting (recipe follows)
Prepare one box of white cake mix exactly according to directions on the box, but once it is mixed you will add in the super red gel, it takes quite a bit of the food coloring, so start with 1- teaspoon, mix and add until you reach the right color. Pour into prepared cake pans.

After cakes have been baked & removed from cake pans, let them cool completely.
Now wash, dry, grease and lightly flour your 2-8” pans again.

With second box of cake mix, you will mix exactly as the package recommends, but when cake is completely mixed then you will divide batter into two bowls.
In the first bowl you will leave the batter white.
In the 2nd bowl add the royal blue gel, it takes quite a bit of the food coloring, so start with a ½- teaspoon, mix and add until you reach the right color.
Pour your white batter into 1 of the 8” cake pans.
Pour the blue batter in your other 8” cake pan.
After cakes have been baked & removed from cake pans, let them cool completely.

Okay now cut both of your red cakes in half, so that you have 4 total
Now you are going to cut your white cake in half so you have 2 total.
* Leave the blue layer just the way it is (Do not cut in half)

NOW, cut a 4” circle out of the middle of the blue cake layer (discard the 4” circle, or do what I do and eat it…)
NEXT, cut a 4” circle out of one of the layers of the white cake (this time it’s the 4” circle you keep, not the outer part.)
Last do the same to one of the red layers, keeping the 4” circle.
NOTE: I use the lid to a sour cream container for the template to cut my 4" circles.


You're ready to assemble your cake when you have...
1 thick layer of blue, with the center cut out
2- 8" layers of red
1- 4" layer of red
1- 8" layer of white
1- 4" layer of white
Assemble cake with a thin layer of frosting between each layer of cake, starting on the bottom with red cake, then white, then red, then blue. Add some frosting along the inside "ring" of the blue cake to hold in the next two layer which will fit inside the opening. Fill the hole in the blue cake with a 4" round layer of white cake, some frosting, and then the 4" round of red.


Once the cake is assembled, frost and decorate... Then when it comes time to cut just watch the expression on everyone's face.

My buttercream frosting recipe:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk
Makes:
About 3 cups of icing.
Instructions:
Step 1
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
Step 2
For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

This is the end result... this cake is so beautiful! The fun part is don't let anyone know about the inside; let them be pleasantly surprised when the first cut is made. Seriously can't wait to get to make this again!
~ENJOY~

4th of July Goodies

I am pooped out…as in exhausted, tired, sleepy…just totally worn out…ok, so I think you probably get the picture. So since it’s been over 2 weeks since I have posted anything, thought I would at least post some pictures of what I’ve been up to and will try to follow up with recipes later this week. Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th.





Mini Pies baked in 4 oz. jars

Watermelon with star shape cut outs

Watermelon fruit basket


And I saved my favorite for last. I absolutely love how this cake turned out. Really rather simple. I think possibly my favorite cake ever!


LET FREEDOM RING

Granddaughter Taysen

Flag Cake

Monday, June 13, 2011

Dallas Mavericks NBA Champions!!!

I am just a little excited about last night!!! Dallas Mavericks are #1

Oh and I made some cute little sugar cookies for the game!






Here is a little recap from last night…just in case you missed it!!!!

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat 105 to 95 on Sunday night to become the 2011 NBA Champions for the first time in their 31-year franchise history.


The Mavericks won the sixth game of the series in Miami's American Airlines Arena to win the finals series four games to two, as German superstar Dirk Nowitzki, 32, was named the NBA Finals' MVP, becoming the second European player to earn the award after San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, from France, in 2007.

With Nowitzki going 1 of 12 from the field during the first half Sunday evening, Dallas Guard Jason Terry gave the team a huge boost, scoring 27 points off the bench, to go along with 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assists.

Miami began leading the game 20 to 11, but the Mavericks made important defensive adjustments, switching to zone, and going on a 21-4 run to take control of the game 40 to 28 with 9:42 left in the first half. However, the Heat did not lose composure, scoring 14 straight points and regaining the lead 40 to 42.

However, Dallas stared taking complete control of the game in the second half as Nowitzki slowly began making shots, finishing the game with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Mavs entered the fourth quarter with an 81-72 lead, which they never lost. Nowitzki then made a series of tough shots to take clear control of the game with a 10 point advantage with just over 2 minutes remaining.

In addition to Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, 38, and Jason Terry 33 won their first NBA Championship.


Once again CONGRATULATIONS Dallas Mavericks!!! Job well done!!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Cheeseburger & French Fries (aka) Cupcake & Sugar Cookies

These are the cutest things ever. I saw this last year on Bakerella's site, and actually got the templates from her site. She is so creative. Original post can be found HERE!

