Cake Mix Cookies

So I don't honestly know if this even counts as recipe, but it was too easy and too tasty not to share. This weekend my friend Colby came over b/c she wanted to bake cookies with me. She asked me if you could make cake like cookies using cake mixes and I told her that I didn't know but I would look into it. After a quick Internet search I found that this was a quite well known thing. So Sunday afternoon we went to work making cake mix cookies. I chose cherry chip cake mix adding white chocolate chips and Colby chose chocolate adding semisweet chocolate chips. They were the easiest thing and they really have a cake-like texture. Perfect if you are really in a bind, or just want quick cookies! Below is the recipe and some photos. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 boxed cake mix

Oil

Eggs

Any additional mix ins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix cake mix according to directions on box minus any water. Add anything extra such as chocolate chips or nuts. Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet before moving cookies to cooling rack. Enjoy!

Great For Your Pantry

One of the things I keep on hand at all times is cake mix. I suggest buying it when your local grocery store has a sale such as $1/box. Yellow, White, Chocolate, Cherry Chip and Angel Food are my flavors of choice. Yellow, White and Chocolate are for what I'm about to discuss and Cherry Chip and Angel Food because those are our personal favorites.

There is a great book, which is the main reason I keep so many cake mixes on hand. It's called The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn. The whole point of this book is to make homemade cakes using mixes as a base. Every cake I've made has turned out great and no one has ever questioned whether it was made with a cake mix. The recipes use flavor boosters and make the cake richer by adding key ingredients.

This book actually rates as one of my favorite baking cookbooks of all time. Some of my favorite recipes from the book are the Ripe Banana Loaves and Blueberry Muffin Cake. I've even given this as a gift to a few friends...enjoy!

Celebrating Father's Day

I look forward to taking some time this weekend to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. Since my dad LOVES chocolate, this year I've decided to bake him fudge. My dad truly loves baked items just as much, and maybe even more than store bought gifts. I think this is because he would eat sweets every day if he could. Him and I are both sweets and milk lovers. One of my favorite photos of us when I was a baby is the two of us eating chocolate pudding. In order to make the presentation of the fudge just a little more exciting than fudge in a plastic storage container, my hunt for an old chocolate themed tin is on. There is a great antique mall by my parent's house that is great for items like these. In fact, any time you want a nice box or tin for a gift, check out your local antique shop. I especially like these for Christmas time gifts and edible treats. The fudge I'll be making is both old fashioned chocolate and butterscotch. I figured Dad deserves two kinds for his putting up with me all these years. I'll be sure to post photos with the end results and give recipes as well. Some people think fudge is difficult, but really, it's quite easy. Have a great weekend celebrating with all the fathers in your lives!

Happy Belated National Doughnut Day!

Friday was National Doughnut Day and since I am such a huge fan of doughnuts, I celebrated with a trip to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts on Sunday. We only have one shop in the state after the previous franchise owners went bankrupt. Doughnuts are one of those items that, for me, are eaten rarely due to the "unhealthy" factor. Recently, right before Mother's Day in fact, I came across a recipe for homemade doughnuts in our local paper. I've been wanting to make them for some time, but am still searching for a doughnut pan. They are baked instead of fried, which is more appealing to the health conscience person. My goal is to make these in the next few weeks, they would be perfect for any kind of brunch or shower. I'm definitely going to post the recipe and photos when I'm done if they are any good! On that note, I've posted a poll regarding your favorite doughnut shop. I thought it would be a fun thing to do and try to be a little interactive!

