Giant Cookie

Everyone loves cookie cake, there is just something about a giant cookie with frosting on it that is irresistible. This is perfect to make for someone who doesn't like cake.. weird, but some people don't like cake. I just can't comprehend that.. anyways, sorry non-cake lovers. I'm not judging. This was so easy, a caveman can do it, so don't let the giant cookie scare you away. Here's what you need

Butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, salt, bread flour, baking soda, chocolate chips, and M&S's (optional). In a small saucepan, melt the butter

Once fully melted, let cool about 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add both sugars and vanilla

Mix together. Add eggs and milk

Mix well; set aside. In a separate large bowl, combine bread flour, salt, and baking soda. (Be sure to use BREAD flour and NOT all-purpose. I've done it once before and it makes a huge difference. You can find bread flour on the flour isle. It will say bread flour on the package.)

Stir together; add chocolate chips and M&M's

Fold those into the flour mixture until fully coated in flour

Here's the two mixtures

Pour the wet (butter) mixture over the flour mixture

Stir together until combined

Scoop out onto a greased round deep dish cookie sheet

Gently press down evenly to form a flat, giant cookie

Cover and chill in the fridge at least 2 hours. Bake 

While that is cooling, prepare vanilla buttercream to go on top. I didn't take pictures of the frosting, but here are some from an earlier post. It is the same recipe I used, I just omitted the oreos. http://kysweettoothsisters.blogspot.com/2011/01/oreo-surprise-cupcakes.html

Put the finished frosting into a piping bag to decorate the cookie cake. I piped around the edges

If you have extra frosting, which you probably will; you can spread it over the top of the cookie cake, make a thicker edging, or write something in the middle. Here's the inside of the cookie cake

I had 10 girls over and two desserts.. and the whole cookie cake got eaten. I highly recommend this dessert :)

Cookie Cake

(Alton Brown's 'The Chewy')

2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 Tbs. milk

1 Tbs. vanilla

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup mini M&M's

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat; let cool about 5 minutes. Pour the melted butter in a mixing bowl. Add both sugars and vanilla; cream together on medium speed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and milk. Mix until well combined. In a large separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the chocolate chips and M&M's, stirring until chocolate chips are fully coated in flour. Pour the wet mixture over the flour mixture and gently stir together until combined. Scoop dough onto a round, greased, deep dish cookie sheet. Gently press down until you have an even surface of dough. Sprinkle more M&M's on top. Cover and chill the dough at least 2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees about 18-25 minutes or until light golden edges and the middle is no longer gooey. (You don't want to overcook because the cookie cake will be hard.) Cool completely. While cooling, prepare vanilla buttercream. Once cooled, decorate the cookie cake however desired. Slice and enjoy!

Poppyseed Chicken

I/we apologize for the delayed posts recently. Both sweet toother's have been out of town for a while now, but we are doing as best as we can! So bare with us :) I decided to make poppyseed just because I was craving it. Poppyseed chicken is one of my favorite meals. It's easy, quick, delicious, and fattening.. whats not to like?  This recipe is a little different than some of the usual poppyseed chicken recipes, but it's my new go-to poppyseed chicken. Here's what you'll need

Chicken, sour cream, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, poppyseed's, butter, and ritz crackers. Place chicken breasts in a large pot and fill with water until all the chicken breasts are covered. Bring to a boil; cook about 10 minutes. (Your chicken may need more or less time depending on the size) Also, I added a little oil to the chicken and water before cooking just to keep the chicken from sticking

Once the chicken is cooked, drain and let cool. Once chicken has reached room temp, cut into cubes or shred

Set in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, poppyseeds, and sour cream

Stir together until well combined; add chicken

Spread into a 13x9 casserole dish

Top with one roll of crushed ritz crackers

Sprinkle with poppy seeds 

Pour melted butter over that

Bake about 30 minutes, or until crackers become golden. Serve warm 

Poppy Seed Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed

8 oz. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 oz. cream cheese, soft

2 tsp. poppyseed's

1 roll ritz crackers, crushed

1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil chicken in a pot with a little oil and salt until cooked through. About 10 minutes (once boiling), depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Just make sure there is no pink or clear in the chicken when you cut into it, that means it is not cooked. Once chicken is done, let sit about 10 minutes. Chop semi-cooled chicken into cubes, set in a large bowl and set aside for now. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and poppy seeds. Once well combined, add the cubed chicken and stir until fully coated. Spread into a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle on the crushed crackers and poppy seeds. Pour melted butter over that evenly and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until warm and bubbly.

