southern living peach cobbler

we enjoyed a great dinner this past weekend and topped it off with this yummy & super easy dessert! perfect while peaches are still in season!

southern living peach cobbler
what you need...1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon

what you do...

Melt butter and pour into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.  In a separate bowl mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir)...yes it does look funky.

In a saucepan, bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown & bubbling in the center. Serve cobbler warm over vanilla ice cream!!! Yummy! 

angel food cake

one of my absolute most favorite desserts is angel food cake. it is so simple to make from scratch and super rewarding when you take the first bite! don't forget homemade whipped cream and fresh berries! i have no photo of the final product...because it gets gobbled up way too fast!

angel food cake
what you need...1-1/4 cups egg whites (about 9)
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup cake flour
1-1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

what to do...

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside.

Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar (1 cup), about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.

Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. 

Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan over a wine bottle or on a rack (I find it hard to find a wine bottle my pan will fit on); cool completely, about 1-2 hours.

Run a knife around side and center tube of pan to get it out of the pan!


http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/best-angel-food-cake

grandma's chocolate pound cake

after my grandmothers passing earlier this year, i acquired a little yellow recipe box and a second edition, 1961, version of Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book that was very well loved {read: tattered up so bad barely one single page is still in mint condition}. i could not wait to start making some of her recipes. the more tattered the better and I'm starting with the top and going down the list! bring on the shortening :)

Chocolate Pound Cake

what you need...
3 cups sifted all purpose flower
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
2 TBSP grated unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract

*grandma notes: decrease the sugar to 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups but then increase the flour to 3 1/4 or 3 1/2 cups depending on the amount of sugar decreased. she also scratches the additional 2 TBSP of unsweetened chocolate. I added chocolate chips ;)

what to do...

sift flour with cocoa, baking power and salt; set aside

lightly grease a 10" tube ban and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl of electric mixer at medium speed beat butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

with mixer at low speed beat in flour mixture, in 4 additions, alternating with milk, in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. add grated chocolate and vanilla.

turn batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 our and 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan; let cool completely on rack. If desired serve with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

fresh [homemade] strawberry ice cream

warning...what i didn't realize when i made this is that you really need to do this two days prior to actually needing the ice cream or be willing to be on a strict timer schedule as there are 8 hours between steps.

fresh strawberry ice cream
what you need....1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
1 whole vanilla bean
6 egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

what you do...Prep berries: 

Place the strawberries, ¼ cup of the granulated sugar, and the lemon juice in a food processor. Mash up the berries so that there aren't huge chunks but that its not overly pureed. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a container and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prep Cream Base:
Warm 1 cup of the cream, the milk, the remaining ¾ cup of granulated sugar and the salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Once the cream mixture is warmed through and the sugar is dissolved, add the vanilla bean, cover and remove from the heat. Let steep for 30 minutes.

**I didn't invest in the $8 vanilla bean at Publix and just used 1 tsp of vanilla extract. I didn't steep for an hour either...turned out fab still!

Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (or reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). 

Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream, then stir in the vanilla extract. Remove the strawberry mixture from the refrigerator and add it to the cream mixture, stirring to fully combine. Set the bowl in an ice bath and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Once cool, cover and place the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Get out the ice cream maker:
Once the mixture is sufficiently chilled, remove the vanilla bean and churn the ice cream according to your ice cream maker's instructions. I used my Kitchen Aid attachment and followed those directions. After this step the ice cream goes back into the freezer for another 8 hours. 

recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

trader joe's freezer faves

if you have a trader joe's near you you likely either love it or have no earthly idea where to begin! i was getting my feet wet a few years ago in the produce section soon after my "kroger fiasco" as its known in our house. they have so many great things but time & time i've heard friends & family say you just can't get a full meal there.  if you saw my post back in august about my cheater meal, you know thats not the case. this chicken still remains a family fave.

here are 5 more faves...i will admit i do give the sodium & fat a critical run down at ti's when I'm there...some things sound divine but are loaded in fat (or let me rephrase, if you eat the whole bag...which you very well could...it would be fatty).

of course the corn dogs are my fave (child at heart) but make sure you don't get the soy/tofu ones...eek!

pam's "oatmeal" cookies

okay so i have to confess i hate oatmeal cookies...until of course, pam hurst gives me one and i have to ask multiple times about the ingredients, insistent upon the fact that there is no way that there is oatmeal in the cookies...there is [& lots of it]. see the great recipe below! the recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies which is awesome. I also just eye ball the chocolate chips so that may make it a little bit more.

