Next Up.. Possibly a Healthy Dessert.. Is that Sacreligous?

I have been looking at the eatbetteramerica website, and I found a few things I'd like to try.. specifically the Raspberry Bars.

If I do it, I'll be doing it this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled. Lol.. Does anyone even read this anymore?!

<3

Christmas for Two

So our Christmas Lunch/Dinner was stuffing, green beans, and Cheesey Potatoes. Yummy. We decided on no meat because we don't care if we have it, and we would be full off the other stuff anyway.





So, I have two recipes to share for today's blog.
1. Rhubarb Peach Pie
2. Jean's Cheesey Potato Dish (with a Cassandra spin)


Rhubarb Peach Pie
Make or Buy a Pie Crust, Pillsbury has a good one where you just add water.
For the Filling you need:

3-4 Rhubarb Stalks cut into 1/2 in pieces
6-7 Peaches sliced
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup flour

In separate bowl 1 egg and beaten with 1 tsp water
I squeezed 2 lemons over the chopped rhubarb

Then I added flour, nutmeg, cinnamon
Then peaches, 1 tsp of vanilla, sugars and peaches (just my own thing)
Mix and add to pie crust
Cover with 2nd part of crust, then brush the egg/water mix over top of the crust.
Slice vents into pie top.
Bake for 10 min at 450º, then 35 min at 350º
Aaron eating delicious pie.
Closeup, beauty shot.


Now onto Jean's cheesey potato recipe

Preheat Oven to 350º
One 32 oz bag of hashbrowns (frozen): Place in a greased 13X9 in pan

1 stick of margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
12 oz of cheddar cheese (I used 8 oz of this, and 3 small swiss laughing cow packages)
8 oz sour cream (i used 4 oz this and 2 oz ranch dressing)
1/2 small chopped onion
Crumbled Bacon (optional-I didn't do this)

For topping (I didn't do this, couldn't find corn flakes)
1 stick margarine

Mix all of those together and then spread over hashbrowns and bake for 1 hour, I had to bake for 1 hour and ten min, because i wanted it a little more crusty.

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Espresso Icing

Basically, go buy a chocolate cake mix.

When you're making it, substitute softened/melted butter for oil and heat the water (for the cake mix instructions) up and dissolve 2 TB of espresso in it.

Then bake for normal time and ice with:

1/2 cup shortening
3-ish cups of powdered sugar
3 TBS of warmed water with 2 TB of espresso (cool down before adding to powdered sugar)
and 1 teasp of vanilla.


Once it's iced, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top and some chocolate chips...
or if you have them, chocolate covered espresso beans.



I'll post pics when I get home!

I'll post again soon!!!!

I'm just having a blogging about baking hiatus!

Perfect Pumpkin Struesel Muffins

Thank you Motherload Blog for showing me this LOVELY, LOVELY, perfect, perfect Pumpkin Streusel Muffins.
Please make them.
Get the recipe from the link above, make them, eat them.... love them.


Mix all ingredients for batter together

Put them in greased muffin tins... or in muffin cups..

Make the crumb topping
Put it on top.

Bake them at 350º for 23 minutes...

and ENJOY
ENJOY
ENJOY

can you tell I liked them?

18th Bday Cake

here is the photo progression of the 18th bday cake I posted about earlier....

BEST OATMEAL COOKIES EVER

Okay, so to be honest I didn't document this Oatmeal cookie adventure for one reason. I was afraid they'd turn out crappy like past attempts and I'd be embarrassed.
Of course, the time that I don't document they are perfect.

Thanks to the Cooking Sisters and Friends I have had a horrible recurring love affair with Crisco. I thought that after my teenage years of putting it in icing and all cookies I made, I'd never go there again, but i just can't stop. What can I do.. it makes the best cookies!

So here's the recipe.. and Aaron can attest these are the BEST Oatmeal COOKIES EVER! they are perfect, soft but chewy, cinnamony, oatmealy.. YUMMMMM.

• 3/4 cup Crisco Butter Shortening
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups oats (not instant)
• 1 cup raisins (optional) (not optional in my opinion).

1. COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, egg, milk and vanilla in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended.


2. COMBINE flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl; mix into shortening mixture at low speed until blended. Stir in oats with spoon; stir in raisins and nuts, if desired.


3. DROP rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.


4. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.