Flourless/sugarless cookie to try...

1 egg
1 cup granulated sugar (I used erythritol which is a natural plant based sweetener and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1 cup peanut butter (you could use Sunbutter if peanut allergies are a concern)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 tsp water
1 c. chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and set sheet aside.
Using electric mixer, blend egg, sweetener, vanilla & baking soda together for 1 minute.   Add peanut butter and continue mixing.  Dough may be dry depending on the type of peanut butter you are using…add up to 4 tsp of water.  Stir in
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion tablespoon-sized balls of dough, and place them on parchment-lined baking sheet. You could roll these into balls if you like, but it is not necessary if you want to skip that step. Press top of each cookie with fork tines twice crosswise to form a classic crosshatch pattern.
Sprinkle tops of unbaked cookies with coarse sugar crystals or additional granulated sugar if desired. (Yes, you should desire this.)
Bake for 11 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking pan at least 5 minutes (they are fragile until cooled). Remove to a rack and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake Via Our Best Bites

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake
Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen Best Summer Desserts

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) cake flour (no substitutions)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup white sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

Glaze:

3 cups (12 ounces) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions:

Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position (unless you’ve found that another position works better in your oven for baking) and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the white sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until moist and fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture and place it in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.

Add the softened butter to the remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix until smooth (about 30 seconds)

Scrape the batter into the reserved baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 25-35 minutes). Be careful not to over bake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, whisk the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Gently spread the glaze over the cake and sprinkle evenly with the reserved sugar mixture. Allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup salt (The bigger the granules, the better. Kosher or rock salt works best, but table salt is fine.)
Ice cubes (enough to fill each gallon-size bag about half full)
1 pint-size ziplock bag
1 gallon-size ziplock bag

Instructions
Combine the sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract in the pint-size bag and seal it tightly.
Place the salt and ice in the gallon-size bag, then place the sealed smaller bag inside as well. Seal the larger bag. Now shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). Feel the small bag to determine when it's done.

S'more Brownies

S'more Brownies by Marta Writes {original recipe from allrecipes}
1 (21.5 ounce) package brownie mix
6 graham crackers
2 cups miniature marshmallows
8 (1.5 ounce) milk chocolate bars, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Spread into a greased foil-lined 9x13 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, break graham crackers into 1 inch pieces and toss with miniature marshmallows and milk chocolate. Set s'more mixture aside.

Bake brownies for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and sprinkle the s'more goodies evenly over the top. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

Frozen Lemonade Pie by Our Best Bites

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
1/3 cup sugar*
6 tablespoons melted butter*
12 ounces (1 1/2 small containers) of COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces thawed (but still cold) lemonade concentrate
Optional: 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Optional: 4 drops red food coloring and 1 drop yellow food coloring
8 8-ounce Mason jars or 16 4-ounce Mason jars (the short, squatty ones)

In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork or your fingers to combine. If using 8-ounce jars, lightly press 3 heaping tablespoons of the graham cracker mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of each jar. If using 4-ounce jars, use 2 level tablespoons. Set the jars aside.

In a large bowl, gently fold together the COOL WHIP and sweetened condensed milk. Add the lemonade concentrate. If desired, add the lemon juice and food coloring. Evenly distribute the filling among the jars. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Snickerdoodle

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups sugar (12.25 oz), divided

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt*

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter* (not margarine) at room temp

8 tablespoons vegetable shortening

2 large eggs

*if using salted butter, just omit table salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish and set aside. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl.

Beat butter, shortening, and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Reduce speed of mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Give dough final stir to ensure that no flour pockets remain.

Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls. Working in batches, roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until edges of cookies are set and just barely beginning to brown, but centers are still soft and puffy, about 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look raw between the cracks and seem underdone. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen 3-4 inch cookies.

