Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark blend)
• 1 oz bittersweet (or your favorite dark) chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/8 cup heavy cream, chilled

Directions

1. Set a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the mixture is very warm and the sugar has completely dissolved. Rub a bit in between your fingers to check that there are no granules.
2. Add the cocoa and chocolate chunks and whisk until almost melted. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk until completely melted. Let cool to room temperature of still slightly warm.
3. Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl of chocolate and fold with a rubber spatula until mostly combined. 
4. Add remaining whipped cream and fold until completely combined.
5. Divide the mousse among 2 small dessert dishes. Chill for at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day. Remove from the fridge 15 prior to serving.
6. Garnish with chocolate shavings or additional whipped cream is desired.

Recipe found at http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/

Classic Crepes

Prep time: about 5

Cook time: about 2 minutes or less per crepe

Total time: about 30 minutes (includes time to use up batter)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

Directions

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Beat with a hand beater until smooth.
Heat a crepe pan on medium heat, lightly butter pan before each crepe. Pour about 1/4 cup of Crepe batter onto skillet, and immediately rotate skillet until a thin film covers bottom. Cook until tiny bubbles in batter pop and stay open, then flip. (I run a spatula around edges to loosen sides of the crepe, then I turn with my fingers. I find it difficult to flip with a spatula.) Cook until light brown. Stack crepes. They don't stick together, but if you are worried they will stick together, put some wax paper in between.
Fill with Nutella, or sprinkle with sugar and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the sugar, and roll up. Or fill with any other desired filling. I used Vanilla yoghurt and granola, with strawberries and Boysenberry syrup to decorate.

White chocolate cupcakes with truffle filling

 I made these babies for a surprise birthday party. Let me tell  you, they are the Bomb.com, they are The Cat's Meow, and The Bees Knees, and Snug as a Bug in a Rug. Except this time, that bug is a Lindor truffle, and that rug is a heavenly cup of cake. You follow?

Yield: 12 servings 

Cook time: 17-20 minutes

Total time: about 1 1/2 hours.

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
4 egg whites, room temperature
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
12 round white chocolate truffles (I used Lindor)

 Frosting and garnish:
6 ounces white chocolate for baking,chopped
 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter softened
1/2 tsp double strength vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
white chocolate curls (optional)Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and paper liners in a muffin tin.Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup.  In a stand mixer beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. In another bowl beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, beat in sour cream until smooth. On medium speed add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture in two additions, mixing until smooth. Whisk in 1/3 of egg whites. Fold in remaining egg whites with a whisk. Using a large scoop divide cupcake batter evenly among liners.

Bake 17-20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Remove pan from oven, and immediately cut a 1/2 inch X in the center of the cupcake. Press one truffle into each cupcake until even with the top of the cupcake. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool for 30 minutes or up to room temperature. Truffles will melt into cupcakes.

Meanwhile, for the frosting, place white chocolate in a liquid measuring cup and cook in microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so until chocolate in melted. Let cool for 3 minutes, or until slightly cooled.  In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, vanilla, butter, and melted white chocolate, beat on medium speed until well blended. Slowly add powdered sugar, and beat on high for a few minutes.  Place frosting in a decorating bag with a large star tip. Pipe frosting evenly over the tops of cupcakes.  Add sprinkles or white chocolate curls.

You can make curls by placing 2 squares of baking chocolate on parchment paper and heating in microwave for 10 seconds on high. Create curls from softened chocolate by using a vegetable peeler.
Enjoy!

Recipe from http://www.pamperedchef.com/

chewy snickerdoodle cookies

prep time: about 45 minutes (includes time in the refrigerator)

cook time: 12-14 minutes
yield: about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Coating

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

 In an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars on high speed, once creamy add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a separate bowl. Once mixed, Incorperate the dry ingredients with the moist and mix well.

 Preheat oven to 300 degrees while you let the dough rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Make sure to scrape off the sides of your bowl before you let it cool.  The dough gets quite hard, and is difficult to scrape off once chilled.
While you cool the dough mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside.

 Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll about 2 1/2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Coat the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar mix, and lightly press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat for remaining cookies.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes and no more. The cookies will seem undercooked, but continue to develop once removed from the oven. Once cooled, the cookies should be soft in the center.

recipe found at http://heidibakes.blogspot.com/

classic chocolate chip cookies

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Cook time: 9 minutes

Total time: about 25 minutes

Yield: makes about 2 dozen cookies   

Ingredients

• 2/3 c shortening
• 2/3 c butter or margarine
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 3 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 oz milk chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375* and prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Cream first 6 ingredients until thoroughly combined in an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) and mix 'em in well. Stir in chocolate chips (it just isn't the same if you don't steal a few). And you are ready to eat some dough! If you so desire, bake the cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until a appealing golden colour.

lemon burst cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 drops lemon extract
• 1/2 c powdered sugar (for rolling) 

 Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. That takes awhile, so meanwhile, as that creams, in a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add zest and whisk it in (the lemon zest smells so summery, does it not?  I could fill my whole house with that wondrous aroma...)

