Thin Mint Truffles

Today was my last day of school and I was home by 9:30 : D

I came home and did some research (on Pinterest) and found this recipe 

I have been wanting to make truffles for a while now and had all of the ingredients for this

They were really good but make sure you DO NOT add to much milk or you won't be able to roll it

And I used Mint Chocolate chocolate melts to add more mint flavor

Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 c. AP flour
• 7 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c. Sugar
• 1/4 c. Butter
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• splash of Vanilla
• 1 tsp. Peppermint extract*
• 3-5 Tbsp. Milk (more if necessary)
• At least 8 oz. melted dipping chocolate (the darker the better)

Instructions:

1. Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix all ingredients together except for the milk.
2. Add the milk 1 tbsp at a time, until dough is a manageable consistency for scooping and rolling.
3. Scoop out 1 tsp at a time of the dough, roll into balls. Place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes, until firm.
4. Dip in melted dipping chocolate, let harden on wax paper.

They are really good especially because this is my first time making any kind of truffle

I plain on making several blogs this summer but it will be hard I'm sorry if I don't do as many as I planned

One of the things I will definitely make is Amish friendship bread

Thanks for reading

  :)  :)  :) Culinary Artist In Training :)  :)  :)

Caramel Chex with Chocolate Drizzle

I really didn't choose this recipe my mom just told me to make something with our leftover Chex

I didn't use the right kind of Chex because I used up the stuff I had but it doesn't really make a difference

3	cups Corn Chex® cereal
3	cups Rice Chex® cereal
1/2	bag (14-oz size) caramels (about 25)
2	tablespoons butter or margarine
2	tablespoons milk
1/4	cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.	In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals.
2.	In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels, butter and milk uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after each minute, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over cereals; gently stir until evenly coated.
3.	Microwave on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring after each minute, until just beginning to brown. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
4.	In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Drizzle over snack. Refrigerate until set. Store in airtight container.

They are really good but they are kind of messy while eating

I like them a lot and the caramel doesn't get stuck in my braces

And the kids liked them because they had caramel and chocolate

Hope you like my recipes

  :)  :)  :)  :) Culinary Artist in Training :)  :)  :)  :)

Jello Cookies

  I made this recipe with two little helpers 

You might have seen my moms blog about it but here is the recipe

These cookies are really easy and turn out soft and really sweet

I have a list of things that I want to blog about this summer and picked this one so the twins could help

Ingredients

• 3.5 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 cups salted butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 (3 oz) pkg jello You can use any flavors you want

Instructions

1. Beat butter in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
2. Divide dough into 4 sections. Sprinkle 2 Tb of jello onto each section. Knead together with dough. You may want to add a few drops of food coloring to make the dough more vibrant.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in the extra jello from the packets. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten with bottom of bowl.
4. Bake 8 to 10 min at 350 on lined baking sheets. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks and cool completely.

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/jello-cookies/

We had 4 different boxes of Jello so I let the boys pick 2 each 

We made strawberry, pineapple, orange and lemon 

I didn't use all the Jello so I put it  in bags so I could make these again

The dough doesn't stain your fingers and can be used as play dough also

They were really good cookies but the strawberry and pineapple were very sweet but of course you can use any flavor 

Here are my little helpers with the final product 

Neither of them are looking at the camera;)

:)  :)  :)  :) Culinary Artist in Training :)  :)  :)  :)

Coffee Cake with Apple Cinnamon Filling

I made this recipe Mother's Day morning

I had to wake up at 6:30 on a Sunday to make this, my mom is lucky I love her :)

It was really good if you like apples

I got this recipe off of my Master Cook program which I LOVE, thanks Grandpa

APPLE FILLING AND TOPPING:
2 tablespoons cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
5 cups sliced apples such as Granny Smith (5 to 6)
CAKE:
2 cups sugar
1 cup applesauce
4 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
1 pinch salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup tube or bunt pan with Pam cooking spray.

2. Combine cinnamon and sugar and set aside 1 tablespoon. Toss prepared apples with remainder and set aside.

3. For the cake, whisk together sugar, applesauce, vanilla, OJ, salt, and eggs. Combine flour, baking powder, and nutmeg and fold into sugar mixture.

4. Spoon a little more than one third of the batter into prepared pan. Cover with half of apple mixture, then spoon in remaining batter and apple slices. Sprinkle top lightly with the reserved cinnamon-sugar.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until done. Loosen sides with a butter knife, then invert cake onto a plate for serving.

Its is really good hot but my family preferred it cold

Sorry it is so late but I had alot of end of the school year projects that had to be finished

  :)  :)  :)  :) Culinary Artist in Training :)  :)  :)  :)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling and Frosting

I'm back!

Now that the school year is almost over I'm going to start my blog back up this summer!

I made this recipe and brought it to my aunt's house for mother's day dessert!

It went over well and I had fun learning how to use a cupcake corer.

I was going to use a package but forgot to add it to my mom's shopping list so I used this recipe instead

Here is the cupcake recipe:

• 10 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, almond extract and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter, alternating with the milk, just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite frosting.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Chocolate-Cupcakes/Detail.aspx

This recipe is really easy and made me 24 cupcakes

After they came out of the oven I let them cool and then cored them

To core them you push in the corer to desired depth and then twist and pull up

If you don't have a corer you can improvise with a knife and just cut a circle

After they are cored put the piece you cored back in the hole

Now its time to make the frosting/filling

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fluffy-Peanut-Butter-Frosting/Detail.aspx

I put the frosting in a piping bag and filled the hole in the cupcakes almost all the way full and the put the cake piece back in

Then I frosted the top and put them in a air tight container 

They were really good and made just enough

Special thanks

Aunt Tracy for the cupcake corer

Aunt Bobbie for my own awesome tins 

:) :) :) Culinary Artist in Training :) :) :)