From Best Bites

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies

Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies [via Your Homebased Mom] [From Smitten Kitchen]

1 C flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp regular table salt

1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened

1 C sugar

1/4 C packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 C old-fashioned rolled oats

6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (not “white chocolate” chips)

1/2 teapoon flaky sea salt (like Maldon or fleur de sel) (for sprinkling on top) I used regular sea salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Add flour mixture a little at a time and mix until just incorporated. Next add oats and white chocolate and mix until well blended.

Using a cookie scoop, make dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons) Roll balls, then place on lined baking sheets about 2 1/2 inches apart. Gently press down each ball to about 3/4-inch thickness.

Sprinkle a flake or two of sea salt on each cookie or if using regular sea salt sprinkle with salt.

Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 13 to 16 minutes. To help cookies brown evenly you can rotate your cookie sheet halfway through the baking process. Cool cookies and enjoy.

Sugar Cookie Recipes

Sugar Cookie Dough [From Your Homebased Mom]

3/4 C butter

3/4 C butter flavor Crisco

2 C sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla or almond extract.

5 C flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Glaze Frosting

1 C powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk or whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

1 Tbsp Corn Syrup

few drops of flavoring of your choice

Buttercream Frosting:

3 Tbsp soft butter

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

3 Tbsp cream or milk

1 tsp vanilla.

food coloring of choice

For the Sugar Cookie Dough

Combine butter, Crisco and sugar in bowl and beat.

Add in eggs and extract and mixed until combined

Add in dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Roll out cookies to desired thickness and cut with cookie cutter.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes depending on thickness of cookie. If you like them softer, bake less.

Glaze Frosting

Combine powder sugar, extract and corn syrup in bowl.

If you are using a liquid food coloring, you will need to use LESS milk. If you are using a gel food coloring, your milk quantity can remain the same. Add in milk to desired consistency. It will get too runny fast so be careful.

The corn syrup gives the “shine” to the frosting that you want.

Buttercream Frosting

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and desired consistency

Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

2 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups flour
5 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 (12 oz) packages chocolate chips

optional: 2-3 cups chopped nuts

In a very large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if desired). Stir gently to mix. Roll into 1 and 1/2 inch balls or drop by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 400 F for 7-9 minutes.

From Vanessa Davis

Cupcake Ideas

1. mix cupcake batter & fill cups about 1/3 full with batter. bake. once done & cooled, put the tray in the freezer. (I did this overnight) cupcake will be nice & firm & not soak up any of the ice cream.

2. make ice cream. (or soften store bought ice cream) top each cupcake with enough ice cream to round out the top nicely. return to freezer.

3. top with frosting. I made a beautiful chocolate ganache that ended up nice & crunchy after some time in the freezer. My choc-o-holic hubby RAVED about this part. I mean who wouldn’t with those ingredients. But really, it was the perfect topping. I added the sprinkles before I put it back in the freezer.

4. store cupcakes in freezer until ready to serve!

The Best Buttercream Frosting

This frosting and cake from I Am Baker turned out beautiful. Easy, attractive, and delicious.

THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

2 cups shortening

8 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon clear imitation vanilla extract

6 fluid ounces heavy cream

In a large bowl, cream shortening with mixer until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar (2 cups at a time) until well blended. If the frosting gets to thick at any time you can add some of your heavy cream.

Add salt, vanilla, and heavy cream and blend until combined, then blend on high until frosting is light and fluffy. If you need to add additional cream you can. (up to 2 tablespoons)

Cookies

Caramel, Pretzel, Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C butter flavored shortening or butter

3/4 C white sugar

3/4 C brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 C milk chocolate chips

1 C caramel bits

1/2 C broken pretzel pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In your mixer cream together shortening/butter with brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and beat until combine. Add in vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt and stir until combined. Do not over mix. Add in chocolate chips, caramel bits and pretzels.

Drop by spoonful onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on sheet for five minutes and then move to a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen.

I have been eating really healthy of late and with the end of the school year pending I am planning my celebration treat. And I love cookies...

