Boy?? or Gir??

     So my husband and I have some exciting news, we found out the gender to our little baby! We thought for sure that it was a boy! but guess what?????

We made this fun video to announce our gender! Check it out :)

Key Lime Cupcakes

Doesn't the name of these cupcakes just make you smile? Wait until you try them and then you will really be smiling.

These cupcakes look complicated but are simple and so good,my kind of recipe for sure.

 I found this on the Betty Crocker website.

 Lime is not one of my favorite flavors at all but these cupcakes and the cream cheese frosting just brings the flavors together so well, you won't be able to put them down. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® lemon cake mix

1

box (4-serving size) lime-flavored gelatin

3/4

cup water

1/3

cup Key lime juice

1/3

cup vegetable oil

3

eggs

2

or 3 drops green food color, if desired

Glaze

1

cup powdered sugar

2

to 2 1/2 tablespoons Key lime juice

Frosting

1

package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2

cups powdered sugar

Grated lime peel, if desired

   (if you don't have key lime juice you can just use regular lime juice)

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. With toothpick or wooden skewer, pierce tops of cupcakes in several places.

In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough of the 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle and spread glaze over cupcakes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in vanilla and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar until mixed; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Frost cupcakes, mounding and swirling frosting in center. Garnish with lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pinterest cookie love

 Good morning! So last week I decided I am a little crazy about pinterest as I am sure most people are. My favorite things to pin are recipes, now that I finished my culinary arts certificate cooking at home is so much fun!

I decided to try some cookie recipes to see if what I pinned really worked as well and the pinners claimed.

My first try was the pin that said add a package of instant pudding to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I just used the recipe off the bag of Nestle chocolate chips, added the pudding and I gotta tell you.....
They were amazing! This pin lived up to what I had expected. They were soft and chewy and stayed great for forever I was pretty impressed.

Speaking of Jello, my next pin was here at I heart nap time. Jello cookies and play dough.

These cookies were another story. The concept is great she has a base cookie recipe that you mix up, split into 4 bowls and add 2 Tbsp of  different jello to each one to get a different color and taste. It is supposed to be a good consistency that your kids and play with it like play dough when they are done, you then roll them into balls and roll in the left over jello sugar, place on a cookie sheet, press them down with the bottom of a bowl and bake.

Now my take on it, the dough was very dry but it could very well be from the elevation here in Utah. I would suggest adding a little milk or water to the batch. Adding the jello was pretty hard it was very messy which is expected but getting the dough the right consistency after adding the jello, was even harder.

All in all the cookies tasted pretty good in the end and looked great.

Not going to lie, they are a lot of work.

Give these recipes a try and let us know what you think!

S'mores bar cookies

I know we have been MIA for a while but I do have good news I am finally graduated from Culinary Arts! Needless to say I have been busy wrapping that up. I gotta tell you though after everything I got to learn and cook in school treats and desserts are still my favorite. These s'more bars are the best!

Start by creaming your  margarine, sugar until well blended. Add egg and vanilla and blend well. In another bowl stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt then add that to the butter mixture until blended

 Press half your dough into your greased 9x9 pan (mine is an 8x8) bake that at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (give or take) until golden brown.

 Once brown take out of the oven and sprinkle with your chocolate chips, (I didn't have any so I used 2 small Hershey bars)

 Layer your marshmallows over the chocolate

 Take the other half of your dough and spread over the top of the marshmallows, I used my fingers to make patches and placed them on top of the marshmallows

 Bake them another 10-12 minutes or until your marshmallows are lightly brown.

Take out a slice and enjoy

Here is the full recipe

S'more bar cookies

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumb

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt 

1 1/3 cup chocolate chips

3 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9x9 baking pan

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until well blended, Add egg and vanilla beat well.

Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs,baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture and beat until blended

Press half of the dough into your pan and bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown

sprinkle chocolate chips over baked crust, sprinkle with marshmallows and put remaining dough on top

Bake another 10-12 minutes until marshmallows are lightly brown. 

guess what??

Recently my husband and I announced some really exciting news!! Just check out this video it's such a great way to make the big surprise....

http://youtu.be/pJF0CN04hx4

Cream Cheese Italian Chicken!

                My husband is obsessed with his cream cheese, so I made this up and it turned out to be his most favorite thing. This recipe is great for you cream cheese lovers!

  I only use 4 chicken thighs, because there are only two of us, but you could alter it and do more. i also put olive oil on the bottom and spread some on the chicken.

 I only used one package of italian seasoning, also I hate eating the chicken skin, so I put all my seasonings under the skin and that way it gets right in the meat. I leave the skin on though so it will hold it in place and keep it moist when it cooks.

                           Just cut the cream cheese in slices and you can control home much you want.. I do a
                                 lot because we love cream cheese!

put in the oven at about 400 degrees uncovered and let it get a little brown.