To start with just make your favorite yellow cake and make into cupcakes, be sure and use cupcake liners. About 3 minutes before they are done, I remove them from the oven, spray a little cooking spray on top of the cupcakes and immediately sprinkle with sesame seeds and return to the oven for a couple of minutes.
Then make your favorite brownie recipe. You can either use a round cookie cutter to cut out the round shape (this will be your meat patty) or I actually let the brownies cool, then spoon out some of the brownie mixture, roll it into a ball and then flatten it into a patty shape.
And last mix up your favorite sugar cookie recipe.

HERE is the template for making the burger basket, french fry bag and fathers day tissue!
I printed the tray template on card stock (heavier weight paper), the french fry template on vellum (semi-transparent paper) and the tissue insert on regular white tissue paper. I cut the tissue paper into 81/2 X 11 and used a tiny bit of tape in the middle and bottom to secure it to a regular piece of printer paper, just to make it sturdier and easier for it to go through the printer.


Cut out the shapes as shown in the picture from the template with scissors or a sharp blade. Then fold along all the printed lines. Use double-sided tape to secure the flaps. Cut the tissue paper in half and place in the burger basket tray.


Tint your favorite buttercream or vanilla frosting. You will need green for the lettuce, red for the ketchup & yellow for the cheese/ mustard.

Cut cupcake in half and add your brownie (meat patty)

Add lettuce, ketchup and mustard. Then put the top of the bun on.

Make your favorite sugar cookie dough and roll out.
Use pizza cutter to cut into thin strips.

Place on cookie sheet and springle with sugar.
Finished product!

So cute!

Granddaughter Taysen tasting a french fry  (sugar cookie)


These were fun to make...don't stress, use a boxed cake mix and a boxed brownie mix..Actually I did...you can even use canned frosting...that I did NOT, I made homemade buttercream, because it is my fav. Hope you enjoy making these as much as I did!!! 
                                    

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

S'mores Cookies

Okay so either you love S'mores, or..... you don't care for them at all! Personally, I love them, and if I have to I will make them in the microwave... I know, somehow that is just wrong.

So these are S'mores cookies and they are the real thing..So S'moretastic... okay, I know that's not really a word...but trust me, you will really like love these... So gather up your ingredients and let's get started!

S'mores Cookies
11- Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1- cup brown sugar, packed
1/2- cup granulated sugar
2- large eggs
1- teaspoon vanilla
1- teaspoon baking soda
1/2- teaspoon sea salt
1/2-teaspoon cinnamon
2 & 1/2- cups all purpose flour
1/2- cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-cup miniature marshmallows
3- regular sized Hershey's bars, broken into squares
2- packages of graham crackers, (break a full sheet into halves)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375*. Line baking pan with parchment paper. I used 11 X 17
Lay graham cracker squares on baking sheet with about 1/2" space on all sides

In a medium bowl cream butter, add brown and white sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to creamed mixture. Mix on low speed until well combined. Add chocolate chips & marshmallows and gently mix.

Place a scoop (approx. 2 Tablespoons) of cookie dough on top and in the center of graham cracker. Press down lightly on the cookie dough.
Bake for about 6 minutes, and then remove from the oven and press a Hershey's chocolate square, gently on top of cookie. Return to the oven for about 5 more minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
After they are totally cooled I go back and trim them with a metal spatula to make them square. And may I add I end up eating my share of the cut off trimmings :)
Enjoy!!

Before being cut

After being cut


Plate of S'mores Cookies
YUMMERS!!!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Pina Colada Cookies

I have to admit these were not my favorite cookie by any means. But I threw in a few extra ingredients and they were  delicious not too bad. The funny thing was, that I kept tasting them trying to see if I liked them and they started growing on me. Needless to say I now have seriously overdosed on them. If you love coconut and pineapple try these, they are not time consuming at all. Think I will go taste them one more time.

Ingredients:
1/2- cup shortening
1/2- cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4- cup white sugar
1- egg, beaten
1/2- teaspoon vanilla
1- teaspoon coconut extract
1 1/2- cups all purpose flour
1/4- teaspoon baking soda
1/4- teaspoon salt
3/4- cup crushed pineapple, drained
1- cup coconut
THEN I added:
1- cup white chocolate chips
1- cup macadamia nuts, chopped
  • Cream shortening and sugars.
  • Add beaten egg mixed with vanilla & coconut extract.
  • Sift flour with soda & salt
  • Add to mixture alternately with coconut and pineapple.
  • Add white chocolate chips & macadamia nuts
  • Mix all items together well,until all combined
  • Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until done.
  • Be careful not to over bake these cookies.


Pina Colada Cookies

Thursday, May 26, 2011

I Need a Vacation!!!