Malted Milk Ball Chewies by Your Homebased Mom

3/4 C butter, softenend

3/4 C brown sugar, packed

3/4 C granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 vanilla extract

2 C flour

1 C quick cooking oats

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 C malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In your mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix. In another bowl combine your dry ingredients – flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Add into the butter mixture and combine well. Add in malted milk balls. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 8-12 minutes, depending on the level of crispness you would like. Cool for a few minutes and then move to a wire rack.

Twix Bar Cookies by Your Homebased Mom

2 C plus 2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 Tbsp unsalted butter,melted and cooled until warm

1 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 C coarsely chopped Twix Bars

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Chop your Twix bar into 1/4 inch chunks. Cut each bar in half lengthwise and then chop into 1/4 inch pieces width wise. In a bowl combine flour, soda and salt. Set aside. In your mixer blend butter and sugars together until combined. Beat in egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in Twix Bar chunks. Bake for 13-16 minutes until light golden brown and edges start to harden but center is soft. Do not overbake.

Because of the caramel in the Twix they may stick a bit to the cookie sheet so use a spatula to remove.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe by Everyday Occasions

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

-In a mixer, combine butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Add egg and mix until creamy.

-In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, soda, powder, and cinnamon. Whisk together. Add to butter mixture, stir until just combined.

-Add oats. Stir until just combined (do not over mix).

-Add chocolate chips. Stir until just combined.

-Scoop out with ice cream scoop onto baking sheets lined with silpat sheets.

-Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Baby Blue Monster Cookies byI am Baker

Ingredients:

1 bag Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie (Or you can use the plain Oatmeal Cookie)

1 bag Peanut Butter Cookie

Any additional sweets of choice. In the past I have added caramel bits, heath, more peanut butter, gourmet chocolate, cranberries, etc. The sky is the limit! (The link also goes to a 'from scratch' recipe if you are opposed to the semi homemade version)

For these cookies I added:

1 container blue M&M's (For our baby boy!)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen

½ C butter, softened
1 C sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp baking soda
1-½ C flour
½ C powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 3-5 minutes. Add in the vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Pour powdered sugar onto a bowl. Form dough in a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

from Leigh Anne

Gifted Jarred Treat

We have yet to meet our neighbors and I'm thinking that this may be just the ticket.

Cupcakes

How to Eat a Cupcake

I can not remember what blog I found this on, but isn't it clever. Love keeping upper lip clean.

How to decorate a cupcake

http://www.shopmerimeri.com/princesscakeset.aspx

Frost with Marshmallow

When your cupcakes have about three minutes left to bake, pull out the tin and place one marshmallow on top of each cupcake. Return to tin and cook for remaining time.

Little Bites to Match a Craving

Peanut-Butter Balls: mix 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup honey 1 cup powdered milk - roll - melt chocolate and dip - refrigerate - 112 calories a piece

Cake cuties: slice angel-food cake into cubes - microwave frosting for 20 second, stir, heat 10 seconds - pore over cake - microwave fruit chews for 10 seconds - roll and make shapes with min cookie cutter - 102 calories

Graham-wich: 3 tbs low-fat frozen jogurt between two graham-crackers - wrap in plastic wrap and freeze - 87 calories

cake pops

red velevet cake balls

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies to try

Thanks to Christina for the find!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat well.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir. Add oatmeal and stir.
3. Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet, and press each mound down with a fork to form 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or until cookies are a light brown.
4. To Make Filling: Cream 3 tablespoons butter or margarine with the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Spread filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup Nesquik or some kind of chocolate milk mix (if you use cocoa, increase the sugar)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 cups milk (I'm not sure exactly how much I put in)
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs

Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer for at least five minutes. Pour into greased, floured pans. Two 9" pans for 25-30 minutes, three 8" pans for 30-35 minutes. Take it out when a toothpick comes out slightly damp. You want this cake to be MOIST. Cool for ten minutes in the pans and an hour out of the pans. Then frost with the following:


3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter OR peanut butter, if you want it REALLY peanut butter-y
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 baking cocoa
4 Tbsp. milk (you'll need a little more if you used peanut butter)

Favorite Fall Cookie

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. combine flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-13 minutes or until lightly browned.