                     While that is cooking put some butter in a pan and fry some rice.

                                I use the broth that you add water and the cubes and boil first, so get that going.

                               When the rice get a pretty tan brow color you then will add the broth.

                       The best part is the itallian flavor it really goes well with the chicken.

                                    Turn down heat and let it simmer till it soaks up all the water... sometimes I
                             will add some more water to keep it moist.. kind of watch it and stir once in
                                                awhile so it doesn't stick and burn.

                                after about 20 to 30 min I check the oven and when the chicken is a golden brown
                                    on top I put the rice in there on the side and stir it in with the chicken juices.

                                 cover and you can turn down the heat if you want, but I just left it and let it cook
                                for about another 20 min or when it's done. When the juices bleed clear your
                                                 good to go!

Easy Sopapilla Squares

I have never had these before and saw them made on t.v so decided to try them and they were so yummy but so easy!

All it takes is a cream cheese mixture, 2 cans of crescent rolls, butter and cinnamon and sugar

I only did a half batch so it took one can of rolls, lay half of your rolls in a sprayed pan

Pour your cream cheese mixture over top

Add another layer of roll, brush with butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top

Cook and enjoy!

Even better with a side of vanilla ice cream

Sopapilla Squares
Ingredients:

• · 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

• · 1 c. white sugar

• · 1 t. Mexican vanilla extract (I just used pure vanilla)

• · 2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

• · 1/4 c. melted butter

• · cinnamon and sugar

Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough. Pour melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake about 30 minutes, or until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown. Cool completely in the pan before cutting. up a bit.

EASTER!

Not gonna lie I put this easter decoration up probably a month ago! I was just too excited that I couldn't keep it hidden for much longer... so all of us girls in my family had a little craft night, we bought some block letters and spent all night decorating while my husband did a gun class.

 my favorite is the cute little chick, the great thing about this is you can decorate and personalize it to any style you want. I personally love pastels for easter and lots of glitter!

For the dots on the letter 'E' I dipped a hershey kiss in modge podge, and it made the perfect circle and then I sprinkled glitter on it. It was such a fun prodject! So everyone gather a girls night and get crafting!

KitchenAid make over

One of my most favorite things to have in my kitchen is my kitchen aid
I love this thing it is over 20 years old and its still chugging along. But at 20 years old it was white and looking a little drab so I decided to freshen it up a bit.

 I followed this tutorial here at You Craft Me Up 

you basically strip your aid down (remove removable parts) and tape the parts you don't want painted

Spray with appliance paint

 

I did 2 coats and it looks wonderful!

Then for the subway art I grabbed this free download here 

Using my silhouette I traced it (best to use low pass filter) and cut it out in white vinyl 

That one was a little tough because some of the fonts were so small they almost smudged so I would just lower the cutting pressure a little.

So that's that, but a kitchen aid make over led to a ENTIRE KITCHEN make over

 More to come soon! 

Favorite pan coating

Have you ever had a hard time getting your cakes out of the pan? I have tried everything from parchment to shortening and flour and I still cringe every time I get ready to take them out. Until.... I tried this.

My new found favorite thing,

It is a DIY bakers joy.

The recipe is simple equal parts flour, shortening, and vegetable oil.

I used 1/2 cup of each and it made a fairly good size batch.

The directions are simple, mix your ingredients until smooth, it will seem a little on the runnier side but that is good.

 I just used my small hand mixer and it worked great.

Store in a air tight container in you cupboard (do not refrigerate) 

When you need to use it, grab a pastry brush and brush it into your pan, the bottom and up the sides.

I just put my pastry brush in a zip lock bag and throw it in the freezer so I don't have to wash it each time I can just pull it out when I need it.

Let your cake cool in the pan 10-15 minutes and it should come right out

You might have to run a knife around the sides but that's about it.

I have only used this a handful of times but so far it has been the best thing I have ever tried.

Happy baking!

Some of my favorites

Hello out there this is Lyndee, I know it's been a while but this is the week to CELEBRATE! And why are we celebrating this week you ask? Because my birthday is next week! Now you have to understand birthdays are a very big deal to me, I don't just celebrate that day, I spend the whole month celebrating. Birthdays are one of my favorite things. 

On that note I decided to post a few of my favorite things to do even if it's just to tell you a little bit about myself.

I love to do everything, really I do, but I have narrowed it down to my 3 favorite hobbies.

I most favorite thing to do in the entire world is to take pictures. Photography will forever be my first love. 

I have had a camera as long as I can remember. 

This was one of my favorite jobs I did

They were taken a while ago but are some of my favorites.

My next thing is cake decorating, I love to bake and play in my kitchen. I took some classes to start but I am now going to school in the culinary arts to learn the in's and out's of cake structure.

