Blueberry Muffins (kid favorite)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel
1 large egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar

Streusel Topping:
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine flour (1 3/4 C) with baking powder, salt, sugar and citrus peel in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk and oil.

4. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

5. In a small bowl, combine the remaining flour (1 Tblsp.) and sugar (1 Tblsp.). Toss the blueberries in this mixture until they are well-coated.

6. Gently fold the blueberry mixture into the batter.

7. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.

8. Make the streusel topping by combining the 1/4 c. sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until the mixture is crumbly.

9. Sprinkle topping over the batter.

10. Bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.

11. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 muffins.

Sugared Pecans

Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 Tblsp water
1 pound pecan halves
1 C white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Grease a rimmed baking sheet, or line with heavy-duty foil.
3. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt and cinnamon.
5. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly.
6. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated.
7. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. DO NOT INCREASE OVEN TEMP OR NUTS WILL BURN.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER

Ingredients (for 2 dozen cookies):
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tbsp. shortening
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1-1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2tsp cornstarch
1-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation:
1. Combine shortening, butter, sugars, egg and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Mix thoroughly with an electric mixer on medium speed.

2. Add baking soda, cornstarch and salt. Mix.

3. Slowly add flour until thoroughly blended.

4. Add chocolate chips and nuts, then mix.

5. Roll or scoop dough into 1" or 2" balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.

6. Bake at 350* for 8 to 10 minutes. For a softer cookie, bake until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Chocolate Lasagna

Ingredients
1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
6 Tablespoon butter, melted
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk
1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Crush 36 Oreo cookies into fine crumbs.
2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter, and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.
4. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy.
5. Add milk and sugar to cream cheese, and mix well.
6. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip.
7. Spread cream cheese mixture over the crust.
8. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken.
9. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer.
10. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
11. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top and sprinkle evenly with mini chocolate chips
12. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours, before serving.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2/3 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots (can use a combination of fresh and canned carrots, just mash canned carrots first)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Preparation:
1. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix and cinnamon.
2. Whisk the eggs, orange juice and oil; add to dry ingredients. Beat until well blended.
3. Stir in the carrots, raisins and nuts (batter will be thick).
4. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.
5. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
7. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.
8. Add the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and peel; beat until smooth.
9. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Orange Creamsicle Puppy Chow

Ingredients:
5 oz orange colored candy melts (Orange cream flavored, if you can find them. See my note above.)
5 oz white chocolate or white vanilla candy melts
5 cups rice chex cereal, divided in 2 parts
3/4 cup orangesicle cake mix
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:
1. Put 2 1/2 cups rice chex cereal into a medium sized bowl.
2. Slowly melt the orange candy melts in the microwave, stopping it every 30 seconds or so to make sure it doesn’t burn.
3. Add melted candy melts to chex cereal and lightly stir to coat evenly. Be careful to not break the chex cereal too much.
4. Add the dry creamsicle cake mix to the covered chex cereal and lightly stir to coat evenly. You could add the chex cereal and cake mix to a ziplock bag, then shake, but save yourself the bag.
5. Repeat the same process with the white chocolate and remaining chex cereal, but substitute the powdered sugar for the creamsicle cake mix.
6. Allow both flavors to dry and combine.

Source: http://lifeloveandsugar.com/

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips OR about 1 cup of chocolate chunks

Preparation:
1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
4. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
5. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Place parchment paper into the bottom of your cake pan to help the cookie not stick.
8. Spread the dough out into the cake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
9. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes one 8 or 9 inch cookie cake. Source: http://lifeloveandsugar.com/