Pretzel Turtles

I originally got this here. But it never hurts to make it your own!

This are super easy and so good! Perfect to take to any party!

Ingredients:

Pretzels - preferable the waffle ones (I couldn't find them so I got ones with small  holes!)

Rolos

Pecan Halves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 

Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 

Place one Rolo on each pretzel. 

Bake for 4 minutes. 

While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each Rolo pretzel. 

Cool completely before storing.

Lemon Burst Cake Mix Cookies

This was a pinterest inspired recipe. I can't say that I loved them. I think they could use to be cooked a little while longer or even maybe add an extra egg. Let me know if you perfect these! You know I love you when I even share my baking failures.


1 box Lemon Cake Mix
1- 8 oz container Cool Whip
1 egg
1/3 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 350°

In medium bowl, beat cool whip, egg and cake mix until well blended. Dough will be thick and really sticky.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into a bowl of powdered sugar and roll to coat.

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 10- 12 minutes

"C" Cookies

I was asked to make "C' cookies for UTC. Typically I am a cake or cupcake baker and not cookies but this was a challenge I was ready to take on.

I gathered all my materials.

Then had to go back for some more.

I could only bake 6 cookies at a time. At our house we have a super small over due to the size of the kitchen. So slowly I added to the stacks.

And, kept adding.

Next up with frosting.

They were used at the 125th Anniversary kick-off celebration at UTC.

I also packaged up some for UTC to take to UT Day on the Hill for the Tennessee legislators.

I was exhausted from baking. Total I made over 300 cookies and decorated each of them individually.

My disappointments of baking...

I was asked to make some cupcakes for one of my friends, Leanne's, bachelorette slumber party. I was told she really loved strawberries. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for me to try my hand at homemade strawberry icing.

The first batch of icing was no good. The strawberry puree didn't quiet mix in like it was supposed to so I realized I had added it too soon.

So I started a second batch. This batch was perfect. Seeing as how I am not a huge fan of strawberry icing, cakes, etc... however, this icing was to die for. (You can even ask Tyler.. he loved it!)

I get my pipping bag ready and start on the cupcakes.... and the icing literally slid off the cupcakes onto the table. I was dumbfounded. My next thought.. was just to try icing with a knife. I even added some cute sprinkles. Once again.. the icing was back on the table.

Here is the before shot.. you can kinda see the icing starting to run off the edge.

After feeling completely defeated I surrendered. I started my third batch of icing (at about 11:00 PM!) but this time it was plain ol' butter cream. I did color it pink to give it the "strawberry" effect.

My conclusion was the acid in the strawberry puree reacted with the sugar and wouldn't harden enough to stay on a cupcake.

Have you had any baking failures? Or, do you have a strawberry icing recipe for me? :)

Banana Nut Muffins

This week's baking...

Yum!

I've been baking!

I bake in spurts..and right now I have been like crazy!

Last week for Tyler's mom's birthday, I made dark chocolate fudge cupcakes with cream cheese icing. I will say it is the best cream cheese icing I have ever made... they were a huge hit! I will definitely be making those again.

Next was an adventure in muffins. I found a recipe for cranberry orange muffins and I couldn't resist! They are pretty good - and no added sugar so they are pretty healthy for you too!

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup apple juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup orange marmalade

1 large egg

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Goodie Ingredients:

1 cup chopped cranberries (I used craisins)

1 cup pecans

 

 

Preheat oven to 400F

 

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the goodies and toss to coat.

 

Whisk the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir just until mixed. Do not overstir.

 

Spoon the batter into greased muffin pan. Fill each cup nearly to the top.

 

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

 

Cool the muffins at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Any other suggestions for new recipes?!

Cookies, Cookies everywhere...

My friend Terry that works in the Chancellor's office at UTC knows my love for baking. She had the idea that for the UT Day on the Hill they needed speciality "C" cookies to give to the Tennessee Legislatures. And, I was the lucky one to get the task of making it happen!

I set out on a mission to find someone that could make me a custom cookie cutter. One of the many reasons I love Etsy....I found someone in Utah that could do it for me.

At first the order was for 80 cookies for the UT Day on the Hill. Then, once I gave them the sample cookies.. I soon received another order for 200 for the 125th Anniversary Kick Off Event.

How do you make 280 cookies? Well... multiple the ingredients by A LOT!

The first trip to the store, this is what I came back with.

I soon realized I was short.... and made another trip and got this..

The 200 batch was first...so I started rolling out and cutting each cookie.. and I could only bake them 6 at a time.

I was averaging about 8 minutes to decorate each cookie.

Everyone really loved them and I saw several people with more than one!

Then, a week later, I made 80 more and packaged them to take a trip to Nashville for UT Day on the Hill.

So, if you need and speciality cookies, I'm your girl!

Corrie's Kentucky Pie

I got this recipe from Paula Deen but this is worth sharing! It is a great pie!

4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
1 cup sifted self-rising flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans
2 (9-inch) deep dish unbaked pie shells or 3 (9-inch) unbaked regular pie shells
Ice cream, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine eggs, sugar, and melted chocolate in large bowl. Add flour and mix well, stirring in remaining ingredients except for pie shells. Bake 50 to 60 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream. Freezes well!!