I LOVE to cook. Like I said I am in a culinary arts program and it has been one of the coolest things to do. It is pretty difficult at times but I have learned so much.

This is from Halloween ( I was the progresso soup lady) and the only picture I have of my actual uniform that I wear to school every day.

So there you have it, a little bit about me.

Stay tuned for more favorites (did I mention my birthday is coming up?!) haha 

There will be much more soon!

March Madness

Hello everyone!

Sorry it's been a little slow around here we have had a couple of projects going on.

Today I am over at

I did a review on two of her recipes for the march madness, it's pretty cool.She puts all her recipes together and with a game bracket and everything.Head on over and see what was reviewed you can also check out the recipes every one has tried.

L.O.V.E

 I know it's really late for Valentines day, but this next prodject I did so I can still use it after V-day. I made the colors to match my bedroom so I can just move it into a different room.

 The flower I did on my "O" is used with the exact ribbon I used for my walls, so that way it matches my room pretty much exactly.

They're are so many ways you can decorate these. That's what makes them much fun is you can personalize it to match any room in your home...

Peanut Butter Blossoms

I actually saw this recipe on the back of the Hershey Kiss package I got for Valentines day gave it and try and wow SO GOOD!

Hershey's Kisses Peanut butter Blossoms

48 Hershey's Kisses brand milk chocolate

1/2 C shortening

3/4 C Reeses creamy Peanut butter

1/3 C granulated sugar

1/3 C packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

granulated sugar

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. 

2 Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

4 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. 

About 4 dozen cookies

Zebra cake

Making a cake with zebra stripes inside!

I saw this on pintrest and couldn't resist I just had to try it. My camera has been acting up so I didn't get pictures for a tutorial but you can click here for the tutorial I used. It is very simple. (which is always a bonus)
All you need is 2 duncan hines cake mixes I used devils food chocolate and french vanilla

I gotta tell you this is one of the most moist, delicious cakes I have ever made the flavors really complemented each other. I topped it with my favorite frosting recipe from 

our best bites and it made it even better!

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I use non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 C real butter (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
1/2 C sugar (that’s granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring with a rubber spatula, until you can start to see the bottom of the pan.   Continue to cook until mixture has the consistency of pudding.

Put  mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely, it’s fine if it stays in there long enough to get chilly, you just don’t want it warm at all. As it’s cooling, feel free to stir it occasionally to speed up the process and keep it from forming a crust on top.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You’ll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer if you have one, instead of the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down the sides. Mixture will separate and look messy, keep beating!  Continue beating until mixture comes together and is light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes, but time varies.  Take a sample of frosting between your fingers; frosting is done when light and fluffy and sugar granules are dissolved.

Hey Pumpkin!

Lets talk pumpkin pie

Can't say I have ever been to big of a fan, I don't like the texture or biting into it and getting a mouth full of spices

until.... I found this recipe.

I have been learning to do pies and pie crusts in school the last few days and I gotta say it has been challenging but a lot of fun. I made this pumpkin pie the other day and decided to try it and OH my heck it was so good!
 (coming from someone how really doesn't like pumpkin pie)

I decided to try it at home

I just used a frozen pie crust because I had one that needed to be used but I will do a post in the future on home made pie crust but for now here is what you need.

Cornstarch, white sugar, light brown sugar, kosher salt, eggs (separated) pumpkin, evaporated milk, 

whole milk (I used 2%) and cinnamon

This recipe is simple, be sure to separate your eggs and set the whites aside (you will use them)

mix cornstarch, both sugars and salt, add egg yolks until well blended.

Add your pumpkin and beat until well blended (if you have a mixer use the paddle attachment)

Then you add the evaporated and whole milk. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are blended.

Here is what makes this recipe, now you take your egg whites in a separate bowl and beat in mixer until stiff peaks form

You then whisk the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture until fully combined

Pour into unbaked pie shell and sprinkle each with cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake 30-45 minutes longer

Or until a tooth pick comes out clean

And there you have it pumpkin pie at its best.

Your pie might be jiggle slightly in the center when done so as long as the tooth pick comes out clean your fine

Here is the full recipe

PUMPKIN PIE (makes 2)

Ingredients:

2 TBSP cornstarch

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 C light brown sugar

2 eggs separated

14 oz pumpkin puree

12 oz evaporated milk

1/2 C whole milk (2 % works too)

1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven 350

Mix cornstarch, both sugars and salt, add egg yolks until well blended.

Add your pumpkin and beat until well blended (if you have a mixer use the paddle attachment)

You then add the evaporated and whole milk. Beat on medium speed until all ingredients are blended.

Take your egg whites in a separate bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff peaks form

Whisk the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture until fully combined

Pour into unbaked pie shell and sprinkle each with cinnamon.

Bake 350 for 15 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake 30-45 minutes longer

Or until a tooth pick comes out clean.