Turtle Sundae Cookies

My mom introduced me to these cookies.  She informed me that it was a matter of life and death that I make these cookies.  Okay.  So it wasn't that serious.  But they were some REALLY good cookies. The version that my mom gave me came from Martha White.  You know Martha White. It's those little packages of muffin and corn bread mixes that use just milk. This recipe uses their Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix.


However, I had to improvise just a little.  Either everyone in Florida bought the muffin mix I needed or they simply don't carry in the store I go to.  I used the Betty Crocker double chocolate muffin mix instead.

For the version I made, you will need:
1 box of double chocolate muffin mix (you only need about 3/4 of the mix)
1/2 stick butter
5 ounces unsweetened baker's chocolate
1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed mix
2/3 cup of chopped pecans
foiled wrapped chocolate caramel candies


I used Hershey's caramel kisses.  My mom had success with Rolos.  I love Rolos.  


Chop up your pecans into small pieces and unwrap your candies.  

Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together.  Stir until smooth.   Now add your sweetened condensed milk and stir.

Next, add in your muffin mix.  The batter will become really thick and sticky.

Once you have your batter mixed, scoop out a spoonful and roll it into a ball.  Cover one side with pecans.

Flip the ball around and place it on a well greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place a caramel candy in the center of the cookie.

Wait a few minutes for the candies to melt and smooth it out with a knife.  Or you can always try to put the candy inside the cookie before you bake it.  Use the same method that I used for the Hockey Puck Cookies.  Just make sure you wrap up the candy really well with the cookie dough or it will leak out when you bake it.  Hope you enjoy them.  I sure did!

Turtle Sundae Cookies -Print Recipe

Beer Biscuits

It was like I was sleep-baking.  I had beer in one hand and my trusty box of Bisquick in the other. What is going on here?  I guess this is what I get for eating nachos followed by a pack of Double Stuffed Oreos.  I guess this is what I get for reading Paula Deen's cookbook three times now.  I was dreaming about Beer Biscuits.

But wait!  

They're real!!  I'm not dreaming.  Woo hoo!

What you will need:

 4 cups of Bisquick

1 12 ounce can of beer

2 Tablespoons of melted butter

1/4 -1/2 cup of sugar  (depends on how sweet you want them)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Spoon the batter into a well greased muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees.  The recipe will make 12 biscuits.  They take about 12 to 15 minutes to get a slight golden brown color.  Serve them with honey butter and you have yourself one amazing little beer biscuit on your hand.  


Beer Biscuits - Print Recipe

Sour Cream Crumb Cake

Can't you just smell that brown sugar cinnamony goodness in there?   Hold on a second.  Let me wipe that drool off the computer screen.


What you will need:


FILLING
1 1/2 Tablespoons of All Purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of cinnamon
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup of pecans, chopped
2 Tablespoons of butter, melted


CAKE
1 stick of unsalted butter, soft
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

The first step is to make the filling.  Super easy.  Combine everything together in a bowl.  That's it.  

Set the bowl aside for a few minutes.  The next step is to sift the cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar till it is thoroughly mixed.  Add the eggs in one at a time.   Now add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Take the sifted flour and add to the batter. Once the flour is incorporated, add in the vanilla.  


Take half of the batter and pour into a greased bundt pan.  Sprinkle half of the brown sugar filling on top.  

Pour in the remaining batter and top with the other half of the filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.  You know it is done when you can insert a knife or toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.  Let cool completely before serving.  Enjoy!!

Sour Cream Crumb Cake - Print Recipe

Paula Deen's Famous Cheese Biscuits

For dinner the other night, I made these cheese biscuits.  I have heard that if you make reservations at Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah, they bring you these biscuits while you are waiting for your table.  

What you will need:
2 cups of self rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup Crisco shortening
3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup buttermilk


Her recipe book says this will yield 8 large biscuits.  I cut the recipe in half and still came out with 8 biscuits.  I can't imagine how big these suckers are in person.


If you don't have buttermilk, then there are a couple of things you can use as a substitute.  Take a cup of fresh whole milk and mix in either a teaspoon of white vinegar or a teaspoon of lemon juice.  The mix can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to sour.  Just stir really well before using.  Or you can take 1/4 cup of fresh whole milk and 3/4 cup of plain yogurt and mix.


Now on to the biscuits!  In one bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and sugar together.  Next, you are going to cut in the shortening.  Some people use a pastry cutter, but I was taught to use my hands. Just pick up a handful of the flour and shortening and rub your hands together.  The result should be a mix that resembles lumpy cornmeal.  

Add in your cheese and pour in your buttermilk.  Stir in the buttermilk until it is JUST blended.  The mix should be lumpy.  

Drop the biscuit dough onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  

This picture doesn't do them justice.  But before I could get the camera to retake some photos, they had all mysteriously disappeared.  

