Turkey Cupcakes

We had a little fun with these Thanksgiving treats!  They are so cute & super easy with a little help from store bought cake mix & icing.   

All you need to make these:

Your favorite cake mix.  (I used a boxed Yellow Cake mix)

Chocolate Icing (I used a store box can.)

Reese's Pieces Candy 

Cupcake Paper Liners

I used 3 orange pieces for the beak, 2 brown pieces for the eyes, & made 2 lines around the top, alternating colors for the feathers. 

 (You could use candy corn instead of the Reese's Pieces too!) 

 Gobble Gobble!!

Happy Thanksgiving from Our Blissfully Delicious Life!

Witches Wands

 These little treats are the perfect marriage of salty & sweet.  They are incredibly easy to make & look beautiful too!  They made the most adorable, edible center pieces for our Halloween party this year!

What you need to make these:

Chocolate Almond Bark

Pretzel Sticks

Halloween Sprinkles

In a small sauce pan, over the lowest heat, melt the almond bark stirring occasionally.  I did 8 squares for the pretzels here.  While the chocolate is melting, I laid a piece of parchment paper out on the counter.  And poured the sprinkles into glasses.  I would recommend putting the sprinkles in bowls though, a wider opening will make it easier to sprinkle on the the pretzels. 

When the chocolate is fully melted, dip the pretzel sticks into the chocolate & let the excess drip off.  If the chocolate is too thick, it will drip off into your sprinkles!  Working quickly, while the chocolate is still wet, add the sprinkles.  Don't dip the pretzels into the sprinkles, pinch the sprinkles in your fingers & while holding the chocolate dipped pretzel over the bowl, sprinkle them on.

We did 2 different types of sprinkles.  My favorite was the sparkly colored sugar!

This is a perfect project for little helpers.  The chocolate doesn't get too hot so they can easily help with dipping the pretzels or my daughter's favorite, adding the sprinkles!!

 I put them in glasses filled with candy to serve.  So cute & even more tasty!!

Ghoulishly Fun Halloween Cookies

 Make some spooky fun this Halloween with these adorable ghost & goblin cookies.  They are so incredibly quick & easy.  There's hardly any cooking involved, making this perfect for little kitchen helpers!

Here's what you need to make them:

Vanilla Flavored Almond Bark

Oreo Cookies

Nutter Butter Cookies

Mini Chocolate Chips
Toothpicks (optional)

Directions:

Heat the almond bark in a sauce pan over your stove's lowest level of heat. 

 You could use white chocolate chips too.  But I find that almond bark melts more smooth & easily.  Just to give you an idea of how much to use, I did about 12 of each type of cookie using about 8 squares of chocolate. 

 While the chocolate is melting, get your cookies ready.  I inserted tooth picks into the center to make them easier to dip.

 You'll need to be careful not to stick the toothpick too far into the the Nutter Butter cookies or they will come apart. 

You need to stir the chocolate occasionally while it melts, but as long as you keep the stove on low, this really is effortless. 

When the chocolate is melted, set up an assembly line.  I set out a sheet of parchment paper.  Then stacked up all the cookies at one end, with the melted chocolate. 

 Dip the cookies, one at a time into the chocolate, then lay flat on the parchment paper.  Put 2 mini chocolate chips on as eyes & allow the cookies to set.  My 4 year old was the perfect helper, she put the eyes on the ghosts & goblins while I dipped then in the chocolate.  Really, kids could dip cookies too.  The chocolate doesn't get too hot making this the ultimate kid friendly activity.

Let the cookies set on the parchment paper before you plate them.  I didn't time it, but probably 10-15 minutes.  You can leave the toothpicks in them & serve like little lollipops or take them out. 

BOO! 

Happy Halloween!!

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies

 These are little treats from heaven, let me just tell you. I mean, the name alone lets you they are going to be delicious. Peanut butter & chocolate chips- truly one of life's most perfect marriages made into a cookie. Yum. But just wait until you try them. They are even better than you expect! Soft & chewy with a crispy outside. I actually used mini chocolate chips, only because I don't really like chocolate. GASP, I know. The last time I said that out loud my Aunt Temesia asked, "What is wrong with you?". Let me clarify, I don't mind a little chocolate, as long as there is a ton of Peanut butter to go with it! Add more, larger chocolate chips if that's your thing. Just make sure you make these cookies. Trust me, you'll be thanking me later!

 This is recipe is slightly adapted from The Smitten Kitchen's version, who adapted hers from the original in the The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup Peanut Butter, room temperature

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed Light Brown Sugar

1 large Egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2- 1 cup mini Chocolate Chips

For sprinkling:

1 tablespoon Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder & salt. Set aside.

 In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer with the paddle attachment.), beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. I used creamy peanut butter but the original recipe calls for chunky so use what you want! Then add the sugars and beat until smooth.

 Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Then add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly.

 Stir in the chocolate chips. I used a little over 1/2 cup of the mini's. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of peanut butter chips so use what ever you'd prefer!

 Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. One of those mini ice cream scoops would come in helpful here! (My helper is saying, "Never mind taking pictures, let's bake cookies!")

 Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisscross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies. Lightly sprinkle cookies with sugar.

 Bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not over bake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

 Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack and cool completely.

 Makes 2-3 dozen delicious cookies.

 YUM!!

 Miss Hannah thinks these are a favorite!

Peanut Butter & Reese Cup Rice Krispie Treats

Oh my goodness- these are dangerous! Who doesn't love Rice Krispie Treats?!? Add Peanut Butter & Reese Cups on top & they become insanely delicious!! This is a perfect recipe for little helpers too! My daughter had a blast making them! Ingredients:

6 cups Rice Krispie Cereal

1 large bag of Mini Marshmallows

3-4 tbsp of Butter

2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter

40-50 Mini Reese Cups

1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:

I think everyone has forgotten just how easy these yummy treats are to make! Stop buying the pre-packaged ones!! Homemade tastes SO much better & it only takes about 5 minutes! First thing, butter a 9X13 casserole dish. In a large sauce pan, melt 3 tbsp of butter over low/ medium heat. Add the marshmallows & cook, stirring frequently until completely melted.

Add the cereal & remove from heat. Fold gently to incorporate well.

Pour into the buttered dish & press to make even. It will be sticky; the easiest way that I have found to do this is to get a dab of butter on my finger tips & use them press the rice krispies into the dish. Set the RKTs aside.

Open all of the Miniature Reece Cups, this is an excellent job for little helpers!!

Hannah (& Daddy) opened them while I cut them into quarters.

These are going to be SO yummy! (Celebrating while snacking on an extra Reese Cup!)

Put 2 cups of creamy peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl.

This is what 40 Miniature Reece Cups look like, cut into quarters.

Melt the peanut butter in the microwave, cook for about 45 seconds. Gently fold in the Reece Cups to the melted peanut butter.

Pour over the top of the Rice Krispies, spreading to make an even layer. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over top. (You could also melt chocolate & drizzle it over the top with a spoon!)

Let sit (or refrigerate) so the peanut butter & Reece Cup layer hardens for a bit. Then cut & enjoy these insanely delicious treats! I originally found these sweet treats on a fellow foodies site here:

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/07/20/peanut-butter-cup-rice-krispies-treats/