Creepy Cupcakes

In honor of Halloween, I have found some Creeepy Cupcakes....

Enjoy the day !!!!!

Fondue Fondue !!!

An all time favorite, when you want to have a budget friendly starter. I just don't like losing my bread in the cheese, but it is quite tasty !!!

1 1/2	cups diced process American cheese loaf (8 oz)
1	cup milk
1	tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1	tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon ground mustard
1 1/2	cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (6 oz)
1	can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1/4	cup chopped drained roasted red bell peppers (from 7-oz jar) or diced pimientos
	French or herbed bread cubes, if desired

Recipe.....

A Woman With a Second Chance

Alida Riddell Begins Her Fight

This post has nothing in particular to do with cakes or cookies but I would just like to express my admiration for a woman who is going through the fight of ovarian cancer right now. She has a blog that she openly discusses each phase of her struggle and it would be great if you could stop by and give her some encouragement.

Thank You

Spooky Chocolate Strawberries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I found this online company called Shari's Berries, who make the most creative themed chocolate strawberries for every occassion.

Click on the link and check it out ....ENJOY !!!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ( not ice cream though)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Use any type of original brownie and cookie mix to start , follow the recipe for the extras and there you have it.

Churros Churros!!!!

Churros

Good lord I love these. I dont have anything to say but I LOVE THESE !!!!!

Bugs...?

Bug Cupcakes

I don't know where people get these ideas from...?

Here are some cakes that look like bugs, wings and all....

Great for the kiddies !!!!!

Witches In My Cakes

Wicked Witch Cupcakes

Some desserts are just to funny to eat...

Cookie " Suckers"

More Lollipop Cookies

You can use the orange sugar for Halloween , then switch it up for Christmas with the red and green...

Versatile Sweets....YAY!!!

Momma's Perfect Pie Crust.......Trust Me

TRUE STORY

I could not make crust to save my life truly.....so I would use the pre-made kind.

Anyway, my boyfriend gave me a challenge because he swears up and down he can cook better than me....HA !!!! I cheated and called my mother, and it came it pretty good if you ask me myself....I won !!!

I am passing it on !!! ENJOY

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons cold water
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar

1. Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Combine cold water, egg and vinegar in small bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; mix, with fork, just until flour is moistened. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a ball. Flatten slightly; wrap each ball of dough in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

What a Big Fortune !!!!

Giant Fortune Cookies !!!
Ok, this fortune cookie is huge and you can send it for any occassion. It will be a trip to see how you eat one of these. Well this one is congratulatory for a baby girl.

Anyway...Enjoy !!!

Lions and Lambs

Lion and Lamb Cupcakes

From what I have noticed, when people have the idea of making their cupcakes look like animals, in my opinion , it never really looks like what they envisioned.

Now, these cupcakes actually look like lions and lambs...fabulous !!!!

If you like these go to Cupcakes Take The Cake...

Directions

Makes 24

• Swiss Meringue Buttercream for March Cupcakes
• Pink food coloring
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted
• Vanilla Cupcakes
• 2 ounces mini marshmallows, halved crosswise
• 6 full-sized marshmallows, halved lengthwise, then diagonally to create lamb ears
• 24 brown mini candy-coated chocolates
• 3 pieces pink bubblegum, cut into 12 small triangles
• Toasted Coconut
• 12 white gumdrops, halved
• 1 bag licorice laces, cut into 1-to 1/2-inch lengths

1. Measure 1/2 cup buttercream, and tint with pink food coloring to desired shade; transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; set aside. Divide remaining buttercream equally between two bowls. Into one bowl, stir melted chocolate; set aside.
2. Frost half of the cupcakes with the plain buttercream for the lambs, and half with the chocolate buttercream for the lions: set aside.
3. For the lamb cupcakes: Arrange the halved mini marshmallows around the perimeter of each plain-buttercream cupcake, in two concentric circles. Leave room for ears on the edges, and an empty circle in the center for the face. Place halved full-sized marshmallows in reserved spots for the ears. Place two mini chocolate candies in upper half of each empty circle to make the eyes, and a bubble gum triangle for the nose.
4. For the lion cupcakes: Press coconut into the edge of the chocolate-buttercream on the cupcake to create a mane. On each cupcake, pipe a small dot of pink buttercream in the center to form a nose, then arrange two gumdrop halves on either side of the nose for cheeks. Stick three licorice pieces into buttercream on either side of cheeks for whiskers. Place two mini chocolate candies over gumdrops for eyes.