In the mixer add eggs, one at a time and mix well, then add lemon extract. Mix again. With mixer on low speed, combine dry ingredients with the moist, only until just combined. Roll the dough into balls and coat in confectioners sugar by pushing the dough in little circles through the powdered sugar.  Place powdery dough balls on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between them. Bake those cookies for 12 to 14 minutes (be patient! I know they smell good, but you'll be happier if you refrain from eating them while scorching hot) , or until puffed and bottoms just golden brown.
Cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack....Okay, now you can eat one... or two... or three....

recipe found on http://www.crunchycreamysweet.com

School Lunch Peanut Butter Bars

My sister and I wanted to make some friends something that would be easy, but also delicious, so we made these! They taste JUST like the ones you get from elementary school lunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C Flour

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Baking Soda

¾ C Butter

¾ C Sugar

¾ C Brown Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

1 1/2 C Creamy Peanut Butter (split)

2 Eggs

1 ½ C Quick Oats

Frosting:

½ C Butter (1 stick)

3 ½ C Powdered Sugar

2 T Cocoa

¼ C Milk (I use whatever I have in the fridge)

1 tsp. Vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars, 3/4 C peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Then, stir in the oats. Spread onto a greased 11 x 15 Jelly Roll Pan (cookie sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes.

The frosting is a two step process. First, whip the remaning ¾ C Creamy Peanut Butter until it becomes lighter colored and fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the pan cookie.

Then, add butter to a small sauce pan and melt the butter. Add the milk and cocoa. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Heat just until boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Then, gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir until thickened. Pour over the peanut butter and gently spread over the cookie. Cool completely, and slice into bar cookies

chocolate butterscotch cookies

They are sort-of like a meringue, and they are suuuuper good. 

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350
In a medium bowl sift flour and banking powder
In an electric mixer combine eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Beat on medium-high speed for 10 minutes or until white and creamy.
While you wait for the egg mixture, melt butter and chocolate chips in a small sauce pan on medium heat until smooth and completely melted, remove from heat, and set aside.
Mix the flour and egg mixtures together. Fold in chocolate mixture and butterscotch chips. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Drop dough onto baking sheets by rounded tablespoonfuls.  Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes or until dry and cracked. Allow to cool on tray.  

found at http://diethood.com/

decadent (gluten free!!) peanut butter cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces semi sweet, dark, or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup semi-swett chocolate chips may be substituted)

 Directions:

In an electric mixer combine peanut butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until no longer gritty; about 3 minutes. Add baking soda, mix well.  Pour in chocolate chunks and stir until barely combined. You don't want to crush the chocolaty goodness!  Move dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and no more than 5 days before baking.

Preheat oven to 350, and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (The cookies have enough oil in them already, so don't grease a pan.)  Line two cookie sheets with dough mounds and slightly press in the middle.  Don't over squish!

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are set, even if the middle is slightly underdone. The cookies in the picture were bakes for 9 minutes, and are chewy all around.  I would not recommend cooking over 10 minutes. 

found at http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/ 

Delicious Cranberry Scones

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten

 Yield: 8 large scones

Wash cranberries and remove shriveled berries. Chop coarsely and place in bowl with 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cut in softened butter. Add buttermilk, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Add cranberries and any juice collected in the bowl of cranberries into dough. Add a little milk if dough is not moist enough. Knead lightly a few times until dough is gathered, and forms a ball. Place on a lightly floured surface and pat into one 10 inch circle, about an inch thick. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Bake on greased cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. When scones are done, remove from oven and sprinkle with granulated sugar.


found on  http://www.abountifulkitchen.com/2008/12/fresh-cranberry-scones-with-almond.html

Crock-pot SUPER rich hot chocolate

• 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 (14 Oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 6 Cups Milk (use whole milk for extra thick hot chocolate)
• 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

In a large Crock-Pot combine all ingredients and stir. (For peppermint hot chocolate, stir in 5-10 crushed peppermints, or 2 or 3 crushed candy canes.)
Cover with lid and cook on low for 2 hours, whisking every now and then to combine the melted chocolate chips with the milk.
Ladle into mugs and serve

I regret to say I failed to take a picture.  I was to distracted by it's deliciousness.  So just trust me when I say, you really ought to try it. 

Yummy Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, sifted

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup shortening

3/4 cups milk

Directions: Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients until well combined. With a pastry blender (or fork), cut-in the shortening until coarse crumbs appear. Next, form a well in the center of the mixture and add the milk. Fold together the ingredients until a soft dough is formed (should be fairly sticky). Carefully pour the dough onto a floured surface and gently form the dough into a ball, only using small amounts of flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter. place biscuits (touching each other) on a greased baking sheet. Bake 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

the best pretzels you'll ever have?

 

In the mood for some warm, buttery, soft, salty, delicious pretzels?   I'd say yes if I were you. . .I've made these three times since I first found the recipe.  I cannot get enough of them!

