Fruit Salad with a Twist

This is good for any type of fruit salad. This fruit salad was dressed up with waffle bowls that were purchased from Coldstone a ice cream shop. After scooping the fruit salad into the bowls, I drizzled some chocolate sauce for a charming garmish.

Enjoy

Chocolate Bowls

This little beauty here took me all afternoon to make this.
For this project will need the following items;
1 package of water ballons
Non-Stick Spray
Chocolate for melting
1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix
(follow the directions on the back of the box)
1 bottle of heavy whipping cream
Sugar to mix into the heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon for dusting
Directions
Melt the chocoalte according to the manufacturers directions
Blow up ballons so they are small enough to eat and big enough for the cake to be placed inside the chocolate bowls.
Have a lined baking sheet with parchment paper ready to place the dipped ballons on the baking sheet once they have been dipped.
Before dipping these ballons spray each ballon with the non- stick spray this will allow the chocolate to release from the sides of the ballon.
When dipping these ballons make sure that the chocolate is not too hot. If the chocolate is too hot the ballons will pop with chocolate all over your kitchen.
Once you have dipped the ballons place the ballons on the baking sheet and place the baking tray into the Fridge. These will allow them to cool and harden.
Once the ballons have hardened pop each ballon and remove the ballon gently with your fingers or with tweezers. Be careful not to damage your chocolate bowls.
Once they are hardened fill each cup with your chocolate cake that has been cut up into bite size cubes. Top with whipped cream and then dust with cinnamon for a beautiful garnish.

Enjoy

Nordstrom's Salad

This Salad could be made for any sized group

Here are the ingredients:
Shelled Pistachios
Purple Grapes
Dried Cranberries
Grilled Chicken
Romaine Lettuce
Spring Mixed Greens

The dressing for this salad can be purchased at the Nordstrom's Cafe.
The dressing needed for this salad is the Cherry Balsalmic Vinegrette.
The cost is about $4.00 per bottle.
Enjoy

Chocolate Crinkles

4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter

8 ounces (225 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping:

1 cup (110 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

In a stainless steel bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla extract and then stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to shape into balls (3-4 hours or overnight).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

Place the confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl. With lightly greased hands, roll a small amount of chilled dough to form a 1 inch (2.54 cm) diameter ball. Place the ball of dough into the confectioners sugar and roll the ball in the sugar until it is completely coated and no chocolate shows through. Gently lift the sugar-covered ball, tapping off excess sugar, and place on prepared baking sheet. Continue forming cookies, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on baking sheets. (If you find the dough getting too soft for rolling into balls, return to the refrigerator and let chill until firm.)

Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are slightly firm but the centers are still soft. (For moist chewy cookies do not over bake. Over baking these cookies will cause them to be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

These cookies are best eaten the day they are baked


I got this recipe from the joy of baking. It states that it yields 3 dozen I did not even get 2 dozen. Anyways they looked very pretty.

Enjoy

Wrapping it up!

This is for sure not a recipe, however I love to pass out goodies that look so appealing in the packaging. I bought the celaphane from Tai Pan and the Ribbon I bought at Tai Pan as well. I just think that it is nice to have a beautiful presentation for baked goods when dropping off treats to your friends and loved ones.

Carmel Corn

Carmel Corn
1 1/2 Cups of Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Cubes of Butter
1 Cup Light Karo Syrup
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 Bags of Large Microwave Popcorn Bags
Add all ingredients with the exception of the Sweetened Condensed Milk. In a medium Saucepan and over medium to medium high heat melt all ingredients until the mixture is at a soft rolling boil. Once the carmel has reached the rolling boil stage add the sweetened condensed milk. Once all ingrients are melted and blended together pour the mixture over your popcorn.

ENJOY

Magic Cookie Bars

Magic Bar Cookies
1 1/2 Cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 Cup of Melted Butter
1 14oz Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Cups of Milk Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 Cups of Chopped Nuts
1 1/2 Cups of Coconut

Enjoy

Combine Graham Cracker Crumbs and melted better in a seperate dish. Once the crumbs and butter is evenly distributed press down into a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Use a fork to make sure that the crumbs are pressed firmly into the bottom of the baking dish. I used a fork to make sure that the crust was packed firmly. Pour the sweetened condensed milk on the top of the crumbs. Do not mix the crumbs and sweetened condensed milk together. The sweetened condensed milk is suppose to be an additional layer. Then layer the Coconut, Nuts and Milk Chocolate Chips. Do all of these seperate. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes ( this is only for glass dishes). For metal 9x13 dishes bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Let these bar cookies cool and cut these into bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
3 Cups Rolled Oats

ENJOY
Combine Butter, Sugar, Light Brown Sugar, Peanut Butter and Eggs until super creamy. Then add Baking Soda, Baking Powder Flour and Rolled Oats. Once all ingredients are combined press the dough mixture down into a sturdy Cookie Sheet, that has been sprayed with your favorite non-stick cooking spray.
Cook at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies ( bars) cool for about an hour and top with homemade Chocolate Frosting.

Homemade Chocolate Frosting. I would give you the recipe, however I just eye it every time. This is my best attempt to give you the recipe
2 Sticks Butter that is softened to room temperature
1 16 oz Package of Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
3 to 4 Tablespoons of Ghiradelli Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk
Mix for about 3 minutes or until all ingredients have been incorporated.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Welcome! I am so excited about my new blog that I have worked on it all day. It will take awhile to have all the details complete. I have been asked by several of my friends to create a blog with my recipes. Well here you are. I hope everyone enjoys.
Chocolate chip Cookies
1 1/2 Cups Butter Flavored Crisco
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Almond Extract
4 Eggs
5 Cups Flour
2 Cups Milk Chocolate Chips
Cream Sugar, Crisco and Butter in a Mixer ( I use my Kitchen Aid)
Cream for about 5 minutes. Add Eggs and the Baking Soda, Salt, Almond and Vanilla Extracts. Add the flour one cup at a time otherwise it goes flying all over your kitchen. Last but not least add your Milk Chocolate Chips.
Once you are ready for the dough to be placed on the cookie sheet, make sure you form each individual cookie so that it is in the form of a puck. Trust me they cook up much nicer. Do not just drop these cookies on the cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 minutes at 350 degrees. Let the Cookies hang out on the cookie sheet for a couple more minutes once they are finished cooking. They look like they are not done, however they continue to cook on the pan outside of the oven.

Enjoy