A Little Costco Crazy

This past weekend was filled with a few different things, but among them were our 3 trips to Costco. YES...3 trips! It wasn't really on purpose, it just kind of happened. Chris needed new tires, but since the membership is in my name, I had to go with him. So we were there for the initial order, and then had to go back later in the day to pick up his car. Of course both trips required a stroll around the entire store. Then Sunday, after a trip to Krispy Kreme (the only one in the state) we headed over to a new Costco that we learned was selling Burburry purses, True Religion jeans, and Juicy sweatsuits. We also did the complete walk around that store as well. My Costco card is definitely my item of the week for the following reasons:

1. Their gas is cheaper than the regular gas stations. Since I fill up my tank more than once per week due to my long commute and busy schedule, this is very helpful. Today I noticed that their gas was at least $0.10 cheaper per gallon than the other stations in the area.
2. You can eat lunch...for free! On the weekends, there are all kinds of different sample stations strategically placed around the store and you can often go back for more than one. Some of the things I sampled this week are sausage, turkey, quesadillas, salsa, cheese, bread, oatmeal, fruit snacks, pistachios and peanut butter.
3. Even if you can't fill up on samples, their snack bar is great. The food is tasty, not very healthy, but tasty and the price is just right. I recommend the pizza!
4. Their prices can be cheaper if you shop right. I don't buy everything there, but toilet paper, paper towels, pure vanilla extract (weird I know, but I use a lot of it), wine, granola bars and zip lock bags are only a few items I like to buy because of the money savings you get from buying in bulk. I also buy these amazing bean, cheese, and rice burritos that are organic, only have 1 gram of fat per burrito and are less than 300 calories!

I know that some people like Sam's Club better and I'm certainly not debating that issue, one because I don't have a Sam's membership and two because I know a very high ranking official at Sam's. My reasons work for any big box store, so if you don't have a membership to one of these, I say an investment in one is a great idea. You can certainly make up your initial investment with the savings you'll have throughout the year. Just make sure not to over shop while you are there!

What You Can Get For A Dollar

Cookbooks! I completely forgot that a few weeks ago, when I was at Joann's, I picked up this cookbook for only a dollar. As you get in line, there is a whole section of $1 items, and this time I couldn't resist. I figured it was only a $1 and it was about cupcakes AND muffins, so why not! The moral of this story is that sometimes you can find some nice items for only a dollar. This would be a great hostess or housewarming gift along with a non-traditional set of measuring spoons such as these from Gooseberry Patch.

After a quick browse, I want to make the following recipes from it...

apple & cinnamon muffins
doughnut muffins
frosted peanut butter cupcakes
warm molten-centered chocolate cupcakes

I'll let you know how they turn out once I make a recipe.
*Also please note that photos are up for the sugar cookies I made last weekend. Scroll down to check them out!

A Great Assistant In The Kitchen

I've made cookies twice in the last week, something that is rare for me since if they are around, they will end up in my tummy rather quickly. However, I had two great reasons to bake for other people. One was for my friend Colby who just got engaged (exciting!) and the other was for our Memorial Day BBQ.

Before this, I don't even remember the last time I made cookies that weren't from the already made cookie dough that's sitting in my freezer. Side note: don't worry, it's homemade key lime cookie dough from Chris' mom that she brings me b/c I love them so much and they are thousands of miles away. For my birthday my great aunt had given me a cookie scoop. This was my first opportunity to use it, and its my item of the week!

The cookie scoop is essentially a smaller ice cream scoop, but it makes making same sized cookies so much easier! All you do is scoop up even amounts of dough and plop it right on a cookie sheet. No more spoon, no more guessing on the size. Now I will admit this is more of a convenience item, not a necessity, but it makes your life just a little bit easier in the long run. If you want to buy one, try Marshalls, Ross, Home Goods, etc. since they are a little pricey (Over $10). However, I've seen them numerous times in these locations and for a severely discounted rate. They come in multiple sizes too for large or small cookies!

So today would normally by Recipe Wednesday, but I've finally found a recipe I don't want to share. Sorry! I know that this is rare, but every once in a while, I come across something that is so good, I want it to be my little secret. This week's find was the sugar cookies I made for our BBQ on Memorial Day. I came across the recipe completely by chance, on the Internet of all places. So of course, you could Google sugar cookies too and maybe by chance come across the same recipe. I doubt it, but it is possible. This recipe said that they weren't your typical sugar cookie, so I thought I'd give it a try. Let me tell you, these cookies highly exceeded my expectations. They were perfectly flavored, the dough was easy to work with, and best of all, they didn't require chilling like most sugar cookie recipes.

I will, however, share my little sprinkle technique. Instead of rolling the cookies out and using cookie cutters, I rolled the dough into a ball and then rolled the dough in sprinkles before putting them on the baking sheet. I didn't bother to flatten the dough, the cookies flattened out on their own. It's an easy way to "decorate" your cookies without having to take extra time after they've baked. I hope you enjoy my little salute to the USA!

Holiday Weekend BBQ Menu

Today is the start of the holiday weekend! I am excited for a few reasons. One is that its in the 50's here in Arizona today, and should be in the low 70's and 80's through Monday. Two is that, weather permitting, we are going to finish our front yard "remodel" this weekend. Pictures should be coming soon! Three is that we are having our first official summer party on Monday afternoon. As I said in a previous post, I am here to post my final menu and give some last minute decor ideas.

Menu
Onion dip with potato chips
Brats with all the fixins' (buns, cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, etc.)
Ranch beans, the ones from a can, they are so tasty!
Garden salad with a variety of dressings
Fruit
Patriotic sugar cookies
Ice cream
Beer from our keggerator

I'm keeping it pretty simple in terms of decor. I bought some nice outdoor lights at Michaels that I plan to hang around our patio. They can stay up all summer since they are meant for the outdoors and can withstand the weather. Summer flowers will adorn the kitchen table since I will be serving inside. Hopefully I'll have time to buy some citronella candles as well in patriotic colors for other small areas around our yard. At the same time I hope to get some outdoor dinnerware.

The sugar cookies are my favorite part of the weekend. I'm using red, white, and blue sprinkles and a new sugar cookie recipe. I'll definitely post some pictures of these when they are finished. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Bread Machines Are The Best!

This is acting as a follow up to my recipe featured yesterday. I apologize to those of you who don't have bread machines, but really, they are the easiest way to make daily (or weekly or monthly...) bread. Some types of bread just can't be made that way, which I totally understand, but if you want to save your sanity and love making bread, or even just want to try making bread, this is a great way to do it. Bread Machine = Item Of the Week!

It's not at all necessary to buy a bread machine for full price. Try checking your local garage sales or Craig's list, and see if you can get a used one. People often buy them, never use them, and want to get rid of them. Mine came from Chris' mom. After she helped me with my baking adventure mentioned below, she sent Chris home with her old machine, on a cross country airplane, in his suitcase. If you do have to buy a new one, no need for the fancy kind, any one that has a dough feature will do.

Most recipes are also adaptable for a machine as well. I even have a Monkey Bread kit that's be haunting me because it looked like a lot of work until I read below the instructions and found the bread machine instructions. It was a happy day for me. And like I said before...I NEVER bake the bread in the machine, I only use it to mix the dough. It's like that Ronco guy, "Set it and forget it!"

CHEDDAR RYE BREAD

Difficulty: Easy

This weekend's request from Chris was bread. Now this man loves bread. His mom makes homemade bread a lot, and let me say, it's fantastic. During my first visit to their house, she made at least 3 different types. Before meeting her, I was never into making bread. I was perfectly happy with buying artisan rolls from the local bakery. Was it the cheapest route? No, but it was the easiest in my book. However, after we returned from the Jersey Shore, Chris made the request for one of his mom's bread recipes. I can honestly say I didn't know what to do. Luckily, after a few phone calls her way, I managed to create 2 loaves of bread...from scratch. They weren't the greatest, but for my first try, I was pretty happy. But now, I've gotten to where I love making bread. My secret? The bread maker. I don't use it to actually bake the bread, just make the dough. It is unbelievably easy and saves you all kinds of trouble when it comes to yeast and water temp and all the important stuff. More on my love of the bread maker to come, for now, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