Edible Baby Blocks

Baby Block Cake

Perfect for a baby shower or birthday ......

Ingredients
1 white sheet cake
1 recipe buttercream
2 pounds rolled fondant divided in thirds and tinted green, yellow, and white (available at cake decorating supply stores)
One recipe royal icing divided in fourths and tinted blue, green, yellow, and pink
Cornstarch for work surface for rolling out fondant

Baby Block Cake How-To.....

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies-By Bon Appetit

Involves my (2) favorite things : chocolate and peanut butter....
Oh yes, make sure to use regular peanut butter, no chunky , old-fashioned or freshly ground.
The cookies will come out better that way.

Cookies 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups (about 8 ounces) milk chocolate chips

Filling
3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 tablespoons whipping cream

For cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter in large bowl to blend.

Add peanut butter; beat until creamy. Gradually beat in vegetable oil and vanilla extract, then egg. Add dry ingredients; mix just until blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips.

Drop cookie dough by level tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake cookies until puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

For filling:
Place chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and kosher salt in medium bowl. Bring whipping cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Chill until filling is thick and spreadable, about 1 hour.

Spread about 1 rounded teaspoonful chocolate-peanut butter filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, forming sandwich. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies. (Cookie sandwiches can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Tarts...Oui Oui

Tarte Tatin

There is nothing to say but this looks so good....enough said..

Enjoy!!!

1 frozen puff pastry sheet (from a 17 1/4-oz package), thawed
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
7 to 9 Gala apples (3 to 4 lb), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored

Special equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Roll pastry sheet into a 101/2-inch square on a floured work surface with a floured rolling pin. Brush off excess flour and cut out a 10-inch round with a sharp knife, using a plate as a guide. Transfer round to a baking sheet and chill.

Spread butter thickly on bottom and side of skillet and pour sugar evenly over bottom. Arrange as many apples as will fit vertically on sugar, packing them tightly in concentric circles . Apples will stick up above rim of skillet.

Cook apples over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 25 minutes. (Don't worry if juices color unevenly.)

Put skillet in middle of oven over a piece of foil to catch any drips. Bake 20 minutes (apples will settle slightly), then remove from oven and lay pastry round over apples.

Bake tart until pastry is browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer skillet to a rack and cool at least 10 minutes.

Just before serving, invert a platter with lip over skillet and, using potholders to hold skillet and plate tightly together, invert tart onto platter. Replace any apples that stick to skillet. (Don't worry if there are black spots; they won't affect the flavor of the tart.) Brush any excess caramel from skillet over apples. Serve immediately.

Turkey Day Cupcake....Or Is It ?

Thanksgiving Cupcake......

Um..ok. I need some opinions. Now don't get me wrong, I think the idea of the cupcake is great, yet I am not seeing how it looks like a turkey.....?
To me it just looks like a square-headed person with a gag in its mouth to be quiet...

Moving on to the positive...this is quite the festive little treat for Turkey Day...ENJOY!!!!

• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• Pumpkin Cupcakes
• Simple Chocolate Buttercream
• 18 coconut covered marshmallows
• 36 chocolate sprinkles
• 90 mini gummy fish (orange, red and yellow)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a small baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool.
2. Ice cupcakes with chocolate buttercream. Dip top of each cupcake in coconut to cover; set aside.
3. To make the turkey heads: stick the point of a wet toothpick into the side of a marshmallow in two spots, about 1/2-inch apart. Fill the holes with chocolate sprinkles to resemble eyes. Cut a small triangular piece of gummy fish from the head of a fish, to resemble a beak. Cut a small slit in the marshmallow below the eyes, and insert the beak. Place marshmallow head on cupcake. Repeat with remaining marshmallows.
4. To make the tail feathers: Insert 4 gummy fish, tails first, into each cupcake across from the heads.

Molten Marshmallow Lava Anyone ?

Joe's Molten Marshmallow-Chocolate Cakes

This treat involves an oozing center with marshmallow instead of the usual chocolate center. Making this edible work of art quite a surprise when you dig down deep in it's core.

Excellent indulgent dessert...

Steps

1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 large marshmallows
Powdered sugar (optional)

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over very low heat, stir chocolate chips and butter until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour.

2. Fill six buttered, floured ramekins (1/2-cup capacity) about halfway. Press a marshmallow into the center of the batter in each ramekin. Spoon remaining batter equally over marshmallows, completely covering.

3. Bake in the center of a 350° regular or 325° convection oven until tops are puffed up and crackly, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes, then run a knife along inside of ramekins and invert to release cakes. Place right side up on plates. Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm.

Lollipops taken to the next level....

Harvest Moon Lollipops.....
This idea was to make an arrangement out of lollipops with a Halloween theme, which can also be used for any holiday as a centerpiece or made smaller to be given out individually as a party favor.

The good thing about this is, its an actual Moon Pie instead of hard candy.

I personally like the party favor idea when it caters to a certain theme. Or if you use them as a centerpiece you can always give those away at the end of the party as well. People always like to leave with something....don't they ?

Ingredients

Materials:
(10- to 12-inch-long) lollipop sticks
(24-ounce) package Chocolate Flavor MoonPies
(14-ounce) package orange candy melts
1 zip-top plastic bag
Scissors
Wax paper
Halloween candies
Halloween sugar cake decorations
Decorator icing
Ribbon (optional)

Preparation

Step 1: Insert 1 lollipop stick 2 to 3 inches into marshmallow center of MoonPie.

Step 2: Microwave candy melts in a glass bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 minute or until melted, stirring once; spoon into plastic bag, and seal.

Step 3: Snip a small hole in 1 corner of the bag; pipe melted candy around where stick meets MoonPie to secure. Lay flat on wax paper, and let stand until firm.

Step 4: Pipe fun border of melted candy around edges. Attach candies and/or cake decorations with decorator icing. Tie ribbons around tops of sticks, if desired.

Black Cats and Cookies

Black Cat Cookies- --submitted by Kathy Stock, Levasy, Missouri

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 24 wooden craft sticks
• 48 pieces candy corn
• 24 red-hot candies

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Roll dough into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place 3 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
2. Insert a wooden stick into each cookie. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Pinch top of cookie to form ears. For whiskers, press a fork twice into each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set.

Flip Flop Cake

Yes, this idea is out of season for the Fall, but in some states , specifically Florida it is still 85 degrees.
I thought this was the CUTEST cake idea I have ever seen, the FLIP FLOP CAKE.
It uses pound cake, ice cream and stencils to shape into this very creative treat.

• 1 10-3/4-ounce frozen pound cake, thawed
• 3/4 to 1 cup desired-flavor ice cream
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce carton frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
• Pull-apart licorice twists
• Bright-color candy wafers and/or round candies
• Graham cracker crumbs (optional)

Wreaths Arern't Just For Christmas-Halloween Wreaths

This Halloween , kids can get the treats before ringing the doorbell and shouting the infamous
" Trick or Treat " chant .
Martha Stewart has created the very ingenious Candy Wreath, made with 2 pounds of hard candy in twisted wrappers, an 8-foot length of embroidery thread, and a round and a round wire wreath form that is 8 inches in diameter.

This is just one of the many creative crafts you can do that does not take too much effort-which is probably why I like it the most.

Enjoy!!!!