 Seriously, I have just returned from vacation....BUT, just about every possible thing that could go wrong did. So I'm really feeling the need for another one (as in vacation) and very, very soon. I will go into ALL of the details about my vacation soon... but for now Coconut Cake is all I can think about, so let's have a piece.


Coconut Cake.......
... REALLY, go make it now..you will be so glad you did!

Ingredients:
1- Box white cake mix with pudding
2/3- cup whole buttermilk
1/3- cup vegetable oil
1/3- cup water
3- large eggs
1- teaspoon coconut extract
1- teaspoon vanilla extract
1- (15 ounce) can cream of coconut
1- can sweetened condensed milk
1- (8 ounce) container cool whip, thawed

2- cups sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan.
*In a large bowl, combine cake mix, buttermilk, oil, water and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the extracts. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
*Using the end of a wooden spoon, make 1/2- inch -deep holes in top of cake at1- inch intervals.
*In a small bowl, whisk together cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Pour evenly over top of cake and in the holes: let cake cool completely.
*Spread whipped topping over cake and sprinkle with the coconut. Store in the refrigerator.


Coconut Cake


Delicious!!!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Strawberry Cheesecake

Makes one 10" cheesecake

2 - cups graham cracker crumbs
6 - TBLS. butter, melted
1/3 - cup packed brown sugar
4 - (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 & 1/2- cups sugar
4 - large eggs
2 - Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
   In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar. Spray a 10- inch spring-form pan with cooking spray. Press graham cracker mixture into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of pan. Bake for 8 minutes.
   In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs , one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes; turn oven off. Leave in the oven with door closed for 4 hours. Remove cheesecake from oven . Gently run knife around edge of pan  to release sides. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cover, and chill for 8 hours. Remove sides of pan to serve. Spoon Strawberry Sauce over cake.

Strawberry Sauce
Makes about 1 &1/2 cups
1- (18 ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries in syrup (thawed)
1- Tablespoon cornstarch
1- cup sliced fresh strawberries

In an electric blender, add strawberries and pulse until smooth. Strain, discarding seeds.
   In a medium sized pan set on medium-high heat, stir constantly for 1 minute, or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in fresh strawberries, and let cool. Cover, and chill for 4 hours.


Strawberry Cheesecake

My favorite cheesecake!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Jenn's Birthday!

Goodness it has been so busy!! First, week ago this past Sunday was Easter, then this past Sunday daughter in law Jenn's birthday, and this coming Sunday mother's day. 
This will be Jenn's first mother's day; Taysen will be one day short of being 6 months. Jenn is such a great mommy!!
For Jenn's birthday, it was raining, cold and just plain messy out. We ended up not going to church, and we met Jenn's dad and step mom Judy at Babe's Chicken at 12:30...There was a wait as always, but it was great as always also. On Saturday I made Jenn Chicken Spaghetti for dinner and Italian Cream Cake cupcakes for dinner. I also made her a small birthday cake for the next day which she didn't see until Sunday.
I will share recipes soon, until then here are a few pictures from Jenn's birthday!

Jenn & Taysen
(she will kill me for this picture)
(pj's & no make up)

Jenn & Taysen waiting outside at Babe's

Taysen inside Babe's

Taysen & Gramsey with the cake that we made for her mommy!

 Jenn's Birthday Cake
(Italian Cream Cake)

Jenn's first birthday as a mommy  :)

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Easter 2011

HE IS RISEN!!

Easter has always been a very special holiday! Mainly because of what it represents.
In Old Testament times, the priest would bring bulls, goats or a spotless lamb without any blemishes to be sacrificed as a sin offering for himself and for the people. The blood would purify and make atonement (forgive, make amends) for their sins. This was the old order of atonement. When Jesus came, He was a representation of the sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. He was the final sacrifice. We no longer have to sacrifice animals to make atonement for our sins. Jesus has done this once and for all. It’s His blood that cleanses us from all sin. He was crucified on the cross (the form of execution in those days). The sin of the world was upon Him, yet He was without sin and blameless. He bore it all. This is why Jesus is referred to as the ‘Lamb of God’. He was bodily resurrected (came back to life) on the third day. He appeared to many – eating and drinking with them. He appeared to them for 40 days, then ascended (went up to) Heaven. Acts 1: 1-11

So with that said, we do have easter baskets and hunt eggs; but by no means forget what easter represents.


Easter Baskets


Taysen & Mommy (Jenn)
Taysen's First Easter

Tyler, Taysen & Jenn

Making cookies!

Bunny cookie!

Easter egg cookies!

Sugar cookie truffles!
We spent this Easter at Jenn's dads deer lease. It was Taysen's first time to go to the deer lease. We had a great time! Tyler & Jenn's friends Blake & Jessica also came.
Tyler, Taysen & Jenn

Jessica & Blake Jackson

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter!