Vanilla cupcakes with Vanilla cream cheese frosting

These cupcakes are so moist and the frosting is so good.. and I normally do not care for frosting

I made these for my daughters 2nd birthday.

She loves the movie Frozen.. especially Elsa and Ana

so these are Frozen inspired cupcakes

first make your frosting base, in a pan:

1 1/2c sugar, 3/4c flour, 1/4tsp salt, 2 1/4c whole milk (you could probably use half&half too for a more creamy consistancy): bring to slight boil and stir constantly until it thickens. let it cool (in fridge)

next, make your cupcake batter w a hand mixer: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/4c veg oil, 1 3/4c white sugar, 4 eggs, 1T vanilla, 1 1/2c sour cream- mix these ingredients first

2 1/4c flour, 1/2c corn starch, 1T baking powder, 1tsp salt- add these dry ingredients to wet ingredients. blend well.

finish your frosting while the cupcakes are baking:

take out cooled frosting base and add: 3 sticks (1 1/2c) butter, 1T vanilla and about 1/2c cream cheese (at room temperature)

once your cupcakes are finished cooking: about 18-22min (when a toothpick comes out clear) let them cool before adding frosting.

(add a couple drops of food coloring if you want colored frosting)

you will not regret making these!

makes about 24 or more cupcakes :)

Oreo Pudding Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (4.2 ounce) package instant Oreo Pudding mix
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Hershey's Cookies N Cream Candy Bars broken into small pieces (I used 2.6 ounce King Sized bars)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in pudding mix until blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix to combine. Stir in cookies n' cream pieces and chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.

Using a cookie dough scooper, place golf ball sized dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. You do not want to overbake these! Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving to a cooking rack. Store in air-tight container. Makes two dozen.

My friend Tiesha made these at a party.. delicious!!! had to get the recipe :)

Orange Rolls

Dough:                                                         Zesty spread:

• 3 tbsp dry yeast                                14 tbsp (just under a cup) butter
• 2/3 c warm water                              1 c sugar
• 1 c butter                                           3 tbsp grated orange zest (peel)
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 c hot milk
• 2 eggs beaten (or flax)
• 6 c flour

-Dissolve the yeast in warm water for 10 min.
combine butter, sugar, & salt in a bowl. stir in hot milk..let stand.
-mix yeast, eggs, flour into milk mix to form dough. Oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and coat. cover with a damp cloth to rise, in fridge for up to 8 hrs. (remove about 2 hours before baking)
-divide dough into 1/2 and roll onto floured surgace to 1/4 in thick rectangle.
-Mix the butter, sugar and orange zest spread over dough. Roll up dough and cut into 1 in slices.
-place in greased pan and rise until doubled.

Bake 400 degrees for 10-15 min

add glaze:
1 c powdered sugar
4 tsp butter
4 tsp milk
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Chocolate Bannana Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened1 cup sugar2 eggs1 1/2 cups flour3 Tbs. cocoa1 tsp. baking soda1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. vanilla1 cup mashed banana1/2 cup sour cream1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts1 cup chocolate chips
*Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add vanilla, banana, sour cream, nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
props to Rachel Cunningham for this recipe :)

Peruvian Alfajores

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ground almonds
3 cups flour

Manjar Blanco Filling:(doce de leite)

5 cups whole milk
1-1/8 cups sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Prepare the Manjar Blanco filling. Put the milk, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan and let it come to a boil. Continue to boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened, approximately 45 minutes. The Manjar is ready if you put a bit on a plate and it does not run.
2. Cream butter with confectioners' sugar until fluffy.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Wrap and chill 30 minutes (if you leave it longer, just let it warm up to the point of being able to be rolled out).
5. Roll dough out to 1/4" thickness. Cut in 2 1/2" circles and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. They won’t expand much, so you can place them pretty close together.
6. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.
7. Cool cookie sheets between batches and cool cookies on wire rack.
8. When cookies have completely cooled, carefully spread some manjar blanco on one cookie and top with another cookie. Other alternatives to fillings: chocolate nutella.. yum, also dulce de leite (you can buy in a can.. or you can put a can of sweetened condensed milk in a pan full of water and boil for 3 hrs) I added the manjar blanco with a little of the dulce de leite.. super yum!
9. Dust tops with confectioners' sugar and enjoy immediately.