PS Sorry the photo sort of stinks of these cookies...they are eaten WAY too quickly in our house to capture the true essence of them!  After all since these are oatmeal, I've been considering them a breakfast food.

by the way, don't you love "Pamma" as Pam's grandma name?! I do! 

Pamma's Chocolate Chip "Oatmeal" Cookies

what you need...3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c margarine
1/2 c butter flavor Crisco
2 eggs
1 t water
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour (plus 1T)
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2-2 1/2 c oatmeal
12 oz. chocolate chips

what you do...

Cream together shortenings and sugars.  Add eggs and liquids. Add dry ingredients, then oatmeal to desired consistency. Throw in a couple of handfuls of chocolate chips to taste.
Cook for almost 10 minutes at 350° [mine cooked for 12 min in convection]

strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting

Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
what you need [cake]...Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries, strained*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, beaten

what you need [frosting]...1 (8oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~ 3 cups (approx. 1 box) confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 tablespoon milk (if needed)

what to do [cake]...Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside [I made mine in a bundt cake pan but takes much longer to cook]

- Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes [bundt cake took an hour to cook]

- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

what to do [frosting]...

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.Slowly add the sugar in 1 cup batches until desired sweetness is achieved. You may need less than 3 cups if you like your frosting less sweet. Stir in vanilla. Add milk slowly if you need a looser consistency.

- Frost cake as desired and refrigerate until ready to serve.


* You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, let them defrost on a cookie sheet. Then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Run through a medium-sized strainer to remove the seeds.

southern living cover worthy!

although i did not have the amazing fondant snowflakes pictured here this cake was AMAZING! it was made for early Christmas with my in-laws earlier this month. Leftovers were quickly devoured and enjoyed by all! one change to my recipe vs what is stated below was that 9" pans were used vs. 8" pans which only means you have to watch the cakes time wise and check a few minutes before the 8" times.

Mrs. Billett's White Cake
what you need...
Parchment paper
1 cup milk (i used skim)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour  (note that this is cake flour that comes in a box at Publix)
1 tablespoon baking powder
5 egg whites (check the container if you are buying egg whites in a carton--only few brands whip up for baking)
vanilla buttercream frosting (see below)

what to do...Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper.  Stir together milk and vanilla.  Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 40 minutes). Spread Vanilla Buttercream Frosting between layers (about 1 cup per layer) and on top and sides of cake.

for the icing...

what to do....
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar
6 to 7 Tbsp. milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

what to do...
Beat butter and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 6 Tbsp. milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Stir in vanilla. If desired, beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.

new apple cobbler recipe

here is a great new cobbler recipe we just tried last weekend with Patrick & Rachel!

apple cobbler

what you need...

7 to 8 large (9 cups) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4-inch (use more if you have them!)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, melted
Ice cream, if desired

pre-oven

what to do...
Heat oven to 350°F. Place sliced apples in ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Stir together 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over apples.

Combine remaining cinnamon, flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples. Pour melted butter over topping. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until lightly browned and apples are tender.  Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

oreo truffles

this is an easy kraft recipe, but pleaes enjoy making something so good that is also so simple! tonight we made these for Wilson's big paw-ty last month.

oreo truffles
what you need...
8oz reduced fat Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (15.5 oz.) oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided
2 pkg. (8 squares each) bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

what you do...
mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended. shape into 1" balls (makes about 4 dozen). Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs. Put in the firdge for1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

peanut butter-banana ice box pie

although we did not make this, i sure ate the heck out of it at the farm this year...straight from southern living...

peanut butter-banana ice box pie

what you need...