Strawberry Cake

This is the perfect cake for summer! It's sweet, cold, fruity, and pink :) I've been through almost every strawberry cake recipe trying to find the perfect one, & believe it or not, my favorite starts out with a cake mix. I'm usually against using cake mixes unless its to make something cake batter flavored. But in this cake recipe, you cannot taste the cake mix or tell that I used one because you add more ingredients to disguise it. Here's what you need for the cake

White cake mix, strawberry jello, eggs, vanilla, oil, milk, and strawberries (pureed). Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl

Mix on low speed until combined. Then beat on medium speed until well combined. Do not over beat. Pour into 2 greased 9-inch round cake pans

Bake! Flip out of cake pans onto wax paper to cool

This is optional, but if you want to make the cake four layers instead of two, you can use a knife and cut each layer in half

Here's what it will look like when you cut them in half

If you do decide to cut the layers in half, be very careful because they are thin and fragile. While cooling, prepare the frosting. Here's what you'll need

Cream cheese, butter, vanilla, strawberries, and powdered sugar. Wash, dry, crush, and well drain the strawberries; set aside. (Strawberries must NOT have any juice in them or the frosting will become runny)

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla

Once well combined, add the powdered sugar

Mix well, stir in the strawberries

Mine wasn't very pink so I added a little pink food coloring

Once the cake is cooled, fill layers and frost the outside and top

Decorate and refrigerate

Here's what the four layers will look like

perfect strawberry cake. Yum. These also work perfectly as cupcakes

Strawberry Cake

1 box white cake mix

1 small box strawberry jello

1 cup pureed strawberries, washed and capped

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup whole milk

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Combined all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir on low speed until combined. Turn up to medium and beat until well combined, but do not over beat. (You don't want the cake to become tough). Pour finished batter in 2 greased 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes. When cakes are done baking, remove from oven and let cool in pans about 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip out onto a wax paper lined cooling wrack. (If making into four layers, cut the layers in half using a long serrated knife.) Prepare frosting while the cake is cooling.

strawberry cream cheese frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup crushed strawberries, well drained

1 tsp. vanilla extract

7 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Stir in the strawberries. (Add pink or red food coloring for more of a strawberry color.) Once the frosting is finished and cakes are cooled, frosting in between cake layers, outside, and top of cake. Decorate and top with fresh strawberries as a garnish. :) Store cake in fridge.

Which Cake for the Big Day?

I love weddings! They are so happy and exciting...and there is a HUGE cake! I have always dreamed of making my own wedding cake one day, and I would love to cater weddings and make wedding cakes. I have been asked by someone to make their wedding cake later this year!! Since I have never made one before, I thought it would be smart to have a couple of practice runs at it. I made my first wedding cake this week...and I've decided there need to be many more practices in the future! I decided to make three different cake recipes and 2 different icing recipes. Each layer of the cake was a different flavor: vanilla, white, and almond. And then I iced one of the layers with a vanilla buttercream, and the other two layers with an almond buttercream. I did not take step-by-step pictures of these recipes, but I do have some pictures and I will post the recipes.

one of the layers before frosting

 I have a lot to learn..haha

 The top layer is vanilla, the middle layer is a silver white cake, and the bottom layer is almond.

After I had my family and tons of friends taste test, the favorite cake was the almond and the favorite frosting was the vanilla buttercream! The cakes were all delicious, but I have to agree with everyone else. Now I just need to keep practicing! Let me know if you have any advice, especially decorating tips.

Vanilla Cake
by: Magnolia Bakery

1 cup unsalted butter, soft

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cup AP flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beat about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, combine flours. In another small bowl, combine milk and vanilla. In 3 parts, alternately add the flours and milk and vanilla, until just mixed. (Beginning and ending with flours.)  Pour into 2 greased round pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Silver White Cake

by: Gold Medal Flour

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2/3 cup shortening

1 tsp. vanilla

5 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, shortening, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occassionally, 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites on high speed, scraping bowl occassionally, 2 minutes. Pour into 2 greased round pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Almond Butter Cake

by: Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs, separated

2 1/4 cups All-Purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk

1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degress. Beat butter and almond extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and baking soda; add the butter mixer alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks and cool completely. Frost with desired frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

by: Southern Living

1 cup butter, softened

1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating at low speed after each addition.

Almond Butter Frosting

by: Better Homes and Gardens

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

milk

Beat butter and extracts with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in the 1/3 cup milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. Beat in additional milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Sugar Bars

Cut out sugar cookies are delicious, but also time consuming and hard work. So if you are looking for a quick, easy, and tasty sugar cookie.. why not make sugar cookie bars? It's kind of like a sugar cookie cake. Chewy and sweet, topped with almond buttercream frosting. Here's what you need for the sugar cookie bars

Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and flour. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar

Once creamy, add the vanilla and eggs

When well combined, add the flour, baking soda, and salt

Stir until just mixed

Spread evenly into a foil-lined and greased 8x8 inch square baking pan

Bake about 15 minutes, let cool and prepare the frosting

You can make about any frosting you want for these, but I made an almond buttercream. Here's what you'll need

Butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream or milk, food coloring, and sprinkles (optional). Mix together butter and extracts until smooth. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time

Once sugar is all mixed in, add the food coloring

Once mixed in, gradually add in the liquid being careful not to add to much because it could become too thin

Spread the frosting over the cooled sugar cookie bars. Decorate with sprinkles, if using

Cut and serve!

Sugar Cookie Bars
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda until combined. Spread evenly in a foil-lined and greased 8x8 baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees about 12-22 minutes, or until done (not jiggly). While the bars are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Almond Buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, soft
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tsp. almond extract
1-2 Tbs. heavy whipping cream
food coloring

Mix together butter and extracts until smooth. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time. Once sugar is all mixed in, add the food coloring. Once mixed in, gradually add in the liquid being careful not to add to much because it could become too thin. Spread the frosting over the cooled sugar cookie bars. Decorate with sprinkles, if using. Cut and serve!