Turtle {Shortbread} Cookies

There is something to be said for the magical combination of chocolate, caramel and pecans.....just saying the ingredients is enough to make your mouth water! So when I was asked to

4th of July Jello!

Today is July 1st!! I LOVE the 4th of July and so I have a few Red, White and Blue goodies to share with you the next few days :)

Today is red, white and blue jello- because come on- its just awesome! 

I also have a really cool flag mold I bought from Kraft but I am sure you could do this in a 9 X 13 the layers just might be a little thinner :)

Flag Jello

4 cups boiling water

2 pkgs. (3 oz each) a blue jello

2 pkgs. (3 oz each) a red jello

3 cups cold water

 1 pkg. (3 oz) lemon jello

1 tub (8oz) whipped topping

In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups boiling water with the blue jello. Mix until dissolved. 

Repeat in separate bowl with red jello.

Then stir 1 1/2 cups cold water into each bowl and mix. 

Spray flag mold (or pan) with non stick spray and pour red jello into it. Refrigerate 45 minutes until set but NOT FIRM. 

Refrigerate blue jello in bowl. 

After 20 minutes, dissolve lemon jello in 1 cup boiling water in bowl. Refrigerate 25 minutes until slightly thickened. 

Whisk whipped topping into lemon jello

Spread over red layer in mold (or pan). Refrigerate 10 minutes until set but not firm. Pour blue jello on top.

(sorry no pics- missed it!)

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

To unmold- dip mold in warm water for about 15 seconds. Then gently pull mold away from jello. Place plate on top of mold and invert in one smooth motion. Gently shake to release jello from mold. 

(I used a tin foil covered cookie sheet)

Decorate and serve!

I just love the layers!

and the white middle is not too sweet and oh so yummy!! 

Hope you enjoy!!

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!

Fruit Pizza

With all the yummy fruit coming into season- it's the best time to make Fruit Pizza!!

I made this for a brunch last weekend and came home with nada!

Guess, I'll be making this again really soon :)

Fruit Pizza

CRUST:

1 cup sugar 

1 cup margarine, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp. backing soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cream of tarter

2 cups flour

1 tsp. vanilla

FILLING

vanilla or banana pudding

milk 

TOPPINGS

any fruit 

Cream sugar and margarine. Add egg and mix well. Add dry ingredients and vanilla. Spread on pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Completely cool. Mix pudding and milk according to pie directions. Let set for 15 min in refrigerator. Spread on cooled crust. Top with cut fruit. Serve immediately or let set in refrigerator (the crust gets kinda smooshy and ooh so yummy!!)

Cream sugar and margarine.

 Add egg and mix well.

Add dry ingredients and vanilla.

Spread on pizza pan or baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

 Completely cool. 

 Mix pudding and milk according to pie directions. Let set for 15 min in refrigerator. 

Spread on cooled crust.

  Top with cut fruit. Serve immediately or let set in refrigerator!

YUMMY!!

Let me know how your versions go!!! 

Monkey Bread

One of my favorite childhood memories is making and eating Monkey Bread with my mom!! 

Now I have actually heard this called different things but Monkey Bread is by far the funnest:)

It is so simple, so yummy, and a great treat to make with your kids!!

Ingredients:

3 tubes refrigerator biscuits (I use the cheap ones- they work great)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cube butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

You will also need a Bundt pan to bake this in:)

1. cut  the biscuits into fourths

Mix cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Dump in biscuits and let your adorable helper do the coating!

 Little fingers are prefect for this job

Place in bundt pan

 Also a great job for your little helper:)

Dump extra cinnamon and sugar on top- we need a ll the sugar right!! 

Next get your butter and brown sugar in a bowl ( I re-use my cinnamon and sugar bowl)

 Melt the butter- okay you could probably melt the butter before adding the brown sugar...

Mix them together to look like this:

 Pour evenly over the cinnamon-sugar coated biscuits

 Hmm doesn't that look good?? 

Add your walnuts if you want them

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

 Let cool for 5 min. then invert on pan or plate

 Try your best to not burn yourself as you try the first bite

Then decide why not and go for it:)

hmmmm hmmm good:)

Easy, fast and good- the best combination!!

Enjoy!!

Awesomistic Brownies

Okay so these are the best ever brownies!! They taste like all the combos of the yummy desserts that are out there!! So here they are ... and I am sure they have the calories that make them so yummy:)

Awesomistic Brownies

1 box cake mix- German chocolate or yellow
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 bag caramels (I bet caramel dots would would work just as well)
1 bag chocolate chips
1/2 cups nuts (opt. of course)
1/4 cup milk (evaporated if you have it)

Mix cake mix, butter/marg., nuts and 2 tablespoons milk. Press 1/2 of mixture into a 9 X 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 6 mins. Meanwhile, unwrap caramels and melt in microwave with 2 tablespoons milk. 1 minute on high-stir, 30 sec.-stir, repeat until melted. Remove crust from oven and pour chocolate chips on top. Pour caramel on top of the chocolate. Crumble the remaining cake mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min. Cool and enjoy!! :)

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

This is sooo yummy!! It is really easy to put together and makes a cake with its own hot fudge topping!! Try it! I know you'll love it!!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chopped nuts (opt.)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 1/2 cups very hot water

Directions:

In a 9 X 13 pan, mix flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, backing powder and salt. Mix in milk, oil and vanilla with fork. Stir in nuts if desired. Mix brown sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa in seperate bowl. Sprinkle over batter in pan. Pour hot water over entire pan. Bake at 350 for 40 mins. Spoon warm cake into bowls top with ice cream or whip cream and pour hot fudge on top:) Yummy!!

You can halve this recipe for an 8X8 pan if you are serving a smaller family.

Let me know how it goes!!

Bird's Milk Cake

This a recipe I got from the Lion House International Cookbook. This is a rich, heavenly yummy cake from Russia! You can serve it the day you make it but I love to let it sit in the fridge overnight... it makes it that much yummier!!! It is a little work but oh soo worth it:)
Bird's Milk Cake (Russia)
Ingredients:

Cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream:
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar

Gonush:
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons milk
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup butter

 Directions:

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 F. In large saucepan, stir together butter, sugar, honey, eggs and vanilla. Cook on low heat, stirring slowly, until sugar dissovles. Remove from heat and add flour and baking soda. Stir until well mixed. Divide dough into 5 equal parts. Prepare 5 9-inch rounds of parchment/ wax paper by spraying with non-stick spray. Place one of the 5 pieces on each paper round. Roll out to fit round (helps if you let dough cool a bit). Bake 5 min. each. Let cool.

CREAM: Combine flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, milk and vanilla in medium saucepan. Boil, stirring constantly, until ingredients are smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Add cooled mixture and beat well. Place one layer of cake on platter and spread with cream; top with next and layer and continue spreading cream between layers. DO NOT CREAM TOP.

GONASH: Melt all ingredients except butter in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil until mixture is smooth and dark brown in color. Remove from heat and add butter; stir until melted. Spread on top layer.


Either serve right away or let sit over night in the refrigerator for yumminess! Store any leftovers in fridge.