2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (about 15 sheets)
1/2 cup finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
2 cups whipping cream, divided
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large bananas, sliced
Toppings: sweetened whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chopped honey-roasted peanuts

what you do...

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 3 ingredients; firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Microwave chocolate and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a small microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. (Do not overheat.) Spoon chocolate mixture into prepared crust.

Beat cream cheese, next 2 ingredients, and 1/4 cup whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat vanilla and remaining 1 1/4 cups whipping cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third whipped cream mixture into peanut butter mixture to loosen; fold in remaining whipped cream mixture. Arrange banana slices over chocolate mixture in crust. Spread peanut butter mixture over bananas. Cover and chill 8 hours. Serve pie with desired toppings.

vanilla madeleines with lemon glaze

another top contendor at this past weekend's dessert/app street get together...note that these take some prep time (ex. 2 hours in the fridge). if you don't know what a madeleine pan looks like or where to get one, williams-sonoma never fails! 

vanilla madeleines (with vanilla glaze)

what you need...2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Coarse salt
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more, softened, for pans
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

what to do...
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together eggs and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Sift flour mixture over top in 2 additions, folding in after each addition. Fold in melted butter in 2 additions, then honey and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let batter stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Generously butter 2 standard-size or 2 mini nonstick or aluminum madeleine pans using a pastry brush. Transfer batter to a pastry bag, and snip tip to create a 1/2-inch opening. Pipe some batter into molds, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake on middle rack until pale gold, 8 to 11 minutes (6 to 8 minutes for mini madeleines). Immediately shake madeleines out. Wash and rebutter molds. Repeat with remaining batter. Dust baked madeleines with confectioners' sugar.

i dipped mine in a lemon glaze...which was 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about one lemon) and the zest of that lemon...wisk it up and then literally dip the madeleine in it! 

chocolate salted brownies

by far the biggest hit of our dessert/apps on saturday night's festivities at our house...these were like fudge! i cannot wait to have them again!!! and to make it all worthwhile, its a cooking light recipe! 

Carmel Salted Brownies
Brownies...what you need...
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

what you need for the carmel topping & chocolate drizzle...1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk, divided  **by mistake, I used regular skim milk and these came out just fine!
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt

the dry mixture

what to do...

Preheat oven to 350°.  To prepare brownies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking powder) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add butter mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine. Scrape batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

To prepare topping, melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar; stir with a whisk until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cooled brownies. Let stand 20 minutes or until set.

Combine 2 tablespoons milk and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted, stirring after 20 seconds. Stir just until smooth; drizzle over caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt; let stand until set. Cut into squares.

this is right before the chocolate drizzle gets added...yum!

vanilla-vanilla cupcakes

my december cooking light previewed these great cupcakes and this is by far my favorite combination.

vanilla-vanilla cupcakes
what you need...Cupcakes:
8 ounces cake flour (about 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole buttermilk
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 vanilla bean
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened

what to do...Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Place 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beat just until combined. Using clean, dry beaters, beat 3 egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Line 24 muffin cups with cupcake liners; coat with baking spray. Spoon batter into cups. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, place 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and vanilla bean in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Without stirring, cook 3 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 250°; discard vanilla bean. Combine 3 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until mixture cools (12 minutes). Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth. Top cupcakes with frosting.

cheesecake stuffed strawberries

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries 
from the Sweets Life

what you need:
-1 lb large strawberries
-8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat)
-3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (4 tbsp for a sweeter filling)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-graham cracker crumbs

what to do:
1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some may already be hollow inside). Prep all strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

lemon angel food cupcakes

with an upcoming neighborhood dessert & drinks party at our house this month, we are going to be making a ton of these amazing cupcakes! these will need liners since they are so light and fluffy! i however will not be going out of control & adding rosebuds/pansies as shown in the photo!

lemon angel food cupcakes
what you need...Cupcakes:
1/2 cup cake flour (about 2 ounces)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup egg whites (about 5 large eggs)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

Lemon Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

what to do...