Here is a different version: instead of sandwiching the cookies together, add the manjar blanco on top of a thumbprint type cookie :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am ready to share the best chocolate chip oatmeal cookie you will ever make!
(props to a girl named Keely and my friend Jackie who gave me the recipe)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c oatmeal (blend in blender until fine)
2 c flour ( I use wheat flour..can use white if you'd like..I like to pretend it's healthier)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 sticks imperial margarine (I swear it tastes better with this brand of margarine)
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 c chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans
Mix your dry ingredients, then your wet and combine with mixer. add the oatmeal last and I tend to use my "clean" hands to mix it, it works better. then, add the chocolate chips and chopped nuts.
Bake @ 350 for 8-10 minutes

Chocolate Cake Truffle

Ok these are delish and super easy..
thank you Cari for introducing these to me!
we had these at Bunco and they were a hit.. everyone loved them

start with a box of chocolate cake..or any kind and follow recipe on the box..or if you like homemade cake..then do that.
once the cake is done, put in a bowl and mix with 1 package of cream cheese and form into balls
melt a bag of baking chocolate and dip balls into melted chocolate.. cool on wax paper
melt some white baking chocolate and put in ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner and drizzle the top
presto, you have yourself a yummy truffle

Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate

1 1/2 c sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter or margarine
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg separated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c finely chopped pecans (or blended)
Sift flour with salt. Cream butter in mixing bowl and add brown sugar. blend in egg yolk and vanilla. add sifted flour and salt and mix. shape dough into balls and dip into beaten egg white and then into blended pecans. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press floured thumb into center of cookie.

Bake 375 degrees for 12-15 min, fill the indentions with nutella (as shown), or whatever you'd like.. be creative.

Sugar Cookies with Brigadeiro Sauce

These were a hit after FHE tonight :)

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Cream together the shortening, butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Then mix in flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. blend well. roll up dough and chill

Brigadeiro chocolate sauce:

add 1 can sweetened condensed milk to a pan on med heat. add 1 Tbsp butter and 1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder (I prefer Nestle).

mix until thickened on low-med heat, stirring continuously.

Roll dough into balls about 1 in and place on cookie sheet. flatten with cookie stamp or the bottom of a glass (you can be creative here).

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 min

Add Brigadeiro sauce on top and enjoy :)

Strawberry Cheesecake

This was the first time I've made this and I made it for my brother's birthday..it turned out great..and it's less fat..you can't even tell!


1/2 c plain graham crackers
1/2 c vanilla wafers
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 1/2 (8oz) pkgs fat free cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1/2 c 1/3 less fat sour cream
2 eggs

handful of strawberries

Preheat oven to 325. line circle pan with foil wrapping over the sides. blend graham crackers and vanilla wafers into crumbs. put crumbs in a bowl with 3 tbsp sugar and butter (softened), mix. press into pan evenly to desired thickness..there will be leftovers (you don't want the crust to be too thick). bake 10 min.

beat cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar, flour, vanilla on medium speed. add sour cream and eggs on low speed. pour over crust evenly.

heat strawberries with about 1 tbsp of sugar, until soft, about 1 minute. blend until pureed.

drizzle puree in lines and cut through with a knife to make marble effect..or whatever design you want..I did a 25 for my brother for his birthday..it was fun

bake @ 325 for about 40-45 minutes

cool in same pan, cover with plastic wrap..for at least 4 hours..preferably overnight.

serve with remaining strawberry puree and/or fresh strawberries and whip cream!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

This recipe thanks to Ami :)

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin or mashed cooked pumpkin

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup bread flour

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (or more if you like)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or more if you like)

2 tablespoons melted butter
CARAMEL FROSTING

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 dash salt

3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
Directions

1. In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter just until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.

2. In separate mixing bowl, combine flours. Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.

3. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.

4. In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into 12 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.
Frosting:

In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.

Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.

Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.

Brigadeiros

warning: These are very rich and yummy chocolately desserts!
Ingredients:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp butter

1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder (or however chocolately you prefer)
Heat the milk and butter on low-med heat and as it gets hotter, gradually add the chocolate powder. stirring constantly.

Continue stirring occasionally until the milk thickens. You want it to reduce to a good thickness that it doesn't run off the spoon.
Once it is thick, take off the heat and let it cool in the pan: now you are ready to form into balls.
grease your hands with butter and start forming into balls (about 1/2 in) and dip into chocolate sprinkles.

serve shortly after and enjoy!
(Picture pending)

Puddim de Leite

Milk Pudding/ Custard: (like Flan)
I have had a lot of requests for some Brasilian recipes, so here you go! any problems, since recipes aren't always exact, let me know :)
mix:
1 can condensed milk
1 can (use the empty can of condensed milk) milk or (1/2 milk, 1/2 coconut milk..I prefer with the coconut milk)
3 eggs
blend
in a medium tin pudding mold (picture coming soon..kinda like a bundt cake pan mold) add about 2-3 Tbsp sugar and let melt on med heat on stove and rotate mold until well coated on the bottom and sides.
pour in mix from blender
Bake at 350 degrees (put mold into another pan will with a little water; about 1-2 in) for about 30 min-1 hr..check in between with toothpick and should be a nice firm pudding.
take out of oven and cool. once it is fully chilled. release pudding along the inside and outside with a knife and carefully dump mold onto platter upside down. gently tap the top of the mold and sides and release mold from pudding.
next, enjoy this wonderfully rich dessert
(picture will come once I make it again)