Vanilla Iced Coffee

I got this amazing vanilla iced coffee drink from a cookbook called Jackson Hole Cooks. This recipe is super quick and really good! Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
I cup fresh brewed coffee
1 cup 2% skim milk (I didn't actually use skim milk)
3/4 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1 whole teaspoon)
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
ice cubes
ground cinnamon


Directions:
Mix the coffee, milk, vanilla and sugar together in a pitcher.  Stir well to combine.


Place the ice cubes into two ice tea or other tall, 12-oz. glasses.  Pour the coffee mixture into the glasses.  If desired, lightly sprinkle with ground cinnamon.  Enjoy! :)


P.S. At the bottom of my blog, I have 3 boxes that you can check off.  One of the boxes say Amazing, the other one says OK and then the last one says Not good.  So if you try these recipes please mark off the boxes so I know which ones you enjoy or are not a big fan of.  Thank you!


Thanks
Alyssa :)

Heads Up!

Everyone just a quick heads up, when I first started this blog I said I was only going to be putting on desserts, and well any sweet baking item.  But I've changed my mind now and have decided that I will also be putting on appetizers and main courses and things that are not sweet.  So I'll be posting both on here!


Thanks
Alyssa :)

Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies!

I got this recipe from  http://www.foodnetwork.com/.  This recipe is so good and the cookies are really soft and chewy!  OK, here's the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup Jif Creamy peanut butter

1/2 stick all vegetable shortening (I used butter, it's so much more healthy!)

1 1/4 firmly packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Combine peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add the egg. Beat until just blended.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture at low speed.  Mix until just blended.  Drop by rounded tablespoonful 2 inched apart onto a greased baking sheet.  Flatten in a crisscrossed pattern with a fork.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown.  Cool for 2 minutes on a baking sheet.  Remove the cookies to a cooling rack so they can be cooled completely.

These cookies go great with a glass of milk!!  Enjoy!

Thanks

Alyssa :)

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Icing

I found this great recipe on a cooking blog called http://livlifetoo.blogspot.com/, I love her blog I check it almost every day and get new ideas and awesome recipes!  These Pumpkin cookies are really soft, chewy and moist! Anyway here's the recipe! :)

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, just mix together some cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg it's the same thing!)
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.  Mix well.
In another bowl beat the pumpkin pie spice, butter, and sugar together with a mixer until creamy.  Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
Drop by the spoonful onto the baking sheet.  Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.
Cinnamon Icing:
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar (I put 1 in, I don't like glazes or frosting's too sweet!)
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp melted butter


Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Place the cookies on the wire rack over waxed paper.  Spoon the icing over the top of each cookie and spread around until covered.  Goes great with an ice cold glass of milk!  Enjoy!


Thanks
Alyssa :)

Smith Island Cake

Cake from top view

I got this amazing cake recipe from a book called, United Cakes of America by Warren Brown.  This cake is usually eaten in Maryland, and goes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  OK, here are the ingredients!
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil. (I used olive oil, it's way better for you and it tastes really good in this cake!)

 1 1/2 cups superfine granulated sugar
5 eggs


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the oven rack in the middle position.  Line the bottoms of up to six 8 or 9 inch round pans with parchment.
2. Measure the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into separate bowls.  Whisk each to combine.
3. Measure the butter, vegetable shortening/olive oil and superfine sugar into the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Combine on medium to low speed for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs one at a time to the well-creamed butter mixture.
5. Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients about a quarter at a time.  Scrape the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
6. Pour about 2 cups of batter into each prepared pan
7. Bake the cakes for approximately 12 minutes, or until the top surface looks blond with slightly browned edges
8. Immediately flip each layer out onto wax or parchment paper.  I necessary, reline and reuse the cake pans to make all the layers.
9. Lightly cover each cake layer with plastic wrap as it cools to prevent it from drying out as you make the icing.
10.  Assemble the cake by spreading 1/4-inch layer of icing onto the between all cake layers and swirling a good amount of icing onto the outside of the cake.  If you'd like like an even more decorative look, you can apply piped borders of frosting using a pastry bag or a parchment cone.


Recipe for the Smith Island Cake Icing!
4 cups of confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder (I made it 2!)
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
3/4 cups whole milk
4 ounces of unsweetened, melted chocolate.


1. Sift the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2.  In a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the butter and the milk to a rolling boil, stirring often.
3. Reduce the temperature to low and whisk the boiling liquid into the confectioners sugar.  Scrape this back into the same saucepan and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add more milk if the mixture thickens too much.  It should not get pasty.
4. Scrape the hot mixture onto a large bowl.  Fold in the melted chocolate with a spatula until the frosting takes on a deep, even color.
5. Allow it to cool to room temperature.  Give it a few stirs with the spatula to smooth it out.


I added some pink sugar pearls for decoration as well!  Hope you enjoy! :)


Thanks
Alyssa :)

Lava cake

Yesterday I made a lava cake.  I guess you could't call what I made an actual lava cake because there was no chocolate flowing out of it!  I made a really stupid mistake and only put in 1 stick of butter rather than two.  Don't make my same mistake! :(  But the cake itself was really good!!  I got this recipe from a book called Delicious Disney by the Disney chefs and Pam Brandon.  OK, here's the recipe and ingredients!
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 8 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate, chopped. ( I used chocolate chips.)
1 cup (2 sticks!!) of butter.
5 egg yolks
4 whole eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour




1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter the sides of 6 individual (3/4) ramekins.  Lightly coat sides with a pinch of sugar, then shake out the excess.
2. Melt chocolate and butter on top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until smooth.  Remove from water and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Beat egg yolks and whole eggs together in a large bowl.  Add sugar and beat about 2 minutes.
4. Fold in chocolate mixture
5. Sift flour, then fold into batter, mixing until smooth.


6. Divide batter among the prepared ramekins, filling 3/4 fill.
7. Place on a baking sheet and bake about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are set and the middle is soft.  Do not overbake!!
8. Using a small knife cut around the sides of the cakes to loosen them out of the ramekins.
My extra special:  I add some vanilla ice cream on the side, a fresh mint leaf on top and a dash of powdered sugar :)


Thanks,
Alyssa :)

Sassy Eggs

I got this recipe, Sassy Eggs, from a book called Jackson Hole cooks.  You can probably guess where I got that book!:)  OK, if you're not a quiche lover you probably will not like this recipe.  I'm not exactly a quiche lover, but this was fun to make and is beautiful to look at!  But if you're a quiche lover, then MAKE THIS!


Ingredients:
1 16 oz. package of frozen peaches, defrosted.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint (2 cups) half-and-half
10 eggs (yes it's a lot!!)
corn bread mix
fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)
(I add a sprinkle of powdered sugar for good looks :D)

1. Lightly coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle a light covering of corn bread mix on the bottom.
2. Spread the defrosted peaches over the cornbread.  Evenly sprinkle the sugar and salt over the peaches.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and half-and-half together until well blended.  When blended pour the egg mixture over the peaches.
4. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until it is lightly browned.
5. Garnish with fresh raspberries AND a sprinkle of powdered sugar!
Serve warm and enjoy!!


Thanks
Alyssa :)