Apple CIder Donuts

recipe found here (add ~4 minutes to cooking time)

Glazed Donuts

425 degrees for 7 minutes; then 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes
(original recipe)

Meringues Cookies

bottoms brushed with melted white chocolate and toasted, sliced almonds
(original recipe)

Lemon Cake with raspberry buttercream frosting

3-tiered lemon cake recipe (I omitted the lemon extract.)
raspberry buttercream frosting recipe

Rustic Apple Tart

original recipe found here

The Very Merry Berry Christmas Cake

original recipe found here

Chocolate Pavlova

Food Network Kitchen- Chocolate Pavlova with Strawberries and Cream

4th of July Rice Krispies Treats

recipe found here

4th of July Rice Krispies Treats

INGREDIENTS:

• 4.5 tablespoons butter
• 1 package mini marshmellows 
• 6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal
• food coloring (Betty Crocker's gel food colors)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large sauce pan, melt 1.5 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat.   Once the butter is melted, add 2 cups of the mini marshmellows until melted (stirring occasionally).  Once the marshmellows are melted, add the gel food coloring (about 2 teaspoons blue). Stir until the color is uniform. Turn heat to low/simmer and add 2 cups of the cereal. Mix well and transfer to an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan lined with wax paper. Use wax paper to press down the cereal.
2. Repeat with the next two layers (white, then red). 
3. Allow layers to set for 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

-Alyssa

Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

original recipe can be found here

Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
makes about 40 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chopped white chocolate.
3. Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

-Alyssa

Lemon Snickerdoodles

original recipe found here

Lemon Snickerdoodles

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1/4 cup of cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon)

DIRECTIONS:

1. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the electric mixer bowl until you get a nice smooth dough.
4. (Refrigerate the dough while the oven preheats.)
5. Preheat oven to 375F.
6. Roll out cookie balls and toss them in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Place them on a well greased cookie sheet and then slightly flatten them with your palm.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Let them cook on a baking rack, store in an airtight container.

-Alyssa

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

pumpkin bar recipe found here

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp Allspice
• 1/8 tsp Cloves
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1 bag Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 13×9 pan.
2. Mix together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. (You could use 2 tsp pumpkin pie instead of all the spices if you had it).
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add in the egg & vanilla. Beat in the pumpkin puree. (It will look chunky and gross, but don’t worry, that is what it is supposed to look like).
4. Add the in the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Spread the batter into your pan. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. A toothpick will come out mostly clean. Cool completely in pan before cutting.

-Alyssa

Mini Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes


Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix these ingredients altogether in a food processor and press into the bottom of cupcake liners (up 1/4 the length of the liners). Using a teaspoon helps the process.


Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry or blueberry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and lemon juice. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. Bake for 15-17 minutes and top with the pie filling of your choice. This recipe makes 24 mini cheesecakes.

-Alyssa

Paula Deen's Apple Pie

Paula Deen's original recipe can be found here.

Homemade Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:

Paula's Perfect Pie Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling:

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
• 7 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Finishing:

• 3 tablespoons butter, diced
• Egg wash, for brushing
• Sugar, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS (for the pie crust):

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.
2. When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

**Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

DIRECTIONS (for the apple pie filling):

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. In another bowl, sprinkle apples with the juice of 1 lemon and toss. Stir in the sugar mixture to evenly coat the apples.
3. Set aside. Roll out chilled dough into 2 circles and use 1 round to line a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the other round.
4. Mound the apple and sugar mixture into the pie pan lined with dough. Dot with the cubed butter.
5. Using a pastry cutter, cut an even number of strips from the remaining rolled out dough. Transfer every other strip to the pie top and weave in the lattice by folding every other strip back onto itself and laying another strip perpendicularly. Fold the strips back across and repeat until completed.
6. Brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Trim the overhanging dough and crimp edges.
7. Bake pie for 45 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

-Alyssa

Classic Tiramisu

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup expresso
• 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 20 lady fingers

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine 3 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon expresso, sugar, and cognac into large bowl.  Beat 2-3 minutes.  Add mascarpone and beat 3-5 minutes until smooth.  
2. In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into mascarpone mixture.
3. Dip one side of each lady finger into remaining espresso and layer on bottom and sides of serving dish.  Spread 1/2 mascarpone mixture and sprinkle withc ocoa.  Layer ladyfingers and finish with a mascarpone layer and cocoa.  Refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour before serving.  

-Alyssa

Ina Garten's Brownie Pudding

YUMMMY-- must be served at room temperature!  Refrigerate overnight, though.

Brownie Pudding

Original recipe found here

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 1/2 vanilla extract)
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (optional...I did not use)
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.
3. When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.
4. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.
5. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

-Alyssa

Asian Fruit Cake

Happy birthday, Dad! :)

Asian Fruit Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 boxes angel food cake
• 16 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled and sliced
• 3 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix angel food cake according to package directions.  Distribute into two 8" round pans for 18-19 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  After baking, invert immediately and allow to cool.  When you have 4 completed and cooled rounds, use a serrated knife to cut each layer in another half.
2. Using an electric hand-mixer and frozen glass bowl, prepare the whipped cream at low speed.  After the cream has soft peaks, add the sugar and vanilla extract.  Continue mixing on medium speed until the cream has stiff peaks.  
3. Repeat the following process until all cake layers have been used: cake layer, spread 5-6 tablespoons whipped cream, star-shaped layer of 5 mango slices and 5 peach slices.  Cover the last cake layer with the remainder of the fruit.  Use the extra strawberry slices to create a pattern on the bottom-side of the cake.  Refrigerate until serving.

-Alyssa

Happy 4th! Flag cake, cupcakes, and red sunflowers...oh my!

layers of angel food cake with homemade whipped cream with 4 oz of cream cheese

8" round pans...18 minutes @ 350 degrees F

success!

-Alyssa

Best Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

Best Sugar Cookies

Yields about 30 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 5 1/2 cups flour

Icing:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4-1/3 cup milk
• food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

For the cookies:

1. Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla. Add sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine salt, soda, and flour, and add to mixture.
2. Form dough into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Use your choice cookie cutter to cut into dough. Lay cookies out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes.

For the buttercream frosting:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla until crumbly. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add desired food coloring.

Recipe found here

-Alyssa

Giada's Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies with Blackberry Jam
Original recipe found here

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (recommended: Hershey's)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup
• 1/2 packed cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature, beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup blackberry jam

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, 3/4 cup of sugar, and light brown sugar together, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until blended. With the machine running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until incorporated.
4. Put the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Form the dough into 1/4 cup-size balls and roll in the sugar. Arrange 5 balls of dough, evenly apart, on each baking sheet. Using a round 1/4 teaspoon measure, or the thin end of a wooden spoon, make a hole in the center of each ball of dough, about 1/2 to 3/4-inch deep. Spoon 1 teaspoon of jam into each hole. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes until the dough has spread and the surface of the cookies are crackled. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Arrange the cookies on a serving dish and serve.

-Alyssa

Gingerbread Men

Gingerbread Cookie Cutouts
makes about 20 2" gingerbread men
Recipe by Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unsulfured molasses

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut with shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
4. Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

-Alyssa