Makes 8 pretzels

Ingredients:

Dough:
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp instant quick rise yeast
• 1 cup warm water ( I did 110 degrees F)
Topping:
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• vegetable oil for greasing the sheet pan
• coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients for dough in a mixer, and mix with the paddle attachment until mostly combined. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium low for 5 minutes. The dough should feel soft and smooth, not sticky to the touch.
2. Lightly dust the dough with flour, then place in a ziploc bag and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil, or use parchment paper if you don't feel like cleaning a pan
4. Take the dough from the bag and place onto a lightly oiled countertop. Cut the dough into 8 pieces with a butter knife.
5. Combine warm water and baking soda and cook in the microwave for 1 minute. FYI it's not going to dissolve completely, and that's okay.
6. Roll the eight pieces of dough into a long rope, and shape in a pretzel
7. Dip each pretzel into the soda/water mixture and place onto the greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, then let them rest for 10 minutes.
8. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes until the pretzels are golden brown. Brush the pretzels with the melted butter while they are hot out of the oven.  You might need to add more salt. :)

no bake oatmeal cookies

I added extra canned milk on accident.  So they are pretty ugly, and super soft. I thought the recipe said 1/2 can, when it says 1/2 cup.  Oops! We'll have to resort to eating them with forks! 

• 2 c sugar
• 1/2c canned milk
• 1/2c margerine
• 1/2c cocoa
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1c small marshmallows
• 3c oatmeal
• 1/2 c coconut
• 1/2 c nuts (optional)

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Turn down to medium low, and add vanilla and marshmallows, stir until completely melted.    In a separate bowl prepare oatmeal, coconut, and nuts.  Pour marshmallow mixture into oatmeal mixture. Stir.  Spoon onto waxed paper, and allow to sit 1 hour.

Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe is one I got from a good friend. It was her grandma's recipe, and it is so very yummy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda.
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 Tbs cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla, sour milk, eggs, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat melt butter, water, oil, cocoa, and salt. Add to the flour mixture and blend. Pour into a greased cookie sheet/sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

For the Frosting:
Ingredients:

• 1 cube butter
• 3 Tbs cocoa
• 5 Tbs milk
• 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions: Melt butter and  cocoa over medium heat in the pan you used for the cake, or a small pan. Add the milk and powdered sugar.
*Frost cake while still hot*

Almond Danish Swirls

Ingredients

• 6oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon water

Glaze

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

   In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar until fluffy. Separate 1 can of dough and assemble into 4 rectangles.  Firmly press the perforations to seal.  Press or roll each piece of dough to form a 7 by 4-inch rectangle, and spread each with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges.  Starting at the short end, roll each rectangle tightly into a cylinder.  Repeat with the other can of dough and remaining filling. Store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove logs from the refrigerator and cut each roll into 4 slices.  Place 1/2 apart on non greased baking sheets.  In a small bowl, combine the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the swirls. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.

While the swirls are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.  Cool the swirls for 3 minutes on wire racks placed over a sheet of waxed paper.  Drizzle the icing over the warm swirls.

And don't forget to lick them spatulas!  (because it tastes good.)

Homemade Twix

These are even better than the real Twix!


For shortbread:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar

To make the shortbread layer preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with fork and set aside. In an electric mixer beat butter and sugar on medium until blended about 1-2 minutes. Add dry ingredients. Put in prepared pan, and press evenly. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden. Cool completely

For caramel:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

For caramel combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted. Increase heat to medium high and brig to a boil. Simmer on reduced heat and stir constantly until about 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Or a firm ball. It will be a soft caramel layer. Poor over shortbread, smooth and cool.


For ganache topping:
1 12oz package (or 2 cups) dark chocolate chips
1 cup whipped cream or half and half

Put both ingredients in small sauce pan over low heat and stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Poor over caramel and if desired sprinkle with salt. Let cool completely before serving.

Nutella Cookies

They.  Are.  Delectable. 

Recipe:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium sized bowl mix flour, sugar, and egg well.  It will look like crumbly dough.

 Add Nutella and mix until condensed. -I may not have stirred my batch well enough, because I got little white chunks in them. If those bother you, I'm sure you can use a fork to mix it better-

 Roll dough into balls, and place each 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet protected with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

 Bake them for for 5 - 7 minutes.  Use the back of a fork to squish the center of the cookie. And let cool for 10 minutes.

lemon bars

lick them bowls!  (no spatulas were licked in the making of these lemon bars.)

Reicipe:

Crust

• 1 cup soft margarine
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• dash of salt

Combine margarine, powdered sugar, flour, and salt.  Mix well.  Press into a 9"x13"x2" pan, push up sides a little

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Filling

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 beaten eggs
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice

Combine sugar and flour, and pour into beaten eggs.  Add lemon juice.  Mix well and pour into slightly cooled crust. 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool slightly and sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

meet us, the bloggas of 'dis blog

Heeeello!

Welcome lick them spatulas.  This be us. Our names is Britta and Hannah.  We are pretty hysterical people.  No lie.  We adore laughing, especially at ourselves.

And if you are wondering, we do know proper grammar.  We promise. . . .Seriously. 

Modelin', that's how we do it. 

I am being brutally killed. With a shoe. An oxford, if it means anything to you.  

Photobombing is our all time favorite thing, other than cooking.  

Enjoy our blog!