Hawaiian Snowballs

So I had a recipe for these...and then I lost it...so I kind of made this up...I think it's pretty similar and they taste SUPER good! :-)

Ingredients:
1 box white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup macadamia nuts chopped
6 oz white chocolate chopped or white chocolate chips
cream cheese frosting
shredded coconut for topping

Preheat oven to 350°. In bowl mix cake mix, egg whites and oil. Add nuts and white chocolate. Roll into 1 inch balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly with back of spoon. Bake for 7-10 mins. Cool on wire rack.

After the cookies have cooled, frost them with the cream cheese frosting.



After the cookies have been frosted, top with the shredded coconut. Press down lightly to make sure the coconut doesn't fall off.



Then enjoy! These don't take very long and they are definitely a cookie kids can help with!

Pigeon Mix

I got this recipe from Brooke C in the 4th ward. It is very addictive and a great holiday treat, even if you don't normally like coconut. It's pretty sticky and messy to make but it's worth it!

1 large box of Golden Grahams
1 large box Corn Chex cereal
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 cup butter
2 cups Karo syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar

Cook sugar, Karo syrup, and butter until boiling. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add vanilla and soda. (Watch out, it puffs up quick. Make sure you have extra room at the top of the pot.) Stir down foam. Pour over cereal/almond/coconut mix in a big bowl and mix. Enjoy the calories!

Oreo Cake

A coworker of mine wanted an oreo cake for her birthday, so I just kind of made this up...hope you all like it!




This is really easy and SOOOOO yummy! :-)

White cake mix (or if you have a from scratch recipe, that'll work too!)
White Vanilla frosting...I like the "fluffy" kind
1 package of oreos (you only need like half the package, so if you eat the other half, you're still good!)

Crush up 1/4 of that package of oreos.
Prepare the white cake mix as directed, only add an extra 1/3 cup of water. Mix in the crushed up oreos. Split batter between two 8 or 9" round cake pans. Bake as directed.

Let cakes cool in pans for 5-8 mins. Remove from pans and let cool on wire racks completely. Crush another 1/4 of the package of oreos.

After cakes have cooled, level one layer by cutting off the rounded top. Frost with the frosting and then top with some of the crushed oreos. Set second layer on top and make sure it settles well. Frost the rest of the cake completely.

The easiest way I have found to get the crushed oreos on the outside is to just grab a handful and stick them on! :-)

Take four whole cookies and carefully cut them in half. Space them evenly on the top and put one whole cookie in the center. Voila! :-)

Easy YUMMY cupcakes.

These are really easy to make and REALLY yummy! They are heavier than a regular cupcake. They have almost a spongey texture like an angel food cake. You can frost them or make a cinnamon sugar topping to put on it before baking.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.

Add eggs to the mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Beat on high speed for 1minute 30 seconds until well mixed.

Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe can make anywhere from 20-24 cupcakes depending on how full you fill the cups. Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Muffins

(SO GOOD and EASY)

1 box of spice cake
1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin
Combine spice cake mix and pumpkin in bowl. (Don’t add other ingredients to make the cake-the batter is supposed to be thick). Put batter into muffin tins and bake according to cupcake directions on cake box. Also, can add chocolate chips to batter (tastes like pumpkin choc. chip cookies) or can frost with cream cheese frosting when done.

Super Easy Shortbread Cookies!

This is SOOOO easy!!! And YUMMY!!!!

1 lb butter (real butter only) soften
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 275°

Cream butter and sugar together. Add in 2 1/2 cups of flour. Blend together. Knead remaining 1/2 cup flour into dough a little at a time until dough cracks during kneading. You might not use the full 1/2 cup flour. Roll out to 1/4" thick. Use cookie cutters to shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Prick with a fork. Bake for 20-25 mins or until very slightly browned. Let cool. Eat slightly warm or let cool completely and dip in chocolate or frost! SOOO good! :-) Enjoy!

Cake Cookies

1 box of chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients and spoon onto cookie sheet just like chocolate chip cookies. Bake on 375 for 9 minutes. The best cookies ever!

Moon Baubles

This is the coolest cookie recipe and uses CHEERIOS as a main ingredient. My kids will not eat cheerios as a cereal, nor will my hubby, but we all LOVE this recipe. It tastes just like a yummy chocolate chip cookie recipe, but is considered health food because of the whole grain goodness of Cheerios! (Yah, I know, not health food, but close:0))

1/2 C. butter or margarine

1 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 C. Cheerios

1/2 C. M&M's or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Stir in flour and baking soda. Mix well. Add Cheerios and chocolate. Mix until blended. Drop by teaspoons on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan and cool. Makes about 2 dozen.

Citrus Cheesecake

A friend brought this to our Breaking Dawn party a couple weeks ago and I about died I loved it so much!! I am major cheesecake fan, so for me to say it's one of the best cheesecakes I've ever tasted is huge.

For a baptism earlier today, I made it for a refreshment. Worth every minute. It is absolutely positively DIVINE! For the recipe, check out Tannya's Food Blog here.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
2 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 package Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Mix all together minus the peanut butter cups. Roll into small quarter size balls. Place into mini-muffin pan and bake about 5 minutes at 375. Remove from oven and push one unwrapped peanut butter cup into each mini muffin cup center. Allow to cool in pan before removing to wire rack.

If you love peanut butter, you will love this. But be careful, it is hard not to eat them all!

Cheesecake...it's so good!

I am always trying to find different cheesecakes to make and this one has become one of my favorites!! I didn't take a picture of mine...we ate it too fast. :)

Picture is from Paula Dean's Website...that is why this so good!!

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

7 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar (I use superfine)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

Chocolate glaze:
1/4 cup butter

2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup sugar (I use superfine here also)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cherries, for serving Whipped cream and/or powdered sugar, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Crust:
In a medium size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and butter. Mix well and place in the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform cake pan. Make sure to press against the sides and bottom of the pan. Place into oven and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.
Filling:
Prepare the filling by beating cream cheese. Mix in sugar and vanilla while beating until well blended. Add in eggs and combine. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight.
Chocolate Glaze: In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium-low heat. Add chocolate to the butter. Whisk in sugar, whipping cream, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until combined. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes while whisking constantly.


When ready to serve, top with chocolate glaze, cherries, whipped cream and or powdered sugar. You don't have to use the chocolate...but it's SO good with it. :)

Raspberry Cream Trifle

I have made this for a few brunches, but it can also be a dessert.

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 cup cold water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 angel food cake (7 inches), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
2 cups fresh raspberries (frozen work too)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the milk, water, and extract until blended. Add pudding mix; whisk for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft set. Cover and chill until mixture is partially set. Fold in the whipped cream.
Place half of the cake cubes in a 2 –quart glass serving bowl. Top with half of the cream mixture. Carefully spread with jam. Sprinkle with one cup raspberries. Layer with remaining cake cubes, cream mixture and raspberries.