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 16 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups. Set aside. Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup powdered sugar into a medium bowl; repeat the procedure 2 times.  ***The sifting is really important so that the cupcakes are light & fluffy***

Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer at high speed until frothy (about 1 minute). Add cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition. Stir in vanilla and rind. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, beat butter with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended. Add milk and lemon juice; beat until fluffy. Add more lemon juice as needed to adjust the consistency. Spread 2 tablespoons lemon frosting over each cupcake.

Lemon-Scented Blueberry Cupcakes

i am a sucker for anything with blueberries in it and cooking light is previewing a delicious looking lemon-blueberry cupcake! i cannot wait to try these out for our next get together

lemon-scented blueberry cupcakes
what you need...
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups (about 6 3/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
10 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted 
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

Frosting:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1  teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Fresh blueberries (optional)

what to do...
Preheat oven to 350°. Place 12 paper muffin cup liners into muffin cups.To prepare cupcakes, lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Measure 1 tablespoon flour; level with a knife. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine melted butter and egg in another large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk, milk, and 1 teaspoon rind to butter mixture; stir with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon rind, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do not overbeat). Stir in juice. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; garnish with blueberries, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

holy bundt cakes!

these are the cutest and most amazing "bang for their buck" calorie wise! cooking light has put together a great buttermilk bundt cake recipe that i have indulged in many times before! the hardest part is finding the proper cake pan. see below the cute little mini cake pans i found at foxfire in greenville with pig. online you can get these from amazon as well. i only bought 4 of these and then rotated them through the batter--took longer but was much less expensive! 

buttermilk bundt cakes
what you need...
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
12 tablespoons butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup powdered sugar

what to do...Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 18 mini Bundt cups with baking spray. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and 12 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and rind. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 5 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Dust tops of cakes with powdered sugar.

apple-cherry cobbler with pinwheel biscuits

this recipe is a bit more work (or so i think everything that requires a pastry blender is) but so worth it! this makes a huge and very rich portion so make it for your next supper club or time you entertain!

apple cherry cobbler with pinwheel biscuits
fruit filling...
8 large sweet red apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (4-5lb bag will do)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 (12-oz.) package frozen cherries, thawed and well drained
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

biscuits2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted unsalted almonds (optional)

what to do
filling...

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss together first 3 ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture. Cook, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes or until apples are tender and syrup thickens. Remove from heat; stir in cherries and next 3 ingredients. Spoon apple mixture into a lightly greased 3-qt. baking dish. Bake apple mixture 12 minutes, placing a baking sheet on oven rack directly below baking dish to catch any drips.

biscuits...Stir together 2 1/4 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut cold butter pieces into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly; stir in milk. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 4 to 5 times. Roll dough into a 12-inch square. Combine brown sugar and 2 Tbsp. melted butter; sprinkle over dough, patting gently. Sprinkle with almonds. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seams and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a single layer on top of apple mixture.

Bake at 425° for 15 to 17 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

chocolate peanut butter chip pound cake

so we all know (or you should know) about the infamous chocolate chip pound cake that pig's mom has made for years. if you've ever been to on of the hee haws get togethers, you know that either the chocolate chip pound cake or sour cream pound cake can be found within arms reach!

when at bonnie & william's earlier in the month, i helped bonnie out with a recipe that she had for a chocolate peanut butter chip pound cake which sounded great, smelt amazing, and was the 2nd easiest recipe i've ever made to get such a great end product (1st being the original due to # of ingredients)!

bonnie's chocolate peanut butter chip pound cake
what you need...
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 small instant chocolate pudding packet
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup chips (1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup peanut butter chips)

what to do...combine the 1st six ingredients mixing well. fold in sour cream and chips. pour into well greased & floured bundt cake pan. bake 350 for an hour

yes that is all there is to this amazing recipe! i think i may try and use the mini peanut butter cups too sometime soon when i make this again.  


thanks Bonnie for sharing!!