5/8 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. water

1 1/2 tsp. oil

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar

2 1/2 c. bread flour

1 c. rye flour

1 c. grated cheddar cheese

3 tsp. yeast

Instructions

Please note that this recipe uses a bread maker, I do not make the dough by hand. Get your bread maker out and set to dough only setting. Then pour each ingredient in order, with the exception of the cheese, into the machine's bowl. Press start. This usually takes around one hour twenty minutes, but depends on the machine. When dough is finished, pour out onto well floured surface with well floured hands. Knead dough gently for two minutes. Roll out dough to approximately the size of a rectangular cookie sheet. Don't make it longer than the sheet, because you will be baking the loaf on the sheet. Once it is rolled out, spread the cheddar cheese, leaving one inch around all sides. This prevents the cheese from oozing out while baking. Roll up the loaf carefully and seal the edges with water if you like. Tuck both ends under to ensure minimal leakage. Transfer loaf to parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Spray a touch of cooking spray on the top of the loaf and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. After you remove from the oven, let it cool for AT LEAST 5 minutes before cutting. This will prevent the bread from sinking while cutting.

I know that bread can be tricky, so if you have any questions at all regarding this recipe, please let me know!

ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Last Friday, April 25th, was National Zucchini Bread Day. I kept trying, all weekend in fact, to make these zucchini cupcakes, a recipe I found while checking out Vanilla Garlic. Finally, last night I had a few hours while Chris was off coaching ice hockey. Now don't go turning up your nose at the thought of zucchini in cupcakes. Think of a carrot cake type cupcake, but with a green tint instead of orange. Even Chris, who won't even entertain the idea of eating zucchini, said they passed his taste test!

Ingredients
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 c. turbinado sugar (substitute with brown sugar if necessary)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs at room temperature
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 c. grated zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
3/4 c. raisins, currants, dates, etc.
1 stick butter at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
2 c. powdered sugar

Instructions

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix all ingredients. At this batter will be very thick. Add the zucchini and raisins, currants, or what you have. Note that I used dates for my recipe. The batter will gain more moisture and will become more of a cake batter consistency. Scoop batter into cupcake papers until each is a little over half full.

Bake for 18 minutes. If a toothpick comes out clean when testing the cupcakes, they are done. Place on a wire rack to cool. While cupcakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and bottom. Slowly add powdered sugar. Add vanilla to taste. When cupcakes have completely cooled, spread or pipe frosting onto them.

STRAWBERRY PIE

Difficulty Level: Easy

Today's inspiration comes from my childhood. Since I was about 7, my family has had a house in Strawberry, Arizona. Yes, that's really the name of the town. It's a very small town, literally a bend in the road, but one thing they do have is the Strawberry Lodge. And in the summertime, they have pie, all kinds, but strawberry has always been my favorite. I would cry every time we would go and they wouldn't have the delectable strawberry version. This weekend, strawberries were on sale, so I decided to make my own. Please let me know if you try this recipe, and how it turned out.

Ingredients
4 c. fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and halved
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 t. cornstarch
1 t. water
pie shell - either graham cracker or dough

Instructions
Begin with baking the pie shell. Either graham cracker or dough will do. I will be giving my recipe for homemade pie crust in another post, so stay tuned. If time is a concern, use pre-made shells. They taste almost as good, and save a lot of time and energy. Bake the shell according to recipe or package instructions. Place on cooling rack and let cool completely.
Place strawberries, water, cornstarch, and remaining sugar into a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir frequently until mixtures comes to a boil. Once mixtures boils, continue to stir until it thickens. Pour filling into bowl and place in refrigerator until cool.

While shell and filling are cooling, put cream cheese and 1/2 c. sugar in microwaveable bowl. Warm in microwave in 30 sec. intervals until the mixture is soft enough to spread. When shell is completely cool, spread in bottom of pie shell.

Once filling has cooled, pour into pie shell and place pie back in the refrigerator until completely set, approximately 3 hours.