Paula Deen's Famous Cheese Biscuits - Print Recipe

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

Everyone has their New Years resolutions ready.  Want to hear mine?  Sure you do.  I need to eat more vegetables this year.  I need to eat more coffee gelato from Paciugo's. I know it cancels out the vegetable promise, but I need to maintain my fluffy exterior. And I want to grow my hair out.   


One more thing....I need to make more of these cookies. They are kinda like brownies. They are soft and chewy and really good.  And really easy to make.

What you will need:
4 1/4 cups of powdered sugar
2 cups of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
6 egg whites
chopped walnuts and/or dark chocolate chunks

With a mixer, you are going to combine the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and egg whites.  See, I told you it was easy to make.  You might want to put a towel over the bowl for the first few seconds you mix.  If you don't, you will have a fine mist of powdered sugar and cocoa in the air.


Mix on a medium speed for about 2 minutes.  The batter will get really sticky because of the egg whites.  

Once you are done mixing, fold in the walnuts or chocolate chunks.  I liked the walnuts better because it helped cut down on the sweetness of the cookie just a bit.  Drop the batter onto a greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper.  Bake in the center of the oven at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.  If the rack is too low in the oven, the bottom will burn rather quickly.  


Let them cool on a cooling rack and store in an airtight container.  Good luck on the New Years resolutions everyone!


Flourless Chocolate Cookies - Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Bars

I know I haven't been blogging long.  And most of you can tell I love chocolate.  But I have a big secret.  I am addicted to peanut butter.  I have talked about peanut butter chewies, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter french toast...I wonder if they have meetings for this kind of thing.

This recipe came from Paula Deen's Savannah Country Cookbook.  My mom gave me this recipe years ago before I even realized it was from my butter lovin' cooking idol. 


What you will need:
1 stick of butter (Who would have guessed?)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of self rising flour


I added a crust to mine.  If you want to do the same, then melt some butter and grab a package of Nutter Butters.  You only need half of the package.  So have fun with the rest!

Crush the Nutter Butters in a food processor and mix with some melted butter.  I used about 1/2 stick for the crust.  Press into a baking pan.  The recipe suggests a 13 x 9 pan. However, I used a smaller pan.  The result is a thicker peanut butter bar that will require a longer cooking time.  

Bake the crust at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.  While that is cooking, you can start with the peanut butter mixture.  In a double boiler, melt down the stick of butter and 1/2 cup of peanut butter.  You don't have to buy a fancy double boiler from the store. You can make your own.  Fill a saucepan with water, turn on the heat, and place a stainless steel bowl (or even a thick glass bowl) over the water.  Make sure the bowl is big enough that it doesn't sit on the water.  Just be careful with the steam.  

After the peanut butter and butter have melted, add the remaining ingredients.  Stir everything together and pour over the crust.  If using the bigger pan, bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  If you use a smaller pan, you will cook the bars for about 45 minutes.   You know they are done when the middle is no longer jiggly.  Kind of like my belly after all this holiday eating.  Cool completely, cut into squares, and store in an airtight container.  

Will Travel for Food

Mr. Baking Pixie and I are back from our holiday travels.  We spent time with family, got snow on Christmas morning, and ate way too much.  But that's the point of the holidays, right?


The first stop on our trip was Savannah.  We had never been so we decided to make a day of it.  We stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast.  If you are ever in Savannah, check out The Azalea Inn.  The rooms are gorgeous, it's within walking distance of everything, and they have the cutest little yorkie named Joey.

Our first sweet stop was the Wright Square Cafe.  I got a chocolate truffle filled with Bailey's ganache.  

Our next stop was Mabel Francis Potter's Cupcake Emporium.  It's a little bit of a tongue twister, but we got two cupcakes.  We both love chocolate, but Mr. Baking Pixie isn't too fond of frosting.  So he got a plain chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting.  Mine was chocolate with a raspberry cream cheese frosting.  Note to self: Learn how to make raspberry cream cheese icing.

And then on our way home, we stopped in Chattanooga for the night.  We went to the aquarium, got some BBQ, and ate some more cupcakes.  This time we stopped in a little shop called Chattanooga Cupcakes.


Mr. Baking Pixie got a lemon cupcake.  It was made even better because of the mountain of lemon cream cheese icing.

I got a (big surprise) chocolate cupcake.  But this wasn't your average chocolate cupcake.  I got a chocolate "overload" cupcake. It was a chocolate cake, with a ganache center, with chocolate buttercream frosting, topped with chocolate shavings.  My skinny jeans are getting thrown into the back of my closet until I can work this one off.  

So that concludes our cupcake adventures.  Now that the holidays are over and we are safely back home...let the baking commence.  I have autographed Paula Deen cookbooks calling my name.