So Paula’s cookies are the easiest to make, because they basically require just peanut butter and sugar (or splenda)!

 Love her! So here is a link to the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/magical-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe/index.html .

I know it looks like there isn’t a lot of dough to work with, but trust me, don’t make the cookies too big unless you want 8 gigantic cookies instead of 18 regular sized ones. When they bake in the oven they  ’magically grow” haha. Mmmm freshly ground pb!

I HIGHLY recommend using your favorite PB. Mine now is the make your own honey roasted pb at Whole Foods. A little on the expensive side, but think about it…its all natural and you can pick your flavor! PLUS its super fun to turn the knob that grinds the pb!

will y'all look at those!

On my way to getting a cavity

So needless to say, it has been awhile since I could properly bake. I baked a few things while I was gone from blogging but my camera was caput and I couldn’t find my charger because it was in a box hiding from me until now. Sadly some tasty treats that I couldn’t photograph were: cabernet chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, a coconut cream pie (HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRAD) and lots of instant cookies.

While staying at a place where I didn’t have all my baking amenities, I had to compromise with what I had. I got really bored one night and made instant Betty Crocker peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses on top. Now these Crocker cookies were okay…but they are nothing on Paula Deen’s Magical Peanut Butter Cookies (see next post:) ). Although I did have a companion the entire time I was baking them. Sarge doesn’t even like the linoleum on his feet but he suffered just so he could catch even a morsel of cookie!

Eye balling the prize

Way to go Betty!

My official taste tester of these cookies said “not bad” but still if I am going to cheat and make instant cookies, that I should stick with Funfetti because those are always a crowd pleaser!

So even though I am embarassed that I watch this show religiously, it gave me an idea. I was going to make these mini cake bites for my friend Kristi who just got married just plain ol’ chocolate covered in chocolate but then I thought….ohhhh red velvet. Its funny when working with red velvet cake mix or anytime you dye cake mix red it looks like blood…TrueBlood anyone? My roommate’s boyfriend, Jon and Matt (both avid Trueblood followers) couldn’t resist!

Trying to "Humanize" my blog with actual peopleI think Jon wants some of Matt's Red Velvet TrueBlood cake!"Bite" size

awww an "S" for Sampson!

Rancho Sisquoc Winery with the Girls!

That trip got me thinking….I should make wine infused cupcakes! So I immediately started googling. Here is what I came up with, Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry and wine icing! They turned out soooo yummy.

Novella....great wine from Trader Joes

Here is the link to the recipe! I stole it (well borrowed) it from another blogger! Look how cute she displayed them in the wine glasses!

http://shazaminthekitchen.blogspot.com/2008/02/red-red-wine.html

Here is another gorgeous pic of these treats…its a great idea if you are having a wine party:)

Blackberries!

Taste Test: making sure they aren't poisoness

Until next time keep it frosty…with a lil’ bit of wine on the side!

blueberries put wrinkles on your brain! Wrinkles make you smarter!

I am going back to my roots people! The first thing I ever learned to bake was a French Apple Pie in Mrs. Davis’ 8th grade Home Ec class. Apple pies are “my thing” every year without fail for Thanksgiving I’m in charge of dessert and I always make at least one apple pie. This time I went a little different then just traditional apple, I went apple blueberry! Since I was going home for Father’s Day I really want to make my Dad something that he wouldn’t reprimand me for being “too sugary” or….whatever hahaha. This really is the easiest, quickest pie you can make next to pumpkin…Just peel and slice (some say dice the apples but I like my apple chunks to be huge haha) granny smith apples. Mix with some lemon juice and a little bit of sugar. Then take either frozen or fresh blueberries toss them in a little more sugar and top them over the apples, not mixing with the apples, just layer on top. I topped of the pie with a lattice crust. Not my finest crust, but I was nice and crispy when it came out of the oven. Seriously I probably only used about 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar total. One of them being brown sugar. You could substitute Splenda instead!

Happy Father's Day!

**for extra carrott goodness, after shredding the carrotts saute them in light butter with cinnamon and nutmeg! Gives the cake an extra kick!

so pretty

in a cute pink box

Gerber Daisies!

3x the flavor!

Although it did take a while to make these cupcakes I did have an assistant baker Lauren to help me along! Plus I was originally doing the cake layers, chocolate, strawberry then vanilla…she changed it to chocolate, vanilla then strawberry…MUCH better! That way the cupcakes on top were pinkand not like a mixed kind of gross looking color, hahaha.

Baking away.....

What I have also noticed is when I bake with normal cupcake pans, that are dark metal like the one above, I get that weird little peak on the top of every muffin, which makes my cupcakes look like well….boobs. But when I use my silicon cupcake pans they turn out perfectly round. So I have learned my lesson silicon pans equal pretty perfectly shaped cupcakes! The best part of making these cupcakes, haha is cutting them open and seeing the middle of them. My friend Kim’s son Jake said the inside looked like a party was going on! Thanks Jake! That is exactly what I was going for!

FUN!

let there be FROSTING

Topped with Chocolate Sauce, Bananas and Pecans!