Revamped Cake Mix Cupcakes

I have always loved any sweet that is made from scratch.  I'm not going to lie, I have been known to turn up my nose at break and bake cookies and cake mixes.  Whew, I'm glad to get that off my chest!  Well, that is not the case anymore.  My palette has evolved... and I have discovered this new recipe!  Enjoy!

~Revamped Cake Mix Cupcakes

1 box of yellow cake mix
Eggs called for on the box +1 egg
Substitute the oil called for on box with the same amount of melted butter
Substitute the water called for on the box with the same amount of buttermilk

I know it sounds difficult, but trust me, it's easy!  Combine all of the ingredients and beat for 2 minutes. Poor into lined muffin tins or a greased cake pan. Bake according to the instructions on the box.  Test with a toothpick and then allow to cool!

While you are waiting for your confections to cool, whip up some of this awesome buttercream icing!

~Awesome Buttercream Icing


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup real butter
1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1 dash salt
5 cups confectioners' sugar
2 -3 tablespoons milk

Cream butter and shortening; then add vanilla and salt. Add sugar a cup at a time beating on medium speed. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on high until completely blended.

Cissy's Easy Fruit Cake Cookies

These ain't your Grandma's fruit cake cookies... well, actually they are MY Grandma, Cissy's, fruit cake cookies.  Many people turn up their noses at fruitcake, but these cookies are a different story.  They are sweet and salty, crunchy and soft, rich and addictive... pretty much everything you want in a dessert.  So throw those preconceived notions about fruitcake aside and whip up a batch of Cissy's Easy Fruit Cake Cookies!

~Cissy's Easy Fruit Cake Cookies

1 cup candied pineapple
1 cup candied red cherries
1 cup candied green cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup pecans
2 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut fruit into small pieces. Chop nuts. Mix fruit and nuts. Sift together dry ingredients over the fruit. Mix the fruit and dry ingredients (yes, you will probably have to use your hands and get messy!)
Cream the butter and sugar; add the eggs. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, nuts and fruit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop the batter onto the sheet by the teaspoon.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies... You might have had them before, but you have never tasted them like this!  They are delicious, easy (ONLY 2 INGREDIENTS!), and (semi-)healthy! So buy some cake mix and pumpkin and heat up that oven.  You'll thank me!

~Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

1 can pumpkin puree

1 box of yellow cake mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix the box cake and the pumpkin puree until combined. Take a teaspoon ice cream scoop and drop the batter onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 13 minutes. Allow the pies to cool and then slice them in half horizontally. Spread cinnamon cream cheese icing in the center and enjoy!

~Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract and cinnamon.

As American as Apple Pie(lets)

"As American as Apple Pie".  It's not a saying for no reason.  Just because you're patriotic doesn't mean that you always want to make a whole pie though.  So try out these pie-lets... They are sure to please!

~Apple Pie-lets

1 can of crescent rolls
2 apples
2 T sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 T melted butter (divided)
Extra cinnamon and sugar to top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a baking sheet.
Finely chop apples and coat with 1 T butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
Place the mixture in the center of each crescent triangle and fold it over and seal the edges with a fork.
Place each folded triangle on the baking sheet.  Brush the tops with the other tablespoon of butter and the extra cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream!

Star-Spangled Cookie Pops

Iced sugar cookie pops.  What a way to celebrate our country on Labor Day!  These cookies are easy, delicious, and cute enough to serve at any party (or to just eat at home)!

~Sugar cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. 

Roll out the cookie dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.  Use a star shaped cookie cutter and place on a greased sheet pan.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. 

Working quickly, insert a bamboo skewer into the bottom of the cookie about 3/4 inch.  Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.  Let cool completely before icing.

~Buttercream Icing

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.  Top cookies with sprinkles.

Not Your Average Cookie "Cake"

Cookies.  Cakes.  Icing.  Combine the three and what do you have? An amazingly delicious faux cookie cake that you are guaranteed to drool over.  This is a simple way to dress up regular sugar cookies that is bound to thrill your guests or your sweet tooth!

All you need is sugar cookie dough (recipe follows), buttercream icing (recipe follows), sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, food coloring, and circular cookie cutters of different sizes.  Roll the cookie dough out to 1/4 of an inch and use the different cookie cutters to cut out equal amounts of cookies.  Bake and cool the cookies while you make the icing.

Ice the cookies and stack them on top of one another from largest to smallest.  Before the icing dries, coat with decorative sugar or sprinkles.  Flatten a mini-marshmallow and make 5 small cuts around the edge to make it look like a flower.  Using a toothpick, color the petals with food coloring and place it on the top tier of the cookie cake.  Voila!  Your cookie "cake" is elegantly complete!

~Sugar cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

~Buttercream Icing


1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and vanilla. Blend in the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk, and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Keep icing covered until ready to decorate.

A Dog's Gotta Eat Too!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love animals.  More than that, I love dogs.  It is because of this love that I cook for people AND dogs.  After all, a dog's gotta eat too!

My dog, Kip, has always had 2 obsessions: ensuring the security of our yard (from deer, neighbors, mail men, and even the ever so daunting butterflies) and peanut butter.  I often entertain myself by giving him a nearly empty jar of peanut butter and watch him try and get every last morsel out.  Occasionally, I give him a break and just make him peanut butter dog cookies.  It's easier for him, but not nearly as fun for me... oh well, the sacrifices of love.

Kip, the Australian Shepherd

~Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dog Cookies

2 cups flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 hot water
Extra flour for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350° F
Mix dry ingredients together.
Mix in the peanut butter and hot water. You may need to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Knead the dough well.
Roll out the dough into 1/4" thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters
Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 40 minutes.
Store in a sealed air tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.