Moving On Up….

to blogger!  

Follow me over to blogger….

http://spiceinourlife.blogspot.com/

It was time for a change for the better!

Holiday Baking…check!

I’m done!  WOOHOO!  As much as I enjoy it…I am glad that it is done for the year.  I spent a few hours yesterday baking and finished everything today.   All the goodie boxes are made as well and ready to be given out tomorrow.  What a great feeling.  Everything turned out great except those darn cake balls! GRR!  I was able to save about 1/2 but the other 1/2 are in the garbage.  Sad, but true.  More to come about that later. 

Recipes and pictures will be posted later this week!  Happy Sunday night!!

Holiday Baking!

Tis’ the season for holiday baking!  WOOHOO!  One of my favorite times of the year.  With all the lights, Christmas cheer and music it would be pretty hard not to be in the Christmas spirit.  This weekend will be the start to my Christmas baking and I am just so excited for it this year.

Here is the list…

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Sugar Cookies Chocolate and Peppermint Bars

Magic Bars

Classic Fudge

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Let the fun begin!

What is on your baking list?

Double Pumpkin Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I admit….I am kind of a newbie to the whole baking thing.  I have always baked with my Mom when I was little but never on my own, trying new and different recipes.  Within the last few years I have tried new things and learned to love so many things that I never knew existed.  It is amazing what you don’t know is out there.  One thing that I learned is that I would always say “I don’t like those!” and honestly I had never tried them.  I was saying that because that is what my parents had told me and the saying goes….Mom is always right!  Wrong!    My Mom and I talk just about every night and we always discuss dinner.  She is always stunned when she hears that I am eating things that I wouldn’t have ever considered when I was at home. 

Pumpkin Spice Kisses are one of those things that I have fallen in love with!   I learned last year not to wait and “get them next time” because next time they will be gone.  As soon as I saw them in the holiday isle at Target I got 2 bags…I had to draw the line somewhere. 

I had this recipe stashed and was just waiting to try it.  Let’s just say….AMAZING.  I brought 1/2 of these cookies to work and they were gone that same afternoon.  Everyone was asking me what was in them and wanted the recipe.  I was rather impressed myself with how good they were. So…if you like pumpkin spice I would without a doubt give these a  try. 

Great for the holidays to give to others or bring in any family function….or hoard them and keep them all to your self!

SOURCE: Picky Palate

Visit her amazing blog at www.picky-palate.com.

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks butter (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin (canned)
3 1/4 cups flour (all purpose)
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. fresh grated nutmeg
12 oz bag chocolate chips
35 (about) Pumpkin Spice Kisses, quartered

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. 
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
4. Add pumpkin.
5. Place flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into bowl.
6. Mix to combine then slowly add to wet ingredients.
7. Add chocolate chips and kisses. 
8. Mix until combined.
9. Ccoop medium cookie scoop of dough onto a baking sheet, about an inch apart. 
10. Bake for 9-11 minutes. 
11. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing.

Happy Holidays!

One of my favorite things to eat once Fall arrives…Caramel Apples!  I love the fancy ones with all the junk on them that are terribly bad for you, but a plain caramel apple is also a treat! 

I made these one Sunday afternoon when I suddenly needed some goodies and didn’t really have the time to whip anything up.  I will admit that I took the easy way out with these and I didn’t actually make the caramel.  I bought a package from Sprouts Farmers Market that came with a little bowl of caramel and 6 sticks.  So simple, heat for 1 minute, push the sticks in the apple, dip and DONE!    They turned out adorable and got me in the mood for the holidays! 

Guacamole

Fiesta, fiesta! 

There are so many different recipes for guacamole but I enjoy sticking to the simple “best” recipe!   I have tried many different kinds of guacamole and I have to say that this recipe is still my favorite.   Guacamole is so versitile and I think that is what I love so much…with chips, on burgers, in burritos, with nachos…I could go on  and on.  Make this recipes, you won’t regret it!

SOURCE: Me

INGREDIENTS

2 avocados
1 T. lime (1 lime worth)
1/4 red onion (diced)
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Celery Salt

DIRECTIONS

1.  Remove 2 ripe avocados from there shell.
2. Mash.
3.  Add onion and seasonings.
4.  Refridgerate.
5.  Serve

Toasted Coconut

Would I consider this a recipe?  Probably not!   Reasoning for this ‘recipe’ is for the Sydney’s Sinful Sundae below.  If you didn’t know how to toast coconut…now you do! 

SOURCE:  ME?

INGREDIENTS
Coconut

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to ‘broil’ setting.
2.  Line a baking sheet with coconut, thinly.  (I usually do a 9×13 and then I have a ton of coconut for the nights to come.) 
3.  Place in oven and keep a close eye on it.  (Usually 5 minutes for me but every oven is different. A minute too long and it will be black!)
4.  With a spatula toss every minute or so until done.

WALLA!

Sydney’s Sinful Sundae – Outback Style

Outback anyone?  This is a family favorite dessert that my Mom got me hooked on so now when we go to Outback we MUST get a Sydney’s Sinful Sundae! Sinful it is indeed!  I don’t know why it is so good because it is so simple and one of those things that you eat and think “Why didn’t I do this before!?” 

Growing up our family didn’t go out to eat often at all so when we would my Dad would tell us it was okay to go all out.  Now a days. my parents still don’t go out much for dinner but my Mom does stop regularly for Outback To – Go and she swoops her sundae for an afternoon treat.  Let’s just say that I am happy that the nearest Outback is a good 15 minutes away so I am not so temped. 

This recipe is so simple and I usually have everything I need on hand…plus!  I am sure that you could use any variety of fruit but strawberries just seal the deal with this one. 

INGREDIENTS

Vanilla Ice Cream
Strawberries (sliced)
Hot Fudge
Toasted Coconut

SOURCE:  Outback!

Directions are not needed for this one, just toss the ingredients on the ice cream and devour!

Cream Cheese Icing

Here is the recipe of that amazing cream cheese icing that was drizzled over the cinnamon rolls below.  In case you were wondering…I highly recommend this one!

SOURCE:  Allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter
1/2 t. vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1.  Mix
2.  Drizzle

DONE!  Oh yeah…I never said it was healthy!

Oh yeah (again)…don’t judge the amount of icing above…it is good!

Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls?  They are one of my favorite unhealthy breakfast options…especially if they are my Mother In-Laws!  YUM!   Kyle and I are pretty simple when it comes to breakfast so I don’t get to make breakfast all that often.  Kyle is perfectly happy with cereal but when I happen to get up before him on Saturday’s I try to make something special.  We have not had cinnamon rolls in a long time and I decided I wanted them one Saturday morning at 8:00AM.  Of course I didn’t feel like spending hours and hours making the dough and letting it rise so I searched the internet and fridge.  I was so excited when I came across this lovely recipe.  I know that I will be making this again since I am the kind of girl that doesn’t always think ahead about Saturday breakfast. 

SOURCE: Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

1 tube refridgerated reduced fat crescent rolls
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

1.  Unroll crescent dough into a rectangle. 
2.  Seal seems and perforations.
3.  Combine cinnamon and half of the sugar and sprinkle on dough.
4.  Roll up jelly roll style, seal edge.
5.  Cut into 8 pieces.  (I did 10 pieces.)
6.  Place rolls cut side down in a 9 inch round baking pan coated with cooking spray.
7.  Bake 375 degrees for 12 – 15 minutes. 

The original recipe from Taste of Home included a confectioners sugar icing but I used one that was way yummier! See the next post to come….