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Yellow Cake with Fudge Frosting
I almost titled this post something like, “Back to Basics: Yellow Cake with Fudge Frosting,” but then I thought that it’s not really back to basics here. Good yellow cake is not an easy thing to accomplish, so while it is a bit of a basic cake, it’s definitely not an easy one. I’ve made a hundred different recipes and varieties of yellow cake over the years, some great, some not so much. It’s been a good lesson in the science behind baking for me,…
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Taking a Moment for Myself
Today’s post is a little bit off topic – I’m not going to share a recipe but instead am taking an opportunity to slow things down. You all know by now that I am a bit of a worker-bee…I am at my best when I’m busy, when I have a project, when I have a to-do list. I don’t like to be idle. I do my best work under a deadline, and I crave the intensity and activity that a busy, planned-out day brings. …
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Cinnamon Rolls
Ahhh…cinnamon rolls. I’m not sure that there’s anything better than a really good cinnamon roll, but in my opinion a good one is really hard to find, and a good recipe is even harder to find. My biggest problem with most cinnamon roll recipes is that the bread part of the roll is usually bland, and the only cinnamon flavor you get comes from the filling itself. This recipe, however, has cinnamon in the dough itself, so the bread is flavorful too. But, if I’m…
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Homemade Crescent Rolls
I come from a family of nappers. Well, I should rephrase that a bit. My Mom and sisters could win a napping competition against the best nappers in the whole wide universe. I guess I wouldn’t call my Dad a napper, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my brothers nap. But whatever. I come from half a family of nappers. I, though, am not a napper. Napping makes me feel worse than if I didn’t take a nap at all. I know there…
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Sweet Cherry Salsa
There are some things on this planet that were just meant to be together. Peanut butter and jelly. Wasabi and soy sauce. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Sweet cherry salsa and salty tortilla chips. Sweet. Cherry. Salsa. It’s sweet. It makes me happy. And with salty, crispy tortilla chips? Holy cow you guys. This recipe came my way via my lovely sister-in-law. She’s like, the queen of dips. And parties. She throws the best family parties and she makes the best dips. AND, she actually…
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Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcakes
Sometimes when I’m baking, I have a general idea what I’m going to end up with but I’m never sure what the end result will be until I’m completely done. That’s what happened with these cupcakes. I knew I wanted a peanut butter cookie-type cake, but beyond that I was winging it. This cake is thicker and denser than a regular cupcake, more like a big thick peanut butter cookie, and I added peanut butter chips to give it even more of a cookie feel. I…
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Dark Chocolate Dipped Energy Bites
It happens occasionally, that I’m going about my day, maybe enjoying a little energy bite out of my refrigerator when I’m like, WAIT! Why haven’t I shared these with you guys yet? I guess I get tunnel vision sometimes, always dreaming up the latest and greatest dessert idea that I guess I just overlook my everyday favorites. This is totally an everyday favorite. I’ve been making these energy bites for a couple of years now. I’ve adapted the original recipe just a teensy-bit, but recently decided…
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Homemade Caramel Sauce
I had one of those days in the kitchen. One recipe was a complete flop, and one of the layers of a cake I was making fell apart as I was taking it out of the pan. Another recipe tasted good, but it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to (appearance-wise), so I’m going to have to make it again before I can share it with everyone. So. Frustrating. Things like this always happen when I’m rushing, though so I guess I’m not…
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Just Cherry Pie
It’s just really been a strange week. We were supposed to be in Mexico, celebrating not only our anniversary but my husband’s birthday as well. Because we were planning to lay on the beach and drink fruity drinks to celebrate, I didn’t plan the usual birthday celebration with dinner, guests, dessert and gifts. I feel bad that my hubs kind of got the short end of the birthday stick this year, but promised him that we’ll celebrate his birthday on our rescheduled trip. So, in…
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Mushroom Marsala
I’ve talked about my obsession with pasta before…I don’t think I’ve ever met a pasta I didn’t like. When I make it at home though, we usually stick to the Mac & Cheese or Spaghetti variety so I thought it was time to branch out. Giada made this Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes on one of her cooking shows last week and for some reason, it called out to me. Strange, because I usually don’t care for mushrooms at all. Nonetheless, I bought all of the…
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No Bake Cheesecake
This recipe might not be new to you, because it’s one of those that’s been around for a long time. It was probably one of those “What can we make with Cool-Whip?” recipes that popped up back when it started hitting the grocery store freezer cases many years ago – 1967, just in case you were wondering… By now, you know how I feel about Cool-Whip. It’s full of chemicals, including both high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated vegetable (palm and coconut) oils. Knowing how easy it…
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Um…about those cupcakes…
Those (Lemon Drop Cupcakes)? Apparently, they work. Less than 12 hours after eating two of them, my sister was in labor! Welcome to the world, Baby Evan! And many, many congratulations to my sister and brother-in-law. I’m a proud sister and a proud aunt today!
