Let’s Get Cookin’ Top 5 Recipes of 2012

Let’s Get Cookin’ Top 5 Recipes of 2012

As 2012 comes to an end, I want to thank you all so much for visiting my little cooking/baking spot on the web.  It really does mean a lot to me.  I started this blog out for my 4 kids.  For them to always have a place to come and find my recipes.  And recipes of friends and family.

I love baking and cooking and look forward to posting and cooking up new things to add to my little nook in 2013.

Here are the Top 5 recipes of 2012.

Have a AWESOME 2013!

1.  Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies-These are up 2 from last year.

2.  Next Up-My Peanut Butter Fudge!  (This is very yummy! I need to make this again soon!)

3.  Next up, Homemade Pudding Pops.  These came in at #2 Last Year.

4. Smores Dip!  Kids love this stuff!

5.  “Spooky” Halloween Bundt Cake- That really isn’t all that spooky!

And a couple of my personal favorites from 2012….

No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls *Energy Bites*

Fresh Strawberry Syrup Sauce

Thanks Again.  And please comment away in 2013!

~Enjoy!~

//

Let’s Get Cookin’ Top 5 Recipes of 2011

Let’s Get Cookin’ Top 5 Recipes of 2011

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to 2012!  So far so good for us.  I thought I would share the top 5 recipes from my blog.  Plus, I will share my personal favorites.

Top 5 Recipes

1. Snicker’s Pie

2. Homemade Pudding Pops

3. Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

4.  The “Best” Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge!

5. Red Velvet Cheesecake!

My Personal Favorites!

Luck ‘O The Irish Brownies

Irresistible Chocolate Chip Muffins

Eclair Cake

Pizza Lasagna

And my husband’s personal favorite! Snickerdoodle Brownies!

Thank you all for checking out my recipes!  And please be sure to comment and let me know if you make anything that you found on this blog!   Have a wonderful and prosperous 2012!

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

Very quick to through together.  Perfect for pot lucks. It makes around 2 dozen bars.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup quick-cooking oats

Icing Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce container) Chocolate icing (I used Duncan Hines Classic Chocolate creamy home-style icing)
3 to 4 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly roll pan.

2.  Beat together butter and sugars until creamy.  Add Egg and beat well.

3. Add peanut butter and beat until incorporated.

4.  Sift together baking soda, salt, and flour in a small bowl.  Stir into creamy mixture.

5. Add vanilla and stir in oats.

6.  Pour into pan, spreading evenly. (It may not look like you have enough ‘batter’ to cover the bottom.  You will just be patient and spread it evenly until you get the coverage you want.)

7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  Cool slightly.

8. Combine both icing ingredients in small bowl.

9.  Cover the bars with the chocolate/peanut butter icing mixture.

10.  Cut into finger lengths.

~Enjoy!~

Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

This is DELISH!

And it is SO very simple and doesn’t require a lot of work….

Ingredients:

1 package brownie mix
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 package of Vanilla (4 serving size) Instant pudding
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup thawed Cool Whip whipped topping

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare Brownie Mix as directed on package.  Pour into a Greased 9″  pie plate and bake for 30 mintues.
Let Cool Completely!!!! This is a must.
Scoop out center of the brownie leaving a 1/2 inch thick rim around the edge and a thin layer of brownie on the bottom.
Reserve the center pieces.

Beat all 1 -1/2 cold milk with Vanilla Pudding. Whisk it for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup peanut butter. Mix Well, stir/fold in Whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Top with Reserved Brownie pieces.

Micro-wave remain peanut butter in microwave until melted. About 30 seconds or so. Drizzle over pie. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until pie is set.

***My family absolutely loves this pie.  I do now drizzle caramel all over the top of it as well.***

Strawberry Cake With A Twist

Strawberry Cake With A Twist!

This cake uses a regular boxed cake mix that you purchase at the grocery store.  The Twist?

You add Strawberry Soda Pop instead of Water!

Ingredients

• 1 – package Strawberry Cake mix –You can use any brand, the brand I chose was Pillsbury Moist Supreme
• Strawberry Soda Pop (this is substituted for the water, add as much soda pop as you would water according to the package directions.)
• 2-3 eggs,  I used 2 and my cake turned our super fluffy and very moist.
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tubs of Cool Whip (8 oz tub)
• About a pound to a pound and a half of fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

Combine all Ingredients, remembering to substitute the soda for the water.

Mix until well blended.  You can use a mixer for this step.  It was just easier for me to use my wire whisk.  Plus, I had the added benefit of not having to get my mixer and attachments out.

Pour into 2 greased and floured baking rounds/pans.

Bake at 350 for 17-25 minutes.  You will need to check on them and see when they are done, using the toothpick method.

When they are done, loosen the cake edges and let cool completely.

Slice strawberries…as many as you want for the middle of the cake.

Once the cakes are cool.  Take the bottom layer and put cool whip on top.  Smooth it out and add strawberries. (Wouldn’t you know this was a step I totally forgot to take pictures of…)

Then place the other cake on top.  Ice the remaining cake and sides with the cool whip.

You can half, or butterfly the strawberries and put them on top!  And you are done!  Believe me if you have kids in your house this cake will NOT last long at all!  Even my non-strawberry eaters loved it.

~ENJOY~

Applesauce

Delicious Applesauce

When you have so many Apples you don’t know what to do with them!

Ingredients:

• 4-6 lbs. of peeled, cored and quartered apples.  Hint: Use a good cooking apple like Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, or  McIntosh.
• 4 strips of lemon peel (optional)
• Juice of one lemon, about 3-4 Tbsp
• 3 inches of cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a large pot. Cover. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until apples are very soft. (They will change color and almost look transparent.)
2. Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon peels (if used). Mash with potato masher until the desired consistency. The more you mash the smoother it will be.

Ready to serve, either hot or refrigerated. This is delicious with vanilla ice cream.  Freezes easily and last up to one year in a cold freezer.

Recipe Notes:

• Prep time is approx. 45 minutes.
• Sugar’s used are guidelines.  Depending on your taste and the sweetness of the apples you can adjust the sugar accordingly.
• If you use less sugar, more than likely you will want to use less lemon juice as well.
• Add ground cinnamon after mashing if desired.  (my kids love it like this.)

There you go! When you have more apples than you know what to do with!

~Enjoy~